PHELPS WINS SECOND DIRTCAR MODIFIED FEATURE WIN OF SEASON AT FULTON SPEEDWAY
 

FULTON, NY (June 16) - Jimmy Phelps out of Baldwinsville won a tough battle with Dale Planck to take the 35 lap DIRTcar Modified feature Saturday night at Fulton speedway after coming from the sixteenth starting position. Dave Reilley took the checkers in the DIRTcar Sportsman division after a DQ to apparent winner Shawn Donath. Dave Bruno picked up his first UMP Street Stock win since 1994 at the speedway. Other winners were Kevan Cook in the IMCA Modifieds, Timmy Sears Jr. in the Gypsum Express Crate Sportsman, and Jon Shumway in the 4-Cylinder Enduro.

In the Modified feature Johnny Hill jumped out front as starter Glenn O’Loughlin threw the green flag on the 24 car starting field. Hill, a rookie from the IMCA Modifieds looked strong leading the races first 16 laps. A yellow on lap 17 would start to change the complexion of the race. On the restart John Ramsey was able to get a jump on Hill and dive to the bottom of the speedway and grab the lead.

While everyone was watching the battle at the front of the field, Jimmy Phelps who started 16^th was into the top five and charging to the front using the top of the speedway. On lap 20, Phelps was able to blast around the Ramsey machine and grab the lead. At that point the high flying Phelps seemed to be in control of the race. Dale Planck who started around mid-pack was quickly making his way to the front of the pack. A yellow flew on lap 23; Planck was now up to 4^th place.

Using the top of the speedway like Phelps the No.77x worked his way up to second with 9 laps to go. Without the help of a yellow flag it didn’t look like Planck would have enough laps to catch Phelps. On lap 28 Planck got his wish as the yellow flew setting up a shootout between the two Fulton Veterans. Running the top of the speedway like Phelps, Planck knew he would have to change his groove to get around Phelps. Over the last few laps Planck would show his nose under Phelps in the turns, pulling even with the Phelps machine. Phelps himself on one lap switched to the bottom trying to cut off Planck’s momentum. Once Phelps saw the bottom of the speedway had gone away he went back to the top and from there grabbed the checkers. Following Phelps and Planck across the line was Alan Johnson, John Ramsey and Brian Weaver.

"The car was good on the top and the bottom of the track getting through traffic," said Jimmy Phelps on his run to the front in the J&B INSTALLATIONS, No. 99j. “Once we got to the lead the top of the speedway worked real well tonight. Towards the end of the race I could feel the car go away a little bit. I saw Dale’s (Planck) nose a couple times, but I knew we had the preferred line and should have been ok," finished up Jimmy Phelps on his win.

The win, Phelps’ second of the season, gave him the point lead over Alan Johnson by four points.

Shawn Donath had a battle with Dave Reilley for the lead before grabbing the top spot for good with two laps to go in the 20-lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature. In post race inspection that all changed as the Donath machine was DQ’d for rules infractions. That gave Reilley and his PIT STOP No.4 the victory. Chris Hile, Jeremy Pitcher, John Pietrowicz and Mark Davison were second through fifth.

In a show of respect before the UMP Street Stock 20 lap feature, all drivers pulled down to the front straight and shut off their engines to pay respect to one of their own. Steve Woodworth lost his father earlier in the week. The crowd and the field shared in a moment of silence for Benjamin Woodworth Jr.

When the green flag waved in the 20 lap feature, Jim Wallace grabbed the lead on lap 3 and looked to run away and hide. Part time Fulton speedway runner Dave Bruno in the sharp No. 21 dogged the No.7w of Jim Wallace. At the halfway point Wallace slipped up the speedway handing the lead to Bruno. Dave Mannise worked his way up to second in the late stages and took off after Bruno. On this night Mannise just didn’t have enough, Bruno flew under the checkers first for the win. Mannise, early leader Jim Wallace, Nick Rizzo and Gary Barton completed the top five.

