VANPELT, GALLIGAN, GEE, GOODIER, AND PAVILIK COLLECT TROPHYS ON HOOKER ENTERPRISES NIGHT AT THE WOODHULL RACEWAY

WOODHULL, NY….Now, I’m not a betting man, but I would have bet my bottom dollar that mother nature would have won at the Woodhull Raceway. As I was driving to the track, the clouds opened up and down it came. Double thumbs up for the staff of the track as patience prevailed. The officials did a wonderful job getting the track ready for what turned out to be an exciting night of hard pounding action. Along with Hooker Enterprises on board for the night’s sponsor, the second of a three series 40 lap race for the 358 Modifieds sponsored by L.J Kennedy Trucking Company was first on the bill. This is a neat “Mini Series” points sponsored event separate from the main points for the season. A total purse of $5000.00 is on the line to split with the top ten in points for this three race series with the overall winner pocketing a cool $1000.00.

Twenty four cars took the green flag with Steve Hartman Jr. jumping into the lead. Great side by side racing early on as these drivers head to the front. You would think that with 40 laps to run, these drivers would want to wait and be patience on getting through traffic with ease, but tell that to the VanPelt brothers Curt and Billy.These boys are here to race and race they did. C. VanPelt, starting in fifth, has made it to the front and has broken away with Hartman Jr. with ninth place B. VanPelt, riding in fourth 1/3 into this feature. Caution flies as Tom Austin Jr. loses power in this early laps. Points leader Bobby Davis has managed to crack the top 10 with 30 laps to go, as a caution breaks out for several cars spinning in turns 1 and 2. As the field of mods retake the green flag, B. VanPelt grabs the top spot from C. VanPelt and Hartman Jr. Team cars Mike Jackson and Herbie Wright has made a great stride forward from 18 th and 20 th starting spots. Both drivers is sitting ninth and tenth midway through this feature. A scary moment a few laps later as points leader Davis does a roll over in turns 1 and 2. Good news as the driver gets out and walks away but not so good for the car as it sustained heavy damage.B.VanPelt maintains the lead as Frank Dunning and Dylan Dewert now has cracked the top five. C. VanPelt loses the second spot when he loops it on the front stretch with 2 laps to go but manages to salvage fifth spot. Billy VanPelt takes the top spot with Dunning , Dewert and Hartman Jr.finishing close behind. This is VanPelt’s second win in this three race series.

The Napa Super Stocks started their 20 lap event with Greg Young on the point early on. As a very light rain continues to fall from the sky, it doesn’t seem to affect the track too much as the supers are racing hard around this high baked track. Ken Peoples and Rich Marlatt has wasted no time at all to get head forward. Peoples has come from thirteenth to fifth on lap 3 and Marlatt closing in from ninth. That ole saying, “cautions breeds cautions” has come true for this 20 lapper the yellow was visible quite a few times. Marlatt manages to grab the top spot and hangs on for several laps. Points leader Greg Galligan has been riding in second place for several laps has he seems to get close to Marlatt, but can’t seem to get a good run on him. Exciting finish as Galligan, on the last lap in turn four, powers his way past Marlatt by inches to take the checked flag.Marlatt settles for second with Scott Brown, starting in thirteenth, Peoples fourth and rounding out the top five, heat winner Mike Hilfiger.

Dave Gee finally gets his first win of the season in the Morgans Auto Repair Street Stock 20 lap feature. Impressive night for Gee as he also won the first on two heat races earlier. Gee brings the cars to the line but Tony Foth will lead the first lap as Gee falls back to battle second place with Brian Knowles with Dave Davis close behind.These top four drivers pretty much stayed in their own pack away from the rest of the field for many laps later. A blanket would have covered these four cars as none would give an inch.Gee takes the lead away from from Knowles with 6 laps to go, but Knowles would have none of that as he retakes it back. Foth gets around Knowles with a few laps left and now him and Gee are the top two. Another great finish for the evening as on the last lap, Gee drops to the low side in turn four just as Foth gets loose and he ends up looping it right before the checkered flag giving Gee the top spot with Knoweles and Davis finishing 2 nd and 3 rd. Jeff Smith stayed in the top five throughout the race and grabbed 4 th. With Jerry Buckley rounding out fifth. Foth was scored 10 th.

When the Signs Plus Mini Stocks took the track for their 20 lap event, the rain had already stopped. On the point for the start was Martin VanderHoef leading them to the green.The whole field is one massive bunch as they all stay in line for many laps .Six of the top ten in points are stuck midway through this pack and are having a hard time getting forward to the front.Caution comes out on lap five for a spin . As the restart comes out, eleventh place starter Derek Mills Jr. seem to be the car on the move as he powers his way to the front. Mills takes the lead from VanderHoef a few laps later. Art Goodier, startng in 17 th spot has managed to move forward as he , Don Knowles, and points leader Ryan Davenport climb to the top four spots halfway in . Bill VanEtten was in the top five for a while but slipped back to sixth. Caution slows the field down again when Joe Dgien finds himself facing the opposite way in turns 3 and 4. The drivers now face a 3 lap shootout. Art Goodier wins Knowles and Mills finishing 2 nd and 3 rd. Points leader Davenport takes 4 th with Bill Shea rounding out the top 5.

And finally, the S&W Awards and Photos Warriors. Dave Lubberts starts on the pole for this 10 lap feature. Bryce Davis, starting in 8 th spot, manages to get to the front to battle Lubberts for the lead. Shane Pickering draw a caution for getting loose on the front stretch. Restart has Chris Young in the lead with Casey Pavilick on his tail. Bryce Davis, who had to drop to the end of the field, is back in third place in the closing laps. Tom Austin Jr. finds himself battling with Pavilick Davis, and Young for the top spot. Caution flies with 2 laps to as Young out of control and takes several cars with him. Pavilik comes out on top with Marlatt 2 nd followed by Michelle Kurtz in 3 rd. Austin Jr. and Lubberts round out the top 5 spots.