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FULTON, NY - Pat Ward of Genoa won Victoria 200 Modified Rules Modified Mini-Series event No. 1 at Fulton Speedway on Tuesday after losing his brakes late. Ward, who won $2,000 for his efforts in the 35-lap main, beat fast closing teammate Billy Decker by .059 seconds at the checkered flag in a thrilling photo finish in the green to checker open competition event. Also winning were Dan Williams in the ESDCA Mod Lites, Dan Hofmann Sr. in the UMP Street Stocks, and Mark Johnston in the 4-Cylinder Enduro.
Matt Sheppard, in the Randy Ross owned Modified out dragged Bobby Varin in the Magsrus, No.93 to the first turn in the 35 lap Modified feature. Pat Ward in the Gypsum Express No.42p kept pace with Sheppard, and finally got by on lap 16 to take the lead.
Ward built up what seemed like a lead he wouldn’t give up and ride to the victory. Teammate Billy Decker in the Gypsum Wholesalers, No. 91 wasn’t going to let Ward win the race without a fight. Without the help of any yellow flag periods, Decker was able to run Ward down and make one last ditch effort for the win. As the white flag flew Decker was able to run up on Wards back bumper as the two went down the back straight. Going through turns three and four Ward slipped up the track, which allowed Decker to get underneath Ward as the two headed to the checkered flag. Everyone in the crowd was on their feet for the finish. Ward held on for the $2,000 win by a half a hood length. Decker came home second followed by, early leader Matt Sheppard, Alan Johnson and Jimmy Phelps in fifth.
In victory lane Pat Ward talked about his narrow win, "We have been fast all season, but haven’t had any luck. I guess we were lucky tonight, with about 10 to go I lost my brakes and could not steer the car in the corners. Thank God for no yellows or anymore lapped cars or we wouldn’t have won that race." Ward finished up by saying, " If there was any more yellows we would have been a fifth place car. I couldn’t steer it, the car just slid up the track."
Second place finisher Billy Decker talked about how close he came to winning, "I was really digging there. We put a new tire on the car and it really didn’t come in till about the tenth lap. The longer the race went without yellows the better the car got. I saw Pat way ahead of me and knew I had my work cut out for me," related Decker. “I knew I had something for Pat when I saw the nose of his car washup through the turns. We just ran out of laps. A lot of credit goes to Pat to be able to bring that car to a win losing his brakes."
Third place finisher Matt Sheppard talked about maybe making a wrong tire choice, "The car was really good, I think I picked the wrong tires. The car was good early on, but I picked the softer American Racers. They just gave up and the guys on Hoosiers came to the front. If I could of got a few yellows we might have had something for them, who knows. Pat and Billy were just better than me."
In the UMP Street Stocks, Dan Hoffman Sr., had a battle with Ron Hawker right down to the final lap before grabbing the win. Hawker came home second, with Joe Briere in third. Kurt Decker and Nathan Peckham completed the top five.
After losing late leads at both Fulton and Cayuga County Fair Speedways in recent weeks, Hoffman Sr. Offered this after his win, “I thought yellows were going to kill me tonight as they have in the past. Tonight the bottom of the track was the place to be, I wasn’t going to move off the quick lane down low."
In the ESDCA Mod Late feature it was once again the Williams brothers battling for the win. Dan Williams picked up the win. In 2007 Williams has only been beaten once, that was at Cayuga County Fair Speedway last Sunday night by his brother.
"It all comes down to preparation at the shop that leads to our success," said Williams. "My hats off to the track crew. This track made a 100% turnaround from last Saturday."
The next Victoria 200 Rules Modified Mini-Series event at Fulton Speedway is set for Tuesday August 21, while the Brewerton Speedway will host its first event for the series on Tuesday, June 26. Regular DIRT Motorsports race action continues this Saturday May 26 at Fulton Speedway. Scheduled is the always popular Syracuse.com Family Autograph Night. In race competition are the DIRTcar Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, DIRTcar Pro Stocks, UMP Street Stocks, Gypsum Express Crate Sportsman, 4-Cylinder Enduros, and a special appearance by the Stephane LaFrance Trick Race Products Exhibition car. Racing will begin at 7pm. For more information, contact the track office at (315) 593-6531 or visit www.fultonspeedway.com.
FULTON PIT NOTES…A strong and diverse field of 27 Victoria 200 Rules Modifieds featuring the return of the sail panels were on hand for the first ever Victoria 200 Rules Modified Mini-Series event. If the first event is any indication, each subsequent event will be a tremendous field of cars leading up to this year’s 22nd Annual Victoria 200 paying a record $25,000 to the winner. The night had a tremendous nostalgic Fulton Speedway feel, as a similar rules structure was in effect in the early to mid 1990’s at the speedway, still known in the hearts of many as “The Outlaw Track”. The green to checkers 35-lap Modified feature was completed in 10 minutes and 34 seconds. The four division show began on time at 7pm and was completed shortly before 9:30pm. Bobby Varin was a surprise heat winner over Billy Decker. Robert King of Granville came the longest to race, from right near the Vermont/New York border.
FULTON SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY
VICTORIA 200 MODIFIED MINI-SERIES EVENT #1
RACE DATE: MAY 22, 2007
VICTORIA MINI-SERIES MODIFIEDS (35 LAPS) - PAT WARD, Billy Decker, Matt Sheppard, Alan Johnson, Jimmy Phelps, Danny Johnson, Kevin Bates, Ryan Phelps, Mitch Gibbs, Steve Hulsizer, Robert King, Scott Prentice, Sean Beardsley, Tim Sears, Tom Sears, Jr., Jeremy Smith, John Ramsey, Chad Phelps, Bob Henry, Jr., Kyle Lewis, Billy Shantel, Jr., Bobby Varin, Wade Decker, Mike Bowman, Darwin Greene, Jim Mahaney.
UMP STREET STOCKS ( 20 LAPS) - DAN HOFFMAN SR., Ron Hawker, Joe Briere, Kurt Decker, Nathan Peckham, Steve Woodworth, Gary Barton, Dan Hoffman, Jr., Jim Wallace, Mike Watkins, Joe Buske, Josh Blackwell, Matt Henderson, Darl Ellis, Adam Guilds, Chuck Cushman, Jr., Dave Marcuccilli, Dave Emmons, Doug Smith, Jay McGillicuddy (DQ)
ESDCA MOD LITES (20 LAPS) - DAN WILLIAMS, Doug Williams, Lowell Zehr, Ken Gamlen, Rich Rainville, Mike Isabell, Dave Trytek, Jeff Barker, Luke Lonergan, Rocco Leone, Justin Crisafulli, Mike Virginia, Chuck DeMott, Matt Rainville, Tim Devendorf, Jeff Williams, Tod Simons, Kelly Skinner, Brenda Rice, Keith Hotchkiss, Sam Morse, Lisa Thomas, Jeff Blackburn, Joe Gwilt, Jamie King, John Byrnes, Lorrie Herbert, Mike Mullen, Kevin Doll.
4-CYLINDER ENDURO (25 LAPS, Top 5 Listed) - MARK JOHNSTON, Josh Herbert, Charles DeGroff, Jerry Herbert, Marjorie Wallace
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