VANPELT, CROOKER, SMITH & HYER VICTORIOUS AT WOODHULL
by Doreen Farnum
Woodhull, NY - Corning/Elmira Goodyear Tire & Service Centers along with Stateline Camping Center were on hand to sponsor the 2nd week of racing here at Woodhull Raceway.
When the 358 Modifieds took to the track, last week’s winner Steve Hartman Sr. was starting in the 13th spot. Billy “The Kid” VanPelt led the pack to the green from the pole. VanPelt liked the view in front, so he decided to stay there…..for the entire race! This was an incredible race that went green to checkers without a single incident. Although up front, he wasn’t lonely as by lap 10 he started lapping the field. By the end of the race he had lapped the 6th place car. At one point VanPelt was racing 3 wide with Larry Keegan & Steve Hartman Sr putting them down a lap. On lap 16, Roger Williams took over the 2nd spot from Stacy Jackson who had held it f! rom the green. Hartman Sr, would have to settle for 4th and William’s teammate Dave DuBois in the other Skip Starkey car rounded out the top five. Billy VanPelt made sure to thank his crew and the fans for their support. Billy also took home plaques from Goodyear & Stateline Camping Center for his win.
It looked like the Super Stocks were going to start off the same way they did last week, when Jim Buck took the lead on lap 4 only to immediately get a flat tire for his troubles, bringing out the 1st yellow. On lap 6 Scott Brown got loose in turn 1. Larry Knowles, Bob Lubberts and Kyle Lefelhoc got caught up in that spin as well. Lefelhoc got a tow truck ride to the pits, while the others got checked out and were right back out on the track. On the restart, Jeff ‘Boom Boom’ Barody in the DuBois Brothers’ car lost his front bumper, which caused Scott Colgrove to throw the yellow before that restart was finished. Mike Hilfiger took the lead on lap 10, and Mike Carpella got sideways on lap 11 for another caution. Carpella’s te! ammate Greg Crooker came from the 8th starting position to get by Hilfiger to take the checkered flag in Storm Chiropractic Victory Lane for his 1st Super Stock Feature win. After Hilfiger it was Rich Marlatt, Kenny Peoples & Larry Knowles rounding the top five for the Supers.
Next up were the Street Stocks. Jeff Smith was on the pole with Mike Williams outside on the front row. The first couple laps we saw Joe Dgien spin & came out right in front of the leaders, causing a little panic. Lap 4 showed some excitement as the Street Stocks went five … yes five wide racing on the front stretch under the flag stand. This was an incredible race as Dave Davis sure gave Smith a run for his money. It’s hard to say who wanted that win the most, but Smith won this round and Davis would have to settle for 2nd this time. Dave Gee & Bob Clark duked it out for 3rd & 4th while just behind them Chuck Pruden & Geoff McNally were racin! g for 5th & 6th. At the line, after Smith was Dave Davis, Bob Clark, Dave Gee and Geoff McNally.
The Mini Stocks had a full 24-car field to take the green for the evening’s finale. But it wouldn’t be quite that simple. On lap 5 Scott Colgrove threw the yellow for a spin in turns 1 & 2. Ray Hyer jumped to the lead with last week’s Back-to-Back winner Josh Mills in 2nd. Lap 9 brought out the red flag for AJ Costly when he rolled his 4-cylinder truck at least 6 times over the back bank. Now, this was not AJ’s first wild ride of the night. In the Mini Stock heat, AJ rolled his truck up onto its side in turn 4. The safety crew righted it & he continued on to race. The feature roll got him a courtesy ride to the hospital via Wood! hull Volunteer Ambulance, where he was said to be just fine. After the 15-minute red flag, Ray Hyer went on for the win with Mike Huey, Dennis French, Brian Grant & Chad Dickerson following him across the line.
AJ Costly got to see just how great the men & women are who volunteer for the fire & ambulance crew here in Woodhull. For the 2nd year now, Scott & Amy Drake are honoring all volunteer fire & rescue personnel with free admission to May 17th’s events here at Woodhull. All they need is to show their volunteer ID card. What a great way to say thank you for all they do for their communities.
Heat Results
358 Modifieds – 12-Billy VanPelt, 66-Stacy Jackson
Super Stocks – 15-Glen Writenour, 67-Rich Marlatt, 4-Larry Knowles
Street Stocks – 19-Mike Williams, 40-Jeff Smith, 35-Dave Gee
Mini Stocks – 84-Josh Mills, 57-Chad Dickerson, 80-Ray Hyer
Feature Results
358 Modifieds – 12-Billy ‘The Kid’ VanPelt, 6-Roger Williams, 66-Stacy Jackson, z8-Steve Hartman Sr., 6x-Dave DuBois, 88m-Mike Jackson, 123-Dale Welty, 7-Larry Doolittle, 20-Bobby Davis
Super Stocks – 32-Greg Crooker, 11-Mike Hilfiger, 67-Rich Marlatt, 5k-Kenny Peoples, 4-Larry Knowles, 13-Brett Flint, 1H-Randy Hilfiger, 87-Scott Brown, 2-Mark Costa, 04jr-Jim Buck
Street Stocks – 40-Jeff Smith, 94-Dave Davis, 3-Bobby Clark, 35-Dave Gee, 59-Geoff McNally, 29-Chuck Pruden, 66-Dan Gordon, 55-Ken Thomas, 19-Mike Williams, 23-Cliff Moss
Mini Stocks – 80-Ray Hyer, 75-Mike Huey, 20-Dennis French, 46-Brian Grant, 57-Chad Dickerson, 27-Ryan Davenport, 11-Jason Ketrow, 84-Josh Mills, 20x-Don Knowles, 5-Jordan Dibble