RPMX 10/21

Sunny skies and unseasonably warm temperatures greeted the riders who showed up for the last race of the season at Raceway Park. Despite torrential rains leading up to the event, the Mickey Kessler-prepped track was in excellent condition for those who came to say farewell to another successful season.
This year saw Raceway Park host its first Loretta Lynn’s qualifier, as well as the 31st annual Kawasaki Race Of Champions. There’s even more in store for 2008, but first the final race of 2007 had to be run. A full schedule of Youth and Amateur classes were run, but only two Expert classes were on the race schedule: a combined 125cc and 250cc Expert contest, and a Vet Expert contest encompassing all the Over 25, Over 30 and Over 40 racers.
The first Vet Expert moto saw Jonathan Bronne, contesting his first Expert moto, grab the holeshot. Bronne was quickly displaced by Mount Holly Suzuki rider Jason Harper and Bromley Suzuki’s Barry Carsten (92). Freehold Honda-mounted Chris Chomko got around Bronne and set out after the leading Suzuki-mounted duo.
Carsten and Harper fought tooth and nail, swapping the lead several times, while Chomko stayed in striking distance in case either Carsten or Harper should falter. And that’s what happened: Harper washed out his front wheel in a corner, handing the number-two spot to Chomko. By that time, Carsten had checked out, and he went on to take the moto win. Yamaha-mounted Robert Quinn also took advantage of Harper’s error and moved into third place. The moto ended with Carsten out front, Chomko in second and Quinn in third. Harper finished fourth.
Moto two saw Carsten jump out to the early lead, followed closely by Quinn, Chomko, Bronne and Harper. On the first lap, Chomko dropped his bike coming into a corner and dropped all the way to the back of the pack. Carsten started to check out, while Harper settled into second and Quinn held on to third. Carsten checked out for the moto and overall win with his 1-1 finishes. Harper held on to take second in the moto and overall as well on a 4-2 score. Quinn finished third in the moto and overall. Chomko came back through the pack to take a sixth at moto’s end, and his 2-6 tally gave him fourth overall.
Carsten wasn’t done yet. He also battled Sport Honda’s Adam Blessing in both combined Expert motos, finishing just shy of the win in both motos. Blessing won both motos and took the overall, followed by Carsten (2-2) and Ryan Gainey (3-3).
After 32 years of racing at Raceway Park, there’s no sign of the action letting up. Stay tuned for more exciting action in 2008. Check out www.racewaypark.com for more details.
Results
65 (7-9): 1. Brandon Hartranft (KTM); 2. Miguel Correla (KTM); 3. Sean Knoll (KTM); 4. Pete Davis (KTM); 5. Brian Engdahl (KTM).
65 (10-11): 1. Joseph Galbraith (KTM); 2. Michael Giovanniello (KTM); 3. Jacob Rauch (Kaw); 4. Daniel Suydam (Kaw); 5. Jake McKenna (Kaw).
85 (7-11): 1. Luke Palonicola (Kaw); 2. Jacob Hartranft (Yam); 3. Michael Pettit (Suz); 4. Keith Pierce (KTM); 5. Tyler J. Betsch (Suz).
85 (12-13): 1. Jake Scott (Yam); 2. Jesse Pierce (Suz); 3. Richie Trevelise (Suz); 4. Matthew Gahrmann (Kaw); 5. Anthony Maladra (KTM).
85 (14-15): 1. Adam Scicchitano (Suz); 2. Ryan Hernandez (Hon); 3. Dan Lagreca (Yam); 4. Christopher Dasilva (Hon); 5. Evan Priester (Hon).
JR MINI (9-13): 1. Jake Scott (Yam); 2. Jacob Hartranft (Yam); 3. Luke Palonicola (Kaw); 4. Tyler J. Betsch (Suz); 5. Keith Pierce (KTM).
S/MINI (12-15): 1. Jesse Pierce (Suz); 2. Adam Scicchitano (Suz); 3. Zachary Reinson (Hon); 4. Damon Benefield (Yam); 5. Jason Chavez (Hon).
125 NOV: 1. Michael Sowa (Suz); 2. Christopher Duymich (Hon); 3. Corey Haugland (Hon); 4. Jason Chavez (Hon); 5. Andrew Flood (Hon).
125 AM: 1. Larry McVay (Yam); 2. Mike Lacerenza (Kaw); 3. William Francisco (Yam); 4. Joseph Chmielewski (Yam); 5. Douglas Zee (Hon).
250 NOV: 1. Michael Sowa (Suz); 2. Alex Stavola (Suz); 3. Tom Greenhoe (Yam); 4. Anthony G. Fiore (Yam); 5. Billy Thompson (Hon).
250 AM: 1. Joey Peditto (Kaw); 2. Talon Di Stefano (Hon); 3. Jeffrey Yeomans Jr. (Suz); 4. Douglass Zee (Hon); 5. James Moore Jr. (Hon).
OPEN 4-STRK: 1. Ryan Gainey (KTM); 2. Mike Lacerenza (Kaw); 3. Joey Peditto (Kaw); 4. Robert Malkiewicz (Kaw); 5. Ryan Patterson (Kaw).
OPEN 125/250 EX: 1. Adam Blessing (Hon); 2. Barry Carsten (Suz); 3. Ryan Gainey (KTM); 4. Ronnie Stewart (Suz); 5. Dakota Kessler (Suz).
WMN: 1. Nikki Stewart (Yam); 2. Rachel Engdahl (Suz); 3. Jennifer Singleton (Yam); 4. Melinda Giberson (Yam); 5. Rene Kotopoulis (Hon).
SCHBY (12-15) 2-STRK: 1. Mike Lacerenza (Kaw); 2. Larry McVay (Yam); 3. Brad Wainwright (Yam); 4. Dylan Ahlert (Suz); 5. Christopher Duymich (Hon).
CLGBY (16-24): 1. Dakota Kessler (Suz); 2. Greg Lurch (Yam); 3. Bryan Wallace (Hon); 4. Mike Tippin Jr. (Suz); 5. Jeffrey Yeomans Jr. (Suz).
25+ AM: 1. Ed Graham (Suz); 2. Ethan Waybright (Hon); 3. Daniel Jones (Hon); 4. Ed Allen (KTM); 5. Damian Ercole (Yam).
30+ NOV: 1. Gurlherne Abran (Kaw); 2. Stefan Nokolof (Hon); 3. Douglas Ims (Hon); 4. Michael Impens (Hon); 5. Jose Soares (Yam).
30+ AM: 1. Ethan Waybright (Hon); 2. John Ward (Hon); 3. Daniel Jones (Hon); 4. Ed Graham (Suz); 5. Dean Mauro (Kaw).
VET EX: 1. Barry Carsten (Suz); 2. Jason Harper (Suz); 3. Robert Quinn (Yam); 4. Christopher Chomko (Hon); 5. Brian Smith (Kaw).
40+ AM: 1. Doug Kitchell (Hon); 2. Stanley Poulsen (Hon); 3. Scott Sampson (Hon); 4. John Tavernese (Yam); 5. Spencer W. Hess (Hon).