32nd Northeast 100
Sun - September 04, 2005 -- Cayuga Co. Fair Speedway
Weedsport, NY
Author: Tom Skibinski, DIRT Modified Series Reporter
Open-wheel veteran Pat Ward stood in victory lane at Cayuga County Fair Speedway in July to celebrate 50 years of racing in Weedsport and closed out the track’s Golden Anniversary on Sunday in convincing fashion by capturing the Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series season-finale at the home of DIRT MotorSports Northeast. All that eluded the second-generation driver was his first track title at Cayuga County, a prize that went to current Advance Auto Parts SDS points leader Tim Fuller for a second straight summer.
"I was kinda hoping Tim wouldn’t make it up that far but he’s had a great season and really deserves it," said Ward, 48, after leading the entire distance in the Northeast 100 yet still falling to Fuller by three points in the final 2005 CCFS big-block Modified standings. Fuller rallied from the back on two occasions to finish seventh and remain atop the tour standings as well through 15 of 23 point races currently dotting the agenda. "I feel like we had the best car out here a lot of nights so it’s good to finally put a couple wins together," added Ward, who also won a regular 35-lap feature at Cayuga Co. the previous Sunday.
After winning the third of four qualifying heats and drawing pole position to start the century grind, all that could slow down Ward were 14 yellow flags that accounted for 13 laps run under caution. Gypsum teammate Billy Decker moved into the runner-up slot with a third of the race scored yet could never muster a serious bid over the final 20 circuits run nearly straight through under green. "I thought I had something for Pat until that last yellow and either he got a lot better or I got a lot worse," said Decker, who finished runner-up to Fuller in the Memorial Day tour race held at Cayuga County in May. "The tires kind of sealed up and I just couldn’t get all the power we had to the track at the end and as it turned out I didn’t really have anything for him when it counted."
Ward was fast right off the trailer, time trialing fifth best while Decker was second quickest behind only Matt Sheppard on the final time sheets. The biggest difference came when Ward drew number one while Sheppard and Decker filled in 10th and 11th-place on the 30 car starting grid. "It really helped starting up front but it was still a matter of staying out of trouble and holding out for all 100 laps," said Ward, following his 16th career win at The Port. "Having a fast car is only good if you can stick around the whole race. Tonight everything fell into place and worked out just like you always think it should."
Ward charged ahead as soon as the initial green flag waved with fellow Elite 11 pilots Justin Haers and Gary Tomkins sandwiching tour regulars Jimmy Phelps and Tom Sears, Jr. among the top-five. The first yellow flag flew on lap six when veteran Alan Johnson ended up against the frontstretch wall out of turn four and emerged from the yellow number Ten Sherlock Motorsports/TEO entry pointing at Sean Beardsley as the field passed by. Johnson began 27th after qualifying through the consi along with Super DIRT Series Elite Chad Brachmann and Fuller in the last chance event.
The next half-dozen caution periods were credited to slowing cars with 23 minutes clicking off through the opening 23 laps around the widening 3/8-mile clay oval. Back-to-back yellows for Beardsley then brief slowdowns for Bob McCreadie, Jeff Brownell, Jr. and Brachmann kept the pack tight with Ward leading Phelps, Decker, Tomkins and Sheppard a quarter of the way through while 28th-place starter Fuller had already worked the MBF Racing-B&F General Machine mount into eighth-place.
The second round of yellow flags were more evenly spaced out with minor slowdowns once again curtailing the race action through the halfway point. Justin Haers, Brownell and Sears were the next culprits before third-place runner Sheppard suffered a broken driveshaft in the Ross Motorsports/Bicknell machine to bring out the 11th caution on lap 49. At the halfway mark Ward and Decker headed a group that included Steve Paine, Brett Hearn, Vic Coffey and Tomkins while Fuller, who pitted under yellow on lap 30 and returned in 23rd, had once again raced into the top-10.
Caution laps were finally counted after lap 50 and the yellow lights flashed once more around the speedway for Vince Vitale as his no. 56 Bicknell entry slowed down the back chute. Brownell lost a wheel on lap 73 and Coffey broke a shock tower on lap 79 to force out the 14th and final yellow flag. With cars running both high and low lines around the track, Ward followed the middle lane and built up an insurmountable lead as the laps dwindled. The checkered flag dropped over the no. 42p Gypsum Express-Stadium International/Bicknell entry with Ward opening up a 10 car-length victory margin over Decker, Paine, Hearn and consolation round winner Bob McCreadie.
