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Costa, Peoples Celebrate In Victory Lane After Closest Modified Finishes EVER At Woodhull





Race Report by: Robert Symonds – August 31st, 2020


(WOODHULL, NY) – Pizza N Stuff came back to sponsor a second night of racing action on the High Banks. It would end up being a great night with the Classics On Dirt Stock Car Club and the McCourt’s Auto Collision, Brett Knapp Photography NAPA Crate Sportsman Special 40 lap feature event. The threat of rain seemed to still loom over the event but it was flushed out of everyones mind when the event was underway.



First on the schedule was the Insinger Performance Modifieds with Dayton Brewer and Billy Van Pelt picking up qualifying heat races. Dylan Dewert in Frank Dunning’s 31 started on the pole with Mike Bills on the outside for the start of the 25 lap feature event. At the drop of the green, Joe Dgien catches the yuke tire and ends up spinning. Dgien would not be able to continue due to a broken front end. However on the restart, Van Pelt quickly pulled up alongside Dewert to take over the second spot while Bills takes over the lead. Donnie Lawson works by Dewert off turn two to take over third on lap 2, at the same time Van Pelt gets by Bills to take over the lead. It would only take a few laps for Costa to work the top line around the track to put himself into the top 5. Lawson moved up to second around Bills on lap 4 while Costa tries the bottom lane around Ajay Potrzebowski. However the top line seemed to be the best for the 02 as he moves into fourth and then past Bills on the bottom groove on the same lap to move to third.



Costa then went to work on Lawson to get by him on the top lane on lap 9. Dayton Brewer started 10th and was patiently making his way up through the field in his DKM Chassis as he worked by Brian Doolittle and Josh Nobriga to put himself in 7th. A midrace caution proved to be the best for Brewer as he worked by Ken Titus and Mike Bills to challenge Ajay Potrzebowski II for the fourth spot. Meanwhile up front Van Pelt continued to lead but Costa was slowly reeling him in after honing in the best groove. As they both enter lap traffic with 3 laps to go, Costa was on the back bumper of Van Pelt. Coming down to the white flag, Van Pelt and Costa were side by side for the lead off turn four but Costa was not able to make the pass. Van Pelt drifted through the middle in the final set of corners which allowed Costa to dig hard on the bottom. This set up a drag race to the finish line. Side by side at the line for the checkered flag was too close to call. The call from the head flagman, Tony Van Pelt, was Cory Costa by inches in the closest Insinger Performance Modified finish ever recorded. Billy Van Pelt had to settle for second, Donnie Lawson finished third, Ajay Potrzebowski II fourth, and Dayton Brewer fifth.



Second on the schedule was the Cummings Trucking RUSH Late Models. Clayton Tarbori and Kurt Stebbins dominate heat race events as Darin Horton and Steve LeBarron led the field to green. The battle for sixth early showed Tarabori, Joe Layfield, Brian Knowles, and Tony Kelley going four wide off turn two. It would be Tarabori claiming that spot but a yellow would slow the field. On the restart, Horton runs through the middle allowing him to take the lead on lap 2 over LeBarron. LeBarron tried to make the cushion work to get back by Horton but would spin and draw the yellow. Meanwhile Clayton Tarabori made his presence known, getting by Kurt Stebbins for third at the time of the restart. Jason Knowles would get tight on the exit of turn two allowing Tarabori to get by for second and would chase down Horton. Brian Knowles and John Waters both worked by Jason Knowles as Knowles had battled a tight race car all event. However back up front, Tarabori slides by Horton for the lead in turn three and takes over with 4 laps to go. Horton would fall back behind Brian Knowles as Knowles would get around him with 2 laps to go. Tarabori would go unchallenged in the final set of laps earning his first wins of 2020 over Brian Knowles, Darin Horton, John Waters, and Jason Knowles.

Next up was the Woodhull Auto Supply Hobby Stocks. Bill Williams and Chris Woodard share heat race wins and Williams would start on the pole position with AJ Neidermaier to the outside pole to start the 20 lap feature event. Chris Woodard would quickly take his Sanico 97 to the top side and work by Neidermaier for second while Williams leads early. Williams gets tight on the exit of turn 2 and allows Neidermaier to take over briefly. Woodard took to the cushion around the entire track and was able to take over the lead with only a few laps in the books. An early yellow would see a good restart from Mike Spencer as he was able to work the bottom groove to get around Williams for fourth. Scott Brown followed suit to get by Williams for fifth. Another restart near midrace would see Spencer getting by Neidermaier for third. However up front, no one was able to get by Chris Woodard for the lead as he would pick up the win over Jeredd Dennis, Mike Spencer, AJ Neidermaier, and Scott Brown.



