April 11, 2017 | john Jahl The Younger, Pileggi The Older in Double Sweep: MARC 2016 – 2017 Round Eight at Catfish International By Benson S.R. Tuna April 8, 2017 – Cambridge, Massachusetts — Our ninth race of the 2016-17 MARC campaign featured some very close racing, and one of the largest showings of the year, 21 racers. We can accommodate! Practice underway on Catfish International Speedway Sportsman Spec Racer was our first tilt of the day. Stephen Jahl parachuted in from the North Shore, pulled a fine car and controller from his father’s box, and gathered steam as he moved across the lanes, taking the win by a mere lap and ¾, over Pete Medeiros Jr. Some cool racing throughout the field, and fairly clean heats, as we got further into the program. Don Hall, Jahl Sr., Nitro Mike Tiffany, New Guy Terry Ayr, Oh Jimmy, New Guy Hal Pierce, and Pete Sr. – that was your field. So Spec Racer Sportsman Podium - Stephen Jahl 1st, Pete Medeiros Jr 2nd, Tom Jahl 3rd and Donny Hall 4th glad to have Stephen, Hal, and Terry in the action, in addition to Team Medeiros, who we have missed from our midst. Among the missing and missed: Matt Patrick, Bob Wither, Tom Smith, Paul Crosby, and Phil Hilgert. Pro Spec Stock. Another race, another John Pileggi runaway. If the Pros thought they had their hands full with this guy as a working stiff, this is a foretelling of what it could look like when he’s a full-time civilian. John won, or tied for, top total on every lane except Blue. He set a new track class record with a 3.702, in White. There is work for the rest of us to do. Spec Racer Pro Podium - John Pileggi 1st, Ryan Archambault 2nd, Rob Hayes 3rd and John Reimels 4th Ryan, with what seemed like his best ever showing on the Brystal Catfish’s Penalty Box Red, was about six laps adrift of JP. Host Catfish Sr. did not run the gutters as well he usually does, and so was third, seven back from Ryan, and barely squeaking by John Reimels, by sections. Erik, Mac, and Stez (in that order) were covered by less than six laps. Moveup Man Stephen Jahl came 8th, followed by Our Director, the reappearing Dan DeCosmo, Tom Gray, Peter Lentros out of sorts and Dave Muse with a very much diminished racecar. (Time to cut that comm? – Ed.) Thus ended Pro Spec Stock. NOTE: If you want to run in the annual Nuvolari G-Jet Enduro, May 6, now is the time to send your $35 entry fee to Stez. For ten years this race has served to support our young friend Ethan Duda’s education. Ethan has launched, and so has graciously asked that we now shift our support to another cause. The Hole in The Wall Gang camp, begun by Paul Newman, which helps children with life-threatening diseases, is our new chosen charity. Please make cheque to Hole in The Wall Gang, and mail to Stez at 8 Front Street, Hull, MA 02045. Time for Sportsman Modified. Another heady, steady performance from the prodigal Stephen Jahl, who bested his father by ten laps for the Sportsman Modified win. Both of the cars, prepared by The Older, were very impressive. Pete Medeiros Jr., finishing about five laps back from Jahl The Older, had a rough Yellow, or he clearly would have been right between those pesky Jahls. Modified Sportsman Podium - Stephen Jahl 1st, Tom Jahl 2nd, Pete Medeiros Jr 3rd and Mike Tiffany 4th Nitro Mike Tiffany was next, suddenly using an alternate controller, followed by the tight grouping of Terry Ayer, and Oh Jimmy Colligan, who were just ½ lap apart! Jimmy had the totals on the gutters, but Terry handled the middle lanes with just enough smoove to squeak out 5th place. Don Hall (back from his bathroom adventure), Hal Pierce, and Pete Sr. completed our Sportsman Noble Nine. In Pro CMPM, John Pileggi covered the field with a very, very strong 354.43. Dan DeCosmo set a new, single-lap class record of 2.966 with his very fast Archambomb®, and came home second, 11 and a half laps behind John. Dan had a perfect, no-deslot run on Yellow in his final heat to slice Catfish Sr. by ½ a lap. Ryan, with perhaps too much motor in his chosen Archambomb®, was 21 laps back, in turn covering J. Reimels, who suffered mightily on Red, by a little more than a lap. CMPM Pro Podium - Ryan Archambault 4th, Rob Hayes 3rd, Dan DeCosmo 2nd and John Pileggi 1st Paul Ryer, Jim Mac, also with some of the Red Flu, Erik with big troubles on Yellow, and Tom Gray, with a colossally rough Red, completed our Pro Nine. A good, long day, completed in fine fashion, with apple and blueberry pies and some raspberry rugalah. Fini! Many thanks to Digital Dave Muse for his work on bringing us our return engagement with Lanemaster®, to superspouse Gretchen for providing our all-important donuts, and mandolinus maximus Joe K. Walsh for our (prerecorded) national anthem. Thanks to everyone for coming, and huge thanks to Bryan Henden of Brystal Race Systems for our fun-fun-fun Brystal Catfish racetrack. – end –