"After winning last week we pretty much went with the same set-up," said Ward, following his first ever big-block Super DIRT Series triumph for car owner John Wight. Ward garnered the 358-Modified points title at Can-Am Motorsports Park in 2002 while driving for Wight yet his second and last Advance Auto Parts SDS victory was registered at the N.Y.S. Fairgrounds in 1998 aboard the no. 56 Finch’s Trucking & Logging/TEO machine. "We used the same tires and we had a good slick track motor in the car tonight. In the end the middle was actually the best way around. I thought Billy was gonna give me a run at the end but we got a little better later on. The Gypsum cars have been strong all year so it’s good to finally have them finish this way up front for once."
Two-time Cayuga County points champion Paine made a rare track appearance in ’05 and settled into the show position at the stripe with Hearn breathing down his bumper and McCreadie challenging until the end. "The car was a little tight early on but was about as good as I could make it for the end," said Paine, who finished seventh in the Hall of Fame Classic on May 29. "I tried Billy and thought I could take him once or twice but just never got enough momentum to make it stick. At the end I was more worried about not losing third than getting into second. I’m pretty happy with a good finish and already looking forward to tomorrow (at Rolling Wheels)."
Bert Hard Charger Fuller contended for a top-five finish until running out of traction the last 10 laps and crossing the line behind reigning overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Champion Gary Tomkins. "We’ve run good all year here and just like last night (Fulton) the points came right down to the end," said Fuller, who outlasted Tomkins by 30 points in the 2004 CCFS title chase. The final tally on the ’05 points chart showed Fuller with 788 and Ward with 785. Fuller now leads Hearn by 32 markers, 1209-1177, heading across town to Rolling Wheels on Monday for the Petrocci Memorial SDS shootout. "It was a tough night all around so I can’t be too upset with the outcome. I spun out in the heat, had a push in the consi and just threw in a 100-lap set-up and hoped for the best come feature time. After running through so much traffic I’m satisfied to get out of here in one piece. Now we’ll regroup and start all over tomorrow at The Wheels. I like the place and we’ve done pretty well there lately," Fuller added.
Fuller and Hearn will both be back the next day at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, N.Y. as they continue their parade out front in the 2005 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series. Following through with its specials-only format, the ’Fast Track’ has staged three big-block races so far this season with Fuller (2) and Hearn the only drivers to earn trips to victory lane. However, Billy Decker tops the current RWR big-block points chart while Gary Tomkins is the defending Rolling Wheels season champion.
Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series – Cayuga County Fair Speedway, September 4, 2005 Northeast 100 Event Summary [*Official box score posted on www.dirtmotorsports.com by selecting DIRT NorthEast then choosing either the 358-Modified SDS, Sportsman SDS or Pro Stock SDS before clicking the ’Advance’ logo top left on homepage]
FEATURE
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 1 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
2 11 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
3 9 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
4 12 3 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
5 23 9 Bob McCreadie/Watertown,NY
6 6 1 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
7 28 m1 Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY
8 3 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
9 5 99b Chuck Bower/Lansing,NY
10 24 3b Chad Brachmann/Wheatfield,NY
11 7 7j Jeff Isabell/Pennellville,NY
12 19 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
13 26 18 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
14 13 20 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
15 29 6j Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
16 22 14r Ryan Odasz/Ballston Spa,NY
17 21 32c Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY
18 16 2 Dave Axton/Port Byron,NY
19 18 29b Jeff Brownell,Jr./Waterloo,NY
20 8 56v Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
21 10 44s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
22 25 27z Ray Bliss/Warsaw,NY
23 2 3h Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
24 17 88 Steve Hulsizer/Brewerton,NY
25 4 8j Tom Sears,Jr./Clay,NY
26 14 2j Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg,NY
27 15 16 A.J. Romano/Johnstown,NY
28 20 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
29 30 29z Steve Pesarek/Geneva,NY
30 27 TEN Alan Johnson/Phelps,NY
DID NOT QUALIFY(3) zero3-Zach Aubertine/Chaumont,NY 44v-Phil Vigneri/Elba,NY 45m-Mike Ward/Genoa,NY
Lap Leader: P.Ward (1-100).
