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Billy VanPelt and Brian Knowles go back to back, Bryce Davis, Kenny Peoples Jr., Ted Morseman Jr., and Jamie Freeman all get first wins of the season.
(Woodhull, NY) The continuing saga of “It must be Saturday, it’s raining again” awaited race fans last Saturday night at the Woodhull Raceway as a massive Thunderstorm enveloped the Southern Tier of New York just at race time putting the program on hold for one-hour. Woodhull owner, Vern Wasson decided to wait it out as weather radar showed clearing skies behind the front and although Woodhull now has a Sunday rain date policy in effect the forecast for the next day looked even worse. With that, a yeoman’s effort by everyone including numerous race fans who used their own personal 4 wheel drive vehicles to repack the track brought the racing surface back to life within a few hours after the storm subsided. During that time Wasson met with his drivers and it was decided to forego any qualifying heat events and just run feature events for all of Woodhull’s regular 6 classes and the drivers drew starting pills for their respective feature line-up positions.
The S&W Awards and Photos Crate Sportsman were first on the line as 16 cars took the opening green in a feature event that went flag to flag and took just over 6 minutes to complete and when it was over a new face had emerged in victory lane as Kenny Peoples Jr. got to the front in a hurry and never looked back for his first ever win in a 358 Modified car. Peoples, who had come thru the ranks over his career had somewhat of a lack luster career in the regular open wheel 358 Modified class and decided to make the switch to the all new Crate Sportsman Division in 2007 and it has paid off in a big way as he has been a picture of consistency al season long and on this night it was his turn to visit victory lane. He was followed by Dave Youse, Joe Dgien, Bill Brewer, Larry Keegan, Bill VanEtten, Nate Delong, Dave Yehl, Casey Pavlick and Bill Shea.
The L.J. Kennedy Trucking 358 Modifieds were next on the track and as the 24 car field pulled onto the track fans were amazed to see the multi time Woodhull Track Champ, Billy VanPelt starting in the last starting row due to a poor draw. However, for the Harrison Valley, Pa. speedster it turned out to be just another run from the rear as he used several caution flags to his advantage, kept his nose clean throughout the 25 lap affair and just past the half way point moved around Steve Hartman Jr. to take the lead and win by a full straight a way advantage. For Hartman it was his best run this season as he was followed closely by Stacy Jackson, Mike Jackson and Ron White. Ron Cartwright Jr. once again may have had one of the fastest cars on the track, but an early race incident found him swept up and put to the back of the pack along with several other drivers in a turn four accident. At the end Cartwright was credited for sixth chased there by Dave Dubois, Donnie Lawson, Ray Bliss and Greg Galligan. Like Cartwright, Dubois and Bliss all had to come from the back at least once. For Billy VanPelt it was a big night in the point standings as older brother and current point leader, Curt had mechanical problems and was credited with a dismal 24th place finish and even though Billy V. has had his own problems at Woodhull in 2007, his three feature wins thus far have found him creeping back into the point battle.
The NAPA Super Stocks were next on the track for their 20 lap feature with some 17 cars checking in but only 14 cars taking the opening race green flag and right on the start a jam up found young female competitor and 2007 feature winner, Jessica Pierce done for the night. On the restart, Rookie driver, Bryce Davis jumped into the lead and was pulling away from second place runner, Kenny Peoples Sr. and by the half way point he had opened a full straight a way advantage. Many of the classes heavy weights were never a factor in the event with the only real threat to Davis was a last lap yellow flag which put Jeremy Wonderling within striking distance. As the drivers exited turn four and the checkered flag in the air, Wonderling tried to make an outside move on Davis, but the young 16 year old Canisteo High School student was not going to be denied his first ever win in an adult class having won the Woodhull Warrior Track Championship in 2005. Wonderling had to settle for second followed by Kenny Peoples Sr., Glen Whritenour, Greg Young and Mick Seeley. Larry Knowles limped home with front end damage for seventh, Rich Marlatt was eighth followed by Gary Archer and Brandon Smith.
The Morgan’s Auto Repair Street Stocks were next on the line with 21 cars taking the opening green. A lap three pile-up exiting turn two took out Jim Buck, Henry Miracle, Lance Baker and Charly Resue. On the restart, Brian Knowles used a good draw spot to jump into the lead which he never relinquished and for the second generation pilot it was his second trip to victory lane in as many weeks. Rod Mullen took home second followed by Mike Williams, Ray Hyer, Josh Nobriga, Jay Deming, Barry Payne who started last, car 111, Dan Gordon and Butch Dibble. The Street Stocks put on another one of their patented shows with constant three wide action and just a few yellow flags to slow the event and like all of the classes before them, a very tacky, heavy race track due to the early evening rains made for tons of bite and a wide open race track.
The Signs Plus of Kanona Mini Stocks was up next as a full field of 24 cars took the opening green. Ted Morseman Jr. has been in the top five all season long. Having a car that was capable of winning each and every week he played the waiting game and on this particular Saturday night he used his front row draw position to take command of the 20 lap affair on lap one and never look back. However, in the closing laps and while in heavy lap traffic things got very interesting as Morseman had nothing but problems allowing the likes of Adam Austin, Rich Sharpsteen and Brian Grant to close in. With just a couple of laps remaining and the finish in the balance, Morseman was able to hold on for his first ever win holding off a fast closing Brian Grant Sr. Lap traffic made a big difference at the end as Adam Austin was shuffled back to third, Sharpsteen II who was as high as second on the last lap was credited for fourth and Eddie Mills was fifth. Brian Butler led the charge of the next group of five across the line followed by Dennis Erdmann, Brett Marlatt, Lynn Burrell and Art Goodier.
