A bit of ISMA coverage, with a local view, in today's Free Press ...

LICHTY LOVES WINGED CARS

By JIM CRESSMAN

DELAWARE -- Some people golf. Some people build race cars. OK, three race cars.

That's Brad Lichty's answer when asked why he has three $70,000-plus cars in the International Supermodified Association.

"These things breed like rabbits," Lichty said last night as ISMA made it's annual appearance at Delaware Speedway.

But unlike other years, when the circus was in town for one night, it's a doubleheader treat for fans of these powerful machines as they go again tonight (tomorrow is the rain date). And if rookie Jeff Locke of Raymond, N.H., the winner of last night's 30-lap feature also wins tonight's 50-lapper, he'll take home $10,000.

Lichty, owner of Patco Transportation and 401 Trailers in Innerkip, started playing with these winged cars in 1970 after watching them in their heyday as a kid on the dirt at the old Bridgeport Speedway, just outside Kitchener.

"That's where it all started," he said. "This is a hobby and I enjoy building them, and it's fun watching them when they run up front with the creativity you put into them."

The only restrictions are weight and motor cubic inch, and the builder's imagination.

"That's what's neat about this," said Lichty, 55, who quit driving four years ago but is still in the pits with a wrench in each hand.

Son Mike, 22, and Dave McKnight Jr. of Brampton, drive two of the cars.

NASCAR veteran Johnny Benson Jr. was running the third until a serious accident at Berlin Raceway (a track he owns) in Marne, Mich. on June 13. The defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion won't race again this season.

Benson, rookie of the year in NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) and Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup), would have been here this weekend but incurred three broken ribs, a broken wrist, a cracked scapula, a broken collarbone and a badly burned elbow when his car caught fire after flipping twice.

Ironically, five days before his Delaware appearance last year he had walked away from a NASCAR crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"This was a violent hit," Lichty said of the crash in the supermodified. "He's coming along. He's in rehab. That's daily and will be for the next four months.

"He was going to be here as a competitor and then he was going to come up just to promote the show, but the doctor said, 'No, you're not leaving (Mooresville, N.C.).' I know the fans here miss him."

That was evident by the long lines for Benson's autograph at his two previous appearances with ISMA.

The series has a great fan following, as many U.S. licence plates were in the Delaware parking lot and camp grounds.

The New York Time recently took in an ISMA event at Stafford Springs, Conn. and featured it in the weekend travel section: "Celebrating Machines That Drink Methanol."

Besides Lichty, the local connection includes 12-year veteran Mark Sammut of London, second in the points chase, Ryan Litt of Lyons, near Aylmer, and David McCullough of Glencoe.

Sammut won the first feature of his career July 12 at Cayuga Motor Speedway.

Litt, second in the feature here two years ago, debuts a new supermodified tonight. He was with his other series, the Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Super Sprints last night at Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run, Mich.

Litt was coming off a feature win July 5 at Owosso Speedway in Flint, Mich., just three weeks after a crash at Toledo, Ohio that destroyed his primary car.

"It's great to be getting back to racing," Litt said.
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http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Motorsports/2009/08/08/pf-10397176.html

Just a great show all the way around. 19 Supers taking the green, enough said. Great reports guys, it's great to see the Free Press covering things.
Mark Sammut and Chris Perley turn 4 in hot laps.

The Pits were busy. 19 Supers, 23 Late Models and 18 Trucks.

Great pics Jamr. Perley's got the meanest looking machine out there and you know he'll be on a mission tonight.

BTW, quick results are here: Delaware Scoring results

Not sure why ISMAs results arent there, as we know they were using transponders.

Delaware hasn't posted them in the past for ISMA or AVSS that I know of. ??????
If you watch Perley's car on corner entry you can see that big wing really plant the car as it stands up, the whole car looks like it sits down about 4 inches. ISMA SUPERS ROCK

what happened to thr 88? i know it wasn't the 01's fault he was ahead of it.