Bert Hard Charger: Tim Fuller.
QUALIFYING
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1 15.929 84.751 44s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
2 16.037 84.180 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
3 16.050 84.112 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
4 16.180 83.436 m1 Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY
5 16.210 83.282 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
6 16.241 83.123 3h Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
7 16.345 82.594 7j Jeff Isabell/Pennellville,NY
8 16.346 82.589 3 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
9 16.435 82.142 8j Tom Sears,Jr./Clay,NY
10 16.451 82.062 99b Chuck Bower/Lansing,NY
11 16.503 81.803 1 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
12 16.522 81.709 20 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
16.522 81.709 56v Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
14 16.557 81.537 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
15 16.569 81.477 16 A.J. Romano/Johnstown,NY
16 16.590 81.374 44v Phil Vigneri/Elba,NY
17 16.605 81.301 88 Steve Hulsizer/Brewerton,NY
18 16.663 81.018 29b Jeff Brownell,Jr./Waterloo,NY
19 16.678 80.945 27z Ray Bliss/Warsaw,NY
20 16.704 80.819 2j Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg,NY
21 16.718 80.751 TEN Alan Johnson/Phelps,NY
22 16.786 80.424 9 Bob McCreadie/Watertown,NY
23 16.810 80.309 18 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
16.810 80.309 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
25 16.825 80.238 3b Chad Brachmann/Wheatfield,NY
26 16.835 80.190 6j Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
27 16.862 80.062 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
28 16.877 79.991 2 Dave Axton/Port Byron,NY
29 16.900 79.882 32c Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY
30 16.989 79.463 14r Ryan Odasz/Ballston Spa,NY
31 17.034 79.253 29z Steve Pesarek/Geneva,NY
32 17.262 78.206 45m Mike Ward/Genoa,NY
33 17.535 76.989 zero3 Zach Aubertine/Chaumont,NY
*Top-2 locked into pre-race feature draw.
Heat Races (8 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature, top 3 went to re-draw)
#1: J.Phelps, Tomkins, Isabell, Romano, Dunn, Bliss, Beardsley, Pesarek.
#2: Hearn, R.Johnson, Friesen, Axton, R.Phelps, Fuller, Vigneri, M.Ward.
#3: P.Ward, Sears, Vitale, Hulsizer, Coffey, Brachmann, A.Johnson, Aubertine.
#4: Bower, Haers, Paine, Brownell, Odasz, McCreadie, Bachetti.
Consolation Round (8 laps, top 8 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: McCreadie, Brachmann, Bliss, Beardsley, A.Johnson, Fuller, Bachetti, Pesarek, Vigneri, M.Ward, Aubertine.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MODIFIED SUPER DIRT SERIES POINT STANDINGS
(through Cayuga County – September 4, 2005)
No. Driver Points Diff Money Wins Top 5Top 10Starts
1 M1 Tim Fuller 1,209 0 $51,700 6 10 12 15
2 3 Brett Hearn 1,177 (32)$34,500 2 10 12 15
3 1 Gary Tomkins 1,122 (87)$29,900 2 6 11 15
4 91 Billy Decker 1,119 (90)$27,925 1 5 11 15
5 42p Pat Ward 1,052 (157)$25,375 1 5 9 15
6 44s Matt Sheppard 1,012 (197)$24,425 0 6 9 15
7 7x Steve Paine 980 (229)$17,550 0 4 7 15
8 TEN Alan Johnson 905 (304)$17,200 1 2 8 15
9 3h Justin Haers 864 (345)$12,050 0 1 7 15
10 3b Chad Brachmann 827 (382) $8,625 0 1 6 15
11 20 Stewart Friesen 826 (383) $7,450 0 0 5 15
12 98h Jimmy Phelps 821 (388)$11,425 0 1 5 14
13 32c Vic Coffey 711 (498) $7,500 0 1 4 12
14 8J Tom Sears Jr. 630 (579) $6,450 0 0 4 11
15 6J Andy Bachetti 563 (646) $7,260 0 1 1 11
16 29B Jeff Brownell Jr. 533 (676) $4,000 0 0 1 11
17 9 Bob McCreadie 470 (739) $6,700 0 2 2 9
18 44 Frank Cozze 431 (778) $7,300 0 2 4 7
19 18 Sean Beardsley 427 (782) $2,475 0 0 0 8
20 27z Ray Bliss 412 (797) $2,900 0 0 0 9
21 7J Jeff Isabell 407 (802) $2,375 0 0 0 7
22 99B Chuck Bower 387 (822) $4,100 0 0 4 6
