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MIKE COLSTEN WINS SOUTHERN TIER OPEN STAR SERIES 50 AT FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY. JEFF RUDALAVAGE CROWNED STAR SERIES CHAMPION.
KIRKWOOD, NY…Mike Colsten recorded the win in the STAR Series Southern Tier Open 50 for Modifieds at Five Mile Point Speedway on Saturday night. The win was Colsten’s second in the Southern Tier Open event with his first coming back in 2001. The victory earned him $3,000.
The Race of Champions Dart Dirt Pure Stock 40 victory went to Charlie Gilbert with a pair of Lightning Cat features going to Kenny Underwood and Ken Hollenbeck. By virtue of his fourth place finish Jeff Rudalavage was crowned the 2008 STAR Series Modified Champion.
The start of the Modified feature event found Ken Titus and Mike Colsten in the front row. At the drop of the green Colsten powered around Titus for the lead. Tony Kawalchuk quickly moved his way in to the runner slot and set his sites on Colsten. As the leaders tried to pull away 2008 Sportsman Track Champion Shaun Walker made his way up to third place in his Modified debut. As Colsten and Kawalchuk battled for the lead Walker and Titus put on a great display for third during the early stages. At the same time current STAR Series point leader Jeff Rudalavage was charging to the front from his 12th starting spot. With only ten laps in the books Rudalavage had already made his way in to the top five.
As the race approached the mid-way point the top five drivers changed spots nearly every lap as now Kawalchuk found the outside of the quarter mile to his liking. On lap 25 he powered around Colsten for the lead as Titus, Joey Grammes and Rudalavage tried to keep pace. The leaders had a fantastic race for the lead as heavy lapped traffic began to play a role. On lap 39 Colsten used his Five Mile Point experience to regain the lead in lapped traffic as Kawalchuk tried to rally back for the top spot. Grammes now was challenging for second and took that spot on lap 36. The final caution of the event flew on lap 43 as Randy Brokaw shredded a right rear tire on the homestretch. Brokaw was only the second car to drop out of the event at this stage as Colt Harris also came to a stop during the same yellow period.
When racing continued Grammes tried the outside around Colsten which now forced Kawalchuk to try the bottom line on the speedway. This allowed Rudalavage to now challenge for third place to the delight of the fans. Kawalchuk took his act back to the outside of the speedway as Grammes continued to work on Colsten for the lead. As the front duo battled during the final two laps Kawalchuk rallied and made an outside bid to try and pass both for the win. At the finish Colsten would hold off Grammes by a half a car length with Kawalchuk finishing third. Rudalavage finished fourth with Walker driving to an impressive fifth place finish. Titus, Kevin Hirthler, Eric Palmer, Brent Wilcox and Brian Weaver completed the top ten.
The 40 lap RoC Dart Dirt Pure Stock Series event found Darl Ellis, Jr. and Gene Sharpsteen in the front row for the start. Ellis took the lead at the drop of the green flag as Sharpsteen just remained within reach. A number of fantastic battles took shape throughout the field as the southern tiers best Pure Stock drivers were represented in the field. The top two remained unchanged during the early going as Rich Green made his way up to third and kept the leaders in tow.
By the mid-way point of the event Doug Stack was now up to the fourth position as he put on a “passing clinic” during the first half of the race. Stack had started in 20th and was on the move as now Charlie Gilbert had also broken in to the top five. Things up front would change dramatically during the final laps. On the 27th circuit Green pulled pit side with an overheating problem. Two laps later Stack saw his great run end as something broke in the number ten. The final ten laps saw a great battle for second place between Sharpsteen and Gilbert. At the time no one would know that this would ultimately be the battle for the victory. On lap 32 Gilbert made his way around Sharpsteen for second. At the finish Ellis would lead the field across the line. Post race inspection found the front shock mounting position of the Ellis car to be illegal. This awarded the win to FMP campaigner Gilbert. Sharpsteen wound up second with Norm Whittemore, Brian Knowles and Earl Zimmer completing the top five.
Due to the large car count in the Lightning Cat division two features were held for the competitors in attendance. Feature number one saw Kenny Underwood lead from wire to wire for the victory in the 15 lap event. In feature number two Ken Hollenbeck took the lead on lap one and led the distance for his first FMP victory.
Race notes…A great night of racing took place at the quarter mile on Saturday night…An ultra wide race track provided for some great runs from deep in the starting grids of all the feature events…In the Modified 50 Kevin Hirthler drove from 23rd starting spot to finish seventh at the finish…For Hirthler the impressive run was done with only three caution flag periods bunching up the field…The Modified feature saw 22 of the original 25 starters finish the event…In the Pure Stock feature Woodhull competitor Brian Knowles had a great run in his first start at the speedway…Knowles started 19th and worked his way up to a fourth place finish…
The 2008 Five Mile Point Speedway racing season will wrap up with the running of the Annual National Quarter Mile Dirt Track Championship Weekend on Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th.
STAR SERIES SOUTHERN TIER OPEN MODIFIED 50 OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH: MIKE COLSTEN, Joey Grammes, Tony Kawalchuk, Jeff Rudalavage, Shaun Walker, Ken Titus, Kevin Hirthler, Eric Palmer, Brent Wilcox, Brian Weaver, Brent Boyer, Brian Malcolm, Ricky Yetter, Carl Nagel, Bob Hamm Jr., Greg Tatich, Steve Babicek, Dave Jenkins, Scott Brady, Tim Votra, Craig Terrell, Joel Batzel, Colt Harris, Randy Brokaw, Wade Decker.
ROC DART PURE STOCK 40 OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH: CHARLIE GILBERT, Gene Sharpsteen, Norm Whittemore, Brian Knowles, Earl Zimmer, Tyler Yeagle, Butch Green, Dave Bellis, Jonathon Carpenter, Joe Rafferty Jr., Devin Boynton, Doug Polahmus, Shane Wolf, Mike Wilbur, Doug Stack, Rich Green, Daryl Krebs, Mike Codington, Tom Garren, T.J. Anderson, Kurt Decker, Rich Sharpsteen, Kirby Sites.
LIGHTNING CAT FEATURE ONE OFFICIAL FINISH: KENNY UNDERWOOD, Cody Decker, Barry Wallace, Jeff Hayes, Todd Stanton, Brian Titus, Kerry Hollenbeck, Tyler Harpell, Laurie Fallis, Dave Simms, Dave Bainbridge, Joe Warren, Gary Kinne, Don Doster Jr.
LIGHTNING CAT FEATURE TWO OFFICIAL FINISH: KEN HOLLENBECK, Andy Brigham, Clay Weaver, Dennis Keesler, Travis Hayes, Andy Colwell, Frank Kennedy, Scott Watson, Dennis McKinney, Robert Fleming, Harold Humphrey, Curtis McCormick, Matt Hallick, Tim Perry Jr., Nick Griest, Jason Colwell.
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