Players from Howell and Jackson Liberty high schools mix it up during a summer lacrosse match played in Sea Girt on July 26. The Jersey Shore High School Lacrosse Summer League gives players a chance to hone their skills for the upcoming high school season. ERIC SUCAR staff Zack Alspach took advantage of a front row starting position on a hot and humid Aug. 4 to win the 30-lap Sportsman stock car feature at Wall Stadium, Wall Township. It was the Willingboro resident’s first win of the 2012 campaign.
Alspach rocketed to the lead at the outset of the race, but was under almost constant pressure from Elliott Wohl of Freehold and Holmdel’s Andrew Krause in the early going. Later in the event, the battle for the top spot became even more intense as Howell’s Kevin Davison and Brick Township’s Robert Sutphin also joined the tussle. A late race restart caused a bit of a scramble among the top runners, but Alspach was able to hang on for the win with Davison, Sutphin, Krause and Jonathan Mandato of Toms River completing the top five.
“My dad warned me tonight that when you start up front the only place to go is back,” Alspach said in the winner’s circle. “The car was on rails tonight thanks to my crew and my family. It had to be because there were a lot of good cars right there with me.”
On an evening when the memory of long-time race engine builder and speedway official Jim Hagaman, who died on July 30, was being honored, Brick Township’s Ronnie Mullen raced to the apparent win with a Hagaman engine in the 25-lap Factory Stock feature.
Unfortunately, Mullen’s racer failed to make minimum weight during a post-race inspection and that handed the win to Scott Riggleman of Manchester, whose car was also powered by a Hagaman prepared motor. Steve West of Howell, Jim Downey of Cliffwood Beach, Lakewood’s Paul Hartwig and John Bowers of Point Pleasant completed the top five.
Mike Bilello of Brick Township led the first 35 laps of the Green Monster Insulation 50-lap main event for the 4 Cylinder cars before a lapped car blocked his path and forced him into the guardrail.
At that point Andrew Krause of Holmdel, who had been a close second all the way, took over the lead and raced on for the win. Mark Tischler of Martinsville was second, while the recovering Bilello, Mike Wohl and Hartwig wrapped up the top five.
Nick Shaw of Chatham won a lap eight restart drag race over Jackson’s Howie Conk to win his fifth Street Stock main event of the year. Jerry Stanzione of Keansburg, Jack Sayegh of South Toms River and Glen Conk of Jackson were third through fifth.
The race was stopped early when Beachwood’s Bill Vanderveen tangled with another car and then the backstretch guardrail before barrel rolling down the straight and over the third turn guardrail.
Vanderveen climbed from the car under his own power and then was transported to the Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, with an injury to his left hand, He was admitted and remained in the hospital on Aug. 5, according to a press release from the speedway.
Jason Treat of Jackson was the winner of the Modified Match Race competition, taking the final round by inches over Freehold’s Chas Okerson.
Racing continues on Aug. 11 with a “Pack the Track” night promotion that features a reduced adult admission of $12. A special “On-Track Party” featuring a “Banner Night” competition will be featured. Grandstand seating opens at 5 p.m. Ontrack festivities are slated for 6 p.m. Modified time trials and main events will follow.