Butch Cerullo led wire to wire to claim his first ever Thunder Mountain modified win last Saturday night in the headline thirty lap event. Other winners on the card were another first timer Brian Hicks in the Pure Stocks, Craig Terrell in the Sportsman, Harold Humphrey in the Four Cylinder Stocks, Scott Allen in the Four Cylinder Modifieds, Dale Pitcher made it two in a row in the Mini Sprints and Ed McKernan made it five out of six by winning the Super Stock twenty lapper.
Cerullo, of Berwick, Pa., has been racing at Thunder Mountain for the past couple of season, evening leading a couple of events last year and having a career best finish of third. After not making the show last week, Cerullo started on the pole this week. He jumped out front early and survived two early race yellows, the last one on lap five. The final twenty-five circuits saw Cerullo open up a sizable gap over the rest of the field as the big guns of three time winner Mike Colsten, Brian Weaver, Doug Worthing, Paul Jensen and George Kostelansky all tried to play catch up. As the laps ticked off Cerullo put lapped cars between himself and the rest of the field. Worthing was the first to clear the traffic but only got close once when Cerullo had a tough time with Dick Sundgren. Worthing got to within Cerullo’s back bumper but that was as close as he got and grabbed off that elusive first ever win. Worthing got his best finish of the year with a solid second. Colsten edged out Jensen for third and Kostelansky wound up fifth.
Craig Terrell joined the Thunder Mountain Sportsman field this season and his been consistent with his finishes. Saturday night he came up with his best finish to date by getting his first ever Thunder Mountain win. Terrell started in the third spot and quickly moved into the top spot at the end of the initial lap. From then on it was just a matter of keeping the rest of the field behind him. Billy Spoonhower was the first to challenge but then he hand his hands full with Kevin Jordan and defending champ Chad Cook along with the young hotshoe Dan Vauter. Terrell was equal to every challenge and held on to grab off his first win. Spoonhower came home second followed by Cook, Jordan and Vauter
It seems to be getting like old hat. Ed McKernan won his fifth regular Saturday night Super Stock feature in a row. It looked a little more difficult this time however as he had to come from the twelfth starting spot and methodically worked his way toward the front, passing on both the inside and outside with equal efficiency. Pete Gulick led the early going in his Sprint PCS machine before losing the handle in turn four on lap seven. This gave the top spot to Rick Davis but that didn’t last long either as McKernan took over a couple of laps later and remained there for the rest of the race. The battle for second between Gary Roberts, Matt Roberts, Wade Decker, Harold Humphrey, Jamie Shea and Larry Lane was the highlight of the last ten laps with Humphrey eventually winning out for the runner-up spot. Decker took home third followed by Lane in fourth and Matt Roberts rounding out the top five.
Another first time winner happened in the fifteen lap Pure Stock feature. Brian Hicks led all fifteen laps and held off two-time track champion Mike Wilbur to do it. Hicks Got off the pole spot early but would have to do it again when a yellow for a Harry Uhl Jr. spin stopped the race before it started. When it resumed Hicks once again forged into the top spot, this time followed by defending track champion Bill Rampe. Rampe stayed on Hicks’ tail for a number of laps until Wilbur joined the chase. With three to go Wilbur had a power steering hose break and left a little fluid on the track. Rampe slid in the fluid and the yellow came out. Hicks held off Wilbur for the remaining laps to get his first win. Wilbur took home second followed by Doug Stack in third, Harry Uhl Jr., came back for the early race spin to get fourth and Kurt Decker claimed fifth.
The Four Cylinder Stocks fifteen-lap feature was also a barnburner with a number of cars having a shot at the win in the closing laps. Harold Humphrey in a borrowed car eventually came out on top. Rich Powell tried numerous times to get under Humphrey’s mount but it was to no avail and he had to settle for second. Two time feature winner Bob Doolittle made a last lap pass stick as he captured third. Shawn Mills was fourth and Rich Talada came home fifth.
The first feature of the evening was the Four Cylinder Modifieds. George Howe took off with the lead in the early going but it was Scott Allen who caught and passed Howe for the lead just after the halfway point of the race. Curt Pierce got close but couldn’t muster a challenge on Allen and had to be content with second. Calvin had a strong run to take home third followed by Ken Stafford in fourth and Howe in fifth.
The fifteen lap Mini Sprint feature was all Dale Pitcher. He took the lead at the opening green and never looked back to get his second feature event in a row. He was followed by Jeff Black and Garry Moore.
Next week the Mid State Vintage Stock Car Club joins the regular seven class show consisting of Modifieds, Sportsmen, Super Stocks, Pure Stock, Four Cylinder Stocks, Four Cylinder Modifieds and Mini S [prints. This fine group usually brings upwards of thirty cars and gives the fans a nostalgic look back of how racing was way back when. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. and racing is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.