Jan 5^th in the 59^th Annual ROC 200; Takes Lead in Tight ROC Championship Series
Oswego, NY - The 59th Sunoco Race of Champions came to a conclusion Sunday evening at the Oswego Speedway with Jan Leaty taking the Branich Motorsports entry to a 5^th place finish in the 200 lap event.  The team left with a smile on their faces, as their season-long workmanlike-type attitude again paid off, because with the top 5 finish, Jan moved into the points lead in the ROC Championship Series.

East Aurora, NY driver Billy Putney won his first Sunoco Race of Champions , followed by Earle Paules who won the TJ Toyota / Waite Toyota Modified All-Star race the night before. Defending race winner Tony Hirschman was third, Ted Christopher fourth and Leaty rounded out the top 5.

Thirty four cars started the 200, and based on his top 5 finish in Saturday night's All Star race, Jan started 9th.  Jan settled into his characteristic smooth rhythm in the early part of the race, staying in the top 10. With a mandatory pit stop needing to take place after lap 50 a yellow on lap 79 saw a flurry of pit activity that saw Jan, Chuck Hossfeld, Tony Hirschman, Eric Rudolph, Earl Paules, and Rowan Pennink among the 15 cars that pitted.

Jan started his march back up through the field and soon after survived a huge pileup in turn one that brought out the red flag. Many cars that had just pitted were involved.  The final yellow of the event came out with six laps to go as Hossfeld spun in turn four. The final five laps were anti climatic as the top five maintained their positions.

Jan's 5^th place finish moved him into the points lead in the 2009 ROC Championship series for the first time this year.  Only 13 points separate the top three drivers as the tour moves to Dunn Tire Raceway Park (Lancaster, NY) this weekend for the U.S. Open, the final race of the season.

Branich Motorsports would again like to thank all of our season sponsors, but a special note of thanks is extended to Auburn (NY) Memorial Hospital, who sponsored our 59^th Annual Race of Champions weekend efforts. 

59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS DART ASPHALT MODIFIED TOUR RACE REPORT
FINISH; Billy Putney, Earl Paules, Tony Hirschman, Ted Christopher, Jan Leaty, JR Kent, Rusty Smith, James Civali, Rowan Pennink, Andy Walko, Kyle Ebersole, TJ Potrzebowski, Jim Storace, Rick Kluth, Doug Reaume, Mike Leaty, Chuck Hossfeld, Eric Beers, Tom McGrath, Matt Hirschman, Daryl Lewis, Jr., Erick Rudolph, Tommy Farrell, III, Chris Risdale, Daren Scherer, Sege Fidanza, Tommy Cloce, Jimmy Zacharias, Dave Wollaber, Pete Brittain, Chris Zacharias, Mark Tychoniewicz, Rick Zacharias, Ron Smith.

DNS; Wilbur Hebing.

LAP LEADERS; Beers ( 1 - 58 ) M. Hirschman ( 59 - 60 ), Beers ( 61 - 87), M. Hirschman ( 88 - 127 ) Putney ( 128 - 200 ).

LAP MONEY WON; Beers - $7,443, Putney - $4,200, M. Hirschman - $3,000.

DART MACHINERY AWARD $1,500 SET OF HEADS; Ebersole.

GATER RACING NEWS DRIVER BONUS DRAWING $500; Kent.

GATER RACING NEWS BEST APPEARING CAR & CREW AWARD; Lewis.

HOOSIER RACING TIRE HARD LUCK AWARD; Brittain ( 7th to 30th ).

HOOSIER RACING TIRE HARD CHARGER AWARD; Kent ( 26th to 6th ).

TOM BALDWIN HARD CHARGER AWARD $500; Kent.

CHUCK BOOS AWARD $100; Geist.

LAST CAR RUNNING ON LEAD LAP $100; Hossfeld.

ZACHARIAS FAMILY RACING AWARD $100; Lewis.

NEXT EVENT - DUNN TIRE RACEWAY PARK - US OPEN - SATURDAY & SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH & 20TH.