SHEPPARD REPEATS AND GABRIEL JR. WINS FIRST AT CAYUGA COUNTY
WEEDSPORT, NY...A huge crowd was on hand last Sunday for the running of the Cayuga County Fair Speedway's Independence Day Special featuring DIRT Modifieds and Sportsman, plus Empire Super Sprints. Bob Podolak returned to his former stock car speedway and won the ESS main event going away. Jim Gabriel Jr. finally got the handle on his new TEO machine and took the 35-lap DIRT Modified feature win. Finally Matt Sheppard returned to victory lane for the fourth time in six outings, his second in a row.
Jim Gabriel Jr., starting on the outside pole, and Jimmy Phelps brought the 23 car DIRT Modified field down to take Dave Farney's green flag. As the cars entered the first turn, Tim Burnett was pinched down into another machine resulting in Burnett spinning around in the middle of the track. With no where to go, Jim Burke slammed into the Burnett machine. Neither driver was injured, but both cars were eliminated from further competition.
The restart saw Gabriel Jr. able to pull away from Phelps, Tim Fuller, Billy Decker and Scott Ridley, also in a new TEO car. On lap four the yellow flag flew again when Mike Ward came to a stop in the first turn, just in front of the pit entrance. Gabriel was able to handle Phelps again and maintain his advantage.
A third yellow flag, on lap 12 saw Tim McCreadie, aborad his father's famed Kinney Drugs Store Troyer come to a stop in the first turn. Apparently mechanical woes plagued the team, as he returned to the race only to drop out six laps later.
A long green period saw Gabriel Jr. able to maintain his lead with Decker second and Phelps dropping back to third. Charging through the pack was Alan Johnson in his Mitsubishi Generators Bicknell. On lap 20, he passed Phelps for third and set sights on Decker. Gabriel Jr. looked to have a fifteen car advantage and if the race remained green he looked unbeatable. On lap 27 the yellow did fly when Todd Milton limbed slowly around the speedway.
The restart saw Johnson challenge Decker, passing him on lap 29. Gabriel established a five car lead, which Johnson quickly closed. On lap 30, Johnson chose the low lane, with Gabriel on the high side of the speedway. Johnson closed even to Gabriel in the turns but could get close enough to complete his pass. Gabriel Jr. took his first win of the year followed by Johnson. Decker, Pat Ward and Gary Tomkins rounded out the top five.
The 20-lap sportsman feature was only one lap old when a huge pile up took place on the front straight away. Seven cars; Tom Collins Jr., Joe Beyea, Mark Camuso, Bob Henry Jr., John Pfeffer, Mike Lavarnway and Rich Swarthout were all involved. Collins, Swarthout and Lavarnway were not able to continue.
On the restart Rodney Plantz lost his lead to Geoff Carner. Carner led for just two laps before the yellow flew again as Jim LaRock stopped in the fourth turn. The restart saw Carner lose the lead to John Plumb. Plumb looked like he was able to pull away from the field, however Matt Sheppard caught Plumb using the high grove in his Paine Motorsports machine. By lap seven Sheppard passed Plumb for the lead. The race continued for the distance under green flag conditions. Sheppard took the win, followed by Plumb, Greg Doust, Tom Juhl and James Spano.
The Empire Super Sprints were also on hand with 25 cars attempting to qualify through heat races. Bob Podolak took the lead on lap five and pulled away to a full straight away victory. Following Podolak across the finish line were Scott Holcomb, Mike Woodring, Lance Yonge and Mike Stelter. Heat wins went to George Ely, Podolak and Bob Dietrich. The Walt's Hobby Shop Dash went to Holcomb.
Also Special Crews Automotive Dashes were run for the sportsman and modified divisions. Matt Sheppard won the four lap sportsman Crews Dash and Jimmy Phelps won the modified Crews Auto Dash.
This Sunday racing returns with a full program of Modified and sportsman competition. The Modifieds will be running a non-point race as the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series travels north of the border to Canada at the Cornwall Motor Speedway. Returning after a week off will be the Pit Stop Convenience Stores Enduro division. Race time will be at 7 p.m. sharp.
CREWS AUTOMOTIVE/PICK-N-PULL NIGHT SUMMARY
(note: find ESS results elsewhere)
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: R. Plantz, J. Plumb, J. LaRock, J. Spano, L. Dusett.
HEAT 2: M. Sheppard, S. Gray, R. Swarthout, T. Mettler, G. Doust.
HEAT 3: T. Juhl, J. Beyea, G. Carner, M. Lavarnway, B. Henry Jr.
CREW'S DASH: Matt Sheppard, Rich Swarthout, Rodney Plantz, Tom Juhl.
FEATURE (20-laps): MATT SHEPPARD, john Plumb, Greg Doust, Tom Juhl, James Spano, Steve Gray, Lance Dusett, Mark Yorker, Joe Beyea, Bob Henry Jr., Geoff Carner, Ryan Watt, John Juhl, Mark Camuso, John Pfeffer, Tom Mettler, Russ Hefti, Gary Morrissette, Rodney Plantz, Jim LaRock, Mike Lavarnway, Rich Swarthout, Tom Collins Jr..
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: B. Decker, T. McCreadie, D. Johnson, S. Ridley, T. Burnett.
HEAT 2: J. Phelps, R. Bliss Jr., A. Johnson, T. Milton, V. Vitale.
HEAT 3: J. Gabriel Jr., T. Fuller, C. Bower, P. Ward, J. Brownell.
CREW'S DASH: Jimmy Phelps, Billy Decker, Alan Johnson, Jim Gabriel Jr.
CONSI: S. Prentice, J. Corcoran, G. Tomkins, T. Sears Jr, B. Wilcox, R. Bartlett, M. Ward, J. Burke, S. Lead, T. Vincent.
FEATURE (35-laps): JIM GABRIEL JR., Alan Johnson, Billy Decker, Pat Ward, Gary Tomkins, Jimmy Phelps, Tim Fuller, Danny Johnson, Chuck Bower, Scott Prentice, Ray Bliss Jr., Jeremy Corcoran, Vince Vitale, Jeff Brownell, Brent Wilcox, Tim Vincent, Ryan Bartlett, Steve Lead, Todd Milton, Tom Sears Jr., Tim McCreadie, Scott Ridley, Mike Ward, Jim Burke, Tim Burnett.