ChuckHossfeld.com - News - October 2, 2007

October 2, 2007
Chuck Hossfeld win's the 2007 US Open

The race that everyone was waiting for was the last race of the 19th Annual US Open – the RoC Modifieds. Twenty-six “Mighty Modifieds” were on hand for the feature. The top twelve from Saturday’s heats redrew for the pole. Kirk Rutherford had first pick and picked the lucky number 1 starting spot. The rest of the top five redraws were Buck Catalano, Daren Scherer, Slater, and Mike Leaty. Chuck Hossfeld pulled the worst chip – number 12. At the drop of the green flag Rutherford took the early lead ahead of B. Catalano and M. Leaty but appeared to have some handling issues with the car. By lap ten, B. Catalano took advantage of the ill handling Rutherford and took command of the race. The field sorted themselves out in single file fashion and were running B. Catalano, Rutherford, Sherer, M Leaty, John Markovic, Tom McGrath, Erick Rudolph, Hossfeld, Patsy Catalano, and Billy Putney. Lap 41 saw the first caution of the 100 lapper as TJ Potrzebowski spun. The pits were opened up at lap 44 and Rudolph, Hossfled, Putney, Wilbur Hebing, Sege Fidanza, Jan Leaty, Pete Brittain, Brett Scherrer, Mark Tychoniewicz, and Potrzebowski all hit pit road.

Chaos would ensue on the first lap on the restart though as a huge pileup on the backstretch occurred. Involved in the wreck were JR Kent, Rick Kluth, Jimmy Zacharias, Putney, Hossfeld, Fidanza, Hebing, Rudolph, and J. Leaty. Fidanza, Hebing, Rudolph, and J. Leaty were all finished for the day. Under the yellow flag for the wreck, Rutherford and M. Leaty pitted too early and were sent tail for the infraction.

The lap 51 restart order had Jim Storace, JR Kent, Tom McGrath, Kluth, and Hossfeld up front. Hossfeld soon began his charge through the field, diving under Kluth to take fourth and then going high on the Kent to take third position just two laps later. Again just two laps later Hossfeld went to the high side of McGrath and captured second place and began hounding Storace for the lead. On Lap 59 Hossfeld got under Storace coming off of turn four and took the race lead.

Behind Hossfeld Potrzebowski, Brittain, Rutherford and M. Leaty were making their way through the field with Brittain up to fourth, Potrzebowski into fifth, and Rutherford and Leaty rebounding to tenth and eleventh after their penalty by lap 61.

The red flag appeared on lap 63 as Brett Scherrer took a hard hit into the turn four Thermal Foam. Rutherford had issues on the restart and dropped back from fifthe with brake issues. With 30 laps to go, Hossfeld led Brittain, M. Leaty and B Catalano but on lap 75 B. Catalano slowed with a failed clutch and retired on lap 76.

Just 20 laps remained and front three of Hossfeld, Brittain, and M. Leaty separated themselves from the rest of the field to race out the top three spots. Behind them John Markovic and P. Catalano raced each other, with both having good runs late in the race. With jut five more laps left in the race, Hossfeld could start breathing a little easier as Mike Leaty lost touch from the leading two after being held up behind some lap cars. Brittain also began to give Hossfeld some breathing room.

Hossfeld held on to capture the RoC Modified U.S. Open win while second place finisher Pete Brittain captured the 2007 RoC Championship. Also unofficially decided was the Lancaster Modified Championship which had Buck Catalano beating out Hossfeld by just two points.

Posted by
Mike Hossfeld

Written by
Lori Overdorf

October 2, 2007