 Canandaigua, NY – July 16, 2013 – Dave Roberts, Canandaigua Motorsports Park PR Correspondent
On an absolutely beautiful night for racing, Doug Emery captured the 360 Smoke Shootout featuring NASCAR Sprint Cup racing star Tony Stewart, taking his first checkered flag of the 2013 season by winning at the historic Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Tuesday night.
 In companion events on the Regional International Truck & Trailer/Monroe Wheelchair card, Dave Marcuccilli won the Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman feature while Dale Caswell took top honors in the Crate Late Model feature.
The night was interrupted on lap six of the 360 Sprint feature when several drivers were involved in an accident on the front straightaway off a restart. The CMP safety team was right on the situation and did a marvelous job in getting those needing medical assistance. Alysha Ruggles, who took the wildest ride of the entire field, was sent to the hospital with back issues. At last report, she was doing fine while getting additional assistance.
Canandaigua Motorsports Park Modified ace Vince Vitale was impressive at the start of the Sprint main event, leading the first four laps. Vitale, however, lost the lead on lap five and brought out the yellow on lap six as he came to a stop on the racing surface.
On the restart, the trouble began as the field attempted to avoid spinning traffic, which included Stewart. While the clean-up occurred, track officials decided to bring out the Crate Late Model division for that feature event while those involved in the Sprint Car accident had the opportunity to make repairs and return to the race.
 Doug Emery was the leader and when the 360 Sprints returned to the track, and he was on fire. Emery led by as much as 3.5 seconds at the lap 15 mark. With five laps remaining, the advantage was shorted to a little over two seconds but that was as close as second-place finisher Bryan Howland could get to Emery by the time the checkered flag flew.
Third went to Jason Barney while Matt Tanner and Darryl Ruggles rounded out the top-five.
“The car was beautiful all night,” Emery said. “We could drive it anywhere on the track.”
Heat race winners in the 360 Sprints were Tony Stewart, Shawn Donath and Lance Yonge. Tony Stewart also won the Dash for Cash.
In the 25-lap Safety Awareness Solutions feature, Dave Marcuccilli was a convincing winner as the veteran racer finished nearly four seconds up the track from second-place finisher Paul Guererri at the checkered flag.
Marcuccilli took the lead from early pace-setter Tyler Meeks on lap six. Using the outside lane Marcuccilli, drove by Meeks as the two diced down the front straight.
On a lap nine restart, Marcuccilli chose the outside lane and slipped up when the field came off turn four, allowing Karl Comfort to get by for just a moment. Marcuccilli, however, was able to get by Comfort as the duo entered turn two. Marcuccilli, would have to endure one more caution period throughout the remainder of the event but never had any difficulties after that.
“I messed up a bit and the ten (10) car got by me,” said Marcuccilli, who has graduated to the Team Tiremasters Big-Block Modified Division on Saturday nights, driving for car owner Mike Payne. “I was glad that I was able to get by him again.”
Meeks had led from the drop of the green until Marcuccilli was able to slip by.
Third was Kevin Ridley followed by Karl Comfort and Nick Guererri, who won the feature event only three days earlier on Saturday night.
Heat race winners in the Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman division were Boyd MacTavish, Karl Comfort and Dave Marcuccilli. The consolation event was won by Daryl Barrett.
The 15-lap Crate Late Model feature was won by Dale Caswell, who took the lead on lap four and never looked back once he moved into the top running position.
Rick Miller, who led the first three laps, held on for second followed by Brandon Ford. Rounding out the top-five were A.J. Kingsley and Bryce Davis.
“We usually struggle here but not tonight,” Caswell said afterwards. “I thought that we were going to have to work the bottom tonight.”
The heat race winner was Rick Miller.
CMP NOTES: Tony Stewart spoke to the large crowd prior to the start of the 25-lap Smoke 360 Shootout and thanked everyone who came out and supported the event. Stewart will be back on Saturday, August 10th when the Empire Super Sprints sanction the event…A good number of Sprints on hand with 25 competitors signed in to race…A number of Western New York Sportsman competitors came in to race with Boyd MacTavish, Greg Martin and Ricky Newton all making the A-Main.
Weekend activity returns to CMP on Sat. July 20 when Victor Excavating presents a full show of Team Tiremasters Big-Block Modified, Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman, Castner Performance 305 Sprint Car and Parts Plus Street Stock racing, with double features on tap for Pure Stock and Community Car Care of Waterloo New Legends Sportsman divisions on Family Autograph Night. The first race goes green at 7pm with pit gates opening at 4pm and grandstand seating starting at 5pm.
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