Donnie Lawson Wins Saturday At Woodhull; Brett Marlatt Takes Street Stock 100

Story By: ROBERT SYMONDS / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – The final event at the Woodhull Raceway for 2020 was sure to be a big one as fans have waited all year for the Street Stocks Woodhull 100 event presented by Joe Willcox Performance Automatics and Schweigart’s Maple Equipment.

Though fans were all settled in on their couches at home and grabbing a cold beer ready to enjoy the races like they have done all year long. First we had some prior engagements to attend to. The Woodhull Auto Supply Hobby Stocks and Johnson’s Auto Supply Front Wheel Drive Championships were still needing to be settled from High Up Trucking Championship Night.

So first out onto the track was the championship race for the Woodhull Auto Supply Hobby Stocks. Taking over from lap 9, Mike Spencer took the green flag and pulled away from the Dennis Family who started on the second row. Carter Dennis tried to get to the bottom as quick as he could but both Scott Brown and Lee Bills snuck by to move up into 3rd and 4th. Chris Woodard would also be able to make it by Dennis as he tries to make his way up to challenge the top 4. Woodard now takes his Sanico 97 to the bottom lane and works by Bills for fourth and would close in on Brown for third. Just as that was happening, Spencer and Jeredd Dennis enter lap traffic while competing for the race lead. Dennis would get to the back bumper of Spencer but never was able to get the pass as Mike Spencer would pick up his first win of the year over Jeredd Dennis, Scott Brown, Chris Woodard, and Lee Bills. Chris Woodard would be crowned the 2020 Champion by 7 points over Scott Brown.

The Johnson’s Auto Supply Front Wheel Drives would be out next for their High Up Trucking Championship Night Makeup Feature. Just by taking the green flag, Codie Baker wins the 2020 Track Championship. Scott Lehman Jr and Matt Prescott led the field to Tony Van Pelt’s green flag. Lehman would take his car to the top side and the top spot for the first lap. Wesley Houghtaling battled by Garrett Wilson and Kyle Hackett to take command of the third spot. Meanwhile Nate Freeland and Codie Baker continue to make their way through the field, getting by Todd Mclain and Garrett Wilson for fourth and fifth. As Houghtaling was battling Prescott for second, a problem would drop the 5 car out of contention. Just before the caution flag flew, Baker moved past Freeland for third. On the restart, both Baker and Freeland use the bottom lane to their advantage and take over the first two spots. Baker would go on to win over Freeland, Lehman Jr, Mclain, Prescott.

The Crate Sportsman would see 23 cars pack the pit area and would be the first feature out on the speedway for the Schweigarts Maple Equipment and Joe Willcox Performance Automatics night. Reese Hackett would take the lead early over Aiden Grover, Carter Crooker, and Donnie Lawson. Lawson would work by Crooker on the bottom lane in the early going as Hackett continued to lead the field. Grover was hot on Hacketts back bumper and would take the lead on lap 5 as Hackett would slip up the banking. Lawson would do the same on lap 6 to take over second from Hackett. Meanwhile Teddy Morseman and Jeffrey Daugherty has worked their way up into the top ten from the back of the pack. Lawson, on the back bumper of Grover, would keep hitting his marks and waited until the right moment to get by Grover for the top spot after using the bottom lane to do so. Grover would slip up again and allow Crooker to get by for second. Throughout the race Christian Zschoche has worked his way through the pack, and in the final laps took over a spot inside the top 5. Crooker had a fast car but would not be enough to pass Lawson as he would have to settle for second and Lawson would go on to win.

The NY6A 600 Micro Sprint Tour was out on the track for their lone event in 2020. Most of these drivers were from New York making it to the High Banks. Mike Kaiser and Collin Bard led the field to the green. Kaiser would jump out to the early lead with Bard trying to do all he can to get around him. Behind the top two, Johnny Smith would work his way to the bottom to make it three wide with Nic Groff and Mitchell Bard. It would only take one lap and Smith would pass Collin Bard and Mike Kaiser Jr to take over the race lead. Groff would pass up Mitchell Bard to take over fourth and would then creep up to the back of Collin Bard and pass him for third. At the end, Johnny Smith walk away with the win over Kaiser, Groff, Collin Bard, and Mitchell Bard. The win for Smith was a special one as it would mean that the Smith Brothers Racing team would sweep the entire 2020 Season for the NY6A Micro Tour.

