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Joe Williams In Seventh Heaven After Rolling Wheels Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Victory
Elbridge, NY – October 5, 2007 – By Chris Dolack , DIRTcar Racing PR
Joe Williams had never won a Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series event before 2007. Now, he owns the record book.
Williams, of Scotia , N.Y, held off Chris Higgins for 30 laps Friday night during Super DIRT Week festivities at Rolling Wheels Raceway for his record-setting seventh victory in 11 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship events this season.
“I never dreamt of winning one race let alone seven,” said Williams, whose six wins entering the event tied him with Tim Hindley and Matt Sheppard for most victories in a season. “Pete Bicknell has helped me a lot. This place has been a big thorn in my back and Randy set up my car today at the mile for here. The car was unbelievable. Tim Groski built me an outstanding engine. The thing’s amazing.
“Our biggest deal was we took about two months off at the end of the year to get ready for this. My team is rested physically and mentally and my equipment is top notch and it’s ready to go. The biggest thing is you have to finish every race to win it. We’ve had a great, great year.”
Williams, who opened Super DIRT Week with a victory on Wednesday night at Can-Am Motorsports Park , ran the top groove while Higgins stayed one line lower. Higgins, who is third in the Mr. DIRT Sportsman Series championship standings kept up the pressure on Williams for all 30 laps around the high-speed 5/8-mile oval. Five cautions helped Higgins keep Williams in sight before Williams pulled away in the final four laps to win by just under a second.
Jipp Ortiz was third, with Casey Williams and Tim Currier rounding out the top five.
The victory helped to extend Williams’ points lead in the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series championship over Chris Hile, who charged to seventh place after starting 24th on Friday night. Williams owned a 47-point lead entering the race. With the win, Williams now has nine top-five finishes in the 11 events to date, one more top-five than Hile.
Forty-two drivers entered the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman event Friday night at Rolling Wheels Raceway, with 30 taking the green flag in the main event.
For the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman competitors, it was the final tune-up before returning to Syracuse on Saturday for the Town Mechanical 30 Sportsman Championship at the New York State Fairgrounds’ 1-mile oval.
Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series; Rolling Wheels Raceway; Oct. 5, 2007
Heat 1 (8 laps, top 5 finishers transfer to feature)
1) 19h Chris Higgins
2) 10 Tim Currier
3) 0 Jipp Ortiz
4) 2 Greg Doust
5) 58L Jim LaRock
6) 4R Dave Reilley
7) 6J Alan Fink
8) 7c Tom Collins Jr.
9) 5s Rich Swarthout
10) 47 Simon Perrault
11) 29 Jason Mermick.
Heat 2 (8 laps, top 5 finishers transfer to feature)
1) 19 Joe Williams
2) 71 Mike Bowman
3) 99P Greg Panunte
4) 67G Eric Gigueve
5) 58 Scott Schrader
6) 66 Don Weisner
7) 11 Bill Hallett
8) P38 Rob Pratt
9) 140 Mark Dixon
10) 7A James Friesen
11) 97c Luke Carlton .
Heat 3 (8 laps, top 5 finishers transfer to feature)
1) 11J Don Spatorico
2) 08 Mark D’Ilario
3) 2P John Juhl
4) Jeff Isabell Jr.
5) 99 Larry Wright
6) 4h Darryl Hilkert
7) 777 Tyler McPherson
8) 1 James Spano
9) 99jr Mike O’Brien
10) 7 John Turel
11) 111 Curt Prevo.
Heat 4 (8 laps, top 5 finishers transfer to feature)
1) 2L Loren Lincoln
2) 44v John Venuto
3) 1x Casey Williams
4) 3k A.J. Kingsley
5) 19J John Juhl II
6) 7x Tom Flannigan
7) 17T Todd Town
8) 5J Chris Hile
9) 43J Jack Meeks
10) 87 Shawn Donath.
Consolation round #1 (8 laps, top 3 transfer to feature)
1) 4R Dave Reilley
2) 66 Dan Weisner
3) 6J Alan Fink
4) 11h Bill Hallett
5) 140 Mark Dixon
6) 97c Luke Carleton
7) 47 Simon Perrault
8) 5s Rich Swarthout
9) 7A James Friesen.
Consolation round #2 (8 laps, top 3 transfer to feature)
1) 4h Darryl Hilkert
2) 5J Chris Hile
3) 7x Tom Flannigan
4) 87 Shawn Donath
5) 777 Tyler McPherson
6) 1 James Spano
7) 17T Todd Town
8) 7 John Turel.
Feature event (30 laps)
1) Joe Williams, Scotia , N.Y.
2) Chris Higgins, Syracuse , N.Y.
3) 0 Jipp Ortiz, Ransomville , N.Y.
4) 1x Casey Williams, Waterville , N.Y.
5) 10 Tim Currier, Auburn , N.Y.
6) 2L Loren Lincoln, South Bristol , N.Y.
7) 5J Chris Hile, Syracuse , N.Y.
8) 99p Greg Panunte, Port Colborne , Ontario
9) 2P John Juhl, Auburn , N.Y.
10) 58L Jim LaRock, Seneca Falls , N.Y.
11) Shawn Donath, South Onondaga, N.Y.
12) 11J Don Spatorico, Ransomville , N.Y.
13) 08 Mark D’Ilario, Smithville , Ontario
14) 58 Scott Schrader, Shortsville , N.Y.
15) 71 Mike Bowman, St. Catherines , Ontario
16) 67g Eric Giguere, Waterloo , N.Y.
17) 777 Tyler McPherson, St. Catherines , Ontario
18) 7J Jeff Isabell, Pennellville , N.Y.
19) 6J Alan Fink, Central Square, N.Y.
20) 4h Darryl Hilkert, Potter, N.Y.
21) 66 Dan Wiesner, Geneva , N.Y.
22) 3k A.J. Kingsley, Fulton , N.Y.
23) John Juhl II, Auburn , N.Y.
24) 99 Larry Wright, Phoenix , N.Y.
25) 7x Tim Flannigan, St. Catherines , Ontario
26) 11h Bill Hallett, Byron , N.Y.
27) 2 Greg Doust, Jamesville , N.Y.
28) 44v John Venuto, Elba , N.Y.
29) 140 Mark Dixon , Durham , Ontario
30) 4R Dave Reilley , Jordan , N.Y.
Lap leader: Williams, 1-30.
Margin of victory: 0.700
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.
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