HOFFMAN TOPS ROLLING WHEELS SPECIAL
ELBRIDGE, NY..5/18....Doug Hoffman came, he saw and he blew away
the rest of the top DIRT Stars last Sunday during the 50-lap
modified special. Ken Martin, 6th in overall street stock points
last year's, captured his first series win in the 20-lap SavOn
Mr. DIRT Street Stock series. Also joining the victory lane
celebrations was Jim Gabriel Jr., winner of the 20-lap DIRT
Sportsman main event.
Doug Hoffman used his outside pole starting position to
quickly take the lead over pole sitter Tim Fuller. On lap four
Chuck Bower spun his number 95 in the first turn, collecting the
new number 24 of Tim McCreadie. McCreadie saw his front end fold
up, ending his race for the day.
On lap 10, Gary Tomkins slowed to bring out the second
yellow of the race. The restart saw one of the wildest wrecks in
Rolling Wheels history. Chris Tuthill suddenly found himself
flipping after hitting the front stretch wall. He started towards
the grandstands, but the wheel fence deflected his entry into the
fan area, but sent the car skyward toward the starter's stand.
Fortunately the car fell just short of the flagging tower,
holding starter Dave Farney and and his assistant Terry Pulcin.
Tuthill quickly emerged uninjured. The race had to be red flagged
to enable safety crews to clear the area.
Hoffman held his advantage. Many of the top runners were
working their way towards the front. Brett Hearn found himself in
a battle for tenth with Billy Decker. Kenny Brightbill had to
head pitside with tire problems and Bryon Turner saw his number
11 jump out of gear at least twice during the event. Vic Coffey,
who raced in the top ten dropped out late in the event with blown
motor.
In the end Hoffman took the checkers followed by Fuller,
Jeff Heotzler, Danny Johnson and Gil Tegg Jr., in one of his best
performances to date.
In sportsman action Alton Palmer seemed to have the race all
sewn up until late in the race when Jim Gabriel Jr. blew passed
him in the fourth turn. Only two cautions slowed this event.
Following Gabriel Jr. home were Greg Sleight, Palmer, Karl
Comfort and Steve Hall. Sleight was penalized tow positions for a
jump on the final restart with just two laps remaining, placing
him from second to fourth.
In street stock action it took a blown motor to sideline
leader Wayne Ellison on lap four, allowing Jim Burton to take the
lead. But the side-by-side restart saw Ken Martin out power
Burton for the top spot. From that point on Martin was in command
of the race in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Eight cautions slowed
the 20-lap event, all for minor accidents or spins. Martin's
victory gives him a guaranteed starting spot for the Syracuse
Street Stock race in October, providing he takes time trials.
The street stock series now travels to Genesee Speedway in
batavia on Friday, May 30. The next event at Rolling Wheels will
be the World of Outlaws special, along with a special DIRT
Modified 25-lap main event on Wednesday, June 4. Advanced sale
tickets for this event are available through DIRT Headquarters
during the week.
SAM DELL CAR & TRUCK STORES/COCA-COLA/POUR LANCE RACE SUMMARY
STREET STOCKS
HEAT 1: J. Burton, L. Whyte, R. Crane, S. Goverston, L. Browie.
HEAT 2: W. Ellison, P. Hart, A. Penbeck, S. Crouse, Ri. Miller.
HEAT 3: K. Martin, J. Langenbeck, B. Flask, K. McDonald, F. Sage.
HEAT 4: R. Novczski, J. McGuigan, R. Breed, S. Kehr, T. Barron.
CONSI: T. Cannizzaro, W. Ekerson, S. Pesarek, R. White, T. Teal,
W. Oliver, D. McCready, Ra. Miller, K. Gates.
FEATURE (20-laps): KEN MARTIN, Jim Burton, Philan Hart, Rob
Novinzski, Les Whyte, Tom Cannizzaro, Ricky Breed, Steve Pesaek,
Scott Kehr, Andy Penbeck, Rich Crane, Rick Miller, Dick Werner
Jr., Ted Teal, Rob White, Wayne Oliver, Lorne Browie, Frank Sage,
Jim Langenbeck, Scott Govertson, Keith McDonald, Jim McGuigan,
Dave McCready, Wayne Ekerson, Phil Flask, Tom Barron, Wayne
Ellison.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: M. Button, D. Darling, K. Comfort, G. Stage, J. Barney,
J. Gabriel Jr.
HEAT 2: A. Palmer, G. Doust, J. Spano, J. Cronin, V. Vitale, S.
hall.
HEAT 3: L. Lauffenburger, G. Sleight, B. Clark, C. Schultz, D.
Fallis, J. Haers.
CONSI: D. Fellman, M. Gerber, R. Holden, R. Hall, M. Yorker, M.
Wilinson.
FEATURE (20-laps): JIM GABRIEL JR., Alton Palmer, Karl Comfort,
Greg Sleight, Steve Hall, Jim Spano, Chris Schultz, Bill Clark,
Drew Fallis, Dale darling, Jason Barney, Randy Holden, Dave
Fellman, Rich Hall, Matt Gerber, Jim Cronin, Vince Vitale, Gary
Stage, Greg Doust, Lance Lauffenburger, Mike Wikinson, Mark
Yorker, Mike Button, Jerry Haers.
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: T. Fuller, J. Heotzler, B. Decker, D. Camara, C. Bower.
HEAT 2: D. Hoffman, T. Bauer, V. Coffey, G. Tomkins, J. Johnson.
HEAT 3: J. Plazek, B. McCreadie, D. Johnson, F. Cozze, K.
Brightbill.
HEAT 4: G. Tegg Jr., S. Paine, S. Prentice, B. Turner, P. Ward.
CONSI 1: B. Hearn, D. Planck, A. Johnson, R. Tobias Jr., B.
Varin.
CONSI 2: J. Horton, D. Wetmore, J. Phelps, T. McCreadie, C.
Tuthill.
FEATURE (50-laps): DOUG HOFFMAN, Tim Fuller, Jeff Heotzler, Danny
Johnson, Gil Tegg Jr., Alan Johnson, Bob McCreadie, Steve Paine,
Jimmy Horton, Brett Hearn, Dave Camara, Jack Johnson, Frank
Cozze, Bobby Varin, Joe Plazek, Scott Prentice, Jimmy Phelps,
Billy Decker, Chuck Bower, Ted Bauer, Vic Coffey, Bryon Turner,
Gary Tomkins, Pat Ward, Kenny Brightbill, Rich Tobias Jr., Donnie
Wetmore, Chris Tuthill, Tim McCreadie.