Robbie Green Nips Jensen For Win, Both Share Mod Championship at Afton Raceway

Afton, NY..9/6/97

This past Friday was Quality Hardwoods night at the Afton Raceway and in addition to some great racing action, the fans saw Track Champions crowned in all five divisions. In the 30 lap Modified Feature, Robbie Green of Walkill NY, nipped Paul Jensen of New Berlin NY, to score his fourth win of the season. By virtue of their first an second place finish Green and Jensen tied for the overall points title and were crowned Co-Track Champions. Bill Walters of Unadilla NY scored his third win of the season in the 20 Lap Sportsman Feature, with Dan Yankowski of New Berlin NY being crowned Track Champion. Skip French of Rockdale held off a late charge by Butch Klinger of Walton NY to score the 20 Lap Street Stock win, but Klinger won the points title and was crowned Street Stock Track Champion. Rich Rought of Nineveh NY, scored his ninth win of the season in the 15 Lap 4 Cylinder feature and also was crowned Track Champion in the 4 Cylinder division. Bill Cook of Harpursville NY, passed Dan Howe of Masonville NY, on the last lap to score his seventh 15 Lap Pure Stock win of the year and also laid claim to the Track Pure Stock Title.

Tim French took the early lead in the 30 Lap Modified Feature, but gave way to JR Hurlburt on a lap 3 restart. Chasing Hurlburt were French, Mike Clapperton, Mark Schoonover and Jerry Northrup. Northrup moved by Schoonover for fourth on lap 4 and Robbie Green got by for fifth on lap 5. Green was the man on the move as he got Northrup for fourth on lap 6, Clapperton for third on lap 7 and French for second on lap 10. Meanwhile Paul Jensen moved into contention on lap 10 as he climbed from sixth to fourth while Clapperton dropped all the way to 13th when he got out of shape on lap 10. Jensen Moved to third by lap 13 and this set up a three car chase for the lead between Hurlburt, Green and Jensen. At the halfway mark the top five were Hurlburt first, Green second, Jensen third, French fourth and Mitch Gibbs fifth. Green took the lead on lap 19 passing Hurlburt on the inside out of turn four, Jensen followed suit and grabbed second on lap 21. This set up a two car chase to the checkered with Green in command. A yellow on lap 29 slowed the field and set up a one lap dash to the checker with Green holding on by less than a car length to score his fourth win of the season. Rounding out the top five were Jensen second, Hurlburt third, Gibbs fourth and French fifth. Green and Jensen tied for the overall points title with 718 points each and were crowned Co-Track Champions in the Modified division.

Bill Walters grabbed the lead at the start of the 20 Lap Sportsman feature, but gave way to Aaron Excell on lap 4. Excell and Walters then battled for the top spot with Walters getting back by on lap 8. Meanwhile Dan Yankowski tried to take advantage of Jim Gabriel Jr's absence to win the Track Championship. To do so Yankowski had to finish tenth or better. A lap 6 scramble almost dashed Yankowski's hopes as he had to pit for a rubbing nerf bar. The crew got him back out without losing a lap and Yankowski started his charge through the field. At the halfway mark the top five were Walters first, Excell second, Steve Anderson third, Wink Hinkley fourth and Cookie Morris fifth. Anderson got by Excell for second on lap 11 and Excell dropped out of the race with mechanical problems on lap 12. By lap 13 Yankowski was up to sixth and looked to be comfortable riding there in his quest for the title. The top five was now Walters, Anderson, Hinkley, Morris and Craig Pritchard. Hinkley would take second from Anderson on lap 19, but could not run down Walters, who went on to score his third win. Rounding out the top five were Hinkley second, Anderson third, Morris fourth, and Pritchard fifth. Yankowski finished in sixth and that was good enough to claim the Sportsman Track Title.

Billy Harris grabbed the lead at the start of the 20 Lap Street Stock feature and led until lap 4 when a red flag flew for a Herm Slack Flip in turn two. Slack snapped a right rear axle on his car, and that sent the car into a barrel roll in turn two. Slack was uninjured, but was done for the night. On the restart Skip French, Arnie Slade and Denny Smith all got by Harris and ran one, two three. On lap 6 point leader Butch Klinger moved into contention getting by John Walker for fifth. Klinger moved to fourth on lap 7, setting up a four car battle for the lead. At the halfway mark the top five were, French first, Slade second, Smith third, Klinger fourth and Harris fifth. Slade's night would come to and end on lap 12, when mechanical problems sent him pitside. On lap 13 Klinger got second from Smith, but Smith grabbed it right back on lap 14. These two fought for position until Klinger took over on lap 17. Klinger then tried to chase down French. but to no avail as French held on to score his third win of the season. Rounding out the top five were Klinger second, Smith third, Don Newell Jr fourth, and Joe Rohasavich fifth. Klinger laid claim to the Track Title with his second place finish.

