DECKER WINS FIRST OF YEAR AT BREWERTON
BREWERTON, NY.....Billy Decker was the point leader in the DIRT Modified ranks coming into Friday night's racing at Brewerton Speedway despite not having led a single lap. After the night's action, however, Decker had not only led some laps, but claimed his first win of the year in the DIRT Modified feature on Pepsi Night. In other action, Sean Lias won his fifth IMCA Modified feature of the year, Troy Van Allen notched another win in the Dwarf cars, and Harvey Calkins Jr. grabbed the win in the 4 Cylinders.
Jim Gabriel Jr. and Vic Coffey set the early pace in the 35-lap DIRT Modified feature event, running side by side for several laps, while Danny Johnson was the first of several drivers to break from mid-pack to charge toward the front of the field. Billy Decker and Bob McCreadie also moved up into contention. Bill Gill was also in the hunt and battled for second with Coffey for several laps while Gabriel increased his lead over the field.
Gill actually was able to take the lead on lap 12, but Danny Johnson surged by on lap 13 with Decker in tow. As Danny and Decker ran side by side, neither gaining an advantage over the other, Bob McCreadie moved up and Alan Johnson began to move up from mid-pack using the low lane.
Just before a lap 28 yellow, Decker was able to wrestle the lead away from Johnson. McCreadie then began to battle with Danny for the second spot as Tim Fuller moved into the top five. Decker pulled away in the closing laps to net his first win of 1999 at Brewerton. Danny was second, with McCreadie close behind in third, followed by Alan Johnson and Fuller. DIRT Modified heats were won by Scott Prentice, Gill, and Decker. The top finishing 358 Modified was Steve Hulsizer, who placed 11th and Jeremy Baye took the honors in the Magee Trailer Sales 358 Modified Dash for Cash.
The 20-lap IMCA Modified feature started with a bang as leader Bill Anderson spun in turn four of the first lap, collecting several cars, though most of them were able to continue. When green flag racing resumed, Pat Hobbs took the lead for one lap, then lost it to John Bell. Bell maintained the lead past the halfway point while Sean Lias and Rob Keller moved through the pack. Jim Evans moved into the second spot and pressured Bell as Lias moved into third.
A gutsy move by Lias into the second spot set up the battle over the final laps for the lead, with Lias moving the outside on the backstretch to take the lead on lap 16. As Lias pulled away, Bell spun out of the top five in the second corner of the final lap, mixing up the order. At the finish, Lias had his fifth win of the year, with Bob Bradt, Keller, Dick Weiland, and Aaron Jacobs rounding out the top five. IMCA Modified heats were won by Bill Anderson Sr., Keller, and Ron O'Neil, with Keller winning the Dash for Cash.
The Dwarf car feature event began with David Orr snagging the top spot. As Eric Crawford moved in early to battle for the lead, Tom Juhl also came into the fight, emerging with the lead on lap 4. Troy Van Allen was moving up quickly with Tony Buffa in tow, and the duo came through to take the top two spots by lap 7.
The second half of the race saw Van Allen and Buffa pull away to make it a two car race for the win. In the final two laps, slower traffic made for some anxious moments and allowed Buffa to make several serious challenges for the lead, but Van Allen held him off in the final corner to record the win. Buffa was second, followed by Darren Forbes, Eric Crawford, and Juhl. Dwarf car heats were won by Van Allen, Juhl, and Ken Gamlen, with Van Allen winning the Dash for Cash.
The 4 Cylinder feature event found John Amidon take the lead at the start, losing it to Mark Warner on lap 2. Warner continued to hold the lead while fighting off challenges from Bob Whipple, Jim Olin, and John Clark. Clark's mount broke on lap 11, and on the restart, Calkins took the lead from Warner and was never headed the rest of the way. Whipple slipped past Warner to grab second at the finish, followed by Olin and Roger West. 4 Cylinder heats were won by Clark, Calkins, and Olin.
Jim Kelly bested two other drivers to win in the Double Decker Car Race, driving a Ford LTD with a Volkswagen mounted atop it.
This Friday night Nice N Easy Grocery Shops presents a Memorial Day Salute with a regular show for the DIRT Modifieds, IMCA Modifieds, Dwarf cars, and 4 Cylinders plus Bonanza Bus Races. The IMCA feature will be the annual 25-lap Dean Hubbs Memorial. Gates will open at 5:30pm with racing starting at 7:30pm.
RACE SUMMARY-PEPSI NIGHT
BREWERTON SPEEDWAY-MAY 21, 1999
DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE-BILLY DECKER, Danny Johnson, Bob McCreadie, Alan Johnson, Tim Fuller, Dale Planck, Bill Gill, Tim McCreadie, Jim Phelps, Jim Gabriel, Steve Hulsizer (SB), Scott Prentice, Chuck Bower, Chuck Hebing, Jeremy Baye (SB), Vic Coffey, Ray Bliss, Ryan Baye (SB), Todd Milton, Pat Ward, Jeremie Corcoran, Jason Barney (SB).
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE-SEAN LIAS, Bob Bradt, Rob Keller, Dick Weiland, Aaron Jacobs, Jim Evans, Don Alvord, Colleen Finch, Bill Klinkowsky, Les Hubbard, Jeff Cardinale, John Bell, Ron O'Neil, Kevin Fleming, Doug McKane, Rob Chaddock, Cory Fachini, Bill Anderson Sr., Pat Hobbs, Bill Anderson, George Valenti, Tony Finch, Tim Murphy.
DWARF CAR FEATURE-TROY VAN ALLEN, Tony Buffa, Tom Juhl, Ken Gamlen, Darren Forbes, Eric Crawford, Ken Titus, Scott Nash, Pat Pontello, David Orr, Carl Crawford, Kevin Doll, Howard Page, Brandon Phelps, Bob Garafolo, Jay Reid, Brenda Rice, Frank Doll Jr., Kevin DonHauser, Nate Phelps, Mike Bozzuto, Dan Turner, Barry Virts, Dan Boyce, Mark Weigelt.
4 CYLINDER FEATURE-HARVEY CALKINS JR., Bob Whipple, Jim Olin, Mark Warner, Roger West, Brian Evendin, Doug Battles, Jim Lalone, Brett Hubbard, Roger Olchewske, Tim Koch, Jon Amidon, Darik Van Epps, Dave Myrto, Chris Bargabus, Channie Joyner, Pat Fay, John Clark, Walt Van Epps, John West, Rob Whipple.