August 17, 2008

WILLY DECKER AND PAT WARD SPLIT
TWIN 20’S AT UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY

VERNON, NY- Vernon’s Willy Decker ended a two month victory lane drought by taking the first of two 358-Modified Twin 20 lap features on Cunningham Auto Supply, John’s Auto Restoration, and Craig’s Motorsports night for his third win of the season. In the nightcap 20 lap feature, Pat Ward took his seventh win of the year. Brad Alger, Rob Seavy, and Chris Carr also found victory lane in their respective divisions.
Brian Murphy and Bill Shantel Jr. led the 358-Modified field down to the green flag in the first of two 20 lap features, with Murphy grabbing the early lead. Fourth place starter Paul Kinney took over the top spot on the fourth lap as he was looking for his first Utica-Rome Speedway victory of the season.

Decker, after starting seventh, made his presence felt immediately by moving into the top five by the fifth circuit. On lap eight, after a restart, Decker went from fourth to nose ahead of Kinney for the lead, but Kinney recovered to get the lead back a circuit later. Kinney’s lead was short lived as Decker took over for good on lap 11. Despite several challenges from Ward, Decker would lead the rest of the way to take his third win of the season. Ward, Jim Davis, Gus Schmidt, and Bobby Varin rounded out the top five. Decker would draw for a four car inversion in victory lane for the second 20 lap feature.

Starting third, Ward took advantage of the great starting position to grab the lead on the opening lap. Ward would never be seriously challenged in the 20 lap green flag run as he ran away to claim his seventh win of the season. Decker would finish in the runner up spot, with Gibbs, Dav is, and Varin chasing.

Brad Alger, after taking the lead from Mike Button on lap two, would hold off a mid race challenge from Jeremy Vunk to grab his fourth Sportsman win of the season. Vunk held on for second, with Jason Rood, Matt Janczuk, and Jim Rothwell filling out the top five.

Chris Mackey and Jim Normoyle each took turns out front in the Pro Stock feature, with Dan Ody taking over on lap four. Ody, looking for his first Utica-Rome Speedway, would pace the field until lap 18 with Rob Seavy sneaking by for the lead on lap 19. Seavy would grab his first ever Pro Stock with Ody, Mackey, Shawn Frost, and Bill Knapp trailing.

In Pure Stock action, Chuck Cushman led the opening four laps before yielding the top spot to Chris Carr on the fifth circuit. Carr would run off for his second consecutive win, followed by Ron Hawker, Russ Marsden, Phil Norman, and Rick Breed.

Next week, the ESDCA Mod Lites get in on the action when they join a regular show of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks on Standard Insulation and Schachtler Contracting Inc, night. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 5:30 p.m.

CRAIG’S MOTORSPORTS, JOHN’S AUTO RESTORATION, AND CUNNINGHAM AUTO SUPPLY
RACE SUMMARY

358-MODIFIED FEATURE NO. 1 FINISH (20 LAPS)- WILLY DECKER, Pat Ward, Jim Davis, Gus Schmidt, Bobby Varin, Mitch Gibbs, Ted Lamb, Jamie Christian, Jeff Kotary, Brian Murphy, Dave Rauscher, Alan Barker, David Orr, Ken McGuire, Dale Welty, Bill Shantel Jr., Paul Kinney, John Ramsey, Joel Thomas, Stewart Friesen, Brad Godshalk, and Paul Jensen. DNS- Tim Mayne.

358-MODIFIED FEATURE NO. 2 FINISH (20 LAPS)- PAT WARD, Willy Decker, Mitch Gibbs, Jim Davis, Bobby Varin, Gus Schmidt, Ted Lamb, Jeff Kotary, Paul Kinney, Dave Rauscher, Billy Shantel Jr., Jamie Christian, Brian Murphy, Alan Barker, David Orr, John Ramsey, Ken McGuire, Stewart Friesen, Dale Welty, and Brad Godshalk. DNS- Joel Thomas, Paul Jensen, and Tim Mayne.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)- BRAD ALGER, Jeremy Vunk, Jason Rood, Matt Janczuk, Jim Rothwell, Mike Button, Steve Way, Jeff Leslie, Tim Nye, Steve Yankowski, Craig Pope, AJ Filbeck, Aaron Jacobs, Roger West, Jack Miller, John Fitzsimmons. DNS- Todd Fey, Casey Williams, and Bill Trexler.
PRO STOCK FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)- ROB SEA VY, Dan Ody, Chris Mackey, Shawn Frost, Bill Knapp, Ivan Joslin, Tom Denton, Bret Belden, Joe Palmer, Ed Ostrander, Matt Shadic, Jim Normoyle, Rich Daunehauer, Dick Parkhurst, Paul Streiff.

PURE STOCK FEATURE FINISH (15 LAPS)- CHRIS CARR, Ron Hawker, Russ Marsden, Phil Norman, Rick Breed, Chuck Cushman, Tim Janczuk, Chris Cunningham, Frank Hyatt, Andy Potter, Bill Mason, Jim Thomas, Keith Stevenson, Jim Richmond, Rick Trexler, Cale Hoffman, Waylan Wilczek, Scott Wheelock. DNS- Robert Thiemes.