BOB HAMM AND TIM MAYNE REGAIN WINNING TOUCH
ON AFTON FAIR NIGHT AT THE NEW AFTON SPEEDWAY
AFTON, NY - It's been a while since Bob Hamm, Jr. of Windsor and New Berlin's Tim Mayne have been in victory lane at The New Afton Speedway, but both drivers regained that winning form Friday during Afton Fair Night to score their second checkered flags of 2004.
Hamm got a little racing luck when 1991 track champion Darrin Schuler of Stroudsburg, PA pulled into the pits on lap 21 while holding a sizeable lead over the rest of the DIRT 358 Modified field. That early exit ruined Schuler's second great run in as many weeks.
For Mayne, it was a tight flag-to-flag win in the DIRT Sportsman ranks as he edged Butch Klinger of Walton by just two car-lengths after 20 grueling laps.
Other winners on Afton Fair Night included Denny Smith of Trout Creek in the DIRT Pro Stocks, Unadilla's Paul Harrington won the Pure Stock main event, Bob Doolittle from Newfield captured another 4-Cylinder Super Stock checkered flag and Lance Willes of Greene won his third 4-Cylinder Enduro.
Schuler gabbed the lead from his outside pole position as Sam Rogers' green flag flew to start the 30-lap DIRT 358 Modified main event while Ben Bushaw of Homer settled into the runner-up spot. Hamm, Rich Price and Russell Hendrickson quickly climbed into the top five as well.
Schuler received early pressure from Bushaw, who brought out the only caution flag of the event as he slid sideways in Turn Four on the fifth lap. Though Bushaw never came to a complete stop, track officials called for the caution flag as he had the remainder of the field close behind. It was tough for Bushaw because he remained in the top 10 as the caution flew. Rogers said he hated to make the call, but Bushaw did have to restart in the back of the pack for bringing out the caution.
When the green flag flew on the restart, Schuler was long gone and proceeded to pull away from the rest of the field. His lead was nearly a full straightaway before he pulled into the pits.
Meanwhile, Hamm and Price were locked in a nice battle for second while sixth-place starter Chris Ostrowsky and seventh-place starter Mitch Gibbs waged their own battle for fourth until Schuler retired.
Hamm continued to hold the advantage over Price for those remaining 10 laps, but it was just two car-lengths separating the two at the finish. It was Hamm's second career 358 Modified win, the first coming at Afton back on May 7 while Price completed his best run of the season.
Gibbs finally got around Ostrowsky for third on lap 25 with hard-charging Jeff Rudalavage, who started 11th, passed Ostrowsky one lap later for fourth. Ostrowsky held on for a solid fifth-place finish with Hendrickson completing another strong run of his own in sixth.
First-time Afton visitor in 2004, Bobby Varin, came home seventh while Jeremy Smith, J.R. Crouse and last week's winner J.R. Hurlburt rounded out the top ten.
Mayne grabbed the lead from his outside pole position and never surrendered the lead the entire 20 laps in the DIRT Sportsman main event with early pressure coming from last week's winner Brad Alger, who stayed close for the first six laps.
The caution flag flew on lap seven when Mike Decker slowed on the front stretch. On the restart, Steve Anderson bounced his #31 mount off the homestretch wall and sustained major front-end damage to the car, which resulted in a last-place finish as Decker did return to action. Anderson, who entered the night third in points, made his feelings known by pointing at the flagger and the offending driver, in his mind, as his car was towed into the pits. The only other caution in this event flew on lap 10.
On all three restarts, Mayne kept his advantage while Butch Klinger moved into the second spot. Klinger looked for a high route and a low route, but Mayne covered all the angles and would not be denied his second win of the season.
At the checkered flag, it was Mayne and Klinger, followed by Tim French, Adam Smith and Alger.
The 20-lap Pro Stock feature had three different leaders in the first seven laps. Chad Hyzer brought the field to the green flag, but Bret Belden charged from his fourth starting spot to the lead on the first lap with Jeremy Clark close behind. Clark took the lead from Belden on a lap three, but Belden returned the favor two laps later.
On lap seven, Clark went around in Turn Two as he and Smith raced for second place. The caution flag flew when Clark came to a halt. Clark thought he had some help, but track officials did not agree.
On the restart, Smith bolted past Belden for the top spot and he remained there for the remaining laps to add to his points lead over Clark and to record win number five of 2004. Belden took second place with Bob Mills, Clark and Wade Decker rounding out the top five.
It took Harrington five laps to finally overtake leader Jeremy Shaw in the 20-lap Pure stock feature, but, once in front, Harrington was unstoppable in his bid for win number three. He pulled away for one-half straightaway lead over Shaw as the checkered flag flew while Chris White, Rob Loucks and Craig Decker completed the top five.
The margin of victory was the same for Doolittle, who took the lead from Ken Hotaling on lap five of the 15-lap 4-Cylinder Stock feature. Doolittle cruised to his fifth win at Afton with Hotaling, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Mike Stringer and George Crippen rounding out the top five.
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.
AFTON FAIR FEATURE RESULTS FROM JULY 23, 2004
DIRT 358 MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): BOB HAMM, JR., Rich Price, Mitch Gibbs, Jeff Rudalavage, Chris Ostrowsky, Russell Hendrickson, Bobby Varin, Jeremy Smith, J.R. Crouse, J.R. Hurlburt, Jamie Christian, Alan Rudalavage, Ben Bushaw, Pete Lyon, Darrin Schuler, James Cornell. DNS- Ed Harris. Heat winners: Bushaw, Hendrickson.
DIRT SPORTSMAN (20 Laps): TIM MAYNE, Butch Klinger, Tim French, Adam Smith, Brad Alger, Bill Deckelman, Loren Lincoln, Craig Pope, Olin Renwick, Skip Pickwick, John DeForrest, Ronnie Clark, Dustin Winn, Mike Decker, Steve Anderson. Heat winners: Mayne, French.
DIRT PRO STOCKS (20 Laps): DENNY SMITH, Bret Belden, Bob Mills, Jeremy Clark, Wade Decker, Brian Belden, Jason Youngs, Ed Ostrander, Chris Hurlburt, Terry Johnson, Chad Hyzer, Robert Krascovic, Pat Nolan, Les Gillette, Todd Hurlburt. DNS-Billy Trego. Heat winners: T. Hurlburt, Nolan.
PURE STOCKS (15 Laps): PAUL HARRINGTON, Jeremy Shaw, Chris White, Rob Loucks, Craig Decker, Mike Codington, Brother Bob Stilson, Mike Hoyte, Matt Hayes. Heat winners: Shaw.
4-CYLINDER SUPER STOCKS: BOB DOOLITTLE, Ken Hotaling, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Mike Stringer, George Crippen, Jack Hill, Larry Champion. DNS-Gary Card Jr. Heat winner: Stringer.
4-CYLINDER ENDURO (10 Laps, top 3): LANCE WILLES, Cale Brownell, Keih Hudak.