AARON EXCELL AND KURT DECKER FIRST-TIME WINNERS AT AFTON SPEEDWAY
AFTON - Aaron Excell from Hubbardsville and Afton’s Kurt Decker have been running well at Afton Speedway most of the season and the duo were finally rewarded with a trip to victory lane Friday night on Binghamton Pepsi Cola Night. Excell bested the field in the 30-lap 358 Modified feature while Decker was victorious in the 15-lap Pure Stock main event.
Chad Cook of Deposit grabbed his fifth win of the season in the Sportsman 20-lap feature, Harold Humphrey from Norwich picked up win number two in a wild 20-lap Pro Stock main event and Windsor’s Shawn Mills made his fifth trip to the winners’ circle after the 15-lap 4-Cyulinder Stock feature.
Excell started fifth when the green flag signaled the start of the 358 Modified feature while outside pole sitter George Hoffmier, Jr. grabbed the lead. By lap two, Excell was in second place and he began to chase down Excell with J.R. Hurlburt, Skip French and Don Hart, Jr. close behind.
On lap 15, the field was bunched up after a caution flag and Excell juimped into the lead on the restart. Hoffmier was on his back bumper with points lead Jeff Rudalavage charging into third. One lap later, Hoffmier came to a halt in turn one as his mount gave up for the evening was moved Rudalavage to the runner-up spot with Hurlburt, Hart and Arnie Slade in the top five.
Rudalavage tried his best, but he could not complete a pass around Excell who went on for that elusive first win. Rudalavage had to settle for second with Hurlburt, Hart and Slade rounded out the top five after a great battle for the third spot.
Pole sitter Chad O’Hara brought the Sportman field to the green flag, but Steve Anderson flew around the outside of the 3/8-mile clay oval to grab the lead for the first three circuits with O’Hara second and Butch Klinger third. O’Hara couldn’t keep a handle on his car and he would slip back to an eighth place finish at the end.
On a lap four restart, Chad Cook, who started seventh, surged to the point with Anderson, Jim Kite, Klinger and Pat O’Hanlon in tow. Cook began to pull away with Anderson in second as Klinger, Kite and O’Hanlon held their third through fifth positions.
A caution flag on lap 11 bunched the field up one last time, but Cook pulled away on the restart and the rest of the top five remained the same until the checkered flag.
The Pro Stock feature provided plenty of excitement and more than one surprise when the green flag flew. Outside pole sitter Neil Palladino took the early lead with Wade Decker moving into contention as Denny Decker, Humphrey and James Cornell charged through the pack towards the front. On lap six, Wade Decker moved to the point with Palladino, Denny Decker, Humphrey and Cornell closed behind and, one lap later, Palladino slid wide as D. Decker moved into second and Cornell was third.
This two Deckers and Cornell waged a torrid battle until lap 15 when Denny Decker and Cornell got into the back off leader Wade Decker, who spun and collected all third cars in turn four. Humphrey got past the three cars while Mike Decker took evasive action by driving through the infield to avoid the stopped car. The three lead cars were sent to the back of the pack, Denny Decker and Cornell for spinning Wade Decker out while Mike Decker was an unfortunate victim and also got sent to the rear of the field. He decided to head to the pits for the night.
Tempers were still hot on the restart as Humphrey brought the field to the green flag. Denny Decker proceeded to hit Cornell and slammed him into the infield as the caution came out again. Cornell’s car was done for the night, Denny Decker was black-flagged and lost his points lead.
On the next restart, Harold Humphrey pulled away and gratefully took his second win and also took over the points lead in the division. Pat Nolan held off Ray Taylor for second place and Wade Decker, who kept his cool after the lap 15 incident, finished in fourth place. Terry Mudge rounded out the top five.
Denny Decker (420) dropped to fourth in the points behind Humphrey (462), Cornell (442) and Wade Decker (426).
Kurt Decker started third in the 15-lap Pure Stock feature and he was quickly in the lead before the end of lap two as Bob Mills had the early lead, but suffered more mechanical problems and was an early race casualty. Chris Stull and points leader Buck Mills were also early contenders, but Stull headed to the pits and Mills slide back to fourth.
With Decker in front, Bill Rampe was charging towards the front and he grabbed the second spot by lap nine and Shaun Walker made a strong run into third place.
As the white flag was set to fly, Rampe pulled along side of Decker and he did have his nose in front at the flagger’s stand. Rampe still led as the two cars hit turn one, but Decker held the inside line and got the better bit coming out of turn t o as he retook the lead and held on the the win. Rampe came home second with Walker Buck Mills and Jon Dale Howey rounded out the top five.
