Jerry Northrup Scores Second Win of the Season at Afton Raceway

Afton, NY...7.25.97-

Jerry Northrup of Bainbridge NY, scored his second 30 Lap Modified Feature win on WCDO Night this past Friday at the Afton Raceway. Northrup, a rookie in the Modified Division , dominated the field, as he took the lead on lap 2 and never looked back. Jim Gabriel Jr of Binghamton NY, used his patented late race charge to nip Cookie Morris for his eighth 20 Lap Sportsman win of the season. Arnie Slade of Guilford NY, scored his first 20 Lap Street Stock Feature of the season as he out ran the field by six car lengths for the win. Jamie Hulrburt of Bainbridge NY scored his second 15 Lap 4 Cylinder Feature of the season and Dan Howe of Masonville NY, scored his sixth 15 Lap Pure Stock win of the year.

Rich Tiffany took the lead at the start of the 30 lap Modified feature, but a four car pile up in turn four slowed the field. The pile up included points leader Paul Jensen, Robbie Green, Mike Jones and Steve Cummings, all would continue after pit work. On the restart Jerry Northrup out raced Tiffany for the lead and proceeded to pull away. Rounding out the top five were Earl Walrath, Mitch Gibbs and George Lewis. Gibbs would move to third on lap 3 and Ray Zemkin would move into the top five. Another caution flew on lap 6 and on the restart John Guernsey would replace Zemkin in the top five. At the lap 10 mark the top five would be Northrup, Tiffany, Gibbs, Guernsey and Walrath. Northrup had the set up perfect as he was able to open up a half straight away lead with ease. The next caution would fly on lap 15 when Lewis slowed in turn two. On the restart Northrup would again open up the lead. The final caution flew on lap 20 and the race then went caution free to the checker. This allowed Jr Hurlburt to break into the top five on lap 25, and then on lap 28 he got by Guernsey for fourth. Northrup would cross the line with an eight car length lead to score his second win of the 97 season. Rounding out the top five were Tiffany second, Gibbs third, Hurlburt fourth, and Guernsey fifth.

Wink Hinkley took the early lead in the 20 lap Sportsman feature, but had to survive an early caution for a tangle involving Aaron Excell, Tony Ross, Bill Walters and Dan Yankowski. On the restart it was Hinkley followed by Cookie Morris, Steve Anderson, Tim Ross and Don Hart Jr. The second caution of the event flew on lap 5 when Jim Gabriel Jr and Tim Mayne tangled in turn two sending both to the rear of the pack. The top five remained the same and Hinkley again took the lead with Ross getting by Anderson for third and Craig Pritchard moving into the top five. On lap 8 Anderson got back by Ross for third. On lap 10 Hinkley got high in turn three and Morris and Anderson went by to take first and second. On lap 12 Hart made a move around Ross and Pritchard to take fourth, just as the caution flew . On the restart Gabriel moved into the top five and began his charge to the front. On lap 14 Hart got by Hinkley for third and Gabriel got around Hinkley on Lap 15. Gabriel got by hart on lap17 and took second from Anderson on lap 18. On lap 20 Gabriel, using the high road shot around Morris out of turn four for the lead and his eighth win of the season. Rounding out the top five were Morris, Anderson, Hart and Yankowski.

John Walker lead lap 1 through 3 of the 20 lap Street Stock feature before giving way to Arnie Slade on lap 4 restart for a Herm Slack, Denny Smith Tangle.. Slade would be followed by Walker, Skip French, Butch Klinger and Bill Harris. On lap 7 Walker French and Klinger would tangle in turn two scrambling the field. On the restart it was Slade, Harris, Jim Becker, Joe Scofield and Smith. Becker would take second on lap 9 with Smith coming to third. At the half way mark the top five were Slade, Becker, Smith, Scofield and Harris. Slade was able to open up the lead, with Becker and Smith fighting for second with Smith getting the spot on lap 15. Smith would then set his sights on Slade. French would move back into the top five on lap 18, but it was still Slade flying high in the lead. Slade would score the win by five car lengths over Smith for his first win of the season. Rounding out the top five were Becker third, Scofield fourth, and French fifth.

