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Weedsport, NY – April 5, 2008 – By Dan Kapuscinski, Cayuga County Fair Speedway PR and Promotions Coordinator
Overcast skies gave way to beautiful sunshine Saturday afternoon, for the Pick & Pull Auto Parts Enduro Series “No Foolin’ 188” at Cayuga County Fair Speedway. A healthy 51 cars took the green flag, but at the end of the two and a half hour grind the no. 57 of Harry Ely stood in victory lane claiming the $1,000 prize. Jason Shenandoah and Mark DeLand battled to the line for second and third respectively.
“I was just waiting for it to be over,” said Ely in victory lane. “It is such a long race, but I just paced myself and took the lead when I needed to and tried to hang on.”
Ely took the lead on lap 110 from early front runner Gordon Whitaker and never looked back.
Just prior to the green flag, fans in attendance voted the no. 22 machine of Jeff Brown as the best appearing car in the field. As a result, Brown would start the event from the pole position. Unfortunately for the Trumansburg native, Brown dropped rapidly from his pole position, and eventually spun his car wildly down the back stretch ending his day.
Driving no. 52x, Gordon Whitaker staked his claim as the man to beat early on. Whitaker used the extreme low lane of the Weedsport oval to avoid lapped traffic and keep his nose clean out front. Setting a steady pace, Whitaker would lead all the way to the lap-94 intermission.
After a short competition break, the field took the green flag on lap-95 with just half of the original starters left on the speedway. As usual attrition was high, but there was a tight battle at the point between four drivers.
Whitaker, Mike Ely, Keuer, and Harry Ely would restart the event out front as the only four cars on the lead lap. Buzzie Weber, Bob Weber, and Clayton Weaver lined up next in line but were one lap behind the field.
As the field returned to speed Whitaker again looked to be the man to beat. The no. 52x ran to a comfortable margin over Keuer, but at the same time Harry Ely decided it was time to make his move.
Ely made his move by Keuer, and then caught Whitaker in traffic to take the point on lap-110. Just ten laps later, Whitaker’s day would end against the jersey barrier in turn 4 and Keuer would fall victim to a fuel leak.
That left Ely all to himself over the next 78-laps to claim victory, as just ten cars crossed the finish line.
“The track was getting a little rough out there, but you had to just keep going,” said Ely. “I wasn’t up front early on, but I used the speed when I needed to and that is what it took.”
Of the top seven drivers at the intermission, only Harry Ely would wind up in the final three. Jason Shenandoah took the $300 runner-up position driving no. 12, but was several laps down at the finish.
“We showed some good speed at points of the race, but at the end Harry was just too fast, I couldn’t keep up,” said Shenandoah.
Mark DeLand driving no. 36a found himself in the third position at the checkered flag. Not only did DeLand win $200 for his fine third place run, but he also cashed in another $50 as the highest finishing Automatic Transmission vehicle in the field.
Jeff Helstrom picked up another bonus of $50 as the highest finishing station wagon in his Ford Taurus.
Cayuga County Fair Speedway’s regular season kicks off Sunday, April 13 with 1040 Tax Night starting at 5pm. Watch all the stars of the DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds, UMP Street Stocks, and BattleKarz take to the fast 3/8 miler. Remember, the 1, 040th fan to enter the front gate will receive a FREE season pass.
For more information call the DIRTcar Northeast headquarters at 315-834-6606 or visit www.cayugacountyfairspeedway.com. |
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