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Wade Hendrickson of Lawrenceville , NJ led the final seven circuits of the 25 lap Big Block Modified feature on Friday night to win the season opening event at the Georgetown Speedway. Hendrickson worked his way up from the fifth starting position and beat fellow New Jersey resident Ryan Godown to the stripe. Ross Robinson led green to checker to win the 15 lap Crate Late Model feature. Andy Hammond took home top honors in the 15 lap Crate Modified main event.
Chad James of Laurel, DE led the twenty-one car Big Block Modified field to the initial green flag. James would get a second opportunity after seven cars got together in turn three to slow the start. Rick y Johnson and Sam Wescott Jr. were roll-over victims in the crash that also ended the night for Bobby Wilkins.
James would make the most of the second opportunity as he quickly opened up a big margin over Judd Mills, Wade Hendrickson, and Ryan Godown. Richie Pratt was running fifth but was feeling the heat from Billy Pauch and twenty-first place starter Matt Shepherd.
The leaders started working lapped traffic by the twelfth circuit with James being forced to move high. James moved so high on the fifteenth circuit that he caught the rim of the speedway in turn three. James was able to hold onto the lead but gave up a comfortable margin to a hard charging Hendrickson, who had gotten by Mills just one lap prior.
Hendrickson made his move on James as the two entered turn three of the seventeenth circuit. James slipped just a tad high giving Hendrickson enough room to put the Art Collins Trucking Teo Fab car on the bottom. Hendrickson got the desired bite and led by a half of a car length at the stripe. That margin was important because Judd Mills broke while racing down the front stretch and ended up over the banking in turn one to bring out the yellow.
A seven lap shoot-out to determine the victor was set with Hendrickson leading Ryan Godown, James, Pratt, Shepherd, and Pauch. Hendrickson took the green and powered away to a comfortable win over perennial Georgetown Speedway runner-up Godown. Pratt managed to work by an ill handling James with five laps left to take third with James settling back in fourth. Shepherd and Pauch staged a great race to the finish with Shepherd holding on to complete the top five. Pauch, Jimmy Chester, Robert Dutton, Chuck Tucker, and Mark Byram rounded out the top ten.
Ross Robinson and Travis Justice led the twenty-two Crate Late Model field to the green flag to begin their 15 lap main event. Robinson would survive several cautions and the challenges from Justice and Jon Calloway to seal the victory.
Bobby Watkins worked his way up from the tenth starting position to take second from Justice with just two laps remaining. Justice held of for third while Kelly Putz took fourth place honors. Mike Wharton held off late challenges from Mike Wilson to secure the fifth place finish.
Twenty-nine Crate Modifieds attempted to take one of the twenty-four positions open for the 15 lap feature event. Mike White and Andy Hammond earned the right to lead the field with Hammond quickly getting the jump.
It would be non-eventful for Hammond until late in the race when his handling started to fade. Jordan Watson worked his way through the field from his sixth starting spot to take second from Mike White after twelve laps but he did not have enough time to challenge Hammond for the win. Hammond posted the convincing victory over Watson. White faded after getting crossed up in turn four and watched Tom Curtis and Joseph Watson race by to take third and fourth. White managed to edge twenty-fourth place starter Tim Trimble for fifth.
The Georgetown Speedway returns to action on Friday night April 20 with the Super Late Models, Crate Modifieds, and Crate Late Models. Gates will open at 5 pm with hot laps scheduled to get underway at 7 pm. Qualifying heats will begin to set the feature line-ups at 7:35. For more information, visit www.georgetownspeedway.com or call (302) 856-7415.
Georgetown Speedway, a ½ mile dirt oval track, is located on U.S. Route 113, just 35 miles south of Dover , DE . The speedway is just a short 45 minute drive from Ocean City and just a bit longer from Washington DC , Baltimore , and Philadelphia .
Big Block Modifieds (21 Cars – 25 laps): Wade Hendrickson, Ryan Godown, Richie Pratt Jr., Chad James, Matt Shepherd, Billy Pauch, jimmy Chester, Robert Burton, Chuck Tucker, Mark Byram, Andy Burkhardt, Judd Mills, Ron Roberts, Norm Short, Don Hollowell, Duane Rust, Sam Wescott Jr., Bobby Wilkins, Rick y Johnson, John Dixon, Jamie Mills. Heats won by: Pratt & Godown |
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