PETE BICKNELL SCORES 2nd BACK-TO-BACK SDW 358 CHAMPIONSHIP
By: Ken Kuhlman
SYRACUSE,NY...St. Catharines, Ontario's Pete Bicknell captured back-to-back victories in the 358 Modified Championship during Super DIRT Weeks 1982 and '83 at the New York State Fairgrounds.
Saturday Bicknell executed that feat for an unprecedented second time in strong fashion, taking the $20,000-to-win Sunoco Race Fuels 200 on the heels of doing the same a year ago.
With 57 cars starting the 125-mile grind, Bicknell had to chase three-time race winner Brett Hearn for the initial 29 circuits. Once "Mr. Small-Block" grabbed the lead, Hearn opted to make his mandatory pit stop under green flag conditions.
Three laps later Bicknell mirrored the move enabling Todd Wilkinson to inherit the number one slot. When Wilkinson also headed pitside for his mandatory stop, Doug Hoffman took over the lead, bouncing back from two early race pit stops.
Riding second was sportsman graduate K.C. Goewey, who had yet to make his required stop pitside.
Hoffman continued to show the way at the halfway point, taking the $1,000 bonus from Terrell Potato Chips. Eleven laps later, third place running Billy Decker slowed, enabling Bicknell to move back into the thick of things taking third.
It would take Bicknell another seven circuits to find a route around the impressive Goewey to take over the runner-up slot. On the 88th tour Bicknell took the low side past Hoffman going into the first turn to once again claim the top spot.
Goewey finally did make his pit stop with 33 laps remaining allowing Danny Johnson to take over second.
A caution period ten laps shy of the finish tightened up the lead pack putting Bicknell and Johnson close together. But Bicknell would make easy work of things when green light conditions prevailed to take his fourth Syracuse triumph.
It made a clean slate of things for Bicknell at Super DIRT Week, taking fast time in record fashion on Thursday before winning a 20-lap qualifying race Friday.
Johnson of Phelps, NY held on for second, with Wilkinson of Sheffield, MA taking third. Fourth went to Rookie of the Race Jeff Trombley from Altamont, NY with Bethel, PA's Jeff Strunk rounding out the top-five.
Then came Jimmy Horton,Jr. of Neshanic Station, NJ; Mike Benson of Eagle Bridge, NY; Middlebury, VT's Todd Stone; Joe Winne of Kingston, NY and Tim Burnett of Canandaigua, NY.