The Classics On Dirt Stock Car Club would take to the track next with Ed Lawrence and Steve Longo picking up heat race victories. The Jumpin Jack Johnson look-a-like 12A fielded by Ron Kosienski was not able to make the feature due to a transmission issue. The Modified 10 of Mark Schenck would quickly pull away from the field. Matt Scott would find himself in a battle with Ed Lawrence and Tim Natalino for second. Roger Williams was able to work his way back up to join in the battle with Lawrence for fourth while Alan Byerly and Steve Longo due for sixth. Longo continued to work his way up through the field ultimately getting by Natalino for second running place on the track. In the end it would be Mark Schenck getting the checkered flag in the Modified division. Tim Natalino would win the Sportsman Modified division. Roger Williams wins the Classic 6 Cylinder division. Alan Byerly wins the Classic 8 Cylinder division.



The Johnsons Auto Supply Front Wheel Drives are the fifth division on the track. Garrett Wilson and Codie Baker win heat races while Tom Childs and Garrett Wilson lead the field to green. Childs would lead the opening lap but Wilson would switch lanes and go to the extreme bottom to take the lead over Childs with Nate Freeland in close tow. At the end of the second lap however it would be a five car battle for the lead with Scott Lehman Jr and Codie Baker joining the battle. Freeland and Baker move by Childs on the bottom to put themselves to second and third. Baker takes his go-balt to the top side and takes over second from Freeland. Baker then would try and work by Wilson but Wilson would try to block any sort of advance. Down the back stretch, Freeland and Baker try to split Wilson for the lead. Contact was made as Wilson tries to block Freeland on the bottom. Freeland has an issue in the 26 which draws the yellow. This exchange gives Baker the lead. Lehman Jr would work by Wilson for second. Meanwhile both Todd Mclain and Freeland work their way by Matt Prescott for a top 5 run. Freeland tried to work by Wilson for third and contact made between the two would draw the yellow and put both to the rear. Codie Baker however would hold on to win over Lehman Jr, Mclain, Prescott, and Childs.



The NAPA Crate Sportsmans were up next. This 40 lap special was put together by rookie competitor Christian Zschoche. Taking heat race wins were Tracy Dunn, Kenny Peoples Jr, Bob Butcher, and Isabel Barron with Connor Brown taking the consi win and moving on. Ted Morseman and Kenny Peoples Jr would lead the field to the green for the McCourts Auto Collision and Brett Knapp Photography 40 lap Special. Morseman would quickly take over the lead as Dale Welty took over second from Peoples with Barron running fourth and Cole Youse fifth. Youse secured the run he needed to get around Isabel Barron for fourth on the bottom groove. The lone car on the top groove was Jake Dgien as he attempts to work by Aiden Grover and Bob Butcher for seventh. The first yellow would come after 10 laps of green flag action to slow the field.



On the restart, Cayden Lawson was able to use the bottom lane to get by Isabel Barron for fifth. At this point, Peoples took to the top side to try and get a run going on Welty for second however the car would remain tight on the cushion so Peoples went back to the bottom groove to hold back Youse. AJ Costley running in the top 12 would be the reason for this next quick caution as he was stopped just off turn 4. A wild restart on lap 13 would see a red flag after a head on collision between Bob Butcher and Will Wood with Reese Hackett also being involved and getting heavy damage. All involved were ok and cleared by the Woodhull Volunteer Fire Department and EMTs. On the restart, Jake Dgien was able to work by Cayden Lawson to move into fifth. Later on, Welty tried to get by Morseman on the bottom but ran out of room quickly and ended up getting loose in front of Peoples. Contact between Welty and Peoples would have the 5K doing a wheel stand down the front stretch but still held on to second. In the final laps, Peoples closed in on a slowing Morseman for the field. Peoples went back to the cushion but this time he was able to make it work. Peoples would pull alongside Morseman for the lead. However off of turn four it would setup a drag race and at the line they were even by looking from the tower. The call coming from the head flagman once again would be the closest Sportsman Modified finish ever at the Woodhull Raceway with Kenny Peoples Jr getting the win over Teddy Morseman, Dale Welty, Cole Youse, and Jake Dgien.



The next class up was the Joe Willcox Performance Automatics Street Stocks as both Ted Morseman and Brett Marlatt took heat race wins with Luke Boom and Morseman leading the field to the green. Morseman able to get by Boom to lead lap 1 with Dan Gardner doing the same to take over second. Brett Marlatt makes a strong run on the bottom to get by Mike Williams for fourth while Brett Crawford and Glenn Whritenour fight their way up from the tail. Marlatt, Crawford, and Whritenour challenged Boom and made it by to put him back to sixth. Crawford now worked by Marlatt on the bottom to take over third on lap 5. The first yellow would slow the field but the restart was best for Crawford as he worked by Dan Gardner for second and would challenge Morseman for the lead. Whritenour was able to work around Gardner for third on the top groove. Crawford now was able to pull alongside and pass Morseman for the lead down the back stretch. Gardner and Marlatt have a heated battle for fourth which ends up with both cars spinning on the back stretch. However both cars would be able to make up the grounds lost in the remaining laps. Brett Crawford would pick up the win over Morseman, Whritenour, Marlatt, and Gardner.



