04/09/2017
2017 RETRO ALL STARS AND INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACES @ HMS
AMERICAN KING TRACK RECORDS TUMBLE AS CUSTER & BARTOS ALL STAR WINNERS AS PICIONE & PATAKY WIN IN INVITATIONAL
The fourth edition of the RETRO All Stars and Invitational Races was held at HMS in Bellevue, Ohio on April 8, 2017. All racing was held on the HMS World Record Holding American King track. Many records were broken as several of the Fastest Retro racers and builders in the country were on hand with a wide range of representation of MFG's, making the HMS American King the fastest in the USA for Retro Can Am and F1 cars.
Invitational Can Am Qualifying....... Gil Pataky was the early pacesetter with a fast 4.668 while Marc Picione and Bob Dempsey were close both running identical 4.672 laps, but it was Gary Beale hooking up his controller and taking the pole position with a fast 4.631 lap.
All Stars Can Am Qualifying........ the track record stood at 4.410 and while there were a few 4.4's being ran in practice was some "sandbagging" or going as fast as they could. Ross Scharf was the first to run in the 4.5's with a 4.531, then Greg Fox came up and ran a 4.509 until Eric Shirey was the first to run in the 4.4's with a 4.420. Willy Custer came up and ran a New World Record time of 4.376 holding off 2nd quick Ron Hershman @ 4.416.
F1 Invitational Qualifying....... Gil Pataky came up first and ran a 4.715 and that was good enough for the pole and held off Craig Scharfenberg at 4.724.
F1 All Stars Qualifying...... several drivers were flirting with the track record of 4.616 in practice. Eric Shirey was the first in the "4.5 club" with a 4.586, then Bud Bartos with a 4.577, then Willy Custer @ 4.539. Ron Hershman was the last to qualify and became the fastest with a run of 4.535 to take the pole and set the New World Record for F1 cars on an American King track.
Invitational Can Am B Qualifying Main....... Jeff Middaugh had a very bad qualifying experience when his motor wouldn't go and wound up with no time and in the B qualifying main. Jeff made up for his qualifying troubles by dominating and leading flag to flag to WIN the B qualifier with 280 laps. Bob Manzitti was 2nd with 267 followed by Big Bob Appelle 263, Frankie Schaffier 262.05, Kit Henry 262.00, Pops Myers 256 and Lori Schaffier 219. Fastest Race Lap Jeff Middaugh 4.729.
Invitational Can Am A Qualifying Main...... Marc Picione was fast and ran out front the entire distance of the race to win with 283 followed by Gil Pataky 279, Gary Beale 273, Tim Burton 268, Lonnie Baatz 266, Craig Scharfenberg 264, Johnny Detroit 251 and Bob Dempsey 148 DNF. Fastest Race Lap Marc Picione 4.682.
The Eight Drivers advancing to the Invitational Can Am Main Event
PICIONE 283 A
MIDDAUGH 280 B
PATAKY 279 A
BEALE 273 A
BURTON 268 A
MANZITTI 267 B
BAATZ 266 A
SCHARFENBERG 264 A
Not advancing
APPELLE 263 B
F SCHAFFIER 262 B
HENRY 262 B
MYERS 256 B
DETROIT 251 A
L SCHAFFIER 219 B
DEMPSEY 148 A
Invitational Can Am Main Event......... B Qualifier Winner Jeff Middaugh got out front early leading heats 1 through 7 while Marc Picione, Craig Scharfenberg and Gil Pataky battled between themselves and within striking distance of the win throughout the race. While these these four were up front the entire distance, the other drivers..... Gary Beale, Bob Manzitti, Lonnie Baatz and Tim Burton were locked in a battle for 5th through 8th honors. Going into the final heat, Jeff held a 2 laps advantage but was finishing on red while Marc was finishing on orange. Jeff ran strong on red but it was Marc Picione taking the lead in the last 30 seconds of the race to WIN with 286 laps followed by Jeff Middaugh 285.18, Craig Scharfenberg 285.07, Gil Pataky 284, Gary Beale 276, Bob Manzitti 273.17, Lonnie Baatz 273.03 and Tim Burton 265. Fastest Race Lap Marc Picione 4.6614.
