SHEELY GETS FIRST EVER AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN
Long time Modified competitor Jeff Sheely of Schenectady grabbed off his first ever win at Thunder Mountain the thirty lap Modified feature last Saturday night. Other winners on the night’s card included regulars Chad Cook in the Sportsman, Harold Humphrey in the Street Stocks, Buck Mills in the Pure Stocks, Gordie Isham in the Four Cylinder Modifieds, Bob Doolittle in the Four Cylinder Stocks and Paul Larow in the Thunder Dogs.
For Sheely, a regular in the Modifieds at Thunder Mountain, it was emotional win. The likable chauffer led wire to wire in the thirty lap event after taking the lead on the initial green from pole sitter Chris Grbac. Sheely set a torrid pace that left everybody scrambling to play catch up.
In the later stages of the race, a very fast Brent Wilcox worked his way past George Kostelansky for second and set off after Sheely. He caught up to him with five to go and was all over the back end of Sheely the rest of the way but the veteran didn’t falter as the race went caution free for the second consecutive week. Behind the front running duo, Chris Weaver held off brother Brian for third while Kostelansky took home fifth.
In the twenty lap Sportsman go, Cliff Pierce led the initial lap before three time feature winner Billy Spoonhower took over the top spot. Meanwhile point leader Chad Cook was working his way through traffic trying to get close to the leader. On lap nine Cook caught Spoonhower and two laps later went by on the topside. Once in front, Cook opened a comfortable gap between himself and Spoonhower. With no yellow flags to slow the pace, Cook cruised home with his fourth win in a row. Spoonhower kept himself in the points chase with a solid second place finish followed by Ken Titus in third, Rick Wilk in fourth and Brian White finishing fifth.
Kurt Decker led the early stages of the twenty lap Street Stock feature despite a few early caution periods. It was on one of those restarts that veteran Harold Humphrey powered by to take over the lead. Decker stayed close but on lap fifteen while running second, he developed a flat tire and had to go to the pits. Humphrey opened up a little distance between himself and second place Ed McKernan. A late race yellow bunched the field up and Larry Hillis got by McKernan for second while Humphrey crossed the line with his second win of the year. Hillis wound up second followed by McKernan in third, Wade Decker in fourth and Bill Rampe in fifth.
The twenty lap Pure Stock feature was a great battle between eventual winner Buck Mills and Dick Stark Jr. Stark led the early going despite a number of yellows that marred the pace. Mills got under Stark on lap eleven and that was all she wrote. Despite numerous tries by Stark, Mills was able to hold him off and claim his third win of the year. Stark was a strong second followed by last week’s winner Butch Green in third, Mike Wilbur in fourth and John Dale Howey in fifth.
Gordie Isham, a bridesmaid for the past five weeks was finally able to get the front and hold off a very persistent Ken Stafford for the win in the fifteen lap Four Cylinder Modified feature. The ageless one last won back in early May and has had to look at Stafford’s backside for the past five weeks. Stafford tried every possible angle to get by the wily veteran but it wasn’t to be and Isham had win number two for the year. Stafford was a very close second followed by John Powers in third, Lee Dewitt in fourth and Curt Pierce rounding out the top five.
Different week, same story in the fifteen lap Four Cylinder Stock feature. Bob Doolittle, despite having started deep in the pack, came away with his sixth win of the year. His chief competitor Harold Humphrey had troubles in the early going and was never a factor as Doolittle won by a comfortable margin over Fred Newton II. Third went to Mitch Hurlburt, fourth to John Wilcox, who led the first three circuits and completing the top five was Lloyd Twarz.
Paul Larow got out ahead of the pack early and led the entire distance in the twelve lap Thunder Dog feature. Ken Baker got within a couple of car lengths at the end but couldn’t mount a challenge to Larow. Point leader Tim Parker was a distant third followed by Jeff Wilcox, and Mike Pease.
Next week will see Mid-Season championships for all divisions, the Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Four Cylinder Modifieds, Four Cylinder Stocks and the Thunder Dogs. Last time a championship event was held it gave the incentive of double points. Gates are set to open at 4:00 p.m. with the first race set to happen at 6:30 p.m. Thunder Mountain is located just off New York route 79 in the Village of Center Lisle just a short distance from Exit 8 off Interstate 81.