October 6, 1996

BRIGHTBILL CHARGES FROM 40TH TO CAPTURE VICTORIA 200
BY DEAN REYNOLDS, COURTESY OF AREA AUTO RACING NEWS

FULTON, NY-the name Kenny Brightbill has been echoed through the Northeast as one of the true legends in dirt track motorsports. From big-block Modifieds to Sprint Cars, Late Models, and small blocks, Brightbill has not only raced it but, won with it. On Sunday night, the Sinking Springs, PA, veteran added another memorable victory to his long list of accomplishments, coming from the 40th starting spot to win the 11th annual Victoria 200 at Fulton Speedway.

The leader after passing Toby Tobias, jr. on lap 162, Brightbill went on to hold off NASCAR New England region champion Dale Planck to win the rich event for the first time.

With the $20,000 first-place prize and added bonuses, Brightbill collected over $22,600 for the popular victory in front of a big crowd at the Alex Friesen and John Zemaitis owned speedway.

"This win ranks up there with a lot of them," said Brightbill, 48. "Any time you can win at a track where you can pass and come from the back like we did, it really makes you feel good. When I first drove the car in warmups, I just wasn't comfortable with it. I really worked the crew hard because every time I would run it on the track I would come off and make them change something. They deserve this as much as any body because when it was feature time they gave me a great car."

The Brightbill-built, HG Associates-powered small block was on McCreary tires with the DIRT-legal engine burning alcohol.

The combination helped Brightbill come from 40th to take the lead for the first time on lap 94, and then go on to collect the Parts Plus Auto Stores $1,000 halfway bonus.

But even though he seemed to have the fastest car at the end of the first half, there was till 100 laps to go.

"We really just added fuel and changed tires at the halfway," said Brightbill, whose car is owned by Ray Carroll. "I felt the car was fast but I was still worked about Tobias (Toby Jr.)."

Annville, PA's Tobias also came through the field quickly, as he would take the lead for the first time on lap 45 after starting 17th. The two Pennsylvania natives waged a crowd-thrilling duel for the lead that saw them swap the top spots several times.

"He was fast, and there were times that I was wondering if I could run with him," said Brightbill. "But the lapped cars really helped me. I just seemed to be a bit faster in traffic, and that's what helped me in getting by.

"I thought that if I got the lead I would be all right, but he got me back a few times after the halfway mark."

Tobias was looking to erase what has been a horrible 1996 campaign. Plagued by so many engine breakdowns this year, the exciting pilot has rarely seen victory lane.

Brightbill and Tobias kept the fans on edge until the familiar Tobias blue No. 17 quit on lap 175 while he was running in second-an occurrence that has also been familiar.

Tobias' departure moved Planck into the runnerup slot, 1 and he immediately put pressure on Brightbill.

"My car was just a world of difference after the break," said Planck, a Homer, NY, resident. "We really tightened the car up, and we went right to the front instead of just hanging on."

Fans were brought to there feet on lap 188 when Planck got a good run on Brightbill to get alongside, but he just couldn't find the right line to get by.

"I had some good laps where I could catch Kenny but getting by him was going to be another story," said Planck, 25. "The lapped cars just came at the wrong time for me, but hey, I'm happy with second. Anytime you can finish second to Kenny Brightbill you have to be happy."

Planck celebrated his third NASCAR regional title in a row and hold his Fulton Speedway banner proud.

"This race is always a learning deal for all of us here," said Planck. "Each week the track is so tacky here, but when it's hard and slick like it is now it kind of favors the outsiders. They run on stuff more than we do, so when you can get a second you just have to be happy."

Added Planck, "Ten thousand dollars for a second place is a great way to end the NASCAR year."

Surprising enough, the luck of the draw found Lansing Petzoldt and Steve Hulsizer in the front row for the start of the Victoria 200. Both drivers have been regular Sportsman competitors during the entire 1996 season.

