Hurlburt Takes Win At Thunder Mountain
Center Lisle, New York.....J. R. Hurlburt of Otego, New York became the seventh different Saturday night winner as he passed pole sitter Rick Whitney on lap seven and never looked back as he took the win in the thirty lap Modified feature win on Tim Olenski Memorial night at the Thunder Mountain Speedway.
Whitney's tenure from the top spot survived three restarts before Hurlburt took advantage of the fourth on lap seven. Whitney stayed close for a couple of laps but eventually Hurlburt was able to some distance between himself and the rest of the pack.
Numerous yellows slowed the pace but each time Hurlburt was equal to the task. Mike in his first race back since his health problems of a couple weeks ago started tomake a run at Hurlburt late in the race after passing Whitney but a distributor malfunction slowed Colsten's pace after getting to second. Weaver also passed Whitney for third and also passed a slowing Colsten on lap twenty-seven for the second spot. Colsten dropped back through the fieldas the late laps wound down and wound up eleventh as the checkers flew. Hurlburt came home the winner followed by Weaver in second, Whitney in third for his best Thunder Mountain finish ever and Dave Jenkins and George Kostelansky completed the top five.
Charlie Folton led the first seven laps of the twenty lap Street Stock feature from his pole spot before a hard luck Thunder Mountain runner Jamie Shea took over. Shea's tenure in the top spot was short lived however as he and Folton did a loop de loop in turn four on lap nine. Enter Chris Piasecki who was in the right place at the right time. Piasecki took the top spot and wouldn't let go. Billy Spoonhower got close a couple of times and was part way under once but Piasecki was clearly the master and held Spoonhower off for his first ever Thounder Mountain win. Spoonhower came home second followed by Mike Decker in third, P. J. Goodwin in fourth and Harold Humphrey fifth.
Toby Baker led the first two circuits of the fifteen laps of the Pure Stock feature before "Rockin' Roger" Salai took over the top spot on lap three. Salai opened up a ten car length lead over the field as the top point getters were getting through the pack. Larry Hillis finally track down Salai and took the number one position just past the halfway point and never looked back opening up a sizable margin. Salai came home second in his best ever Thunder Mountain finish. Chris Stull challenged Salai for second but wound up settling for third while John Payne and Mike Wilbur rounded out the top five.
Hard luck George Howe was again the class of the Four Cylinder Modified field for most of the fifteen lap distanceand once again a late race yellow cost him. Howe went around in turn four on lap thirteen for the first yellow flag of the race. Buzz Barton Jr., who had followed Howe for most of the race now was in the top spot but fourt ime winner Lee Dewitt was right on his back bumper. Dewitt made short work of Barton and took home his fifth win in seven starts and solidified his grip on the points title. Barton took his best finish to date with a solid second. Mike Payne, Bruce Detro and Dick Case rounded out the top five.
Steve Klock led the first three laps of the fifteen lap Mini Sprint feature before four time winner Don Harvey took over. Harvey started to make a shambles of the field as he lap cars at will. Lance O'dell also gotKlock but Harvey was long gone. O'dell got one more shot at Harvey on a red flag for Dale Pitcher who hit the wall in turn four. Harvey left O'dell on the restart and won by a half a straightaway at the end. O'dell came home second, Klock grabbed off third for his best finish of the year> Klock was followed by Garry Moore in fourth and Phil Peworchik in fifth.
Nathan Stevens took advantage of Harold Humphrey's mechanical misfortune to secure his second Four Cylinder Stock fifteen lap feature event. Humphrey had just taken the lead from Roger West before troubles beset him. Stevens, who also had passed West was there snag the top spot and cruise home the winner. West came home second followed by Rich Powell in third, Jeff McKinney in fourth and Jerry Wilcox xompleting the top five.
Next week will be a regular show featuring the Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Four Cylinder Stopcks, Four Cylinder Modifieds and the Mini Sprints. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. with the first heat scheduled to go off at 6:30 p.m. Don't forget the upcoming Independence Day weekend show with the ELS Sprinters and the CNY Mini Sprint Tour plus regular classes. More details will be forthcoming on that show.
MODIFIED FINISH: J. R. Hurlburt, Brian Weaver, Rick Whitney, Dave Jenkins, George Kostelansky, Jeff Bronson, Jimmy Wrench, Tom McGurrin, Mike Clapperton, Dave Zona, Mike Colsten, Rod Hunsinger, Brian Payne, Mike Frost, Dick Sundgren, Rick Holgate, George Hoffmier Jr., Rick Wilk, Paul Jensen, Larry Dilello, Bob Conklin, Mike Nagel, Tom Sienko, Doug Worthing, Carl Nagel, Randy Decker.
STREET STOCK FINISH: Chris Piasecki, Billy Spoonhower, Mike Decker, P. J. Goodwin, Harold Humphrey, Barry Stephens, Bret Spoor, Jamie Shea, Gary Roberts, Scott Conover, Bob Janeski, Tracy Gregory, Mike Wilbur, Wade Decker, Max Moshier Jr., Charlie Folton.
PURE STOCK FINISH: Larry Hillis, Roger Salai, Chris Stull, John Payne, Mike Wilbur, Larry Rozelle, Mike Austin, Don Moshier, Rob Clute, Tony Pease, Tom Garran, Toby Baker, John Dale Howey, Norm Whittemore.
FOUR CYLINDER MODIFIED FINISH: Lee Dewitt, Buzz Barton Jr., Mike Payne, Bruce Detro, Dick Case, Curt Pierce, Bruce Knaak, Greg Martindale, George Howe, Alan BUsh, Chet Carr, Karen Dewitt, Cliff Pierce, Calvin Pierce, Steve Bump, Kala Bush, Scott Allen.
MINI-SPRINT FINISH: Don Harvey, Lance O'dell, Steve Klock, Garry Moore, Phil Peworchik, Steve Boyle, Frank Rummenknapp, Jim Lawler, Eric Copeland, Bruce Gould, Dale Pitcher, Rick Christopher, Jeremy Vunk.
FOUR CYLINDER STOCK FINISH: Nathan Stevens, Roger West, Rich Powell, Jeff McKiney, Jerry Wilcox, Rick Phillips, Jeff Wilcox, Lloyd Twarz, Jay Hayward, Tim Rudolph, Bill Spoonhower, Jeff Lee, Harold Humphrey, Fred Newton, John Wilcox, Richard Wolford.