RUDALAVAGE AND COOK TAKE AFTON OPENER!
Afton, NY- Olyphant, PA's Jeff Rudalavage took home the honor of owning the first DIRT 358 Modified feature win at Afton Speedway in the 2001 racing season.
Rudalavage started on the outside pole for the thirty lap main event after picking up the win in the second qualifying heat.
Mitch Gibbs, of North Norwich set the pace, but at the drop of the green it was all Rudalavage, as Jeff went on to dominate the race, leading every lap.
Otego's J.R. Hurlburt, last season's points runner-up, Gibbs, and Robbie Green all battled it out for second third and fourth as Kingston native Mike Ricci made his way up through the pack from his ninth starting spot.
The top five remained the same for several laps, with Rudalavage leading Hurlburt, Gibbs, Green and Pat Jordan. Jordan, of Berkshire, would have his night end on lap 20 as something broke on the rear of his ride.
As the green flag flew, Ricci inherited the fifth spot, but he was unable to break his way through to the top four.
Rudalavage went on to capture the win, followed by Hurlburt, Gibbs, Green and Ricci.
The DIRT Sportsman 20 lap main event saw Deposit native Chad Cook take home the win. Cook, in his second full season in a Sportsman, started on the outside pole and grabbed the lead at the start from pace sitter Butch Klinger, or Walton.
A multi-car caution on lap 8 brought the race to a temporary halt as Bob Conklin tumbled his number 7b Sportsman in between turns three and four. Conklin was not hurt, but was unable to return to racing action.
Another caution on lap nine tightened up the pack. On the restart, Tony Ross, of Edmeston, got a good jump and moved his mount from fourth to second, ahead of Klinger.
Guilford's Arnie Slade was the man on the move, as he got by Ross for second with just five laps left to go. Slade, who started seventh, looked fast, but couldn't make a move for the top spot, as Cook went on to lead all twenty laps and pick up the feature win.
Slade finished second, followed by Ross, Klinger , making his debut in a Sportsman, and Tim Clemons. The 20 lap Pro Stock feature proved to be one of the more exciting events of the night.
Afton's Wade Decker took the early lead from pole sitter James Cornell, of Harpursville at the start. South Gibson, PA native Jamie Shea followed Decker on the outside, and moved his J1 machine up to the second spot by lap two.
Decker lead the way, with Shea giving chase as Trout Creek's Denny Smith made his way to third from his ninth starting spot.
Lap 16 is when things got an interesting twist. During a caution for a fire on Unadilla's Jason Young;s ride, Decker's car ran out of gas on the speedway, and had to be pushed into the pit area.
With just four laps left to go, Shea found himself inheriting the lead. He took advantage of the situation, and held off a hard charging Smith to pick up the win.
Smith finished second, followed by Brian Steigerwald, Neil Palladino in his first run in a Pro Stock, and Cornell for fifth.
By far the most exciting race of the night was the 15 lap Pure Stock event. Sitting on the outside pole was Shaun Walker in his first time in a race car. This young rookie had just turned 16 years old days earlier, and now found himself at the head of a 15 car field of hungry competitors.
Walker grabbed the lead at the start, edging out Bainbridge's Rob Loucks, but his run was short lived as the caution flag fell after just one lap.
Buck Mills, of Guilford, took over the top spot from Walker on the restart, but the young rookie was not deterred at all, and came back to take over the lead from Mills on lap five, as the crowd was up on their feet going crazy.
Walker went on to lead the last 11 laps and pick up the win in his first ever feature as a Pure Stock driver. Mills, who was right on Walker's bumper finished a hard fought second, with Denny Decker, Loucks, and Brad Butcher completing the top five.
Unadilla's Jamie Bantastarted the season off in fine fashion by picking up the win in the Four Cylinder Stock division.
Banta took the lead at the start from his outside starting position, and held off charges from Waverly's Frank Chapman and Afton's Ralph Jennings, Jr. en route to capture the win in the 15 lap event. Jennings finished second, followed by Scott Johnson, Dickie Scutt and Ralph Cuozzo, Jr..
Sherburne's Alan Barker seemed to be on his way to a dominating performance in the 12 lap Dwarf Car feature, until something let loose in the motor with just two laps left to go.
Louie Gordinier, of Berkshire, who was having a good run in second took over the top spot, and held off Windsor native Gordie Isham to pick up the win. Isham finished a solid second, with Charleton, MA's Chic Chandler in third. Afton Speedway will have another full card of racing set to go next Saturday night, April 14th. This will be the last Saturday show, as we switch to our regular Friday night programs starting on April 20th. Gates open at 4pm, with racing set to go at 6pm.
358 MODIFIED RESULTS: Jeff Rudalavage, J.R. Hurlburt, Mitch Gibbs, Robbie Green, Mike Ricci, Skip French, Mike Clapperton, Ed Strada, George Hoffmier Jr, Tony Pepicelli, Kevin Jordan, Laurent Ladouceur, Steve Walsh, Jim Witko Jr, Carl Bittenbender, Bill Cook, Pat Jordan, Jeremy Smith, John Siedlecky, Eric Bonham, Rick Amo.
SPORTSMAN RESULTS: Chad Cook, Arnie Slade, Tony Ross, Butch Klinger, Tim Clemons, Don Hart Jr, Tim French, Steve Anderson, Craig Pritchard, John Christian, Bob Conklin, Tim Ross, Dave Crandall, Chad O'Hara.
PRO STOCK RESULTS: Jamie Shea, Denny Smith, Brian Steigerwald, Neil Palladino, James Cornell, Scott Bennett, Wade Decker, P.J. Goodwin, Jason Schlafer, Harold Humphrey, Jason Youngs, Matt Roberts, John Walker, Todd Hurlburt, Bill Wilsey Jr, Jason Bartsch, Mike Decker, Ty Hurlbut, Chuck Lowe, Dave Button.
PURE STOCK RESULTS: Shaun Walker, Buck Mills, Denny Decker, Rob Loucks, Brad Butcher, Mark Effner, Joe Bono, Dave Mannise, Ed Martin, Mike Aldrich, Butch Green, Ralph Shoemaker Jr, Dennis Valentine, Scott Brown.
FOUR CYLINDER STOCK: Jamie Banta, Ralph Jennings Jr, Scott Johnson, Dickie Scutt, Ralph Cuozzo Jr, Chris Torbitt, Fred Newton, Skip Pickwick, Todd Smith, Frank Chapman, Jason Jaindl, Ralph Cuozzo Sr.
DWARF CARS: Louie Gordinier, Gordie Isham, Chic Chandler, Duane Knapp, Chris Thompson, Tim O'Neill, Alan Barker, Steve Tourje.