VANPELT CAPS OFF BRILLIANT 2004 SEASON AT WOODHULL WITH 40 LAP SEASON FINALE FEATURE WIN. MARLATT AND DAVIS DOUBLE IN SUPER AND STREET STOCKS. GOODIER AND LONGACRE ALSO FIND VICTORY LANE.
After receiving over five inches of rain only two days prior to the Saturday, September 11, 2004 race event, it was a miracle that the Woodhull Raceway was even able to open the gates. The community of Woodhull along with several neighboring municipalities had been declared disaster areas as several roads and bridges were washed away. It was only a few hours prior to the opening of the gates that the track preparation crew was even able to get onto the drenched clay racing surface as they had spent most of the twenty four hours leading up to the event putting entrance way roads back together. Much to the delight of the huge crowd in attendance and the approximately one-hundred ten competitors jammed into the Woodhull pit area, the show did go on.
It was the season finale for the DIRT 358 Modifieds at the Woodhull Raceway and with over 30 Modifieds vying for twenty-four starting spots, it was a challenge just to make the show. Qualifiers were picked up by Dylan Dewert, Aaron Jacobus, Roger Williams and Dale Welty. Tom Austin was victorious in the 12 lap B-Main. With a Victoria 200 All Star spot on the line and the Three Race Mini Series Title in the balance, Bob Davis led the field to the opening green. A number of yellow flags slowed the event several for minor spins, however two very lengthy red flag situations occurred, one for a couple of cars which were tightly sandwiched together between turns three and four which required several wreckers to rectify, but the big scare occurred on lap twenty as a multi car tangle on the back straight sent Rookie of the Year competitor, Tom Austin sailing off the back stretch and well out of sight. Upon arrival by the Woodhull Rescue Unit, Austin was found to be unconscious after his mount had clobbered a dirt embankment well off the racing surface. After several very anxious moments, the veteran wheelman was responding and ultimately extricated through the roof of the car. Albeit very badly bruised and shaken, Austin was checked over at the track by medical personnel; however his machine was far too badly damaged for any further competition. After racing resumed, Billy VanPelt and his brother Curt were once again putting on the show of the night. Swapping the lead back and forth well over a dozen times the brothers VanPelt put on a dynamite show for the fans. Nipping right at their heels however was last years Track Champion, Steve Hartman Sr. On several occasions Hartman was able to put a wheel under both of the VanPelt’s as the three ran side by side while distancing themselves from the rest of the field. At the three quarter mark, Curt’s mount suffered a mechanical problem forcing him to the infield and out of competition leaving brother Billy to contend with Hartman Sr. for the win and the Series Title. With attrition taking its toll and several key players falling by the wayside, it was down to the final checkered of the season for the Modifieds and for the fourth straight time to end the year, Billy VanPelt once again was in victory lane. It capped off a tremendous second half of the year for the Ted White Racing pilot as not only did he win the race, but he also won the additional $1000 top prize for claiming the Three Race Modified Series. Hartman was second across the line as Dale Welty once again put on a rock solid performance for third while Donnie Lawson and Brian Terwilliger rounded out the top five. Ken Peoples Jr. was next across the line followed by Bob Davis, Dylan Dewert, Stacy Jackson is a brand new car while Dave Dubois was tenth. For rookie drivers, Terwilliger and Peoples it was their best runs of the year.
Twenty –Two NAPA Super Stocks were on hand for the action requiring three qualifying heat races which were claimed by Greg Galligan, Rich Marlatt and Larry Knowles and in their 20 lap feature event it was Rich Marlatt back in victory lane for the second consecutive week as he put on a late race charge to beat the second place machine of Greg Galligan. For Marlatt, it did not come easy as he definitely did not have a first place car most of the event; however with five to go he went to the outside of the raceway where he definitely found the extra speed to drive past Galligan and onto victory. Kenny Peoples Sr. made things very interesting for both Galligan and Marlatt as on several occasions he put a wheel besides making a three car race to the finish, however Peoples had to settle for third while Greg Crooker stayed clean throughout the race to claim fourth with Mike Hilfiger dogging Crooker across the line for fifth. Brett Flint led the charge of the next group of five across the finish line followed by Jason Knowles, Mark Costa, Glenn Whritenour and Mike Whritenour. The Super Stock feature had only a few yellow flags slowing the event.
The Morgan’s Auto Repair Street Stock Division was next on the track for their twenty lap feature and with twenty-eight cars in competition it was rush hour traffic throughout the entire event. As always, three and sometimes four abreast action was common as the Street stocks once again put on a terrific show for the fans. Dave Davis, who had won a feature event earlier in the season at Woodhull, had the Ford power plant just a perking as he jumped to point in a hurry and never looked back throughout the entire event. Only a real late race challenge by Dave Gee made it interesting as like Marlatt before him, Gee moved to the outside of the track with but a few laps remaining and was able to dispose of several competitors on route to the front. However, it was too little to late for Gee as he had to settle for second followed by Mike Williams, Dan Gordan, and Gary Archer. Brian Austin was next followed by Nate Dunning, Ken Thomas, Cliff Moss and Jeff Smith. Qualifying heat races were won by Josh Nobriga, Rich Sharpsteen and Tony Foth. As part of their involvement as a sponsor of the Street Stock Division, Morgan’s Auto Repair of Woodhull sponsored the $1200, Race of Champions event where eleven different feature event winners from the 2004 season put it on the line in this special fifteen lap affair and as expected there was plenty of excitement. Rubbing and racing, framming and jamming was the norm throughout the distance with drivers bouncing off the walls and off each other trying to claim the top price of $225 plus the six foot tall trophy. Dave Gee was the winner of the Morgan’s Race of Champions followed by Dan Gordan, Ken Thomas, Cliff Moss and Dave Davis.
