GABRIEL, JR. PICKS UP BACK TO BACK WINS AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN. HILLIS, WALKER AND GREEN ALSO IN VICTORY LANE!
Binghamton driver Jim Gabriel, Jr. was on a rail Saturday night at the Thunder Mountain speedway as he picked up the win in both the held over 30 lap Modified main from May 22nd, and the regular 30 lap Modified main for the night.
Outside pole starter Roy Shields, of Kings Ferry, took the lead at the start of the first Modified feature, which had been post-poned due to last week’s severe weather storms. Shields worked to hold off charges from Otego’s J.R. Hurlburt as he lead the first half of the race.
Jim Gabriel Jr, who had started sixth, took over the top spot from Shields and Hurlburt on a lap fifteen restart, and never looked back en route to taking his Cooper Tire machine to his first victory of the 2004 season. Edmeston’s Paul Jensen moved in for second, with Hurlburt, Cortland’s Rick Wilk and Jeff Sheely from Schenectady completing the top five.
In the second 30 lap Modified feature, Deposit’s Chad Cook looked to be on the way to picking up his first ever Modified Feature win, as he moved from his third starting spot to take the lead at the start. Meanwhile, Gabriel Jr, who had to start 12th this time by virtue of handicapping, was making his way up through the pack.
By lap 10, Gabriel glided into second and started to reel in Cook. As the two came out of turn four on lap 19, Gabriel made the move and took over the top spot. Gabriel went on to pick up his second win of the night, with Cook in for a solid second, followed by Brent Wilcox, of Whitney Point, Hurlburt, and Binghamton’s Chris Weaver.
Masonville native Shaun Walker was victorious in the 20 lap Sportsman main event. Marathon’s Tim Votra held the early race lead, but lost the top spot to Cortland’s Rick Wilk just six laps into the event.
Berkshire’s Billy Spoonhower and Speedsville’s Kevin Jordan momentarily took over the top two spots from Wilk on lap 9, but contact between the two justs two laps later would end both of their chances for a win.
This moved Walker, who had started 9th, into the second spot. With just 4 laps to go, Walker took the outside line and moved by Wilk for the lead and the win. Brent Boyer, of Bloomsburgh finished third, with Kirkwood’s Ken Titus and Rick Rainser, of Easton, PA, completing the top five.
In the 20 lap Street Stock main event, it was all about Vestal’s Larry Hillis. Hillis, who started fourth, lead all but the first lap en route to his second victory in a row at the fast 3/8 mile clay oval.
Berkshire native Bill Rampe, who was the only other race leader, finished a strong second, followed by Afton’s Curt Decker, Dryden’s John Cooper, Jr., and Wade Decker, of Afton.
In Pure Stock action, racing was picked up on lap nine of the held over 20 lap Main from May 22nd. Lansing’s Dick Stark picked up where he left off, leading the event, and held off some serious pressure from Athens, PA’s Doug Stack and Willett’s Buck Mills.
Stark was up to the challenge as he picked up the win, followed by Stack, Mills, and Groton drivers Howard Jones and Dan Searles.
In the regular 20 lap Pure Stock feature for the night, Vestal’s Richie Hillis moved from his third starting spot to grab the early lead. Seventh place starter Buck Mills moved up to challenge Hillis for the lead, and took over command of the race on lap seven.
Outside pole starter Rich Green, of Endicott, took over the runner-up spot from Hillis at the half-way point and started to challenge Mills for the lead. After a lap twelve re-start, Green took the high side and made it around Mills for the lead.
Green went on tp capture his first win of the season, with Mills, Hilis, Berkshire’s Louie Gordinier and Dan Dearles completing the top five.
In the 15 lap Four Cylinder Modified event, it was Sherburne’s Duane Knapp and South New Berlin’s John Powers in for the top two spots, for the fifth straight week. Knapp came in for the win, with Powers, Tom Fletcher, Cal Pierce and Jeremy Howe completing the top five.
In the held over 15 lap Four Cylinder Stock feature, it was Marathon’s Mitch Hurlburt taking the early race lead, with Newfield’s Bob Doolittle challenging from the second spot. With just three laps to go, Doolittle edged out Hurlburt for the win. His third of the season.
In the second 15 lap Four Cylinder Stock event, it was Hurlburt again leading the pack for most of the race, until a hard charging Nate Stevens, from Berkshire, took over command of the race on lap twelve. Stevens took the checkers first, but was later disqualified for technical reasons, giving Hurlburt his first win of the season.
Roger Walburn, of Candor, inherited the feature win in the 12 lap Thunder Dog feature after contact between Ben Poirier and Lloyd Twarz ended their 1st and 2nd place runs with just one lap to go. It was Walburn’s first ever win.
Berkshire’s Amber Patrick continued her dominance of the Thunder Pup class, picking up the win in the 10 lap event over Chenango Forkd native Rich Gardner.
This coming Saturday is the Spring Championship, brought to you by Pro Flo. All eight classes are on the schedule, with the held over features for Thunder Dogs and Thunder Pups from May 22nd also on the card.