Marcuccilli on Pole for Third Straight Year

by Bill Foley

OSWEGO, NY — Over ninety DIRTcar Sportsmen went under the clocks on late friday afternoon in hopes of garnering one of the six “locked in” spots for Sunday’s Chevy Performance 75.

Dave Marcuccilli captured the pole position.

Just seconds after Adam McAuliffe had knocked Jackson Gill off the pole with a 22.197 lap, the driver of the M1 sent McAuliffe to outside the front row with a 22.190.

As the time trials wound down current series point leader Kevin Root was within .005 of a second behind Marcuccilli and set himself on the outside of the front row.

Starting directly behind the front row are McAuliffe (22.197), just .0007 of a second behind the M1, Shane Pecore (22.373), Jackson Gill (22.374) and David Schilling (22.407).

Marcuccilli will be pole sitter for the third consecutive year.

He said,”I didn’t really feel any pressure today. I felt we had a good shot at the pole. This has been a good NAPA Super DIRT Week already and it’s great to be in this position for the third straight year. However,starting on the pole means there is only one way you can go. It is awesome to sit on the pole.”

Root noted,”I would have liked to have had it as we’ve been running one-two all year. It’s a huge relief and getting in the field is a huge relief off my back. The car wasn’t good in hot laps, but we worked on it and cut a good lap. I guess being .005 behind the M1 isn’t that bad as he’s the best in the business.”

Following the top sixth and having decent starting positions for tonight’s heats are Robert Delormier, Ryan Stabler, Robert Bublak, Will Shields, Dave Constantino, Jeremy Pitts, Bob Henry Jr., Corey Cormier, Connor Cleveland, Tyler Thompson, Andrew Buff, Kyle Inman, Brad Rouse and Alan Fink.

After half the field had timed North Country teenager Jackson Gill resided on the provisional pole with a 22.374 lap.

Robert Delormier (22.480), Ryan Stabler (22.490), Robert Bublak (22.495), Will Shields (22.499) and Dave Constantino (22.513) filled the six spots as the difference between the top half dozen was .139 of a second.

Entering Sunday’s race the point standings are a dog fight as KEvin Root holds a four point lead over Brad Rouse (2382-2378) while winner of two series events this week, at Weedsport and Brewerton, Dave Marcuccilli is seven points behind (2375).

Completing the top ten are Zach Sobotka (2340), Jackson Gill (2334), Shane Pecore (2272), James Michael Friesen (2227), Alan Fink (2216) and Brianna Ladouceur (2203). The championship won’t be determined on Sunday, but the picture of who could wear the 2018 crown will be much clearer.