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GEORGETOWN, DE – On Thursday night, the traveling stars of the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar series invaded the Georgetown Speedway for the first time in history with a hometown hero piloting his way to Victory Lane in a ride he picked up earlier in the week.
H.J. Bunting III, of Milford, Del., took the checkered in the ‘Super Southern’ 75-lap feature event. It was his first ever win against the stars of the Super DIRTcar series as well as his first win in a big-block Modified at the big half-mile oval.
“It feels great to beat these guys,” commented Bunting after the win. “I do this for living and I didn’t have ride until Monday. Jamie (Mills) called me and asked if I wanted to run his car because I wasn’t going to run mine. I said yeah and in the end I couldn’t ask for anything better. It all worked out perfect.”
Bunting picked up the ride aboard the No.30 owned by Eugene and Jamie Mills. It featured a DDE powerplant between the rails of the Bicknell. It was his first time ever in the car.
“I never turned a lap in this car until I got behind the wheel today,” said Bunting. “Fortunately things worked in our favor all day.”
The win caps off an impressive week which saw Bunting capture the Camp Barnes Modified event and a regular Saturday Modified feature at the Delaware International Speedway. This win was his third in consecutive starts.
“Things have been going pretty good,” said Bunting of his runs as of late. “We won Camp Barnes and then we came back Saturday night and won the regular feature. It’s been a good week.”
Bunting started on the inside of the second row behind Jamie Mills. He jumped into second on the start and chased Mills for the first ten circuits. On lap 11 he made his pass for the lead in lapped traffic.
He was able to hold off a late race charge by Mills and some bouts with slower traffic to take home the $6,000 payday.
Mills, his car owner, also of Milford, Del., came home in the runner-up position. Jimmy Phelps, of Baldwinsville, N.Y., was the first series regular across the line in third.
Homer, N.Y., driver, Dale Planck, finished in fourth after starting on the outside of the third row. He was followed to the line by Rick Laubach, of Quakertown, Pa., as he scored his second top five run in as many nights with the series.
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DELAWARE REGULARS: Mills started on the pole for the feature in his DDE powered Bicknell. He quickly took the lead as the race got underway with Bunting following him on the inside at the start into the second position giving the top two spots to Delaware natives early in the race.
MAKING THE MOVE: By lap 8, Mills had caught the back of the pack and began working his way through lapped traffic. Three laps later, as he battled to get by these slower cars, he bobbled opening the door for Bunting. Bunting slid by on the outside of turns three and four to take the lead.
“I figured I would try the outside,” said Bunting. “I wasn’t sure if was going to be too rough up there or not. The car just stuck and I went ride on around him (Mills). It worked out good.”
THE BIG TIRES WIN: Like many speedways, large tractor tires mark the bottom of the speedway. Several drivers, in attempt to stay to the inside, made contact with the tires damaging their rides. The first to test the tires was Wade Hendrickson on lap 18. He destroyed the front of his No.85.
On lap 23, Steve Downs ended with the same fate. The final caution on lap 51 was for Larry Wight as he caught the inner tire in turn four placing him on the hook as well.
TAKIN’ IT TOO EASY: On the final restart of the race, Bunting was faced with one final challenge from Mills. Bunting took off a bit slower than he had the rest of the event and Mills took advantage. He pulled next to Bunting in turns three and four, but he didn’t enough to take the lead away.
“I took it too easy on that restart,” stated Bunting. “I gave him (Mills) a shot on the outside. He got up beside me but I just took off after that.”
PROUD CAR OWNER: Bunting took home the victory while his car owner came in second. In Victory Lane, Mills’ had an equally as large smile on his face as the race winner.
“I’ll tell you what,” said Mills. “His dad Harold (Bunting) was one of the best to ever come out of Delaware. It is a lot of pride for me and H (Bunting) to come down here and beat the best in the business. We showed that us Delaware guys can run with the best.”
BEING CAREFUL: Mills had an opportunity with less than a third of the event left to take the lead. He was able to alongside his teammate, but rather than risk getting into the side of him, Mills backed out of it and waited for another chance.