Next out was the Street Stocks for the Woodhull 100. Lancen Albanese, Branden Morseman, Brett Marlatt would win qualifying heat races while Brett Marlatt and Glenn Whritenour took dash wins and would start on the front row together. On the initial start, Whritenour tried to get to the bottom as quick as he could and hit the right front of Ted Morsemans car which flattened Whritenour’s left rear tire. This could bring out our first yellow but back underway, Marlatt would take off away from Ted Morseman and Brett Crawford. Albanese was able to work by Mike Williams for fifth. Whritenour is patiently working his way through the field as he was able to get by Dan Gardner for eighth. As the field hits lap traffic, a lap car spins in front of the leaders nearly collecting them. On this exchange, Crawford gets by Morseman for second. At the same time, Albanese was able to pass Branden Morseman for fourth. Whritenour methodically picked off more spots as he gets by both Mick Seeley and Mike Williams for sixth spot. Williams ends up losing another couple more spots to Seeley and Gardner then finds himself in a battle with Sharpsteen. The next yellow ends up coming out on lap 26 and it couldn’t come at a better time for Albanese as he would have a left rear flat. During this as well, a problem with Williams’s car would see a quick red flag but we would soon go back green. Earl Zimmer was able to work his way by Gardner for eighth. However Sharpsteen spins on the entrance of turn three and collects Gardner which would bring us to the final yellow before the mandatory 50 lap caution.

Most all of the drivers in the pits elected to stay on their same strategy with no tire changes. Back to green, Whritenour tried to take advantage early and get by Ted Morseman on the top side but would end up losing that fourth place spot to Branden Morseman. Albanese had worked his way from the back and was able to get by Sharpsteen for eighth. Though the racing seemed to be stable for the most part since the mandatory caution, on lap 73, things got a little interesting as the leaders entered lap traffic. Marlatt tried to get by Williams but Crawford found this to be the opportunity he needed. Crawford would get by in turns 1 and 2 putting Marlatt on the top side. Crawford would have Morseman on his back bumper as well while trying to get by Williams. Williams would hold his line, Crawford tried to get by him and on the exit of turn four, Marlatt would regain the lead while the yellow came out for both Williams and Doug Stack Sr stopped on the front stretch. Back underway, Whritenour takes his Cummings Trucking 15 to the topside and ends up losing several spots as he ends up going up and over the burm with under 20 laps to go. Branden Morseman slips up the banking and allows Earl Zimmer and Lancen Albanese to get by for fourth and fifth. However back up front, Crawford was not able to find an open door enough to get by Marlatt and Marlatt would go on to win his first Woodhull 100 over Crawford, Ted Morseman, Zimmer, and Albanese.

The RUSH Late Models were out next for their 20 lap feature. Brian Knowles jumped out to the early lead over Chuck LaFleur and Clayton Tarabori. Jason McGregor takes over fourth but off turn 2 ends up losing the handle of his car and ends up spinning which draws the early yellow. Back underway, LaFleur goes towards the top lane of the speedway. While running the lane, he ends up losing several positions. The man on the move was Jason Knowles as he gets by Tarabori for second and chases down his brother for the lead. However towards the end of the race, Brian Knowles was turning faster and faster lap times which strengthened his lead to the finish over his brother Jason Knowles, Tarbori would finish third, Haggerty fourth, and Jason Dobson rounded out the top five.

The Hobby Stocks would be the next to grace the High Banks. This would be a Rent-A-Tent 30 lap special with the winner of the race picking up $700. After the redraw, it would be Mike Carapella and Brent Williams leading the field to green. Quickly off the start, Carapella would lead but third place runner Jeredd Dennis would grab the top spot off turn two, pulling Lee Bills with him. Chris Woodard worked his way by Lee Bills for third while AJ Neidermaier gets by Leo Eldridge for fifth. The Track Champ Woodard was able to find a way around Carapella for second near the half way mark. Carpella ends up getting loose of turn 2 and loses more positions down the back stretch. Neidermaier now gains momentum on Woodard and was able to pull alongside for second. However Neidermaier would take turn 3 a little wide which would cause Woodard to spin and collect Lee Bills and Bill Williams. On the restart, Carter Dennis takes command of third while Jesse Tuthill holds back Josh Oles for fouth. Scott Brown was able to make his way from the back and passed both Tuthill and Oles to take over fourth. In the closing laps he was able to get by Dennis for third and Bill Williams would come from the back as well to put Dennis back to fifth as Jeredd Dennis would win over Mike Spencer.

The Open Mini Stocks saw Ray Hyer and Mike Navone leading the field to the green flag. Hyer would pull awat from Navone while Mike Stone worked his way by Rick Amidon for third. Stone would then set his sights on Navone and work the bottom lane around him for second. The first yellow would come out on lap 5. On the restart, Hyer tried to pull away from Stone but Stone would keep on the back bumper of Hyer. Stone would get alongside Stone would get tight and Hyer would still keep the lead. However Hyer would get loose in turn four and that would allow Stone to get by for the lead. Amidon would find the line around Navone for third. However in the end, Stone would pick up his first win on the High Banks over Hyer, Amidon, Navone, Ketrow.

The Open FWD would get the next green flag. Todd Mclain would lead Scott Lehman Jr would Nick Brown, Nate Freeland and Codie Baker in tow. Freeland and Baker were able to work the bottom side of Brown to take over third and fourth while Kenneth Evans gets by Andrew Kreamer for seventh. A brief yellow would slow the field but on the restart, Josh Torrence gets by Nick Brown for fifth while Baker works by Freeland and puts himself in a three car battle for the lead with Mclain and Lehman Jr. Baker is able to gain the momentum on the bottom to take the lead from both drivers. Lehman Jr, working the top lane, gets by Mclain for second. A yellow for debris would slow the field again but on the restart, Torrence was able to get around Freeland for fourth. Codie Baker though would not be denied as he would win the event over Lehman Jr, Mclain, Torrence, and Freeland.