Invitational Can Am Main Event Results
PICIONE 286
MIDDAUGH 285.18
SCHARFENBERG 285.07
PATAKY 284
BEALE 276
MANZITTI 273.17
BAATZ 273.02
BURTON 265
All Stars Can Am B Qualifying Main...... Cap Henry got out front early and held off a hard charging James Merriman the entire distance to WIN with 297 laps followed by James 295, Al Rutti 288.15, Dave Simerka 288.08, Tim Baatz 279, Bob Foster 278 and Rich Attee 245. Fastest Race Lap James Merriman 4.547.
All Stars Can Am A Qualifying Main.... Ron Hershman led early until his motor faded and Willy Custer jumped into the lead and was in his own zone WINNING with 303 followed by Eric Shirey 296, Ross Scharf 290.13, Bud Bartos 290.10, Greg Fox 289, Ron Hershman 287, Chris Barnes 284 and Joe Liguori 278. Fastest Race Lap Willy Custer 4.476.
The Eight Drivers advancing to the All Stars Can Am Main Event
CUSTER 303 A
HENRY 297 B
SHIREY 296 A
MERRIMAN 295 B
SCHARF 290.13 A
BARTOS 290.10 A
FOX 289 A
RUTTI 288.15 B
Drivers not advancing
SIMERKA 288.08 B
HERSHMAN 287 A
BARNES 284 A
BAATZ 279 B
FOSTER 278.10 B
LIGUORI 278.02 A
ATTEE 245 B
Can Am All Stars Main Event....... Willy Custer led "flag to flag" dominating the race by running fastest race lap on 7 of 8 lanes and WINNING with a New American King Track World Record of 307 laps. Eric Shirey 2nd with 298 laps followed by Ross Scharf 296, Bud Bartos 293.13, Cap Henry 293.05, James Merriman 291, Greg Fox 288 and Al Rutti 286. Fastest Race Lap Willy Custer 4.452.
All Stars Can Am Main Event Results
CUSTER 307
SHIREY 298
SCHARF 296
BARTOS 293.13
HENRY 293.05
MERRIMAN 291
FOX 288
RUTTI 286
Invitational F1 Main Event......... Gil Pataky and Jeff Middaugh were tied after two heats and Gil started pullling away from the field in the 3rd heat. By the end of the race, Craig Scharfenberg steadily picked off Jeff and Lonnie Baatz for 2nd. Gil Pataky WINS with 277 followed by Craig Scharfenberg 274, Jeff Middaugh 267, Lonnie Baatz 266, Tim Burton 263, Frankie Schaffier 257, Kit Henry 244 and Lori Schaffier 209. Fastest Race Lap Gil Pataky 4.795.
Invitational F1 Main Event Results
PATAKY 277
SCHARFENBERG 274
MIDDAUGH 267
BAATZ 266
BURTON 263
F SCHAFFIER 257
HENRY 244
L SCHAFFIER 209
All Stars F1 Main Event.... a round robin affair with 9 entries. Ron Hershman led until his sit out with Eric Shirey taking the lead until his sit out and Al Rutti led for a long time until his sit out. Going into the final heat, Bud Bartos was the leader and held on to WIn with 293 followed by Willy Custer 291, Eric Shirey 288, Ron Hershman 287, Al Rutti 281, Bob Foster 276, Dave Simerka 190 DNF, Chris Barnes 147 DNF and James Merriman 99 DNF. Fastest Race Lap Ron Hershman 4.661.
All Stars F1 Main Event Results
BARTOS 293
CUSTER 291
SHIREY 288
HERSHMAN 287
RUTTI 281
FOSTER 276
SIMERKA 190
BARNES 147
MERRIMAN 99
It was a great day of racing and fun!!! Thanks to Kit Henry for hosting the event as well to Cap and Carol Henry for all they did as well. Thanks to Chris Barnes for race directing and assisting during the day. THANKS to all the racers who attended and traveled far and near.