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ISMA ON TV SUNDAY OCT. 3RD!!
To see a broadcast of the
ISMA race held at Berlin Raceway tune in this
Sunday, Oct 3rd at 2 PM on SBT2 22.2, tune in to ISMA's
Michiana Speed Zone.
This was one of the best shows of the year, don't miss all
the action! For more info check out
http://www.michianaspeedzone.com/
and
http://www.mwracingnews.com/michianaspeedzone-html/4583.html
September 25, 2010 - Berlin, MI - (Saturday - Berlin 50)
ISMA Berlin top three pose with track president, Mike
Blackmer. From left, Mark Sammut third place, winner Ted
Christopher, Mr
Blackmer and second place finisher Mike Lichty. - Photo By
Jim Feeney
TED CHRISTOPHER AMAZES WITH
ISMA WIN AT BERLIN
Marne, MI – In
1999, modified ace Ted Christopher climbed aboard a Paul Dunigan
–owned supermodified for the first time ever. It was at Thompson
Speedway. He started dead last. He won. Saturday at Berlin Raceway
in Michigan, Ted climbed into the Clyde Booth 61 for the first time,
at a track he’d never seen before, started dead last and won! As Ted
put it in victory lane, he was two for two in his supermodified
competition. Not a bad record to say the least. But put the
Plainville, CT driver in a good car – in any division – and he’ll
race it to the max, even the tough, ultra fast, winged
supermodifieds. Although new to the Midwest crowd, those who had
seen the ultra-talented shoe race from modifieds to full-bodied
NASCAR cars and anything in between, were not surprised.
Christopher was
overjoyed after his second career ISMA supermodified win in as many
outings. “This is a great track. It was fun racing. This is the
second time I’ve run a supermodified for somebody for the first
time, started dead last and have won.
His expectations,
after a dnf in his heat were tenuous. “I was hoping we’d get a
couple yellows because we had a problem in the heat race and started
at the end of the field. I thought if I got a couple yellows, it
would bunch the field up and I’d see what happened. These cars are
really different. When I got up close to another car it would take
the air out and just make the car push. So I tried a couple ways to
pass people with it and finally caught up and passed Mike. I’d like
to thank Clyde and Susan Booth for the ride. They really do a good
job with this car. I’d also like to thank CorrPak for putting up
some extra money for this race and for the crowd for coming out
despite the cold.”
Mike Lichty and
Russ Wood went into Berlin fighting for the ISMA point title with
only a 21 point difference between Wood at the top and Lichty. Both
won their heats and the feature quickly developed into a battle
between the duo for the win. Lichty found himself in second at race
end, with Wood fourth.
Mike described his
night, “For the first probably 30 laps the car was really good. And
then we had a couple cautions toward the end and I knew we were
getting loose. I kept looking at the lap order and saw Woody there.
I really didn’t want to run too hard and burn myself out and then
Teddy got by. But, you know I’m happy with a second. Hats off to
Mark for a strong third and hats off to Clyde and Ted for their win.
Thanks CorrPak for helping put this deal together and Patco and
Stage Door.”
A big smile came
from the second Canadian on the podium Mark Sammut, who raced his
way to third. “We struggled a little bit earlier today but the car
was really good in the feature. It was coming along at the end. Then
we ran out of tires a little bit. Those last yellows didn’t help. It
took me three or four laps to wound up again. I got beside Mike a
couple times near the end but with the lap traffic things just
didn’t play out my way and I didn’t have a chance to get by him.”
Rich Reid and Dave
Duggan led the way to green with Reid leading the first three laps
before Lichty came up from sixth to take first. Reid ended up
moments later bringing out the first yellow of the race and ended up
in the pits unfortunately on a tow truck.
On the restart of
lap 5, Russ Wood made quick work of Eddie Witkum Jr. to take over
second and the battle out from between Lichty and Wood began. As
Lichty and Wood pulled away, Eddie Witkum, Dave Duggan, Ben Seitz,
Mark Sammut, Bob Magner, Christopher, Johnny Benson, Rob Summers and
more were launching a torrid battle of their own.
Out front Lichty
and Wood became close friends for a while with a .7 second margin
between them as things ran hot and heavy some distance behind. The
man on the move was Christopher who was up to fifth by lap 16. Lane,
Sammut, Magner, Benson, Summers, Locke and Denny Fisher were running
side by side as the race approached half way.
Unfortunately for
hometown hero Benson, a brush with another car during the hard
racing, sent him over the second turn and the yellow flew as his 74
was retrieved. He was able to restart with a quick tire change much
to the crowd’s delight.
The intense racing
continued on the restart but Lichty was showing signs of pulling
away from challenger Wood. Russ slipped back a couple car lengths as
the race passed halfway with Seitz and Christopher putting pressure
on the 29. Sammut, Duggan, Magner, Fisher, Summers and Dawson were
going at it in the top ten as Benson worked his way back to 11th.
Christopher, a
novice in name only, grabbed second from Wood on lap 27 and set his
sites on leader Lichty. Wood was still quite in the mix as the race
passed the lap 30 mark.
