From Cycle News online:

Zupko Seizes the Zimmermann Cup

ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – For the last 14 years, Labor Day Weekend at Raceway Park has been the site of the Vet and Vintage Reunion. The holiday weekend event runs a complete schedule of motos for all Vet classes, as well as a complete Vintage program. The torrential rains that accompanied Hurricane Ernesto forced the postponement to the following weekend when bright and sunny skies greeted all the competitors.

One of the most anticipated classes of the day was the Over 30Expert class. The overall winner in this class would take home the coveted Zimmermann Cup, which was designed as a memorial to longtime racer Bruce Zimmermann, who died while jogging several years ago. His friends got together and, with the help of Mickey Kessler, the Zimmermann Cup was formed. Past winners read like a whos-who of the local Vet Expert field, including three-time winner Jim Kapitan, Jimmy McIlvaine, Jerry Seip, Rich Zupko, Brian Carroll and last year’s winner, Joel Dengler.

Antonio Poccia grabbed the holeshot in the first moto, followed closely by RRP-sponsored Greg Pamart, Rob Quinn and the rest of the field. Pamart made quick work of Poccia and moved into the lead. By the middle of the first lap, Pamart was followed by Quinn, Darren Edsall and Rich Zupko (413). Pamart continued to lead until the track reached up and bit him, forcing the Honda rider to the ground. He was quickly back on his feet, but by the time he got going, he was back in fourth place. Quinn was now the leader, with Edsall and Zupko in tow. Edsall was the first to make his move, going by Quinn; Zupko followed suit and then set his sights on the Kawasaki rider’s back tire. Zupko saw his opening and stuffed his way past Edsall in the center of the track, taking the lead. Zupko was looking to add his name to the cup for a second time, and he ran away for the moto win. Edsall came across the line in second, Quinn was third, and Pamart was unable to catch the leading trio and ended the moto in fourth.

When the second moto blasted off the line, it was Pamart in front, followed by Poccia and Quinn. First-moto winner Zupko was back around sixth. If Zupko wanted the overall win, he would have to make his move quickly, in the early laps. By the end of lap one, Pamart was out front, followed by Quinn, Ken Blackwell, Edsall, and Zupko. Zupko made his way into fourth in the front section of the track and then quickly moved past Quinn into third and set his sights on Edsall. Zupko knew that Edsall was the key to the overall and the cup. Biding his time, Zupko went for the pass on Edsall and made it stick. The running order was now Pamart, Zupko, and Edsall. By moto’s end, it was Pamart with the victory, followed across the line by Zupko and Edsall.

Zupko (1-2) took the overall win and the Zimmermann Cup. Pamart (4-1) was second overall, and Edsall (2-3) was third.

Results

MINI: 1. Zachary Reinson (Kaw); 2. Tyler Greenaway (Kaw); 3. Tyler Betsch (Suz); 4. Richie Trevelise (Suz); 5. Dakota Kessler (Hon).

25+ NOV: 1. Michael Chadwick (Yam); 2. Neal Witson (Yam); 3. Michael Ferrara (Suz); 4. Robert Garelick (Hon).

25+ AM: 1. Johnny Palmieri Jr. (Kaw); 2. Bayo Olukotun (Hon); 3. Michael Yonkowski (Hon); 4. Kevin Thomasey (Hon); 5. Brian Rule (Hon).

25+ EX: 1. Greg Pamart (Hon); 2. Darren Edsall (Kaw); 3. Robert Quinn (Yam); 4. Richard Zupko (Yam); 5. Carl Anderson (Hon).

30+ NOV: 1. Michael Chadwick (Yam); 2. John Ward (Hon); 3. Bill Mazzucco (Hon); 4. John Bakenham (Yam); 5. Glenn McNair (Kaw).

30+ AM: 1. Johnny Palmieri Jr. (Kaw); 2. David Cochran (Yam); 3. Michael Yonkowski (Hon); 4. Joseph Bisbee (Kaw); 5. Robert Stober (Hon).

30+ EX: 1. Richard Zupko (Yam); 2. Greg Pamart (Hon); 3. Darren Edsall (Kaw); 4. Robert Quinn (Yam); 5. Jerry Seip (Hon).

35+ AM: 1. Joseph Bisbee (Kaw); 2. Chris Suydam (Hon); 3. Todd Miller (Hon); 4. Marc Ondy (Hon); 5. Brian Betsch (Suz).

40+ AM: 1. Jeff Mesler (Yam); 2. Edward Brazina (Hon); 3. Chris Suydam (Hon); 4. Ken Roma (Hon); 5. Karl Baumann (Hon).