Rob Coulman would take the early lead in the 15 lap 4 Cylinder feature, but he and Bob Dedrick would swap the lead back and forth on laps 2 and 3. Coulman would lead through lap 6, when Rich Rought would take over. Jamie Hulrburt would move to second on lap 9 and would take the lead from Rought on lap 10. At lap 10 the top five were Hurlburt, Rought, Coulman, Randy Mertz and Dedrick. Rought would succumb to a flat tire on lap 11 and Mertz would get by Coulman for second, with Gene Brainard moving around Dedrick for fourth. Coulman would crash hard into the fourth turn guard rail on lap 13. On the restart it was Hurlburt, Mertz, Brainard, Dave Burnett and Dedrick. Brainard would spin out of turn four on the final lap, just as Hulrburt took the checker for his second win of the season. Rounding out the top five were Mertz second, Dedrick third, Burnett fourth, and Ralph Cuozzo fifth.

Dan Howe would grab the lead on lap 1 of the 15 lap Pure Stock feature and lead the entire distance to score his sixth win of the year. Bill Wilsey would run in second until losing a motor on lap 8, giving up the position to Bill Cook. Howe had a full straight away lead and Cook started to reel him in. At lap 10 the top five were Howe, Cook, Dave Dickey, Andy Tiffany and Shawn MacCumber. The field would remain the same until lap 14 when Tiffany's car erupted in flames going into turn three. Tiffany would spin the car extinguishing the flames and he would emerge all right form the smoking car. On the restart Cook tried to get by Howe but had to settle for second as Howe went on to score his sixth win. Rounding out the top five were Cook second, Dickey third, MacCumber fourth and Neil Palladino fifth.

This Friday night is Pepsi Night and the Night of Thrills at Afton Raceway, featuring Stuntman Todd Seeley, the Green Mamba and Monster trucks. There will also be a five star card of racing action featuring Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stock, 4 Cylinders and Pure Stocks. Gates open at 5:00 PM and Racing starts at 7:30 PM. Afton Raceway is located on the Afton Fairgrounds, Exit7 off Route 88 Afton NY.

Official Results:

Modifieds: Jerry Northrup, Rich Tiffany, Mitch Gibbs, JR Hurlburt, John Guernsey, Earl Walrath, Ron Ford, Ray Zemkin, Mike Clapperton, Mark Schoonover, Bobby Trapper, Jeremy Smith, Mark Gray, Mike Janicelli, Joel Batzel, John Parks, Rich Price, Pete Nowicki Jr, Steve Cummings, Mike Jones, Tim French, Paul Jensen, George Lewis, Robbie Green, DNS-John Kollar

Sportsman: Jim Gabriel Jr, Cookie Morris, Steve Anderson, Don Hart Jr, Dan Yankowski, Wink Hinkley, Tim Ross, Tony Ross, Craig Pritchard, Tim Mayne, Bill Walters, Jason Becker, Danny Ballard, Bill Deckleman, Aaron Excell, Rich Ives

Street Stocks: Arnie Slade, Denny Smith, Jim Becker, Skip French, Bill Harris, Butch Klinger, Fred Barse, Steve Hewitt, Paul Miller, John Walker, Herm Slack

4 Cylinders: Jamie Hurlburt, Randy Mertz, Bob Dedrick, Dave Burnett, Ralph Cuozzo, Brian Stiegerwald, Rich Watson, Russ Hendrickson Jr, Jamie Banta, Duane Spoor, Gene Brainard, Kurt Bradbury, Rich Rought, Rob Coulman, Harold Humphrey, Pete Christiansen, Ralph Jennings Jr, Rick Lashway

Pure Stocks: Dan Howe, Bill Cook, Dave Dickey, Shawn MacCumber, Neil Palladino, Todd Hurlburt, Howard Hoke, Andy Tiffany, Bill Wilsey, Scott Chapman