“I didn’t want to run into him (Bunting),” stated Mills. “I didn’t want to get into him and take us both out. I’m not sure he saw me down there so I decided to wait and look for a better opportunity.”
FIRST SERIES GUY: Phelps brought his H&H Motorsports Troyer mount home in the third position in front of all other series invaders. It was an important finish in the overall chase for the Mr. DIRTcar title.
“In the grand scheme thing of things that is important,” commented Phelps about being all the other series regulars. “We had a good car both nights. Considering how tough the guys are we ran sixth and third here tonight, it’s a good pretty trip”
QUALIFYING: There were 41 cars taking time and once again it was Billy Decker setting fast time and new track record with a lap of 20.290. Heat races win went to Mills, Frank Caprara, Phelps and Brett Hearn. Consolation victories were captured by Matt Jester and Richie Pratt Jr.
Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Race #11 – Georgetown Speedway, July 17, 2008 ‘Super Southern 75’ Big-Block Modified Event Summary
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 3 30 H.J. Bunting III/Milford,DE($6,000)
2 1 55 Jamie Mills/Milford,DE
3 5 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
4 6 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
5 4 14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
6 18 1 Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NJ
7 7 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
8 2 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
9 17 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
10 16 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
11 10 fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
12 13 71 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
13 15 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
14 14 14w Ryan Watt/Boyertown,PA
15 11 26 Ryan Godown/Ringoes,NJ
16 26 69 Ricky Johnson/Delmar,DE
17 19 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
18 *29 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
19 8 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY®
20 23 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
21 21 62 Matt Jester/Lincoln,DE
22 22 28 Richie Pratt Jr./Woodbury Hts,NJ
23 25 39w Steve Downs/Georgetown,DE
24 24 56 Tim Milliman/Milton,DE
25 20 15 Billy Pauch Jr./Frenchtown,NJ
26 12 85 Wade Hendrickson/Lawrenceville,NJ
27 30 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
28 28 79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ®
29 9 19 Kenny Brightbill/Sinking Spring,PA
DNS 27 7a Chic Cossaboone/Petersburg,NJ
DNS 31 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
*Johnson started in rear with #7J team car.
DID NOT QUALIFY(10)
6-Mike McAleer/Tabernacle,NJ
9-Jeff Brown/Parsonsburg,MD
9t-Brad Trice/Parsonsburg,MD
11-Scott Armbruster/Monroeville,NJ
27-Chad James/Laurel,DE
35-Glenn Reed/Milton,DE
43-Jimmy Horton IV/Neshanic Station,NJ
47-Bob Sarkisian/Woolwich,NJ
101-Colby Steele/Georgetown,DE
888-Robert Dutton/Milford,DE
EVENT SUMMARY:
LAP LEADERS: Mills (1-10), Bunting (11-75).
CAUTIONS: 4 (lap 18, lap 25, lap 48, lap 51).
HEAT WINNERS: Mills, Caprara, J.Phelps, Hearn.
DIG SAFELY NEW YORK LAST CHANCE RACE WINNERS: Jester, Pratt.
$500 CASH DASH: Caprara, Hearn, J.Phelps, Mills.
BICKNELL RACING PRODUCTS WINNER AWARD: H.J. Bunting III.
CRANE CAMS WINNER AWARD: H.J. Bunting III.
RISLONE OIL STABILIZER & TREATMENT WINNER AWARD: H.J. Bunting III.
BARS LEAKS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Jamie Mills.
CRANE CAMS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Jamie Mills.
SYRACUSE RITE AID 200 QUALIFIER: H.J. Bunting III.
HALFWAY LEADER: H.J. Bunting III.
BERT/KSE RACING PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Billy Pauch.
HOLLEY HARD LUCK AWARD: Steve Paine.
PENSKE POWER POSITION AWARD (17th): Rich Scagliotta.
INTEGRA SHOCKS FAST TIME AWARD: Billy Decker (20.290sec/88.714mph) *NEW TRACK RECORD.
TOTAL PURSE: $27,575.
CARS ENTERED: 41.
NEXT EVENT: Orange County Fair Speedway - July 31, 2008.
QUALIFYING
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
*1 20.290 88.714 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
*$100 Integra Shocks Fast Qualifier Award
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