WILCOX TAKES FIRST MODIFIED FEATURE AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN
Center Lisle, New York…..Brent Wilcox of Whitney Point took home his first Modified feature at the Thunder Mountain Speedway in the headline Modified thirty lapper as the champions in each class were decided on this, the last night of points. Other winners included Ken Titus in the Sportsman, Matt Roberts in the Super Stocks, Bill Rampe in the Pure Stocks, Rich Powell in the Four Cylinder Stocks, Scott Allen in the Four Cylinder Modifieds and Ryan Lund in the Mini Sprints.
Wilcox, who spent most of last season at another Speedway, has been fast all year but couldn’t seem to catch a break, started in the sixth spot and quickly asserted himself. Steve Babicek led the first seven circuits from his pole starting spot but relinquished that spot to Wilcox on lap eight, as both point contenders, Mike Colsten and Brian Weaver were struggling to get to the front. Weaver led Colsten by forty points going into the feature and had to finish at least seventeenth or better to claim the title. Meanwhile Wilcox was leading the parade with Doug Worthing in tow. The relatively caution free event started to wind down with Wilcox in front and Worthing running second. Meanwhile Weaver had passed Colsten on the track and barring any major problems would clinch the 2002 Modified point title. At the checkers it was Wilcox by a couple of car lengths over Worthing in second, Paul Jensen in third, Mike Nagel in fourth and Chris Weaver in fifth. Brian Weaver claimed the sixth spot and the Modified championship as Colsten could do better than an eleventh at the finish.
Second generation driver, Sean Olenski took the early lead before another second generation driver, Bret Tonkin took over on lap three. Tonkin looked strong leading the mid part of the race before one time winner Ken Titus got by on lap seventeen and went on for his second win of the year. First time Thunder Mountain starter Rick Whitney also got by Tonkin and pressured Titus the rest of the way but had to settle for second. Tonkin got third followed by point champion Chad Cook in fourth and Matt Smith took fifth.
If anybody has been the hard luck driver in the Super Stocks it has to be Matt Roberts. Roberts has been fast all season but luck wasn’t always on his side. The last point race proved different however. Labor Day special race winner Rick Davis took advantage of his pole starting spot by leading the first six laps before Gary Roberts took over. Roberts’ advantage lasted for five laps before son Matt took over. Once in front, Matt Roberts stayed in front despite pressure from his dad, Gary and 2001 point champ, Jamie Shea. Shea moved into second on the last lap but couldn’t do anything with Matt Roberts and had to settle for second as Gary Roberts car erupted in a huge puff of smoke as he crossed the line in third at the checkers. Finishing fourth was Harold Humphrey and completing the top five was Denny Decker. Ed McKernan notched his first Thunder Mountain track championship in the Super Stocks.
You couldn’t get much closer in the Pure Stock feature as the top two combatants were tied at the start of the feature. Buck Mills, one of those involved had the distinct advantage by starting third on the grid as the twenty-five car field. Pole sitter Matt Sissenstein jumped off into an early lead as the field bunched up behind him. Mills stayed in close proximity behind second place runner Kurt Decker. Just as the field was set to get the crossed flags, contact was made and Mills was sent spinning off into the infield in turn four. The yellow flew and Mills had to go to the rear as his rival and multi-time track champ Mike Wilbur was just hangin’ out in tenth spot. Sissenstein led until the five to go signal when another past champ, Bill Rampe got by. The last five laps were uneventful as Mills Struggled to back into contention. Rampe cruised home with his second victory of the season. Sissenstein ran a strong second followed by Decker in third, Shaun Walker in fourth and first time visitor Harry Marvin III rounding out the top five. Wilbur wound up tenth but it was enough to claim his fourth track title. Mills finished an irate fifteenth and showed his displeasure after the race was over at the offending driver.
After coming back from a near career ending injury in 2001, Ryan Lund has come on strong late in the season and last Saturday night was no exception. Lund led all fifteen laps to take his second win in the last three races. Early pressure was supplied by Rick Wust and later by 2002 point champ Dale Pitcher. Lund was equal to the task and took home the win. Pitcher was second, followed by Wust in third, Bruce Gould in fourth and Jimmy Lawler in fifth.
It looked as though Tom Fletcher was going to win his first ever Four Cylinder Modified feature but after leading the first twelve circuits, Fletcher’s car went away and this opened the door for 2002 champion Scott Allen. Allen led the rest of the way in convincing fashion to claim the victory and the point title. The ageless Gordie Isham came home second followed by the equally ageless Dick Case. Fourth went to Dennis Copp and Ronnie Clark rounded out the top five.
