Billy Van Pelt Grabs Another At Woodhull; Takes Modified Win Saturday Night

Story By: KENNY SHUPP / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – After suffering their third rainout of the 2021 season last week, the Woodhull Raceway finally got a much-needed break from Mother Nature and fans and drivers alike were treated to spectacular weather for a great night of action.

For the third time in the last three events, 125 machines logged in for the night which was presented by Hometown Excavating and Nikk L Brew Restaurant.

There have been times in 2021 where perennial Woodhull Insinger Performance Modified Track Champion, Billy VanPelt has struggled and coming into the night he had only won previous feature event. On this night it once again appeared like BVP was going to get shut of victory lane and even a podium finish for that matter as Brady Fultz, Brayden Bills and Cory Costa all kept VanPelt in their rear-view mirror throughout the first half of the twenty-five-lap event. Fultz and Bills brought the field to the opening green and the pair began to distance themselves from the rest of the pack. Bills led the first few laps with Fultz taking command on lap three and putting distance between himself and Bills who was not contending with Cory Costa who lined up mid pack along with VanPelt. Only two yellow flags slowed the pace in the first half of the event, but on lap seventeen things got interesting as Costa, who had cleared Bills and was closing in on Fultz went into turn three to hard and jumped the cushion bringing out the caution. On the restart Fultz again opened a huge lead over Bills and BVP who was now up to third and challenging. Fultz brilliant performance came to and end on lap twenty as a broken drive shaft ended what looked to be a sure win and as that happened VanPelt was just clearing Bills to take over second. With Fultz departure it put VanPelt into the top spot and all he had to do was close out the remaining five circuits to take home his second win of the season. Third generation pilot, Braden Bills did a masterful job in finishing second followed across the line by Donnie Lawson who started sixth and rounded out the third and final podium position. Russ Morseman lined up eleventh on the opening grid and advanced to claim fourth while Brian Doolittle quietly went about this business to take home fifth.

Insinger Performance qualifying heats went to VanPelt and Lawson.

With last weeks rainout, it moved the Annual Scott Dennison Memorial to this week and a solid field of eighteen Joe Willcox Performance Street Stocks took the opening green flag. Yellow fever was the name of the game in the thirty-lap event as caution flags slowed the pace on no less that nine occasions. But that did not deter Laverne Knickerbocker from adding his name to a very distinguished list of previous Dennison Memorial winners. Knickerbocker lined up on the pole and was able to lead all the laps and was never really challenged until late in the event when eventual runner-up, Dan Gardner, who started seventh moved thru traffic and caught up to Knickerbocker, however the laps ran out and Knickerbocker was able to hold on to claim the victory with Gardner second and opening night feature winner, Brett Crawford third. Kurt Stebbins came from the back of the field on at least three different occasions to claim fourth while Mike Williams, grandson of Woodhull’s founding father, George Williams had his best effort in recent memory and rounded the top five finishes.

Joe Willcox Performance Street Stock heats were claimed by Knickerbocker and Crawford.

The Cummings Trucking RUSH Late Models have been providing excellent car counts and great competition throughout the early part of 2021 and after a twenty- lap feature event that was slowed four times due to caution flags, Rookie contender, Austin Allen proudly stood in victory lane as he shot into the lead from his front row starting spot and never looked back. Not even two-time 2021 feature winner, Brian Pork Chop Knowles could touch the high-flying Allen as he cruised to the win. For Allen it was a hugely popular victory as he was mobbed in victory lane by no less than two dozen crew members, fans and even other fellow competitors. Brian Knowles did hold on for second as he was chased across the line by brother Jason Knowles who claimed third after starting in position six. Dusty Waters put on perhaps the best moves of the event has he started deep in the field and came home fourth while Steve LeBarron finished fifth after starting third and ran with the lead pack throughout the entire distance.

Cummings Trucking RUSH Late Model heats went to Brian Knowles and Kurt Stebbins.

NAPA Crate Sportsman standout, Kreg Crooker has been picking and choosing his fights thus far in the “21” season. The third-generation driver had won a feature event on May 15, but does not compete weekly at Woodhull rather running select events at numerous tracks in NY and Pa. On this night he started fifteenth in the twenty-three-car starting field, avoided an opening lap melee on the front straight away, mowed the field down and drove home to a convincing win. Veteran wheelman, Stacy Jackson shot into the early lead and looked poised to win his first of the season after a year that has been plagued with nothing but bad luck. Jackson would lead the opening ten circuits before problems once again set in as he coasted to a stop in turns three and four bringing out one of five yellow flags that slowed the twenty-five-lap event. With Jackson now out of the picture, Jordan Bacon assumed the top spot which he held till lap fourteen when Crooker blasted by. Bacon’s sure podium finish came to an end on lap sixteen when he had mechanical issues ending his night. Opening night winner, Josh Keesey then assumed the chase after teammate and good friend, Crooker, but even he was no match as Crooker cruised to the win. Keesey did hold on for second with AJ Costley coming in third after lining up in the sixth row. Josh Matakura started third, ran in the lead group all race long and wound up fourth while Kenny Peoples Jr. rounded the top five after being involved in the lap one wreck, pitted and returned to the rear of the field.

NAPA Crate Sportsman heats went to Blake Lawson, Isabel Barron and Aiden Grover.

