Decker Dominates For Historic 4th Advance Auto Parts Series Eckerd 200 Victory
History was made as soon as the Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series Eckerd 200 was rescheduled to November. Veteran New York pilot Billy Decker put an exclamation point on the landmark occasion Saturday afternoon as he concluded Super DIRT Week XXXIV at the New York State Fairgrounds by dominating almost from start to finish to score his fourth victory in DIRT MotorSports NorthEast’s premier big-block Modified main event. The 2005 edition of the Eckerd 200 marked the first time that the race was run on two separate dates and only the second time in 34 years that it was postponed due to rain.
After returning to the point with 52 laps already in the books from Oct. 9, race-long leader Decker never needed to improve his spot, just make a strategic pit stop for fuel only under green flag conditions then save the same tires for 94 more laps and finally hold off race rookie Todd Burley to post the $50,000 victory by five car-lengths. Ronnie Johnson, Kenny Tremont and Bobby Varin rounded out the top-five at the checkers.
"Pit strategy is something we normally determine once the race gets going and today it came even a little later than planned," said Decker, 40, after parking John Wight’s potent no. 91 Gypsum Wholesalers-Stadium International-Quality Hardwoods/Bicknell entry in victory lane after leading a race record 160 of the 200 lap distance. When Brett Hearn won the last of his own race record five Eckerd 200s in 1995, he led 136 of 188 laps while Decker also led 107 of the extended 191 lap distance en route to first triumph in 1998. Decker posted back-to-back wins to begin the new millennium while Saturday ended with his first victory from the pole.
"It was getting close to lap 100 and Scott (Jeffery, crew chief) came up with a hair-brained idea to make our stop with the green still out. He said to try and bottleneck the guys behind the best you can out of turn four and see what happens. We came in for a full fill-up and still had a lot of tread left. Danny (Johnson) followed us into the pits and that helped us out back on the track. After that we both did just enough to stay on the lead lap. Fuel is always a worry out here but tires were the biggest concern today with just one stop scheduled," Decker said.
Decker and 1997 Eckerd 200 champ Johnson both pitted on lap 106, although it was Johnson in the Jay James’ no. 27 J&J Shop-Planned Poultry Renovations/TEO machine that suffered a shredded a right rear tire to bring out the sixth caution flag that proved pivotal in the final outcome. Of the 28 cars trackside, all but Decker pitted for fuel and/or tires to give back the lead to the Unadilla, N.Y. pilot without having to make a charge through the field.
An unseasonably warm autumn day boasting mid 60-degree temperatures greeted 34 returning racers and a few thousand fans that filled two-thirds of the covered grandstands anticipating the conclusion of the Eckerd 200 that was started Oct. 9. Conditions were ideal as the grounds crew had begun preparing the track on Wednesday and finally exited the Syracuse Mile for good Saturday morning as the only warm-up session ran from 10 am to 11:15.
Decker rolled out to the early lead with Johnson, Burley, Gypsum teammate Pat Ward and H&H Motorsports driver Jimmy Phelps falling in line early as the scoreboard clicked off 53 upon completion of the first lap just past 12 noon. The biggest surprise actually came before the first green flag even flew as the no. 1 Elaine James Motorsports-Pillsbury Collectibles/Bicknell ride of defending Mr. DIRT Gary Tomkins looped all by itself in turn one on the pace lap. Broken linkage was the culprit and he was sidelined for the remainder.
’Elite 11’ member Chad Brachmann slowed on lap 55 due to a broken valve in his no. 3 Original Pizza Logs Special and just two laps later 2000 DIRT Modified rookie of the year Jeff Brownell, Jr., who had been clocked third fastest in practice, slammed the turn three outside wall to end his day. Past Syracuse small-block winner Matt Sheppard (2003) was the next casualty as the no. 44s G-U Hardware-Advance Auto Parts/Bicknell mount suffered a broken wheel bearing on lap 68 to require the second yellow flag of the day and fifth of the race.