The LaBarron Brothers Repair and Parts Front Wheel Drive Division brought the marathon night to a close with their 20 lap feature event and the luck of the draw would find several of the classes top guns starting at or near the front and in true Front Wheel Drive action the fans were on the edge of their seats for the entire distance. The race was marred by one red flag near the end of the event as week two feature winner, Gary Baker did a series of side over side flips exiting turn two, but Baker was quickly out of the car and uninjured. Jamie Freeman who led the class of 2006 in feature wins has been shut out of victory lane thus far in “07”, but he was not going to be denied on this night as he along with the likes of Kevin Patton, Ron Daily jr. and Steve Gee ran nose to tail and side by side the entire distance and at the end that is just how they finished with Ron Hill claiming fifth. Six thru ten were Aaron Bartas, Tom McGlynn, J.R. Hoppe, Greg Rogers and Scott Cummings.
Even with all the rain and track drying that was required to save the show, most all of the teams and race fans stayed and enjoyed the “Feature’s Only” format as the event was started about 10:00 pm.
Next weeks action on the Woodhull high banks will feature the Third Annual Scott Dennison Memorial for the NAPA Super Stocks with additional cash bonuses provided by Doug Gross Construction of Painted Post. Lamb and Webster with three locations across the Empire State including one in Woodhull will be on board as the nightly event sponsor. Gates at 4:30 with racing at 6:30 pm. It will be a regular show in the remainder of Woodhull’s 5 other weekly classes.
For more information including the all new Woodhull Raceway Report go to the web at www.woodhullraceway.com.
Woodhull Raceway
Quick Results 06-02-07
LaBarron Brother’s Repair and Parts Night
LJ Kennedy Trucking 358 Modifieds (24 cars in attendance)
25 lap Feature: Billy VanPelt, Steve Hartman, Jr., Stacy Jackson, Mike Jackson, Ron White, Ron Cartwright, Dave Dubois, Donnie Lawson, Ray Bliss, Jr., Greg Galligan, Don Lawson, Steve Hartman, Sr., Roger Williams, Chris Clark, Frank Dunning, Herbie Wright, Tim Guild, Bryan Terwilliger, Dale Welty, Brooks Leach, Aaron Jacobus, Matt Smith, Kenny Peoples, Jr., Curt VanPelt
S&W Awards & Photos Crate Sportsman (16 cars in attendance)
20 Lap Feature: Kenny Peoples, Jr., Dave Youse, Joe Dgien, Bill Brewer, Larry Keegan, Bill VanEtten, Nate Delong, Dave Yehl, Casey Pavlick, Bill Shea, Cale Paul, Gary Lampman, Todd Dickerson, Junior Green, Don Janice, Chuck Gleason
Napa Auto Parts Super Stocks (16 cars in attendance)
Feature: Bryce Davis, Jeremy Wonderling, Kenny Peoples, Sr., Glenn Whritenour, Greg Young, Mick Seeley, Larry Knowles, Rich Marlatt, Gary Archer, Brandon Smith, Wayne Robertson, Tracy Stanford, Clint Button, Jessica Pierce
Morgan Auto Repair Street Stocks (21 cars in attendance)
20 Lap Feature: Brian Knowles, Rod Mullen, Mike Williams, Ray Hyer, Josh Nobriga, Jay Deming, Barry Payne, 111, Dan Gordon, Butch Dibble, Zack Sutton, Darwin Davis, Tony Foth, Cliff Moss, Russell Morseman III, Kurt Stebbins, Jeff Smith, Jim Buck, Henry Miracle, Lance Baker, Charly Resue
Signs Plus Mini Stock (24 cars in attendance)
20 Lap Feature: Teddy Morseman, Jr., Brian Grant, Sr., Adam Austin, Rich Sharpsteen, Eddie Mills, Brian Butler, Dennis Erdmann, Brett Marlatt, Lynn Burrell, Art Goodier, Bill McCourt, AJ Costly, Jason Ketrow, Clayton Kirk, Chris Woodard, Michelle Kurtz, Jeff Erdmann, Tracy Dunn, Randy Smith, Ed Davenport, Justin McNeil, Rick McDaniels, Thomas Kleintop, Mike Smith
LaBarron Brother’s Parts FWD ( 24 cars in attendance)
20 Lap Feature: Jamie Freeman, Kevin Patton, Ron Daily, Jr., Steve Gee, Ron Hill, Aaron Bartas, Tom McGlynn, JR Hoppe, Greg Rogers, Scott Cummings, Brandon Martin, Brian Grant, Jr., Robert Symonds, James Howard, Andrew Mathieu, Roger Moore, Kyle Morehouse, Isaac Byler, Gary Baker, Roger Taft, Allison Pierce, Mark Guiniup, Joe Birdsell, Jacob Clarke
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