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JENSEN CAPS OFF 2007 THUNDER MOUNTAIN MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 6th
STRAIGHT WIN
By: Nick Stark
Saturday, August 18th
CENTER LISLE, NY --- Paul Jensen won his unprecedented 6th straight
feature
in the Modified division, capping off a dream season for the dirt
veteran.
“The Rocket” Rodney Hart showed he could let his hair down and be wild
with
the best in the business, as the Sportsman division squared off in a 25
lap
“Topless” event, in which Hart bested Kevin Jordan at the line. Steven
Deinhart represented Wheeler’s Blacktopping & Excavating, race night
sponsor, quite well as he won his 3rd straight feature event in the
Hurricane Street Stock division. Rick Frisco brought home win #3 on
the
year, while John Hoover chalked up his fourth of the season at the 3/8
mile
clay oval.
17 Modifieds were on hand for the final points event of the 2007 season
for
the division. “The Hamburglar” Steve Babicek paced the field to the
green
flag in the 30 lap event. Babicek jumped out to the advantage right
off the
bat, while the competitors behind him mixed it up hot and heavy.
Babicek
would do a stout job leading the first 5 laps of the feature event, but
the
man on the move was Brian “The Dream” Weaver, driving the Randy Decker
owned
#CD1. Weaver, a regular at the Fulton Speedway, decided to tackle the
Center Lisle speedway when his home track had the night off for his
division. Weaver, a former Thunder Mountain track champion, showed he
knew
the way around the high banks, flying from his 8th spot, right into the
lead
on lap 6. This lead would be short lived, however, as Weaver’s ride
would
lose the motor just 2 laps later. Babicek would regain the lead, but
this
time he had a mirror-full of Wade Decker and Paul Jensen. With Decker
on
the low side and Jensen on the top, it was only a matter of time before
something gave. On lap 11, it gave. Jensen worked the low line
underneath
Babicek for the lead, and from there on out it would be checkout time
for
Jensen at the Thunder Mountain Hotel. The win was his 6th straight,
and 8th
on the year in his Teo chassis, Wholesale Mulch #57. Decker would come
home
in 2nd, with “The Young Gun” Chad Cook in 3rd. Don Hart Jr. put forth
another solid effort in his 358-powered ride, with the 4th place
finish.
Babicek would chalk up his best finish of the season, rounding out the
top
5.
The Autoworks of Ithaca Sportsman Modifieds treated fans with a 25 lap
“Topless” event, with 16 cars hitting the starting grid. Larry Hillis,
of
Vestal, NY, drove out to the early race lead in his very potent #31
machine.
Hillis would sit comfortable out front while there was a massive
shuffle
for position going on behind him. A lap 2 caution would repack and
restack
the field, giving Hillis new company on the pole position. Mike
Dimorier
capitalized from his runner-up restart to take over the race lead going
into
lap 3, however, slight contact between Hillis and Dimorier would send
the
Dimorier ride reeling in the corner, facing him the wrong way down a
one-way
street. Hillis would go to the back for the racing deal, making Rodney
Hart
the new race leader. At that point, Hart would find himself in a very
favorable and very comfortable position, out front of the field running
his
preferred line. Hart would not face any pressure until a late race
restart
would put Kevin Jordan, current points leader, all over his back
bumper.
Hart was, however, just too strong, bringing home the gold in the
Hart’s
Logging #10x. Jordan hung on for 2nd, salvaging as many points as
possible,
with “Shakin’” Shawn Mills in 3rd. PJ Goodwin would up with a 4th
place
finish, with “Fast” Eddie White rebounding from an early race incident
to
chalk up another top 5.
Déjà vu took its’ toll on the 20 lap Billy’s Auto Sales & Service
Hurricane
Street Stocks. The #4 Roses of John Cooper Jr. seemed to have things
well
in hand, as Cooper would jump out to a sizeable lead in the early
goings of
the feature event. Ralph Champion was running a solid 2nd, until
Steven
Deinhart found something, not on the low side, but on the unfamiliar
top
shelf for Deinhart. The Deinhart #73 was absolutely tooling around the
speedway out there in “Jensenville”, as Deinhart grabbed the lead on
lap 14,
and never looked back. The win would up his season tally to eight, and
also
his 3rd straight feature win. Like a college fraternity, Deinhart has
made
a habit of streaking, in the win column that is, stringing together win
after win. Rich Talada saved face and minimized the points hit, as
Talada
is currently sitting 2nd in points, right behind Deinhart. Talada made
a
late race charge to come home 2nd, with Cooper Jr. 3rd, Daryl Krebs
4th, and
Champion Jr. putting forth his 1st top 5 of the season.
