Perrego Wins Modified Summer Slam Race One At Five Mile Point
Story By: ANDREW HARPELL / FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY – KIRKWOOD, NY – Anthony Perrego picked up where he left off at Five Mile Point Speedway in 2017 as he recorded the victory in the Modified opening event with a last lap pass for the win.
Perrego collected $2,000 for the victory in the 30 lap Shakelton NAPA Auto & Truck Parts Sunday Summer Slam. Perrego ended the 2017 at Five Mile Point Speedway with the Modified victory on the National Quarter Mile Dirt Track Championship Weekend.
Mike Butler and Dan Creeden led the field down for the start of the 30 lap Shakelton NAPA Auto & Truck Parts Modified Summer Slam 30. As quickly as the green flag was displayed the yellow would come out. Tenth place starter Matt Roberts clipped the homestretch wall launching him in to the wall in turn 1. Fortunately, Roberts hit the foam blocks and was able to pull away and continue. On the restart Creeden immediately took the lead with Danny Tyler darting in to second shortly after. Anthony Perrego was quickly one to watch as he began to advance from his sixth starting slot. Another driver on the move during the early stages was Nick Nye and he quickly worked his way up from eleventh starting slot.
On lap 8 Perrego worked past Tyler for the second position as Creeden had now opened up his lead over the field. The leaders were setting a blistering pace as they came upon lapped traffic by lap number 10. The caution flew for the second time of the race on lap 16 as Randy Fox slowed on the backstretch. On the restart Perrego showed Creeden he needed to pick up the pace up front. Perrego made several bids on the inside of Creeden but it was to no avail. Meanwhile Tyler continued to run in third with Nye all the way up to fourth place. The caution flew for the third and final time on lap 21 as Rusty Smith slowed with a broken shock.
Again, on the restart Creeden was up to the challenge presented by Perrego. Perrego began to try different lines as he looked to change his approach for the race lead. Battles continued throughout the field with many three and four wide exhibitions being put on by the drivers. With two laps remaining Creeden had opened up his lead slightly but Perrego began to make a strong run each lap off of the bottom turn 2. On lap 29 Perrego got that run to work as he pulled side by side with Creeden for the race lead down the backstretch. The duo charged in to turn 3 with Perrego taking advantage. Tyler had remained close and almost had enough to challenge for second as the leaders battled.
At the finish Perrego would go on for the win as the fans were on their feet. Creeden wound up second with Tyler, Nye and Butler completing the top five. Brian Weaver finished sixth. Two-time Modified Track Champion Shaun Walker drove to seventh from his twelfth starting slot. Richard Smith finished eighth with Brian Malcolm and P.J. Goodwin completing the top ten. Malcolm started thirteenth and Goodwin started in fifteenth.
Earl Zimmer made it two for two on the season in the Street Stock division at Five Mile Point Speedway on Sunday. For Zimmer both wins also came in Summer Slam events for the division. Defending Street Stock Track Champion Doug Polhamus raced out to the early race lead over Doug Stack, Jr in the 25 lapper. Polhamus led the first 9 laps with Stack within striking distance the entire time. On lap 10 Zimmer moved in to second place from his fifth starting spot and the battle was on for the race lead. On lap 13 Zimmer moved past Polhamus for the lead as the yellow would waive for the first time on the next circuit. On the restart Zimmer quickly established his lead as now Polhamus, Stack and Shane Wolf, Jr. battled for the second position. The second and final caution of the race flew on lap 17 with Wolf now up to third place. On the restart Zimmer again pulled ahead leaving the battle for second. It only took Wolf a lap to move in to second place but Zimmer had already opened his lead. Zimmer went on for the victory with Wolf settling for the runner-up slot for the second straight week. Polhamus, Butch Green and Stack rounded out the top five.
Last week Defending Lightning Cat Expert Track Champion Nick Kennedy came up two laps short of victory when his motor let loose. This week he left no doubt in leading wire to wire in the 20 lap Front Wheel Drive Fantastic Five Four Cylinder race 2. Kennedy held off the early challenges from former Track Champion Adam Gilbert and then held off Jake Maynard during the second half of the race for the win. Following Kennedy across the line would be Maynard, Gilbert, Jimmy DiFulvio and Kenny Underwood.