23 88 Jeff Strunk 348 (861) $2,900 0 0 2 7
24 39 Tim McCreadie 295 (914) $4,800 0 2 2 5
25 115 Kenny Tremont Jr. 291 (918)$10,650 1 2 2 4
Skidmarks:
* 2005 DIRT MotorSports NorthEast Modified track champions crowned during the weekend along with Cayuga County and Fulton titlist Fuller were Bobby Varin (Albany-Saratoga), Alan Johnson (Brewerton), Steve Paine (Canandaigua), Brett Hearn (Lebanon Valley), Dave Murdick (Lernerville), Frankie Caprara (Thunder Alley) and Del Rougeux,Jr. (Tri-City); Can-Am and Rolling Wheels are yet to be determined. On 11 previous occasions the Cayuga Co. points king ---Alan Johnson (2003, ’02, 1981), Billy Decker (1998), Bob McCreadie (1994), Charlie Rudolph (1986), Jack Johnson (1980), Will Cagle (1979, ’78, ’76) and Dave Lape (1977)--- went on to capture the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Championship.
* Consistency paid off for Tim Fuller in 2005 with track championships posted at Cayuga County and Fulton while the Edwards, N.Y. driver settled for runner-up honors at Brewerton. Ironically, Fuller scored five feature wins at Brewerton while adding two at Cayuga Co. and just one at Fulton in his winning efforts.
* Consistency continues to pay dividends for Brett Hearn as he moved to within 32 points of Fuller on the Advance Auto Parts SDS points chart. Hearn posted his ninth straight top-five tour finish Sunday at Cayuga County which ties his own record logged one year after being set by Steve Paine in 2001. Hearn began his streak on July 4 at Rolling Wheels, where he will look to establish the all-time consecutive top-five Super DIRT Series standard on Labor Day.
* Elite 11 drivers ---Gary Tomkins, Tim Fuller, Brett Hearn, Chad Brachmann, Justin Haers, Steve Paine, Alan Johnson, Stewart Friesen, Pat Ward, Matt Sheppard and Billy Decker---were staged inside the main grandstand area signing autographs prior to the racing action. Following time trials, the same group were joined by another handful of drivers and a number of car owners as they scaled the grandstand seats collecting donations to offer in the DIRT MotorSports, Inc. organization’s continued effort to help aid victims of Hurricane Katrina. A grand total of $1365.00 was contributed by the racing fraternity at Cayuga County on Sunday to give to the local chapter of the American Red Cross towards the "Katrina Relief Fund."
* The top-15 finishers in the ’Showdown In The Pines’ (Aug. 24) at New Egypt Speedway were at the head of the line to share 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 Cayuga County, Tim Fuller, Matt Sheppard and Brett Hearn received $100 each, Billy Decker, Pat Ward and Stewart Friesen earned $200, while Vic Coffey, Gary Tomkins, Steve Paine, Jimmy Phelps and Jeff Brownell,Jr. pocketed $300. Jimmy Horton, Frank Cozze, Danny Johnson and Rick Grosso,Jr. were no shows. Upon attempting to qualify for the Petrocci Memorial the next day at Rolling Wheels Raceway, Ward, Decker, Paine, Hearn and Bob McCreadie will collect $100 each, Tomkins, Fuller, Phelps, Chuck Bower and Chad Brachmann will receive $200, with Jeff Isabell, Billy Dunn, Sean Beardsley, Friesen and Andy Bachetti in line for $300 bonuses.
* Matt Sheppard was the second driver to time trial and finished as the only one to crack the 16-second barrier with a time of 15.929 sec. (84.751 mph) around the banked 3/8-miler. Track record-holder Billy Decker (15.668 sec., 9/1/02) once again was second fastest as he was clocked at 16.037 sec. Decker was also second quickest behind Tim McCreadie in the Advance Auto Parts SDS race held at the Weedsport oval during Memorial Day. It was Sheppard’s third fast time trial of the ’05 tour, following the top speeds posted at Rolling Wheels’ smooth 5/8-mile layout on May 1 and Cornwall’s tacky quarter-mile bullring on July 10.
