Tim Murdock and Ed Carley Top Little Valley Shootout Winners
Little Valley Speedway roared back to life Saturday night with a total of 116 entries participating in the annual WNY Late Model and 358 DIRT Modified Shootout. Drivers from Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada were present. The 358 DIRT modifieds were gunning for $2500 and the last few available quaifier spots for the Sunoco APlus 358 modified event at Syracuse and the All Stars Qualifier that will be part of the Victoria 200 at Fulton Speedway.
The 358 modifieds rolled onto the big 1/2 mile for their 25 lap shootout.
Black Rock/Woodhull regular, Mike Jackson and Ransomville star, Stewart Friesen paced the 26 car small block field to John Powell's green flag.
Friesen would take the initial lead as the #12 of Curt VanPelt moved on by Friesen. All eyes were on Mr. Small Block, Pete Bicknell as he was working his way up through the field from his 12th place starting spot. On lap 3 and multi car tangle in turn three saw Bicknell head to the pits with a right front flat.
Curt VanPelt, who was making a rare start was the leader with Friesen and Don Spatorico in third.
Curt would lead the field for several more laps holding off #58 of Tim Murdock who had moved his way up from his seventh place starting spot.
Friesen had slipped several spots as Spatorico and Billy VanPelt had moved into fourth. With Curt holding off the hard charging Murdock and Sparatico doing the same to Curt's brother Billy, Bicknell was trying to get back up through the field from his early flat tire.
A yellow on lap twelve saw the top four the same with Curt VanPelt, Murdock, Sparatico and Billy VanPelt running in the top four. On lap 14 Murdock moved under Curt down the homestretch to moved into the lead. Brother, Billy had worked his way past Sparatico. Friesen moved Sparatico's #65 back a spot also as Bicknell in his Havoline #42 had worked his way back into the top ten.
A lap nine caution bunched the field back up and Georgetown, Ontario's Tim Murdock had the VanPelt brothers of Curt and Billy sitting right behind him. Murdock was never seriously challenged for the final six laps. Billy VanPelt tried in vain to move past Murdock but was never able get enough momentum to make the pass. The hardcharger was Pete Bicknell who past four cars in the final six laps to gather a fine third place finish after his early flat. Stewart Friesen was fourth, Curt VanPelt who was making a rare start in his brothers backup machine finished a fine fifth. With the win, Murdock decided to take the Syracuse Sunoco APlus 358 DIRT modified qualifying spot and Billy VanPelt of Westfield, Pennsylvania took the Fulton Victoria 200 All Stars Qualifier. Heat race winners were Todd Gordon of St. Catherines, Ontario, Pete Bicknell of St. Catherines and Murdock.
The late models returned for their first visit to Little Valley since July.
A 30 lap United Late Model Series$3000 event was on tap. The fans were treated with one of the best late model races of the year at Little Valley.
The all-time MACS winner, Todd Andrews was on the pole with defending track champion, Dick Barton sitting right next to him. Andrews got the jump at the green and would lead lead the opening laps as fourth place starter and track point leader, Ron Davies challenged the #42 of Andrews. On lap four, Ed Carley charged under Andrews and Davies in turn three to take the top spot. Lap six saw the #28B of Barton spin in turn two resulting in the first yellow. The top five were Carley, Andrews, Ron Davies, David Scott and Brent Rhebergan.
Carley would lead the field to the green and would put on a side by side battle with Andrews that had the fans on their feet. Carley was hugging the inside groove as Andrews rim rode his way around the big 1/2 mile. As these two drivers were waging a great battle for the lead, Brent Rhebergan had moved up to third and Bob Close had charged up to fourth. Lap eleven saw MR. RimRider, Ron Davies stop in turn 4 with a right rear flat. He would rejoin the field without losing a lap. The next fourteen laps was some of the best racing ever seen at Little Valley. Carley again was running the bottom and Andrews was on top, both swapping the lead lap after lap and taking advantages of each other mistakes. Andrews was fast on top and better out out turn two and the backstretch but Carley would surge back ahead out turn four nearly every lap. The battle came to a end on lap 25 for Loyd Swain who had spun in turn 3.
With a five lap shootout on tap for the win, Carley would pull away as Andrews tried in vain to stay with Carley's white and green #28. Andrews jumped the cushion in turn four and allowed Brent Rhebergan and Bob Close charge by, but Andrews regrouped and charged back by both drivers to regrab second. This is what Carley needed as it allowed him to pull away by five car lengths for the win over Andrews, Close, Rhebergan and Kirk Bradley rounded out the top five.
A very happy Ed Carley was greeted in victory lane by his family, crew, sponsors and fans. The win was Carley's second of the year, first ever ULMS win and first win at Little Valley. The win unofficially puts him on the top of the Little Valley Speedway point list. The two heat winners were Brent Rhebergan and Ron Davies.
