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By: Nick Stark
CENTER LISLE, NY --- “The Afton Assassin” Wade Decker turned in a
stellar
performance to lock up his first career Big Block Modified victory in
the 30
Lap Don’s Automotive Mall Modified feature event. “The Speedsville
Speedster” Kevin Jordan made it two straight wins in the Autoworks of
Ithaca
Sportsman Modifieds, while “Battlin’” Butch Green piloted his
twin brother’s
#119 to the win in the Billy’s Auto Sales & Service Hurricane Street
Stocks.
Jason Rhodes chalked up another win in the Trackside Products Pro
Stock
Series, while Rick Frisco won for his 2nd straight week, Ryan Oakley
got his
1st career Road Bandit win, and his son, Mike Oakley, followed suit
with his
father, and won the Bandit Mechanic race.
At the drop of the green flag for the 30 lap Modified feature event,
Whitney
Point’s Scott Brady powered out into the early lead in his Stolarcyk
Chevrolet #77x. “The Sniper” Scott Brady didn’t need to do much
sight-setting or picking anyone off on this night, as he would lead the
first nine circuits. It was on lap 10, however, that the eventual
winning
move would be made. “The Afton Assassin” Wade Decker worked the
apron of
the 3/8 mile clay oval to surpass the Brady machine. From there on
out,
Decker would set sail en route to his 1st career victory in an open
wheel
machine and in a big block modified. At the line it would be Don
“The
Hitman” Hart Jr. in 2nd, “The Poet” Paul Jensen in 3rd, New
Berlin-native
Tim Mayne in 4th, and “The Negotiator” Ricky Yetter would round out
the top
5.
The Autoworks of Ithaca Sportsman Modifieds hit the speedway running
for
their newly formatted 25 lap feature go. The man to watch would be the
outside polesitter Kevin Jordan in his All About Flying sponsored #22.
Once
the green flew, Jordan let the ponies loose in his steel steed and
immediately grabbed the top spot. Out front all race long, Jordan
never
wavered and brought home win #4 on the year at the Thunder Mountain
Speedway. “We didn’t hit the setup quite right, but we’ll take
it”, stated
an exhausted and excited Kevin Jordan. The longtime veteran wheelman,
Larry
Hillis, of Vestal, NY, would turn in his best career finish in the
Sportsman
Modifieds with a runner-up finish. “Shakin’” Shawn Mills of
Deposit, NY
made his first showing of the 2007 season by garnering a ready and
steady
3rd place finish. 4th went to the hard charging Chance Spoonhower,
while
“Top Gun” Tim Gullo of Elmira garnered yet another top 5.
The quantity of cars for the Trackside Products Pro Stock Series may
have
been a little lacking, but the quality of the action certainly didn’t
disappoint. A three car battle for the lead waged on the entire 20 lap
segment, but in the end, it would be Jason Rhodes bring home his 2nd
win in
as many starts at Thunder Mountain Speedway. KJ Yager, a rookie in the
Pro
Stock ranks, but a former Pure Stock hot shoe, went across the line in
the
bridesmaid position, while Tom Herman was 3rd, Neil Palladino 4th, and
Frank
Payne in 5th.
The Billy’s Auto Sales & Service Hurricane Street Stocks have been
dominated
in the early goings of this season by “Pudge” Deinhardt, however
the opening
night win was captured by none other than “Battlin’” Butch Green
of Maine,
NY. Since that win, the well had run a tad dry for the twin Green,
until
Saturday night that is. Green would start on the outside pole of the
15-car
field, but would immediately charge out to the early race lead. Green
was
piloting the newly numbered #119 of his brother Rich Green. The number
change came with a hope for some better luck on the topsy-turvy opening
for
the 07 season for the Green boys. The superstition apparently worked.
Green would stay out front for every lap of the event, and he would
even
hold off the late race charge of the ever-dominant Deinhardt.
Deinhardt
settled for 2nd, while Daryl Krebs registered another top 5, coming
across
the stand in 3rd. Chemung’s Rich Talada settled for 4th, while the
sophomore sensation Randy Marsh rounded out the top 5.
Rick Frisco of Interlaken, NY has seemed to have found his niche and
preferred line in the Road Warrior ranks. Frisco locked up his first
career
Thunder Mountain Speedway victory last weekend after a great battle
between
himself and Earl Zimmer. It was déjà vu Saturday night, as Frisco
brought
home the flag to flag victory, but like last week, he had to hold off
the
late race challenge. This time around the challenge would be in the
form of
Mark Keith Jr. In the end it would be Frisco 1st, Keith 2nd, the
Kaufman
Logging-sponsored ride of Steve Simpson in 3rd, while Adam Hoskins and
Mike
Pratschler rounded out the top 5.
“The Dodge Charger” Ryan Oakley has been plugging and plugging away
with his
Dodge-powered #44, but has come up just shy a few too many times more
than
he would have liked. The luck changed on Saturday night as Oakley
dominated
the 12-lap Road Bandit feature go. Kenny Underwood continued to expand
on
his point lead with a 2nd, Nick Griest grabbed 3rd, Rich Gardiner 4th,
and
the 14 year old Austin Welch snagged his 2nd career top 5 finish.
In the Bandits Mechanics Race, the #44 driven by Mike Oakley, the son
of
Bandit feature winner Ryan, would not be denied the victory. Oakley
jumped
out to the early lead that he would never relinquish. In victory lane
he
ribbed his father by saying “I taught him everything he knows.”
This upcoming Saturday, June 30th, is dubbed Kids Are Our Future Night.
On
tap for the evening will be a headlining event for the Sportsman
Modifieds,
while also on the card will be the 305-powered CRSA Sprints, Hurricane
Street Stocks, 600cc Modifieds, Warriors, and Bandits, as well as a 4
and 6
cylinder 40-lap enduro, with $400 going to the winner of that event.
There
will be face painting, balloons, a clown, lots of giveaways, as well as
a
coloring contest for the kids. It’s also being labeled with a
Hawaiian
theme, so break out the luau garb. The gates will open at 4PM, with
the
show getting underway at 6:30PM.
Thunder Mountain Speedway is home of the 5th annual Hurricane Harry A.
Uhl
Street Stock Memorial and hosts racing every Saturday night from April
through October. The Speedway is located off exit 8 of Interstate 81.
From
there follow route 79 west for five miles and turn right in Center
Lisle and
follow the signs. For more information about the upcoming events at
Thunder
Mountain call the speedway office at (607) 849 - 7889 or checkout our
website at http://www.thunderracetrack.com
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