Rob Warren Staves off Challenges for 9th Annual Terry Gibson Memorial 100 Win
Sandusky, OH – January 11, 2017…After a battle royal that included last year’s winner and his arch rival, Rob Warren willed his way to the win in the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), 9th Annual Terry Gibson Memorial Wednesday at Sandusky Speedway.
Rob Warren won his first Terry Gibson Memorial after a torrid battle with Bob Gangwer and Joe Achzet. (Screenshot art by BreezeGraphics.com)
For the last two years, Warren has been part of a thrilling show of close, clean racing but unlike last year when he lost the lead both nights in turn one, this year he won both in turn one. Bob Gangwer and Joe Achzet were second and third.
Filled with joy and genuine emotion in victory lane he said, “This is a monkey off my back, this was on my bucket list of one’s I had to win. This was one’s for Terry.”
Then he added, ” Thanks to Joe and Bob for running me clean. This was just an awesome race and a great, great, great win for me tonight.”
The intense race long show among the top three was physically and mentally tiring for Warren. He said, “My carpal tunnel was driving me crazy this morning and by lap 60 it was ballistic. I’m sweating, my legs are numb. I’m a mess!”
Gangwer Gets the Jump
At the drop of the green flag, pole-sitter Bob Gangwer took off into turn one all alone while outside row one starter Steve Callahan had more of the bad luck that has plagued him in this race strike again when he rode the front stretch wall.
Warren, who started in row two behind Callahan, quickly darted to the inside and set sail after Gangwer, while Achzet struggled to get up to speed.
The two steadily distanced themselves from the pack, although Gangwer could never shake Warren off.
Déjà Vu
It was a near repeat of last year’s race, albeit with the roles reversed where lapped traffic played a part in what would become the pass for the win.
Warren, as he did the night before, used a slower car as a pick and by lap 45 was the new leader.
Gangwer mentioned the wild race between the top two that eventually included third place finisher Joe Achzet saying, “That was a fantastic battle between the three of us with a lot of give and take while we were crawling all over each other and clawing for every advantage we could get.” “Rob really did a wonderful job of managing traffic and his car tonight. Very happy for him.”
“What a race for Rob to win,” Gangwer said. “If he’s half as tired as me, he’ll sleep pretty darned good tonight.”
A Rabbit Out of the Hat
Rob Warren(35), Bob Gangwer(25) and Joe Achzet(14) race hard through turn two at Sandusky during the Terry Gibson Memorial 100.
With Warren leading Gangwer, “The Rabbit,” Joe Achzet realized it was his turn to strike. Hounding the second place driver for the next 20 laps, Achzet eventually struck, and in nearly the same place as he lost the lead, Gangwer succumbed to Achzet’s bold move low from turn two and dropped to third on lap 67.
Close Quarters Leads to Disaster
The excitement was far from over though as the top three pushed each other to the limit over the course of the next 22 laps. Racing mere fractions of an inch away from each the trio were seen weaving in and through lapped cars like a finely orchestrated ballet of speed.
The dance ended in disaster for Achzet on lap 91. Coming up on a lapped car out of the fourth turn, Warren dove low leaving Achzet high with Gangwer behind half of a car length off of Achzet’s nerf bar.
Racing at breakneck speed down the front stretch, Achzet scrubbed the wall just enough to lose momentum and Gangwer quickly darted low under him and the lapped car to take second place back.
Audibly disappointed, Achzet briefly stated, “I don’t have a clue what happened. Something goofy took place. I’m disappointed because I had a something for Rob and was just picking and choosing my spots.”
Aczhet recovered in enough to time to hang onto third but could only watch as the top two drove off to the finish nose to tail. Keith Powell finished fourth, while Steve Callahan salvaged a top five after his horrible start.
Special Guest Visit by Zach Gibson
Before the evening got started, Zachary Gibson, nephew of Terry Gibson, gave a moving talk to the SUPRS competitors detailing his love and admiration for his uncle.
Zach also spoke about the legacy of his other uncles Jeff and Gene Lee as well as that of his father Larry and Grandfather Todd as he shared stories about his reasons for retiring.
He gratefully thanked SUPRS for their contribution from the Dion Parish Memorial Benevolent Fund for Supermodifieds that has aided in his continued healing from a supermodified accident at Toledo Speedway in June of 2016.
Earlier in the night Joe Achzet set fast time and Derrick Backus won a qualifying heat.
First Verse Same as the Second
Rob Warren won his third SUPRS feature in a row on Tuesday after passing Bob Gangwer on lap 37 to go on to win the Terry Gibson Fast 50. Gangwer held on for second place while Steve Callahan had a good run to third. It was the first SUPRS Gold Crest Division feature win at Sandusky for Warren and his sixth overall for the season.
