Strada Smiling After Afton Win
by: Mike Mallett - 05/21/05
Afton, NY - Ed Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa. has not had much to smile about this season at The New Afton Speedway. He’s been plagued by minor problems with the car or setup issues that have hindered his ability to pass cars and win races. It was something this 40 year old veteran was not accustomed to in his racing career.
On Friday night that all changed, Strada was all smiles after he captured his first 30 lap Modified main event of the season. It was his win of 2005 and his first at the speedway since he won his first career Modified race back in 1990.
“We finally got it figured out,” said Strada about the setup needed on his Bicknell race car. “We’ve struggled and struggled all year long but I think we got it now.”
Strada started on the pole of the feature after he barely held on to a handicapping spot in his heat race. Strada raced on seven cylinders in the heat due to problems with a spark plug wire. He managed to hold on and secure a fourth place finish.
“I really didn’t know what kind of car we had because of the problem in the heat,” stated Strada. “But thankfully it was back on eight cylinders in the feature and it was fast.”
Strada had very little trouble securing and holding the top position. On the initial green, Strada moved his no. 42 to the high side around pole sitter Steve Walsh.
As the leader, the only struggles Strada faced with were restarts. Under green flag conditions he could check out on rest of the field.
“Everything worked out perfect tonight,” said Strada. “We got the lead pretty quickly from Steve (Walsh) and from there everything went our way.
“The cautions got a little bit nerve racking because I knew that Jeremy (Smith) and Tony (Pepicelli) were not too far back there.”
With Strada winning by over a full straightaway, Robbie Green settled for second in his Precision powered Teo Pro Car.
Green, a native of Wallkill, N.Y., has struggled with engine woes since returning as a regular to the New Afton Speedway.
“We finally got the motor problem figured out,” said Green. “We went back to gasoline and everything worked the way it was supposed to.
“Now we just need to work on setting the car up and we should be in good shape.”
Green was unable to challenge Strada for the top spot as he was contending with Rich Price.
“I had nothing for Eddie (Strada),” said Green. “He was the class of the field tonight and considering the way we’ve been running I was happy to finish where we did.”
Price, of Saquoit, N.Y., continues to have solid top five runs. Price started tenth and systematically worked his way into the top five by taking advantage of other driver’s mistakes for his third consecutive top five finish.
“I don’t know what the secret is,” said Price. “We just keep working the bottom and getting by everyone when they slide up the track.”
Mike Ricci of Tillman, N.Y. brought his Jimmy Winchell owned no. 17 from the 11th starting spot to fourth and ‘Rolling Thunder’ Steve Walsh of Hankins, N.Y. secured the fifth spot.
Butch Klinger of Walton, N.Y. captured his second 20 lap Sportsman feature event of the season. Klinger used a daring low side pass of last week’s feature winner Adam Smith and first year Afton Speedway Sportsman regular Jeff Leslie.
Klinger sat third until lap 10 when Smith and Leslie both pushed high in turn two giving Klinger the bottom of the speedway. He moved his no. 9 below both drivers and took a commanding lead as they exited turn two. He had taken the lead one lap prior using the very same move, but the caution flag flew negating the pass.
“This was a good win,” said Klinger. “We really needed that one after the way things went for us last week.”
For the first time since his return to The New Afton Speedway, Afton, N.Y. driver Wade Decker picked up the win in the 20 lap Pro Stock feature. Decker secured the number one position on lap 7 when he took the lead from Kurt Decker. He would lead the remaining thirteen circuits for the win. Chris Stull, who had won the three previous races, suffered a water pump problem and finished in the 10th position.
The 15 lap night ender for the Pure Stocks was won by several time track champion Buck Mills of South Plymouth, N.Y. Mills took the lead on lap 7 after he shot by Rob Loucks on the low-side of turn two for the top spot. Mills then checked out on the field for his first win since opening night.
Harold Humphrey of Norwich, N.Y. continued his dominance of the 4 Cylinder Super Stock Mini Series as he led all 20 laps of the feature event. He was unchallenged in the victory. Humphrey also won the opening round at The New Afton Speedway back on April 29th.
The 15 lap 4-Cylinder Enduro checkered went to Sidney Center, N.Y. driver Gordie Finch after Rich Gardiner was disqualified for rough driving.
Racing action will resume on Friday May 27th with a six division program for the Modifieds, Sportsman, Pure Stocks, 4 Cylinder Super Stocks, 4 Cylinder Enduros and the popular Late Models. There will be no Pro Stocks on the racing card due to the BRC Late Model Challenge Event. It is a level two admission for the night’s event. Gates will open at 5:30 with racing beginning at 7:30.
The New Afton Speedway hosts racing every Friday night at 7:30pm from April through September with a weekly six division show that is highlighted by the mighty Big/Small Block Modifieds featuring sail panels. The Speedway is located just off Interstate 88 at exit 7. For more information about the upcoming events at The New Afton Speedway, call the speedway office at (607) 657-8018 or checkout our website at http://www.thenewaftonspeedway.net.
Afterthoughts
Mike Ricci was extremely happy with his night. He was able to pass several cars during his march to the front.
“It’s been a long time since I raced here,” said Ricci. “I need to get use to the track because it’s so much different than the last time we raced here.
“It’s a lot better than it was the last time we raced up here.”
J.R. Hurlburt had a night to forget. Every minor incident on the speedway seemed to involve him.
“It didn’t matter what I did,” said Hurlburt. “I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Tony Pepicelli was running inside the top ten when a right rear flat forced him to go pit side for a change.
AFTON SPEEDWAY RESULTS 5/20/05
Modifieds (30 Laps) – Ed Strada, Robbie Green, Rich Price, Mike Ricci, Steve Walsh, Scott Ferrier, Chris Ostrowsky, Jeff Sheely, Tony Pepicelli, J.R. Hurlburt, Jeremy Smith, Matt Smith, Don Hart, Jr., Bob Hamm, Jr., Ricky Yetter
Heat Winners – Hamm, Jr., Green
Sportsman (20 Laps) – Butch Klinger, Keith Still, Adam Smith, Bob Mills, Pat O’Hara, Matthey Latwinski, Jeff Leslie, Dustin Winn, Sean O’Connor, Skip Pickwick, Craig Pope, Brad Alger, George Howe, Roger Cook, Steve Ragan, Randy Banks, Shawn Mills, Danny Varin
Heat Winners – Mills, Ragan
Pro Stocks (20 Laps) – Wade Decker, Brett Barrett, Harold Humphrey, Kurt Decker, Jerry Holmes, Pat Nolan, Dennis Valentine, Dick Koch, Danny Janus, Chris Stull, DNS-Paul Harrington
Heat Winners – K. Decker, Barrett
Pure Stocks (15 Laps) – Buck Mills, Butch Green, Jeremy Shaw, Rob Loucks, Mike Codington, Mike Wilber, Tom Harrington, Bill Craw, Shaun Witt, Brandon Clapperton, Jessie Rawson
Heat Winners – Shaw, Loucks
4 Cylinder Super Stock Mini Series (20 Laps) – Harold Humphrey, George Crippen, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Mike Stringer, Ken Carson, III, Jason Tuttle, Terry Onyan, Kevin Fassett, Gary Johnson, Jeff Witt, Kevin Duval, Gary Card, Jr., Dennis Vroman, Rark Smith
Heat Winners – Cuozzo, Jr., Humphrey
4 Cylinder Enduros (15 Laps) – Gordie Finch, David Smith, Dustin Wilber, Gary Kinne, Dave Finch, Sean Gardiner, Tim White, James Lee, Aaron Shelton, Alex Cloeckler, Rich Gardiner