UNBELIEVABLE PAT WARD STORMS FROM DEAD LAST IN A SMALL BLOCK TO TAKE FULTON SPEEDWAY BIG BLOCK MODIFIED GOLD
 

FULTON, NY (September 1) – On a night when track champions were crowned race teams saved their best for last at Fulton Speedway on Saturday, fireworks in the sky and on the track had the fans on the edge of their seats right down to the checker flags. Pat Ward came from dead last to win an intense three-car battle in the DIRTcar Modifieds on the final lap over Tim Sears and Jimmy Phelps. The $1,500 win for the popular Ward in the Gypsum Express No. 42p was nothing short of a miracle after breaking his Big Block on lap 1 of his heat race and changing cars to his Utica-Rome Speedway 358-Modified. A.J. Kingsley won his first ever DIRTcar Sportsman Modified feature and Scott Conover out ran two of Fulton's best to take the UMP Pro Stocks. Other winners were Ron Hawker in the UMP Street Stocks, Mike Fowler in the Gypsum Express Crate Sportsman, and Charles DeGroff in the 4-Cylinder Enduros.

At the drop of the green for the 35-lap Modified feature Sean Beardsley jumped out front to lead the opening lap before Willy Decker behind the wheel of the Kyle Lewis, Stadium International Trucks, No.09 blasted by on the top side of the speedway to grab the lead away on lap-2. Once out front Decker opened a comfortable lead leaving the rest of the field to battle it out. By lap 10 Decker opened a full straightaway lead as eyes turned to the battle for second between Beardsley, Tim Sears, Brian Weaver and John Ramsey. The speedway top teams were mired in heavy traffic but would become a factor in the end.

When the race hit the halfway point and no yellows to bunch the field up, Decker still maintained his big lead followed by Sears, Weaver, Ramsey and Brett Tonkin. Pat Ward and Track Champion Jimmy Phelps were still fighting their way forward running in 14th and 15th.

The whole complexion of the race would change dramatically on lap-25 when Decker came across the start-finish line in the No.09. He suddenly slowed, ending his night in disappointment. This set up a shoot-out to the finish. The leader was now Sears followed by Weaver, Phelps, Ramsey and Tonkin. Phelps was able to get by Weaver and take off after the leader. With Sears and Phelps running nose-to-tail and side-by-side Ward moved into third with 2 laps to go. The three-car battle had the crowd on their feet as the white flag waved. Phelps was running the top, Sears the leader slipped up from the bottom just enough allowing Ward to blast by both and grab the popular win. Ward, Sears, Phelps, Ramsey and Weaver were the top five. Jim Witko, Dale Planck, Brett Tonkin, Sean Beardsley and Chad Phelps completed the top ten.

Ward started the feature in last place as his primary big block car broke in his heat race. "This is our Utica-Rome small block car," said an excited Ward from victory lane. "This car just came to us once we got through heavy traffic and the track slicked up. We have been having so much fun this year the way we have been running," finished up Ward.

It was a bittersweet night for Jimmy Phelps. Being the racer that he is, he wants to win every race he enters. "We might have lost the battle tonight but we won the war," related Phelps about his third place finish but being the 2007 track champion. "Can't thank this team enough that kept this going all season. Thanks to my mom and dad and my kids. They put up with a lot and put in a lot of time in this also," said Jimmy Phelps. He finished up by thanking his sponsors J&B Installations, Granby Discount Carpets, Town Mechanical, E&V Energy and Doug Holmes and Finger Lakes Machine, his engine builder.

The 20-lap Sportsman feature was just as exciting as the Modifieds. Beth Schneider took off at the drop of the green in her Thompson Road Tavern, No.57 to pace the field. Schneider running the race of her life held off early challenges from Jeff Isabell, Jr. and A.J. Kingsley as the race reached the halfway point. Kingsley, running the top side of the speedway, was able to grab the lead away on lap-13 but the race was far from over.

Over the last 7 laps you could throw a blanket over the top three with Kingsley grabbing the narrow win at the checker. Schneider, Isabell, Jr., Sammy Reakes IV and track champion Jeremy Pitcher were the top five. Gregg Carner, John Pietrowicz, Shawn Donath, Anthony Steiner and Larry Wight completed the top ten.

Before A.J. Kingsley even exited his car he was asking for his dad Eric Kingsley. The Kingsley family name is synonymous with the speedway and founder Bub Benway.  "Oh my God this is great," said an excited Kingsley, Benway's grand nephew, from victory lane. "When I got the lead this race never seemed like it was ever going to get over. I have to thank my mom and dad for putting me back in a car," In 2006 Kingsley took a violent flip at the speedway in the third turn. The accident put Kingsley on the sidelines physically for the rest of the season and this win capped off his return to racing.

The youth movement took over for the night as Kingsley, Schneider and Isabell, Jr. are three of the youngest competing at Fulton. As announcers Bill Foley and Shane Andrews said after that race, "If that race was any indication the future is in great hands."

