HAERS WINS FIRST EVER DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE AT FULTON SPEEDWAY IN IMPRESSIVE FASHION ON JE PISTONS NIGHT
FULTON, NY...Justin Hears won his first ever Fulton Speedway DIRT 358 Modified in impressive fasion last Saturday on JE Pistons Night. Haers was the driver that stopped the early season dominance of Dale Planck as well as beating top drivers like Alan Johnson, Danny Johnson and Tim Fuller. Haers worked up patiently from the 12th starting position and once in front he never faltered. The victory for the driver of the Phelps Cement Products DIRT 358 Modified was worth $1,500.
Paul Kinney jumped out to the early lead at the start of the JE Pistons DIRT 358 Modified feature from the outside pole starting position. Kinney was fast from the start and after five circuits he continued to lead and was being chased by Jim Mahaney, Alan Johnson, Don Spatorico and Andy Powell. Kinney would lead the first 12 laps of the main event over the 25-car starting field.
Mahaney took the top spot away from Kinney on lap 13. The former Fulton Speedway Track Champion would lead the field until lap 16. Haers came away with the top spot on lap 17 as he moved from the fourth position to the lead in just one circuit. At the halfway point of the main event Haers was followed in the top five by Spatorico, Planck, Fuller and Mahaney.
Planck moved by Spatorico on lap 21 to move into second. Planck, the winner of the firsts two features at Fulton Speedway this season, quickly closed in on Hears. On several occasions Planck looked to dive under Haers, but was never able to move by. In the late going in lapped traffic Haers was flawless and went on to his first ever DIRT 358 Modified feature win at the Home of the Dynomax Victoria 200.
Planck had to settle for second with Fuller finishing a strong third. Danny Johnson made the charge of the race in the late going to finish fourth with Spatorico finishing a solid fifth. Alan Johnson, Jeff Rudalavage, Todd Burley, John Barker and Tom Sears finished in positions sixth through tenth respectively in the very competitive field.
Donnie Wetmore Jr. won his first Fulton Speedway DIRT Sportsman feature race of the season last Saturday night in a thrilling three car battle. Greg Doust, Bill Shantel Jr., Eric Richardson and Jim Bowman completed the top five feature finishers behind Wetmore. In the closing laps Wetmore was able to hold off both Shantel and Doust to record the popular victory.
T.J. Fitzgibbons won his first Fulton Speedway DIRT Pro Stock main event of the 2003 season at Fulton Speedway last Saturday night. Jeremy Clark, Phil Retter, Ray Maloney and Jason Rood followed Fitzgibbons across the finish line. Fitzgibbons became the third different feature winner in three races this season.
Ricky Degroff won his first ever Fulton Speedway Pure Stock feature in a photo finish over Chris Cunningham last Saturday night. Degroff got the advantage over Cunningham by inches at the finish line. Bill Flask, Mark Davison and Rob Whipple followed the lead duo across the finish line.
Dan Hofmann Sr. was the winner of the Four Cylinder Enduro main event last Saturday night. Terry Engerbretsen, Jerry Herbert, Troy Engerbretsen and Chad Guthrie followed the winner across the finish line.
Racing will continue this Saturday at Fulton Speedeway when the ARDC Midgets join the DIRT 358 Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, DIRT Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and the Four Cylinder Enduro racers for a big Memorial Day Weekend show. Action will start at 7 p.m. For more information please contact the track office at 315-593-6531 or the race line at 668-RACE. On line information is available at www.fultonspeedway.com.
JE PISTONS FEATURE RACE SUMMARY
DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE---Justin Haers, Dale Planck, Tim Fuller, Danny Johnson, Don Spatorico, Alan Johnson, Jeff Rudalavage, Todd Burley, John Barker, Tom Sears, Tom Kinsella, Jim Mahaney, Tim Burnett, Roy Shields, Paul Kinney, Scott Brady, Jim Witko, Dave Rauscher, Tom Juhl, Jimmy Phelps, John Ramsey, Jeremy Smith, Andy Powell, Bob Holland, Pete Taylor.
DIRT SPORTSMAN FEATURE---Donnie Wetmore Jr., Greg Doust, Bill Shantel Jr., Eric Richardson, Jim Bowman, Steve Way, Tim Sears, Scott Binns, Jim Livingston, Walt McArdell, Mike Conrow, Dan Vail, Mark Yorker, Mike Holmes, Tom Bliss, Mike Bowman, Ron Loveless, Tim Cornell, Chad Phelps, Ryan Richardson, Jeremy Pitcher, John Juhl, Jim Kite, Terry Knoblach.
DIRT PRO STOCK FEATURE---T.J. Fitzgibbons, Jeremy Clark, Phil Retter, Ray Maloney, Jason Rood, Scott Moyer, Todd Raabe, Dave Meeks, Jack Terrell, Scott Beees, Paul Stoneburg, Ricky Breed, Bernie Merithew, Alan Fink, Rick Dauenhauer, Lee Burnett, Pat Hobbs, John Pietrowicz.
PURE STOCK FEATURE---Ricky Degroff, Chris Cunningham, Bill Flask, Mark Davison, Rob Whipple, Gary Barton, Steve Woodworth, Phil Marsden, Jim Wallace, John Phillips, Todd Storace, Russ Marsden, Joe Buske, Jay McGillicuddy, Jim Cronin, Gary Donahue, Pat Sullivan, Irving Casler, Dave Stoughtenger, Don Stevenson.
FOUR CYLINDER ENDURO TOP FIVE---Dan Hofmann Sr., Terry Engerbretsen, Jerry Herbert, Troy Engerbretsen, Chad Guthrie.