CHRISTIAN CLAIMS FIRST EVER 358 MODIFIED WIN AT THE NEW AFTON SPEEDWAY
ON PARTS PLUS NIGHT
AFTON, NY - Facing a handful of new faces, plus the strong regular contingent, West Winfield's Jamie Christian finally notched for first ever DIRT 358-Modified feature win Friday at The New Afton Speedway on Parts Plus Auto Stores Night. Christian, the defending DIRT Sportsman Track Champion at Afton, has had several strong runs this season on the 4/10-mile track, but he finally put the complete package together to kick-off the Fourth of July weekend in style.
Other Parts Plus Auto Stores feature winners were Butch Klinger of Walton in the DIRT Sportsman, Cortland's Jeremy Clark claimed the DIRT Pro Stock main event, Buck Mills from Willet grabbed the Pure Stock checkered flag, Bob Doolittle of Newfield returned to victory lane in the 4-Cylinder Super Stocks and Greene's Lance Willes claimed his first ever checkered flag at Afton in the 4-Cylinder Enduro.
J.R. Hurlburt grabbed the lead from his outside pole position at the start of the 30-lap DIRT 358 Modified feature with Christian roaring into the runner-up spot from his fourth starting spot. Polesitter Bob Hamm, Jr. settled into third place with Jeremy Smith and Mitch Gibbs completing the top five by the end of lap one.
A caution flag flew on lap four when Rich Price had problems in Turn Four. Christian out dueled Hurlburt for the lead on the restart and would never surrender the point for the remaining laps.
While Hurlburt would slide back to the fifth spot by the end of the feature run, Smith Billy Van Pelt, and Gibbs would be the stiffest tests to Christian's first win in the division. Gibbs' #2G stabilized and stayed in the fourth spot until the final four circuits.
VanPelt made a strong mid-race challenge , but his car also became very neutral and it looked like he would settle for third as Smith did apply pressure to the leader in the closing laps.
On lap 27, Smith tried to go to the high side in Turn Three to pass Christian, but he spun out for the final caution flag of the feature.
Christian pulled away on the final restart and would take the checkered flag six car-lengths ahead of Van Pelt. Gibbs would come home third while Mr. DIRT 1987, Curtis Van Pelt, completed his 2004 Afton debut in fourth. Hurlburt was the fifth place runner.
Klinger started on the outside pole and led from flag-to-flag in the 20-lap DIRT Sportsman main event. Tim French was the most serious threat to Klinger's third win of the season, but he would get no closer than five car-lengths as the #9 Klinger Kawasaki mount was too strong.
Richie Budd, Jr. completed his best run of the season since coming to Afton one month ago as he came across the line in third place while Steve Anderson and Loren Lincoln rounded out the top five.
The DIRT Pro Stocks put on the best show of the night as Bret Belden moved around race leader Chad Hyzer on lap two on the 20-lap feature and slowly distanced himself from Todd Hurlburt, Jason Youngs, Hyzer and Denny Smith.
Clark went to the back of the pack after a lap two tangle with Buddy Hencke, but quickly charged into the top five in just a few laps while Smith had to pit under the caution to remove his loose back bumper cover on lap seven.
With Belden is setting the pace, Clark moved around Hurlburt for second place on a lap 11 restart as Hurlburt slid to the high side of the speedway. That also opened the door for the hard-charging Smith, Pat Nolan and Youngs to move into the top five before Hurlburt got back up to full speed.
Clark reeled in Belden and took the lead with a strong inside move coming out of Turn Two on lap 17. Clark could not shake Belden as the two battled for the remaining three laps. Entering Turn Three a little too fast on the final lap, Clark opened the inside groove for Belden and the two cars headed towards the checkered flag even. Clark won the drag-race to the line by one-quarter car-length (the front bumper to front tire) over Belden for his third win of the season. Smith, Nolan and Youngs rounded out the top five.
Paul Harrington grabbed the lead at the start of the 15-lap Pure Stock feature from polesitter Jeremy Shaw with Mills following Harrington and settling into the second position for the first three laps.