Parking his MDV Construction, No.14 on the front stretch, a happy but relieved Jeremy Pitcher shared his thoughts on his first ever Sportsman Modified track title. "I'm glad it's finally over, this year was pretty
stressful and took a lot out of me. I wish we could have won more but we were very consistent all year," said Pitcher. "This one is for my brother (Shannon) he works so hard at this year after year, it's for him."

Scott Conover took top honors in a tight four-way battle for the win in the 20-lap UMP/DIRT Pro Stock feature. Jason Parkhurst, Rusty Marsden, Bill Clark, Jr. and Jack Terrell were second through fifth.

"It's great to win another track title. I wanted it for this guy over here," as Clark pointed to the No.38 of Jason Parkhurst. "He's one of my best friends and I wanted him to see how it feels to win a title," finished up a humble 2007 Pro Stock Champion Bill Clark, Jr.

Ron Hawker put an exclamation point on his UMP Street Stock track Championship. Hawker cruised to an easy 20-lap win. Nick Rizzo, Quentin Burton, Steve Crouse and Gary Barton were the top five. Steve Woodworth, Dan Hoffman, Sr., Scott Beeles, Jim Wallace and Matt Henderson rounded out the top ten.

Hawker talked about his track title, "This was a great year and we didn't do much of anything to the car all year except shock and tire pressure changes." Hawker finished up by saying, "I learned to drive like Alan
Johnson this year, go slow to go fast by rolling the car off the bottom of the turns. That made a huge difference."

Mike Fowler won the Gypsum Express feature over Jake Reilley, Ron Ingison, Katelyn Kane and Sean McCarthy. Tim Sears, Jr. became the first ever track Champion in division. Sears ended the year with six victories, but did not race on the final night due to suffering a concussion earlier in the day in a soccer game.

Charles DeGroff took the win in the 4-Cylinder Enduros over Joe Buske, Jr. and new track champion Mark Johnston.

Coming up this Saturday September 8 is the long awaited return of the alcohol powered ASCS Patriot Sprint Cars on A-Verdi Storage Containers / Scouting Night. Also in race action will be the UMP Street Stocks in a North vs. South Shootout, 4-Cylinder Enduros in their 50-lap $400 to win Victoria Championship, and a $1,000 to win King’s Smash’em Crash’em Demolition Derby. Racing will begin at 7pm sharp. For more information, contact the track office at (315) 593-6531, the raceline at (315) 668-RACE, or visit www.fultonspeedway.com.

FULTON SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY

FINAL POINTS / FIREWORKS NIGHT

RACE DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2007

DIRTcar MODIFIEDS (35-Laps) – PAT WARD, Tim Sears, Jimmy Phelps, John Ramsey, Brian Weaver, Jim Witko Jr., Dale Planck, Brett Tonkin, Sean Beardsley, Chad Phelps, Roy Bresnahan, Vinnie Vitale, Alan Johnson, Tom Sears Jr., Kevin Bates, Matt Fink, John Barker Jr., Billy Decker, Willy Decker. DNS – Jeff Isabell. TRACK CHAMPION – JIMMY PHELPS.

DIRTcar SPORTSMAN (20-Laps) – A.J. KINGSLEY, Beth Schneider, Jeff Isabell Jr., Sammy Reakes IV, Jeremy Pitcher, Gregg Carner, John Pietrowicz, Shawn Donath, Anthony Steiner, Larry Wight, Mike Conrow, Billy Coleman, Dave Reilley, John Behron, Matt Hulsizer, Alan Fink, Curt Prevo, Lee Babcock, Stephen Planck, Mike Holmes, Danny Varin, Doug Shattell, Earl Rudy, Jon Tesoriero. DNS – Roger West, Brad Townsend, Joe August Jr. TRACK CHAMPION – JEREMY PITCHER.

UMP PRO STOCKS (20-Laps) – SCOTT CONOVER, Jason Parkhurst, Rusty Marsden, Billy Clark Jr., Jack Terrell, Pat Hobbs, Jim Evans, Dale Guernsey, Adam Hunt, Jerry Button, Mike Vaughn, Dave Briggs, Rob Seavy. TRACK CHAMPION – BILLY CLARK JR.

UMP STREET STOCKS (20-Laps) – RON HAWKER, Nick Rizzo, Quentin Burton, Steve Crouse, Gary Barton, Steve Woodworth, Dan Hofmann Sr., Scott Beeles, Jim Wallace, Matt Henderson, Paul Fountaine, Adam Guilds, Dan Hofmann Jr. TRACK CHAMPION – RON HAWKER.

GYPSUM EXPRESS CRATE SPORTSMAN (15-Laps) – MIKE FOWLER, Jake Reilley, Ron Ingison, Katelyn Kane, Sean McCarthy, Dan Hill, Shannon Jones, Mitch Taylor, Brandon Planck. TRACK CHAMPION – TIMMY SEARS JR.

4-CYLINDER ENDURO (25-Laps, Top Five Listed) – CHARLES DEGROFF, Joe Buske Jr., Mark Johnston, Les Baker, Jerry Herbert. TRACK CHAMPION – MARK JOHNSTON.