BILLY DECKER WINS USNA CARQUEST AUTO PARTS 200
SYRACUSE, NY& ..Billy Decker assumed the lead after a torrid battle with Brett Hearn and held off Jimmy Horton in the closing laps to win the United Speedways of North America (USNA) CARQUEST Auto Parts 200 Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway.
Brett Hearn, M2 Race Systems Pole Award winner, took the lead at the drop of the green flag, but the race lasted only one lap under green before Jared Schultz and Kyle Strickler tangled in turn four. Frank Cozze took advantage of the yellow flag for a quick pit stop and returned without losing a lap, as did Kenny Brightbill. Unfortunately for Brightbill, he reentered the fray just in front of the leaders as the green flag flew.
The yellow flew again on lap 13 when Tom Hager slowed on the speedway. Once the green flew again, Hearn streaked out to a four second lead over the field. Behind him, Dave Camara came from his tenth starting spot up through the field, using the outside groove to battle his way to second. Billy Decker, Jack Johnson, and Jimmy Horton settled into positions in the top five as Camara chased after Hearn.
Lapped traffic came into play in the middle of the first 100-lap segment, allowing Camara to close to within a car length of Hearn. The pair battled furiously through traffic, making amazing moves to stay with each other. Camara s efforts to take the lead fell short, and he began to slide back in the field. Two more cautions, one on lap 65 for Bud Christman s spin, and one on lap 80 for Andy Priest stalling in turn four, were the final times the yellow flag would fly for the night.
At the halfway break on lap 100, Hearn had lapped up to tenth place in the field, with Horton in second and Decker in third. Jeff Trombley and Jeff Heotzler had posted good runs to stay in the top ten, which was rounded out by Cozze, who had stormed through the field after his earlier pit stop.
The second segment of the race ran its entire 100 lap distance without a yellow. At the restart, Billy Decker motored past Horton for second, while Jamie Mills grabbed a couple of spots to move into the top five. Jack Johnson battled back to regain fifth from Mills while Decker set sail after Hearn.
It took 45 laps for Decker to close in on Hearn, with lapped traffic again playing a role. For the next 20 laps, Hearn and Decker waged war in traffic, with the lead changing hands seven times. While both drivers were making daring passes for the lead and even more daring moves to protect it, Jimmy Horton was able to catch up to them. Camara settled into fourth while Johnson held fifth as Mills slipped back. Trombley, Heotzler, and Cozze battled with Steve Bottcher at the back half of the top ten.
The torrid pace continued up front, with Decker finally getting the lead for good at lap 165. The race was far from over, however, as Horton got past Hearn and ran down Decker. In the final fifteen laps, Horton tried everything he could, but could not make the move on Decker, who grabbed his second USNA win of the year and a $10,000 payday. Horton was second with Hearn third and Camara in fourth, the final car on the lead lap. Jack Johnson took fifth, followed by Trombley, Bottcher, Heotzler, Cozze, and Doug Hoffman.
Hearn earned the $750 M2 Race Systems Pole Award with a 21.803 lap. Heat races were won by Decker, Bottcher, Johnson, Mills, and Horton. The consolation was won by Trombley.
The next USNA event will be the Bridgeport 200 on Saturday, August 26 at the Bridgeport Speedway.
RACE SUMMARY-CARQUEST AUTO PARTS 200
WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY, MECHANICSBURG, PA
HEAT RACE WINNERS-Billy Decker, Steve Bottcher, Jack Johnson, Jamie Mills, Jimmy Horton.
CONSI WINNER-Jeff Trombley.
FEATURE (200 LAPS)-BILLY DECKER, Jimmy Horton, Brett Hearn, Dave Camara, Jack Johnson, Jeff Trombley, Steve Bottcher, Jeff Heotzler, Frank Cozze, Doug Hoffman, Craig Von Dohren, Jeff Hoffman, Jamie Mills, Roger Laureno, Bill Tanner, Brian Weaver, Eddie Marshall, Jack Cottrell, Rich Eurich, Duane Howard, Andy Priest, Bud Christmann, Jim Weller, Jered Schultz, Kyle Strickler, Bucky Kell, Brian Swartzlander, Tom Hager, Kenny Brightbill, Mitch Gibbs.