Nick Morich captures second straight Shangri-La II Speedway Sportsman Modified win

Bb DINO OBERTO

 

(Tioga Center, NY 6-21-25) When Shangri-La II Speedway re-opened last month, Nick Morich of Horseheads drove to his career first win with a Sportsman Modified. Morich enjoyed it so much that he turned in a repeat performance on Saturday afternoon, making it back-to-back victories and this one had a bonus that went with it as he collected $1000 for the win thanks to SUBLMTD Performance Apparel who stepped in to sweeten the pot for the winner.

Fourth starting Morich wasted little time in zeroing on early leader Lee Sharpsteen, pulling behind him after the first lap and then remaining tight on his rear bumper until a caution on lap seven for debris that slowed the action.

On the restart Morich edged ahead of Sharpsteen as they raced into the first two corners and then advanced to the lead on the back-straight where he was able to complete the pass and from then on it was smooth sailing. Morich progressed far enough ahead the rest of the way to keep his competition well behind him en route to victory.

“We really didn’t change much from last night, just changed gears and some other small adjustments,” said Morich, who raced at nearby Chemung Speedrome less than 24 hours the night prior.

“We went back and looked at our notes from last month and just tried to get the car as close as possible to then, it was a little tighter today but not a huge difference.”

Sharpsteen did what he could in defending his lead but after giving it up to Morich he had more than he could handle as Friday night Chemung winner Tony Hanbury was giving him a handful to deal with. From nose-to-tail then side-by-side the pair circled around the concrete 1/2-mile in close thrilling fashion.

After nonstop pressure Hanbury finally got the spot by dipping underneath Sharpsteen between turns 1-2 on lap 23. But for the remaining seven tours there was no catching Morich who had pulled far enough ahead to secure the victory.

“I love it here and no one ever touches one another, and everyone runs clean and respectful,” added Morich.

Jody Buckley drove a steady race as he maintained fourth all race long while DJ Shaw rounded out the top five.

Jason Duke from Candor picked up the Super Stock win that was an action-filled feature from start to finish. Lead changes and plenty of side-by-side racing made for a fan pleasing 25-lapper.

Pole sitter Garrett Zacharias was the early pace setter albeit under very close conditions when the race commenced.

Nearing the end of lap one top five runners Gary Noe was pinched by Mike Pollack in turn three which sent both cars spinning and then altered the running order, placing Bill Frisbie Jr., up to second with Eric Kocher and Tony Hanbury in tow. Hanbury was then making haste as he zipped around Kocher and then swarmed in on leaders Zacharias and Frisbie.

The ensuing restart did not bode well for leader Zacharias as he began slowing and gave up the top spot to Frisbie with Hanbury hot on his heels. Zacharias then stopped, which prompted the caution and when the race resumed things really began to get heated.

Hanbury and Duke sandwiched Frisbie as they exited turn four on the ninth circuit. That hotly contested outcome fell into the hands of Hanbury who picked up the lead and was followed by Duke.

Yellow fever struck again on lap 16 when Jim House made contact with Kocher on the front straight, resulting in Kocher skidding into the wall.    

One lap back under green saw Duke pull even with Hanbury and by the start of lap 18 he was in front and from there was no looking back as he picked up a hard-fought verdict. Hanbury had his second runner-up of the day, holding off Frisbie for the spot.

In the 4-Cylinder main it was no contest as far and away BJ Wambold of Nazareth, Pa., put a hurting on the rest of the field, lapping up to second by the time the checkers flew.

Wambold took the lead from Danny Cascioli on lap nine after some intense wheel-to-wheel manhandling between the pair. But once he secured the spot he then kicked in the afterburners on his No. 981 and ran away with the show.

            Runner-up Kevin Behler was the only other car on the lead lap but very close to becoming a lapped victim of Wambold.

            Horseheads Anthony Gullo took the lead at the outset of the Hobby Stock feature and from then on he was in cruise control, commanding his own destiny, which he did quite handily in gaining the win.

            Luke Nichols ran well but despite his stability had nothing for the stronger running Gullo and settled for second.

 

Sportsman Modified feature finish (30 laps): 1. Nick Morich, 2. Tony Hanbury, 3. Lee Sharpsteen, 4. Jody Buckley, 5. DJ Shaw, 6. Brian Rygielski Jr., 7. Kevin Makarewicz, 8. Lucas Barlett

 

Super Stock feature finish (25 laps): 1. Jason Duke, 2. Tony Hanbury, 3. Bill Frisbie Jr., 4. Robert Fink, 5. Aaron Cornell, 6. Abe Romanik, 7. Frank Chapman III, 8. Aaron Higgins, 9. Tucker Muffley, 10. Derrick Vogler 11. Mike Pollack, 12. Eric Kocher, 13. Garrett Zacharias, 14. Jim House, 15. Gary Noe

 

4-Cylinder Stock feature finish (20 laps): 1. BJ Wambold, 2. Kevin Behler, 3. Jason Peck, 4. Caitlyn Makarewicz, 5. Augustine Worden, 6. Brandon Mesheaw, 7. Mike Frable, 8. Maggie Wambold, 9. Danny Cascioli, 10. Kenny Evans Jr., 11. Gene Purvis

 

Hobby Stock feature finish (20 laps): 1. Anthony Gullo, 2. Luke Nickels, 3. Doug DeKay, 4. Dave Decker, 5. Bruce Kinner, 6. Dennis Beardslee, 7, Paul Bailey, 8. Mike Bailey DNS: Glen Lippolis