Kenny Peoples Jr. takes Crate Sportsman win. Jeremy Wonderling in RUSH Crate Late Models, Rick Amidon in Mini Stocks, Codie Baker in FWD and Johnny Smith in 600 Micro’s all visit victory lane.
Story by Kenny Shupp Jr.
(Woodhull, NY) The Woodhull Raceway wrapped up the 2021 season on a high note as it was Full Fender Frenzy Night at the track including special high dollar events in the Street and Hobby Stocks as well as the open wheel Crate Sportsman Division.
A full field of twenty-five Street Stocks lined up for the Joe Willcox Performance Automatics Woodhull 100 with a winners check of $2,000 plus another $3975 in lap money awaiting the anxious competitors. Ray Hyer and Brandon Morseman brought the field to the opening green flag, however yellow fever would be the name of the game for the first half of the century long affair with no less than a dozen caution flags keeping the field bunched until the mandatory halfway break. In the early going, pole sitter Hyer led the opening three circuits before Brett Marlatt took control from lap four thru forty-two when he suddenly slowed while leading bringing out the caution and ending any chance he had of defending his last seasons victory in this same event. From that point on and thru the lap fifty mandatory caution allowing the drivers and mechanics opportunity to refuel and check air pressures Dan Gardner was in control of the event which he held until a lap seventy caution. On the ensuing restart, Glen Whritenour who had been dogging Gardner throughout most of the event was able to move by and assume the top spot. Two more yellow flags in the very late going would keep Gardner glued to the back pumper of the Whritenour machine, but on each occasion, GW was able to hold off a determined Dan Gardner and take home the huge trophy and winner’s check of two grand. For Gardner it was a disappointing runner-up finish as the one- time 2021 Woodhull Raceway feature winner thought he had the car to beat Whritenour only to come up a car length short at the finish. Mike Williams began the event in the fifteenth position, stayed out of the numerous cautions, ran a steady race and finished in the third and final podium position and with that earning the Hard Charger Award. The recently crowned 2021 Street Stock Track Champion, Brett Crawford began the event twelfth and like Williams put on a steady performance to claim fourth while Jared Hill lined up in the seventh starting row and chased Crawford the entire 100 lap distance to round out the top five finishers.
For Whritenour it was an emotional victory after an off season that found him loosing both his father and nephew unexpectedly to different ailments with both succumbing within just a few months of each other. Although Glen Whritenour only resides five miles from the Woodhull Raceway, in recent years he has focused his attention on the Outlaw Speedway where he is a many time track champion. However, plans for 2022 “may” find him spending more time at Woodhull where he began his career some three decades ago.
Credit goes out to Joe and Jean Willcox along with Jon Stuart for undertaking the thankless challenge of acquiring nearly $4,000 in money for laps led as well as other special prices that went out to the drivers in the Street Stock 100.
In a group effort, several drivers came together including the likes of Jeredd Dennis, Mike Spencer, Joe Birdsall and others to acquire sponsorship in putting a massive $10,000 up for the grabs in the Billy Joe Birdsall Memorial for the Hobby Stock Division that competes weekly at the track.
Dubbed the King Bop Dirty 30 and with a winner’s share of $2088 and thousands more up for grabs in lap money a stellar thirty-three cars checked in the night of action with twenty-five machines taking the opening green flag for their thirty- lap event. Like the Street Stocks, the Hobby Stocks also had a multitude of caution flags early on keeping the field bunched. Brandon Conklin would lead the first two circuits from his pole position starting spot before 2021 Track Champion, Jeredd Dennis would take control and then lead the next four circuits. A determined Joe Birdsall, son of the man in which this event was dedicated stormed thru the field from his tenth starting position to lead laps eight thru nineteen. It was on an ensuing restart that Bubba Burnell would assume the top spot and lead the rest of the way to claim the win. Burnell had mirrored the tire tracks of Birdsall until he was able to make the winning move and then cruise to his first ever victory on the tough high banked one third of a mile clay oval. Following Burnell across the line in second was Jeredd Dennis who capped off a terrific season as did Scott Brown who finished third. Like Burnell, Bob Buono and Brian Lloyd were also making their first appearance at Woodhull this season and came home for fourth and fifth respectively.
Jeremy Wonderling had not visited Woodhull since the opening night of the 2021 campaign rather focusing his attention on the rigors of following the RUSH Late Model Touring Series. Wonderling has driven into Woodhull’s victory lane on many occasions throughout his career and on this night wasted little time in picking up another feature win. Lining up outside pole, Wonderling led all twenty laps and when the double checkered flags waved had almost a full straight away lead over the recently crowned 2021 Track Champion, Brian Knowles who was able to hold off his brother Jason for the runner up spot. Jason Knowles would hold on for third as he was followed across the line by Steve LeBarron and Jim Buck who completed the top five. The event was run off in record time with only one yellow flag coming on the opening lap.
In an extremely rarity, a pair of lady competitors found themselves bringing the NAPA Crate Sportsman field to the opening green flag for their thirty lap, $1,000 to win special event. Nichole Hoag along with Isabel Barron would lead the charge of the fourteen-car field with Hoag immediately jumping into a huge lead right off the drop of the opening green flag. Hoag, who competes on a limited basis at Woodhull was pulling away from the field when a yellow flag near the half- way mark would slow the pace. On the ensuing green she continued to set the pace with Barron closely in tow all the while Kenny Peoples Jr was moving thru the field from his tenth starting spot. By lap twenty Peoples was second and closing on the race leader and finally made the winning pass on lap twenty-three and from there cruised to his fifth win of 2021 and fourth in the last five events. As Nichole Hoag and Isabel Barron continued to stay in the fight, AJ Potrzebowski was able to work around both ladies coming from the twelfth starting spot. With only a few laps remaining, Christian Zschoche wrestled third away from Hoag and that is how they would finish with Peoples claiming the win, Potrzebowski in second followed by Zschoche, Hoag and Barron who completed the top five.