But when the green was dropped, it was Planck leading lap one from his fourth place start. The Sports Unlimited-sponsored Troyer led the first four laps when Hulsizer, the Utica-Rome Sportsman champ, brought his brand new Schneider Bros, mount to the front and moved out to a big lead.

Hulsizer quickly put well over a dozen cars down a lap before he became the cause of the first caution on lap 46. A flat tire on the left rear after contact with a lapped car put him two laps down and ended what could have been a very interesting Victoria 200 story.
Tobias was the lucky driver to inherit the lead, and he was clearly the fastest car on the track. The second-generation star would do the same as Hulsizer and quickly put several cars a lap down when the next 19 laps went under the green.

Brightbill's incredible charge found him second on a lap 73 re-• start, and the leading duo put on a great show. Heavy traffic was the key when Brightbill found a lane down low to lead as the lap counter shined 94.

With the field in the pits for the mandatory halfway break, Brightbill led only nine others who completed all 100 laps. Tobias restarted in second with Planck third, followed by a surprising George Kostelansky; Mike Ricci in the Kneisel built #1; 1996 Fulton and Utica-Rome champ Mitch Gibbs; Mike Romano, Danny Johnson; Chuck Akulis; and Kenney Tremont.

Tobias was ready to take over the lead when the green returned, going ahead as lap 101 was scored. Brightbill stayed close, and when Tobias slipped up one groove in turn one on lap 116 the veteran shot by and back into the lead.

While the front two opened up a distance with Planck all by himself in third, Ricci, Kostelansky, Gibbs, and Romano waged a torrid battle.

Tobias wasn't ready to give this race up yet, and he took over the lead again on lap 154 with this stint up front lasting to lap 162. Once again the Tobias mount slipped wide and again Brightbill slipped under.

But while it might not have been noticed by many, the race entire complexion could have been turned on lap 168.

"A couple of lapped cars got together in front of me and they slowed way up," said Brightbill. "I got into them and one car hopped over my front end. I didn't know what was going to happen. I could have gotten a flat tire or bent shock, but I kept going and luckily, nothing was wrong with the car."

That battle for fourth then heated up on lap 169 when Romano and Mike Ricci came together with Ron Holmes between turns three and four.

Romano kept going and stayed on the lead lap, while Ricci couldn't get his car moving fast enough and fell down a lap. Under caution Romano pulled up to Kostelansky and then slammed him into the back stretch wall. A difference of opinion that would cause Romano to lose his top ten run to Dick Sweet's black flag.

After all this happened the second big change of the race came on lap 175 when Tobias pulled off into the infield with a broken driveline. A coincidental yellow flag on the same lap made for a 20-lap dash to the $20,000 top prize.

With three-quarters of the starting field running, lapped cars figured into the fray with Planck putting on a charge to try and wrestle the lead away from Brightbill. Even though the local hero had his chances, Brightbill was not be denied one of the biggest wins of his long and headline making career.

Behind Brightbill and Planck was Gibbs, his second consecutive third-place finish in the Victoria.

Danny Johnson finished fourth after starting 43rd, and 44th place starting Tremont placing fifth with the Doherty Bros. No. 21 Troyer.
Rounding out the top 10 was Jerry Higbie, the last car on the lead lap' Mike Ricci; Wade Hendrickson; Jeff Walton; and Kostlansky, who lost a lap when he got a flat tire late.

The 200 lapper was slowed 10 times, all for relatively minor incidents.

Frank Cozze brought out a yellow on lap 67 when his Edison Generator No. 747 lost a left rear wheel, and Ronnie tobias stopped on lap 83. B-Main winner Tom Mayberry did a 360 spin on lap 108, while Hulsizer, 1 Chuck Bower and Bobby Sherwood came together on lap 112.

The most serious incident occurred on lap 135 and involved Smokey Warren, Akulis, who was running in ninth, Carl Nagel, Hulsizer, Gary Smith, J.J. Michaels, Bob Savoie, Petzoldt, Mayberry and Jeff Sykes with several done for the night.