Brian Scisco broke a long victory drought at Wall Stadium Saturday night.
Taking the lead early in the 30-lap Modified feature, Scisco never surrendered it, taking the best shot from Wall’s best before securing his 17th career win and first since November 1994 when he won the Turkey Derby at the Shore Speedway.
"I almost thought that I had forgotten my way back to the winner’s circle here," Scisco said after his win. "It’s nice to be back."
Scisco grabbed the lead on the sixth lap and, in a feature that was not slowed by any caution flags, had the speed to hold off the field. Charlie Kremer Jr. of Toms River, who was all over Scisco’s bumper in the final laps, couldn’t get around the former track champion and was second at the line. Freehold’s Harry Reed was third followed by Union’s J.R. Helberg and Manahawkin’s Dave Michel.
Freehold’s Chaz Okerson weaved his way through an early lap tangle-up caused by a lapped car and raced to a convincing win in the 50-lap Pro Stock headliner. Okerson returned from a vacation in the Carolina’s just for the double-points race.
Ray Gastelu of Jackson was the runner-up to Okerson. Charlie Kremer III of Toms River, Rob Williams of Farmingdale and John Knapp of Trenton rounded out the top five.
Eric Albright of Morristown won the 20-lap Street Stock main event after a long battle with Greg Gastelu of Jackson. Gastelu took the lead at the start and held it until the 15th lap when Albright took the inside line on the front stretch to get by him.
While Albright motored on, Gastelu’s motor failed him. Farmingdale’s Craig Wallis was the beneficiary of Gastelu’s bad racing luck and took second with Ron Frees of Brick, third. Fourth and fifth went to Dan Kirchner of Millburn and Russ Cook of Howell.
Keith Marion of Forked River debuted a new truck for Saturday night’s 15-lap Truck Series feature and made it a winning debut turning back Jerry Stanzione and points leader Chris Kilbride of Colts Neck. Marlboro’s Tim Buckley was fourth.
Points leader Tim Henry of Schencksville, Pa., won his sixth Legend Cars feature of the season. Jason Rochelle and Charlie Hubbard were second and third in the 20-lap race.
All five stock car divisions will again be in action on Saturday night starting at 7 o’clock.
East Windsor Speedway
Jimmy Horton won Friday night’s 25-lap Small-Block Modified feature at East Windsor Speedway and with it, took over the points lead in the division.
The popular veteran scored an impressive win in the feature, his fifth of the 2000 season. A restart on the 18th lap bunched the field up and on the 21st circuit, Horton flew by the race leader, Joe Zuczek of Robbinsville.
Horton was chased to the checkered flag by Frenchtown’s Billy Pauch. Zuczek held on for third followed by Fred Dmuchowski of Neshanic Station and Tad Cox of Doylestown, Pa.
Bound Brook’s Rich Scagliotta had the 20-lap Sportsman feature in his sight, but Ryan Godown of Ringoes, had other plans. Godown took the inside on the final turn to steal the lead and the win from Scagliotta.
Kim Cooke of Hamilton picked up his first win of the season in the 15-lap Street Stock final. Current points leader Al Cheney of Cranbury was second at the line and gained points on defending champion Dave Brymer of Titusville, who was fourth.
The Modified Division will be highlighted Friday night, running the annual 50-lap Len Sammons Jr. Memorial. The Sportsman and Street Stock Divisions will be in action as well as East Windsor Presents Banner Night. Racing will start at 7:30 p.m.
New Egypt Speedway
Anyone at New Egypt Speedway could tell you that Bill Pauch has been "the man" this year, and last Wednesday night, the Frenchtown driver got to prove it to the rest of the top dirt drivers on the East Coast at the Pepsi Advance Auto Parts Super Dirt Series 100-lap event.
Pauch was second to Kenny Brightbill of Sinking Springs, Pa., in the one-lap time trial that locked in starting assignments for the top six drivers. Brightbill ripped off a 15.406 lap in being the fastest qualifier. Pauch was second with a 15.445 lap.
When it came to race time, however, Pauch was second to no one. He was in the lead by the seventh lap and in command. Despite several cautions that closed the field on Pauch, he answered every challenge. One last restart with 10 laps remaining moved everyone close to Pauch one last time, but he dusted everyone on the restart and cruised to his 11th win of the year at NES.
Doug Hoffman of Allentown, Pa., was second and Brightbill, third. Waterloo, N.Y.’s Steve Pain and Watertown, N.Y.’s Tim McCreadie, who by luck of the draw started on the pole, were fourth and fifth.
At Saturday’s regular show, Brightbill ended his yearlong dry spell with a win in the 30-lap feature. "Mr. Excitement," as Brightbill is known, had last won at NES on July 18, 1999. He now has 21 wins in his career.
Brightbill had to charge from back in the pack, and kept picking off cars one-by-one until he was in second place. Then, with three laps remaining, he went to the outside and passed Darren McCaughey, the race leader, to take over first place. In the final two laps, Brightbill showed that he hadn’t lost his ability to finish it off, taking the checkered flag with McCaughey still in second. Rocco Infante was third, Keith Hoffman, fourth and Allentown’s Mark Bitner, fifth.
Ryan Godown of Ringoes notched his fifth win of the season in the Sportsman Division. He took the lead from Mickey Kessler of Farmingdale with two laps to go. Kessler was second at the line followed by Jeff Carpenter of Howell.
George Quinlan of Brick won his first 15-lap Street Stock feature of the 2000 season, charging from 12th place in the field. Defending series champion Pat Conaway was second.
Winners of the Lightning Lap Awards for fastest lap during a feature were: McCaughey in the Modified (16.810), Godown, Sportsman (17.888) and Conaway, Street Stock (18.236).
On Saturday, the URC Sprints will join the other three stock car divisions on the card at NES. Racing will start at 6:15 p.m.