Shawn Mills had to work for his fifth 4-Cylinder Stock victory on the season as he picked his way through a determined group of drivers as pole sitter Skip Pickwick took the opening lap lead from two laps before outside pole starter Scott Johnson found the point for laps three through six. Mills, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Jim Money, Bob Doolittle and Ed Leslie all swapped positions throughout the two-thirds on the race. Doolittle dropped out late in the race and finished 13th.
Pickwick moved back in front on lap seven and led the next three circuits before Mills finally found the opening he needed and grabbed the top spot. Pickwick would pull away for the win as Cuozzo slipping past Pickwick for second place as Tim Clapper completed a great charge into fourth place and Money rounded out the top five.
The Midstate Vintage Stock Car Club also joined the program Friday night and they put on a great show as well. Doc Smith of Rochester drove his 1937 Chevy to victory lane in the 1960’s feature as he held off the X car of Phil Claussen.
The 1950’s and 1970’s cars ran together in the other vinatge feature with John McNamee of Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada the 70s and overall winner with Gordie ‘Dude” Woods from Weedsport placing fifth overall while winning the 50s class.
This Friday, Afton Speedway will host another complete five-star program of 358 Modified, Sportsman, Pro Stock, Pure Stock and 4-Cylinder Stock action on tap. The gates will open at 5 p.m. with the first green flag to fly at 7:15. The New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA) will be on hand for NYSSCA Safety Night and they will be awarding a $50 bonus to the first car across the finish line with a NYSSCA decal on it in each division.
Afton Speedway is located on the Afton Fairgrounds, off Interstate 88, Exit 7. For more information, call the speedway office at 607-639-1966.
358-MODIFIED FEATURE RESULTS: (30 laps): Aaron Excell, Jeff Rudalavage, J.J. Hurlburt, Don Hart, Jr., Arnie Slade, Jeremy Smith, Mike Clapperton, John Lutes, Joel Thomas, George Hoffmier, Jr., Skip French, Mitch Gibbs, Tony Ross, Duane Hilliard, Steve Walsh, Todd Thomas. Heat winners - Excell, Ross
SPORTSMAN FEATURE RESULTS: (20 laps): Chad Cook, Steve Anderson, Butch Klinger, Pat O'Hanlon, Tony Farone, Ed Bennett, Jim Kite, Chad O'Hara, Rodney Hart, Olin Renwick, Craig Pope, Josh Pieniazek, Max Moshier, Jr., Chris Van Buren. Heat winners - Anderson, O'Hara
PRO STOCK FEATURE RESULTS: (20 laps): Harold Humphrey, Pat Nolan, Ray Taylor, Wade Decker, Terry Mudge, Jason Youngs, Chad Hyzer, Neil Palladino, Mike Decker, James Cornell, Gary Roberts, Bob Zimmerman, Jr., Ralph Finnegan, Jason Schlafer, Scott Chapman, Todd Hurlburt, Denny Decker (black flag). DNS - Steve Cummings. Heat winners - D. Decker, M. Decker, Cornell
PURE STOCK FEATURE RESULTS: (15 laps): Kurt Decker, Bill Rampe, Shaun Walker, Buck Mills, Jon Dale Howey, Dennis Valentine, Ralph Jennings, John Cooper, Sr., Paul Harrington, Chris White, Rob White, Mike Foote,Jr., Corey Bond, Chris Stull, Bob Mills, Harry Uhl, Jr. DNS - Butch Green. Heat winners - Jennings, Stull, Cooper
4-CYLINDER STOCK FEATURE RESULTS: (15 laps): Shawn Mills, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Skip Pickwick, Tom Clapper, Jim Money, Ed Leslie, George Crippen, Ron Cummings, Scott Johnson, Jamie Banta, Joe Bunt, Ken Hotaling, Bob Doolittle, Dave Jaindl, Greg Reynolds, Ken Carson. Heat winners - Mills, Doolittle
MIDSTATE VINTAGE STOCK CAR 1960s FEATURE RESULTS: (12 laps): Doc Erin Smith, Phil Claussen, Tom Witter, Ray Cole, Jim Chase, Joey Edgbert, Shirley Morden, Gary Wood. DNF- Tom Toomey, Everett Swansbrough. DNS - Ray Demolin. Heat winner - Chase
MIDSTATE VINTAGE STOCK CAR 1950/70 FEATURE RESULTS: (12 laps): 1970s - John McNamee, Gary Byerly, Bob Williams, Sr., Mike McLaughlin, Scot Gates. 1950s - Gordie Wood, Dick Ackerman, Brad Litzenburger. Heat winner - McNamee.