Worthing Takes First Modified Win At Thunder Mountain
Center Lisle, New York.....Breaking a four year drought, Doug Worthing of Owego brought the E. E. Root sponsored Modified home first in the thirty lap Modified feature last Saturday night at the Thunder Mountain Speedway on Lantz' Auto Parts Night. Worthing, who started twelfth, last won here in 1997 which was also his last career win.
Randy Decker took the lead from his outside poleposition and led the way throughout a few yellows during the early going of the event. A yellow on lap eleven bunched the field together and put Worthing in second. The opening night winner, Decker chose the high side of the track to restart the race but a lap didn't get completed so they had to do it again. Decker again chose the high groove but Worthing looked to have the faster straightaway speed and took over the top spot. From then on it was all Worthing as he opened up a sizable distance between himself and Decker which only got closer due to restart. Worthing led by a full corner as the checkers flew. Decker came home second followed by J. R. Hurlburt in third, Mike Nagel and fourth and George Hoffmier Jr., who came from deep in the pack to grab off a top five.
After losing the race on the last lap last week, Gary Roberts was not to be denied this time. Roberts took the lead from early leader Chris Piasecki on lap five and never looked back. While Roberts was on cruise out front, the real battle was for second between point leader Scott Conover and lasy week's winner Billy Spoonhower. Conover took over second with two to go but couldn't draw a bead on Roberts who took home his first win of the new season. Conover strengthened his point lead with a solid second as Spoonhower came home third. Fourth went to Piasecki in his best ever Thunder Mountain finish followed by P. J. Goodwin completing the top five.
It was all Chad Parks in the fifteen lap Pure Stock feature. After starting in front, Parks led all but twolaps enroute to his first feature event win of the season. Parks led all but two laps but he had lots of compnay as Chris Stull gave Parks all he could handle late in the race and they were joined by point leader John Payne. Parks held off this duo for the win while Larry Hillis and John Dale Howey came home fourth and fifth.
George Howe led the first thirteen laps of the fifteen lap Four Cylinder Modified feature and looked to be on his way to his first win of the season but a yellow flag flew for a Scott Allen spin tightened the field up and put three time winner Lee Dewitt close. Dewitt passed Howe coming off turn four as the checkers flew to take his fourth win of the season. Howe was a disappointed second followed by Greg Martindale in third, Buzz Barton Jr., in fourth and Cliff Pierce in fifth.
Rich Powell led the first two laps of the Four Cylinder Stock feature event before eventual winner Nathan Stevens took over in this relatively caution free fifteen lapper. Stevens took over on lap three and three time winner Harold Humphrey followed Stevens by for second. Humphrey challenged Stevens late but couldn't get by as Stevens scored his second win of the year. Humphrey came home second, followed Powell in third, Joe Bush in fourth and Rick Phillips completing the top five.
Veteran Dale Pitcher led the first ten laps of the fifteen lap Mini Sprint feature before three time winner Don Harvey took over the top spot closely followed by Lance O'dell. Harvey led the remaining laps to take home his fourth win of the year, followed by O'dell, Pitcher, who finished his first race in a couple of weeks. Garry Moore came fourth and Frank Rumennknapp completed the top five.
Next weel will feature all the regular classes including the Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Four Cylinder Stocks, Four Cylinder Modifieds and Mini Sprints. Gates open at 4:00 with the first race scheduled at 6:30.
MODIFIED FINISH: Doug Worthing, Randy Decker, J. R. Hurlburt, Mike Nagel, George Hoffmier Jr., Mike Clapperton, Dave Jenkins, George Kostelansky, Brian Weaver, Carl Nagel, Jeff Bronson, Dick Sundgren, Dave Zona, Brian Payne, Mike Frost, Dan Morden, Rick Whitney, Tom McGurrin, George Lewis III, Tom Sienko, Chris Bushnell, Rick Wilk, Ed Hawley, Ron Latwinski, Paul Jensen, Jimmy Wrench.
STREET STOCK FINISH: Gary Roberts, Scott Conover, Billy Spoonhower, Chris Piasecki, P. J. Goodwin, Mike Decker, Barry Stephens, Tracy Gregory, Wade Decker, Jamie Shea, Rick Russell, Charlie Folton, Harold Humphrey, ArtDarling Jr., Mike Wilbur, Bob Janesky.
PURE STOCK FINISH: Chad Parks, Chris Stull, John Payne, Larry Hillis, John Dale Howey, Larry Rozelle, Mike Hoyt, Brad Albrecht, Mike Wilbur, Roger Salai, Mike Austin, Chuck Griffith, Toby Baker, Dave Russell, Norm Whittemore.
FOUR CYLINDER MODIFIED FEATURE: Lee Dewitt, George Howe, Greg Martindale, Buzz Barton Jr., Cliff Pierce, Mike Payne, Dick Case, Chet Carr, Alan Bush, Scott Allen, Karen Dewitt, Calvin Pierce, Steve Bump, Kala Bush, Mark Reynolds, Ick Pierce, Curt Pierce.
FOUR CYLINDER STOCK FEATURE: Nathan Stevens, Harold Humphrey, Rich Powell, Joe Bush, Rick Phillips, Jeff Lee, Jay Hayward, Jeff Wilcox Jr., Jeff McKinney, Roger West, Jason Johnson, Fred Newton, Bill Spoonhower, Dick Dyson, Tim Rudolph, John Wilcox, Lloyd Twarz, Jerry Wilcox, RichardWolford.
MINI SPRINT FINISH: Don Harvey, Lance O'dell, Dale Pitcher, Garry Moore, Frank Rumennknapp, Ryan Lund, Steve Boyle, Eric Copeland, Steve Diffendorf, Bruce Gould. DNS-Steve Klock.