FIRST TIME WINNERS PREVAIL AT OCFS
Middletown, NY: It was a night for first time winners led by John Finley of Mechanicstown, NY who won the Wallace Oil 30 lap big block feature for his first ever win in the division. Finley, who has only run in the big block division for 8 weeks, took the lead from his pole starting position.
In a crash filled main that required the field to be put single file on lap 8, Danny Johnson broke through to challenge Finley in the closing laps. A caution with one to go, gave Johnson his chance. Finley, a former driver in all other OCFS divisions here, hung on to become the 13th different feature winner here this season in 17 races.
Current point leader Chuck McKee increased his lead to 20 over Jeff Heotzler as both had forgettable evenings. Gary Edwards, Jr., Butch Tittle, and John Ferrier completed the top five.
In the first of the twin 358 features, Bobby Zwart of Bullville, NY edged Bud Christmann by .029 thousandths of a second to win his first ever small block feature. Zwart has run less than a dozen 358 features here. Chris Shultz, Bobby Hayes, Jr., and Heotzler rounded out the top five. Those that finished on the lead lap were inverted for the second 20 lap run with Jeff Heotzler of Wallkill, NY taking the win. It was four years to the day since Heotzler last won a 358 modified feature here. Heotzler's 20th career win ties him with his brother Ralph for 6th on the all time win list. McKee was second followed by John Ferrier, Jerry Higbie and Jackie Brown, Jr. Tim Hindley continues as the point leader.
The 20 lap DIRT Sportsman feature produced another first time winner as Rich Coons of Montgomery, NY paced the field across the line. Stan Jablonka cut David Van Horn's division lead to 6 by finishing 2nd. Van Horn was 3rd followed by Jimmy Johnson, and Bill Haley.
Saturday night is Old Timer's night with the Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, and Pro Stocks on tap plus a visit from the Northeast Vintage Dirt Modified Racing Club. Racing begins at 6:30 pm.
Modified Feature: John Finley, Johnson, Edwards, Tittle, J. Ferrier, Higbie, Whitehead, Dodd, F. Jashembowski, Eurich, R. Jashembowski, Mitchell, Werber, Hill, Wilson, McKee, Zachary, Markle, Strausser, Shultz, Heotzler, Albert, S. Ferrier, Paules, Meier, Tom Hindley, Goodrich
1st Heat-Rich Eurich, Jerry Higbie, Earl Paules, Scott Goodrich, Bobby Albert III; 2nd Heat- Gary Edwards, Jr., Steve Dodd, John Ferrier, Frank Jashembowski, Chris Whitehead; 3rd Heat- Butch Tittle, Ric Hill, Scott Ferrier, Russ Strausser, Tom Hindley; 4th Heat- Dave Werber, Tommy Meier, John Finley, Danny Johnson, Chris Shultz; Consi- Tim Hindley, Bill Wilson, Ray Jashembowski, Craig Mitchell, Jeremy Markle, Ed Zachary; Scratch: Tim Hindley
358 Modified Results:
1st Feature: Bobby Zwart, Christmann, Shultz, Hayes, Heotzler, McKee, Brown, Johnson, Mitchell, Meier, J. Ferrier, Hill, Napolitano, Tim Hindley, Barbagallo, Wrede, Tom Hindley, Greiner, Rizzo, Collwell, Behrent, Paes, Baker, S. Ferrier
2nd Feature: Jeff Heotzler, McKee, J. Ferrier, Higbie, Brown, Wrede, Christmann, Mitchell, Hayes, Meier, Barbagallo, Hill, Baker, Behrent, Colwell, Rizzo, Tom Hindley, Tim Hindley, Paes, Napolitano, Johnson, Zwart, Shultz, S. Ferrier, Greiner
1st Heat- Jerry Higbie, Jeff Heotzler, Tom Hindley, Danny Johnson, Bob Hayes, Jr., Joe Barbagallo,Jr., Tom Greiner, Tommy Behrent; 2nd Heat- Bobby Zwart, Jackie Brown, Jr., Chris Shultz, Chuck McKee, Craig Mitchell, John Ferrier, Benny Rizzo, Ken Baker; 3rd Heat- Tim Hindley, Tony Paes, Jr., Tommy Meier, Bud Christmann, Gary Napolitano, Billy Wrede, Ric Hill, Dennis Colwell, Scott Ferrier; Consi- None
Dirt Sportsman Feature: Rich Coons, Jablonka, Van Horn, J. Johnson, Haley, Yannone, Hufcut, Dunay, Paffenroth, Sturhann, Johnston, Marks, G. Johnson, Houghtaling, Bishop, Gaston, Sarvis, Cristiano, Grispin, Corry, Kolka, Travis, Ford, Harris, Mills, Ferrier
1st Heat- Kevin Paffenroth, Rich Coons, Bill Johnston, Neil Harris, Alan Houghtaling; 2nd Heat- Bill Haley, Ken Ferrier, Alan Sturhann, Brett Ford, Frank Cristiano; 3rd Heat- Jimmy Johnson, David Van Horn, Joe Dunay, Joe Sarvis, Bob Gaston; 4th Heat- Skip Travis, Jamie Yannone, Jessie marks, Stan Jablonka, Mike Kolka; Consi- Mark Hufcut, George Johnson, Clinton Mills, Cris Grispin, Mark Bishop, John Corry
Pure Stocks:
1st Feature- Emerson Cargain, Jr., Ron Irvin, Jim Finnegan, Bob Swanson, Charles Smith, Tony Garaguso, John Dore, Mike Vigaletti, Tom Collins, Sean Corr, Joe Dembeck, Matt Hartenstein, Jim Hajkowski
2nd Feature- Shawn Maher, Emerson Cargain, Mitch Frank, John Miracle, Leon Rixford, Don Carlson, Ray Tarantino, Bob Amicucci, Lisa Schoonmaker, Les Laska, Scott St. George, Car #87, William Kahrs