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KIRKWOOD, NY…There have been two constants at Five Mile Point Speedway on Saturday nights in 2007. Stewart Friesen winning the Modified feature event has been one and a mid-event rain delay has been the other. Friesen copped the Modified 30 lapper on Saturday night marking his fourth victory in six starts. Mother nature kept her steak alive as well as rain again swept through the southern tier during the racing program for the fourth time in the last five Saturday events. The result was a lightning fast track that saw the existing track record come with in two tenths of a second from being broken on several occasions during the evening.
By virtue of his victory in the 30 lap Modified feature Friesen now has a $1,000 bounty placed on him. The winner of this Saturday nights racing program could collect a cool $2,000 for the 30 lap win. The victory for Friesen on Saturday certainly did not come easy though as former Track Champion Jim Crawn pressured for the lead throughout.
The start of the 30 lap feature event found Barry White and Bob Hamm, Jr. on the front row. Hamm was impressive as he quickly moved out front and opened up a sizeable lead over the field. A caution on lap 8 reassembled the field with Friesen already up to second place from his eleventh starting slot for the restart. When racing resumed Hamm continued to lead as Friesen was unable to make a move for the lead. James Cornell and Crawn battled for the third slot as another former Track Champion, Mike Colsten began to advance through the field as well.
On lap 12 Hamm got loose exiting turn four and that was all that Friesen would need to work past in turn one. Crawn wasted little time as he moved into the runner up position on lap 14 and set his sites on Friesen. The second half of the race saw the top two pull away from the balance of the field with Crawn making several bids for the lead. It looked as if lapped traffic may play a role in the outcome but each time the two closed in on lapped cars a caution would bunch up the field. At the finish Friesen would hold on for the victory with Crawn winding up in second. Colsten had a solid run for third with Hamm having his best finish of the season in fourth. Tom McGurrin rallied late to capture the fifth position at the stripe.
Defending Sportsman Track Champion Brad Grim made short work of the field in the 20 lap feature event. Grim took the lead on lap 5 after starting in the sixth slot and led the remainder of the way. For Grim it was his second victory of the season. Mike Marold had his best finish of the season by placing second. Marold started in the fourth position. Denny Decker had his best career Sportsman finish by claiming the third spot with Brian Puckett and Eric Stepehens, Jr. completing the top five.
Mike Stolarcyk, III made the charge of the night as he claimed top honors in the 20 lap IMCA Modified main event. Stolarcyk took the lead on the 18th lap after rallying from a jingle that sent him pitside with a flat tire earlier in the event. Jeremy Shaw led the early going with Joe Cole moving past on lap 4. Cole looked strong running the outside of the speedway with Gary Dence in tow. Stolarcyk picked his way through the field as the final 13 laps went caution free. Stolarcyk moved past Cole for the lead on lap 18 and went on for his second victory of the season. Cole wound up in second with Dence, Gary Roberts and Mike Stoddard rounding out the top five.
Chuck Culbertson hustled out to the early lead in the 20 lap Pure Stock main event. Mike Codington moved in to the lead on lap 3 but it was short lived as Doug Stack again showed flexed his muscles and moved out front. Stack has been fast all season long but like several other nights bad luck would bite the Athens , PA driver. On lap 12 Stack pulled to the pits with a flat tire. Charlie Gilbert took command from their and held off Harry Marvin, III for his second straight victory. Marvin wound up in second with Culbertson, Bond and Gene VanAlstyne rounding out the top five. Should Gilbert win again this Saturday a bounty will be placed on him.
In other action Steve Dechow won his second 99.1 the WHALE Figure 8 event on Saturday night. Dechow made a last lap pass on Don Lantz for the win. Phil Clapper was the Lightning Cat winner and Laurie Fallis towed down from the Fonda area to record her first ever FMP victory in A League of Their Own.
QUARTER MILE QUOUTES AND NOTES…Rain again swept through the southern tier after the completion of the Modified qualifying events…An already tacky race surface was even faster once the track was ready for racing after the rain delay…The track record almost fell on three occasions during the evening due to the tremendous bite the teams were getting...Interestingly Sportsman driver Brad Grim was within only three tents of a second of the current track record…Both Stewart Friesen and Jim Crawn had times within two tenths of a second of the record…The $1,000 bounty is now in place for this Saturday nights Modified 30 lap feature…Friesen commented on the bounty, “I think it is cool and we are hoping that we can be the one to get the bonus.” He added, “The track was phenomenal tonight and I always enjoy racing with Jim Crawn, he gave us a good race and I’m sure their new car will only get better.” Crawn was out for only the second week in a brand new car. After his Sportsman win Brad Grim had this to say, “"Last week here at the speedway was a tough one and the crew worked their tails off all week to put a great race car back underneath me. Nothing was taken for granted as they stripped the car down, checked out everything, and replaced what was bent and broken. I knew in hot laps we had a fast car tonight." Grim later added, "This win was a great team effort and it would really be nice if we could string a few of them together. The competition is tough here and on any given night most of the cars can win, we just hope we can win a few more than they do."
MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH: STEWART FRIESEN, Jim Crawn, Mike Colsten, Bob Hamm Jr., Tom McGurrin, Brian Malcolm, Chris Ostrowsky, Mike McCollum, Ken Titus, James Cornell, Glenn Knapp, J.R. Hurlburt, Eric Palmer, Matt Smith, J.R. Crouse, Bobby Puckett, Brent Wilcox, Jack Admudsen, Darrin Schuler, Kevin Bates, Barry White, Mike Doty, Jesse Kline, Gary Griffin, Dan Hineline. DNS Stan Frankenfield.
SPORTSMAN OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH: BRAD GRIM, Mike Marold Jr., Denny Smith, Brian Puckett, Eric Stephens, Jamie Batzel, Butch Klinger, Grant Hilfiger, Joey Colsten, Rich Wallace, Les Gillette, Randy Thomas, Harry Cook Jr., Paul Harrington, Jason Griffith, Nick Rochinski, Jerry Tonti, Rick Raisner, Andy Stout, Byron Pitcher, Bob Ferguson. DNS Don Caldwell.
IMCA MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH: MIKE STOLARYCK III, Joe Cole, Gary Dence, Gary Roberts, Mike Stoddard, James Cornell, Brad Weaver, Tom Eicklor, Jeremy Shaw, Tyler Stoddard, K.C. Cole, Scott George, John Rohacevich.
PURE STOCK OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH: CHARLIE GILBERT, Harry Harvin III, Chuck Culbertson, Cory Bond, Gene VanAlstyne, Joe Rafferty Jr., Steve Polhamus, Doug Stack, Shannon Butts, George Frantz, Nick Austin, Dave Conklin, Mike Codington, Josh French, Chuck Towner, Brian Mills. DNS Duane Codington.
99.1 THE WHALE FIGURE 8’S: STEVE DECHOW, Don Lantz, Steve Matson, Mark Andrus, Mark Cardew, Jim Watson, Dave Cronk, Andy Matson.
LIGHTNING CATS: PHIL CLAPPER, Gary Kinne, Bill Gregory, Kerrie Hollenbeck, Brian Backus, Mark Andrus, Klem Underwood, Dave Simms, Joe Vaughn, Josh Wilder, Travis Hayes, Barry Wallace, Andy Brigham, Jason Bond, Charles Phelps.
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: LAURIE FALLIS, Sandi Brown.
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