sorry about my response time. i appreciate y'alls help. i have not been able to get back to this yet, so bear with me. i plan to post back one way or other after i finally get to this. goaliemo, thanks for the offer of the filler neck. i will let you know if i need it. plan to unhook battery, do the repair, then drive for awhile to see if chk eng light remains off.

getting back to fixing the "leak" for this P0442 code - I had already replaced gas cap within past year, last weekend i took the filler neck off & put it on my workbench. mixed up plenty of Bondo hardener/resin, then took strips of fiberglass mesh & dipped them. then pressed them onto the tube, wrapping smaller pieces around the bypass tube the extends 90deg out from the top of fillerneck and goes way down to connect to i think the charcoal canister. anyhow, sealed it all up & down. photo here:
The RED arrow points to a mounting hole on the filler neck. beware you cannot see this when trying to remove the tube from the car. i finally managed to remove it (10mm socket). But to avoid having issues putting the tube back on, i took the gas cap shroud off and cut out a shape (shown by RED arrow in 2nd image). this allows straight access with a socket extension.
Unfortunately, after 6 days, the check engine light is back on as of yesterday. The code this time is P0455; so from my research online i just went from P0442 (small leak) to P0455 (large leak); AFTER sealing up the filler neck.

I don't believe cutting out that triangular shape from the shroud would cause and EVAP system / fuel vapor leak. So, i'll be checking with local shops to get another smoke test soon

I need help with the code P0442.
I replaced the gas cap, where should I go from there?

I read on another forum that it could be the fuel filler neck.

Tooter, go out to the Pull-A-Part on Centennial Blvd there in Nashville and get another filler neck. They show to have 3 Ions in the yard. Here's the link with the year and row in the yard that each one is in. Inventory Search Results - Pull-A-Part

You think that's most likely the problem?

most of the time it is the filler neck. They are plastic and we all know plastic cracks over time.

I'm going to go get one today or tomorrow and see what happens.

Any chance it could be the purge valve?

Toots,
Find a write up about how the evap systems have been implemented for s cars and you'll get a much better understanding of how the leak test is run

Ok, I went and got a used filler neck and it has thrown the same code. :(
Either this neck is bad too or something else is wrong.

Not sure where to go now.

Edit: I think I may have got it to work. I'll post later and explain.

Edit 2: I thought I got it licked but, the light came back on today!

Edit 3: Went and had a smoke test done and come to find out the metal EVAP line from front to back has rusted through, so that means the FUEL Line is also rusted really bad and needs replacing too!

Quote I was given for all lines and a small section of rusted out exhaust comes to $757.82 :(

Called local dealer part sources and found the lines for $166.08 & $133.74. Think I'm going to the junk yard and see if I can remove those tomorrow.

New (used) lines fixed my problem. These lines should be rust resistant.

Mine were absolutely horrendous, the EVAP line was so brittle, it feel apart. The Fuel line started leaking as soon as i started moving it for removal.