ALEX HOAG VICTORIOUS IN WOODHULL RACEWAY THRILLER. KNOWLES, DAVIS, SMITH AND LEASURE ALSO PICKUP FEATURE WINS
Woodhull, NY - 060102 - Representatives of the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company were on hand this past Saturday as the nightly event sponsor and they along with a huge crowd witnessed some of the best competition of the 2002 season at the Woodhull Raceway. Twenty-four of the finest 358 Modified pilots that the region has to offer lineup for the start of their twenty-five lap feature go and when it was all said and done, the young third generation Bath, New York hot shoe, Alex Hoag had notched his first ever feature win on the historic Woodhull Raceway high banks. For Hoag , however it did not come easy as front row starters Don Lawson and John Moravec were setting a torrid pace and had put several car lengths between themselves and the third place running Hoag. Hoag, the Haverling High School Senior was leading a group including Stacy Jackson, Lyle Sherwood, Steve Hartman Sr. and Billy VanPelt. On lap fifteen and with only one yellow to this point it looked like the veteran competitor Don Lawson might be on his way to victory lane for the first time in a number of years at Woodhull. Moravec who had dogged Lawson for the entire distance tried several different times to pass Lawson but could not get the job done when on lap eighteen disaster struck for the lead duo as the lapped machine of Kevin Erskine spun directly in front of the lead pack collecting both Lawson and Moravec and bring in out the caution. Lawson was able to continue but had to go to the rear of the field, however Moravec had significant front end damage to the Harrington owned number 1 and was done for the night. This put Hoag on the point with Jackson right on his rear crash bar. Only one more lap was completed before the final yellow of the night on lap nineteen for the stalled car of Larry Keegan. On the restart Hoag was able to hold off a very hard charging Stacy Jackson who had to settle for second. Steve Hartman Sr. once again put on a steady performance and came across the line third with Lyle Sherwood and three time feature winner, Billy VanPelt rounding the top five finishers. Mike Jackson in his first outing of the year in the Herb Wright owned 88m was sixth, luckless Freddy Amaan was held on for an impressive seventh with Steve Kio, Donnie Lawson and Dan Matthews rounding out the top ten. Qualifying heat wins and the five bonus points went to Hoag, VanPelt and Moravec. In victory lane Alex Hoag was quick to point out that due to the stiff competition that Woodhull has to offer his first feature win was not easy and that there would be numerous different winners before years end. No truer words could have been spoken. Going into the twenty lap feature for the Super Stocks no driver had repeated as a feature event winner in 2002 and when the checkered flagged dropped another new face was found in victory lane as Larry Knowles etched his name into the record books and with his win qualified for the season ending NAPA Race of Champions event. In the early going Knowles and then leader Mike Hilfiger waged a terrific battle for the top spot swapping the lead back and forth a half a dozen times while putting a full straight a way between themselves and the third place running machine. While they were slugging it out for the lead, last weeks feature winner, Kenny Peoples Sr. was slicing and dicing his way back towards the front after an early race yellow which sent his 5K pickup truck to the rear. Rich Marlatt stayed glued to Peoples rear trunk lid and the two put on a brilliant performance moving through the field. Mark Costa and Scott Brown were steady all race and were well within striking distance of the leaders. With only a handful of laps remaining and Knowles now at the point, the second place Hilfiger machine experienced a blown left front tire and slowed exiting turn two. A fast moving Mick Seeley trying to clear the Hilfiger machine made heavy contact and both cars receiving significant damage and the yellow being displayed for only the second time of the event. With Hilfiger's departure this put Peoples into the runner- up spot and five laps to try and pass the race leader. Peoples put relentless pressure on Knowles and was able to make a patented inside move as the lead duo crossed the Chilson/Wilcox Start Finish Line taking the white flag from head starter, Steve Cady. For Knowles it looked like he may have to settle for second place, but was able to fight back going down the back straight and dove low going into turn three and with a power move was able to retake the lead and picked up his first feature win since 2000 by less than a car length over Peoples. Third place did go to Marlatt, Mark Costa was fourth with Scott Brown rounding the top five finishers. Sixth went to Brian Knowles and he was followed by Brett Flint, Alan Crooker, Mike Carapella and Bill Williams. Knowles was greeted in victory lane with a rousing ovation as the fans in attendance were once again treated to a spectacular feature event in the Super Stock Division and as mentioned earlier, five races, five different faces in victory lane for the Super Stocks at Woodhull in 2002. Qualifying heat wins went to Knowles with Mike Carapella finding victory lane for the first time every at Woodhull in the second and final Super Stock heat. The IMCA Modifieds were next to report to the Woodhull high banks as some eighteen IMCA's were in attendance as this class continues to grown in numbers and popularity. Bob Davis, opening night winner once again used his awesome Ford power to visit victory lane for the second time in 2002, however his win was made a bit easier with the early exit of former feature winners Mike Smith and Steve Hartman Jr. 2001 IMCA Track Champion, Larry Robbins was also an early race casualty. However, Davis was not to be denied