TOMKINS WINS NUMBER TWO AT CAYUGA COUNTY
WEEDSPORT, NY..7/12/98...Gary Tomkins piloted the Bill Trout Lincoln/Mercury Bicknell Modified to his second feature win of the 1998 at the Cayuga County fair Speedway last Sunday. Joining Tomkins in the Casler Masonry-Baldwin Communications victory lane were Rick Miller (sportsman), Fran Cappara (IMCA) and Tom Juhl (enduro). All feature winners will receive a free years internet service through Baldwin Communications.
Gary Tomkins parlayed his outside pole starting spot into an easy victory in the 35-lap DIRT Modified feature, grabbing the lead on lap one and never looking back. Tomkins began to pull away from the rest of the field by lap three with Bobby Varin running second and Tim Burnett in third.
By lap 11, Varin had closed the gap, with the help of lapped cars. Varin tried to duck his nose below the Tomkins ride while trying to use a lapped car as a pick on lap 17, but he had to back off as the three wide squad hit the third turn banking.
On lap 21 the first caution fell when Danny Johnson abruptly stopped the Thum Racing Special on the front straight.Johnson quickly pitted and returned to the fray.
Tomkins now had to contend with Jimmy Horton, who had passed Varin on the restart. Tomkins again began to stretch out a lead. By the end of the race he held a twelve car advantage over Horton. Varin finished third followed by Alan Johnson and Tim Fuller.
Heat wins in the modified went to Tomkins, Varin and Alan Johnson. Mike Colsten took top honors in the DIRT Modified consolation race.
In the sportsman feature four different lead changes would take place, with Rick Miller passing Tim Sears for the final lead change on a lap 16 restart. Three yellows slowed the race, all for minor spin outs.
"My dad brought me here eleven years ago and I told him then I would be a race car driver and drive here some day," recalled Miller in victory lane. Miller not only became a driver, he actually won at the track where his desire to drive started.
Jim Spano finished second followed by Sears, Mike Button and Vince Vitale.
Heat wins went to Steve Gray, Greg Doust and Mark Cammuso.
In IMCA action a 15-lap main event saw Fran Cappara lead from start to finish as most of the IMCA cars remained in line all race long. Don Alvord came home in second followed by Jim Evans in third.
Tom Juhl took the victory in the 20-lap enduro race. However it would take a number of reviews to determine just who finished second as Tim Hettis and John Juhl came across the finish line in a photo finish. Hettis was finally declared to be second with John Juhl in third.
This Sunday will feature the DIRT Modifieds, Sportsman and Pit Stop Convenience Stores Enduro, plus added to the card are one-on-one spectator truck races. Race time will be at 7 p.m. sharp.
CASLER MASONRY-BALDWIN COMMUNICATIONS NIGHT SUMMARY
ENDURO
FEATURE (20-laps, TOP THREE): TOM JUHL, Tim Hettis, John Juhl.
IMCA MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1: F. Cappara, J. Evans, D. Alvord, B. Matzel, C. Finch, T. Finch.
FEATURE (15-laps): FRAN CAPPARA, Don Alvord, Jim Evans, Brent Matzel, Carman Vona, Joe Price Jr., Tony Finch, John Bell, Colleen Finch, Doug McKane, Bill Anderson, Mike Grismeyer.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: S. Gray, G. Stage, J. LaRock, J. Pitcher, C. West.
HEAT 2: G. Doust, V. Vitale, Ti. Sears, M. Button, R. Hefti.
HEAT 3: M. Cammuso, R. Miller, R. Davis, J. Spano, B. Tucker.
FEATURE (20-laps): RICK MILLER, Jim Spano, Tim Sears, Mike Button, Vince Vitale, Rich Swarthout, Greg Doust, Gary Stage, Mark Cammuso, Jim LaRock, Ryan Baye, Ron Davis, Ben Tucker, Randy Chrysler, Rodney Plantz, Jeremy Pitcher, Steve Gray, Shane Donath, Gary Morrissette, Bob Haws, Tyke Morris, Russ Hefti, Terry Knoblock, Cliff West.
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: G. Tomkins, D. Johnson, T. Fuller, J. Horton, T. Sears Jr.
HEAT 2: B. Varin, C. Bower, S. Prentice, P. Ward, D. Planck.
HEAT 3: A. Johnson, J. Phelps, B. Decker, T. Burnett, T. Milton.
CONSI: M. Colsten, S. Ridley, B. McCreadie, D. Hoffman, J. Hopkins, S. Glover, T. Hough, J. Burke, B. Melone.
FEATURE (35-laps): GARY TOMKINS, Jimmy Horton, Bobby Varin, Alan Johnson, Tim Fuller, Pat Ward, Billy Decker, Todd Milton, Jimmy Phelps, Bob McCreadie, Dale Planck, Danny Johnson, Doug Hoffman, Tim Burnett, Scott Ridley, Scott Prentice, Tom Sears Jr., Mike Colsten, Chuck Bower, Steve Glover, Jay Hopkins, Jim Gabriel Jr., Jim Burke, Terry Hough, Bob Melone.