FULTON ARDC MIDGET MAIN TO ED STIMELY JR.; JOHNSON 358 VICTOR; CARNER, MOYER, MANNISE ALSO PICK UP CHECKERED FLAGS
Fulton, NY…Ed Stimely Jr. took advantage of early leader Kevin Bastian’s mechanical misfortune and scored a victory in the ARDC Midget Feature on Carson Automotive Group night at Fulton on Saturday. Alan Johnson, Gregg Carner, Scott Moyer, and Dave Mannise also won their respective feature events.
The ARDC group started 23 Midgets in their feature event, with Jill Canuso putting her 67 out front early. Her lead lasted just three laps until former Micro-Sprint racer Kevin Bastian put his 8k on top.
Points leader Ray Bull was charging through the field in rapid fashion, and took second briefly before both he and top runner Bryan Kobylarz encountered terminal mechanical problems at the same time and dropped out of the event around lap 9.
Bastian was still the leader, but Stimely was now giving chase. Lap 14 saw Bastian join the list of casualties as his mount became inoperable, ending his day early. Stimely was now the leader with Mark Freeland giving chase.
The battle between Stimely and Freeland had the crowd roaring with approval as the pair sliced their way around Fulton’s high-banked oval. As the pair crossed the finish line less than half a car length apart, the grandstand erupted with applause and shouts of appreciation for the race they had just seen.
It was Stimely at the line over Freeland, Don Trent, Mike Krause, and Jill Canuso. Members of the ARDC organization said they were excited about racing at Fulton, and were hoping to return for the 2001 season.
Jeff Rudalavage and Ty Hunt started the 35-lap Modified main in the front row, and the pair swapped the lead for the first two laps before the 112 of Rudalavage gained full control.
A front-straightaway melee on lap 2 sent Pat Lynch and Erik Van Sciver to the pits, and also involved the 77x of Dale Planck. Planck was able to continue, and would eventually finish the event in the top five.
Alan Johnson and Jimmy Phelps, the perennial front-runners at Fulton in 2000, worked their way through the field as Rudalavage and Gus Schmidt were battling for the lead. By the time the halfway signal was given, Johnson found himself leading the event with Phelps running in fourth.
As the 18th circuit went into the history books it was Johnson, Schmidt, Rudalavage, Jimmy Phelps, and Roger Phelps in the top five. Jason Barney, Gil Tegg, Dale Planck, J.J. Michaels, and Tim Murphy Jr. were mixing it up just behind the lead group as there was action all the way through the competitive 358 field.
It took just seven more laps for Jimmy Phelps to pick up second, and when Mike Ward’s 45m stalled in turn four to bring out a yellow flag on lap 25 the stage was set for another fantastic finish.
Though Phelps tried both the top and bottom grooves, he couldn’t stay with Johnson’s black 14j. Alan cruised over the last few laps to pick up the checkered flag, with Phelps, Schmidt, Barney, and Planck rounding out the top five.
Carner’s victory in the DIRT Sportsman event was not an easy one, as he took the lead from a strong running Dave Bargabos on lap 9. Willie Decker was up to a challenge, and moved his 1x quickly into second, and made it two yellow cars in the first two spots.
Action was hot and heavy for third on back, but when the checkers flew it was Carner outperforming Decker for the win. Greg Doust, Jim Bowman, and young Clayt Brewer rounded out the top five.
Scott Moyer won the Pro-Stock feature event, but the victory was overshadowed by a bizarre incident on lap 11 when the 10 of Chuck Matthews went over the outside wall between the first and second corners. Matthews, who had spun in front of the field on the first lap of the event, was thankfully not injured in the incident.
The race continued after about a 30-minute delay to retrieve the battered Matthews race car, and a fantastic four-car contest for the lead developed between Jerry Holmes, Jason Rood, Moyer, and Ray Maloney. Rood spun on the 16th lap, as John Pietrowicz simultaneously lost a tire on his 1 car bringing out the yellow.
Moyer had just taken the lead at that point and went on for the win with Maloney finishing second. Holmes, Joe Jackson, and Paul Stoneburg rounded out the top five.
Dave Mannise, in his second week back at Fulton, defeated Darren Kelso and Chad Ray to score his first checkered flag of the year at the speedway. Some great racing took place amongst the leaders, and Jeff Pastorella and Paul Mercier crossed the line fourth and fifth as Jay Finch was losing a tire on the final lap.
The all-new Slingshot Series made its debut at Fulton on Saturday, and the 624 of J.J. Coursy made the history books as the first ever Fulton feature winner in this class. Former Quarter-Midget Champion Kyle Reuter ran with Coursy early, but dropped out with mechanical failure and left Coursy with a huge lead he would never relinquish.
The next event at Fulton is June 10th, as Parts Plus and NGK Spark Plugs will be the night’s sponsors. The Dwarf Cars and Slingshots will join the DIRT 358 Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, DIRT Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks for what should be a great evening of racing.
June 10th is also Family Autograph Night at Fulton, which means all fans attending the event will have an opportunity during intermission to meet and greet their favorite drivers and get autographs and photos. This is always one of the more popular events at Fulton, and should be well attended.
Gates open at 5pm with race time scheduled for 7pm. For more information, contact the speedway office at (315) 593-6531 or find them online at www.fultonspeedway.com.
MODIFIEDS: ALAN JOHNSON, Jimmy Phelps, Gus Schmidt, Jason Barney, Dale Planck, Jeff Rudalavage, Gil Tegg, Roger Phelps, J.J. Michaels, Ryan Baye, Tim Murphy Jr., Roy Shields, Ty Hunt, Lance Petzoldt, John Barker, Aaron Jacobus, Mike Hulsizer, Bill Shantel Sr., Pete Taylor, Mike Ward, Dave Reilly, Steve Hulsizer, Erik Van Sciver, Pat Lynch. NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader: Johnson. Heat wins: J. Phelps, Tegg, R. Phelps. Consi: Baye.
SPORTSMAN: GREGG CARNER, Willie Decker, Greg Doust, Jim Bowman, Clayt Brewer, Dave Bargabos, Tim Sears, Walt McCardell, Shane Donath, John Cunningham, Paul Kinney, Chad Phelps, Mark Yorker, Bill Shantel Jr., Ron Richardson, Rich Keller, Tom Collins, Tom Mettler, Jimmy Kite, Tim Johnson, Butch Reiter, Brian Murphy, Russ Hefti, Paul Benz. NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader: Carner. Heat wins: Brewer, Decker, Phelps. Consi: Hefti.
PRO STOCKS: SCOTT MOYER, Ray Maloney, Jerry Holmes, Joe Jackson, Paul Stoneburg, Keith Butler, Danny Winks, Jason Rood, Paul Strieff, Ryan Buske, Dave Fox, John Pietrowicz, Rick Breed, Herm Flowers, Chuck Matthews, Jamie Rees, T.J. Fitzgibbons. NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader: Holmes. Heat wins: Holmes, Moyer.
PURE STOCKS: DAVE MANNISE, Darren Kelso, Chad Ray, Jeff Pastorella, Paul Mercier, Ken Connor, Rob Seavy, Bruce Stanton, Bobby Newman, Jeremy Bargabos, Joe Buske, Todd Koegel, Dennis Brown, Ron Hawker, Adam Morely, John Nickerson, Jay Finch, Mark Effner, Gary Barton, Scott Beeles, Bill Lashen. NGK Spark Plugs Halfway Leader: Mannise. Heat wins: Ray and Finch.