CLEMONS CAPTURES SUNOCO RACE FUELS SPORTSMAN SUPER DIRT FEATURE
AT THE NEW AFTON SPEEDWAY
AFTON, NY - Tim Clemons made the most of his early season visit to The New Afton Speedway. The Gloversville driver led all 30 laps to capture the Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman Super DIRT Series East Region feature Friday night. It was Clemons’ second East Region win of the season and improves on his third place finish during a regular show appearance at Afton on June 6. He remains the East Region points leader as the series moves to Utica-Rome Speedway August 24.
Clemons wasn’t the only winner at Afton on Friday. Points leader Jeremy Smith from Whitney Point won his second DIRT 358-Modified feature of the 2003 season; Deposit’s Pat Nolan became a two-time Pro Stock feature winner; Buck Mills of Willet put his Pure Stock back in victory lane for the tenth time and “The Cooperstown Comet” Ken Hotaling made his eighth trip to victory lane in the 4-Cylinder Stocks.
In the heads-up start to the Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman Super DIRT Series feature, Clemons started on the outside of the front row and beat polesitter John Scarborough out of Turn Two to grab a lead that he would never surrender.
Two early cautions allowed Afton points leader Jamie Christian to charge into the runner spot with Scarborough, Afton regular Butch Klinger and Chad Phelps in tow. Christian tried everything he could to wrestle the lead from Clemons until lap eight. Christian drove deep into Turn Three inside of Clemons to make a bid for the top spot. Clemons refused to yield and the two locked bumpers coming out of Turn Four. Clemons was sideways, but recovered quickly to hold the lead while Christian spun to a halt to bring out the caution. The incident also sent drivers scrambling to avoid Christian and caused the running order to change.
There were caution-induced restarts on laps 8, 9 and 11, but Clemons was unfazed and successfully held off Klinger’s challenges as Eldon Payne, Jr. moved into third place with Elmo Reckner and Scarborough rounding out the top five.
Reckner brought out the final caution flag on lap 17 as he spun to a halt between Turns Three and Four. Klinger had one final shot, but could not overtake Clemons, who covered the remaining laps flawlessly in posting a seven car-length victory. Klinger, Payne, Jessica Zemken and Scarborough rounded out the top five.
Colin Jackson brought the DIRT 358-Modifieds to the green flag and led for the first two circuits, but yellow-flag fever was contagious as Dick Sweet waved that particular flag eight times in the first 11 laps, mostly for incidents near the back of the pack. Smith moved from his seventh starting spot into the lead on lap three. Aaron Excell, who started 11th, took the lead on a lap five restart before Smith used a lap 10 restart to regain the advantage for good.
After a pair of restarts on lap 11, Smith pulled away to a commanding lead over Excell to record his second win and 12th top-five finish. Excell was several cars lengths ahead of Jackson, who posted a season best third-place run. Dan Vauter and Brain Malcolm battled for fourth place over the final green flag run with Vauter holding on to the spot. Vauter matched his best finish of the season while it was Malcolm’s first top-five of 2003 at Afton.
On the heels of some bad luck, Pete Gulick started on the pole for the 20-lap Pro Stock feature and it appeared to be his race to lose as the Binghamton driver was dominating the field. Kenny Hammond did enjoy a few laps in front from laps four until lap six, but Gulick moved back to the point on a lap seven restart and was long gone. Hammond and Ray Taylor both spun and lost one lap in the pits to eliminate themselves.
With Gulick leading, Nolan and two-time winner Todd Hurlburt waged a great battle for what would be second place until everything changed on lap 17. Bad luck said hello to Gulick again in the form of a broke driveshaft and he coasted to a stop in Turn Three.
On the restart, Nolan continued to hold off Hurlburt and posted the narrow victory with Bob Mills finishing third as the only other car on the lead lap.
Paul Harrington started on the pole for the 15-lap Pure Stock main event and looked to be in position during the early stages to claim the $75 bounty on Mills, but the Willet Warrior took the lead on a lap three restart. Harrington stayed close as Fulton invader Dave Mannise powered his way into the third spot. Harrington’s run came to an end on lap eight when he lost power and came to a halt.
The lap eight restart saw top of the best Pure Stock drivers ever take the green, but Mannise was no match for Mills, who pulled away for a six car-length victory. Mannise, David Pope, Brother Bob Stilson and James Cornell rounded out the top five.