The Super Stocks were back again and another fine field of cars were present. Many teams were on hand to get last chance to dial in their machines for the CanAm Super Stock championship event at Little Valley in two weeks.
AJ Young and defending track champion, Bill Holmes would lead the 26 super stocks to the green. Holmes would take the immediate lead from AJ. Todd Rice would slip into third behind the top two and tried to move under Young's #33 machine but to no avail. Tenth place starter, Dustin Croft had quickly moved his way up into the top five when on lap three Rice spun in turn three and the cars of Kyle Bradigan, Chad Arnold, Ron Baker, Dave Miller, Jason Dupont, Doug Ricotta, Butch Talbot, Jack Harrington and Matt Cobb were involved.
Holmes would lead the field to the green again and AJ Young stayed right with the black #8 of Holmes. Dustin Croft, Gary McDowell were right there waiting for a mistake by the top two. Canadian hot shoe, Darren Kish had moved his way up from seventeenth and was looking to move to the point and make it two for two for the Canadian race teams. Kish would get by AJ but would never be able to challenge Holmes for the win. Holmes would pick up his third win of the year at Little Valley and unofficially ties him with Andy Miller for the point lead heading into the championship night. The top five were Holmes, Kish, Young, Rice who had worked his way back to a top five finish from his early spin and Dustin Croft had another fine late season finish. Heat winners were Holmes, Dave Miller, Rice and Kyle Bradigan. Jack Harrington grabbed one of the two final spots with his consolation win.
Twenty-seven street stocks entered the track for their main event. Before one lap was completed a violent crashed on the front stretch resulted in the track being blocked and the red flag displayed. The cars of Ken Dankert, Art Jimerson and Colin Kulpa were involved. The yellow #50 of Kulpa went end over end and was heavily damaged. None of the drivers were injured in the crash. Lee Wulff paced the field again to the lead with Rob Stromecki lurking to move Wulff back. Steve Dixon was on the prowl in his white #25 and good battle was taking shape. Stromecki would be your leader at the halfway point with Jason Schoonmaker and Wulff in third. Dixon would move up to second but was unable to pass Stromecki for the win. The top three were Stromecki, Dixon and Wulff. Qualifying heat winners were Dixon, Schoonmaker and Wulff.
The school buses had their final point race of the season and Kenny Foster would win the event and the track title for the fourth year in a row!
The final night of the 2003 season will be "CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT" at Little Valley Speedway on Saturday, September 20th. The street stocks, super stocks and late models will all have their track championship titles decided. The CanAm Super Stocks will be back and will crown their inaugural champion. The United Late Model Series will return and their champion will also be named. The BRP Big Block Modified Tour will also be on hand.
Another great night of racing will be on tap for the fans. Race time is 6pm with hot laps starting at 5pm. Rain date is September 21st.
358 DIRT Modifieds:
TIM MURDOCK, Billy VanPelt, Pete Bicknell, Stewart Friesen, Curt VanPelt, Don Sparatico, Rich Vinson, Jason Boyle, Frank Dunning, Lyle Sherwood, Rich Richner, Todd Gordon, Ton Cartwright, Jamie Turner, Mike Jackson, Dylan Dewert, Dave Welty, Kevin Chilson, Stacy Jackson, Chuck Kennison, Mike Bliss, Dave DuBois, Allan Willoughby, Todd Burley, Rich Hoctor, Steve Mullan (DNS)
ULMS Late Models
ED CARLEY, Todd Andrews, Bob Close, Brent Rhebergan, Kirk Bradley, David Scott, Dutch Davies, Chad Ruhlman, Mike Wonderling, Dick Barton, Rick Isadore, Andy Kania, Ryan Markham, John Haggerty, Loyd Swain, Ron Davies, Eric Ensell (DNS)
Super Stocks
BILL HOLMES, Darren Kish, AJ Young, Todd Rice, Dustin Croft, Gary McDowell, Bob Dixon, Andy Miller, Jeremy Wonderling, MIke Robinson, Tim Rockwell, Ike Fanton, Bob Babbit, TJ Shaw, Alan Wais, Matt Cobb, Jack Harrington, Butch Talbot, Don Wagner, Doug Ricotta, Dave Miller, Jason Dupont, Ron Baker, Chad Arnold, Kyle Bradigan, Todd Hansen (DNS)
Street Stocks (unofficial)
ROB STROMECKI, Steve Dixon, Lee Wulff, Wayne Mohawk, Ryan Learn, Damon Lewis, John Layfield, Ted Ingalls, Michael Holford, Andy Michaels, Jr Brown, Ted Peterson, Tony Collantino, Chuck Biniarz, Ron Hebner, Charles, Silkman, Aaron Jacobs, Shawn Parks, John Williams Jr., Jason Dobson, Nick Andrews, Jim Paremeter, Wade Mohawk, Colin Kulpa, Ken Dankert, Art Jimerson, Jason Schoonmaker (DQ)
School Bus
Kenny Foster