REDEMPTION FOR GIBBS IN MODIFIEDS,
BANTA DOUBLES UP AT AFTON SPEEDWAY
AFTON - One week earlier, Mitch Gibbs and car owner Ed Wilson were trying to figure out how some water got into their racing fuel. Friday night, it was the rest of the competition trying to figure out how to catch the Norwich driver as Gibbs led all 30 laps to capture the DIRT 358 Modified feature at Afton Speedway. It was the third win of the win at Afton for Gibbs.
Steve Anderson of West Edmeston picked up his first Sportsman Modified win since the second week of the 2002 season; Todd Hurlburt (Guilford) won his second DIRT Pro Stock main event; Bob Mills of Norwich took home his second Pure Stock checkered flag in as many weeks and Unadilla's Jamie Banta won a pair of 4-Cylinder Stock main events.
Gibbs started on the pole for the 30-lap DIRT 358 Modified feature and he outdueled Steve Walsh for the top spot as the green flag flew. After a couple of early cautions on lap 2, all eyes focused on the pursuers. J.R. Hurburt, George Hoffmier, Jr. Skip French and Arnie Slade set off after Gibbs.
On a lap 13 restart, Hurlburt tried to power past Gibbs on the outside with Jeff Rudalavage looking for a path up the middle. Hurlburt truck his nose in front momentarily on lap 17, but his momentum cause his mount to slide up the track in turn four near the wall. Hurlburt had to back off the throttle as Gibbs kept his place on the point and Rudalavage slipped past on the inside for second place.
Rudalavage could not complete a pass on a lap 24 restart nor could Hurlburt on the lap 26 restart as Gibbs kept hitting his marks and pulling away.
At the checkered flag, it was Gibbs by a few car lengths for his third win of the season with Rudalavage and Hurlburt finishing two-three respectively. Jeremy Smith finished fourth with Slade completing his sixth top-five run in the fifth spot.
Rodney Hart started on the pole and led the first lap of the 20-lap Sportsman main event, but Anderson, who started third, grabbed the advantage on a lap two restart and never looked back as he continually pulled away to comfortable leads during longer green flag runs.
Hart tried valiantly to catch Anderson, but he had his hands full holding off Butch Klinger in the battled for second place.
Most of the position changes occurred in the fourth and fifth spots. Bill Papula and Chad Cook ran fourth and fifth respectively from lap two until lap seven. Cook grabbed the spot on a lap eight restart, but he slid high on lap 11, as did Papula, which allowed Tim French to climb into the fourth spot for the remainder of the feature. Papula settled back into fifth place and he took the checkered flag in that spot.
Hurlburt surged into the lead from his outside pole position at the start of the 20-lap Pro Stock feature with Steve Cummings, Denny Decker, Ralph Finnegan and Jason Youngs in pursuit. By lap four, Youngs had retired to the pits as James Cornell moved into the top five.
Decker moved into second place on lap five and in three laps he chased down Hurlburt. Using the outer rim of Afton Speedway, Decker took the point on lap eight with Hurlburt second. It looked like Decker would pull away, but he car sputtered on lap 11 and slowed between turns one and two. Hurlburt seized the opportunity and resumed his place at the point. Harold Humphrey bolted into second place on lap 11 with Cornell climbing to third. As Cummings developed car problems, Wade Decker moved into fourth place by lap 11 with Denny Decker returning to the top five on lap 13.
Hurlburt held off Humphrey over the final laps and Cornell was content to run in the third position with Wade Decker fourth. Denny Decker's car faltered again on lap 17 as Finnegan returned to fifth place for the remaining circuits.
It was Hurlburt's first win since May 3 and it proved to be an early birthday present for daughter Holly, who turns three July 8.
The Pure Stock 15-lap feature was one of the most entertaining races of the evening as polesitter Butch Green grabbed the advantage on the opening green flag with Paul Harrington, Shaun Walker, Dennis Valentine and Bob Mills in tow. Mills and Decker moved past Kurt Decker one lap later. On lap 4, Walker and Harrington swapped positions.
On a lap 7 restart, Green maintained the lead, but Walker used the outside groove to bolt into the lead one lap later and Mills slipped around Green on lap nine.
Walker's engine began to sputter on lap 10 and he was forced into the pits as Mills assumed a lead he would never relinquish. Harrington's great run ended with mechanical problems on lap 13 He brought out the caution and would slide back to 11th place.
On the restart, Mills pulled away for his second feature win in as many weeks as Green held off Decker for second place when the checkered flag flew. Walker would come back to finish fourth and Gene Brainard rounded out the top five.
For one night, all the frustrations disappeared for Banta. The Unadilla driver was in the zone as he won the caution-free make-up 15-lap 4-Cylinder Stock feature that kicked off the six- feature portion of the program. Banta started on the outside pole and led all 15 laps.