40+ EX: 1. Jerry Seip (Hon); 2. Marc Tiesler (Hon); 3. Jim Kapitan (Hon); 4. Mark Costa (Hon); 5. Harold Johnson (Hon).

50+ AM: 1. Spencer Hess (Hon); 2. Chris Biringer (Hon); 3. William Rule (Hon); 4. Gary Dipietro (KTM); 5. Mark Schaaf (Hon).

WMN: 1. Miranda Reinson (Kaw); 2. Athena Stefanou (Yam); 3. Emily Suydam (Hon); 4. Tammy Longacre (Hon); 5. Charlotte Van Cott (Kaw).

PRE-1975 125 NOV: 1. Scott Sampson (Hon).

PRE-1975 125 AM: 1. Jeff Hackett; 2. Bob Whitworth; 3. Kevin Moflect (Hon); 4. Joseph Bollard (Yam).

PRE-1975 125 EX: 1. Brian Cirello (Hon); 2. Tom France (Yam).

PRE-1975 250: 1. Tom France (Yam); 2. Bob Whitworth; 3. Joe Abbate (Yam).

PRE-1975 OPEN: 1. Marc Halpern.

PRE-1975 MOD: 1. Charlie Augusta (Hon).

PRE-1975 30+: 1. Charlie Augusta (Hon).

PRE-1975 40+: 1. George Pennell (Hon).

PRE-1978 NOV: 1. Bill Seldyke; 2. Steve Loving.

PRE-1978 AM: 1. Joseph Bollard (Yam); 2. Richard Fogel (Yam).

VINT 1980s AM: 1. Scott Taylor (Hon); 2. Dave Van Pelt (Hon); 3. Dave Pecor (Kaw); 4. Robert Leskanic (Suz); 5. Richard Fogel (Yam).

VINT 1980s EX: 1. Philip Thompson (Suz).

VINT 1980s NOV: 1. Zachariah Hamm (Kaw); 2. Derek Wechtler; 3. Brook Roberts (Hon); 4. Bill Wilson (Yam).

VINT 1980s AM: 1. Ken Lake (Hon); 2. Daniel Pullen (Hon); 3. Andrew Signoriello (Kaw); 4. Anthony Dimarzio (Suz); 5. Craig Burfield (Hon).

VINT 1980s EX: 1. Robert Burfield (Kaw); 2. Ken Napolitan (Kaw); 3. Mark Griggs (Hon); 4. William Centenaro (Yam); 5. Scott Stevens (Suz).

VINT 1990s: 1. Carl Graf (Hon); 2. Todd Apon (Kaw); 3. Brian Betsch (Suz); 4. Pete Noneman (Hon).

ACR MDRN NOV: 1. Zachariah Hamm (Kaw); 2. John Wehrle (Yam); 3. Jeff Mesler (Yam).

ACR MDRN INT: 1. Edward Brazina (Hon); 2. Kenneth Lake Jr. (Hon); 3. Ken Lake (Hon); 4. Jeffrey Miller (Suz); 5. Raymond Vassallo (Hon).

ACR MDRN EX: 1. David Hurley (Yam); 2. Mark Siegel (Kaw); 3. Mark Griggs (Yam); 4. Jerry Cantone (Suz); 5. Robert Quinn (Yam).

EVO 200 NOV: 1. Barney Zipkin; 2. Derek Wechtler; 3. Jeff Canniff; 4. Richard Vassallo (Hon); 5. David Scott (Hon).

EVO 200 AM: 1. Michael Sedlak (Hon); 2. Jeffrey Miller (Suz); 3. Raymond Vassallo (Hon).

EVO 200 EX: 1. Greg Lurch (Yam); 2. David Hurley (Yam); 3. Jerry Cantone (Suz); 4. William Centenaro (Yam); 5. Brian Cirello (Yam).

EVO 201 NOV: 1. Zachariah Hamm (Kaw); 2. Bill Wilson (Yam); 3. Brook Roberts (Hon); 4. Ralph Ferrara (Yam); 5. Bradley Mease (Suz).

EVO 201 AM: 1. Dakota Kessler (Hon); 2. Rodney Miller (Hon); 3. Daniel Pullen (Hon); 4. Tom Green.

EVO 201 EX: 1. Ken Napolitan (Kaw); 2. Joe Fontana (Hon); 3. Phil Klemen (Yam).

GP 125: 1. Tom France (Yam); 2. Barney Zipkin; 3. Roy Vanderveur (Suz).

GP OPEN: 1. Dakota Kessler (Hon); 2. Bryan Wallace; 3. Brian Smith (KTM); 4. Joseph Boehler (Hon); 5. Jeff Roma (Hon).