BAREFOOT BOB WINS BREWERTON

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Results from Brewerton Speedway-April 25, 1997

BREWERTON, NY......"Barefoot" outran the "Hurricane" and was able to get the "Jump" on the competition at the Brewerton Speedway on Friday night. Bob McCreadie, defending track champion at the Route 11 track, captured his first win of the season in the Kinney Drugs 9. However, it wasn't an easy task as the North Country pilot started 17th and was forced to work his way through a very competitive field as Strathmore Paints and Pepsi sponsored the night of action.

While McCreadie was in victory lane in the DIRT modified division first time ever winner John Thayer eked out a narrow decision over Sean Lias in the IMCA division. It was Jim Gray winning his first dwarf main of the year while Bill Klinkowsky captured his second consecutive win of the year in the highly competitive four cylinder event.

In the featured 35 DIRT big block-small block event it was "Hurricane" Steve Paine jumping to the forefront from outside of the front row. He put some distance between himself and runner up Scott Prentice, but the advantage was short-lived. By the fifth\lap "Jumpin" Jack Johnson was in the runner up spot and looking to challenge. Johnson set his sights on Paine and the race was on. While fans watched the duo battle, the likes of McCreadie and Joe Plazek were working toward the front. Finally as the field reached the 20 lap mark it was Paine riding the rim while Johnson hugged the inside. On the twenty-ninth lap Johnson took the lead as they raced off the fourth turn. McCreadie was flying and Plazek was running a solid high line.

With two laps to go the leaders hit traffic. Suddenly McCreadie made contact with the left rear of the Johnson car and Jumpin Jack looped it between the third and fourth. McCreadie took the point, but there were still two laps remaining. Bob McCreadie held off the final challenges as Joe Plazek came on during the closing stages to finish second. Steve Paine settled for third while completing the top five were solid runs by Pat Ward and Bobby Varin. Billy Decker, Scott Prentice, Donnie Wetmore, Jim Phelps and Chuck Bower completed the top ten.

John Thayer of Fabius captured the first feature event of his career in the 20 lap IMCA main event. Thayer raced wheel-to-wheel with Tom Horning in the early stages. Horning went to the point, but on the fifth lap it was Thayer diving low to take the lead. The field remained tightly bunched with an assortment of yellow flags. Thayer didn't have an easy time as Dane Keller had the point on the ninth lap. The duo raced side-by-side, bumper-to-bumper, but with five laps to go it was Thayer who powered low between the first and second turn to go on top once again.

However, this one wasn't over. During the last five laps the fans were cheering as Thayer, Keller and defending track champion Sean Lias were running with a blanket over them. A last lap shoot-out was set up, but John Thayer was able to hold on while Sean Lias was second and third was Dane Taylor.

In the highly competitive four cylinder division Bill Klinkowsky captured his second straight win. It wasn't an easy win as Ken Klinkowsky took the lead at the start, but on the second lap Nick Leonard went to the front. Rob Keller, Bill Klinkowsky and Bob Haws all broke away from the pack in the early stages and on the seventh lap restart it was Bill Klinkowsky taking over in front. A few yellow flags provided a mix at the finish. At the checker it was Bill Klinkowsky winning while Ken Klinkowsky was second. Tony Finch came on for third followed by Nick Leonard and Gary Morrisette.

It was a tough night for the dwarf division. Jim Gray was the survivor with his first win of the year. At the start it was Pat Pontello taking the lead, but one lap later Gray went to the outside to lead. However, Frank Doll Jr. went in front on the sixth lap as he raced under Gray entering the third turn. Yellows kept the field bunched tightly. Doll was in front while Eric Crawford began to challenge. With "15" laps in Crawford lost a motor. One lap later Doll's powerplant expired, Gordy Isham's engine caught fire and the complexion of the race took a new turn. At the checker it was Jim Gray with the win followed by Kevin Doll and C.J. Crawford. Gray walked to the finish line as he ran out of fuel on the cool down lap.

All in all it was an exciting night as the Modifieds and IMCA machines had three car battles at the front and other divisions dicing right to the end. Action resumes on Friday night for Magee Trailer Sales Night with a full four division show and paper bag races.

Pit Stops-Frank Doll's motor had four years on it before it blew...Eric Crawford was driving Greg Furlong's dwarf...Curt Stiles 007 IMCA car was heavily damaged as was Coleen Finch's...First time modified visitors for 97 included Bob Melone, Charlie Fuller, Rick Amos and Dan Connelly...Rain fell during the running of the modified main event causing a slight delay...Dwarf heats went to Jim Gray and Buddy Lewis...Modified prelim winners were Steve Paine, Donnie Wetmore and Jim Phelps...Tom Horning and John Thayer won the IMCA heats and Bob Haws and Bill Klinkowsky won the four cylinder qualifiers.

MODIFIED FEATURE-Bob McCreadie, Joe Plazek, Steve Paine, Pat Ward, Bob Varin, Billy Decker, Scott Prentice, Donnie Wetmore, Jim Phelps, Chuck Bower, Bill Gill, Dana Wagner, Tim McCreadie, Roger Phelps, Steve Roberts, Ray Bliss, Jack Johnson, Bob Melone, Charlie Fuller, Bob Bennett, Tim Fuller, Rick Amos and Dan Connelly.

IMCA FEATURE-John Thayer, Sean Lias, Dane Keller, Ron O'Neill, Jim Walsh, Tom Horning, Ted Atkinson, Jim Graves, Kevin Auyer, Glen Erwin, Carmen Vona, Don Alvord, Rob Keller, Les Hubbard, Coleen Finch, Curt Stiles and Neil Edgar.

DWARF FEATURE-Jim Gray, Kevin Doll, C.J. Crawford, Ed Bell, Bill Teliska, Buddy Lewis, David Orr, Chuck Weiland, Pat Waters, Troy Van Allen, Pat Pontello, Frank Doll, Gordy Isham, Eric Crawford, Barry Virts, Jim Fredenburg, Butch Wadsworth, Darren Forbes, Clark Weston.

FOUR CYLINDERS-Bill Klinkowsky, Ken Klinkowsky, Tony Finch, Nick Leonard, Gary Morrisette, Ed Granoski, George Kirchoff, Eric Clark, Bob Haws, Dean Bower, Roger Olschewske, Ray Crittendon, Jon Amidon, R.J. Grimshaw, Tim Koch, Jim Olin, Mark Meyers, Phil Trimm, Bill Clark, Chuck Fowellyer and Julio Garcia.