Billy VanPelt Waves the First Checkered Flag of the 358 Modified Season at Woodhull Raceway

 

 

Woodhull, NY.  The 358 Modified class ushered in the month of May with their first event of the 2009 season at the high banks of Woodhull.  139 cars total filled out the six division card on Chuck's General Contracting night.  The weather may have cooled off, but the action was sizzling as the fans flocked to see the debut of the mighty Modifieds.

            It took three heat races and a consolation event to narrow down the 28 entries in the LJ Kennedy Trucking 358 Modified division to a field of 24 for their main event.  Stacy Jackson and Steve Hartman, Jr. quickly bolted to the front of the field, after two yellow flags kicked off the start of the feature.  As Jackson and Hartman ran several laps side by side, veteran wheelman Billy VanPelt powered his way into third and began searching for a line to the lead.  Jackson was working his machine low on the banking, with Hartman motoring around the outer rim of the clay oval, so VanPelt would have to exhibit some patience in his quest for the top spot.  Meanwhile Lucas Schroth was enjoying a good run in the fourth position, with Bryan Terwilliger closing in fast.  Van Pelt soon made his way around Hartman, who then tempted the cushion one two many times, sailing off the top of turns three and four and taking himself out of contention.  Caution flags would keep the field tight and provide the opportunity that VanPelt was looking for to snag the lead, as he bolted by Jackson on a restart.  Terwilliger was rapidly making his way forward, passing Jackson for second and setting sail for VanPelt's rear bumper.  Dylan Dewert had also been making tracks to the front and was now running fourth behind Jackson.  More caution flags kept VanPelt within Terwilliger's sight, and Dewert eventually maneuvered around Jackson to take the third spot.  The night would end abruptly for Terwilliger, as mechanical woes knocked him out of the race and moved Dewert up in line to chase VanPelt.  Lap traffic didn't seem to slow VanPelt's charge, as he easily sailed across the stripe for the win.  Dewert was able to hold off a charging Curt VanPelt, who had used the multiple cautions to his advantage to pick his way through the field and earn third.  Jackson hung tough for fourth, with Ray Bliss closing out the top five.

            Larry Keegan and Mike Buchanan led the parade of S&W Awards Crate Sportsman machines to the green for their 20 lap feature.  Keegan took advantage of his pole position and darted to the lead, but Buchanan's run at the front ended quickly with a spin, handing second place to Bob Johnson.  Johnson immediately had his hands full with Kenny Peoples, Jr. battling door to door for the runner-up position.  Before long, Peoples' persistence earned him the second spot and Nate Delong also slid by Johnson to grab third.  As Keegan kept command, Johnson continued to slide backwards and the top five was joined by the likes of Scott Brown and Art Goodier.  Then, Delong finally squeezed his way under Peoples, making it two-wide behind Keegan.  Once again, Donnie Lawson was making a charge from the rear and put himself solidly in the mix, passing Peoples for third while Delong set sail for Keegan.  Last week's feature winner Zack Sutton also made his way by Peoples, after slicing his way to the front from his 18^th starting position.  A late race spinner brought out yellow, which bunched the field for a quick dash to the checkers.  The veteran Keegan held steady, not giving way to his teammate Delong, to earn his first win of the season.  Delong held tight for second, giving the Delong Racing Team their first ever one-two punch.  Lawson and Sutton capped off their impressive drives with third and fourth, respectively.  Peoples finished his strong run in fifth.

              Steve Hartman Jr. enjoyed an early lead in the NAPA 360 Late Models, but it didn't take long for 2008 track champion Glenn Whritenour to work his way to the front of the field from his 8^th starting position.  It was a thrilling three wide battle for the lead as Whritenour stuck his nose between Hartman on the high side and John Waters in the low line.  The moved paid off for Whritenour, as he snagged the lead and never looked back, cruising to his second victory of the season.  The most impressive drive of the evening belonged to '07 champ Wayne Robertson, who methodically switched lanes multiple times to weave his way from 19^th starting position to a hard-earned second place finish.  Greg Galligan looked strong, putting together his best run of the young season, taking home third.  Mikey Wonderling stayed near the front the entire evening and crossed fourth at the stripe, with Jason Knowles cruising from 17^th starting position to snag fifth.

            Brett Marlatt shook off two weeks of the sophomore jinx to come back and pick up his first '09 feature win in the Morgan's Auto Repair Street Stocks.  Opening night feature winner Jared Hill made sure it didn't come easy, battling hard for the win but having to settle for second.  Rookie Colton Herrington logged the best run of his brief career with a rock-solid third place finish.  Last week's winner Josh Nobriga edged the early race leader, Dan Gordon, for fourth.

