Decker Defends CCFS Season Opener
WEEDSPORT, NY...4/16/00..Just one year ago Billy Decker emerged victorious in the Cayuga County Fair Speedway season opener. He was able to repeat again this year, just edging out Steve Paine and Alan Johnson last Sunday. In the Rolling Wheels-Syracuse Firecracker 20-lap Sportsman qualifier, Chad Brachmann took the victory. Joe Reeves won the season opening Pit Stop Convenience Store enduro, an event that had to be shortened due to a heart stopping flip by Ron Hawker at the start-finish line.
The 50-lap Computer Excellence-Taylor Rental-Auto Finishers of Auburn DIRT Modified feature saw 26 cars report to the stating line with heat winners Bob McCreadie, Billy Decker, Steve Paine and Jim Gabriel Jr. making up the front two starting rows. At the drop of the green Decker charged into first place on the rough speedway surface, followed by McCreadie and Paine. Decker was able to stretch out a five car advantage as the leaders entered lapped traffic by the sixth circuit. On lap 14, the yellow flew for the first of four times when Gary Tomkins's Pennzoil number 84 made contact with the second turn wall. During this yellow Paine and Gabriel Jr., the third and fourth place cars, reported to the pits with flat tires. Both returned to the back of the field for the restart after changing rubber. Decker continued his lead over McCreadie, with Danny Johnson running third and brother Alan Johnson in fourth. On lap 21 the yellow flew when Jeremie Corcoran coasted to a stop in the third turn.
The restart saw Alan Johnson able to pass Danny for third as McCreadie and Decker began to move away from the rest of the pack. On lap 31 the yellow came out when Scott Prentice slammed hard sideways against the third turn wall. In just 17 laps Paine was able to come from the back of the field to be running fourth on the restart. He passed both McCreadie and Alan Johnson to claim second and challenge Decker. As Paine and Decker were about to enter lapped traffic the yellow flew for Rick Virkitis, who had also hit the wall in the third turn. Paine made a valiant charge at the finish but fell short as Decker took the victory. Alan Johnson claimed third with Danny Johnson fourth and Tim McCreadie in fifth. Pole sitter Bob McCreadie ended up sixth.
In the 20-lap sportsman feature Chad Brachmann took the lead at the drop of the green to hold off Steve Hall. Before the lap was complete the yellow flag came out when Mike VanPelt's car became hooked to the Tyke Morris car in the fourth turn. The restart saw the lead group of Brachmann, Hall, James Spano, Greg Doust and Justin Haers on the move again. A second yellow flag, on lap three, saw three cars slowing on the track. Brachmann was able to hold off Hall as the race would remain green for the next nine laps. On lap 13 the yellow had to be displayed when Dave Bargobos slowed on the track. One lap later Dave VanArsdale hit the second turn wall for the final caution of the race. Brachmann held on for the win, but Hall faded in the closing laps, finishing eleventh. Justin Haers charged into second after the final yellow. Spano finished third followed by Doust and Lance Dusett. "This is a brand new car for us," Chad stated in victory lane. "You can't ask for anything better then a win."
The ninetieth lap of the 20 lap enduro race saw Ron Hawker make contact with another car, sending the Hawker car head on into the wall exiting the fourth turn. This contact caused the Hawker ride to barrel roll four times and come to rest under the starter's stand. Hawker emerged uninjured, but shaken. Due to all of the debris on the track, Chief starter Dave Farney threw the checkers to end the race.
Cayuga County Fair Speedway will be closed for the next two Sundays for the Easter Holiday (4/23) and Rolling Wheels Raceway's DIRT Challenge Cup 200 (4/30). Cayuga County Fair Speedway will reopen May 7, with their first night program of the year, starting at 7 p.m. sharp.
COMPUTER EXCELLENCE-TAYLOR RENTAL-AUTO FINISHERS OF AUBURN NIGHT SUMMARY ENDURO Top-5 (19-laps): JOE REEVES, Greg DeChick, John Gilmore Jr., Troy Reeves, John Underwood. SPORTSMAN HEAT 1: S. Hall, B. Henry Jr., S. Nasholts, R. Richardson, D. Bargobos. HEAT 2: C. Brachmann, G. Doust, D. Darling, R. Swarthout, T. Morris. HEAT 3: R. Hefti, J. Haers, R. Plantz, T. Juhl, L. Dusett. HEAT 4: J. Spano, M. Shepherd, J. Beyea, M. VanPelt, W. Decker. CONSI: J. Christian, R. Chrysler, D. VanArsdale, T. Sears. FEATURE (20-laps): CHAD BRACHMANN, Justin Haers, James Spano, Greg Doust, Lance Dusett, Joe Beyea, Matt Shepherd, Willy Decker, Rich Swarthout, Ron Richardson, Steve Hall, Dale Darling, Tom Juhl, Rodney Plantz, Steve Nasholts, Mike VanPelt, Tyke Morris, Randy Chrysler, Dave VanArsdale, Jamie Christian, Dave Bargobos, Tim Sears, Bob Henry Jr., Russ Hefti. MODIFIED HEAT 1: B. McCreadie, R. Phelps, A. Johnson, T. Fuller, S. Prentice. HEAT 2: B. Decker, C. Bower, D. Johnson, T. Milton, R. Bliss Jr. HEAT 3: S. Paine, J. Corcoran, T. McCreadie, P. Ward, T. Vincent. HEAT 4: J. Gabriel Jr., T. Sears Jr., V. Coffey, J. Barney, V. Vitale. CONSI: G. Tomkins, R. Virkitis, S. Ridley, R. Shields, F. Caprara, M. Ward. FEATURE(50-laps): BILLY DECKER, Steve Paine, Alan Johnson, Danny Johnson, Tim McCreadie, Bob McCreadie, Todd Milton, Vic Coffey, Tim Fuller, Pat Ward, Chuck Bower, Jim Gabriel Jr., Roger Phelps, Mike Ward, Scott Ridley, Roy Shields, Jason Barney, Tim Vincent, Fankie Caprara, Ray Bliss Jr., Rick Virkitis, Scott Prentice, Vince Vitale, Jeremie Corcoran, Gary Tomkins, Tom Sears Jr.