John Guernsey Takes Checkers, First Win of the Season at Afton

Afton, NY

John Guernsey of Port Crane NY, scored his first Afton Modified win of the season in the 30 Lap CD-100 night event. Guernsey led from start to finish to accomplish the win. Jim Gabriel Jr of Binghamton NY scored yet another 20 Lap Sportsman feature, bringing his season total to 10. Herm Slack of Whitney Point NY scored his eighth win of the season in the 20 Lap Street Stock feature, while Randy Mertz of Bainbridge NY scored his second straight 15 Lap 4 Cylinder win. Bill Cook of Harpursville rounded out the night by scoring the 15 Lap Pure Stock win.

John Guernsey started on the pole in the 30 Lap Modified feature and grabbed the lead at the drop of the green. A lap 2 caution for a backstretch tangle slowed the event and eliminated Bill Clark, Earl Walrath, Rich Tiffany and Pete Nowicki Jr. On the restart Guernsey again assumed command with Tim French right on his heels. The yellow flew again on lap 5 for a turn four tangle between Paul Jensen, Robbie Green, Steve Eldred, Jerry Northrup and Mike Jones. All cars would continue, but Jensen, Northrup and Eldred all had to pit for repairs. The event would stay green from that point forward until lap 20. During this green flag session the top five were Guernsey, French, JR Hurlburt, Mitch Gibbs and Tony Peppicelli. Guernsey and French battled for the top spot, with French getting beside Guernsey, but never getting by. Robbie Green would break into the top five on lap 19 getting by Peppicelli, only to have the two tangle in turn two on lap 20 causing a caution. French's great run ended on lap 23 when his car went up in smoke, ending his night. This moved Hurlburt to second, behind Guernsey, with Gibbs third, John Kollar fourth and Jensen now fifth. Jensen would take Kollar for fourth on lap 25, then on lap 29 Gibbs would get by Hurlburt for second. No one could catch the high flying Guernsey though as he went on to score his first Afton win. Rounding out the top five were, Gibbs second, Jensen third, Hurlburt fourth and Kollar fifth.

Don Hart Jr grabbed the lead in the 20 Lap Sportsman feature and looked to be headed to his first feature win. Bill Walters and Rich Ives brought out the yellow on lap 2 with a turn tow tangle, but Hart moved right back to the lead on the restart. Hart was able to open up a three car length lead over Tony Ross only to have the yellow fly again on lap 7 when Rich Strier blew his engine. Again Hart assumed command with Ross second, Cookie Morris third, Aaron Excell fourth, and Danny Ballard fifth. Ballard would get by Excell on lap 8 and the top five would then remain the same until lap 12 when Excell would get back by Ballard. Jim Gabriel Jr started his charge to the front moving into the top five on lap 13. Gabriel would move to third by lap 15 and to second on lap 17. Gabriel took the lead on lap 18 with a move under Hart coming out of turn two. Once Gabriel had the lead he opened it up to six car lengths to score his tenth win of the season. Rounding out the top five were, Hart second, Ross third, Dan Yankowski fourth, and Steve Anderson fifth.

Bill Harris grabbed the lead at the start of the 20 Lap Street Stock feature and led until he spun on lap 8 collecting Butch Klinger, and John Walker. On the restart it was Arnie Slade on top, followed by Denny Smith, Skip French, Herm Slack and Don Newell Jr. Slack would take over second from Smith on lap 10, then he set his sights on the leader Slade. French would move by Smith for third on lap 11, and the top five would remain the same until the caution flew for a Paul Miller spin on lap 14. On the restart Slade held the lead with the remainder of the top five the same. Newell would take over fourth from Smith on lap 16, and Slack would take the lead from Slade in a back stretch drag race on the same lap. Once in the lead Slack opened up the advantage and came home with his eighth win of the year. Rounding out the top five were Slade second, French third, Newell fourth and Smith fifth.

Ralph Jennings Jr would take the lead from the pole at the start of the 4 Cylinder feature. Jennings would hold the lead until lap 5, when Rich Rought took over, but Rought handed the lead back to Jennings on lap 7 when he had to pit with a flat tire. Following Jennings were Randy Mertz, Russ Hendrickson Jr, Dave Burnett and Gene Brainard. Hendrickson would take over second on lap 8, only to spin and draw a caution on lap 9. On the restart it would be Jennings, Mertz, Brainard, Jim Potts and Rich Lashway. On lap 12 Jennings would bobble in turn two handing the lead to Mertz and second to Brainard. Mertz would hang on fro here to score his second straight victory. Rounding out the top five were Brainard second, Jennings third, Potts fourth and Burnett fifth.

Scott Chapman lead the first lap of the 15 Lap Pure Stock feature, but gave way to Dan Howe on lap 2. Chasing Howe were Dave Dickey, Andy Tiffany, Shawn MacCumber and Andy Clement. Clement and Jim Howard would drop MacCumber from the top five on lap 5, with Tiffany taking over second on the same circuit. Howe would continue to lead with Dickey regaining second on lap 8. Tiffany would bring out the yellow on lap 9 when he tangled with Mike Schloss and Chapman. The restart still showed Howe leading, with Dickey, Clement, Bill Cook and Neil Palladino now in pursuit. Howe's car began to smoke at this point with Dickey assuming command on lap 11. Howe drifted back through the pack slipping to fourth on lap 13. On lap 14 Dickey suffered a flat tire handing the lead and the win to Bill Cook. Rounding out the top five were Clement second, Howe third, Howard fourth, and MacCumber fifth.

This Friday night is Quality Hardwoods night at the Afton Raceway, with another great five star card of racing action. It will also be kids night with Outlaw Big Wheel races, and a poster contest. There will also be One On One Spectator races to add a little spice. The gates will open at 5:00 PM and the racing will start at 7:30 PM. Afton Raceway is located on the Afton Fairgrounds, Exit 7 off Route 88 Afton NY. For more information call 607-7226751 during the week and 607-6391966 on race day.

Official Finishes:

Modifieds: John Guernsey, Mitch Gibbs, Paul Jensen, JR Hurlburt, John Kollar, Robbie Green, Mike Clapperton, Tony Peppicelli, Mark Schoonover, Joel Batzel, Gary Smith, Mark Gray, Ron Ford, Rich Price, Mike Janicelli, Rob Carey, Tim French, Steve Eldred, Mike Jones, Jerry Northrup, Earl Walrath, Bill Clark, Pete Nowicki Jr, Rich Tiffany, DQd-Steve Cummings

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

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

4 Cylinders: Randy Mertz, Gene Brainard, Ralph Jennings Jr, Jim Potts, Dave Burnett, Ralph Cuozzo, Rick Lashway, Dennis Vroman, Pete Christiansen, Jeff VanDusen, Tim Perry Sr, Rich Rought, Bob Dedrick, Rich Watson, Harold Humphrey, Russ Hendrickson Jr, Jamie Banta, Al Barrett, DNS-Rob Coulman

Pure Stocks: Bill Cook, Andy Clement, Dan Howe, Jim Howard, Shawn MacCumber, Neil Palladino, Ken Wysluzali, David Dickey, Bill Wilsey, Bob Falciani, Scott Chapman, Mike Schloss, Andy Tiffany, Wade Decker