The Big Jim’s Wicked Tees Woodhull Warriors and the Big Jim’s Wicked Tees Mini Stocks were rained out at the end of the evening but would be made up next week for Championship Night on the High Banks.



Woodhull Raceway Results – August 29, 2020 – Pizza N Stuff Night



Insinger Performance Modifieds (16 cars)

Heats: Dayton Brewer, Billy Van Pelt

Feature (25 laps): CORY COSTA, Billy Van Pelt, Donnie Lawson, Ajay Potrzebowski II, Dayton Brewer, Mike Bills, Ken Titus, Josh Nobriga, Brian Doolittle, Dylan Dewert, Sheldon Gardner, Sam Allen, Brady Fultz, Tony Pangrazio, Ed Lawrence, Joe Dgien



Cummings Trucking RUSH Late Models (13 cars)

Heats: Clayton Tarabori, Kurt Stebbins

Feature (20 laps): CLAYTON TARABORI, Brian Knowles, Darin Horton, John Waters, Jason Knowles, Steve LeBarron, John Haggerty, Jason McGregor, Chuck LaFleur, Joe Layfield, Kurt Stebbins, Jim Buck, Tony Kelley



Woodhull Auto Supply Hobby Stocks (18 cars)

Heats: Bill Williams, Chris Woodard

Feature (20 laps): CHRIS WOODARD, Jeredd Dennis, Mike Spencer, AJ Neidermaier, Scott Brown, Les Smith, Lee Bills, Carter Dennis, Bill Williams, Leo Eldridge, Mike Carapella, Zach Kriner, Jimmy Hollister, Jesse Tuthill, Nathan Kriner, Dennis Loucks

DNS- Glenn Aumick, Dick Wallace



Classics On Dirt Stock Car Club (10 cars)

Heats: Ed Lawrence, Steve Longo

Feature (20 laps)

Modifieds – Mark Schenck, Steve Longo, Matt Scott, Karl Weichenthal

Sportsman Modifieds- Tim Natalino, Ed Lawrence

Classic 6 Cylinders- Roger Williams, Jeff Mitchell

Classic 8 Cylinders- Alan Byerly

DNS- Ron Kosienski



Johnson’s Auto Supply Front Wheel Drives (13 cars)

Heats: Garrett Wilson, Codie Baker

Feature (20 laps): CODIE BAKER, Scott Lehman Jr, Todd Mclain, Matt Prescott, Tom Childs, Garrett Wilson, Wesley Houghtaling, Travis Southard, Nate Freeland, Jeff Lafler



NAPA Crate Sportsman (29 cars)

Heats: Tracy Dunn, Kenny Peoples Jr, Bob Butcher, Isabel Barron

Consi: Connor Brown

McCourt’s Auto Collision / Brett Knapp Photography Special (40 laps): KENNY PEOPLES JR, Ted Morseman, Dale Welty, Cole Youse, Jake Dgien, Art Goodier, Isabel Barron, Ajay Potrzebowski, Blake Lawson, Cayden Lawson, Connor Brown, Aiden Grover, Zack Sam, Nicole Hoag, Carter Crooker, AJ Costley, Adam Taft, Tracy Dunn, Craig Irvine, David Mayo, Chris Clemens, Christian Zschoche, Bob Butcher, Reese Hackett, Will Wood

DNQ- Danielle Thomas, Matt Sullivan, John Austin, Noah Talada



Joe Willcox Performance Automatics Street Stocks (13 cars)

Heats: Ted Morseman, Brett Marlatt

Feature (20 laps): BRETT CRAWFORD, Ted Morseman, Glenn Whritenour, Brett Marlatt, Dan Gardner, Luke Boom, Mike Williams, Austin Allen, Brandon Birdsall, Kane Stebbins, Jared Hill, Mick Seeley, Kurt Stebbins



Big Jim’s Wicked Tees Woodhull Warriors (9 cars)

Heat: Jacob Tubbs

Feature (10 laps): FEATURE TO BE MADE UP 9/5



Big Jim’s Wicked Tees Mini Stocks (10 cars)

Heats: Jason Ketrow, Travis Webster

Feature (20 laps): FEATURE TO BE MADE UP 9/5