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BREWERTON, NY – Twenty-one year old Kevin Bates of Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania won his first ever 35-lap DIRTcar Modified feature event in exciting fashion at Brewerton Speedway last Friday on Nationwide Insurance Night. Bates came from the eleventh starting position to take the lead with two laps to go from Dan Vauter in turn two as Vauter slipped high. Also visiting victory lane were Dale Caswell in the IMCA Modified Dean Hubbs Memorial, Dan Williams in the ESDCA Mod Lites, Dave Mannise in the UMP Street Stocks, and Claude Hutchings Jr. in the 4-Cylinder Super Stocks.
In one of the most exciting DIRTcar Modified main events at Brewerton Speedway in some time, Kevin Bates driving the Blaise & Son, Bicknell No. 42b passed Dan Vauter to earn the popular victory. Vauter, also looking for his first ever Brewerton Modified win, slipped up a groove coming out of turn two with two laps to go, allowing Bates the line and the victory. Vauter and Chuck Bower battled for the last lap for second, with both coming together and finishing the race across the line sideways pointing towards the infield in a wild finish.
At the finish, Bates won over second place finisher Chuck Bower by 1.084 seconds. Dan Vauter, who led from laps 12-33, was forced to settle for third, with Jimmy Phelps and Chuck Bower completing the top five. Completing the top ten in the competitive event was Chad Phelps, Jim Witko Jr., Alan Johnson, Mike Bowman, and last week’s winner Tom Sears Jr. Matt Fink led the first three circuits, with Chad Phelps leading until lap 11, in the race that featured 4 lead changes.
Dale Caswell of West Monroe won his second straight IMCA Modified main of 2007 in the 25-lap 10th Annual Dean Hubbs Memorial event, which pays tribute to the late Dean Hubbs who lost his life at Brewerton in May of 1997. Caswell started seventh on the field to take the lead from early leader Kevan Cook on lap 13 enroute to the victory. Kevan Cook settled for second, with Rob Keller Jr. in third, Greg Kimball in fourth, and Pete Anderson completing the top five. The Keller Insurance Agency also presented a 4-lap IMCA Modified Dash for Cash, with Rich Keller taking the win for the second straight year. Larry Bezner, Jeff Cardinale, Johnny Bell, Bob Ridgeway, and Ricky Orton followed.
Dan Williams of Pennellville charged from the sixteenth starting position to win his third straight ESDCA Mod Lite feature of the 2007 season. Mike Virginia led the opening three laps, with Jeff Barker momentarily holding the point on lap 4, until Williams took over on lap 5. Williams was closely challenged at the finish by brother Doug, who finished second. Tim Devendorf, Rocco Leone, and Lowell Zehr rounded out the top five.
Dave Mannise of Fulton started first and won the 15-lap UMP Street/Pure Stock feature in dominating fashion after leading the entire way. Second was Steve Woodworth, third was Ron Hawker, forth was Gary Barton, and Jim Lewis completed the top five.
Young Claude Hutchings Jr. of Sauquoit won his second straight 4-Cylinder Super Stock main after coming from the ninth starting position. Hutchings dominated the event after taking the lead from defending track champion Chuck Powelczyk on lap 6. May Fay led the first two laps. Powelczyk had to settle for second, followed by Fay, Matt Wetterer, and Ed Granoski.
Coming up this Friday May 26 at Brewerton Speedway is Military Appreciation Night to bring in the Memorial Holiday Weekend. Scheduled to compete on the fast 1/3-mile are the DIRTcar Modifieds, ESDCA Mod Lites, Street/Pure Stocks in a North vs. South Shootout, 4-Cylinder Super Stocks, and 4-Cylinder Enduros. Race time is set for 7:30pm. For more information, contact the track office at (315) 668-6906 or visit the website at www.brewertonspeedway.com.