Woodhull Raceway Results – September 19, 2020 – Schweigarts Maple Equipment / Joe Willcox Performance Automatics Night

Woodhull 100 Street Stocks (22 cars)

Heats: Lancen Albanese, Branden Morseman, Brett Marlatt

Dashes: Brett Marlatt, Glenn Whritenour

Woodhull 100 (100 laps): BRETT MARLATT, Brett Crawford, Ted Morseman, Earl Zimmer, Lancen Albanese, Gene Sharpsteen, Branden Morseman, Mick Seeley, Brandon Birdsall, Doug Stack Sr, Luke Boom, Glenn Whritenour, Mike Williams, Austin Allen, Jared Hill, Shawn Boynton, Dan Gardner, Jonathan Carpenter, Lenny Miller, Aaron Miller

DNS: Brad Smith

DQ: Mark Phelps

Hard Charger: Brandon Birdsall

Hard Luck: Jonathan Carpenter

NY6A 600 Micro Sprints

Heats: Johnny Smith, John Palmieri

Dash: Mike Kaiser

Feature (20 laps): JOHNNY SMITH, Mike Kaiser, Nic Groff, Collin Bard, Mitchell Bard, Bill Nichols, John Smith, Casey Williams, Kyle Peirce, Jerry Gurney, Matt Foster, Devin Clark, John Palmieri, Mikey Smith

Crate Sportsman (23 cars)

Heats: Donnie Lawson, Connor Brown, Reese Hackett

Feature (25 laps): DONNIE LAWSON, Carter Crooker, Aiden Grover, Kaiden Dgien, Christian Zschoche, Ted Morseman, Bob Butcher, Reese Hackett, Tyler Stoddard, Cole Youse, Cayden Lawson, Dylan Gilbert, Danielle Thomas, Will Wood, Jeffrey Daugherty, Greg Crooker, Matt Sullivan, Ben Feldman, Jordan Bacon, Blake Lawson, Connor Brown, Tracy Dunn, Isabel Barron

RUSH Late Models (15 cars)

Heats: Clayton Tarabori, Jason McGregor

Feature (20 laps): BRIAN KNOWLES, Jason Knowles, Clayton Tarabori, John Haggerty, Jason Dobson, Brad Smith, Tim Schram, Steve LeBarron, Jason McGregor, Joe Layfield, Joe Lane, Chuck LaFleur, Jim Buck, Brett Ritter, Darin Horton

Woodhull Auto Supply Hobby Stocks

9/5 High Up Trucking Championship Night Makeup (20 laps): MIKE SPENCER, Jeredd Dennis, Scott Brown, Chris Woodard, Lee Bills, Leo Eldridge, Mike Carapella, Carter Dennis, Dick Wallace, Glenn Vancise, Jimmy Hollister, Zach Kriner, Bill Williams, Jesse Tuthill

Track Champion- Chris Woodard

Hobby Stocks (23 cars)

Heats: Bill Williams, Chris Woodard, AJ Neidermaier

Feature (30 laps): JEREDD DENNIS, Mike Spencer, Scott Brown, Bill Williams, Carter Dennis, Leo Eldridge, AJ Neidermaier, Mike Carapella, Brent Williams, Joshua Oles, Allison Pierce, Brandon Conklin, Dennis Loucks, Glenn Aumick, Lee Bills, Jason Clugstone, Jesse Tuthill, Chris Woodard, Trevor Tompkins, Zach Kriner, Glenn Vancise

DNS- Dick Wallace, Josh Parker

Open Mini Stocks (10 cars)

Heat: Ray Hyer

Feature (20 laps): MIKE STONE, Ray Hyer, Rick Amidon, Mike Navone, Jason Ketrow, Dana Stevens, Jacob Tubbs, Jacob Banks

DNS- Andrew Collins, Donnie Clemens

Johnson’s Auto Supply Front Wheel Drives

9/5 High Up Trucking Championship Night Makeup (20 laps): CODIE BAKER, Nate Freeland, Scott Lehman Jr, Todd Mclain, Matt Prescott, Garrett Wilson, Kenneth Evans, Kyle Hackett, Travis Southard, Jeff Lafler, Carl O’Dell, Wesley Houghtaling

DNS- Adam Delgrosso

Track Champion- Codie Baker

Open FWD (21 cars)

Heats: Nate Freeland, Codie Baker, Scott Lehman Jr

Feature (20 laps): CODIE BAKER, Scott Lehman Jr, Todd Mclain, Josh Torrence, Nate Freeland, Dylan Strade, Kenneth Evans, Nick Brown, Garrett Wilson, Jeff Ganoung Jr, Victor Farr III, Matt Prescott, Philip Hollowell, Travis Southard, Andrew Kreamer, Jeff Ganoung Sr, Kyle Hackett, Carl O’Dell, Wesley Houghtaling

DNS- Jeff Lafler