WEAVER WINS THUNDER MOUNTAIN OPENER
Chris Weaver mad an inside pass on leader J. R. Hurlburt on lap twelve of the thirty lap Modified feature and made it stick as he led the rest of he way to capture the season opening event on Thunder Mountain’s 2003 racing calendar. Other winners on a highly successful opening Sunday night were Billy Spoonhower in the twenty lap Sportsman go, Mark Wainwright in the twenty lap Street Stock event, while Rich Green won the fifteen lap Pure Stock feature, Ken Stafford in the Four Cylinder Modifieds, Rich Powell in the Four Cylinder Stocks, Louie Gordonier dominated the Dwarf Cars and the debut of the new Thunder Dogs went to Jerry Lobdell Jr.
“Fast Eddie” White led the first four laps of the Modified go from his pole position before defending track champ Brian Weaver took over with an inside pass on the front stretch. His lead was short lived however as a mechanical problem put him into the infield just after completing lap seven. This gave the lead to Hurlburt who stayed on the point for the next five circuits before Chris Weaver got by in turn four of lap thirteen. Watching all this was veteran Mike Colsten who tried to make to same move but to no avail. Once in front Chris Weaver opened up a small distance between himself and the rest of the field. Colsten got by Hurlburt on lap eighteen but couldn’t close the gap to Weaver. As the race wound down the real battle was between Hurlburt and Jim Gabriel Jr. for the third spot with Hurlburt on the inside and Gabriel using the high line. Gabriel got along side the steady Hurlburt could couldn’t get it done and in the final rundown it was Chris Weaver getting the victory with Colsten second, Hurlburt third, Gabriel Jr. in four and outside pole sitter Jeff Sheely rounding out the top five.
In the twenty lap Sportsman go, last year’s points runner-up, Billy Spoonhower set the tone as being the man to beat as he out dueled defending champ Chad Cook for the relatively caution free victory. Rookie Dusty Jagger led the initial go round before Spoonhower took command on lap two with Chad Cook in tow. The race’s only major incident occurred on lap two when Dan Buchanan, Ken Titus and Sean Olenski all got together off turn two. Buchanan’s mount suffered severe front end damage and was done for the rest of the night. The last eighteen laps saw Cook chase Spoonhower but couldn’t muster enough for a shot at the win. Jagger came home third in his first ever Thunder Mountain appearance while Bret Tonkin beat out Rick Will for the number four spot.
The twenty lap Street Stock feature was a real barnburner that saw third starting Mark Wainwright lead all the way but it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. He had heavy pressure most of the way. First from pole sitter Denny Decker and then later from a very quick Chris Stull but Wainwright persevered and came home with his first ever Thunder Mountain feature win. Stull came home second after being all over Wainwright’s back bumper the last couple of laps; Matt Roberts was a tight third followed by Wade Decker and J. T. McKernan in the top five spots. Defending Street Stock champion Ed McKernan had a tough night with a mechanical problem that just wouldn’t go away as he wound up dead last in the nineteen car field.
Doug Stack and Rich Green paced the twenty-four car Pure Stock field and it was almost a safe bet that whomever got to turn one first just might win the event. Green prevailed and did eventually win the race but Stack really mad him work for it. Many great races were going on all the way through the field as Bret Welch and Green’s brother Butch went at for third and Dick Stark Jr. just nipped invader Charlie Gilbert at the finish line for fifth. A lot of yellows slowed the pace a little but the racing was tremendous all the way throughout the entire distance of the race. The top five wound up with Rich Green getting the win, Doug Stack in second, Bret Welch in third followed by Butch Green in fourth and Dick Stark in fifth.
The fifteen lap Four Cylinder Stock feature was a two-man show between Harold Humphrey and Bob Doolittle. The duo swapped the lead many times and did the bump n’ grind better than most strippers. In the end that cost them. Even though they came across first and second, they were set down for their driving tactics, giving the win to Rich Powell. Dickie Schutt in his first Thunder Mountain visit in a couple of years was credited for second while Mitch Hurlburt was third. Fred Newton II and Chris Torbitt rounded out the top five.
Ken Stafford set the tone as the man to beat as he dominated the Four Cylinder Modified fifteen lapper. He led every lap from his second starting position and lapped everybody up to the third place car. Ben Carpenter took home second while Tom Fletcher was third. Duane Knapp was fourth and the venerable Gordie Isham was fifth.
A New class made it’s Thunder Mountain debut with eight cars in the pits and they provided a lot of fun in their twelve lap feature. Jerry Lobdell Jr. started on the pole and led every lap but the rest of the field provided the enjoyment as they swapped positions back and forth for the entire distance. Chad Diedrickson wound up second and Steve Green took third.
Also on the card Sunday was a twelve lap Dwarf Car event. Louie Gordonier dominated the twelve lap event for the class, which hasn’t seen action at Thunder Mountain in a number of years. Duane Knapp took home second while brother Ed Knapp followed in third.
Next week Thunder Mountain resumes is regular Saturday night racing schedule with the same exciting seven classes, Modified, Sportsman, Street Stock, Pure Stock, Four Cylinder Stock, Four Cylinder Modified and Thunder Dogs, show. Gates open at 4:00 pm; while racing is scheduled for 6:30 pm. Thunder Mountain is located just west of route exit 8 off route 81 on New York route 79. Turn right at the church in Center Lisle and follow the signs for fast paced racing action.