TOMKINS WINS SUPER DIRT SERIES OPENER IN MARYLAND

HAGERSTOWN, MD...Gary Tomkins, from Clifton Springs, NY, took the lead on lap 45 and scooted to his first Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series feature win at the Hagerstown half mile oval. Tomkins, who started 16th, earned $6,000 for his victory.

Billy Decker earned the J.E. Pistons Quick Qualifier Award, setting fast time during time trials turning in a time of 19.275 seconds, 93.385 miles per hour This was a new modified record for the Hagerstown half mile. Bob McCreadie was just .080 seconds slower for the second fast time. Both drivers were exempt from the heat races and earned the first two draws in the feature redraw process.

Heat wins went to Chuck Bower, Steve Paine, Tim Fuller, Brett Hearn and Jamie Mills. Three consolation races were run with wins going to Bobby Varin, Pat Ward and Jerry Higbie. In the feature redraw, Bob McCreadie pulled the poll with Jeff Strunk drawing the second starting position.

The 100 lap feature saw McCreadie take the lead at the drop of the green. He was closely followed by Strunk and the third place starter Brett Hearn. By the second circuit Hearn pulled along side of McCreadie, grabbing the lead exiting on the high side of the fourth turn. Hearn and McCreadie then began to draw away from the third place runner, Strunk. Ron Smoker and Danny Johnson rounded out the top five at that time.

McCreadie made a quick run at Hearn on lap nine, which fell short. Billy Decker pick his way into the top five and took third from Ron Smoker on lap 14. Two laps later McCreadie tried a run at the lead for a second time. This time his move proved successful taking the lead from Hearn on lap 15.

The first of just three yellows flew on lap 21 when Jerry Higbie slowed on the track between turns one and two. The restart saw McCreadie hold off Hearn, Decker and Smoker. McCreadie was able to stretch out his lead as Gary Tomkins took fifth on lap 27. Tomkins didn't stop with fifth. He was in fourth one lap later and raced four wide with Hearn, Decker and Smoker for third. On lap 31, he ducked low in the fourth turn to take second from Hearn. Hearn then began to fad as the track began to turn slick.

By now McCreadie held a five car advantage over Tomkins, but Tomkins closed the gap each lap. On lap 39, Tomkins's bid for the front was aided when Billy Pauch looped his Thum number 12T in the fourth turn to bring out the yellow flag for the second time. During this yellow both Hearn and Doug Hoffman ducked into the pit area for new rear tires. Both drivers were able to complete their work and remain on the lead lap.

The restart saw McCreadie hold off Tomkins for just one lap before Tomkins passed for the lead. At the halfway mark of the race Tomkins held off McCreadie to pick up the Holley Performance Halfway Bonus. Decker, Tim Fuller, Alan Johnson, Tim McCreadie, Steve Paine, Smoker, Jamie Mills and Strunk rounded out the top ten.

Tomkins began to pull away from the rest of the field, stretching out a ten car lead. With the help of lapped traffic, Tomkins was able to hold back McCreadie, who was turning faster lap times, but was unable to break free to mount a challenge for the front spot. Both McCreadie and Tomkins remained in the low grove around the speedway, with Decker running the high line around for third.

A three way battle was developing for third as Decker was challenged by Fuller and Alan Johnson. On lap 58, these three raced three wide for the position, with Fuller able to take third. Lapped traffic became thick between laps 60 and 82. Tomkins was able to break free faster and maintain his lead. At one time there were six lapped cars between Tomkins and McCreadie.

Tim McCreadie made a late race charge, taking fourth from Johnson on lap 78. The younger McCreadie then passed Fuller for third and started to challenge his father for second. The yellow flew on lap 83 when Tim McCreadie looped in traffic, in the first turn. McCreadie restarted at the back of the lead lap cars and charged during the closing laps to secure a top twelve finish and secure a guaranteed start for the next Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series event at Lowes Dirt Track, Charlotte, NC, Saturday, April 6.