Rick Frisco benefited late in the race, while running in the 2nd
position,
as race leader, Earl Zimmer retired from the race due to mechanical
failure.
This allowed Frisco to take over the race lead en route to his 3rd
win of
the season.
John Hoover felt a bit neglected going into Saturday night, as many
race
predictions had his brother, Dan Wood, picked to be the winner in the
Road
Bandit division. Hoover said before the race that it would be him in
victory lane, not his brother, and he stuck to his word. Hoover came
home
with his 4th win of the season, while his brother Dan Wood crossed the
line
in a career best 2nd. Kenny Underwood put forth another consistent
run
with a 3rd place finish, while Joel Austin and Nick Greist rounded out
the
top 5.
The top 5 in the Modified points standings were represented by 3 man
pit
crews in the Modified Pit Stop Competition. Paul Jensen, Wade Decker,
Jeff
Sheely, Don Hart Jr., and Ricky Yetter were all represented in the
contest.
Teams were to jack up the car, remove the right rear tire, and replace
that
tire in the timed event. The two best times would then compete in a
sudden
death, best time wins. Jeff Sheely’s team of Jeff Smith, Jeff Sheely,
and
his 10 year old son, Tucker Sheely won the contest in the finals with a
time
of 31.69 seconds.
This upcoming Saturday will provide an action packed night of racing
for the
fans. The CRSA Sprints will be in town to do battle with twin 20's
while
Sportsman, Hurricane Street Stocks, Warriors, and Bandits. Also on
tap,
with at least 6 entries, will be the 3-car Train Race. 3 cars chained
together will race around the speedway in a good old fashioned crowd
pleasing event.
Thunder Mountain Speedway is home of the 5th Annual Hurricane Harry A.
Uhl
Street Stock Memorial (September 22nd) 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
Modifieds: PAUL JENSEN, Wade Decker, Chad Cook, Don Hart Jr., Steve
Babicek,
Dave Jenkins, Scott Brady, Mike Marold Jr., Tim Votra, Darwin Greene,
Tim
Mayne, Chris Weaver, Scott Allen, Jeff Sheely, Brian Weaver, Brian
Decker,
Ricky Yetter
Sportsman: RODNEY HART, Kevin Jordan, Shawn Mills, PJ Goodwin, Eddie
White,
Chris Stull, Dan Clark, Gary Card Jr., Ryan Olsommer, Brian White, Bret
Welch, Mike Wilbur Sr., Jason Tuttle, Mike Dimorier, Larry Hillis, Mike
Austin
Hurricane Street Stocks: STEVEN DEINHART, Rich Talada, John Cooper Jr.,
Daryl Krebs, Ralph Champion Jr., Randy Marsh, Mike Wilbur Sr., Mike
Wilbur
Jr., Richie Hillis, Dan Mazzarese, Leif Birdsall, Michael Morse, Ricky
Marsh, Roger Walburn, Donnie Russell Jr., Steven Mattschek, Wayne
Teeter
Warriors: RICK FRISCO, Steve Simpson, Pat Parker, Marc Randall,
Marshall
Balzer, Adam Hoskins, Mike Pratschler, Paul Lockwood, Joe Fuller, Ryan
Marsh, DJ Pendor, Dusty Corwin, Harold Walburn, Earl Zimmer
Bandits: JOHN HOOVER, Dan Wood, Kenny Underwood, Joel Austin, Nick
Greist,
Austin Welch, Mike Taylor, Dave Jenkins, Nick Alexander, Don Greist
Jr., Ray
Oakley, Danny Button, Andrew Harvey, John Bowen, Sarah Alexander, Tommy
Hart, Rich Gardiner, Kimberley Spicer
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