The May 29 ’Hall of Fame Classic’ attracted 38 cars and drivers to Cayuga County while 33 signed in for the return appearance of the Super DIRT Series on Sunday. Among the missing were race qualifiers Dale Planck, Dan Vauter, Jeff Strunk, Frank Cozze, Tim McCreadie, Butch Tittle and Chad Phelps plus DNQs Todd Stewart, Donnie Wetmore, Jr., Derrick Podsiadlo, Eldon Payne, Jr., Shannon Whaley and Donnie Wetmore, Sr. The newcomers for round two were qualifiers Ryan Odasz, Steve Hulsizer, Tom Sears, Jr. and Ronnie Johnson along with DNQs Zach Aubertine, Phil Vigneri and Mike Ward. The Northeast 100 marked the first 2005 tour event for Johnson, Aubertine and Vigneri.
* Four of the top-five point earners in the 358-Modified Super DIRT Series competed at Cayuga County on Sunday leaving the door open for ’Mr. Small-Block’ Pete Bicknell to take over the top spot after capturing the 100-lap small-block tour event the same night at Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway. Prior to the Sept. 4 open-wheel doubleheader on both sides of the border, Alan Johnson (3 wins) and runner-up Brett Hearn (1) led Bicknell in the 358 Series standings followed by Stewart Friesen (1) and Matt Sheppard.
* Competition was stiff during the night with three of the Elite 11 pilots being forced to qualify through the consolation round. Current SDS points leader and Cayuga County champion Tim Fuller, Alan Johnson and Chad Brachmann were relegated to the last chance qualifier that was won by ’Barefoot’ Bob McCreadie.
* The top-seven finishers on Sunday placed in the front eight positions in the Advance Auto Parts SDS race held May 29 in Weedsport. Fourth-place finisher Brett Hearn ended up 23rd in the Memorial Day race at Cayuga County.
* Steering Tim Fuller’s back-up no. m1 TEO ride with an experimental motor the previous week at Cayuga County, Dave Axton (5th) bested Fuller (6th) by one position. He was back on Sunday aboard his own no. 2 G&R Auto Parts/Bicknell mount equipped with an Enders small-block powerplant and finished 18th with 95 laps complete. "If I had my own choice I’d still take my own car tonight, I think a small-block will do better in a 100-lapper when the track gets slippery," Axton divulged prior to the race. "Last week was fun with a big-block in somebody else’s car. I’m glad I got the chance to drive it but I’m not expecting much more after that."
* Recognized in the blue no. 99B Beyea Custom Headers-Ingles Performance Ski-Doo/Bicknell machine throughout a handful of Advance Auto Parts SDS races in ’05, Chuck Bower entered his yellow no. 99B TEO mount ---used at Brewerton this season--- on Sunday in the Weedsport finale. "We used the blue tour car at Canandaigua the past couple weeks but last night broke the rear-end and hurt the motor," Bower explained. "Sometimes you just gotta do whatever it takes to get a car on the track. Tonight this is all we have left."
* It’s back to school next week for open-wheel upstarts Stewart Friesen and Ryan Phelps. Third-generation Canadian pilot Friesen continues to work toward his degree in Earth Science at the University of Windsor (Ont.) while second-generation Central New Yorker Phelps will be entering his senior year at Keuka (N.Y.) College as he pursues a career as a Social Studies teacher.
* Following the Labor Day show at Rolling Wheels, three more September dates are filled by Super DIRT Series events with Lebanon Valley Speedway hosting the ’Coors National 200’ on Sat., Sept. 10 and Rolling Wheels staging the ’World Series of DIRT Track Racing 100’ on Sun., Sept. 18 before competition returns to New Egypt on September 24 for "Legends of the Fall" season finale. A raindate of Sun., Sept. 25 has been listed on the track schedule. A note to all teams planning their return to New Jersey for competition at either New Egypt on Sept. 24 or Bridgeport Speedway on Oct. 22-23. Even though the 2005 Official DIRT MotorSports NorthEast Rule Book recommends use of a five-point seat belt no older than five years, New Jersey State law mandates that no safety harness may be used that is older than two years. While the significance of this matter was stressed by a number of law enforcement agents on race night, the same individuals noted that direct action will taken against any teams failing to take heed of this particular warning.
* 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 Cayuga County 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.
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.