Dave Burnett's only shot at Rich Rought and the 4 Cylinder point title, were to win the event and have Rought fall out early. Well Burnett grabbed the early lead in the 15 lap feature but Rought would not cooperate as he came through the field to grab the lead on a lap 7 restart. With Rought solidly in the lead Burnett rode in second trying to hang onto second in the points chase. At the halfway mark the top five were Rought first, Burnett second, Gene Brainard third, Harold Humphrey fourth and Randy Mertz fifth. Brainard would grab second from Burnett on lap 12, and Burnett's night would come to and end on lap 13 when mechanical problems sent him to the pits. Rought would go on to score his ninth win of the season and his first 4 Cylinder Track Title. Rounding out the top five were, Brainard second, Humphrey third, Mertz fourth and Al Barrett fifth.

Dan Howe had to win the 15 lap Pure stock feature to have any shot at the Track Title and he tried as he grabbed the lead from Bill Wilsey on lap 2. Howe would open up the lead, but his rival Bill Cook came through traffic and grabbed second on lap 5. At the half way mark the top five were Howe first, Cook second, Wilsey third, Andy Clement fourth and Andy Tiffany fifth. Cook could clam the title by finishing in second, but he had other ideas and pressured Howe for the lead. Clement and Tiffany moved up when Wilsey went pitside on lap 10, also moving David Dickey into the top five. Matt Schloss would move into the top five getting by Dickey on lap 12. Meanwhile Cook continued to pressure Howe for the lead and his persistence paid off, as he was able to get by on the final lap to claim his seventh win and the 97 Pure Stock Track Title. Rounding out the top five were Howe second, Clement third, Tiffany fourth and Schloss fifth.

This Friday will be the first annual Southern Tier 150, featuring a 50 Lap "Victoria 200" Qualifier for the Modifieds. In addition to this big event there will be a 30 Lap Sportsman feature, 25 Lap features for the Street Stocks and 4 Cylinders and a 20 Lap Pure Stock feature. With no other track running and that prestigious "Victoria" spot on the line all the big guns should be on hand for the action. Gates open at 5:00 PM and the action start at 7:30 PM. Afton Raceway is located on the Afton Fairgrounds, Exit 7 off Route 88 Afton NY. For more information call 607-722-6751 or 607-965-6600 during the week or 607-639-1966 on raceday.

Official Results:

Modifieds: Robbie Green, Paul Jensen, JR Hurlburt, Mitch Gibbs, Tim French, Tony Peppicelli, Jerry Northrup, Steve Cummings, Ron Ford, Earl Walrath, Mike Clapperton, Rich Price, Rich Tiffany, Mike Janicelli, Jeremy Smith, John Guernsey, Mark Schoonover, Gary Smith, Mark Gray, Pete Nowicki Jr, John Kollar, Steve Eldred, Mike Colsten

Sportsman: Bill Walters, Wink Hinkley, Steve Anderson, Cookie Morris, Craig Pritchard, Dan Yankowski, Dan Ballard, Don Hart Jr, Bob Vedder, Jeff Carner, Aaron Excell, Scott Ubner, Tim Ross, Russ Flint, Rich Ives, DNS-Tim Mayne

Street Stocks: Skip French, Butch Klinger, Denny Smith, Don Newell Jr, Joe Rohasavich, Bill Harris, John Walker, Paul Miller, Steve Hewitt, Rodney Ward, Brian Belden, Arnie Slade, Bob Zimmerman, Herm Slack

4 Cylinders: Rich Rought, Gene Brainard, Harold Humphrey, Randy Mertz, Al Barrett, Ralph Cuozzo, Bob Dedrick, Brian Stigerwald, Jamie Banta, Ralph Jennings Jr, Dennis Vroman, Tim Perry Sr, Randy Hartz, Dave Burnett, Rob Coulman, Pete Christiansen, Jim Potts

Pure Stocks: Bill Cook, Dan Howe, Andy Clement, Andy Tiffany, Matt Schloss, David Dickey, Neil Palladino, Bob Falciani, Todd Hurlburt, Shawn MacCumber, Bill Wilsey, Wade Decker