BILLY VANPELT HITS WOODHULL PAY DIRT FOR 1ST WIN IN 2004. HILFIGER, MIRACLE, PICKERING AND STEWART ALSO FIRST TIME WINNERS ON WADES BUILDING SUPPLY NIGHT
For Billy VanPelt it must have felt like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders as the Harrison Valley, Pa. speedster found victory lane at the Woodhull Raceway for the first time in the 2004 season. It was the Annual Jim Williams Independence Day Trophy Races and Fireworks Show and by the luck of the re-draw, Stacy Jackson and Steve Hartman Jr. led the stellar 24 car field to the opening green with Hartman showing the way through the first half of the distance. However, Jackson kept up the pressure with several yellow flags slowing the event through the races mid-portion. One early event yellow saw such heavy hitters as Aaron Jacobus, Steve Hartman Sr. Curt VanPelt along with Billy VanPelt all going to the rear for their involvement, however that did not deter the high flying Billy “The Kid” from running rough shod through the pack. Crew Chief, Duane Groover had set the car up perfectly to run the high side of the speedway as the younger of the VanPelt brothers put on a driving clinic not seen in quite some time on the famous high banks of Woodhull. With Hartman Jr. and Jackson at the point a tremendous battle was shaping up behind them between Rookie competitor, Tom Austin Sr., Dale Welty and Roger Williams. A lap twelve red flag for an incident in the front straight involving Kevin Chilson, Larry Keegan, Kenny Peoples Jr. and Aaron Jacobus put three of the four on the hook and finished for the night as Chilson was the only one able to continue. From there it was a thirteen lap, non-stop run to the checkered flag with Hartman Jr. and Jackson still see sawing back and forth for the lead. It was on lap seventeen that VanPelt just simply motored around the outside of both Jackson and Hartman and form that point on the battle was for second as VanPelt distanced himself and picked up the victory by nearly a full straight a way. After a disappointing finish last week due to mechanical problems, Hartman Jr. was able to hold on for a well deserved second place podium finish. A brilliant run for Jackson was wiped out as a post race inspection found the Harrington Motorsports entry to be light at the scales thus moving Tom Austin into third place at the finally tally, his best finish of 2004. Dale Welty continues to a rock solid threat week in and week out at Woodhull as he once again cracked the top five by finishing fourth with Roger Williams putting on a steady drive for fifth. Like VanPelt, Steve Hartman Sr. was able to rally from an early race mix up to finish sixth, Mike Jackson was seventy, Lyle Sherwood eighth. Tony Kwalchuck ninth and Brian Swarthout had his best run of the year by rounding out the top ten. Qualifying heats were won by Kwalchuk, Jacobus and Billy VanPelt with Steve Hartman Sr. nailing down the twelve lap B-Main. For Kwalchuck, it was another great night for the young Accord, New York speedster as he and his family made the five and a half hour tow to Woodhull pay off with a qualifying heat win and a top ten finish.
The NAPA Super Stocks were next on the raceway for their twenty lap, Jim Williams Independence Day Trophy Race feature event with Mike Hilfiger jumping out into an early lead which he would not relinquish. A lap one yellow for the broken machine of Alan Crooker would be only one of two quick yellow flags to slow the event as the beautifully manicured machine of Hilfiger was clearly the class of the field on this night. Glenn Whritenour was able to break free of traffic to set sail on the high flying Hilfiger, however, the Covington, Pa. speedster was just too much to handle and Mike Hilfiger added his name to the growing list of feature winners as he is now eligible for the NAPA Super Stock Race of Champions at seasons end. Whritenour was able to hold off a late race challenge by Kenny Peoples Sr. to claim the runner up position was the checkers waved but the real surprise of the night was brilliant run by Rookie competitor, Mike Whritenour as he drove a very steady race to finish fourth with last weeks feature winner, Greg Galligan rounding the top five. Brett Flint led the next group of five across the line followed by Ed Mills, Greg Crooker, Kyle Lefelhoc and Rich Marlatt. Qualifiers and bonus points were picked up by Glenn Whritenour and Greg Crooker.
Earlier in the evening the S&W Awards and Photos Warriors put on a terrific ten lap feature event with Woodhull’s victory lane once again finding a new face as Shane Pickering was at the right place at the right time to. Some ten of the youngsters took the opening green with Mike Jackson showing the way throughout the first nine laps. However, it’s never over until the checkered flag waves as Jackson along with the second place running machine of Tom Austin Jr., five time feature winner, Derek Mills and Pickering all bunched up working turns three and four heading for the checkered flag. When all was said and done, Pickering had come from fourth to take the win as Tom Austin Jr. had to settle for second. Derek Mills was then next across the line in third with Joe Dgien and Jackson rounding the top five. Incidentally, it was only the second time that Pickering has ever set in a race car.