Starting 24th in the original 45-car field on Oct. 9 and 18th on this day, second-generation driver Richie Tobias, Jr. grabbed much of the attention early on as he continued to rim-ride around the historically treacherous ’Moody Mile’ steering Bob Lineman’s USA no. 1 Cenco Heating Oil/TEO machine. 1992 Eckerd 200 winner Tobias cracked the top-10 after just 20 laps were scored on Saturday and charged by Ward to take over fourth on lap 84 with only front-runners Decker, Johnson and Burley ahead.
That order remained the same at the halfway mark, and more importantly for Decker was the $5,000 cash bonus that Meyer’s RV Superstore posted for the lap 100 leader in this year’s big-block title event. Following Ward to complete the top-10 at that point were Phelps, Varin, Tim Hindley, defending race winner Tim Fuller and second-generation standout Ronnie Johnson. But that order only remained intact for another half-dozen circuits as Decker made his lone tour pitside on lap 106 with Danny Johnson following in his tire tracks.
And just as Decker and the ’Doctor’ slowed off the pace under green, Tobias was able to clear Burley across the stripe to emerge as only the second leader of the race. Ward, Phelps and Varin filled the new front-five with a pit stop awaiting each in the coming laps. Burley shadowed Tobias down the straightaways lap after lap before finally out-dragging the Pennsylvania pilot down the back chute to secure his first lead on lap 115. Varin also sped past Tobias and ducked underneath Burley in turn one to earn the top spot on lap 133. Just 10 laps later Tobias suddenly slowed out of gas while Danny Johnson blew out a right rear tire in turn two to bring out the yellow that Decker was counting on.
Once back out front, Decker waved by Johnson on the lap 149 restart to place him back on the lead lap and proceeded to pull away from his teammate Ward under racing conditions. But biding his time not far behind was fourth-place runner Tim McCreadie, who was sandwiched between Ronnie Johnson and 1999 Eckerd winner Kenny Tremont until Burley charged back into the top-five on lap 154.
The most serious incident of the day brought out the eighth of 10 yellow flags on lap 161 when Lebanon Valley (NY) Speedway rivals Wayne Jelley (8th) and Donnie Corellis (9th) fell victim to a high-speed tangle. Corellis dove under last year’s Super DIRT Week 358-Modified champion exiting turn four and made contact with Jelley’s left-rear wheel sending both machines into the outside retaining wall. Also involved in the tail-end of the front stretch incident was ’Elite 11’ driver Justin Haers who returned to the race one lap down.
Back under green, McCreadie slipped past Ronnie Johnson on the lap 167 restart and wasted little time disposing of runner-up Ward the following circuit. Ward, however, immediately retired to the pits with rear-end problems allowing Burley to move into third followed by Johnson and Tremont with 20 laps still remaining in the 200-miler.
McCreadie’s day came to an abrupt end on lap 191 when the left-rear wheel assembly broke off leaving the no. 39 Sweeteners Plus-A&C Speedworld/Bicknell entry to be cradled to the infield with the World of Outlaws Stacker 2® Late Model Series star recording another DNF in the same race his father ’Barefoot’ Bob McCreadie won in 1986. Tim’s 23rd-place finish last October remains his best in nine tries.
Burley inherited second-place and at times was able to keep pace with Decker as the laps dwindled. Yet despite closing to within a couple car lengths with starter Dave Farney’s white flag in hand, Burley came up .851-seconds shy on the final lap behind Decker with the pair outdistancing their nearest chasers by over three seconds at the line.
"When you’re surrounded by good people, a lot of good things can happen," said Decker, who was joined in victory lane by car owner Wight for the ceremonial roof dance after recording his second Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series victory of the season. His first came at Albany-Saratoga (NY) Speedway in June. "I’m usually nervous all Super DIRT Week, this time I had a month to think about every possible outcome. Today, everything worked out just like our best laid plans. We made a clean pit stop at the right time and were able to save tires all day. I knew Todd (Burley) was coming so I ran really hard the last few laps. We’re just glad it’s finally over, you’d hate to lead a race so long and come away with anything less."
