Robbie Green Fights Off Clapperton Challenge to Win at Afton Raceway

Afton, NY ..7/11/97...Robbie Green of Walkill NY, scored his second feature win of the season this past Friday at the Afton Raceway. Green took the lead early in the 30 lap event and had to fight off the challenges of Mike Clapperton to score the win, his first since opening night. Jim Gabriel Jr of Binghamton NY, got back into the win column in the Sportsman division by scoring the 20 lap victory for his sixth win of 97. Skip French of Rockdale NY, got into the win column for the first time in 97 by scoring the win in the 20 lap Street Stock feature. Rich Rought of Afton NY, scored his sixth win in the 4 Cylinder division, and Dan Howe of Masonville NY scored his fifth Pure Stock win in a photo finish.

Mike Clapperton took the early lead in the 30 lap Modified feature, but a hard charging Robbie Green came from his fifth starting spot to take the lead on lap 2. The first caution of the event flew on lap 5 when Steve Eldred and Jermey Smith tangled in turn one. On the restart it was Green followed by Clapperton, Ron Ford, Paul Jensen and Jerry Northrup. Successive cautions on laps 7 and 8 kept the field bunched and allowed Jensen to take over third on the lap 8 restart. Jr Hurlburt moved into contention on lap 9 and at the 10 lap mark the top five were Green, Clapperton, Jensen, Hurlburt and Northrup. Green, Clapperton and Jensen hooked up in a classic three car battle, with Clapperton pressuring Green and Jensen keeping the heat on Clapperton. Mitch Gibbs moved into contention on lap 18 when he moved around Northrup to take over fifth. Gibbs then took over fourth on lap 19 and the four car race to the finish was set. Green kept control, but started losing the handle late in the race and Clapperton moved beside the Green Machine lap after lap. Meanwhile Jensen and Gibbs fought for third and fourth just a few car lengths behind the fight for the lead. Clapperton made a dive under Green in turn three of the final lap but couldn't get any closer as Green scored his second win of the season by a half a car length. Clapperton held on to second, with Jensen third, Gibbs fourth and Hurlburt fifth.

Tony Ross took the early lead in the caution filled 20 lap Sportsman feature. Ross started outside pole and took outraced Ed Harris for the lead. Three cautions on the first three laps kept the field bunched and Craig Pritchard took the lead on the third restart. Pritchard would hold the lead until lap 7 when took advantage of a Tim Ross spin to grab the lead on the restart. At the halfway mark it was Gabriel, followed by Pritchard, Jason Becker, Dan Yankowski and Tony Ross. With Gabriel leading a lap 13 tangle between Becker and Ross brought out the caution and shuffled up the top five. On the restart it was Gabriel first, Pritchard second, Yankowski third, Bill Walters fourth and Danny Ballard fifth. Gabriel opened up about a five car length lead, but Pritchard and Yankowski hooked up into a battle that had the crowd screaming. On lap 19 Steve

Anderson moved into the top five by getting around Danny Ballard. Gabriel came home for his sixth win by six car lengths over Pritchard. Yankowski finished third a half car length behind Pritchard. Walters and Anderson rounded out the top five.

John Walker grabbed the early lead in the 20 lap Street Stock feature and held it until the caution flew on lap 7 for Arnie Slade and Jim Becker, both who slowed for flat tires. On the restart both Skip French and Ron Flannery moved by Walker into first and second. Butch Klinger got by Walker on lap ten to take over third and at the half way mark the top five were French, Flannery, Klinger, Walker and Rodney Hart. Flannery would cause a caution on lap 11 when he spun in turn one. In the ensuing scramble Herm Slack and Denny Smith joined the top five. Two more cautions on the laps fourteen and fifteen would see cars tangling and a suspension handed out. Rodney Hart was suspended for the remainder of the season for an on track altercation during the lap 15 caution. The race then went caution free to the checker with French picking up his first win of 97. Klinger came home in second, with Walker third, Slack fourth and Smith fifth.

Ralph Jennings Jr gabbed the early lead in the fifteen lap 4 Cylinder feature, and survived three cautions before losing the lead to Rich Rought on a lap 8 restart. Rought had moved into contention on lap 5 and began to pressure Jennings but could not find a way around until the restart. Once Rought took the lead Dave Burnett began pressuring Jennings for second but Jennings managed to hold him off. At the ten lap mark the top five were Rought, Jennings, Burnett, Cris Koren and Rick Lashway. This group remained intact until lap 13 when Gene Brainard got by Lashway for fifth. At the Checker it was Rought picking up his sixth win of the 97 campaign. Rounding out the top five were Jennings, Burnett, Koren and Brainard.

Dave Dickey lead lap 1 of the 15 lap Pure Stock feature before a flat tire forced him pit side. This gave the lead to Bill Cook with Dan Howe right behind. Chip Bell moved into third on lap 4 getting by Rob Carey. Cook, Howe and Bell hooked up in a three car battle that would see Howe take the lead on lap 6. Howe and Cook then opened up a small advantage over Bell who stayed alone in third. Howe and Cook ran side by side for much of the race and had the fans on their feet. At the 10 lap mark the top five were Howe, Cook, Bell, Andy Tiffany and Bill Wilsey. Howe and Cook came to the line side by side with Howe having a bumper in front to score his fifth win of the season, despite a flat right rear tire. Cook held on for second, with Bell third, Wilsey fourth and Tiffany fifth.

This Friday night is Afton Fair Night at the Races. Come early and enjoy the Afton Fair which will run from Tuesday the 15th through Sunday the 20th. The fair race will feature the Sportsman in a 50 lap "Victoria " Qualifier. This will be a nonpoints show and the tire rule will allow both the track McCreary tire and the DIRT Hoosiers that pays $800 to win. Also on the card will be the Street Stocks, 4 Cylinders and Pure Stocks, plus Kiddie Rides and Fan Pick Loto Night. The fair will open at 10:00 AM and the racing will start at 7:30 PM. Afton Raceway is located on the Afton Fairgrounds, Exit 7 of Route 88 Afton NY.

Official Results:

Modifieds: Robbie Green, Mike Clapperton, Paul Jensen, Mitch Gibbs, JR Hurlburt, Jerry Northrup, Earl Walrath, Ron Ford, John Kollar, John Guernsey, Mark Schoonover, Joel Batzel, Hank Goranson III, Tim French, Mark Gray, Ray Zemkin, Pete Nowicki Jr, George Lewis, Steve Eldred, Gary Smith, Jeremy Smith, Mike Janicelli, Rich Tiffany

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

Street Stocks: Skip French, Butch Klinger, John Walker, Herm Slack, Denny Smith, Paul Miller, Mark Aldrich, Bill Harris, Arnie Slade, Ron Flannery, Jim Becker, DQd-Rodney Hart

4 Cylinders: Rich Rought, Ralph Jennings Jr, Dave Burnett, Cris Koren, Gene Brainard, Rick Lashway, Jamie Banta, Rich Watson, Harold Humphrey, Ralph Cuozzo, Rob Coulman, Dennis Vroman, Pete Christiansen, Duane Spoor, Jamie Proctor, Jim Potts, Jaysen VanPatten, Tim Tolley, Bob Dedrick, Kenny Hotaling, Jason Howard, Brian Stiegerwald, Jamie Hurlburt, Jeremy Cawley

Pure Stocks: Dan Howe, Bill Cook, Chip Bell, Bill Wilsey, Andy Tiffany, Neil Palladino, Shawn MacCumber, Rob Carey, Todd Hurlburt, Larry Williams, Davie Dickey, DNS-Howard Hoke