FULLER MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK AND WINS EMPIRE SERIES RACES ONE
WEEDSPORT, NY...Tim Fuller, from Edwards, NY, has been on a roll as of lately as he picked up his second DIRT Modified feature in a row last Sunday at the Cayuga County Fair Speedway. The 35-lap main was Race One in the Colton RV Empire Series broadcast nationally and rape delayed on Speed TV. Jim Livingston won his first ever DIRT Sportsman feature, while Ron Hawker, a long time since he last entered victory lane, won the Street Stock main. Bill Werner won the special 25-lap Enduro.
The 35-lap DIRT Modified feature saw pole sitter Jimmy Burke take the lead at the drop of the green. Vince Vitale and Bob McCreadie, driving a new wide body style car, were in hot pursuit. Vitale took the lead exiting the fourth turn on lap four.
The race had to be red flagged on lap six when the track became blocked by a six car accident in the fourth turn. Todd Milton ended up, upside down on his roof, while Vic Coffey had a right front wheel ripped off his number 32c. Also involved were Billy Decker, Matt Sheppard, Derrick Podsiadlo and Justin Haers.
During the red flag it was reported that Bob McCreadie's power steering had failed, but he remained in third. Vitale took the lead only to have the yellow fly when Mike Ward spun out in the first turn. An altercation then took place on the track when three cars came together, fighting for restart position. Jeff Brownell jr. found himself in the pits after chasing after one of the other drivers involved in the wreck. Gary Tomkins blew by the competition and now sat second on the grid, just behind Vitale.
Vitale had built a full second advantage when the yellow flew on lap 13. Chuck Bower and Jack Johnson had come together resulting in Johnson's wheel being ripped off and sent sailing skyward. The wheel seemed to hit the retaining wall and bounce high in the air, coming to rest part way through the first turn.
Vitale continued to remain dominate as both Tomkins and McCreadie were chasing him. Vitale held a .7 second lead by lap 20. On lap 27, in lapped traffic, Tim Fuller sprung to life. He quickly moved into second on alp 28 and closed in on Vitale. With just two to go Fuller ducked low in the back stretch and grabbed the lead. At the line it was Fuller followed by Vitale, Tomkins, Alan Johnson and Jimmy Phelps. Bob McCreadie was forced to exit the race on lap 31. The race averaged 69.118 mph.
Ryan Richardson took the lead at the start of the 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature. Donnie Wetmore Jr. inched ahead of Richardson on lap two, but Richardson fought back and retook the position one lap later.
Track favorite, Eldon Payne Jr. slowed on the first lap and caused the first yellow flag of the event. On lap eight Rob Relfe started to smoke and laid down a streak of fluid on the front stretch for the second yellow. the yellow flew two laps later when Jason Potter came to a stop on the speedway. the most spectacular incident came on lap 13 when Russ Hefti was sent sailing and flipping over the third turn Jersey Barrier and out of the park. He was uninjured in this accident.
In the closing laps Jim Livingston, who had held on to second most of the race, seemed to come alive. On lap 18 both he and Bob Henry jr. tried to duck low going down the back stretch to pass Richardson. Only Livingston was able to complete the pass and take the lead. He held on for one more lap and took his first ever checkers. Henry Jr., Ryan Richardson, Doust and Wetmore Jr. rounded out the top five. Livingston averaged 69.826 mph for the 20-lap run.
Frank Burnell led the 15-lap Street Stock main for some seven laps. Suddenly a puff a smoke rolled out from his machine, thick enough to interfere with the other drivers. He was black flagged to the pits where his crew made repairs.
As for yellows only two slowed the race. On lap two Nick Rizzo saw the right rear wheel ripped off his car and he was sent spinning into the infield exiting turn four. The second yellow came on lap seven when Steve Woodworth came to a stop in the first turn.
Dan Hoffman replaced Burnell as the leader following the lap eight restart. He was able to hold the lead for just three laps. Following a side-by-side battle, Ron Hawker inched ahead on lap 11. Hawker went on for the victory. Hoffman Sr., Dave Marcuccilli, Dave Emmons and Rob Whipple rounded out the top five finishers.
The Sunday will see round two of the Colton RV Empire Series. Race time starts at 7 p.m. each and every Sunday. This Sunday Budweiser joins Colton's RV for Fan Appreciation night. A special admission price of $20 a car load will be in effect.
KINNEY DRUGS AND PHELPS CEMENT presents the COLTON RV EMPIRE SERIES NIGHT ONE SUMMARY
ENDURO
FEATURE (25-laps): Top 3-BILL WERNER, Craig Dingy, James Werner.
STREET STOCKS
HEAT 1: F. Burnell, D. Marcuccilli, R. Hawker, D. Emmons, S. Woodworth.
HEAT 2: D. Hoffman Sr., J. Cronin, N. Rizzo, E. Chapman, C. Pruden.
FEATURE (15-laps): RON HAWKER, Dan Hoffman Sr., Dave Marcuccilli, Dave Emmons, Rob Whipple, Frank Burnell, Chuck Pruden, Eric Chapman, Jim Cronin, Steve Woodworth, tom Cook, Nick Rizzo, Steve Faulkner, DNS: Jesse Pruden.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: R. Richardson, J. Pitcher, J. Livingston, J. Potter, M. Conrow.
HEAT 2: E. Payne Jr., D. Wetmore Jr., G. Doust, B. Henry Jr., E. Richardson.
FEATURE (20-laps): JIM LIVINGSTON, Bob Henry Jr., Ryan Richardson, Greg Doust, Donnie Wetmore Jr., Mike Bowman, Jeremy Pitcher, Ron Loveless, Mike Conrow, John Juhl II, Jason Potter, Eric Richardson, Russ hefti, Eldon Payne Jr., Rob Relfe.
DIRT MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1: M. Sheppard, G. Tomkins, J. Pfeffer, J. Johnson, R. Phelps, J. Haers.
HEAT 2: J. Burke, V. Vitale, B. McCreadie, P. Ward, C. Bower, T. Fuller.
HEAT 3: J. Brownell Jr., J. Phelps, T. McCreadie, A. Johnson, B. Decker, T. Milton.
CONSI: D. Ruggles, D. Podsiadlo, V. Coffey, M. Ward, S. Beardsley, M. Payne.
FEATURE (35-laps): TIM FULLER, Vince Vitale, Gary Tomkins, Alan Johnson, Jimmy Phelps, Billy Decker, Justin haers, Pat Ward, Tim McCreadie, Darryl Ruggles, John Pfeffer, Derrick Podsiadlo, Jim Burke, Shawn Beardsley, Mike Ward, Bob McCreadie, Jeff Brownell Jr., Vic Coffey, Jack Johnson, Chuck Bower, Mike Payne, Ryan Phelps, Matt Sheppard, Todd Milton.