Larry Wight Goes Two-For-Two To Start 2018 At The Brewerton Speedway
Story By: DAVE MEDLER / BREWERTON SPEEDWAY – BREWERTON, NY – Coming off his opening night win on May 18th, Larry Wight out of Phoenix, NY came back with a vengeance Friday night grabbing his second straight win in the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds at the Brewerton Speedway.
Wight started 14th and quickly made his way to the front setting up a tight battle for the lead with teammate Pat Ward. The pair would swap the lead back and forth in the middle part of the feature with Wight making the winning pass on a restart after a lap-25 caution. Once out-front Wight worked his way through cars at the back of the field while also holding off Jimmy Phelps for the popular win.
Other winners on Ferris Mowers night were, Tony Finch II & Chris Mackey (SUNY Canton Sportsman) Justin Williams (STARS Mod Lites) Chuck Powelczyk (JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders) Kevan Cook (Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models).
Pat Ward and Katelyn Hile led the Big Block Modified field down to the green with Ward grabbing the early, narrow advantage in the 35-lap feature.
With 10-laps showing on the scoring tower, Ward still showed the way out front as Larry Wight and Chad Phelps started closing in on the race leader.
At the 15-lap point teammates Ward and Wight were in a two-car battle for the lead with Jimmy Phelps a couple car lengths back ready to pounce on any mistake by the top two. Chad Phelps and Tom Sears Jr. were still in contention, showing in the top five.
After looking for a way around Ward, Wight went to the top of the speedway in turns three and four as he drove into the lead on lap 17.
The yellow flag would wave on lap-21 erasing the almost 2 second lead Wight had built up. On the restart Ward would use a power move on the top groove, retaking command of the race.
With 10-laps to go, Ward, Wight and Phelps were in a three-car slug-fest for the lead just before a yellow for a slowing car. Wight would take advantage of the restart as he put his car number back at the top of the scoring tower.
Over the remaining laps Jimmy Phelps could keep Larry Wight in sight but Wight was too quick as he cruised under the checkers 1.016 second ahead of Phelps. Pat Ward, Modified Rookie Ron Davis III and Tim Sears Jr. finished third through fifth.
With 45 SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman in the pits, two 25-lap features were run.
In the first 25-lap feature Tony Finch II took the lead on lap-4 and would lead the rest of the way. The win was anything but easy as he had to withstand constant pressure from Alan Fink and Zach Sobotka who was right there waiting for any mistake from the top two. When the checkers waved over Finch’s car the difference was 0.228 of a second over Fink. Zach Sobotka, Billy Clark Jr. and Rich Townsend finished third through fifth.
Mike Fowler would jump to the early lead in the second 25-lap feature as the rest of the field was two-and-three-wide behind him, battling for position.
Fowler would maintain the lead and survive early yellows. One of those yellows came on lap-10 when Nick Krause who was the fastest car on the track from his 12th starting spot was fighting for the lead when it appeared something broke on the front of his car at the starter’s stand, ending his shot at the win.
When the green came back out Chris Mackey would take command of the race and would go on to the exciting win. The victory would be a tough one for Mackey as he had to hold off Kevin Root lap after lap as they raced bumper-to-bumper and side-by-side all over the ‘D-Shaped Dirt Demon’ with the winner in doubt until the checkers. Mackey would win by a slim 0.129 of a second over Root. Will Shields, early leader Mike Fowler and Brent Joy would finish third through fifth.
Defending track champion, Justin Williams made a statement in the STARS Mod Lites winning his second straight 20-lap feature by 3.361 seconds at the finish. Mike Mullen, Zack Babcock, Tucker Halliday and Joe Garafolo finished second through fifth.
The Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models made their first of three appearances during the 2018 season. Kevan Cook, who has years of laps around the Brewerton Speedway from his IMCA Modified days, took the big win. Sean Beardsley could hang with Cook but couldn’t find a way by and finished second, a slim 0.538 behind at the checkers. Chris Fleming and Canadians Charlie Sandercock and Kyle Sopaz finished third through fifth.
The speedway all-time feature winner in the JB Logging and Firewood 4-Cylinders, Chuck Powelczyk grabbed another win, outdistancing opening night winner Ray Bechler. Rich Wagner, Sam Curcie and Adam Gates finished third through fifth.
This coming Friday, June 1, the Reagan Companies will present a night of fast, family, affordable, fun racing, featuring the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman, STARS Mod Lites and the JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders.
Have you always wanted to race on the ‘D-Shaped Dirt Demon?’ Friday, June 1st is your chance in the One-on-One Spectator races. All you need is a street legal vehicle, insurance, helmet and a driver’s license. After you buy your general admission ticket go to the track office in the midway to sign up.
Adult grandstand admission is $12 with everyone 18 years old 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.
Ferris Mowers May 25 Results
(Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds 35 Laps) – LARRY WIGHT, Jimmy Phelps, Pat Ward, Ron Davis III, Tim Sears Jr., Chris Hile, Chad Phelps, Willy Decker, Rob Bellinger, Gary Tomkins, Tyler Trump, Jim Witko, Roy Bresnahan, Andrew Ferguson, Katelyn Hile, Tim Harris, Max McLaughlin, Todd Root, Tom Sears Jr., Tim Kerr.
(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #1- 25 Laps) – TONY FINCH II, Alan Fink, Zach Sobotka, Billy Clark Jr., Rich Townsend, Willy Decker Jr., Tye-Scott Rood, Tyler Thompson, Richie Riggs, Ricky Yelle, Mark Yorker, Earl Rudy, DJ Forbes, Stephen Denton, Torrey Stoughtenger, Tom Mackey, Aaron Jacobs, Chris Hulsizer, Mike Button, Joe Kline, Joe Sobotka, Rick Rogala, DNS – Joe Abbass
(SUNY Canton Sportsman #2 – 25 Laps) – CHRIS MACKEY, Kevin Root, Will Shields, Mike Fowler, Brent Joy, Mike Phelps, Chris Cunningham, Amy Holland, Corey Barker, Chris Bonoffski, Mark Effner, Tony Komuda, Jake Holmes, Darren Smith, Jeff Taylor, Bailey Groves, Brian Evenden, Joey Bounagurio, Colby Herzog, Nick Krause, Jake Petit, DNS – Mike Stanton, JJ Courcy.
(STARS Mod Lites 20 Laps) – JUSTIN WILLIAMS, Mike Mullen, Zack Babcock, Tucker Halliday, Joe Garafolo, Dave Brown, Hunter Lawton, Shawn Hort, Kelly Skinner, Jim Dunham, DNS- Sam Usborne.
(Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models 20 Laps) – KEVAN COOK, Sean Beardsley, Chris Fleming, Charlie Sandercock, Kyle Sopaz, Jason Occhino, Max Hill, Alan Chapman, JJ Courcy, Dane Keller Jr., Aaron Jacobs.
(JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders 15 Laps) – CHUCK POWELCZYK, Ray Bechler, Rich Wagner, Sam Curcie, Adam Gates, David DeNova, Jerry Curcie Jr., Steven Randall, Sabrina Jeffries, Stephanie Seeley, Damien Bechler, Dylan Curcie, Quinn Wallis.