The Morgan’s Auto Repair Street Stocks were next to tackle the infamous Woodhull Raceway high banks. With the Street Stocks now on a new tire in 2004 many of the teams struggled throughout the first half of the season, but on this night it looked like the Street Stocks of old as it was three and four wide action all race long and Hollywood could have not scripted a better ending as Henry Miracle, who earlier in the week had sold his entire operation was retiring from the sport and this was to be his last hurrah. Well, go out in a blaze of glory he did as Miracle led a who’s who list of top Street Stock pilots to the line. Ron Divens, who had started deep in the field made a late race run at Miracle, but had to settle for second as the Hornby driver is fast becoming a player in the point chase. Another Hornby native in Jerry Buckley was in third as a whole pack of cars were jostling for fourth on back. Jeff Smith was able to hold on for a well deserved fourth place finish with Cliff Moss finishing fifth. Chris Friends led the nest five across the line with Ken Thomas in seventh, Joe Dgien was eighth, Dan Gordon ninth and Phil Hall rounded the top ten at the completion of the twenty lap affair which saw only one yellow. Heats wins went to Rod Mullen, Miracle and Brian Austin with Nate Dunning winning the Morgan’s Auto Repair Second Chance Race. Last but not least the Signs Plus Mini Stocks were on the track to run their twenty lap feature. Once again, a pit full of 4 Cylinders required four qualifying heats with Scott Madison, A.J. Costley, Ryan Davenport and Art Goodier picking up wins. Brian Butler was victorious in the Consi. event. Tom Stewart is pretty much a house hold name in racing at Woodhull having won several races and championships along the way in Mini Stock action. Stewart then tried his hand at 358 Modified racing for a few years only to get gobbled up by the high cost of fielding a top of the line entry. Stewart then sold out all of his Modified equipment and moved back into the Mini Stock Division and has been a real threat ever since. Last week it looked as though Stewart was on his way to his first win of the year only to get swept up by a lap car and sent to the rear. However, on this night Stewart was not going to be stopped as he just simply waxed the remainder of the twenty four car field. Only one quick yellow flag slowed the event as Stewart picked up the win by a full straight a way over recent high school graduate, Josh Mills. Ryan Davenport, who like Mills started deep in the field drove another steady race to claim third as Art Goodier led Kevin Erdman across the line for fourth and fifth. Bill Shea and Ray Hyer who were both caught up in an early race jingle in turn one came from the rear to finish sixth and seventh. Elwin Davenport was eighth as the checkers with Lynn Burrell and early race leader, Scott Madison rounding the top ten.
On what was an absolutely beautiful Saturday evening for the Annual Jim Williams Independence Day Trophy Races at Woodhull, once again some one-hundred and ten cars jammed the Woodhull pit area. Wades Building Supply of Addison once again sponsored the night along with a fireworks extravaganza that left the thousands in attendance all on their feet as the thirty minute program was climaxed by a one-thousand rocket grand finale. The 50/50 winners share was a little over $4,700 and during intermission the drivers went through the stands and took up a collection for the family of the late Scott Dennison which tallied over $7,300 as more money is still coming in.
Next week Woodhull will kick off the month of July with the first in a series of “Sizzlin Summer Heats” as the Signs Plus Mini Stocks will vie for heat race money of $50 per heat and they will also run a 30 lap feature event all sponsored by Sierra Mist.
RECAP
DIRT 358 Modifieds
Heats Tony Kwalchuck Aaron Jacobus Billy VanPelt B-Main Steve Hartman Sr.
25 lap feature Billy VanPelt, Steve Hartman Jr., Tom Austin, Dale Welty, Roger Williams, Steve Hartman Sr., Mike Jackson, Lyle Sherwood, Tony Kwalchuck, Brian Swarthout
NAPA Super Stocks
Heats Glenn Whritenour Greg Crooker
20 lap feature Mike Hilfiger, Glenn Whritenour, Ken Peoples Sr., Mike Whritenour, Greg Galligan, Brett Flint, Ed Mills, Greg Crooker, Kyle Lefelhoc, Rich Marlatt
S&W Awards and Photos Warriors
10 lap feature Shane Pickering, Tom Austin Jr., Derek Mills, Joe Dgien, Mike Jackson
Morgan’s Auto Repair Street Stocks
Heats Rod Mullen Henry Miracle Brian Austin
Morgan’s Auto Repair Second Chance Race Nate Dunning
20 lap feature Henry Miracle, Ron Divens, Jerry Buckely, Jeff Smith, Cliff Moss, Chris Friends, Ken Thomas, Joe Dgien, Dan Gordon, Phil Hall
Signs Plus Mini Stocks
Heats Scott Madison A.J. Costley Ryan Davenport Art Goodier Consi. Don Potter
20 lap feature Tom Stewart, Josh Mills, Ryan Davenport, Art Goodier, Kevin Erdman, Bill Shea, Ray Hyer, Elwin Davenport, Lynn Burrell, Scott Madison