Brewerton Pit Notes…41 ESDCA Mod Lites signed into the Brewerton pit area, a record count, which appears will be broken as the season moves on. The win by Kevin Bates makes it three different Modified feature winners in as many weeks, proving the highly competitive field has some of the most exciting racing in many years. Ironically, Bates and fellow driver Jim Witko Jr. were featured on Thursday night’s WTVH Channel 5 Sportscast in feature interviews as they haul 3 hours each week from the Keystone State to race at Brewerton and Fulton Speedways. Dan Vauter, also a member of the Brewerton/Fulton “Keystone Connection” nearly had the victory wrapped up until Bates found a way underneath on the last lap. Defending Modified track titlist Alan Johnson still has not found the combination to victory lane. The entire family of Dean Hubbs was on hand for the pre-race ceremonies of the 10th Annual Dean Hubbs IMCA Modified Memorial event. Rob Keller Jr. also provided some great pre-race commentary about Hubbs. Frank Cozze was the last driver from Pennsylvania to win at Brewerton, back in 1994.
BREWERTON SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY
NATIONWIDE INSURANCE NIGHT
RACE DATE: MAY 18, 2007
DIRTcar Modifieds (35-Laps) – KEVIN BATES, Chuck Bower, Dan Vauter, Jimmy Phelps, Willy Decker, Chad Phelps, Jim Witko Jr., Alan Johnson, Mike Bowman, Tom Sears Jr., Scott Prentice, Steve Hulsizer, Roy Bresnahan, Johnny Hill, Kyle Lewis, Tony Buffa Jr., Matt Fink, Rick Rogala, Tom Juhl Jr., Tim Sears, Kenny Stafford.
IMCA Modified Dean Hubbs Memorial (25-Laps) – DALE CASWELL, Kevan Cook, Rob Keller Jr., Greg Kimball, Pete Anderson, Steve Coit, Dave Talbot, Bill Anderson, J.J. Courcy, Rich Riggs, Calvin Painter, Larry Bezner, Coleen Finch, Jeff Cardinale, Bill Anderson Jr., Mike Jones, Les Hubbard, Rich Keller, Tony Finch, Dale Jewett, Bob Ridgeway, Ricky Orton.
IMCA Modified Keller Insurance Agency Dash for Cash (4-Laps) – RICH KELLER, Larry Bezner, Jeff Cardinale, Johnny Bell, Bob Ridgeway, Ricky Orton.
ESDCA Mod Lites (20-Laps) – DAN WILLIAMS, Doug Williams, Tim Devendorf, Rocco Leone, Lowell Zehr, Justin Crisafulli, Mike Isabell, Jeff Barker, Rich Rainville, Dave Trytek, John Byrnes, Barry Virts, Sam Morse, Joe Garafolo, Luke Lonergan, Mike Mullen, Joe Abbass, Jeff Hays, Lisa Thomas, Jeff Blackburn, Tommy Felicia, Jeff Herbert, Matt Magner, Jamie King, Mike Virginia, Andrew Schartner, Gary Schug, Tim Schneider Jr., Chuck DeMott, Matt Rainville.
ESDCA Mod Lite B-Main (10-Laps) – KELLY SKINNER, Jeff Williams, Keith Hotchkiss, Tod Simons, Mike Rainville, Lorrie Herbert.
UMP Street/Pure Stocks – DAVE MANNISE, Steve Woodworth, Ron Hawker, Gary Barton, Jim Lewis, Mike Watkins, Dan Hofmann Jr., Adam Guilds, Lee Hartzog, Scott Smith, Bobby Boynton, Jay McGillicuddy.
4-Cylinder Super Stocks (15-Laps) – CLAUDE HUTCHINGS JR., Chuck Powelczyk, Matt Fay, Matt Wetterer, Ed Granoski, Chris Kranz, Lorraine Powelczyk, Sam Carista, John West, Wendell Washington, Andy Kieffer, Eric Kranz, Chad Dupra, Steve Randall, Aron Backus, Ray Herzog Jr.
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