Tomkins cruised home the winner by 1.042 seconds, followed by Bob McCreadie and Alan Johnson, who had passed Fuller with just seven laps remaining in the race. Johnson then backed up his pass by turning the fast lap of the race, lap 98, with a 21.731 second lap. Fuller and Decker rounded out the top five finishers.

HAGERSTOWN BANTER: Todd Burley question the finish order following the race. It turned out his exhaust was feeding onto the electronic transponder burning a hole through the unit and dropping him from electronic scoring. The failure was noted and corrected by officials...Both Ray Bliss Jr. and Ryan Watt took the long trip to Hagerstown and neither turned a lap in competition for different reasons...Both Chuck Hebing and H.J. Bunting suffered suspension failure before completing their time trial runs...56 DIRT Modifieds were on hand for the Hagerstown's event...Tomkins now leads what is expected to be a record field into the Lowes Dirt Track with the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series points lead.

HAGERSTOWN ADVANCE AUTO PARTS SUPER DIRT SERIES EVENT #1 TIME TRIALS: Billy Decker 19.275 (93.385 MPH), Bob McCreadie 19.305, Chuck Bower 19.333, Billy Pauch 19.371, Jeff Strunk 19.460, Kenny Brightbill 19.503, Ron Smoker 19.579, Kenny Tremont 19.604, Steve Paine 19.624, Tim Fuller 19.632, Brett Hearn 19.715, Jamie Mills 19.765, Pat Ward 19.769, Frankie Caprara 19.799, Jerry Higbie 19.816, Gary Tomkins 19.852, Steve Poirier 19.868, Billy Whittaker 19.868, Alan Johnson 19.874, Todd Burley 19.921, Butch Tittle 19.924, AJ Romano 19.926, Doug Hoffman 19.933, Rick Bishop 19.935, Tim McCreadie 19.966, Jeff Brownell 19.971, Frank Cozze 20.018, Danny Johnson 20.028, Richie Tobias 20.036, Scott Prentice 20.042, Kyle Strickler 20.091, Shawn Reimert 20.110, Tom Sears Jr. 20.139, Ryan Baye 20.168, Tim Dwyer 20.185, Brian Swartzlander 20.194, Mike Perrotte 20.204, Bobby Varin 20.230, Doug Rose 20.253, Dave Axton 20.263, Vic Coffey 20.282, Jim Weller 20.286, Jack Johnson 20.376, Jason Barney 20.475, Jimmy Reppert 20.564, Jeff Rudalavage 20.589, Jimmy Weller III 20.609, Jim Carey 20.748, Pete Simpson 20.874, Del Rougeux 21.021, Dean Pearson 21.361, Chuck Hebing NT, HJ Buntting NT, Ray Bliss Jr. NT, Bud Christmann NT, Ryan Watt NT.

HEAT 1: C. Bower, D. Johnson, D. Hoffman, K. Tremont.

HEAT 2: S. Paine, B. Pauch, A. Johnson, F. Caprara Jr.

HEAT 3: T. Fuller, J. Strunk, T. Burley, T. McCreadie.

HEAT 4: B. Hearn, K. Brightbill, G. Tomkins, B. Tittle.

HEAT 5: J. Mills, R. Smoker, S. Poirier, J. Weller.

CONSI 1: B. Varin, R. Bishop.

CONSI 2: P. Ward, S. Prentice.

CONSI 3: J. Higbie, T. Sears Jr.

ADDED: J. Johnson, V. Coffey.

FEATURE (200): GARY TOMKINS, Bob McCreadie, Alan Johnson, Tim Fuller, Billy Decker, Steve Paine, Jeff Strunk, Tim McCreadie, Frank Caprara Jr., Ron Smoker, Pat Ward, Todd Burley, Vic Coffey, Kenny Tremont, Jamie Mills, Bobby Varin, Doug Hoffman, Danny Johnson, Butch Tittle, Chuck Bower, Brett Hearn, Steve Poirier, Jim Weller, Rick Bishop, Billy Pauch, Scott Prentice, Kenny Brightbill, Tom Sears Jr., Jerry Higbie, Jack Johnson.