The Signs Plus Mini Stocks were next on the high banked one-third of a mile clay oval for their twenty lap feature as twenty-six cars took the opening green flag. Art Goodier of Osceola, Pa. had been a regular at Woodhull several years ago and then did a disappearing act. He returned at mid season this year and has been a threat to win every time he had been on the track. With problems in his own mount, Goodier had been driving the Ray Hyer machine the past few weeks and on this night was not going to be denied. Even a white flag challenge by Ryan Davenport could not stop Goodier as he nearly took out both machines in an attempt to stave off the high flying Davenport. At the checkered flag it was Goodier first with Davenport second while Bob Tompkins held on for a well deserved third place finish followed by Don Knowles and Bill Shea. Scott Madison was sixth followed by Laverne Knickerbocker III, Dennis Erdmann, Rick McDaniels and Mike Pickering.. Heat races were won by Shea, Davenport and Knowles.
Earlier in the evening the S&W Awards and Photos Warriors were on the track for their ten lap feature event and new comer, Justin Longacre made short work of the nine car field. By the luck of the draw, Longacre started on the point and was never challenged throughout the event as the race went green to checker. One race, one win not a bad track record for Longacre who announced that he would be back for next weeks season finale. He was followed across the line by Shane Pickering, Derek Mills, Brett Marlatt and Mike Jackson.
Schoonover Electric was onboard as the event sponsor with beautiful plaques going to all feature event winners. Once again a jammed pit area, huge crowd and an over $1000, 50/50 with the non-winners share going into the Dennison Children’s Trust Fund in which the track also donated $1000. During intermission it was the Fifth Annual On-Track Awards Ceremony where some $25,000 was handed out to all of the top point finishers. Next week, Sept. 18 it will the season finale at Woodhull as the BRP Can Am Super Stocks will replace the DIRT 358 Modifieds as part of a Full Fendered Frenzy. It will be the first ever appearance for the BRP Super Stocks where some forty cars are expected to see action. Also on the card the Woodhull/Black Rock Super Stocks will race for heat money of $250 per event and an added purse feature. It will be an Open Street Stock Show with $400 to win. The Mini Stock feature winner will claim $200 and as always the Warriors will be on hand to round out the “Fan”-tastic Five Card of Events. The night of activity will be sponsored by Davis Contracting of Lindley.
WOODHULL RACEWAY RESULTS 9/11/04
DIRT 358 MODIFIEDS 31 cars
Heats Dylan Dewert Aaron Jacobus Roger Williams Dale Welty
B-Main Tom Austin Sr.
40 lap Feature 1) Billy VanPelt, 2) Steve Hartman Sr., 3) Dale Welty, 4) Donnie Lawson, 5) Brian Terwilliger, 6) Kenny Peoples Jr., 7) Bob Davis, 8) Dylan Dewert, 9) Stacy Jackson, 10) Dave Dubois
NAPA SUPER STOCKS 22 cars
Heats Greg Galligan Rich Marlatt Larry Knowles
20 lap Feature 1) Rich Marlatt, 2) Greg Galligan, 3) Ken Peoples Sr., 4) Greg Crooker, 5) Mike Hilfiger, 6) Brett Flint, 7) Jason Knowles, 8) Mark Costa, 9) Glenn Whritenour, 10) Mike Whritenour
MORGAN’S AUTO REPAIR STREET STOCKS 28 cars
Heats Josh Nobriga Rich Sharpsteen Tony Foth
20 lap Feature 1) Dave Davis, 2) Dave Gee, 3) Mike Williams, 4) Dan Gordan 5) Gary Archer, 6) Brian Austin, 7) Nate Dunning, 8) Ken Thomas, 9) Cliff Moss, 10) Jeff Smith
MORGAN'S AUTO REPAIR RACE OF CHAMPIONS 11 cars
1) Dave Gee, 2) Dan Gordan, 3) Ken Thomas, 4) Cliff Moss, 50 Dave Davis
SIGNS PLUS MINI STOCKS 28 cars
Heats Bill Shea Ryan Davenport Don Knowles
20 lap feature 1) Art Goodier, 2) Ryan Davenport, 3) Bob Tompkins, 4) Don Knowles 5) Bill Shea, 6) Scott Madison, 7) Laverne Knickerbocker III, 8) Dennis Erdmann, 9) Rick McDaniels, 10 Mike Pickering
S&W AWARDS AND PHOTOS WARRIORS 9 cars
10 lap Feature 1) Justin Longacre, 2) Shane Pickering, 3) Derek Mills, 4) Brett Marlatt, 5) Mike Jackson