MITCH GIBBS LEADS VETERAN DRIVERS' VICTORY LANE
PARADE AT THE NEW AFTON SPEEDWAY
AFTON, NY — Working lapped traffic was no problem for Mitch Gibbs as The New Afton
Speedway’s all-time wins leader from Norwich took the lead on lap 12 when Will Decker got trapped
behind a slower car and cruised to his 52nd checkered flag at the Afton Fairgrounds speedplant in the 30-
lap DIRT 358-Modified feature Friday under cold, cloudy skies. The Nice-N-Easy Grocery Shoppes #2G
hotshoe led a parade of veterans in the winners’ circle as Walton’s Butch Klinger captured his second
straight DIRT Sportsman main event, Denny Smith of Trout Creek won the 20-lap DIRT Pro Stock
feature and “The Willet Warrior” Buck Mills took the checkered flag at the end of the 15-lap Pure Stock
feature. In the 4-Cylinder Enduro feature, it was Jeff Black from Whitney Point scoring the victory.
Gibbs started third as Bob Hamm, Jr. brought the DIRT 358-Modifieds to Sam Rogers’ green flag
under led the first two circuits around the 4/10-mile track with Decker, Gibbs, Jeremy Smith and Jeff
Rudalavage falling into place.
On a lap 3 restart, Decker powered by Hamm for the lead before the first of two caution flags flew
on lap 5. On the first restart, Hamm jumped the start and the chain reaction caused by the non-start
caused Tony Ross and Ben Bushaw to tangle on the frontstretch with Ross’ car damaged after jumping
the inside berm of clay. Hamm was penalized two spots before the next restart and Bushaw was allowed
to return to its running position before at the original caution. There would not be another caution flag in
the remaining 25 laps.
On the second restart, Decker tried to distance himself from rest of the field, but Gibbs stayed close
behind. As the two drivers began working lapped traffic, Gibbs began setting up Decker and made his
move coming out of Turn 4 to complete lap 12. Decker was struck behind a slower machine and Gibbs
took over the point by blocking off the inside groove as he made his pass.
Once in front, Gibbs would build a full straightaway lead over Decker as the final laps clicked off.
Decker would hold on to the runner-up spot with Smith, Rudalavage and Hamm rounding out the top five.
Klinger used his heat win to earn the pole position for the 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature and the
Klinger Kawasaki-sponsored #9 checked out quickly in the caution-free main. Klinger’s second win of
the 2004 season was by a full straightaway over Tim French.
With Klinger long gone, all eyes focused on a great battle for second place between French, Steve
Anderson and Paul Carey. No passes were completed, but there was some great side-by-side battles until
the drivers began spreading out at the midway point.
Following Klinger and French were Anderson, Carey and Bill Price to complete the top five. Jessica
Zemken struggled with an ill-running #1P all night long as was actually one lap down at the finish.
Something that rarely happens to the popular young lady from Sprakers when she is running at the
checkered flag.
Smith started on the outside of the front row, but quickly seized the top spot from polesitter Bob
Mills as the cars came out of Turn 2 on the opening lap. Smith slowly pulled away in the Parts Plus Auto
Stores #04 while Mills had to fight off challenges from Jeremy Clark, Bill Trego and Les Gillette.
On the lap 11 restart, Smith was able to regain a three to four-car advantage over Mills as Gillette
jumped into the third spot. The running order stayed the same for the remaining caution-free laps, but
Gillette did bobble on the white lap flag. Clark and Gillette’s teammate, Trego, took advantage to finish in
the third and forth spots, with Gillette rounding out the top five.
The 15-lap Pure Stock feature was simply a great repeat of the Mills-Stark battles that were waged
in 2003 at The New Afton Speedway. Stark grabbed the lead from his pole position with Mills glued to
the back bumper of the The U.S. Express Unlimited #455. The two remained close with Stark keeping a
slight advantage until a lap 8 restart. Mills found a hole and powered his Anchor Motors-Welch Masonry
#15 into the lead for good. Stark did have a couple of failed attempts to pass on the inside of Turn 4 in
the closing three laps, but Mills kept his car low enough to prevent any successful passing attempts.
While these was the main battle in the Pure Stock feature, there was another Mills making another strong
opening season run as the “Marathon Marauder”, Frank Mills, posted another solid run to take third place
with Shane Wolf and Jeremy Shaw rounding out the top five.
This Friday will be BanJo Radio Night with another great card of DIRT 358 Modified, DIRT
Sportsman, DIRT Pro Stock, Pure Stock and 4-Cylinder Stock Enduro action. The gates will open a 5 p.
m. with the first green flag to fly at 7:30.
BanJo Radio is a group of stations with main offices located in Oneonta. WDLA (92.1 FM located in
Walton) is one of the BanJo Radio stations and will have a live remote broadcast from the speedway.
92.1 FM plays fresh new country music and all-time favorites to listeners in Delaware, Otsego and
Southern Broome County.
If you have any questions on any upcoming events, you may call the speedway office at 607-657-
8018; the track office at 607-639-1966 or you may log on to The New Afton Speedway website at www.
thenewaftonspeedway.com. The New Afton Speedway, Friday’s Best Family Entertainment Value, is
located on the Afton Fairgrounds off of Interstate 88, Exit 7, on Route 41.