The Xcel 600 Modified Summer Slam event looked much like the Modified main event. Doug Windhausen led the first 19 laps of the feature as he looked for his first FMP victory. Former Track Champion Will Eastman started seventh and patiently worked his way forward. On the final lap Eastman made a move on the inside of turns 1 and 2 and made the winning pass in turn 3 to notch his first win of 2018. Windhausen had another strong run to record second place only a few feet behind Eastman. Kevin VanValkenburg also had a great drive for the second straight week to capture third at the stripe. Chris Jordan and Bailey Boyd rounded out the top five.
The Wingless Sprint Car feature became a two-car match race for 12 laps between Thomas Radivoy and Eric Jennings. The speedway opened up the rules for any car under 358 cubic inches and many crate teams were skeptical. Being a quarter mile oval Jennings, driving a Crate Motor showed why what he had under the hood was plenty. Radivoy had his open Sprint Motor and the two put on a spirited display for the fans. Despite only the two of them they put on a extremely entertaining battle and the fans were buzzing about how great this class will be as it grows. Jennings made a late race pass of Radivoy to officially get the win.
COUNTER PONTS…Despite bright sunshine, high winds and an early 4 p.m. start time, track conditions were excellent on Sunday…Multiple grooved racing was the norm throughout the day on the new surface and the racing in all divisions was slowed only by a handful of cautions all day long…The Modified feature started as the sun was setting off of turn 3 making it very challenging for the teams in that turn but it certainly did not effect the quality of the racing in Modified Summer Slam race 1…Perrego used every line in his attempts to take over the race lead but did not use his tires…The tires on the winning car looked new in victory lane…This Saturday begins the first night of point racing in all classes for the Official 2018 Season Opener for all classes…The Modifieds will run 30 laps paying $1,500 to win and the rescheduled Tommy Boy 20 for Factory Stocks will also headline the big racing program on Saturday..For more information please phone 607-775-5555 or log on to www.5milepointspeedway.com…
SHAKELTON NAPA AUTO & TRUCK PARTS MODIFIED SUMMER SLAM RACE 1 OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (30): ANTHONY PERREGO ($2,000), Dan Creeden, Danny Tyler, Nick Nye, Mike Butler, Brian Weaver, Shaun Walker, Richard Smith, Brian Malcolm, P.J. Goodwin, Nick Rochinski, Randy Green, Mike Colsten, Ken Titus, Joey Colsten, Bob Stahl, Joe Krum, Brad Szulewski, Matt Roberts, Randy Fox, Rusty Smith, Barry White, Glenn Knapp. DNS – David VanBuren Sr., Jeff Bronson. Gamblers Bonus: Anthony Perrego/Richard Smith.
SUMMER SLAM/FIGHT NIGHT STREET STOCK OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (25): EARL ZIMMER, Shane Wolf Jr., Doug Polhamus, Butch Green, Doug Stack Jr., Gene Sharpsteen, Jared Dennis, Ray Lindquist, Matt Boman, Buck Mills Sr., Grayson Albanese, Tom Savercool Jr., Eric Beach.
FANTASTIC FIVE FOUR CYLINDER OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20): NICK KENNEDY, Jake Maynard, Adam Gilbert, Jimmy DiFulvio, Kenny Underwood, Bryan Batzel, Trevor Williams, Josh Williams, Josh Wilder, Brian Salmini, Dave Simms, Mat Mather, Randy Lane, Andy Bolles, Jeff Degroat, Jeremy Warren, Casey McPherson, Greg Slater.
SUMMER SLAM XCEL 600 MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20): WILL EASTMAN, Doug Windhausen Kevin VanValkenburg, Chris Jordan, Bailey Boyd, Rich Christman, Geoffrey Sutton, Shawna Schibilia, Gabby Mexell, Mike Wilcha, Keith Inglin, Dominick Amato, Chelsie Beebe, Tyler Smith, Korey Inglin, Adam Mudge, Dakota Anderson, DNS – Zane Roth.
SPRINT CAR OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (12): ERIC JENNINGS, Thomas Radivoy.