as he motored into the lead from his fourth row outside starting spot and never looked back. Earl Harp of Bath was able to wrestle the runner-up spot away from Clayton McClean, but could not close in on the high flying Davis to make a challenge and had to settle for the brides maid spot at the checkers. McClean had his best run in his rookie season finishing third, Dan Gardner was fourth with another IMCA Rookie, Stevie Williams running a very steady race to an impressive fifth place finish. Ray Brohl was next across the line in the twenty lap feature followed by Greg Galligan. Freedom Raceway regular, Andrew Latham in his first ever trip to Woodhull came home eighth with Brett Bacon and Jay McConnell rounding the top ten. Heat wins went to Greg Galligan and Bob Davis. With Davis's feature win it moves him alongside of Steve Hartman Jr. as the only repeat feature winners at Woodhull thus far in 2002. The "Fastest Street Stocks in the East" were up next for their regular 20 lap feature event with another first time 2002 winner. Lyle Smith, the defending Woodhull Raceway Street Stock Champion put on a driving clinic as he sliced and diced his way through the field from his thirteenth starting spot and cruised to a popular win. At the drop of the green it was early race leader, Henry Miracle along with Bob Clark and Dave Davis setting the pace. With a few early race yellows it kept the field bunched up allowing former Woodhull feature winners, Smith, Geoff McNally, Cliff Moss, Chuck Pruden and Todd Burgess to stay within striking distance. However, when the checkers waved, Lyle Smith was able to bring his beautiful looking #6 home for the win. Miracle, who had lead a great deal of the event settled for second followed by Bob Clark, Geoff McNally and Dave Davis. Last weeks feature winner, Todd Burgess led a who's who list across the line from sixth through tenth including Cliff Moss, Bill Shea, Chuck Pruden and Jeff Smith. Heat wins went to Jeff Smith, Randy Hilfiger, and Geoff McNally with Phil Hall picking-up the win in the Morgan's Auto Repair Second Chance Race. last but not least the mighty 4 cylinder Mini Stock Division took to the Woodhull high banks for their 20 lap feature event with Bath, New York speedster, Chuck Leasure finding victory lane for the second time in as many weeks. For Leasure it was a big win as all race long he looked to be a third place finisher. For the second time in as many weeks a very bizarre incident between the race leaders in a feature event scrambled the late race standings. It looked like Kris Kester also of Bath was about to nail down his first every feature win at Woodhull as he had moved into the lead. Three time 2002 Mini Stock feature winner, Joe Povoski was moving through the field very nicely from his ninth row starting spot and had taken over second just past the mid way point. For the next five laps Povoski and Kester put on a tremendous show which mirrored a race between the two earlier in the year. With just a handful of laps remaining and the lead duo well ahead of the third place running Leasure, Povoski tried an inside move on Kester as the leaders entered turn three. Contact was made with Kester spinning, the yellow being thrown and Povoski being put to the rear. Unfortunately for Kester a great run was negated as he also was sent to the back for bringing out the caution. Chuck Leasure then said, thank you very much and cruised home for the win. Ray Hyer did an excellent job for second, the Toyota of Chad Dickerson was third, Kevin Young was fourth and David Kurtz finished fifth. The next group included Ray Brown, Josh Mills who came from the consi, Kenny Peoples Jr., Brian Grant and Rookie competitor Nate Dunning rounded the top ten. Earlier qualifiers and the bonus points went to Hyer, Young, Jeff Stone with Josh Mills winning the consi. event. Next week it is the Annual Motorcycle Ride for Cystic Fibrosis sponsored by Harding Harley Davidson of Corning New York. Plaques will be presented to the winners of the 70 mile dice run and during intermission there will be a special "Burnout Competition" with the winner receiving a brand new rear tire for their bike from Jeff Harding of Harding Harley Davidson. All of the proceeds of the Dice Run go directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and for those who participate in the event, their entry fee allows them free admission into the Woodhull Raceway for the night of activity. It will be a regular 5 Star Show with a Special 40 lap feature event for the IMCA Modifieds where a number of outside drivers have expressed interest in the event. It promises to be a great show. Plan to be there.
358 Modifieds
Heats. 1) Alex Hoag 2) Billy VanPelt 3) John Moravec
25 lap Pepsi Feature 1) Alex Hoag 2) Stacy Jackson 3) Steve Hartman Sr. 4) Lyle Sherwood 5) Billy VanPelt 6) Mike Jackson 7) Fred Amaan 8) Steve Kio 9) Donnie Lawson 10) Dan Matthews
Super Stocks
Heats 1) Larry Knowles 2) Mike Carapella
20 lap Pepsi Feature 1) Larry Knowles 2) Kenny Peoples Sr. 3) Rich Marlatt 4) Mark Costa 5) Scott Brown 6) Brian Knowles 7) Brett Flint 8) Alan Crooker 9) Mike Carapella 10) Bill Williams
IMCA Modifieds
Heats 1) Greg Galligan 2) Bob Davis
20 lap Pepsi Feature 1) Bob Davis 2) Earl Harp 3) Clayton McClean 4) Dan Gardner 5) Steve Williams 6) Ray Brohl 7) Greg Galligan 8) Andrew Latham 9) Brett Bacon 10) Jay McConnell
Street Stocks
Heats 1)Jeff Smith 2) Randy Hilfiger 3) Geoff McNally Morgan's Auto Second Chance Race) Phil Hall
20 lap Pepsi Feature 1) Lyle Smith 2) Henry Miracle 3) Bob Clark 4) Geoff McNally 5) Dave Davis 6) Todd Stone 7) Cliff Moss 8) Bill Shea 9) Chuck Pruden 10) Jeff Smith
Mini Stocks
Heats 1) Ray Hyer 2) Kevin Young 3) Jeff Stone Consi) Josh Mills
20 lap Pepsi Feature 1) Chuck Leasure 2) Ray Hyer 3) Chad Dickerson 4) Kevin Young 5) David Kurtz 6) Ray Brown 7) Josh Mills 8) Kenny Peoples Jr. 9) Corky Grant 10) Nate Dunning