Dave Jaindl finished second in the make-up event, but never seriously challenged for the win as Ralph Cuozzo, Jr. ran third. They ran those positions for 14 of the 15 laps with a brief swapping of spots on lap 9.
Shawn Mills moved past George Crippen on lap 11 for fourth and Crippen held on to fifth.
In the regular 4-Cylinder feature, Ken Hotaling started on the pole and led the first four circuits. Banta moved into the runner-up spot on lap two with Crippen, Skip Pickwick and Jaindl in tow.
On a lap five restart, Banta overtook Hotaling while Pickwick powered past Crippen and those spots never changed until lap 10. Mills moved around Jaindl on lap nine for fifth place and both drivers sprinted past Crippen on lap 10.
One lap later, Mills and Jaindl moved up one additional spot as they relegated Cuozzo to fifth.
Jaindl developed car problems on lap 12 and dropped back in the field as Mills overtook Hotaling for second place. Cuozzo was back in third with Jim Money and Scott Johnson now in the top five.
Banta's lead appeared safe until a caution flag on lap 14 bunched the field for a two-lap shootout. Banta got a clean restart and held off Mills over the final two circuits to complete the sweep. Mills, Cuozzo, Money and Johnson rounded out the top five with Jaindl battling back for a sixth place finish.
This Friday night, it will be a complete show with DIRT 358 Modified, Sportsman, Pro Stock, Pure Stock and 4-Cylinder Stock action beginning at 7:30 p.m. It will also be "Open Pits" Fan Appreciation Night at Afton Speedway.
After hot laps are completed, all fans will a general admission ticket will be allowed in the pit area from 7 p.m. until roughly 7:20 to meet their favorite drivers and to see all the race cars up close. It should be a great time of all fans and the drivers are looking forward to the special event. Promoters Pat and Janet Jordan want to remind fans and competitors that there will be no racing action on July 19 as the Afton Fair will be in town for that night.
For more information, on Open Pit Fan Appreciation Night or any upcoming activities at the speedway, call the track off at 607-639-1966 or log on to the Afton Speedway website at www.aftonspeedway.50megs.com. Afton Speedway is located on the Afton Fairgrounds, Route 41, off of Exit 7 of Interstate 88.
4-CYLINDER STOCK MAKE-UP FEATURE RESULTS (From June 21, 2002) 15 laps: JAMIE BANTA, Dave Jaindl, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Shawn Mills, George Crippen, Jim Money, Scott Johnson, Skip Pickwick, Ron Cummings, Ken Hotaling, Joe Bunt, Ken Carson, Jon Holden. DNS-Bill Fink.
DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE RESULTS 30 laps: MITCH GIBBS, Jeff Rudalavage, J.R. Hurlburt, Jeremy Smith, Arnie Slade, Skip French, Tony Ross, Adam Smith, Steve Walsh, Eric Mack, Mike Clapperton, George Hoffmier, Jr., Jim Potts, Don Hart, Jr., Shawn Ellsworth, Pat Dabiere, Duane Hilliard, Todd Thomas, Joel Thomas. Heat winners: Gibbs, J. Thomas, French.
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED FEATURE RESULTS 20 laps: STEVE ANDERSON, Rodney Hart, Butch Klinger, Tim French, Bill Papula, Sam Wescott, Joe Rando, Pat O'Hanlon, Ed Bennett, Chad Cook, Olin Renwick, Craig Pope. Heat winners: Anderson, Hart.
PRO STOCK FEATURE RESULTS 20 laps: TODD HURLBURT, Harold Humphrey, James Cornell, Wade Decker, Ralph Finnegan, Fred Christ, Chad Hyzer, Denny Decker, Steve Cummings, Pat Nolan, Neil Palladino, Jason Youngs. DNS-Scott Chapman, Mike Mills. Heat winners: Hurlburt, Cummings.
PURE STOCK FEATURE RESULTS 15 laps: BOB MILLS, Butch Green, Kurt Decker, Shaun Walker, Gene Brainard, Dave Cotton, Dennis Valentine, Charlie Holcomb, Roberts Krascovic, Ralph Jennings, Paul Harrington, Chris White, Joe Barnes, Craig Decker, Buck Mills, Jason Bond. Heat winners: Greene, Bob Mills.
4-CYLINDER STOCK FEATURE RESULTS 15 laps: JAMIE BANTA, Shawn Mills, Ralph Cuozzo, Jr., Jim Money, Scott Johnson, Dave Jaindl, Ron Cummings, Ken Hotaling, Skip Pickwick, Joe Bunt, Jon Holden, Craig Ruston, George Crippen, Brandon Clapperton, Ken Carson. Heat winners: Banta, Crippen, Cuozzo, Jr.