BRIAN WEAVER WINS FIRST OF SEASON AT AFTON
Afton, NY..6/5/98...Brian Weaver of Conklin,NY graced victory lane with his
first win of the season in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series Modified feature
event on J & J Yamaha Night on Friday June 5th at the Afton Raceway.
Rich Tiffany and Steve Eldred occupied the front row for the start of the
30 lap feature. At the drop of the green, Eldred would jump out to the lead.
Caution immediately came out as four cars tangled in turn one. On the
restart, Eldred, would assume the lead. On lap three, Tony Peppicelli who
started in eighth took the lead away from Eldred. Peppicelli was on rails and
using the high side to his liking.
Behind the leader, Mike Clapperton and Jim Gabriel Jr, were on the move.
Gabriel who started sixth was now up to second with Clapperton coming from
ninth challenging for the spot on lap eight. On lap ten Peppicelli leads with
Gabriel second Clapperton, Brian Weaver and Mitch Gibbs rounding out the top
five.
All eyes were now on Weaver as he charged to the front from his
nineteenth starting spot and was now challenging Clapperton for third. On lap
thirteen both Clapperton and Weaver got by Gabriel putting him back to fourth.
At the half way point Peppicelli leads with Weaver, Clapperton, Gabriel and
Mitch Gibbs completing the top five. Weaver was now all over Peppicelli for
the lead and on lap seventeen made the pass for the top spot. Two circuits
later Clapperton moved to second passing Peppicelli.
Weaver was now starting to pull away from Clapperton who was holding off
Pepicelli and Mitch Gibbs. Robbie Green was now in the hunt as he was up to
fifth and Paul Jensen sixth. Tony Peppicelli's fine run would come to an end
on lap twenty-eight as contact with a slower car would send him into the
infield with front end damage. This allowed Clapperton to close in on Weaver
for one last shot for the win.
Weaver would take off by five car lengths over Clapperton. Behind the
leaders, Gibbs and Green were battling for fourth and fifth. On the last lap,
Gibbs and Green made contact sending both off the speedway in turn two ending
their hopes for a top five finish. Brian Weaver would hang on by four car
lengths for the win over Mike Clapperton. Paul Jensen crossed third, Jim
Gabriel Jr and Rich Tiffany completed the top five. Heat wins went to Rich
Tiffany, Tony Peppicelli and Jim Gabriel Jr.
In the 20 lap NASCAR Winston Racing Series Sportsman feature event. Ron
Richardson took the lead at the drop of the green to lead the first five
circuits before Tony Ross took over on lap six. Richardson would not give up
the lead easily as he came back strong on the high side to challenge Ross.
These two drivers raced side by side for the next five laps before Ross would
take command for good.
Tony Ross would go on to lead the rest of the way as he would record his
first ever Afton win. First year Sportsman driver Arnie Slade finished
second, Tim Mayne, Steve Anderson and Dan Yankowski completed the top five.
Heat wins went to Tony Ross and Tim Mayne.
Bob Zimmerman took the lead at the start of the 20 lap Street Stock
feature. Paul Goodwin would take over the top spot on lap three. Denny Smith
was on the move and would take over the lead from Goodwin on lap eight
bringing with him Butch Klinger.
Two laps later, Klinger passed Smith for the top spot. Klinger found the
right set up on the night as he would go on to win his second feature of the
season. John Walker finished a career best second followed by Paul Goodwin,
Bob Zimmerman and Jeff Witt. Heat wins were awarded to Paul Goodwin and John
Walker.
Dave Jaindl took the lead on lap thirteen of the fifteen lap 4 Cylinder
Stock fearure and go on to record his third win in five weeks of racing.
Chasing Jaindl across the stripe were, Rick Lashway, Dennis Vroman, Jamie
Banta and Bob Dedrich. Heat wins went to Jeff Burnett.
Todd Hurlburt took the lead on lap thirteen of the fifteen lap Pure Stock
feature and recorded his first ever win to the delight of many fans. Hurlburt
passed Scott Forward to go on and win by five car lengths over Denny Decker,
Mike Green, Neil Palladino and Joe Bono. Bill Cook picked up the heat win for
the Pure Stocks.
The Mini Sprints made their first appearance to the Action Attraction for
a fifteen lap feature. Blase Regina Jr took the lead on lap eight and never
looked back as he recorded his first ever win behind the wheel of a Mini
Sprint. Jeff Howell was second, Marc Lapan, Hank Katz and Bob Zwart completed
the top five. Heats were won by Blase Regina Jr and Hank Katz.
NASCAR Winston Racing Series Modified Feature Finish 30 laps. BRIAN
WEAVER, Mike Clapperton, Paul Jensen, Jim Gabriel Jr., Rich Tiffany, Mark
Schoonover, Jeremy Smith, JR Hurlburt, Chris Bushnell, Robbie Green, Mitch
Gibbs, Earl Walrath, Mark Gray, Tony Peppicelli, Andy Ritter, Mike Jones,
Steve Eldred, John Kollar, Jerry Northrup.
NASCAR Winston Racing Series Sportsman Feature Finish 20 laps. TONY
ROSS, Arnie Slade, Tim Mayne, Steve Anderson, Dan Yankowski, Craig Pritchard,
Bill Walters, Wink Hinkley, Barry Stevens, Steve Davis, Geoff Carner, Dave
Burnett, Pete Lion, Ron Richardson, Jim Crawn, Gary Roberts.
Street Stock Feature Finish 20 laps. BUTCH KLINGER, John Walker, Paul
Goodwin, Bob Zimmerman, Jeff Witt, Denny Smith, Andy Clement, TJ Fitzgibbons,
Bill Wilsey Jr, Make Davis, Aaron Hacker, Skip French, Bill Harris, Chris
Hoke, Matt Roberts, Don Newell.
Pure Stocks Feature Finish 15 laps. TODD HURLBURT, Denny Decker, Mike
Green, Neil Palladino, Joe Bono, Dave Rogers, Scott Forward, Dan Howe, Bill
Cook.
4 Cylinder Feature Finish 15 laps. DAVE JAINDL, Rick Lashway, Dennis
Vroman, Jamie Banta, Bob Dedrich, Ralph Couzzo, Jason VanPatten, Pete
Christainson, Ralph Jennings, Gene Brainard, Duane Spoor, Harold Humphrey, Jim
Potts, Jeff Burnett, Al Berritt, Shawn Mills, Rob Coulman, Brian Stigerwald,
Skip Pickwick, Duane Kane.
Mini Sprints Feature Finish 15 laps. BLASE REGINA JR., Jeff Howell, Marc
Lapan, Hank Katz, Bob Zwart, Dennis Fink, Ed Warren, John Riccetta, Steve
Zwart, AJ Bagozzi, Jim VanSteenburg, David Huss, Mike Emhof, Joel Batzel,
Howard Thurlow.