Burley’s runner-up tally was the best-ever for an Eckerd 200 rookie, surpassing the third-place finish by Elvin Felty in the 1977 title race (run April 15, 1978) which was ironically posted in the only other rain-delayed event in Super DIRT Week history. "I knew Billy wasn’t gonna beat himself by making a mistake so I just had to hope for a flat tire or something out of his control," said the Spencerport, N.Y. pilot after guiding the no. 62 Mullen Industrial Handling-Industrial Tire/Bicknell entry to its best ever finish at Syracuse; Ron Smoker wheeled the car into third behind ’01 winner Decker and Tremont. Burley’s Freihofer Rookie Award earned him an additional $2,000 on top of the $25,000 runner-up prize. "The car was exceptional in turns one and two but just decent in three and four so that was really the only difference. We had a fast car and it was great to have our motor builder Mike Janis put two guys in the top-six in time trials. We’re really happy with the finish and already thinking of making a trip to Bridgeport."
Recording his second career top-five finish in just four Eckerd 200 starts, 1999 race rookie Ronnie Johnson credited everybody but himself after joining Decker and Burley on the podium. "The best part is that we really showed that we could run with these guys today," said Johnson, who made the decision to compete just two before Super DIRT Week kicked off in October. The Duanesburg, N.Y. driver charged from 30th to fourth to earn Freihofer’s Rookie of the Race accolades in ’99. "I’m only here because of two people, my best friend (Josh Plue) and my father’s (Jack) car owner (Frank Witz)," said Johnson, "Josh started talking about racing here over the winter and Frank loaned me an Enders motor just a couple weeks ago. Today, I had a great deal going with both Jeff (Trombley, 1989 race rookie) and my father on the head set. That’s a lot of experience so when they offer some advice you know its the right way to go."
Rounding out the top-10 behind Tremont and Varin were Pennsylvanian Frank Cozze, race rookie Stewart Friesen, two-time Eckerd 200 champion Alan Johnson, Frenchman David Hebert and yet another Eckerd rookie Ryan Godown. Alan Johnson (6th) was the only driver to finish among the top-10 each of the past two years. New Jersey veteran Jimmy Horton earned Bert Hard Charger accolades after improving from 45th (last) to 15th in the 200-mile main while Burley accepted the NYSSCA ’Top Member’ award.
With Super DIRT Week now officially in the record book, all eyes turn to Bridgeport Speedway for the final race in the 2005 Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series. With Tim Fuller finishing 13th in the Eckerd 200 he now leads Brett Hearn by 74 points and just needs to start the Atlantic Coast Championship feature to capture his first overall Mr. DIRT Modified Championship for car owners Michele and Bob Faust. After first joining up for Super DIRT Week in 1999, the Faust/Fuller combination clicked in 2003 by earning the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Championship. Fuller (1,920 pts.) and Hearn (1,846) are followed by ’Elite 11’ drivers Tomkins (1,789), Decker (1,761), Ward (1,644), Sheppard (1,628), Paine (1,529) and Haers (1,419).
Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series – New York State Fairgrounds, November 5, 2005 Eckerd 200 Event Summary [*Official box score posted on www.dirtmotorsports.com by selecting DIRT NorthEast then picking "Super DIRT Week" or choosing either the 358-Modified SDS, Sportsman SDS or Pro Stock SDS before clicking the ’Advance’ logo top left on homepage]
Skidmarks:
* Not returning to Syracuse on Saturday were Central New Yorker Steve Paine (45th), Bridgeport (NJ) Speedway regular Rick Laubach (43rd), small-block standout Jeff Strunk (42nd), two-time race winner Jack Johnson (41st), Ricky Elliott (40th), 2003 Eckerd race rookie Doug Manmiller (39th), 358-Modified tour mainstay Dale Planck (38th), Keith Brightbill (37th), Kyle Strickler (36th), Kenny Brightbill (35th) and Billy Pauch (34th).
