2/27/05

        The Second Annual T-Jet 500 was held Saturday February 26, 2005 at Pocket Rocket Raceway in Horseheads NY.  The race attracted top drivers from all over Central and Western NY as well as Northern PA. 

2nd Annual T-Jet 500 Official Entry List

Driver, Hometown - Entrant - Car

Mark Burdick, Millerton, PA - BAM Racing - Aurora Lola GT

John Durbin, Moravia, NY - Self - Aurora Lola GT

Kevin Hendrickson, Erin, NY - KRD Racing - Johnny Lightning Chevy Vega

Ryan Hendrickson, Erin, NY - KRD Racing - Johnny Lightning Chevy Camaro Z-28

Jimmy Knuppenburg, Pine Valley, NY - BAM Racing - Aurora Ferrari Dino

Patrick Nevius, Moravia, NY - Kanga Kars - Aurora Lola GT

Jeff "Hoss" Phoenix, Solvay, NY - Self - Aurora Lola GT

Joe Saccomanno, Alden, NY - Joe Jets - Aurora Lola GT

Scott Udave, Buffalo, NY - self - Aurora Lola GT

Scott Walker, Horseheads, NY - Pocket Rocket Raceway - Aurora Alfa Romeo 33; web site: www.pocketrocketraceway.com

Larry "Lawrence Of Moravia" Weaver, Moravia, NY - Kanga Kars - Aurora Gord GT40

Mark Webster, Camillus, NY - Self - Aurora Ford GT40

QUALIFYING

        Scott Udave opened qualifying with an 86-lap performance that would stand for pole position.  His run was smooth and fast and earned him his first pole at PRR.  Ryan Hendrickson put up a good fight, scoring 86 laps on his run as well, but he fell 18 segments short of Udave.  Both drivers equaled the lap total of last year's pole winner Dave Hendrickson.  Scott Walker stunned everyone by taking an Alfa Romeo 33 to third on the grid.  The Alfa is not noted for it's handling and it was the first time one had been entered in a race at PRR.  Fourth on the grid went to Mark Burdick.  Mark Webster grabbed 5th followed by Kevin Hendrickson, driving the surprising Chevy Vega.  Last month's Freezin' 250 winner Larry Weaver was 7th.  Weaver, noted as one of the area's top stock T-Jet racers, had been expected to be closer to the front.  Jeff "Hoss" Phoenix, another of the "big guns" in stock T-Jet racing could only manage 8th.  Jimmy Knuppenburg missed the cut in 9th.  Patrick Nevius, making his first PRR appearance in '05 struggled to 10th.  John Durbin took 11th, while Joe Saccomanno had car trouble and finished 12th.

Semi Finals

        The top eight qualifiers were split into two groups for the Semis.  Semi #1 featured Udave, Walker, Webster and Weaver.  Showing that his qualifying performance was no fluke, Udave jumped out to the lead and easily dominated the race to earn his first-ever appearance in a PRR final.  The battle for second was much closer.  Walker lacked the horsepower of Webster and Weaver, but he fought hard and drove a controlled race to finish 2nd.  Webster finished one lap further back for third.  Those two would have to wait for the results of Semi #2 to see if they would advance or be eliminated.  For Weaver, however, the day was over.  It marked the first time in PRR history that a Major held for stock T-Jets would not have Weaver appearing in the final. 

        Semi #2 featured the Hendrickson brothers, Burdick and Phoenix.  Ryan Hendrickson and Burdick battled throughout the race.  In the end Hendrickson managed to repeat his 86 lap performance from qualifying and come out on top.  Burdick improved by four laps to score 85.  Those numbers were enough to put both drivers in the final, and to eliminate Webster.  Phoenix got off to a slow start and despite a valiant effort he could not make it up.  His elimination meant that Walker was in.  Kevin Hendrickson held third until late in the 3rd segment when he gave way to Phoenix. 

T-Jet 500 Final

        The final was now set.  It would consist of four 17.25 minute segments.  Udave had now come out on top in both rounds and was the clear favorite despite this being his first final at PRR.  Hendrickson had shown the potential to beat Udave, but had been unable to up to this point.  He would be trying to keep the race in the family, as his father Dave had won it in 2004.  Going into the final the race appeared to be between these two.  Burdick had improved dramatically from qualifying to the Semifinal, but he would need to find more if he was to overcome the disappointment of the Freezin' 250.  Walker was making his first PRR Major final since the Turkey 250 in November, 2003.  His car seemed to lack speed and he would have to come up with something special to run with the others for 500 laps.

        At the start Udave, Hendrickson and Walker tangled in turn 3, allowing Burdick into the lead. His lead was short lived as he spun in the hairpin on lap 2.  At this point Udave took the lead and began to slowly pull away.  Behind him Walker and Hendrickson swapped second place back and forth repeatedly. Burdick began having trouble and three minutes into the first segment he went a lap down.  Ten minutes into the first segment Udave passed 2nd placed Walker to put him a lap down.  It appeared as though the rout was about to begin.  Moments later, however, he spun and Walker was back by.  The same scenario played out once more and the race was now taking on a different complexion.  Burdick's troubles had gone away and he was now closing in.  While Udave was struggling to lap Walker, Burdick was rounding up Hendrickson.  A couple more errors by Udave allowed Walker to pull away and Burdick and Hendrickson to regain the lead lap.  Burdick soon picked off Walker for second and then closed to within inches of Udave.  Udave responded and kept the lead, but incredibly, after 17 minutes of racing all four drivers were on the lead lap.  The second segment defined the race.  Burdick turned up heat even more.  He battled with Udave for the first two minutes as they swapped the lead several times.  Slowly Udave began to fade and Burdick assumed control.  By the end of the segment he was up by two laps.  Hendrickson held his gap to Udave through the segment, but he did manage to get by Walker for 3rd.  Walker could no longer carry his machine and fell back 5 laps from Burdick and out of contention.  The third segment saw more of the same and the focus now changed the battle for second which was going on between Udave and Hendrickson.  In the final segment Udave struggled and Hendrickson was able to take 2nd place for good.  

Next PRR Major: 4th Annual Spring Is In 250 (SS/Fray T-Jet)

PRR's Friday Night HO Racing Series runs every Friday evening with races beginning at 7 PM.  Current classes are PRR SS T-Jet and Johnny Lightning Tuff-Ones, (house rules.) Call or e-mail for rules.  

PRR's Saturday Night 1/32 Racing Series runs Saturday evening with races beginning at 5 PM.  Current classes are World Endurance Championship, (WEC,) World Rally Championship, (WRC,) and Trans Am.  Call or e-mail for rules. 

Pocket Rocket Raceway
2117 Grand Central Ave.
Horseheads, NY  14845
Phone: (607) 796-2168

E-mail:  prrho@juno.com
Web Site:  http://www.pocketrocketraceway.com/