GABRIEL AND COOK SHARE THUNDER MOUNTAIN LAURELS
On Helluva Good Cheese, Frito Lay and Fan Appreciation night, Jimmy Gabriel led wire to wire in the thirty lap Modified feature while Chad Cook spoiled Brian Decker’s first win of 2003 dreams at the finish line in a very exciting Sportsman twenty lapper. Other winners on this fantastic night of racing included Mark Wainwright in the Street Stocks, Mike Wilbur in the Pure Stocks, Gordie Isham in the Four Cylinder Modifieds, Harold Humphrey in the Four Cylinder Stocks and Jeff Wilcox got his first career win in the twelve lap-thirteen car Thunder Dog go.
A three week low handicap put the highflying Gabriel on the point for the Modified feature. Running mate J. R. Hurlburt stayed with Gabriel for the early going as point leader Brian Weaver went to the pits on lap one. The was event was only slowed a couple of times and each time Gabriel was able to open up an gap between himself and now second place Brent Wilcox who had gotten by Hurlburt for second.
Weaver later rejoined the fray numerous laps down just trying to pick up positions in the final tally as Gabriel cruised easily to his second win of the year. Wilcox challenged briefly but had to settle for the runner-up spot while Hurlburt, Paul Jensen and Chris Weaver rounded out the top five.
Cliff Pierce led the early going of the twenty lap Sportsman event before rookie sensation Dusty Jagger took over the top spot on lap five. Meanwhile the heavy hitters, Billy Spoonhower and Chad Cook were working their way through traffic in an effort to catch the front running duo of Jagger and Brian Decker. Decker got by Jagger on lap fifteen and looked to be in command of the race until Cook passed Spoonhower on lap sixteen and Jagger a lap later to grab second. Decker had what seemed to be an insurmountable lead but lap by lap Cook closed the gap until the white flag flew and Cook was right along side Decker going into turn one. Decker was able to keep Cook at bay until the final turn of the wheel when Cook dove low coming off turn four and had just enough horsepower to inch out a victory or a disappointed Decker. Jagger came home third followed by Spoonhower in fourth and Ken Titus in fifth.
Denny Decker looked strong in the early going of the twenty lap Street Stock feature but Mark Wainwright, Larry Hillis and Harold Humphrey had other ideas. This foursome separated themselves from the pack and fought a dynamite duel for most of the distance. Wainwright got by Decker late in the race to take the win, keep himself solidly in the points chase, and get his third win of the year. Hillis was right on his back bumper for second followed by Humphrey in third, Denny Decker came home fourth while another point’s challenger, and Wade Decker was fifth. Point leader J. T. McKernan was right behind Wade Decker for sixth.
The twenty lap Pure Stock race was a ding dong battle between defending champion Mike Wilbur and a strong running Howard Jones. The duo battled back and forth for a number with the outcome hanging in the balance. In the end Wilbur held forth with Jones a close second. Point leader Buck Mills came back from a heat race incident to grab off third while Butch Green and Max Mosher Jr. rounded out the top five.
Once again the Four Cylinder Modified feature was a two car battle between the “ageless one” Gordie Isham and the “youngster” Ken Stafford. In the end Isham used all the knowledge from his thirty-five plus years behind the wheel to hold off the very quick Stafford for the win. For the third week in a row John Powers came in third followed by Duane Knapp in the fourth spot and Mark Reynolds showed in fifth.
Harold Humphrey showed that getting to the front first was the number one priority in winning the fifteen lap Four Cylinder Stock feature and getting the win meant holding off the fast Bob Doolittle. Humphrey accomplished both of those feats in grabbing off the win and staying in front of Doolittle in the points chase. Another third went to the very consistent Fred Newton II, newcomer Ed Hammond followed him, and completing the top five for the first time ever was John Carter.
A competitor at Thunder Mountain since it opened, Jeff Wilcox never had tasted victory until last Saturday night in the twelve lap Thunder Dog event. Wilcox took over the top spot from Ken Baker on lap eight and never looked back. Baker faded to fourth at the end behind Tim Parker and point leader Tim Parker. Getting the fifth spot was David Ackley.
Next week will be a regular show of Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Four Cylinder Stocks, Four Cylinder Modifieds and Thunder Dogs and don’t forget on August 17th, a Sunday evening, the Pure Stock event of the year. Hurricane on the Mountain paying a whopping $1455 to the winner of the 55 lap event. This promises to be the race of the year for the highly competitive class. With all sorts of money to be paid out it also promises to be an over abundance in cars coming to the “Mountain” for the first time. Also on that card will be the NEARA Tour event for the IMCA type Modifieds, The Street Stocks and the Thunder Dogs. Gates open for the Saturday show at 4:00 with racing set to begin at 6:30. Thunder Mountain is located just off New York Route 79 in Center Lisle just a few short miles off I81 at Whitney Point.