GIL TEGG AND DALE WELTY BIG WINNERS AT BLACK ROCK
DUNDEE, NY……..Gil Tegg Jr. pulled down his second 358 Modified feature win of the season last Friday night at the Black Rock Speedway. Dale Welty took the big win in the 50 lap Elmira/Ithaca Auto Paint PPG Super-Stock feature, Eddie Machuga took his second win in a row in the Regional Pro-Trucks, and in the 4 Cyl. Stocks there were two first time winners. Josh Mills took his first win of the season in the first feature, while rookie Steven Ovens got his first ever win in this division. Ray Speicher took his eighth feature win in the Black Rock Bandits.
The 358 Modified feature's complexion changed on the opening lap as there was a log jam in turns 3 and 4, point leader Steve Paine was caught up in the jam, and took his 7X pit side with damaged to the right front. Not only did he have a flat tire, but it was not rolling. He did not return to the race. Ron White and Brian Swarthout raced for the early lead, Gil Tegg was on the move quickly and was third on lap four. Swarthout took over the lead on lap five in turn three. One lap later on the back straight Swarthout went spinning through the infield, there may have been contact between himself and Ron White. The 14 went to the tail of the field. This put Gil Tegg in the lead, with Bill Deming in second, third was Bryon Turner, Ron White was fourth, and Chuck Graham was fifth. Once out in front, Tegg began to pull away, and went on to score his second win of the season at Black Rock. Bill Deming, Bryon Turner, Ron White and Chuck Graham filled out the top five. Heats were won by, Ron White, Gil Tegg, and Donnie Lawson.
The big race of the night was to be the Elmira/Ithaca Auto Paint PPG 50 lap feature for the Super-Stocks. This is the only extra distance event for this division in the 2002 season. Quinn Sutherland took the early lead with Chris McCann following in second. Dave Fultz was on the move early in this one and was second by lap five. Dale Welty also was moving to the front, and he was third by lap eight. Lap fifteen saw Fultz take the lead in a three wide move down the back straight. It was shortly after this that Dale Welty made the first of many pit stops for an over heating 1-2-3. Fultz continued to lead the event, with Quinn Sutherland and Alan Crooker in hot pursuit. As the laps clicked off, Welty battled his way back up through the field and was in second by lap 29. This set up a classic battle between these two veteran drivers that would go right down to the wire. They raced side by side for the remaining laps with Welty sometimes scrubbing the inside wall. On the fourth turn of the last lap, Fultz got caught behind a lapped car, and Welty ducked under him to take the dramatic win, as the crowd was on their feet cheering. What was even more amazing, Welty said in a post race interview that he drove the last few laps of the race with no brakes! A disappointed Dave Fultz held on to second, third was Rob Conklin, fourth went to Quinn Sutherland, and Bill Miller filled out the top five. Heats were won by, Alan Crooker, and Quinn Sutherland.
Eddie Machuga was victorious for the second week in a row in the Regional Pro-Trucks. Jeff Barner took the early lead with lady driver, Serenity Sutherland in second. Sutherland took the lead on lap 6, but spun the #37 in turn four one lap later. She hit the inside wall, and kept on going. At this point Ron Divens was in the lead, with Machuga a tight second. Lap 11 saw a yellow flag for the #37 of Serenity Sutherland, as she stopped on the front straight. A spring had come off the #37 after she hit the wall. Machuga took the lead on lap 16 with the #19 of point leader Steve Brace in second. At the checkers it was Eddie Machuga in for his second win in a row, Brace held on for second, third was Jeff Barner, fourth went to Fred Buckley, and Doug Buckley filled out the top five. Heats were won by, Jeff Barner, and Brian Metcalf.
In the first of two 4 Cyl. Stock features, Josh Mills took his first win of the 2002 season. Filling up the top five were, Kevin Young, Karl Weichenthal, Ray Hyer, and Ryan Davenport.
There was another first time winner in the second 4 Cyl. Stock feature, as rookie Steven Ovens pulled off his first win ever in the division. He and Phil Yaw were hooked up in a two car battle for the win. It was the rookie against the veteran, and the two were trading paint on the last lap, but youth was served on this night as Ovens took the popular win, Yaw was a close second, third was Mike Hughey, fourth went to Donnie Smith, and Nathan Daggett filled up the top five. Heats were won by, Josh Mills, Kevin Young, Tim Povoski, and Mike Hughey.
Ray Speicher took his 8th win of the season in the Black Rock Bandits as he finished ahead of Josh Smith, Jamie Schuyler, George Park Jr., and Andy Wolfe.
DIG SAFELY N.Y. RACE SUMMARY:MODIFIEDS(25 LAPS)GIL TEGG JR., Bill Deming, Bryon Turner, Ron White, Chuck Graham, Charlie Donk, Brian Swarthout, Alex Hoag, Tom Juhl, Tim Sebring, John Moravec, Dave Yehl, Jim Roberts, Aaron Jacobus, Ken Johnson, Karl Comfort, Stacy Jackson, Mike Jackson, Derrick Podsiadlo, Donnie Lawson, Fran Hilton, Steve Paine.
ELMIRA/ITHACA AUTO PAINT PPG;SUPER-STOCKS(50 LAPS)DALE WELTY, Dave Fultz, Rob Conklin, Quinn Sutherland, Bill Miller, Randy Eggleston, Chris McCaan, Dave DuBois, Jeff Hand, John Sutryk, Eddie Mills, AlanCrooker, Rich Karlnoski, Jim Schuyler, Bobby Teed, Fred Buckley, Carl Cleveland, Mike Carapella, Jeff Hall, Sparky Hills.
REGIONAL PRO-TRUCKS(20 LAPS):EDDIE MACHUGA, Steve Brace, Jeff Barner, Fred Buckley, Doug Buckley, Tom Austin, Brian Doolittle, Keith Austin, Don Divens, Fran Furch, Ron Divens, Bob Buono, Brian Metcalf, Serenity Sutherland, Tom Kessler, Ron Perry.
4 CYL. STOCKS RACE #1(15 LAPS):JOSH MILLS, Kevin Young, Karl Weichenthal, Ray Hyer, Ryan Davenport, Alfy Clark, Scott Yaw, Terry Povoski, Jack Ayres, Jared Hill, Mike Brace, Edgar McCloud, Dave Little, Brian Crawford, Mike Smalley, Jake Clancey, Willy Grant Jr., Johnny Conway.
4 CYL. STOCKS RACE #2(15 LAPS):STEVEN OVENS, Phil Yaw, Mike Hughey, Donnie Smith, Nathan Daggett, Chad Ayers, Jason White, Mark Hills, Trevor Bentley, Eddie Crawford, Shawn Resue, Les Irwin, Mike Buchanan, Tim Povoski, Dan Flynn, Chuck Leasure, Gene DuPuy, George Park Sr.
BLACK ROCK BANDITS;(10 LAPS)RAY SPEICHER, Josh Smith, Jamie Schuyler, George Park Jr., Andy Wolfe, Laverne Knickerbocker III, Trevor Sutherland, Andy Jackson, Nick Zammett, Cody Marshall, Brian Vickio, Randy McDonald, Justin Divens, Brent Ayers, Rich Kelly, Justin Karlnoski, Brady Fultz, Brett Crawford, Adam Austin.
BY DON DUNHAM, P.R. DIRECTOR