BUNTING EARNS BIG PAYDAY IN CAMP BARNES MODIFIEDS - July 10, 2002
FOSKEY PULLS UPSET IN SHOOTOUT
By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (7/10/02) – H.J. Bunting of Milford, Del. collected the biggest payday of his career in winning the 30th Annual Camp Barnes Benefit 25-lap Modified feature before a packed house, Wednesday night at the Delaware International Speedway. Bunting’s earnings including lap money and a halfway bonus totaled $3690. David Hill of Trappe, Md. turned in another inspired Camp Barnes performance and won the 20-lap Late Model feature pocketing $1880 for his efforts. Hill has won the event three of the last four years. Cliff Foskey of Farmington, Del. had the crowd on its feet as he made an outside pass of Kenny Pettyjohn on the final lap to win the $1000 to win, 12-lap Modified vs. Late Model Camp Barnes Shootout. Other big winners included Mark Williams of Seaford, Del. in the Street Modifieds, Mike Vammino of Lincoln, Del. in the Modified Lites, Joseph Tracey of Gumboro, Del. in the Little Lincoln Vintage Cars, and Eddie Pettyjohn of Milton, Del. in the Vintage Stock Cars. One-Hundred and twenty cars packed the pits for the mid-week show.
Bunting started on the outside second row and chased Cliff Foskey for the first two laps before moving on top. Once out front he quickly got into a rhythm and started to open up ground on the field. Fosky held the second spot until lap four when invader, Kenny Brightbill moved into the second spot. Rick Bishop quickly climbed from ninth to fourth with Craig Mullins rounding out the top five. Cautions on laps eight and 11 erased Buntings lead. On the lap 11 restart, Bishop moved by Brightbill for second.
At the halfway sign the top five were Bunting, Bishop, Brightbill, Foskey, and Mullins. The field settled into some solid running with Bunting in solid control. Jimmy Chester slowed on the back straight on lap 21 bringing out the final yellow and offering the field one more shot at Bunting. Bunting would make no mistakes as he powered to his third win of the season and his first Camp Barnes win by 2.039 seconds in the J&M; Roofing/Sullivan’s Landscaping/Speed Palace/Bunting.
Rounding out the top five were Bishop, Brightbill, Foskey, and Mullins. Sixth through tenth were Rich Laubach, Ricky Johnson, Kyle Strickler, Kenny Pettyjohn, and Andy Best. Fosky, Bunting, and Brightbill won the heats with Chad Marvel taking the consolation.
The Late Model feature was a thriller with Kenny Pettyjohn taking advantage of his pole starting position to lead the first four laps before David Hill turned up the wick and took the lead. Dave Hertz quickly entered the fight and took second from Pettyjohn on lap six. Two laps later, Hertz moved into the lead and collected the $500 halfway bonus ahead of Hill, Kenny Pettyjohn, Eddie Pettyjohn and Jamie Eichholz.
The final yellow was out on lap 15 when Jason Dean came to a stop. On the restart, Hill immediately started to pressure Hertz and with the two lap signal being given, moved back on top with Pettyjohn jumping into second. Hill, in the Hertrich Pontiac/Dorchester Lumber/Rocket/Draime crossed under the checkered 2.139 seconds ahead of Kenny Pettyjohn. Eddie Pettyjohn took third on the final lap with Hertz and Jim Bernheisel rounding out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Eiccholz, Hal Browning, John Emory, Dale Bounds, and Lou Johnson. Kenny Pettyjohn and Hill won the heats with Brian Miller winning the consolation.
The top five finishers from the Modified and Late Model features squared off in the 12 lap Camp Barnes Shootout. Craig Mullins led the first half of the event ahead of Foskey and Hill. At the mid-point the caution was thrown with Mullins, Foskey, Hill, Bishop, and Kenny Pettyjohn re-drawing for starting positions for the second half. Brightbill, Bunting, Hertz, Eddie Pettyjohn and Bernheisel were all eliminated at this point.
It was now six laps for a $1000 with Kenny Pettyjohn drawing the pole followed by Foskey, Mullins, Hill, and Bishop. Foskey fought off a battle for second by Hill and went to the high groove to close on Pettyjohn. Heading to the white flag, Foskey closed a five length advantage by Pettyjohn. Foskey powered into the first turn on the outside of Pettyjohn and the crowd was on its feet. Foskey took the lead going down the back straight and took the checkered in his Scott’s Furniture/Hunter Creek Homes/Olsen/Feil by a car length over Pettyjohn. Hill Bishop and Mullins rounded out the field.
Mark Williams started on the pole and never looked back in the 15-lap Street Modified feature. Mark Byram, Rob Massey, and Mark Pettyjohn chased Williams the distance. Byram kept the pressure on but Williams never faltered and recorded his first Camp Barnes win and his sixth win of the season by a margin of 0.674 seconds in the ASI/Lawsen/Monte Carlo. Byram, Massey, Pettyjohn, and Jamie Lekites rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Richard White, Jr., Charlie Lutes, Mike Williams, Al Chenny, and Rick Eskridge. Lap money and the halfway bonus brought Williams’ earnings to $950. Williams and Byram won the heats.
Mike Vammino picked a perfect night to end his streak of bad luck in the 15-lap Modified Lite feature. Vammino jumped out to the early lead but Jon Callaway took the lead on lap seven and collected the Wood’s Contracting halfway $!00 bonus one lap later. Vammino moved back on top on lap nine while Landis Musser moved in to battle Callaway for second. Callaway rolled off the top of the fourth turn to bring out the yellow with two laps left to go. Vammino, in the Speed Werks/Pro/Suzuki held off Musser for the checkered with Mike Stratton, Bobby Walls, and Herb Tunis rounding out the top five. Sixth through tenth were George Richardson, John Curtis, Joe Warren, Kirk Lawson, and Dale Hawkins. Vammino and Callaway won the heats.
Joe Tracey led from flag to flag to win the 10-lap Little Lincoln Vintage feature. It was his first win of 2002. Tony Daisey took second with three to go and finished in the runner-up spot followed by John Scott, Randy Clark, and Bill Brittingham in the top five. Sixth through tenth were Donald Robinson, Jr., Dale Lingo, Jim Miller, Matt Tipton, and Duke Walsen.
In the nightcap, Eddie Pettyjohn took the lead from C.J. Schirmer and drove the Ford powered No. 8 Ball Corvair Wagon to his second straight win in the Vintage Stock Cars. Oscar Field chased Pettyjohn to the checkered followed by Schirmer, Lou Johnson, and Chuck Tucker. Herbie Hobbs was the top Sportsman finisher.
Bill Wood of Wood’s Contracting of Millsboro, Del. added $250 to the halfway bonus for both the Modified and Late Models, $100 at the halfway point for the Street Modifieds and Modified Lites, and $50 for the midway points of each of the vintage features.