DECKER REPEATS AT BREWERTON; BUFFA, POWELCZYK, LIAS ALSO WINNERS
Brewerton, NY…Billy Decker came from the back of the field after an early race incident to take the lead on lap 29 of the 35-lap DIRT Modified Feature and went on to the victory at Brewerton Speedway Friday Night. Tony Buffa, Chuck Powelczyk, and Sean Lias also took feature wins in their respective divisions.
Jimmy Gabriel Jr. had an untested motor in his 1J, and it was good enough to win his heat and give him the early lead in the feature. Billy Gill and Bob McCreadie followed Gabriel on the first lap, but as the lap counter turned to two, Scott Prentice blew his second motor in five days in the 47. The ensuing melee involved several cars, eliminated Prentice, and sent the M1 of Tim Fuller to the pits for repairs that would cost him two laps.
When the green flew again, Billy Gill charged out front and dropped Gabriel back to second. On lap four, the worst accident of the season at Brewerton occurred when the 1S of Steve Babicek tangled with the 1A of Alan Johnson, sending Johnson’s Mitsubishi Car into a series of barrel rolls down the back straightaway. Alan was unhurt in the incident, but the car was severely damaged. At this point, Fuller re-entered the race two laps down to the leaders.
Gill would lead the next several laps, with Bob McCreadie moving inside and outside trying to get by him. Lap 20 saw Jeremy Corcoran, also an earlier heat winner with his 3c, stall on the backstretch. At the same time, the crowd gasped as Gill’s 60 stopped right behind Corcoran with no brakes left on the car. Gill’s day ended early and his chances for a big win at Brewerton were dashed.
Bob McCreadie inherited the lead on the restart, followed by Bower, Tim McCreadie, Decker, and Pat Ward. Gabriel, Chuck Hebing, Ron Holmes, Ryan Baye, and Jimmy Phelps rounded out the top ten as the race’s final 15 laps began.
Bower was flying with his Currier Plastics 99B, and he charged under McCreadie on lap 21 and into the lead. Decker was also on the move, and by lap 29 was diving to the bottom groove and stealing a bit of Bower’s thunder.
When starter Chip Burdick waved the checkers it was Decker with his second win in a row over Bower, Bob McCreadie, Tim McCreadie, and Pat Ward. Sixth through tenth were Chuck Hebing, Jim Gabriel, Jim Phelps, Ron Holmes (in a small block car), and Ryan Baye (also in a small block). Heats went to Corcoran, Gabriel, and Gill.
The Dwarf Car class saw several new and speedy drivers in the field. Mark Weigelt, Ken Gamlen, Troy Van Allen, and Carl Crawford Sr. were among the first timers, and it was Gamlen who jumped out to the early advantage in the feature event. Tony Buffa, Lee Babcock, Bob McCarthy, and Bob Magner were the top five after the first lap.
Several of the faster cars started toward the rear of the field, but wasted little time in coming to the front. Weigelt blasted his way from 20th to fourth in just two laps. Last week’s runner-up Eddie Lawton spun his 17 on lap four, slowing the pace. By now, the top five saw Gamlen out front followed by Buffa, Pat Pontello, Weigelt, and Babcock.
Pontello won last week’s feature, and it appeared he might make it two for two as he quickly shot into third place by lap ten. Meanwhile, Gamlen and Buffa were giving the fans a show as they spent much of the remainder of the event side-by-side before Buffa took the lead for good on lap 15 of the 20-lap feature. Gamlen held off a persistent Pontello for second, while Troy Van Allen and Carl Crawford Sr. rounded out the top five. Darren Forbes, Bob Garafolo, Scott Nash, Barry Virts, and David Orr finished sixth through tenth. Pontello, Weigelt, and Crawford captured heat race wins.
Chuck Powelczyk got a fast start and lead the entire way in the 4-Cylinder feature event, with Rick Angle in the A28 never relinquishing second. Despite a few early cautions, the 15-lap event went by fairly quickly, with Jim LaLone finishing third in his 33. The 15 of Roger West finished in fourth with the 9 of Darik Van Epps rounding out the top five. Harvey Calkins Jr., Mike Foote, John West, Tim Koch, and Dave Myrto finished sixth through tenth. Heat wins went to Rick Angle, Roger West, and Chuck Powelczyk.
The IMCA Modifieds provided the nightcap for the evening’s events, and the 37 of Sean Lias found his way to victory lane for the first time in the year 2000. Lias led from start-to-finish in the 20-lap feature event. Carmen Vona and Bob Bradt challenged early, with Bradt dropping out before the race ended. Ron O’Neil was hooked up with his 70x, eventually finishing the event in third. At the finish it was Lias, Vona, O’Neil, Dane Keller, and the 05 of Les Hubbard in the top five. Dick Weiland, Doug McKane, Jim House, John Conway, and the 71 of Kenny Rogers rounding out the top ten. Heat wins went to Lias, O’Neil, and Rob Keller.
Next week the Jetettes Women’s Racing Series will make their first appearance of the year at Brewerton, along with the DIRT Modifieds, IMCA Modifieds, 4-Cylinders, and Dwarf Cars. Gates open at 5:30, with racing set for 7:30. For more information, check out the speedway’s website at www.brewertonspeedway.com, or call the speedway office at (315) 668-6906.
MODIFIEDS – BILLY DECKER, Chuck Bower, Bob McCreadie, Tim McCreadie, Pat Ward, Chuck Hebing, Jim Gabriel Jr., Jim Phelps, Ron Holmes (sb), Ryan Baye (sb), Frank Caprara, Steve Babicek, Mike Hulsizer (sb), Tim Vincent (sb), Tim Fuller, Roy Shields (sb), Bill Gill, Jeremie Corcoran, Frank Doll (sb), Jack Johnson, Jim Burke, Steve Hulsizer (sb), Joe August (sb), Alan Johnson, Scott Prentice.
IMCA MODIFIEDS – SEAN LIAS, Carmen Vona, Ron O’Neil, Dane Keller, Les Hubbard, Dick Weiland, Doug McKane, Jim House, John Conway, Ken Rogers, John Matyjasik, Rob Keller, Don Alvord, Kevin Battelle, George Catanzano, Johnny Hill, Michael Bungay, Bob Bradt, Jeff Cardinale, Scott Ziprich, Bill Anderson, Colleen Finch, Jon Amidon, Bill Anderson Jr. DNS – Ken Klinkowsky.
DWARF CARS – TONY BUFFA, Ken Gamlen, Pat Pontello, Troy Van Allen, Carl Crawford Sr., Darren Forbes, Rob Garafolo, Scott Nash, Barry Virts, David Orr, Lee Babcock, Bob Magner, Mark Weigelt, Shawn Hort, Bob McCarthy, Dave Reals, Nate Phelps, Jay Reid, Bill Teliska, Brenda Rice, Steve Miller, Mike LaSelle, Wayne Younglove, Ed Lawton. DNS – Dennis Johnson, Tod Simons, Eric Crawford.
FOUR CYLINDERS – CHUCK POWELCZYK, Rick Angle, Jim LaLone, Roger West, Darik Van Epps, Harvey Calkins Jr., Mike Foote Jr., John West, Tim Koch, Dave Myrto, Chris Bargabos, Joe Bribre, Brett Hubbard, Jason Amidon, Mark Warner, Channie Joyner, Ken Pittsley, Kevan Cook, Nicholas Barr, Todd Williamson, Steve Coit, Walt Van Epps, Russ Cusson.