Although competing with an asterisk alongside his name on Saturday, Brett Hearn was scored 44th with 28 laps complete after blowing a motor when the race originally began on Oct. 9; on that same Sunday Pennsylvanian Laubach brought out the first caution period under racing conditions on lap 31 when his yellow no. 5 Lincoln Auto Body/TEO shredded a tire exiting turn three and slid into the outside retaining wall. The water pump belts failed on fellow Keystone State pilot Jeff Strunk’s no. 88 BPG Racing/TEO mount to incur a second slowdown on lap 38 and Johnson, who was the first New Yorker to win in 1979, was sidelined early (lap 43) by a cracked engine block in his 33rd and possibly final Eckerd 200 appearance. Initially qualifying 27th, Planck’s car owner sold out recently while Pauch reportedly did not want to change the car set-up in preparation for the upcoming weekend at Bridgeport Speedway. Kenny Brightbill had a sponsor commitment at Delaware and Strickler followed the same path south. Keith Brightbill figured his equipment was not adequate to improve any positions and Manmiller had lost two laps in the pits out of the 52 run on Oct. 9.
* In a unique situation encountered during the weeks leading up to the make-up date, Hearn inked a deal to serve as a relief driver for Ricky Elliott using only car owner Jake Marine’s number 85. Since Hearn finished 29th, actually driving the renumbered original no. 1 Gable Auto Stores-Page Trucking/TEO housing the same JPM powerplant that he won the Lebanon Valley 200, Elliott will be awarded that position as well as points and be listed that way in the official record book. Hearn’s TEO entry was the only car that required work during pre-race tech inspection under the main grandstands, with crew members making the side panels smooth as well as flat for the day’s feature event. Just days prior to the Eckerd 200 conclusion, Elliott was rumored to be searching for a ride for Syracuse but that was only out of spite since he was never notified of Marine signing up Hearn as his replacement. Elliott obviously wanted his share of the purse since he qualified the car and ran the opening 52 laps before the postponement.
* Still in quest of that elusive Eckerd 200 triumph, Pennsylvania veteran Frank Cozze returned to the Syracuse Mile in the familiar no. 74 Smith Bros. Concrete car, sporting fresh sheet metal and a new rear-end. Cozze had already passed a dozen cars and charged into the top-20 with less than 30 laps run during the ’05 OCFS Eastern States 200 Championship the weekend prior when contact resulted between Tim Hindley in turn three to end his day.
* Popular Frenchman David Hebert also returned to the Salt City on Saturday, bypassing the annual awards banquet for autodromes Granby and Drummond in order to compete in his fourth Eckerd 200 title event. Qualifying the past three autumns, Hebert finished 30th, 28th and 25th last three years, qualifying third-fastest in 2003. The return trip was definitely worth the wait as he secured a commendable top-10 finish.
* Not even attempting to qualifying when Super DIRT Week ran Oct. 4-9, Massena, N.Y. driver Tom Chapman showed up with a car on Saturday with hopes of making a deal with a driver and logging his debut on the Moody Mile. "Billy Colton from Troyer helped put this whole deal together and we’re here just trying to find a driver that doesn’t think he can win and use his starting spot," said Chapman, 50, who entered less than a dozen Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series events in 1992 after purchasing a car from Mike Romano. The three years prior to his big-block tour stint, the former Canadian national moto-cross champion raced on the DIRT NorthEast small-block circuit at Brockville, Can-Am and Cornwall. After finalizing the purchase of a former Chuck Hebing motor and Jimmy Phelps chassis on Tuesday, Chapman towed in the newly purchased red numbered 99 but missed out on the customary tech inspection.
* Unlike any other time during Super DIRT Week, big-block Modified teams came and went in a single day to finish off the 34th running of the Eckerd 200 finale. In past years the open-wheel teams began with early warm-up sessions on Tuesday of SDW and continued to expand the groove right up until the traditional Sunday afternoon showdown. Not this time, though, with the final 148 laps being slated for Nov. 5 after the initial 52 miles were covered back on Oct. 9. Despite no assistance from the racers themselves, the track grounds crew began work on Wednesday and stopped only when the green flag flew to open up practice Saturday morning on the famed Syracuse Mile. "We’ve been on the track 8-9 hours every day and its ready for hot laps right now," said Mark Kolceski, foreman of the Syracuse Mile prep team, on Friday afternoon. Kolceski has performed his trackside duties every autumn since SDW II in 1973. "We could’ve spent more time out there but this time of year doesn’t allow as much sunlight. Everything still depends on the weather. We’ve been fortunate working when its 50-60 degrees instead of 30-40 and that’s been the best difference so far."