On a lap four restart, Mills wrestled the lead from Harrington, but the two cars where never more than three car-lengths apart for the remaining dozen laps. Harrington had a shot on the final lap as he struck his front tires inside Mills' left rear quarterpanel coming out of Turn Two. He gave Mills on little tap, but not enough to spin the leader out. When the pass wasn't going to work, Harrington backed off slightly and gave Mills enough of an advantage to win by two car-lengths at the checkered flag.
In victory lane, Mills explained that he came back to finalize the deal of selling his car and he wasn't going to race, but was talked into by the new car owner, who bought the car for Mills' brother Frank to drive. Mills dedicated the win to his wife Cathy and now plans to head back to South Dakota to be with her while she undergoes medical treatments. In one other display of sportsmanship by Harrington, he drove his car to the edge of victory lane and walked over to shake Mills' hand after the post-race interview was completed.
In the 15-lap 4-Cylinder Super Stock main event, Mike Stringer brought the field to the green flag, but it was George Crippen charging from his fourth starting spot to grab the lead before the first lap was complete. Kenny Hotaling and Doolittle were running second and third when the caution flag flew on lap four.
Doolittle took the point on the restart and never trailed again. By the time the checkered flag flew on Doolittle's third win of the season, he had opened up a seven car-length advantage. Crippen took second place with Hotaling, Jim Money and Ralph Cuozzo, Jr. rounding out the top five.
It will be a busy week at The New Afton Speedway as Mirabito's/Quickway Food Stores sponsor the Turning Stone Casino 358 Modified Super DIRT Series on Wednesday night. It will be a 100-lap feature for the Modifieds, plus the third leg of the "Hurricane" Harry Uhl, Jr. Memorial Pure Stock All-Star Series. This 25-lap main event will pay $500 to win and the winner gets a guaranteed starting spot in the "The Hurricane" in August. Dick Stark, Rich Green and Charlie Gilbert have earned guaranteed starter status to date. The gates open at 5 p.m. with the green flag to fly at 7 p.m.
This Friday night will be a full slate of DIRT 358 Modified, DIRT Sportsman, DIRT Pro Stock, Pure Stock, 4-Cylinder Super Stock and 4-Cylinder Enduro action. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with the racing action to begin at 7:30.
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.
PARTS PLUS AUTO STORES FEATURE RESULTS FROM JULY 2, 2004
DIRT 358 MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): JAMIE CHRISTIAN, Billy Van Pelt, Mitch Gibbs, Curtis Van Pelt, J.R. Hurlburt, Tom Perrego, Russell Hendrickson, Bob Hamm, Jr., Rich Price, Darrin Schuler, Ben Bushaw, Pete Lyon, Dustin Purdy, Jeremy Smith, Chris Ostrowsky, Mike Doty, Mike Decker, Don Hart, Jr., Don Slover, Jeff Rudalavage. Heat winners: Hamm, Hendrickson, Gibbs.
DIRT SPORTSMAN (20 Laps): BUTCH KLINGER, Tim French, Richie Budd, Jr., Steve Anderson, Loren Lincoln, Tim Mayne, Skip Pickwick, Olin Renick, John DeForrest, Adam Smith, Craig Pope, Aaron Cross, Dustin Winn, Ronnie Clark. DNS- Rick Mill, Brad Alger. Heat winners: Smith, Klinger.
DIRT PRO STOCKS (20 Laps): JEREMY CLARK, Bret Belden, Denny Smith, Pat Nolan, Jason Youngs, Todd Hurlburt, Chad Hyzer, Chris Hurlburt, Dustin Harris, Bruce Streeter, A.J. Digsby, Buddy Hencke, Randy Newell, Frank Mills, Bob Mills. Heat winners: Harris, Belden.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): BUCK MILLS, Paul Harrington, Daryl Krebs, Duffy Krebs, Jeremy Shaw, Frank Krebs, Jr., Chad Winne, Brother Bob Stilson, Joe Buchek. DNS- Rob White. Heat winners: Buchek, Harrington.
4-CYLINDER SUPER STOCKS: BOB DOOLITTLE, George Crippen, Kenny Hotaling, Jim Money, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Jack Hill, Ken Carson, Mike Stringer, Gary Card Jr, Larry Champion. Heat winner: Hotaling, Doolittle.
4-CYLINDER ENDURO (10 Laps, top 3): LANCE WILLES. Cale Brownell, Rich Gardner