MULLINS IN CHAMPIONSHIP FORM, WINS 2ND FEATURE - May 18, 2002
MIKE STRATTON SCORES MODIFIED LITE WIN
By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (5/18/02) - Defending point champion, Craig Mullins of Bridgeville, Del. chased Delmar's Ricky Johnson for the first half of the race before taking the lead and driving to his second win of the season in the 25-lap Modified feature, Saturday night at the Delaware International Speedway. Mike Stratton of Laurel, Del. became the third different winner in three events by winning the 15-lap Modified Lite main.
Mullins had to come from the read of the field in his first winning performance of the season. Saturday night, he started in the third spot but it was heat race winner, Ricky Johnson, that appeared to be the car to beat in the early going. Johnson jumped out to the early lead with Mullins taking second from Adam Jarrell on lap two.
The caution was out on lap three for a four-car tangle. On the restart, Rick Bishop got by Jarrell for third as invader, Jamie Mills followed into fourth. By the halfway point the group was joined by Mike Covey running strong in the top five.
Mullins got a good run going into the second turn and used a smooth outside pass to take the lead for lap 14. The battle continued to rage between Johnson and Bishop for second and Mills and Covey for fourth. Bishop got the second spot on lap 16. The yellow tightened the field for a final time on lap 21. Mullins, in the Gene's Auto Sales/Subway/Bicknell made no mistakes on the restart and drove to a 1.559-second win over Bishop at the checkered.
"The car worked great. The guys that worked on it really did a good job," said Mullins. Bishop finished in the second spot with Johnson finishing third. Mills and Covey locked horns in the final turn and Jimmy Chester crossed the line in fourth. Chester was disqualified in the post race inspection because he was not running the mandatory track tire. Cliff Foskey who started in 20th was credited with fourth with Jarrell rounding out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Andy Best, Doug Beach, Bobby Watkins, Covey, and Glenn Reed. Johnson and Covey won the heats.
Tom Curtis was back in top form after taking a wicked flip the week prior and was the pace setter at the start of the Modified Lite feature. Dana Walker gave chase until lap three when Mike Stratton moved into second. Stratton took the lead just before the halfway sign and was followed at that point by Curtis, Herb Tunis, David Dill, and Jon Callaway.
Nick Hendricks blasted into the top five and appeared to be a threat until he spun to bring out the yellow on lap 11. From that point, Stratton made a smooth run to the checkered in the Northeast Modified Lites/Westside Auto Parts/Ellis Motorsports/Suzuki. Callaway got by Tom Curtis on the final lap for second with Curtis finishing third, dill fourth, and Steve White fifth. Sixth through tenth were Walker, Ron Riccio, Hendricks, Landis Musser, and John Curtis.
This Saturday night will feature the four weekly divisions plus a bonus package of Slide for 5, Vintage Stock Cars, and the makeup William J. Cathell Memorial Street Modified feature. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7:30.