DECKER CLAIMS SECOND OF THE YEAR AT BREWERTON
BREWERTON, NY.....Billy Decker took a few weeks to hit his stride at the Brewerton Speedway, but Friday night, "The Bugchaser" kept his momentum going as he captured his second win of the year in the DIRT Modifieds on Sam's Lakeside Restaurant Night. Rob Keller captured another win in the IMCA Modifieds, while Mark Warner was a first time winner in the 4 Cylinders and Dan Boyce was a new face in victory lane in the Dwarf cars.
Ray Bliss and Chuck Hebing took turns holding the lead at the start of the 35-lap DIRT Modified feature event and were soon joined in the battle by Jimmy Phelps. Phelps passed Bliss and engaged Hebing in a thrilling side by side battle for the lead as Billy Decker and Danny Johnson made strong moves into the top ten. At the rear of the field, Alan Johnson was on a tear as well, having started last after problems in his qualifying heat.
Pat Ward also jumped into the lead battle as the middle third of the feature saw the top six cars running side by side and three wide at times for position. Decker broke free of the pack and took the lead near the halfway point of the feature as Danny Johnson broke into the second spot. The middle of the race featured several yellows and many mechanical breakdowns, as Ward, Tim Fuller, Alan Johnson, Tim McCreadie, and several others fell by the wayside.
In the final laps of the feature, Danny tried high and low to pass Decker, but could not find a way by as Decker sped across the line with his second win of 1999. Jimmy Phelps had a fine third place finish, followed by Hebing and a very strong Vic Coffey. DIRT Modified heats were won by Decker, Fuller, and Hebing, with Steve Hulsizer taking the Magee Trailer Sales Dash for Cash for 358 Modifieds.
The 20-lap IMCA Modified feature began with Bill Anderson Sr. holding the top spot. John Bell and Aaron Jacobs were in the top five battling for position when the two spun in turn one and Jacobs' car sustained heavy contact from Doug McKane. The red flag flew as Jacobs and Bell were tended to by the safety crew, with Jacobs requiring some medical attention, though neither driver was seriously injured in the hard crash.
When racing resumed, Rob Keller and Ron O'Neil made it a two car race for the win, having a terriffic side by side battle for the lead. Keller stayed low as O'Neil ran the high side. Behind them, Bob Bradt and Tim Murphy had a battle for third while Sean Lias moved into fifth in the closing laps, but could not mount a challenge for the win. Keller scored the victory with O'Neil right behind, followed by Bradt, Murphy, and Lias. IMCA Modified heats were won by George Valenti, John Bell, and Don Alvord.
The 20-lap Dwarf car feature saw Dan Boyce immediately break away from the field and power into the lead by several car lengths. Most eyes were focused on multi time winners Tony Buffa and Troy Van Allen as they made charges through the field. For Van Allen, it was a longer way than usual after a flat tire in his heat forced him to run the "B" Main to qualify.
Tom Juhl settled into second behind Boyce until the halfway point, when Buffa slipped by and set sail after the leader. Three laps later, a flat tire ended Buffa's charge to the front and paved the way for Van Allen to close in on Boyce. Van Allen made up the margin and in the final three laps made several stong attempts to wrestle the lead away, but Boyce was up to the challenge, fending off one last effort by Van Allen on the final lap to post his first victory of the year. Juhl, Frank Doll Jr., and Ken Gamlen rounded out the top five. Dwarf car heats were won by Juhl, Gamlen, and Boyce, with Van Allen winning the "B" Main.
The 15-lap 4 Cylinder feature saw a scramble at the start shuffle the field greatly. Jim Lalone took the early lead with John Clark behind him as multi time winner Harvey Calkins Jr. stayed in the thick of the battle. Mark Warner was also on the move quickly, grabbing the runner-up spot by halfway. On lap 12, Warner got by Lalone and cruised home to his first checker of the season. Lalone had his best finish of the year with a second, followed by Calkins, Doug Battles, and Tim Koch. 4 Cylinder heats were won by Calkins, Clark, and Lalone.
Next Friday night, NGK Spark Plugs and Hoffman's Hot Dogs present a regular show of DIRT Modifieds, IMCA Modifieds, Dwarf cars and 4 Cylinders, plus the first Tuff Truck race of the year. Gates open at 5:30pm and racing starts at 7:30pm.
RACE SUMMARY-SAM'S LAKESIDE NIGHT
BREWERTON SPEEDWAY-JUNE 11, 1999
DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE-BILLY DECKER, Danny Johnson, Jimmy Phelps, Chuck Hebing, Vic Coffey, Jim Gabriel Jr., Chuck Bower, Steve Hulszier (SB), Scott Prentice, Roger Phelps (SB), Steve Lead, Bobby Melone, Mike Hulsizer (SB), Tim Fuller, Alan Johnson, Frank Cozze, Tim McCreadie, Ray Bliss, Dale Planck, Pat Ward.
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE-ROB KELLER, Ron O'Neil, Bob Bradt, Tim Murphy, Sean Lias, Cory Fachini, Dick Weiland, George Valenti, Bill Anderson Sr., Jim Evans, Coleen Finch, Pat Hobbs, Bill Klinkowsky, Les Hubbard, Bill Anderson Jr., Tony Finch, Kevin Fleming, John Bell, Aaron Jacobs, Doug McKane, Don Alvord.
DWARF CAR FEATURE-DAN BOYCE, Troy Van Allen, Tom Juhl, Frank Doll Jr., Ken Gamlen, Kevin Doll, Pat Pontello, Scott Nash, Barry Virts, Kevin DonHauser, Ed Lawton, Tony Buffa, Jay Reid, David Orr, RJ Grimshaw, Carl Crawford, Wayne Younglove, Bob McCarthy, Darren Forbes, Kevin Battelle, Mark Weigelt, David Reals, Eric Crawford, Dan Turner.
4 CYLINDER FEATURE-MARK WARNER, Jim Lalone, Harvey Calkins, Doug Battles, Tim Koch, RogerOlchewske, Kevan Cook, Rob Whipple, Jon Amidon, John West, Joe Bribre, John Clark, Jason Amidon, Roger West, Darik VanEpps, Jim Olin, Channie Joyner, Pat Fay, Brett Hubbard, Bob Whipple.