Kevan Cook grabbed his second 15-lap win of the year at the speedway in the IMCA Modifieds. Larry Bezner, George Valenti, Don Reeves, Rich Riggs, and Dave Talbot completed the top five. Timmy Sears Jr. Took his second win of the year in the Gypsum Express Crate Sportsman division and took over the point lead after the 15-lap affair. Mike Fowler, Sean McCarthy, Laslow Howiefeld, and Brad Godshalk were the remainder of the top five. Jon Shumway took the 25-lap victory in the Enduro class over Jerry Herbert, Eric M. Zirbel, Kelly Smith, and Matt Kitts.

Coming up this Saturday June 23 at Fulton Speedway is Terrell’s Potato Chips Night featuring the DIRTcar Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, UMP Pro Stocks, UMP Street Stocks, Gypsum Express Crate Sportsman, Central New York Mini-Sprints, and 4-Cylinder Enduros. Race time is set for 7pm. For more information, contact the track office at (315) 593-6531, the raceline at (315) 668-RACE, or visit www.fultonspeedway.com.

PIT NOTES - Drivers in every class were once again complimenting the track conditions that Jeremy Corcoran has given them the last two weeks. All night long there was racing grooves from the top to the bottom of the track. In turn Jeremy wanted to say thank you to all the drivers in every class for their patience and help the last two weeks. One again good car counts were found, (27) DIRTcar Modifieds, (27) DIRTcar Sportsman, (19) UMP Street Stocks, (9) GYPSUM EXPRESS CRATES and (8) IMCA Modifieds.

FULTON SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY

POLICEMEN / FIREMEN NIGHT

RACE DATE: JUNE 16, 2007

DIRTcar Modifieds (35-Laps) – JIMMY PHELPS, Dale Planck, Alan Johnson, John Ramsey, Brian Weaver, Jeremy Smith, Kevin Bates, Kenny Stafford, Chad Phelps, Jim Witko Jr., Tim Sears, Johnny Hill, Dan Vauter, Brett Tonkin, Jamie Christian, Mike Bowman, Tom Sears Jr., Vinnie Vitale, Darwin Greene, Roy Bresnahan, Sean Beardsley, John Barker Jr., Matt Fink. DQ – Joe Isabell. DNS – Kyle Lewis, Terry Knoblock, Brian Murphy.

DIRTcar Sportsman (20-Laps) – DAVE REILLEY, Chris Hile, Jeremy Pitcher, John Pietrowicz, Mark Davison, Rob Hile, John Behron, A.J. Kingsley, Tony Steiner, Lee Babcock, Roger West, Alan Fink, Earl Rudy, Doug Shattell, Jason Occhino, Matt Hulsizer, Beth Schneider, Morris Mathews, Gregg Carner, Sammy Reakes IV., Jeff Isabell Jr., Jon Tesoriero. DQ – Shawn Donath. DNS – Brad Townsend, Mike McCarthy, Amanda Whitney, Stewart Garrison.

UMP Street Stocks (20 LAPS) – DAVE BRUNO, Dave Mannise, Jim Wallace, Nick Rizzo, Gary Barton, Steve Crouse, Steve Woodworth, Quentin Burton, Bob Sears, Dan Hofmann Jr., Matt Henderson, Joe Buske, Ron Hawker, Chuck Cushman Jr., Joe Briere, Adam Guilds, Josh Blackwell, Dan Hofmann Sr. DNS – Jay McGillicuddy.

IMCA Modifieds (20-Laps) – KEVAN COOK, Larry Bezner, George Valenti, Don Reeves, Rich Riggs, Dave Talbot, Greg Kimball, Coleen Finch, Ken Rogers.

Gypsum Express Crate Sportsman (15 Laps) – TIMMY SEARS JR., Mike Fowler, Sean McCarthy, Laslow Howiefeld, Brad Godshalk, Katelyn Kane, Jake Reilley, Joey Delacruz, Ron Ingison.

4 Cylinder Enduro (25 LAPS) – JON SHUMWAY, Jerry Herbert, Eric M. Zirbel, Kelly Smith, Matt Kitts.