Media Contact: Steven Ovens - woodhullracewaypr@gmail.com For Immediate Release – May 1st, 2017 – Joe Kaminski Jr. photo -
(WOODHULL, NY) – It is said that if you want something bad enough and you work tirelessly at it- eventually you can achieve what you desire to achieve. Seventeen-year-old Dillon Groover finally took his first Modified checkered flag on Saturday night at Woodhull Raceway, and it was a long time coming.
Groover left absolutely no doubt in dominating the twenty-five-lap Insinger Performance Modified feature to get his first checkered flag on Mountain Dew & Pepsi Night. It wasn’t without worry though, as Donnie Lawson tried to make a run late while Groover worked slower traffic.
The driver from Beaver Dams, NY, who this past week won the New York State Collision Repair Technology state title, capped off his week with an opening night win in his 370 Modified. Groover started from the front row and took off into the Steuben County distance, stretching the lead to half a track at one point.
Lawson began to close the gap quickly as Groover had to negotiate slower traffic in the preferred groove around the bottom. Though Lawson could see Groover, he would never catch the back bumper of the BMS Manufacturing No. 12x.
Groover led Lawson across the line, followed by Ron Cartwright Jr., Stacey Jackson and Chris Daugherty.
In the NAPA Crate Sportsman, it was Stevie Hartman III continuing the ‘youth movement,’ as he claimed his first checkered flag since 2015. Hartman worked past veteran Dave DuBois’ No. 29 late in the race to secure the victory.
The young driver quietly picked his way through traffic, entering the top five on lap seven, before locking down at least a podium spot on lap fourteen. Lap nineteen saw Hartman take a shot at DuBois, but was not enough to wiggle by. That changed on lap twenty, as Hartman took the lead after a side-by-side battle with the Bath, NY pilot in the No. 29. The new NAPA Crate Sportsman point leader would lead the final five circuits, while also surviving a late caution flag.
It was a victory that had to feel like redemption for Hartman, as he has had a fast No. 15 machine all season long. Hartman nearly cashed in during the $1,000-to-win show last weekend, before a mechanical problem forced him out of the race while running third and having one of the fastest cars on the track.
DuBois has shown speed and had problems of his own, wheeling his son’s No. 29 car while he is continuing military reserve training in the Midwest. He gave the Horseheads Army Recruitment Station ride a great run, with SFC Cansdale in attendance looking on.
The rest of the top five included another solid race for Tim Guild, last week’s winner Dale Welty and another strong effort for AJ Costley after a disastrous opening night at Woodhull.
John Waters continued his winning ways as the Whitesville, NY driver proved tough to beat again in the SWL Awards Crate Late Models. ‘Mr. Excitement’ Jeremy Wonderling led the race from the opening green flag and looked for a return win at a track he has many laps on.
But Waters put the end to that sentiment, as he would sweep around the outside of Wonderling to lead lap number four. While Waters led the event, the Troups Creek Auto Parts No. 29 for Steve LaBarron was making a furious charge to the front to contend for the victory.
LaBarron closed in with about five laps to go, but a slower car that held Waters up also held LaBarron up. Waters would go on for the victory over LaBarron, Brian Knowles, opening night winner Jason Knowles and Wonderling.
The Joe Willcox Performance Automatics Street Stocks would also see an entertaining battle for the lead as top contenders Brett Marlatt and Dylan Cecce battled for Street Stock supremacy. The two previous champions put on a show for the fans, with Marlatt taking his second victory of the season.
Youngster Zane King Jr. took the initial lead off the drop of the green, but Marlatt wasted no time grabbing the lead from King on lap two. Cecce would drop into the second spot and the leaders would break away from the field out front.
With two laps to go, a caution bunched the field back up and gave Cecce one last shot at Marlatt for the victory. That attempt would come up empty as Marlatt went on to take two-out-of-three to start the 2017 season. Cecce finished second, Teddy Morseman third, Tracy Dunn fourth and Mick Seeley the top five.
Newcomer to Woodhull Raceway, Jason Ketrow took the victory in the Daugherty’s Auto Sales Mini Stocks. Ketrow did it in thrilling fashion to even get the lead- going three-wide with rookie Dylan Gleason and veteran Rick Amidon.
At the halfway mark it was Ron Dailey Jr. entering the battle for the lead with Ketrow and Gleason. But as the race wore on, it was Ketrow keeping the lead as Dailey and Gleason did battle for second place. Ketrow got the win over Dailey, Gleason, Karl Born and Scott Lehman.
The Woodhull Auto Supply Front Wheel Drive feature was the same story, on the same channel, just on another Saturday. Shawn Gleason took yet another victory, making it three straight for the driver out of Elmira.
However, on this night he would get more of a challenge than he has had all season long. Codie Baker out of Harrison Valley, PA gave Gleason a run in the closing laps to settle it all. Baker got to the back bumper with two laps to go, but lost several car lengths before Scott Lyon’s checkered flag flew.
Teammates Matt Prescott and Nate Freeland looked on from third and fourth, while Adam DelGrosso took a car he flipped Friday night at Outlaw Speedway to a fifth place finish.
Cole Youse made it two point show victories in a row for the No. 8 machine, but this week had to battle Ronnie Dailey to take the lead as the leaders clicked off lap number three. Dailey took the lead off the drop of the green flag, but the action was behind the No. 76 on the track.
There was a three-wide battle for the runner up position, with Youse taking that spot. From there, Youse started working on Dailey for the lead. Dailey led lap two, but Youse poked his nose down low and swept by underneath Dailey exiting turn two.
