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Woodhull, NY…Glenn Whritenour was the coolest of the 35 drivers that entered the BRP CanAm Series event at Woodhull Raceway on a very cool September night. Whritenour won his first ever BRP CanAm event by maintaining his cool and driving a very consistent line throughout a caution infested affair that left many other drivers steaming in the cool autumn air. The Jasper, NY speedster joins Steve Dixon, Quinn Sutherland, Paul Grigsby, and Matt Cobb as first time Series winners in 2007.
Whritenour, a weekly competitor at Woodhull Raceway, had only entered three prior Series events. Saturday was his third of 2007 and it was a charm. His prior best was one year ago at Woodhull when he finished 9th.
Whritenour knows a thing or two about the tricky high banks of Woodhull Raceway. He was the 2006 Woodhull 360 late model champion and finished second in points there in this year.
“This is a really big deal for us. To win with all of these great racers who run the Series is very special. They are the best in this business and to simply qualify and race with them is an honor. To beat them is unbelievable,” shared Whritenour from victory lane.
Driver skill, good luck, and a quick Hornell Subway – Baker’s Repair sponsored Empson GM powered CRS Grand Prix all played into the victory. Good luck when he drew the number one starting spot for F/A Products – Clevite Engine Parts heat number four. Skill prevailed when he parlayed the starting spot into the heat race win. Luck when he drew the third starting spot in the National Parts Peddler A-Main. Skill when he took the top spot from Bryce Davis on lap four and maintained that position for the duration.
Randy Hall, the 2006 BRP CanAm Series Champion, hounded Whritenour all race long. At Scott Colegrove’s flying double checkers Hall was a very close second. Hall’s Duggan & Duggan Contracting-Follman Rental Properties- Absolute Powder Coating-Heron Smoke Shop sponsored CRS Impala SS with fresh Fox GM power would not work anywhere but the bottom of the track which was filled by Whritenour. The Olean Flash was trying to force a smile with his second place finish, but there was no question that he really wanted the win.
Bryce Davis is a high school student making a big name for himself in area short dirt track racing. The young man’s racing resume now includes a third place finish in BRP CanAm racing. Davis started on the pole in a CRS Fusion powered by an RV Machine built Ford that is owned by his Mom and Dad.
Larry Knowles is a Series point chaser with many Woodhull Raceway wins, championships, and miles of experience. Accordingly, when the Series travels to “Larry’s track” everyone identifies Larry and his fast Doug Gross Construction - CAT Rental Stores sponsored Ron’s Engine Science GM powered CRS Monte Carlo as the car to beat. Saturday night Larry and his hot rod may have been the fastest car, but a poor draw for the heat [started last] and not making the redraw put the “Racin Guy” from Painted Post 19th for the start. Knowles advanced to fourth at the checkers and remains winless in Series competition at Woodhull.
Bob Buono, a Rookie Series competitor, has really matured as a race car driver with the experience gained by running all the Series events. Buono drove his ProSpeed Rocket with Pike GM power from twelfth at the start to fifth at the checkers to earn Absolute Powder Coating Rookie of the Race honors.
Paul Grigsby earned his fourth DART Hard Charger award of the year by advancing from 25th at the start to sixth at the finish. Grigsby negotiated his Integrity Homes of WNY Campbell GM powered Carley built Shaw Grand Prix around far too many fender banger type crashes and escaped without damage, a decent payday, and 76 valuable points towards the Series championship. Unofficially Grigsby is third in the point battle just seven points behind Jim Johnson, and 51 behind point leader Jeff Chesebro. [Note points are unofficial]
Mike Williams, another Rookie Series competitor, lost a little ground to Buono in the chase for the $1000 Absolute Powder Coating Rookie of the Year title. Williams, a Native American from the Tuscarora Nation finished seventh in his Mighty Taco sponsored PoGo GM powered CRS Monte Carlo.
Jeff Chesebro had some good luck and some bad luck in his CheZe’s Performance Exhaust-Follman Rentals-Fitzsimmons Construction Repine GM powered CRS Grand Prix. The good luck was that he was able to scratch out an eighth place finish and that Jim Johnson was a DNF. Chesebro and Johnson entered the event separated by just 26 points [Chesebro leading] in the $30,000 2007 BRP CanAm Series Championship Chase. Chesebro was caught up a three early multi-car incidents that put him to the rear on each occasion. Johnson was cruising in the top five until the halfway point when he was a victim of a crash which resulted in suspension damage which caused a DNF and 22nd finish.
Steve Dixon won his first ever BRP CanAm A-Main at Woodhull on Memorial Day weekend. He has since won at Merrittville and was very much hoping for another win last night. Too much traffic to negotiate from 17th at the start played into Dixon’s ninth place finish.
Matt Cobb rounded out the top ten finishers in his battle scared Austin Distributors Kemp GM powered Carley built Rocket Grand Prix. Cobb was the most recent Series winner and wanted to make it back-to-back wins early in the night. After being involved in a lap four crash which about ruined a brand new body on the bright blue beauty the Bradford, PA racer was “OK” with tenth
The 35 entries were reduced to 26 A-Main starters via four F/A Products-Clevite Engine Parts heat races and two Ed Carley Motorsports B-Mains. Heat race winners were: Quinn Sutherland, Jim Johnson, Randy Hall, and Glenn Whritenour. B-Main winners were: Rick Baker and Mikey Wonderling.
National Parts Peddler A-Main Finish: GLENN WHRITENOUR, Randy Hall, Bryce Davis, Larry Knowles, Bob Buono, Paul Grigsby, Mike Williams, Jeff Chesebro, Steve Dixon, Matt Cobb, Jeremy Wonderling, Greg Young, Scott Brown, Tim Dunham, Wayne Robertson, Rick Baker, Mikey Wonderling, Quinn Sutherland, Bob Clark, Jon Rivers, Neil Patterson, Jim Johnson, Jessica Pierce, Rich Marlott, Brian Knowles, Ron Baker
DNQ: Bob Babbitt, Bob Bartlett, Clint Button, Dan Guild, Ron Hurd, Dick Karlnoski Chris Peacock, Mick Seeley, and John Waters
Next Events: Saturday September 29 at McKean County Raceway during the 2nd Annual Fall Classic, Saturday October 6 at Cayuga County Fair Speedway during Super DIRT Week XXXVI, and Saturday October 20 the $2500 to win ISKY Racing Cams Championship at Black Rock Speedway.
Marketing Partners for the 2007 BRP CanAm Series are: Bicknell Racing Products, Absolute Powder Coating, BC Designs & Public Relations, Bob Mullen’s Pro Speed, Brad Penn Racing Oil, Can & Bottle Return of Delevan, Clevite Engine Parts, Close Racing Supply, Cousins Designs, DART Machinery, DB Embroidery, DSE1 Race Engines, EastCoastSpeed.com, Ed Carley Motorsports, F/A Products, Hoosier Tire, Lias Tire – American Racer, ISKY Racing Cams, National Parts Peddler, Performance Friction Brakes, Signs Plus of Kanona, Southeastern Transmissions, and Suzuki Motorcycle & ATV Dealers of NY and PA.
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