CHAS OKERSON WINS MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP BY WINNING RACE

SATURDAY AT WALL STADIUM

WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ Trailing Red Bank Sleep Shoppe Modified point leader Shaun Carrig of Little Falls by just five markers going into Saturday night’s Surfside Collision main event at Wall Stadium, Freehold’s Chas Okerson knew that he had to win the 40-lap feature to guarantee his first ever Modified driving title. After starting sixth, Okerson charged through the pack to take the lead late in the race to win his second main event of the year and the driving crown.

After a gigantic on track party with the fans, drivers, crews and the racecars got “Fan Appreciation Night” started, the regular season finale of the Able Ford Subaru Racing Series saw Freehold’s Steven Reed settle into the lead of the Modified 40-lapper after a couple of skirmishes in the early going. Soon title contenders Carrig and Okerson were fighting tooth and nail as they raced in second and third spots, respectively.

Okerson used a lap 10 restart to slip by Carrig for second, but that still was not enough for him to steal away the title. The turning point in both the event and the season-long race for the title came with ten laps remaining when Reed left the event while leading because of a leaking power steering pump. That moved Okerson to the front with Carrig trying to charge into the lead before fading in the closing laps.

At the finish it was six-time Pro Stock champion Okerson grabbing the win and his first ever Modified title, while Tommy Farrell of Neptune was second. Pete Brittain of Cream Ridge, Farmingdale’s Billy Cole and Carrig completed the top five.

“We wrecked this car real bad back on opening night and I wanted to park it then,” Okerson said after the race. “But my father wanted to rebuild it and my wife came up with a few extra dollars to get it back on the track. The crew and the sponsors are the people that really won this title for us.

“Luck has a lot to do with how things go in racing. I’ve had both bad luck and good luck this season. Tonight, a lot of things went my way for us to win this title.”

Mike Alcaro of Newton took the lead at the outset and drove on to win the I.N.E.X. Legend Cars 25-lap main event. Mark Tischler of Martinsville was on the leader’s bumper from start to finish and used his runner-up finish to nail down his first ever driving title. Derek Hopkinson of Toms River, Mike Carroll of Hellertown, Pa. and Mike Fulton of Bridgewater were third through fifth.

As the Calabreeze Pools Sportsman division cars were on the speedway to start their 25-lapper, rain began to fall. That rain eventually forced the postponement of the Sportsman race plus the Street Stock 25-lapper and the Flanagan Retail Development 20-lapper until October 24 when those driving titles will be decided.

The next event on the big-track’s Saturday schedule is set for October 24 when the first ever “Tommy Comerford Memorial,” a twin 66-lap event for the tour type Modifieds offering a total purse of $40,000, will be presented during the daylight hours. The Sportsman cars, Street Stocks, Legend Cars and Factory Stocks will also be on the agenda.

While the big track waits for the October 24, Sunday afternoons will continue to feature the “Small Car Series” on the fifth mile paved “inner oval.” Legend Cars, Bandoleros, TQ Midgets, Open Karts, Champ Karts, Microstocks and World Formulas are on the card. For more information on the Sunday Series visit http://wtssundayseries.synthasite.com.

Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway office is open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The speedway hotline number is 732-681-6400, while more information is also available at www.wallspeedway.com.

MODIFIED FEATURE – 40 Laps – CHAS OKERSON, FREEHOLD, 2. Tommy Farrell, 3. Pete Brittain, 4. Bill Cole, 5. Shaun Carrig, 6. Marc Nappi, 7. Adam LaCicero, 8. Tom Cottrell, 9. Wally LaCicero, 10. Steven Reed, 11. Scott Riggleman, 12. Chris Halsted, 13. Jimmy Blewett, 14. Rob Schultz, 15. Anthony Sesely, 16. Chris Lane, 17. Richie Knell, 18. Chris Hamilton, 19. Tim Arre

LEGEND CARS FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. MIKE ALCARO, NEWTON, 2. Mark Tischler, 3. Derek Hopkinson, 4. Mike Carroll, 5. Mike Fulton, 6. Trevor Alspach, 7. Matt Marring, 8. Brian Spencer, 9. Robert French, 10. Kenny Van Wickle, 11. Ron Poley, 12. Dan Wright, 13. Justin Alicchio, 14. Rich Alspach, 15. Mike Lester, 16. Malcolm Campbell, 17. Beth MacFarlane