The bounty will increase to $100 on Mills for one final week. If Mills wins again this Friday, he will claim his own bounty.
Jim Hotaling started on the pole for the 4-Cylinder Stock 15-lap feature, but it was Ron Nolan charging to the point from his fourth starting spot with Ken Hotaling close behind. On lap later, Hotaling was in front and he led the final 14 circuits.
Skip Pickwick powered into the runner-up spot, but he was four car-lengths behind at the checkered flag. Jeff Leslie made a nice last-to-third-place run in the caution-free event with Jim Money and Jim Hotaling rounding out the top five.
This Friday, Parts Plus and Genny Light will sponsor the exciting program at The New Afton Speedway. The DIRT 358-Modifieds will battle for a $1,300 first place prize and a spot in the Victoria 200 All-Star Race at Fulton Speedway on this night with a full slate of DIRT Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and 4-Cylinder Stocks action also on tap. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with all the racing action getting underway at 7 p.m.
There are just two more points shows for the DIRT 358-Modifieds and DIRT Sportsman with three weeks of points battles remaining for the Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and 4-Cylinder Stocks. Don’t miss a single minute of the excitement!
If you have any questions, you may call the speedway office at 607-657-8018; the track at 607-639-1966 or you may log on to The New Afton Speedway website at www.thenewaftonspeedway.com. The New Afton Speedway is located on the Afton Fairgrounds off of Interstate 88, Exit 7, on Route 41.
FEATURE RESULTS FROM AUGUST 15, 2003
SUNOCO RACE FUELS SPORTSMAN SUPER DIRT SERIES EAST REGION (30 laps): 1. TIM CLEMONS; 2. Butch Klinger; 3. Eldon Payne, Jr.; 4. Jessica Zemken; 5. John Scarborough; 6. Tim Dwyer; 7. Lance Willix, II; 8. Jamie Christian; 9. Rick Mill; 10. Tim French; 11. Chad Phelps; 12. Tim Mayne; 13. Donnie Wetmore, Jr.; 14. Loren Lincoln; 15. Jason Potter; 16. Elmo Reckner; 17. Mark Majewski; 18. Michael Trautschold; 19. Tim Sears; 20. Tom Perrego; 21. Craig Pope; 22. Olin Renwick; 23. Rick Amo.
Heat winners: Scarborough, Clemons, Phelps.
DIRT 358 MODIFIEDS (30 laps): 1. JEREMY SMITH; 2. Aaron Excell; 3. Colin Jackson; 4. Dan Vauter; 5. Brian Malcolm; 6. J.R. Crouse; 7. Rich Price; 8. Bob Hamm, Jr; 9. Alan Barker; 10. Jim Potts; 11. Dave Barrows; 12. Steve Walsh; 13. Marc Johnson; 14. Dustin Purdy; 15. Adam Smith; 16. J.R. Hurlburt; 17. Jeff Rudalavage; 18. Paul Kinney; 19 Tony Ross; 20.Pat Dabiere; 21. Pete Lyon; 22. Ed Hawley.
Heat winners: Walsh, J. Smith, Potts.
PRO STOCKS (20 laps): 1. PAT NOLAN; 2. Todd Hurlburt; 3. Bob Mills; 4. Kenny Hammond; 5. Ray Taylor; 6. Pete Gulick; 7. Randy Newell; 8. Scott Chapman; 9. Aaron Hacker; 10. A.J. Bigsby, 11. Chad Hyzer.
Heat winners: Gulick, Hyzer.
PURE STOCKS (15 laps): 1. BUCK MILLS; 2. Dave Mannise; 3. David Pope; 4. Brother Bob Stilson; 5. James Cornell; 6. Barney Fuller; 7. Charlie Holcomb; 8. Erik Knudson; 9. Robert Krajcovic; 10. Paul Harrington; 11. Jeremy Shaw.
4-CYLINDER STOCKS (15 laps): 1. KEN HOTALING; 2. Skip Pickwick; 3. Jeff Leslie; 4. Jim Money; 5. Jim Hotaling; 6. Ken Carson III; 7. Jack Hill; 8. Ron Cummings; 9. Ron Nolan; 10. Terry Onyan.