CLAPPERTON WINS 33RD ANNUAL IRV HEATH MEMORIAL AT FIVE MILE POINT
KIRKWOOD, NY...Mike Clapperton won the 33rd Annual Irv Heath Memorial Saturday at Five Mile Point Speedway. Jim Gabriel Jr, Gary Card, and Matt Lipka were also victorious.
Dave Calaman set the early pace in the 50 lap Irv Heath Memorial for Modifieds. Calaman lost the lead on lap nine to Jerry Northrup. Mike Clapperton started 14th on the feild and quickly made his move through the pack.
Clapperton was up to second by lap 12 and then took the leadfrom Northrup on lap 16. Tim Olenski, who started alongside Clapperton, also made quick work of the feild. He moved into second on lap 17 and set his sights on Clapperton.
There were 28 laps without a caution and Clapperton was able to maintain his advantage, even in lapped traffic. Clapperton cruised to the win. He is the frist repeat winner this year in the Modified division. Olenski was second ahead of Dick Marcinko, who started 18th, Jeff Rudalavage, who started 20th, and Butch Tittle, who started 19th.
Mike Colsten, Carl Reynolds, Jerry Northrup, Randy Davenport, and Chuck Akulis rounded out the top ten. Dick Sundgren won the Parts Plus Dash for Cash.
After a great early battle with Bob Lane, Jim Gabriel Jr took the lead on lap 8 of the DIRT Sportsman feature. Jim Crawn followed him into second on lap ten and tried to chase down Gabriel. Gabriel was strong enough to maintain his advantage and claim his second win of the season. He is the first repeat winner in the Sportsman Division.
Crawn was second ahead of Dave Locke, Gary Stage, and Eddie White. Sixth through tenth went to Lane, Ladd Yeomans, Don Hart Jr, Gary Allen, and John Patchowski.
The Street Stock feature was another beauty. Larry Hillis was the early leader. He lost the lead to Dave Rumsey on lap 12. Rumsey had his hands full with Gary Card as he tried to hold him off.
Card snatched the lead on lap 16 for good. Card claimed the win over Rumsey, Randy Gates, Butch Klinger, and Greg McKernan. Jamie Shea, Pete Crawn, Art Darling Jr, Rager Salai, and Ricky Whitman rounded out the top ten.
Joe Rafferty led from start to finish in the Pure Stock feature. However after the post race inspection he was disqualified. That gave the win to Matt Lipka over Randy Percival, Charlie Gilbert, Bryan Post, and Reed Maryott. Sixth through tenth went to larry Hillis III, Mike Stolarcyk, Pich Powell, Dan Slezak, and Bill Goodrich.
COUNTER POINTS...It was old timers night and many drivers from past years were on hand including Deforest Chalker who won the first Irv Heath Memorial in 1965...members of the Heath family were in attendance to present special awards to the winners...This Saturday is Don's Automotive Mall Night featuring a full show of DIRT Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Pure Stocks along with a rollover competition. Race time is 7:00 pm.
IRV HEATH MEMORIAL FEATURE FINISH: MIKE CLAPPERTON, Tim Olenski, Dick Marcinko, Jeff Rudalavage, Butch Tittle, Mike Colsten, Carl Reynolds, Jerry Northrup, Randy Davenport, Chuck Akulis,Joe Donahue Jr, Dick Sundgren, Jim Witko Sr, Roy Shields, Jim Witko Jr, Dan Hineline, Dick Longstreet, Larry Hamm, Glenn Knapp. Dar Shonert (DNQ), Ron Mawson Jr (DNQ), Brett Spoor (DNQ), Ralph Mele (DNQ).
SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINSIH: JIM GABRIEL JR, Jim Crawn, Dave Locke, Gary Stage, Eddie White, Bob Lane, Ladd Yeomans, Don Hart Jr, Gary Allen, John Patchowski, Richard Ives, Brad Alger, Bobby Yeager, Tony Paes, Jim Toy, Mike Wilkinson, Dennis Dierich, Ed McKernan, Chad Cook.
STREET STOCK FEATURE FINISH: GARY CARD, Dave Rumsey, Randy Gates, Butch Klinger, Greg McKernan, Jamie Shea, Pete Crawn, Art Darling Jr, Roger Salai, Ricky Whitman, Doug Nelson, Larry Hillis, Rob Harder, Walt McClenan, Stve Hewitt, Tom Milewski, Joe Scofield.
PURE STOCK FEATURE FINISH: MATT LIPKA, Randy Percival, Charlie Gilbert, Bryan Post, Reed Maryott, Larry Hillis III, Mike Stolarcyk III, Rich Powell, Dan Slezak, Bill Goodrich, Mike Rafferty, Bill Clark, Glenn Winsor, Ralph Shoemaker Jr, Rob Henry. Al Collingwood (DNS), Joe Rafferty (DQ), Jim Palmer (DQ).