GUERNSEY SCORES AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN
John Guernsey of Port Crane scored his second career Modified triumph last Saturday night at Thunder Mountain as he led all but three laps en route to victory in the thirty lap Modified headliner. Guernsey’s victory was not an easy one however as he lost the lead in the early stages of the race and later felt the pressure of the field but he persevered in the end.
Because of breaking a motor in the season opener, Guernsey lined up on the pole position in the twenty-four car field. He use the starting spot to his advantage as he distanced himself from the rest of the field during the first few laps of the event. Only when eighth place starter Mike Schane got to the runner-up spot on lap four did Guernsey feel any pressure. The first of four yellows appeared on lap four when hard luck John Siedlecky slowed in the fourth turn.
Schane was all over Guernsey for the next few laps soon to be joined by Chris Bushnell and Mark Terry. Caution number two flew on lap six for a tangle between Joel Batzel and Jeremy Smith in turn three. When the race resumed, Schane made a run at Guernsey for the top spot, grabbing the advantage coming off turn two. Terry followed Schane by Guernsey but lost that spot a lap later as it looked as though Schane might win his first ever Modified feature.
Turnabout is fair play however and on the next restart following a Mike Nagel, Ed Strads Jr. Tangle in turn one, Guernsey forge back to the front with Schane and Terry in hot pursuit.As the race started to wind down, it became evident that Guernsey had it covered until Terry got is nose under Schane on lap eighteen. Terry was all over Guernsey until the very end. Terry said later, "I showed John my nose a few times, but he held his line and gave me plenty of room . My tires just didn’t have enough left at the end when I needed them." Guernsey crossed the line a car length ahead of Terry with Schane, Mike DeMoirer and Brian Weaver rounding out the top five.
The twenty lap Street Stock feature was all t e Primestar sponsored Cougar of Herm Slack as he led wire to wire to grab his first win of 1997. The real battle of the event was for second however as Street Stock rookie Dave Silvernail had last week’s winner Kevin Jordan all over him for most of the race but Silvernail never wavered a bit and took whatever Jordan’s best effort and held on for the second spot. Roger Pendell came home fourth and Harry Marvin Jr. completed the top five.
The fifteen lap Pure Stock event saw pole sitter Dave Strong lead the first three laps until Granville, Pa.’s Brad Butcher take over the top spot. Butcher had his hands full with perrenial Pure Stock titlest Jim Giles for most of the rest of the race but Giles couldn’t muster enough to get by and had to settle for second . Max Moshier Jr. drove a steady race to get third while Wayne Baldtwin and last week’s winner Gene Welch took the rest of the top five spots.
The night’s only repeat winner was Dave Wilkinson in the Four Cylinder Stock class. Wilkinson started fourth and had the lead from pole sitter Jeff McKinney by lap two and never looked back for the rest of the race. Rick Angle an Bryan Payne had their own battle for the runner-up spot going on as Wilkinson drove away from the field . On the fourth turn of the last lap Payne went in a little deeper and got by Angle for th e number two spot at the checkers behind Wilkinson. Angle had to settle for third while Stan Jones and Kevin Dempsey rounde out the top five.
Although Tommy Mettler took the measure of the Four Cylinder Modified field it wasn’t without some heat from pole sitter Ken Taylor in this caution free fifteen lapper. Taylor led lap one and Mettler took command on the second but Taylor never let Mettler get out of his sight and actually pulled even a couple of times during the later stages of the race. Mettler held on for is first win of the year followed by Scott Allen who snuck by Taylor on the white flag lap in traffic. Taylor wound up third with "Grandpa" Bruce Dtero in fourth and Chet Carr in fifth.
The fifteen lap Dwarf Car Main Event also saw a first time winner as Carl Crawford took over the top spot on lap three an never looked back. Crawford started sixth on the field an was pressuring leader Cliff Pierce by lap two. Crawford went to the front as Pierce slowed coming off turn four to complete lap three. Crawford led the rest of the way despite constant pressure from first Joe Morello and later on Ed Bell. Bell got around Morello on the final circuit but ran out of time to get Crawford and had to settle for second . Morello, in his best ever effort came home third while Kevin Doll and Eric Crawford took the rest of the top five spots.
MOUNTAIN NUGGETS: Another strong field of twenty-six Modifieds even with the other neighboring track opening up down the road. Carl Nagel back in the Wilson mount after competing opening night in an older Charlie Castle built Sportsman car. Sidelecky having the early season gremlins with a DNS last week and the first drop out this week. Mark Terry looking very strong early in the car Siedlecky ran last season. Frank Doll Jr. not in the Dwarf Car field due to a blown motor the night before at Brewerton. Five new Four Cylinder Modifieds on hand this week as the class starts to grow. Great run by Dave Silvernail in the Street Stock feature as he held off Kevin Jordan. Mike Nagel still can’t seem to get untracked with his new mount yet and found himself in the middle of a couple of incidents. A few competitors from the Towanda and Troy Pa. area competing on the Mountain till the weather gets better down there. Former Sportsman runner Chris Bushnell is a welcome addition to the Modified field and he got his first top ten last Saturday night. Th is coming week is We-Go Racing Fan Club Night at Thunder Mountain with checkered flags for the kids an awards and money for the drivers. Gates open at 4:00 and racing begins at 6:00.
MODIFIED FINISH: John Guernsey, Mark Terry, Mike Schane, Mike DeMoirer, Brian Weaver, Chris Bushnell, J. R. Hurlburt, Marty Bunker, George Kostelansky, Carl Nagel.
STREET STOCK FINISH: Herm Slack, Dave Silvernail, Kevin Jordan, Roger Pendell, Harry Marvin Jr., Brent Wilcox, Billy Marvin, Brian Taylor, Dan Stone, Harry Peters.
PURE STOCK FINISH: Bra Butcher, Jim Giles, Max Moshier Jr., Wayne Baldwin, Gene Welch, Kevin Rick, Don Moshier, Tim Davey, Mike Wilbur, Jay Bradley.
4 CYLINDER STOCK FINISH: Dave Wilkinson, Bryan Payne, Rick Angle, Stan Jones, Kevin Dempsey, Bill Fink, Jerry Wilcox, Steve Bronson, Jeff McKinney, Ron Fink.
4 CYLINDER MODIFIED FINISH: Tom Mettler, Scott Allen, Ken Taylor, Bruce Detro, Chet Carr, Dick Case, Greg Martindale, Curt Pierce, Ricky Case, Ralph Alberts.
DWARF CAR FINISH: Carl Crawford , Ed Bell, Joe Morello, Kevin Doll, Eric Crawford , Ed Wheeler, Buddy Lewis, T. J. Harder, D. J. Forbes, Curt Pierce.