Smith, Crawn And Goodwin Take Afton Wins

Afton, NY - Jeremy Smith of Triangle, NY started on the pole for the 30 lap PEPSI DIRT 358 Modified main event, with Unadilla native Billy Walters, Jr. on the outside of the twenty-three car field. Smith grabbed the early lead at the start, with Walters dropping into second, followed by Dana Wagner and Gary Smith. Walters took the lead on a lap four restart, after a caution period for Rockdale’s Skip French. Jeremy Smith re-took the lead on lap seven, as Mike Clapperton moved ahead of Wagner for the fourth spot, Gary Smith in third. Last week’s winner Tony Pepicelli moved his way up to the top five from his fourteenth starting spot, and took over the fourth spot from Clapperton the next lap. Pepicelli moved into third past Harpursville’s Gary Smith as the caution flew on lap twelve for Earl Walrath and Mike Gillette. Smith held on to the lead at the rstart, as Pepicelli and Walters battled back and forth for the second spot. Pepicelli was able to get around Walters on lap sixteen, and then set his sights on Smith. By lap twenty-four, Pepicelli had caught Smith. Pepicelli made his move to the inside going into turn three, but ran out of racing room and looped his 11a machine, bringing out the caution. Smith kept his lead as the green came out, and went on for his second win of the season at Afton. Walters finished second, with Gary Smith, Olyphant PA’s Jeff Rudalavage and Otego native J.R. Hurlburt completing the top five. Mike Walters, Billy Walter’s brother, had the pole for the 20 lap Sportsman feature. Deposit’s Chad Cook sat on the outside of the front row. Cook jumped out for the early lead, with Walters running second. An accident on the back stretch with Norwich’s Don Newell brought out the first caution. Jim Crawn, of LeRaysville had to re-start at the rear of the field as a result of Newell’s spin. Cook held on to the top spot as the green came out, as Steve Anderson challenged Walters for second. Anderson took over the spot on lap three. Point leader Don Hart, Jr. took over third from Walters on lap five. Crawn wasted no time picking his way through the field, as he came from last to fifth by the sixth circuit. Crawn took the fourth spot from Walters on the hext lap. A caution on lap nine would be the break that Crawn needed. With the field tightened back up, Crawn moved into second at the re-start, and set his sights on the leader Chad Cook. Crawn took over the lead on lap 12 and went on for the win. Anderson was second, Hart third, Jamie Christian fourth and Tim French fifth. Deposit native Pat Nolan and Pete Christiansen of Afton made up the front row for the 20 lap Pro Stock feature. Nolan lead the pack at the start, with Winnie Winchester taking over the second spot from Christiansen by lap three. Binghamton’s P.J. Goodwin moved into fourth from his eighth starting position. Winchester disappeared to the pits with mechanical problems on lap four, as Goodwin moved past Christiansen into second. A caution on lap five for Fred Christ tightened the pack back up. Nolan stuttered at the re-start as Goodwin, Harold Humphrey and Butch Klinger all got by. The fifth spot was not the place to be as fifth place runner Pete Christiansen retired to the pits during a lap 8 caution. Todd Hurlburt moved into fifth until running into problems on lap 14. Denny Smith inherited the spot, until until mechanical problems struck him with just two laps to go. Goodwin went on for his second win in a row, third on the season. Humphrey was second, Klinger third, Nolan fourth, and Matt Roberts in fifth. Ralph Cuozzo, Jr. and Ed Leslie made up the front row for the 15 lap 4 Cylinder Stock feature. Third place starter Alan Smith, of Norwich, took the lead on lap one, with Skip Pickwick following through for second. After a pair of cautions on laps one and two, Norwich native Harold Humphrey moved into the second spot. Humphrey took the lead from Smith on the restart, with Pickwick and Cuozzo, Jr. shuffling Smith back to fourth. Cuozzo’s night would end in the pits after lap five. Scott Johnson passed Smith for the third spot on a lap 6 restart, and points leader Ralph Jennings, Jr. took over the fourth spot the following lap. The top five would remain the same from lap eight on, as Humphrey came home with the win, followed by Pickwick, Johnson, Jennings and Smith. Walton’s Todd Curtin had the pole seat for the 12 lap Pure Stock feature race. After a lap one caution for Scott Chapman, Windsor native Denny Decker moved into the top spot, with Neil Palladino and Dennis Valentine in suit. Current points leader Palladino could not mount a serious challenge, as Decker went on for the win. Palladino finished second, with Rob Loucks, Valentine and Curtin completing the top five. For the second week in a row, a Charleton, Massachusettes driver took home the Dwarf can honors. This time it was Chic Chandler’s turn. Chandler, who started seventh, moved up to third by lap three to challenge Louie Gordinier for the top spot. Gordinier’s night was cut short after losing power on lap 6, giving the lead the Chandler. Chandler held off hard charging Gordie Isham to pick up the win. Alan Barker. Dennis Copp and Dominick Commesso completed the top five. The Mid-State Vintage Stock Car Club was on hand Friday night. As always, these guys put on a great show. Jeff Ackerman won the 50’s and 60’s feature in his1933 Ford Coupe, but it was Ralph Arrandale who stole the show, putting his coupe up on its side on the front stretch wall during the event. Erin Smith of Rochester won the 70’s event in his 1936 Ford Coupe. A regular show is on the card for next Friday night. Gates open at 5pm, racing at 7:30pm.

358 MODIFIED RESULTS: Jeremy Smith, Billy Walters Jr, Gary Smith, Jeff Rudalavage, J.R. Hurlburt, Mitch Gibbs, Aaron Excell, Mike Clapperton, Steve Walsh, Rick Mill, Dana Wagner, Tony Pepicelli, Dan Morden, Brad Jones, Bill Cook, Earl Walrath, Skip French, Bill Pierce, George Lewis III, Mike Gillette, Dan Janus, Pat Jordan, John Siedlecky.

SPORTSMAN RESULTS: Jim Crawn, Steve Anderson, Don Hart Jr, Jamie Christian, Tim French, Arnie Slade, Chad Cook, Steve Davis, Wink Hinkley, Billy Harris, Mike Walters, Don Newell, Chris Shultz, Dave Crandall, Michael Trautschold.

PRO STOCK RESULTS:P.J. Goodwin, Harold Humphrey, Butch Klinger, Pat Nolan, Matt Roberts, Jason Youngs, James Cornell, Erik Knudosn, Aaron Hacker, Todd Hurlburt, Charles Holcomb, Denny Smith, Pete Christiansen, Fred Christ, Winnie Winchester, Jason Schlafer.

PURE STOCK RESULTS: Denny Decker, Neil Palladino, Rob Loucks, Dennis Valentine, Todd Curtin, Bob Stilson, Jim Laubmeier, Scott Chapman.

FOUR CYLINDER STOCK: Harold Humphrey, Skip Pickwick, Scott Johnson, Ralph Jennings Jr, Alan Smith, Ed Leslie, Dennis Vroman, Bob Dedrick, Ron Cummings, Cyrus Budine, Jack Hill, Ralph Cuozzo Sr, Arnie Roe, Jamie Banta, Ralph Cuozzo Jr, Chris Koren, Leonard Miller.

DWARF: Chic Chandler, Gordie Isham, Alan Barker, Dennis Copp, Dominick Commesso, Steve Tourje, Hal Merrick, Scott Boyle, Ray Vosburgh, Louie Gordinier, Ken Titus, Terry Gordinier.