After lap two it was all Rich Powell in the Four Cylinder Stock feature. Aaron Peck led the first circuit before Powell asserted himself. Bob Doolittle followed Powell to the front but couldn’t get close enough to challenge for the win as Powell cruised home win another win. Doolittle came home second in the yellow flag prone event. Point winner Harold Humphrey passed Doolittle for the runner-up spot while Shawn Mills also got by for third as Doolittle dropped to fourth in the final rundown. Lloyd Twarz came home fifth.
Last Saturday night marked the end of points but not the end of racing at Thunder Mountain. Next week will be the final installment of the Don’s Automotive Mall North South Super Stock All Star Series plus the B&D Battery and Tire Warehouse Pure Stock and Four Cylinder Stock series. Add that to a Run-Whatcha-Brung Modified feature and you have the making of a great night of racing. The following week will feature the Gary’s U-Pull-It Kings Royal $5000 to win, 50 lap Modified feature. Also on the card that night will be an open competition Sportsman race plus Super Stocks and Pure Stocks. Gates will open both nights at 4:00 p.m. while racing set to begin at 6:30 p.m. The point races in all the series’ are still up for grabs so it promises to two exciting nights of racing at the fats 3/8 mile banked oval. Thunder Mountain is located just off New York State route 79 in Center Lisle.
MODIFIED FINISH: Brent Wilcox, Doug Worthing, Paul Jensen, Mike Nagel, Chris Weaver, Brian Weaver, Carl Nagel, Butch Cerullo, Tom McGurrin, Chris Ostrowski, Mike Colsten, Dave Jenkins, Sean Collins, Eddie White, J. R. Hurlburt, Rick Wilk, Jeff Sheely, Danny West, John Guernsey, George Kostelansky, Steve Babicek, Dick Sundgren, Jim Gabriel Jr., Mike Payne, Brian Payne, Brian Decker. DNQ-Kevin Ingram, Mike Frost
SPORTSMAN FINISH: Ken Titus, Rick Whitney, Bret Tonkin, Chad Cook, Matt Smith, Kevin Jordan, Billy Spoonhower, Brian White, Brent Boyer, Sean Olenski, Cliff Pierce, Dave Van Buren, Mark Wainwright, Myron Leonard, Norm Whittemore.
SUPER STOCK FINISH: Matt Roberts, Jamie Shea, Gary Roberts, Harold Humphrey, Denny Decker, J. T. McKernan, Ken Hammond, Dwayne Robbins, Ed McKernan, Larry Hillis, Rick Davis, Wade Decker, Rick Benjamin, Mike Austin, Skip Peabody, Scott Chapman, Carl Silvernail, Fred Velez, Ken Winn, Mark Wainwright. DNS-Brian MacRabie
PURE STOCK FINISH: Bill Rampe, Matt Sissenstein, Kurt Decker, Shaun Walker, Harry Marvin III, Don Mosher, Dick Stark Jr., Bob Mills, Mark Shipman, Mike Wilbur, Charlie Mosher, Howard Jones, Toby Sparks, Darl Ellis, Buck Mills, Randy Percival, Bill Clark, Jamie Rosh, Charles Holcomb, JonDale Howey, Bill Leonard Jr., Rich Green, Bret Welch, Louie Gordonier, Brian Hicks. DNQ-Mitch Alexander, Chuck Alexander, Dave Husnay, Steve McWain, Dave Denton, John Wahl, Bob Boynton Sr.
MINI SPRINT FEATURE: Ryan Lund, Dale Pitcher, Rick Wust, Bruce Gould, Jimmy Lawler, Steve Diffendorf, Jason Wust, Dave Kissinger. DNS-Steve Klock, Jeff Black.
FOUR CYLINDER MODIFIED FEATURE: Scott Allen, Gordie Isham, Dick Case, Dennis Copp, Ronnie Clark, Curt Pierce, Tom Fletcher, Ken Stafford, Jameson Kehrer, Dennis Copp II, Kim Pierce, Ben Bushaw, Roger Dewitt, Lee Dewitt, Jeremy Howe. DNS-George Howe.
FOUR CYLINDER STOCK FINISH: Rich Powell, Harold Humphrey, Shawn Mills, Bob Doolittle, Lloyd Twarz, Rich Talada, John Wilcox, Jeff Wilcox Jr., Aaron Peck, John Coish, Jon Carter, Chuck Wheeland, Jeff Wilcox, Jay Hayward, Fred Newton II, Jerry Wilcox, Fred Newton.