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Weedsport, NY – May 18, 2007 – By Gary M. Spaid, Cayuga County Fair Speedway PR & Robin DeLaney
Rain delayed from both October 31, 2006 and April 1, 2007, the long awaited and renamed ‘Make-Up For May 188’ was finally run on Friday night with Bob Schultz taking the $1,000 BattleKarz Championship. Pre-race ceremonies included a fan vote for “Best Appearing” car, which was won by George Braun, who narrowly beat out Jeff Brown. Braun was awarded the pole starting spot based on this vote.
At the drop of the green, Jim Neff from Auburn , NY took the early lead as Braun seemed to decide to fall back and run a conservative race. The first of five red flags flew on lap 17 when a number of cars came together in the second turn, resulting in the number 9 car of Loren McEwen flipping end-over-end and landing on it’s roof. Scott Trotter also made heavy contact with the retaining wall, and while both drivers were shaken, each walked away on their own.
When the race resumed it was Neff still in the lead with Rex Karz and Kelly Smith both working their way to the front. Also on the move was Bob Schultz.
The second red flag flew on lap 27 when the number 78 car driven by Steve Mumford flipped in the fourth turn, rolling until he landed on his roof. When the green flag reappeared Neff was being challenged by Rex Karz with these two pulling away from the rest of the field. But again a red flag would slow the action. On lap 37, the no. 69 car flipped between the first and second turns causing the red flag to be displayed.
As Neff and Karz battled at the front of the field they were negotiating lapped traffic when Karz was bumped and came to a stop beneath the starters stand on the front chute. A few laps later, Neff exited the fourth turn on the outside in traffic and had no place to go, slamming into Karz head on and causing the red flag to fly again. During this red race officials called for the first of two mandatory pit stops.
Following this 15 minute intermission, the race resumed with Kelly Smith now the leader followed by Bryn Randall and Rick Sealy. Schultz was still on the move and took the lead from Smith on lap 75. From that point on he had little trouble pulling away from the rest of the field.
The final red flag flew on lap 155 when Nick Werner flipped between the first and second turns. This bunched the field together but Schultz was still able to pull away for the win. Patrick Neff finished in second and Brett Relyea took third, both paying positions. Bob Neiss received the $50 bonus for being the First Automatic transmission car across the finish line. Ed Gilner received the $50 bonus as being the first station wagon across the line.
The DIRTcar Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., F.X. Caprara Car Companies and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company and Wrisco Industries.
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