In and out of
traffic went the top runners with a clear spot opening again on lap
35 allowing the 84 and 61 to pull away once more on the 7/16ths mile
oval. Wood, Sammut, Seitz were now the top five as Sammut’s 78
seemed to come alive.
Yellow flew again
on lap 37 when the 41 of Magner spun out back. He was pushed into
the pits and re-entered the race at the tail.
The restart gave
Christopher his shot at glory and he took it soon thereafter. On lap
40, T.C. as he’s called in most circles, made the move by Lichty for
the lead.
In the last ten
laps, Lichty was able to stay with Christopher for a while but
drifted back allowing Ted’s astonishing win to be completed. At the
checkers, the 61 passed over the line into the ISMA record books
while Lichty, Sammut, Wood and Seitz raced into the top five.
Lichty may have
gained a few spots in the points after finishing ahead of Wood, but
Russ was content with fourth. Said Wood after the race, “We were
running pretty good the first five or six laps. We got to second
behind Mike. We were way too tight. We thought the track would be
looser than it was. We were struggling. After 30 laps the right rear
was gone, we got loose and faded back to fourth. All in all, it
wasn’t too bad. Congratulations to Teddy and Clyde. Teddy’s the best
in the Northeast if you ask me. He was in a good car. I wish I could
have been in the stands watching him. We’ll take our fourth and head
on to Seekonk.”
Seitz was back on
track with his new team’s game plan. “It was a good run. This is a
tough place. We burned our tires up about half way and had no
forward bite. I’d like to once again thank my sponsors and my car
owner. The crew that came out with us made a big difference. But,
it’s a tough track. I’m happy. We’re gaining every race and learn
every race.”
Denny Fisher, Rob
Summers, Bobby Dawson, John Ivy and Johnny Benson Jr. rounded out
the top ten.
Notes… Christopher
lost a hub in the warmup laps of his heat and did not even race in
that qualifier…Danny Lane lost a brand new motor in his rebuilt 97
in practice after only four laps. Eddie Witkum drove the 97, which
has been in competition since Lane’s bad crash earlier this
year…Bobby Santos III will drive the Booth 61 at Seekonk while
Christopher will take the wheel at Thompson, the site of his only
other ISMA competition over 10 years ago.
ISMA event #13
Summary
Heat 1: Mike
Lichty, Bob Magner, Eddie Witkum Jr., Rich Reid, Craig Rayvals, Jim
Paller, John Ivy
Heat 2: Robbie
Summers, Johnny Benson Jr., Ben Seitz, Mark Sammut, Jack Smith,
Bobby Haynes Jr.
Heat 3: Russ Wood,
Jeff Locke, Mike Duggan, Denny Fisher, Bob Dawson, Ted Christopher
Berlin 50: 1. Ted
Christopher (61), 2. Mike Lichty (84), 3. Mark Sammut (78), 4. Russ
Wood (29), 5. Ben Seitz (17), 6. Denny Fisher (81), 7. Rob Summers
(35), 8. Bobby Dawson (28), 9. John Ivy (8), 10. Johnny Benson Jr.
(74), 11. Bobby Magner (41), 12. Dave Duggan (51), 13. Jeff Locke
(37), 14. Eddie Witkum Jr. (97), 15. Jack Smith (09), 16. Jim Paller
(64), 17. Craig Rayvals (04), 18. Rich Reid (92), 19. Bobby Haynes
Jr. (44).
Scroll Down
For More Race Photos From Berlin By Jim Feeney:
In the early
stages of the feature Ed Witkum Jr 97 and Dave Duggan 51 ran well,
but faded as the race progressed. Duggan ended up twelfth and Witkum
fourteenth. - Photo By Jim Feeney
On his charge from
his last place starting spot Ted Christopher 61 moves in to pass Ben
Seitz 17, to crack into the top three just before half way.
- Photo By Jim Feeney
About half way
through the feature Ted Christopher 61 closes in on second place
runner Russ Wood 29. A couple laps later Christopher would make the
pass and head for the leader, Mike Lichty. - Photo By Jim Feeney
In the later
stages of the feature Russ Wood 29 battles with Mark Sammut 78, for
several laps, for a podium finish. Sammut would get it with a third.
Wood finished fourth. - Photo By Jim Feeney
On lap 40 Ted
Christopher closes in to make the pass on Mike Lichty 84, who had
been leading since early in the feature. Christopher would go on to
get the win and Lichty held on to second. - Photo By Jim Feeney
Ted Christopher
pumps his fist in the air after winning the ISMA feature at Berlin
Raceway. - Photo By Jim Feeney
Ed
LaPrade, Clyde and Sue Booth join Ted Christopher in Berlin Victory
Lane. - Photo By Jim Feeney
Ted Christopher in Berlin Victory Lane. - Photo By
Jim Feeney
ISMA Berlin Raceway - Candid Photos 9/25/10
by Jim Feeney:
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More 2010 Race Results and
Photos |
