KOSTELANSKY AND COOK SCORE AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN
George Kostelansky took advantage of his front row starting spot to grab off his first win of the year in the thirty lap Modified feature while defending Sportsman track champion Chad Cook did the same holding off a persistent Billy Spoonhower in the process in their headline twenty lapper. Other winners also included Ed McKernan in the twenty lap Street Stock go, Mike Wilbur held forth in the Pure Stocks, Bob Doolittle in The Four Cylinder Stocks, Ken Stafford, the night’s only repeat winner in the Four Cylinder Mods while newcomer Tim Parker the second Thunder Dog feature of the year.
Last week’s winner Chris Weaver drew the pole for the Modified feature and held the top spot for the first two laps but it was all George Kostelansky after that, taking the lead on lap three and never looking back. Defending Modified champion Brian Weaver got to second in the front third of the race and put some pressure on Kostelansky. Meanwhile behind them an outstanding battle was taking place between Chris Weaver, Mike Colsten, J. R. Hurlburt, Jim Gabriel Jr. and Paul Jensen. This battle went on for the better part of the relatively caution-free feature, in the end it was Kostelansky with a wide margin over a fading Brian Weaver who in the latter laps had his hands full holding off a fast closing Chris Weaver. Colsten took home a solid fourth while Paul Jensen got by both Gabriel and Hurlburt to get fifth.
The Sportsman Feature was almost over before it started, as its two top guns started on the front row for the twenty lapper. Last year’s champ Chad Cook led wire to wire to claim his first win of the season at Thunder Mountain. Billy Spoonhower, last week’s winner gave chase early but couldn’t do nothing with Cook and had to settle for second. Rounding out the top five were Brian White in third, Dusty Jagger in fourth and Bret Tonkin in fifth.
Ed McKernan, the defending Street Stock champion, bounced back from his opening night problems to lead all twenty laps in claiming his first feature event win of the year. By luck of the draw, he started on the pole and the first fourteen laps of the event went green and nobody seriously challenged him. The yellow flew for a spin but on the restart, McKernan left second place runner Matt Roberts far behind and crossed the finish line with a comfortable distance behind him. Roberts staved off a fast Chris Stull for second while Denny Decker and last week’s winner, Mark Wainwright completed the top five finishers.
The Pure Stock feature distance was increased to twenty laps this week and the racing turned out fantastic. Only one yellow flag for a stopped Bill Goodrich slowed the show down. 2002 champ Mike Wilbur got out in front first and left everyone far behind as he coasted home with his first win of the new season. The real race was behind him as Buck Mills, Butch Green, Dick Stark and Ed Mills were going at for second place. In the end they finished in just that order with last week’s winner Rich Green claiming seventh.
The fifteen lap Four Cylinder Modified feature went green to checkers without a yellow and the result was the same this week as last week. Ken Stafford won the race going away, lapping all the way up to the third place car. Tom Fletcher came home second, while Gordie Isham was the only other car on the lead lap. Curt Pierce and Roger Dewitt rounded out the top five.
The fifteen lap Four Cylinder Stock had Bob Doolittle being chased by Harold Humphrey for the entire distance but never being able to mount a serious challenge. Mitch Hurlburt came in third followed by Fred Newton II in fourth and Jerry Wilcox in fifth.
The Thunder Dogs presented their second feature of the year and Tim Parker led wire to wire for twelve laps to claim the top prize. Last week’s winner Jerry Lobdell Jr. was second followed by Ben Poirier in third, Roger Larow and Rex Roberts.