WEAVER SCORES AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN
Center Lisle, New York…Brian Weaver took a late race lead from Bob Hamm and made it stand up as he captured the 30 lap Modified feature last Saturday night at the Thunder Mountain Speedway. Also highlighting the night’s racing activities was a last corner pass for the win in the Sportsman feature win by Billy Spoonhower and two families, the McKernan’s and the Roberts’ dominating the top five in the Super Stocks. Other winners included Scott Allen in the Four Cylinder Modifieds, Garry More in the Mini Sprints, Buck Mills in the Pure Stocks and Shawn Mills in the Four Cylinder Stocks.
Hamm was the recipient of some good fortune on lap eighteen as an accident involving three out of the top four cars, Mike Colsten, Steve, Babicek and Carl Nagel, all got together in turn four. Hamm was very close to being involved but managed to skirt the incident. Hamm stayed in front the next seven laps as Brian Weaver had his hands full with a very fast Eddie White. Weaver got White on lap twenty-three and Hamm two laps later as the later was having a tough time keeping the car from pushing up and eventually both White and Doug Worthing got by. Mike Decker in one of his infrequent Thunder Mountain appearances grabbed off fifth. The early race duel between Babicek and Colsten was going great guns when the two made contact and collected Nagel in the process. Also a strong candidate for a top five was Dick Sundgren until a motor problem curtailed his night also on lap eighteen.
Brian White though he had himself his first ever feature win but Billy Spoonhower had other ideas. White had led from the early stages of the event, which wasn’t slowed by too many yellows. One of the major incidents involved point leader Kevin Jordan who collected on e of the infield tires while trying to gain positions. Chad Cook was the first of the major players to get to the front but he couldn’t do anything with White as he was having handling problems. Meanwhile Spoonhower was methodically working his way to a challenging spot. He got by Cook as the laps were winding down and took off after White. He caught him on the last lap and made a couple attempts at the lead in turn one but was unsuccessful. Spoonhower made a power move coming off turn four and made it stick as be beat White to the line by a bumper length. A stunned White had to settle for second followed by Craig Terrell in third Ken Titus in fourth and Cook in fifth.
Ed McKernan has been in a modest funk lately in the Super Stock division, as he hadn’t won in three weeks after reeling off six in a row. That all changed as he charged to the front from his ninth starting spot in last Saturday night’s twenty lapper. Dick Stark led the early going but it was all McKernan once he got to the front as he opened a sizable gap between himself and the rest of the field. The real race was behind him however featuring Matt Roberts. J. T. McKernan, Jamie Shea and Gary Roberts as that foursome battled tooth and nail. They finished in just that order as the checkers flew.
The fifteen lap Pure Stock feature was a “Jim Dandy” as Harry Uhl Jr., took the early lead but the persistent Buck Mills prevailed. Uhl didn’t give up and pressured Mills up until the end but Mills did get the win. Also in the mix was the red hot Shaun Walker as he was all over the front running duo but had to eventually settle for third. Mark Shipman and Doug Stack rounded out the top five.
Shawn Mills completely dominated the fifteen lap Four Cylinder Stock feature as he grabbed the lead early and powered away from the field, winning by close to half a lap over his nearest competitor in this flag to flag event. Harold Humphrey took home second, while Rich Talada checked in for third, Fred Newton II with his best finish of the year in fourth and Bob Doolittle in fifth.
Scott Allen got to his winning ways as he won the fifteen lap Four Cylinder Modified feature despite challenges from Ben Bushaw who came home in the second spot, Curt Pierce wound up third followed by Ken Stafford and George Howe.
Garry Moore grabbed off his first win of the 2002 season in the fifteen lap Mini Sprint feature. Moore, who started near the front of the field, got to the point early and never looked back. Six time winner Dale Pitcher got close at the end but had to settle for second which was later moved to third due to a flaggers penalty. Ryan Lund got credited with second. Rounding out the top five was Rick Wust and Jeff Black.
Next week will feature a regular show of Modifieds, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Four Cylinder Stocks, Four Cylinder Modifieds and Mini Sprints. Gates open at 4:00 while the first heat goes off at 6:30. The track is located just off New York route 79 in Center Lisle, New York.