RETURN VISITS TO VICTORY LANE WERE THE NORM
AT THE NEW AFTON SPEEDWAY ON NBT BANK/NYSSCA NIGHT
AFTON, NY - It was mix of second-time winners and new faces to victory lane at The New Afton Speedway Friday on NBT Bank and New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) Night.
Returnees to the winners' circle were J.R. Hurlburt of Otego in the DIRT 358 Modifieds, Brad Alger of Oneonta in the DIRT Sportsman and South Plymouth's Bob Mills in the DIRT Pro Stocks.
First-time winners were Penn Can Speedway invader Denny Decker of Deposit in the Pure Stocks, Jim Money of Oxford in the 4-Cylinder Super Stocks and Unadilla's Cale Brownell in the 4-Cylinder Enduro. The most exciting finish was provided by Mills and Jeremy Clark of Cortland in the 20-lap DIRT Pro Stock feature. Mills grabbed the lead from polesitter Chad Hyzer on a lap two restart. Paul Rooney moved into the runner-up spot with Hyzer, Clark and Denny Smith settling into the top five. By lap five Clark was second followed by Smith, Hyzer and Bret Belden, who had moved into the mix.
Two separate battles for position developed on the 4/10-mile speedway. One was between Smith and Belden for third place while Mills and Clark pulled away to settle the battle for the win. Clark tried several times to find a passing lane, but Mills did a masterful job of blocking all the angles. On the white flag lap, Clark was right behind Mills entering turn three and try a traditional bump-and-run move. Mills slid a little high coming out of turn four as the two cars raced towards the finish line. There was little more contact which cause Mills to check up and Clark crossed the line with a slight advantage and appeared to be the winner.
From the flagger's stand, chief starter Sam Rogers and his infield spotters agreed that Clark was a little too aggressive in his bump-and-run move and awarded Mills' his second straight win. Clark remained in second place with Belden, Smith and Jason Youngs rounding out the top five.
It was a dominating second win for Hurlburt as he beat polesitter Darrin Schuler out of turn two from his outside front row starting spot on the opening lap and was never seriously challenged.
There were only two caution flags to slow the 30-lap feature. The first was for Mitch Gibbs for a flat tire on lap 11 and the second, on lap 19, when Chris Ostrowsky came to a halt in turn four.
During the green flag runs, Hurlburt pulled away to a full straightaway lead over Schuler, who restarted in the second spot. Jeremy Smith overtook Schuler on lap 24, but never mounted a serious threat to Hurlburt who cruised to victory.
Jeff Rudalavage climbed to third place by the checkered flag with Russell Hendrickson, Jr. and Schuler completing their best runs of the season in fourth and fifth place respectively.
The Sportsman 20-lap feature was similar to the 358 main event as Alger grabbed the lead from polesitter Skip Pickwick from his outside front row starting spot and he would lead all 20 laps.
The difference was Alger did not run away from Tim Mayne , Tim French or Butch Klinger. Mayne was the second-place challenger until a lap 19 restart set-up a two-lap dash to the checkered flag.
Mayne kept the point, but French slid past Mayne and tried to reel in the leader. Mayne would hold on for a three car-length victory with Craig Pope, Steve Anderson and Adam Smith rounding out the top five. Mayne slid back to seventh place on the final restart while Klinger saw his chance to win disappear after brushing the frontstretch wall coming out of turn four on lap 14. Klinger came back to the action and foughthis way back to an eighth place finishing spot.
With rain wiping out the Penn Can Speedway program Friday night, several drivers made the dash to Afton to get some racing action. Decker, Shane Wolf and Shawn Mills all had Pure Stock mounts ready for battle as Joe Buchek brought the field to the green field for the 15-lap feature. Buchek led the first lap, but he surrendered the top spot to Decker, who started fourth, on a lap two restart.
Wolf jumped into the runner-up spot on the restart as Afton regulars Jeremy Shaw, points leader Paul Harrington and Buchek gave chase.
Decker was the dominant car as Harrington charged into second place on lap 10 with Wolf, Mike Codington and Buchek in tow. Shaw retired to the pits with mechanical problems on lap 12.
Harrington closed the gap to five car-lengths as Decker was triumph. Wolf, Codington and Buchek held their top five spots as well.
Money used his outside front row starting spot to grab the lead on the opening lap of the 4-Cylinder Super Stock feature from polesitter Mike Stringer as four-time feature winner Bob Doolittle and Ken Hotaling rolled into the second and third spots. String and Ralph Cuozzo, Jr. rounded out the top five on lap one.
Doolittle would take over the top spot on lap two and maintain the spot until regain the point on a lap six restart.
Money was never able to pull away and posted a two car-length victory over Doolittle at the checkered flag. Hotaling, Stringer and George Crippen completed the top five.
In addition to receiving their trophies from NBT Bank representatives, Hurlburt, Mills and Money received $50 bonus money for NYSSCA president John Keegan and track rep Jay Johnson for being the first NYSSCA member car across the finish line. Runners-up French and Harrington were the first NYSSCA cars in their respective divisions and claimed the $50 bonus. A final wild-card bonus was presented to 358 Modified driver Rich Price by NYSSCA officials.
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 during the Afton Fair. Admission for parking and to the fair is free Friday night, though fairgoers will pay the regular admission prices to watch the racing action if thy wish to sit in the grandstands or bleachers. 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.
NBT BANK FEATURE RESULTS FROM JULY 16, 2004
DIRT 358 MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): J.R. HURLBURT, Jeremy Smith, Jeff Rudalavage, Russell Hendrickson, Darrin Schuler, Jamie Christian, Bob Hamm, Jr., J.R. Crouse, Brian Purdy, Rich Price, Mitch Gibbs, Jeremy Markle, Ben Bushaw, Pete Lyon, Ed Harris, Chris Ostrowsky. Heat winners: Hurlburt, Schuler.
DIRT SPORTSMAN (20 Laps): BRAD ALGER, Tim French, Craig Pope, Steve Anderson, Adam Smith, Loren Lincoln, Tim Mayne, Butch Klinger, Chad Hadlick, Roger Cook, Ronnie Clark, Bill Van Inwegen, Dustin Winn, Richie Budd, Jr., Skip Pickwick, Olin Renwick, Ken Moulton. Heat winners: Klinger, Budd, Smith.
DIRT PRO STOCKS (20 Laps): BOB MILLS, Jeremy Clark, Bret Belden, Denny Smith, Jason Youngs, Todd Hurlburt, Chris Hurlburt, Chad Winne, Chad Hyzer, Paul Rooney, Pat Nolan, Dustin Harris. DNS- Randy Newell Heat winners: Belden, Hyzer.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): DENNY DECKER, Paul Harrington, Shane Wolf, Mike Codington, Joe Buchek, Jeremy Shaw, Chris White, Jeremy Shaw, Brother Bob Stilson, Shawn Mills. Heat winner: Shaw.
4-CYLINDER SUPER STOCKS: JIM MONEY, Bob Doolittle, Kenny Hotaling, Mike Stringer, George Crippen, Jack Hill, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Gary Card Jr. Heat winner: Stringer.
4-CYLINDER ENDURO (10 Laps, winner): CALE BROWNELL.