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"Cobra" Strikes for 20th Career ASCS Patriot Win and First at Thunder Alley
Rich Vleck, EVANS MILLS, N.Y. (June 1, 2007) - Chuck Hebing officially led all 25 laps on Friday night en route to his 20th career ASCS Patriot Win, but he wasn't the leader the entire race as the defending series champion was nearly dethroned.
On a warm and sticky night in the North Country of New York, Chuck Hebing won the dash, as well as the feature, collecting $2,000, thanks to contributions made by Riverside Bar and Grill, Red Bear Hand Cleaner and Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing.
"That is the best I have ever seen this track so we had some really good racing tonight," noted the 4-time ASCS Winner in 2007 in Victory Lane. "The lapped cars definitely slowed me up though and Justin almost got me towards the end."
Justin Barger closed on Chuck Hebing early in the first ever ASCS Patriot 25-Lap, $2,00-to-win feature event, but faded through the mid-section of the race. The long 20 lap green flag run saw plenty of lapped traffic, which allowed Barger to close in on the race lead.
The No. 32 of Barger had a quality slide job on Hebing in turn one of lap 24 but slid up too far, allowing the potent No. 45 to scoot back into the race lead. From that way on it would be Hebing hanging on for the Victory.
Hebing remained the only A-Main winner in ASCS Patriot only events in 2007. Last season, he won the first two but failed to three-peat, something he was happy to pull off at Thunder Alley.
"We have been running with some real good competition this year and it's not easy to win these things," said the Ontario, NY sensation. "Guys like Barger and Howland are always there and it makes you keep pushing hard, even in lapped traffic."
Hebing indeed did push through the traffic, lapping up to the eighth place car in the 25-lap A-Feature.
The race was slowed early on by two red flags; the first for Daniel Lampron tipping over in his first ASCS Patriot start when he got collected with Chris Muhleisen and Normand Beaudreault. The second waved for Kyle Wilson turning over on lap five in his sister April's No. 15a.
Justin Barger was able to hold on for second, recording his best finish in ASCS Patriot history. The Montrose, NY driver was solid all night but was really strong towards the end.
"I probably should have waited till the last lap to try that slide job," said the driver of the AEM No. 32 after the event. "But then if you wait sometimes you don't get that chance."
Bryan Howland had his third top-3 in as many tries in 2007, a solid run for the 2005 ASCS Patriot Champion who struggled during ASCS's Eastern Speed Week. Howland was also the winner of National Parts Peddler Heat No. 2.
Rick Wilson had his winning streak at the Evans Mills, NY oval snapped on Friday, as he finished 4th. Wilson was still a force, however, moving up seven spots to collect the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race.
Jared Zimbardi nearly won his first career ASCS Patriot A-Main at Thunder Alley two years ago, and was strong again on Friday, winning heat one. He slid back in the feature though, but still rounded out the top-five.
John Karklin's first ASCS Patriot start resulting in a solid sixth place showing in his No. 69. The Freehold, NY driver won NPP Heat No. 3 and held is ground for the balance of the evening.
Blake Breen crossed in seventh, just ahead of Geoff Quackenbush, who was the final car on the lead lap. Local favorite Jeff Cook, along with Ray Preston, rounded out the top-10.
Nineteen cars were in attendance for the first sprint car race at Thunder Alley in nearly two years. Dave Wickham made hard contact with the wall in heat race two, cracking the frame and forcing the No. 80 to sit out the 25-lap A-Main.
ASCS Patriots Results: 6/1/07, Thunder Alley Speedpark, Evans Mills, NY
A-Main (25 Laps)- 1. Chuck Hebing (45), 2. Justin Barger (32), 3. Bryan Howland (51), 4. Rick Wilson (42w), 5. Jared Zimbardi (35), 6. John Karklin (69), 7. Blake Breen (8), 8. Geoff Quackenbush(25), 9. Jeff Cook (10), 10. Ray Preston (22), 11. Bobby Breen (9), 12. Scott
Kreutter (52), 13. Normand Beaudreault (50), 14. Chris Muhleisen (10M), 15. Kyle Wilson (15a), 16. Daniel Lampron (52L), 17. Don Adamczyk (21), 18. Tim Barnard (45x), 19. Dave Wickham (80).
Lap Leaders- Hebin 1-25
Rt. 37 Building Supply Pole Dash (4 Laps)- 1. Chuck Hebing (45), 2. Bryan Howland (51), 3. Jared Zimbardi (35), 4. Justin Barger (32), 5. John Karklin (69), 6. Jeff Cook (10).
National Parts Peddler Heats (8 Laps Each)-
Race 1: 1. Jared Zimbardi (35), 2. Chuck Hebing (45), 3. Geoff Quackenbush (25), 4. Blake Breen (8), 5. Daniel Lampron (52L), 6. Normand Beaudreault (50), 7. Kyle Wilson (15A).
Race 2: 1. Bryan Howland (51), 2. Jeff Cook (10), 3. Don Adamczyk (21), 4. Scott Kreutter (52), 5. Tim Barnard (45x), 6. Dave Wickham (80).
Race 3: 1. John Karklin (69), 2. Justin Barger (32), 3. Bobby Breen (9), 4. Rick Wilson (42w), 5. Ray Preston (22) 6. Chris Muhleisen (10M).
Winner's Awards-
Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing Sealing the Deal Award
Mangus Precision Pumps Pumped Up Award-
Leaf Racewear Sharp Finish Award-
Pro-Syn Oil Technology/ Amsoil Spraying The Competition Award-
Contingency Awards-
Red Bear Hand Cleaner Clean Finish, Clean Hands Award- Barger
Saldana Racing Products Half Way Leader- Hebing
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger of the Night- R. Wilson
ASI Sportswear Sharpest Move of the Race- Barger
Engler Machine and Tool Pole Award- Hebing
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Passing Points Award- Howland
Kinser Air Filters Hard Luck Award- Wickham
ISC Racer?s Tape Keeping Things Rolling Award- Karklin, Muhleisen, Preston
DMI Rear End Award- Adamczyk
M&W Aluminum Products Top-5 Award- Barger
Big Toob Bleeders Lucky 7th Award- Breen
Pancho?s Racing Products J&J of the Race- R. Wilson
Rod End Supply 19th Anniversary Award- Wickham
Ultra-Shield Race Products Top-10 Award- Quackenbush
Leaf Racewear 11th Place Award- Bobby Breen
Leaf Racewear Well Suited Finish- Karklin
Dri Wash ?n? Guard Waterless Car Best Appear Car Award- Howland
ASCS Patriot Points (Top Ten): 1. Chuck Hebing 510, 2. Bryan Howland 494, 3. Jared Zimbardi 474, 4. (tie) Jeff Cook and Justin Barger 468, 6. Geoff Quackenbush 460, 7. Blake Breen 452, 8. (tie) Ray Preston and Bobby Breen 438, 10. Don Adamczyk 436.
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