The Front Wheel Drive twenty lap feature event was slowed by only one caution flag with that coming well past the halfway mark. Codie Baker was once again the class of the field as he showed why he is the 2021 class champion in the competitive division. With Baker on cruise control at the front a real battle was shaping up for second on back between Garrett Wilson, who began the event alongside of Baker in the front row, Nick Brown and Ryan Austin who came into the event winning two of the last three events. With the checkered flag waving that is how they would finish with Baker taking his fifth feature win to close out the season. He was followed by Wilson, Brown, Austin while Joseph Gillespie would advance one position from his original starting spot to round the top five.
The NY6A 600 Micro Sprints were on hand for the final night of action at Woodhull in 2021 as eight competitors would compete in the green to checkered twenty lap feature. Johnny Smith led from start to finish, however his potent machine erupted in smoke coming off turn four as limped across the line to take the win. Smith was followed by Kyle Pierce, Matt Foster, Brendon Wallace and Ivan Forney who completed the top five.
Finally, the Wicked Tee’s Mini Stocks would take to the high banks for their season finale, and it was Rick Amidon taking care of business right off the get go as he led all twenty laps in route to his second feature win of the season. The event was slowed numerous times by caution flags for minor spins and debris on the track, however on every restart Amidon had matters under control as he went on to the win. Willie Easling doing double duty on the night after competing in the Street Stock Division would nail down second at the completion as he was chased across the line by Branden Morseman who finished third. Invader, Tony Dickerson came home fourth followed by track regular Jeff Lafler who completed the top five.
Congratulations to all competitors.
With the 2021 season now into the books the next order of business will be the Annual Woodhull Raceway Awards Banquet which will be held at the track on Saturday, October 2, 2021. Under a huge tent along with a catered buffet meal provided by the Nik L Brew Restaurant of Canisteo, NY the top ten in each division will walk off with hardware and point fund money. Social hour is at 11:00 am with the meal and awards to follow at noon. More ticket information is available on Facebook or on the track web at www.woodhullraceway.com. Tickets are priced at $20/ and limited to the first 400. Contact Niki Brewer thru Facebook to reserve tickets.
WOODHULL RACEWAY RESULTS. SEPTEMBER 18, 2021. UNOFFICIAL.
Car counts are based on how many drivers sign in, not on how many start each feature event.
NAPA CRATE SPORTSMAN. (14 cars)
30 lap feature. KENNY PEOPLES JR. (5), Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., Christian Zschoche, Nichole Hoag, Isabel Barron, Brett Buono, Ted Morseman, Tracy Dunn, Aiden Grover, Cayden Lawson, Ethan Decker, Jeff Palmiter, Stacy Jackson, Blake Lawson.
JOE WILLCOX PERFORMANCE STREET STOCKS. (25 cars)
100 lap feature. GLEN WHRITENOUR, Dan Gardner, Mike Williams, Brett Crawford, Jared Hill, Brandon Morseman, Travis Webster, Luke Boom, Nate Arnold, Gene Balmer, Jesse Tuthill, Ray Hyer, Earl Zimmer, Brett Marlatt, Aaron Miller, Mick Seeley, Kurt Stebbins, Cory Costa, Willie Easling, Adam Depuy, Laverne Knickerbocker, Bill Tice, Chris Woodard, Roland Duell, Ted Morseman.
WOODHULL AUTO SUPPLY HOBBY STOCKS. (33 cars)
30 lap Billy Joe Birdsall Memorial. BUBBA BURNELL, Jeredd Dennis, Scott Brown, Bob Buono, Brian Lloyd, Josh Sawyer, Joe Birdsall, Marc Minutolo, Mike Spencer, Alex Morris, Paul Dgien, Dillon Philip, Glen VanCise, Brandon Conklin, Casey Wagner, Justin Eldredge, Dick Wallace, Carter Dennis, Adam Leubner, Jason Ketrow, Brian Austin, Greg Young, Mike Carpella, Jamie Eldredge Jr., AJ Niedermaier
CUMMINGS TRUCKING RUSH CRATE LATE MODELS. (12 cars)
20 lap feature. JEREMY WONDERLING, Brian Knowles, Jason Knowles, Steve LeBarron, Jim Buck, Jason McGregor, Austin Allen, Joe Lane, Judd Carney, Joe Layfield, Kurt Stebbins, Chuck LaFleur.
BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S MINI STOCKS. (11 cars)
20 lap feature. RICK AMIDON (2), Willie Easling, Branden Morseman, Tony Dickerson, Jeff Lafler, Craig Decamp, Marshall O’Brian, Travis Southard, 6, Zach Bruce. DNS. Josh Collins.
JOHNSON AUTO SUPPLY FWD. (9 cars)
20 lap feature. CODIE BAKER (5), Garrett Wilson, Nick Brown, Ryan Austin, Joseph Gillespie, Jacob McConnell, Nate Freeland, Matt Prescott, Jonathan Logston.
NY6A 600 MICRO SPRINTS. (8 cars)
20 lap feature. JOHNNY SMITH, Kyle Pierce, Matt Foster, Brendon Wallace, Ivan Forney, Jerry Gurney, Devin Clark, Ron Vedder
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