The SUPRS racers move a little further east next week to start the multi-race 2016-17 Empire State Super Series in New York. It’s a special “Blind Date Night” where one of three potential tracks will be drawn from a hat just before racing.
Fans can learn more about the original and oldest online supermodified sim sanction, the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, when they visit www.SUPRS.net.
Join SUPRS active and vibrant Social Media channels by “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Circling SUPRS on Google+, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube.
RACE RESULTS
- 9th Annual Terry Gibson Memorial
- Race 16 of 42
- January 11, 2017
- SUPRS NASCAR Heat W v6 mod
- Sandusky Speedway
- 100 Laps
Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2-best lap underlined)
- 14-Joe Achzet; Yorkville, NY; Cottontail Designs, GraphX: 14.427, 14.399
- 55-Steve Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Exide Battery, CPR Motorsports: 14.515, 14.429
- 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1st to Finish Race Servers, Designs of Elegance: 14.486, 14.450
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; RW Woodworking, Wing Side Up Enterprises: 14.474, 14.476
- 41-Keith Powell; Carrollton, OH; Icings on Top, CPR Motorsports: 14.591, 14.491
- 61-Derrick Backus; Mexico, NY; Disturbed Motorsports: 14.662, 14.564
- X-Chad Phelps; Fair Haven, NY; Haun Welding Supply, Disturbed Motorsports: 14.795, 14.603
- 42-Carl Becker; Lansing, MI; Wholesale Diamond Exchange, Michigan Hill Gang: 14.865, 14.720
- 15-Joey Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Jack Daniels, CPR Motorsports: 15.417, 14.849
- 38-Kyle Clark; Mexico, NY; Coors’ Light, Disturbed Motorsports: 15.039, 14.961
- 77-Kevin Timmins; Baldwinsville, NY; BreezeGraphics.com, Wesley Motorsports: 15.784, 15.659
Heat Race-10 Laps (showing finish, car number, driver name)
- 61-Derrick Backus
- 42-Carl Becker
- 41-Keith Powell
- X-Chad Phelps
- 15-Joey Callahan
- 77-Kevin Timmins
- 38-Kyle Clark
Feature-100 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, starting position, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 35-Rob Warren; * | ** | P4 | 14.382
- 25-Bob Gangwer; * | P1 | 14.399 | +0.602
- 14-Joe Achzet; ! | P3 | 14.354 | +3.055
- 41-Keith Powell; ^ | P7 | 14.371 | +9.818
- 55-Steve Callahan; P2| 14.447 | +12.196
- 61-Derrick Backus; P5 | 14.472 | +1 Lap
- 15-Joey Callahan; P9 | 14.529 | +2 Laps
- 42-Carl Becker; P6 | 14.591 | +2 Laps
- X-Chad Phelps; P8 | 14.634 | +2 Laps
- 38-Kyle Clark; P11 | 14.594 | +4 Laps
- 77-Kevin Timmins; P10 | 114.957 | DNF (Pulled Off)
Time of Race: 26:12.249
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
- ^ Denotes SUPRSCharger
RACE RESULTS
- Terry Gibson Fast 50
- Race 15 of 42
- January 10, 2017
- SUPRS NASCAR Heat W v6 mod
- Sandusky Speedway
- 50 Laps
Heat Race – 10 Laps (showing finish, car number, driver name-top 2, eligible for invert, P3-P4 get handicap back)
- 42-Carl Becker
- 35-Rob Warren
- X-Chad Phelps
- 38-Kyle Clark
- 14-Joe Achzet
Heat Race 2 – 10 Laps (showing finish, car number, driver name-top 2, eligible for invert, P3-P4 get handicap back)
- 25-Bob Gangwer
- 41-Keith Powell
- 61-Derrick Backus
- 55-Steve Callahan
- 15-Joey Callahan
Feature-50 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, starting position, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 35-Rob Warren; * | P3 | 14.393
- 25-Bob Gangwer; * | ** | ! | P1 | 14.386 | +0.142
- 55-Steve Callahan; P7 | 14.424 | +4.032
- 41-Keith Powell; P4 | 14.478 | +5.023
- 61-Derrick Backus; P8 | 14.602 | +12.342
- X-Chad Phelps; P6 | 14.678 | +1 Lap
- 42-Carl Becker; P2 | 14.549 | +1 Lap
- 15-Joey Callahan; P10 | 114.522 | DNF +17 Laps
- 38-Kyle Clark; P5 | 14.772 | DNF +24 Laps
- 14-Joe Achzet; P9 | N/A | DNS (Dropped Connection)
Time of Race: 13:36.729
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
