7/5/1981
Weedsport, N.Y. Records continue to be set at Weed-sport Speedway as the 11th week of modified action took palce and the Skoal Happy Days Special found another new face in victory lane and this time a rookie driver, Craig "Cricket" Keel of Weedsport, showed a top field of modifieds the short way around.
Keel started outside in the second row of the feature lineup, took the lead in the first lap and despite repeated challenges from more experienced drivers, the Cricket held a good groove and came home with the first modified feature win on his career. The race saw very few cautions, one of which occurred in lap 13 when eighth running Will Cagle and ninth running Mike McLaughlin tangled and the welder had to come out of the pits to cut them apart. Cagle fourth and Billy Pauch of Stockton, N.J. rounding out the top ive.
Heat wins went to keel, Don Slack and John Podolak while Jimmy BHorton of Bridgewater, N.Y. won the consi.
In late model action Steve Paine of Waterloo took home the win money for the second time this year as he led Steve Podolak and Jim Gabriel to the finish line. There was a rash of yellow fever in the 20 lap event and point leader Walt Mitchell was involved in two of them dropping him back to a seventh place finish.
The open cockpit Super Sprints of the United Racing Club put on a spectacular show on the tacky surface that had to survive more than an hour and a half of rain before the capacity crowd could begub watching races. Jimmy Horton of Bridgewater. N. J. in the Statewide No. 3, a Buckley built sprinter, took the win over builder Buck Buckley in the Fiore sprinter. Leroy Felty, Gerry Daneker and Dave Kelly rounded out the top five in the crash filled event. Local favorite Jimmy Shampine could do no better than 7th after a mid-race spin sent him flying off the race track and to the rear. Heat wins went to Buckley and Ed Wylie of Camden, N.J.
Next Sunday Is T-Shirt and KPAA Night at the speedway and there'll be a special treat as the mini-modifieds join the mod squad, the late models and amatuers in a special program
SUMMARY: Late Model Feature: Steve Paine, Steve Podolak, Jim Gabriel, Jackle Spence, Tom Williams, G. Knapp, Walt Mitchell, Dave Jenkins, Gary Farnsworth, Jan Oakes.
Modified Feature: Craig Keel, Mike Colsten, Chuck Akulis, Walt Mitchell, Billy Pauch, Jim Horton, Merv Treichler, Dick Sundgren, Mike McLaughlin, Cari Reynolds.