Larry Wight Takes Season Opener At Brewerton Speedway Friday Night

Story By: DAVE MEDLER / BREWERTON SPEEDWAY – BREWERTON, NY – The Brewerton Speedway kicked off the 2018 racing season with perfect weather for fans and race teams for round one of the season long chase for the championships in the four divisions at the ‘D-Shaped Dirt Demon.’

Larry Wight out of Phoenix, NY made a statement that he will be a contender for the track championship in 2018 taking the win in the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds.

Wight took the lead on a lap-8 restart and from there would battle lap traffic and a late run from Jimmy Phelps enroute to victory lane.

Other winners were Dave Marcuccilli and Corey Barker (Sportsman) Justin Williams (Mod Lites) Ray Bechler (4-Cylinders).

Willy Decker and Rob Bellinger would lead the field down to the green with Decker grabbing the early advantage in the 35-lap Big Block Modified feature.

At the 5-lap mark Decker opened a half-a-straightaway lead with Bellinger, Wight, Max McLaughlin and Jimmy Phelps giving chase, running second through fifth.

A quick caution on lap-8 would tighten up the field. On the restart Wight would grab the top-spot from Decker to be scored the new leader.

With 15-laps showing on the scoring tower, Wight opened a 1.5 second lead. Phelps and Decker were in a close fight for second and third with McLaughlin and Bellinger showing in the top-five.

At lap-20 Wight was still in command as he rapidly closed on the back of the field. Phelps, Decker, McLaughlin and Bellinger still raced for second through fifth.

A yellow on lap-24 and lap-28 would erase any advantage Wight had built-up and give the front runners one more shot at Wight and a win.

Over the remaining laps Jimmy Phelps could hang with Wight and could pull even with him in in the turns, but Wight didn’t flinch as he was the first under the checkers by a narrow 0.318 of a second at the checkers. Tim Sears Jr., Willy Decker and Gary Tomkins finished third through fifth.

With 39 SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman pit-side two 25-lap features were run.

In the first feature Kevin Root would be the early leader while the racing behind him was two and three wide throughout the field.

With 10-laps complete Root still led using the top side of the speedway as Dave Marcuccilli looked for a way to close using the bottom lane. Billy Clark Jr., Alan Fink and Zach Sobotka were in a close fight for third through fifth.

With 10-laps to go, Root and Marcuccili were in heavy traffic as they battled for the lead. Clark, Fink and Tony Finch II showed third through fifth.

On lap-18 Marcuccilli took the lead with an inside move going down the back straightaway.

Over the remaining laps Marcuccilli and Root put on a show in heavy traffic with Marcuccilli grabbing the narrow 0.294 of a second win at the checkers. Alan Fink, Billy Clark Jr. and Tony Finch II took top-five finishes.

In the second 25-lap Sportsman feature Mike Stanton Jr. would lead the opening lap with Corey Barker driving the Tom Juno, No.25 for the first time taking the lead on lap-2 after a restart.

With 10-laps complete Barker held a narrow lead as you could have thrown a blanket over Mark Yorker, Will Shields, Stanton and Chris Mackey.

With 10-laps to go Barker opened a half-a-straightaway lead while Yorker, Stanton, Nick Krause and Mackey were in a close battle for top-five spots.

Over the remaining laps, Yorker could stay with Barker but couldn’t find a way by as Barker was too quick winning by a slim 0.924 of a second at the finish. Mike Stanton Jr., Nick Krause and Will shields finished third through fifth.

Defending STARS Mod Lite track champion Justin Williams made a statement by winning the 20-lap feature in dominating fashion. The only thing that slowed Williams down was a couple caution flags. Joe Garafolo, Mike Mullen, Zack Babcock and Tyler Winger came home second through fifth.

Chuck Powelczyk would lead the opening 6-laps of the 15-lap JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinder feature before Ray Bechler took the lead on lap-7 and was never headed the rest of the way. Quinn Wallis, Chuck Powelczyk, Nate Powers and Jack Taskey finished second through fifth.

This coming Friday, May 25 Ferris Mowers will present a night of fast, family, affordable fun featuring the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman, STARS Mod Lites, JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders plus the Fulton Speedway Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models.

Adult grandstand admission is $15 with everyone 18 years and younger free. Pit admission is $27 Member, $30 Non-Member. Grandstands will open at 5:30 pm with racing at 7:30 pm.

Any questions you have about the 2018 season or for marketing opportunities please contact Cory Reed (315) 668-6906 or cory@brewertonspeedway.com. For all the latest news go to www.brewertonspeedway.com -Facebook page www.facebook.com/BrewertonSpeedway.

LaLonde Electric, Davis Construction, C&J Butchering and Hadlock Lawn Care & Sealing. May 18 Opening Night Results

(Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds 35 Laps) – LARRY WIGHT, Jimmy Phelps, Tim Sears Jr., Willy Decker, Gary Tomkins, Rob Bellinger, Chris Hile, Max McLaughlin, Tom Sears Jr., Tyler Trump, Tim Kerr, Jim Witko Jr., Chad Phelps, Roy Bresnahan, Andrew Ferguson, Katelyn Hile, Adam Roberts, Pat Ward, Tim Harris, Matt Hulsizer, Tim Murphy.

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #1- 25 Laps) – DAVE MARCUCCILLI, Kevin Root, Alan Fink, Billy Clark Jr., Tony Finch, Zach Sobotka, JJ Courcy, Tyler Thompson, Ricky Yelle, Amy Holland, Brent Joy, Brandon Carvey, DJ Forbes, Mike Phelps, Rich Townsend, Stephen Denton, Mike Fowler, Earl Rudy, Rick Rogala, Tom Mackey.

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #2 25 Laps) – COREY BARKER, Mark Yorker, Mike Stanton Jr., Nick Krause, Will shields, Chris Mackey, Chris Cunningham, Rick Miller, Joey Buonagurio, Jake Petit, Torrey Stoughtenger, Tye-Scott Rood, Jeff Taylor, Joe Sobotka, Ben Bushaw, Bailey Groves, Joe Abbass, Joe Kline, Chris Bonoffski.

(STARS Mod Lites 20 Laps) – JUSTIN WILLIAMS, Joe Garafolo, Mike Mullen, Zack Babcock, Tyler Winger, Jeff May, Dave Brown, Hunter Lawton, Tom Perkins, Scott Sharpe, Shawn Hort, Jim Dunham, Sam Usborne, DNS – Kelly Skinner.

(JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders 15 Laps) – RAY BECHLER, Quinn Wallis, Chuck Powelczyk, Nate Powers, Jack Taskey, Adam Gates, Sam Curcie, Phil Burns, Rich Wagner, David DeNova, Sabrina Jeffries, Steven Randall, Ken Pitsley, Damian Bechler, Jim Graham Jr., Stephanie Seeley, DNS – Dylan Curcie, Michael Stoughtenger.