A newcomer to Woodhull, Jordan Bacon, took his No. 747 all the way to the second spot late in the race. But Bacon still needs time to wrestle in the handling on his machine to run down the likes of Youse for the checkered flag. Youse was strong once again in getting the victory over Bacon, Dailey, first-time driver Quintin Buchanan and Brody Amidon.
Carter Dennis made it three-in-a-row in the Hobby Stock division, besting Brent Williams in just Williams’ second start behind the wheel of the No. 21. Dennis continues to fine tune his No. 22, as more cars are rumored to be making their first appearances in the month of May at ‘New York’s Toughest Bullring.’
This Saturday at Woodhull Raceway will be a thirty-five-lap special for the Street Stocks paying $500-to-win, $125 for fifth and $60 to take the green flag. KB Graphics and Wraps will present the action along with Woodhull’s great partners at Kickin’ Country 105.3FM out of Hornell. The Street Stocks will be joined by the 370 Modifieds, Crate Sportsman, Crate Late Models, Mini Stocks, Front Wheel Drives, Woodhull Warriors and Hobby Stocks. Race time is set for 6:30PM.
Race fans are encouraged to sign up for the fastest alerts from Woodhull Raceway’s Rained Out Alert system by sending the text message “WoodhullAlert” to 84483, message and data rates may apply.
For more information race over to www.woodhullraceway.com, Like Woodhull Raceway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WoodhullRaceway or Follow Woodhull on Twitter @WoodhullPR.
Woodhull Raceway is located in Woodhull, NY, just 30 minutes West of Corning, NY and competes weekly on Saturday nights from mid-April through Labor Day Weekend. The track offers several special events including the Patriot Sprint Tour 360 Sprints and the Short Track Super Series Modifieds in late-August.
Woodhull Raceway Mountain Dew/Pepsi Night Results April 29th, 2017
INSINGER PERFORMANCE 370 MODIFIEDS, 15 cars (25 laps): DILLON GROOVER, Donnie Lawson, Ron Cartwright Jr., Stacey Jackson, Chris Daugherty, Ryan Tracy, Art Goodier, Frank Dunning, Chris Ostrowsky, Boyd MacTavish, Brandon Martin, Russell Morseman, Brian Doolittle, Billy Van Pelt, Brady Fultz
H1: Art Goodier, Boyd MacTavish, Billy VanPelt. H2: Donnie Lawson, Chris Daugherty, Dillon Groover.
JOE WILLCOX PERFORMANCE AUTOMATICS STREET STOCKS, 17 cars (20 laps): BRETT MARLATT (2), Dylan Cecce, Teddy Morseman, Tracy Dunn, Mickey Seeley, Jeredd Dennis, Dan Gardner, Kurt Stebbins, Kane Stebbins, Joe Bennett, Jim Weatherley, Zane King Jr., Trevor Tompkins, Branden Morseman, Billy Deming, Dennis Cummings & Richard Harding (No Shows)
H1: Teddy Morseman, Brett Marlatt, Kurt Stebbins H2: Dylan Cecce, Tracy Dunn, Branden Morseman
WOODHULL AUTO SUPPLY FWD, 13 cars (20 laps): SHAWN GLEASON (3), Codie Baker, Matt Prescott, Nate Freeland, Adam Delgrosso, Steve Gee, Nick Brown, Ryan Stermer, Scott Lehman Jr., Robert Haynes, Brendan Schweigart, Roger Taft, Anthony Schoonover.
H1: Matt Prescott, Codie Baker, Shawn Gleason H2: Nate Freeland, Adam Delgrosso, Ryan Stermer.
SWL AWARDS CRATE LATE MODELS, 13 cars (20 laps): JOHN WATERS (2), Steve LeBarron, Brian Knowles, Jason Knowles, Jeremy Wonderling, Mike Wonderling, Kurt Stebbins, Brad Mesler, Darin Horton, Randy Ralyea.
H1: Mike Wonderling, Steve LeBarron, Brian Knowles. H2: Jeremy Wonderling, John Waters, Jason Knowles.
DAUGHERTY AUTO SALES MINI STOCKS, 13 cars (20 laps): JASON KETROW (1), Ron Dailey Jr., Dylon Gleason, Karl Born, Scott Lehman, Brian Grant Sr., Chris Woodard, John Hand, Chip Warner, Rick Amidon, Alan Crooker, Derrick Puryear, James LaGrange, Jason Warner (No Show).
H1: Dylon Gleason, Karl Born, Chris Woodard. H2: Jason Ketrow, Ron Dailey Jr., Rick Amidon.
NAPA CRATE SPORTSMAN, 23 cars (25 laps): STEVE HARTMAN III (1), Dave DuBois, Tim Guild, Dale Welty, AJ Costley, Dayton Brewer, Jake Dgien, Josh Keesey, Jerry Aldrich, Bruce Miller, Bobby Peoples, Tim Schram, Dave Richmond, Brandon Butler, John Sekoll, Kirk Reynolds, Bryce Martin, Adam Taft, Jeff Daugherty, Mike Jackson, Blake Lawson, Brandon Clark, Sheldon Gardner (No Show).
H1: Dayton Brewer, AJ Costley, Jake Dgien. H2: Tim Guild, Brandon Butler, Mike Jackson. H3: Jeff Daugherty, Steve Hartman III, Dale Welty.
DAUGHERTY’S AUTO SALES & SERVICE WARRIORS, 7 cars (10 laps): COLE YOUSE (2), Jordan Bacon, Ronnie Dailey, Quintin Buchanan, Brody Amidon, Noah Talada, Trevor Hamilton
HOBBY STOCKS, 2 cars (10 laps): CARTER DENNIS (3), Brent Williams