            It looked as though Ron Dailey Jr. was on his way to his first ever victory in the Signs Plus Mini Stocks, but one little bobble was all Ted Morseman Jr. needed to motor on by and grab his second set of checkers for 2009.  Dailey gathered it back up to hold tight for second, with last week's winner Brian Grant Sr. charging from 18^th to third.  Russ Wassner took home fourth, with Rich Sharpsteen II tallying up yet another top five.

            The racing team known as the "B" Boys swept the top three spots in the LaBarron Brothers FWD division, with Gary Baker besting teammates Mark Schenck and Ron Hill for the victory.  Jamie Freeman was the lone car in the top five that didn't have a "B' on the side of it, finishing fourth.  "B" Boy team driver Randy Graham had his best run of the season, crossing the stripe in fifth.

            Next week the 360 Late Models run their annual Scott Dennison Memorial race, sponsored by Doug Gross Construction and Mountain Dew.

 

 

Woodhull Raceway Quick Results

5/2/09

Chuck's General Contracting and Rentals

 

 

L.J. Kennedy 358 Modifieds (25 laps)   28 Cars

 

Heats: Dave Dubois, Bryan Terwilliger, Ray Bliss Jr.

 

Consi:  Mike Mahanoy

 

Feature:  Billy VanPelt, Dylan Dewert, Curt VanPelt, Stacy Jackson, Ray Bliss, Chris Clark, Lucas Schroth, Dave Dubois, Roger Williams, Ron White, Goggles Paisano, Brooks Leach, Bryan Terwilliger, Joe Dgien, Mike Bills, Tim Guild, Brian Doolittle, Mike Mahoney, Frank Dunning, Kenny Peoples, Sr., Steve Hartman, Jr., Ray Dann, Kevin Chilson, Mike Jackson DNS: Ryan Gordner, Mark Richmond, Eric Williams, Chad Dailey

  

Napa 360 Late Model (25 laps)    25 Cars

 

Heats: Brian Knowles, Brian Conley, John Waters 

 

Feature:  Glenn Whritenour (2), Wayne Robertson, Greg Galligan, Mikey Wonderling, Jason Knowles, Brian Knowles, Josh Smith, Jaredd Dennis, Brandon Smith, Mick Seeley, Steve Watson, Quinn Sutherland, Steve Dixon, Sparky Hills, Wally Wade, Dave Miller, Jeremy Wonderling, John Waters, Greg Young, Jay McConnell, Sr, Steve Hartman, Jr, Ron Baker, Chad Dickerson, Bryce Davis, Brian Conley

 

S&W Awards & Photos Crate Sportsman (20 laps)    24 Cars

 

Heats: Donnie Lawson, Nate Delong, Kenny Peoples Jr.

 

Feature:  Larry Keegan, Nate DeLong, Donnie Lawson, Zack Sutton, Kenny Peoples, Jr., Casey Pavlick, Scott Brown, Art Goodier, Bob Johnson, Don Lawson, Chris Silvers, Grant Hilfiger, Ray Smith, Tony Hooker, Doug Kline, Aaron Carl, Rick Willsey, Greg Crooker, Brandon Butler, Bill McKelvey, Kreg Crooker, Bill VanEtten, Mike Buchanan, Frank Kline

 

Morgan's Auto Repair Street Stocks (20 laps) 18 Cars

 

Heats: Danny Gordon, Tony Foth

 

Feature:  Brett Marlatt, Jared Hill, Colton Herrington, Josh Nobriga, Dan Gordon, Kurt Stebbins, Tony Foth, Russell Morseman III, Mike Williams, Harry Vosburg, Chuck Pruden, Jeff Smith, Cliff Moss, Butch Dibble, Mike Warren, Shane Smith, Mike Kerr, Mark Guinup

 

Signs Plus Mini Stocks (20 laps)   24 Cars

 

Heats:  Ray Spiecher, Brandon Martin, Ron Dailey Jr  

 

Feature:  Ted Morseman Jr (2), Ron Dailey, Brian Grant Sr., Russ Wassner, Rich Sharpsteen, Brandon Morseman, Tracy Dunn, Lynn Burrell, Jason Ketrow, Raymond, Spiecher, Randy Bauman, Brandon Martin, Aaron Bartas, Chris Woodard, Travis Keim, Jason Warner, Ed Mills, Brent Kirk, Brian Freese, Jeff Brown, Randy Dunn, John Hand Jr DNS: Bill Gardner, Brett Crawford

 

LaBarron Brothers Repair & Parts FWD (20 laps)   21 Cars

 

Heats: James Howard, Gary Baker

 

Feature: Gary Baker, Mark Schenck, Ron Hill, Jamie Freeman, Randy Graham, Cody Baker, Steve Gee, Brian Grant, Jr., Mark Sullivan, Tom McGlynn, Colby Brewer, Tim Steffey, Matt Prescott, Kurt Baker, Allison Pierce, Lynn Richmond, Jacob Clarke, Adam Delgrosso, Joe Birdsell, James Howard DNS: Shane Rogers