Kolceski compared this year’s delay with the only other postponement in Super DIRT Week history, one that moved DIRT MotorSports NorthEast’s biggest event from the Fall of 1977 to Spring of ’78. "The problem back then was cold temperatures and the ground being too soft the whole time," recalled Kolceski, now 52, about the Super Series VI 100-lapper that was eventually held April 15 and won by Floridian Gary Balough. "At that time of the year the frost was still coming out of the ground and we just couldn’t get enough time to keep the track packed. It was decided after that to never again run the race in the Spring and do whatever it took to finish the race the same season."
Kolceski has made every effort to bring the curtain down on this year’s Modified main event, heading a track maintenance squad of about a half-dozen in charge of operating a multitude of graders, water trucks and packer vehicles. Venturing trackside at 8 a.m. daily since Wednesday, grading, watering, adding calcium, packing and working in the track have been alternated throughout the daylight hours. "I know I’ve got in about 200 laps each day," Kolceski added. "When teams come in it will be just like a regular Tuesday of Super DIRT Week. We’re hoping to get about two solid grooves but the whatever the outcome it will be equal for everybody."
* When Super DIRT Week XXXIV resumed at the NYS Fairgrounds on Sunday, the top-15 finishers in the ’Legends of the Fall’ Championship (Sept. 24) at New Egypt Speedway shared in the unique $3,000 Winner’s Circle fund that has been set aside to be divided among the highest finishing drivers at each event. The distribution of this special $3,000 fund is based on the feature race finishing order: drivers placing in positions 1-5 each earn $100, 6th – 10th-place finishers receive $200 and 11th – 15th pocket $300. Competitors are required to attend and attempt to qualify for the next Advance Auto Parts SDS event to collect payment of the Winner’s Circle bonus.
* By racing at the New York State Fairgrounds, Matt Sheppard, Jimmy Horton, Tim Fuller, Gary Tomkins and Ryan Godown received $100 each, Brett Hearn, Billy Pauch, Pat Ward and Jimmy Phelps earned $200, while Frank Cozze, Steve Paine, Justin Haers and Jeff Brownell, Jr. pocketed $300. Bucky Kell and Keith Hoffman were no shows. Upon attempting to qualify for the Bridgeport Speedway finale on Oct. 13, Billy Decker, Todd Burley, Ronnie Johnson, Kenny Tremont and Bobby Varin will collect $100 each, Cozze, Stewart Friesen, Alan Johnson, David Hebert and Godown will receive $200, with Vic Coffey, Eddie Marshall, Fuller, Phelps and Horton in line for $300 bonuses.
* With RACEceiver now recognized as the Official Driver Communicator of DIRT MotorSports™ in 2005, fans, as well as the competing drivers, were able to hear first hand everything that was happening throughout the entire New Egypt show. A compact radio receiver that conveniently fits into a driver’s pocket, a RACEceiver allows each driver to hear directions from series officials, which greatly enhances the safety and timeliness of events. A similar version available to fans allows RACEceiver users to hear what information series officials are relaying to the drivers. For more information about RACEceiver, visit www.raceceiver.com, call 866/301-7223, or look for their sales trailers at various events.
UPCOMING EVENT
The final points event scheduled on the 2005 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series is the Atlantic Coast Championship at Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway on Nov. 13. The winner of the 200-lap Modified main event will collect the $25,000 to prize plus lap money.
2005 ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MODIFIED SUPER DIRT SERIES SCHEDULE
Day-Date Track (Laps) Location/Winner
Sun-Nov 13 Bridgeport Speedway (200L) .............................Bridgeport, NJ
*NP = Non-Point event.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MODIFIED SERIES SPONSORS
The DIRT MotorSports™ Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Dynomax Performance Exhaust, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional Partners include Stacker 2®, AMB i.t., RACEceiver and Zippo Lighters and the contingency sponsors are DART Machinery, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignitions and Wrisco Industries.