The Wicked Tee’s Mini Stocks were to have run a thirty-lap special event, however with a relatively slim field coupled with a lap one back straight away wreck that took out half the field, the event was shortened to fifteen laps. Jason Warner led the first half of the event before being overhauled by Brody Amidon who went on to claim his third feature even of the season. For Amidon it was back- to- back wins and he wound up with a perfect night also taking the lone heat win. Warner held on for second while Jacob Tubbs would claim third as Travis Southard and Dylon Morseman completed the top five finishers.

Cody Baker and Adam Delgrosso have been main stays in the Johnson Auto Parts FWD Class since its inception well over a decade ago. On this night it would come down once again to the pair to see who would come home with the twenty-lap feature win. Nick Brown led in the early going before Wesley Houghtaling took command from laps four till eight. Baker, who lined up sixth then took command and from there had to deal with several challenges from Delgrosso, but the laps ran out and Baker would go onto his second win of the year as Delgrosso would claim second. Chasing the lead duo across the line was Houghtaling who claimed third, Garrett Wilson fourth as Jeff Lafler would recover from a heat race back straight away flip to cap off the top five.

FWD heats went to Houghtaling and Brown.

Yet another first- time winner visited victory lane on this night at Woodhull Auto Supply Hobby Stock regular, Dillon Philip would withstand numerous challenges from Clayton Mclean to take his first ever feature win in the division. Philip would lead all twenty laps from his front row start position, but he earned the hard- fought victory after heavy pressure from Mclean the entire distance. Fourth row starting Jeredd Dennis made a late race rally but came up just a bit short as he cleared McLean on the last lap but that is where his drive ended as he would settle for second with Mclean in third. After lining up in the top six positions, both Scott Brown and Leo Eldredge would stay in the lead group and claim fourth and fifth respectfully.

Hobby Stock wins were picked up by Philip and Jeredd Dennis.

Levi Riley wasted little time in driving thru the ten car Wicked Tee’s Warrior field from his row four starting spot and once in front coasted to his third feature in of the 2021 season. Ridge Cobb, who had won the previous two feature events was not able to keep up with the high-flying Riley and would settle for second followed across the line by Keegan Smith, Marshall O’Brien and Kayley Bacon who completed the top five.

Riley and Cobb picked up Wicked Tee’s Warrior qualifying heats.

Congratulations to all competitors.

Up next at Woodhull it will be the Troupscreek Auto Supply, Troupscreek Heating King of he Ring one on one single elimination event for the Cummings Trucking RUSH Late Models with $500 going to the winner. All that in addition to a Great 8 Program.

WOODHULL RACEWAY RESULTS JUNE 5, 2021. (UNOFFICIAL)

Hometown Excavating and Nikk L Brew Restaurant Night.

Car counts are based on registered cars at the start of the night, not on how many start feature events.

INSINGER PERFORMANCE MODIFIEDS. (15 cars)

Heats. Billy VanPelt, Donnie Lawson.

25 lap feature. BILLY VANPELT (2), Brayden Bills, Donnie Lawson, Russ Morseman, Brian Doolittle, Cole Youse, Cory Costa, Dayton Brewer, Joe Dgien, Kevin Chilson, Sheldon Gardner, Josh Nobriga, Brady Fultz, Mike Bills, Bob Silvernail.

NAPA CRATE SPORTSMAN. (23 cars)

Heats. Blake Lawson, Isabel Barron, Aiden Grover.

25 lap feature. KREG CROOKER (2), Josh Keesey, AJ Costley, Josh Matakura, Kenny Peoples Jr., Blake Lawson, Isabel Barron, David Mayo, Kaiden Dgien, Bob Butcher, Dale Welty, Teddy Morseman, Aiden Grover, Tyler Lawrence, Cayden Lawson, Adam Taft, Jordan Bacon, Richard Howard Jr., Stacy Jackson, Tim Guild, Matt Sullivan, Art Goodier, Danielle Thomas

CUMMINGS TRUCKING RUSH LATE MODELS. (16 cars)

Heats. Brian Knowles, Kurt Stebbins.

20 lap feature. AUSTIN ALLEN, Brian Knowles, Jason Knowles, Dusty Waters, Steve LeBarron, Joe Layfield, Jason McGregor, Brad Smith, Darin Horton, Chuck LaFleur, Jim Buck, Dave Richmond, Tony Kelley, Pat Parker, John Haggerty, Kurt Stebbins.

JOE WILLCOX PERFORMANCE STREET STOCKS. (18 cars)

Heats. Laverne Knickerbocker, Brett Crawford.

30 lap Scott Dennison Memorial. LAVERNE KNICKERBOCKER, Dan Gardner, Brett Crawford, Kurt Stebbins, Mike Williams, Mick Seeley, Branden Morseman, Chris Woodard, Lance Baker, Brett Marlatt, Ray Hyer, Josh Webster, Luke Boom, Ted Morseman, Glen Whritenour, Justin Duell. DQ, Kane Stebbins, Travis Webster

WOODHULL AUTO SUPPLY HOBBY STOCKS. (18 cars)

Heats. Dillon Philip, Jeredd Dennis,

20 lap feature. DILLON PHILIP, Jeredd Dennis, Clayton Mclean, Scott Brown, Leo Eldredge, Glenn VanCise, Greg Young, Mike Carapella, Dick Wallace, Brian Austin, Bill Williams, Carter Dennis, Brandon Conklin, Dennis Loucks, Jesse Tuthill, Brian Beard, Scotty Brown, Mike Spencer.

BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S MINI STOCKS. (9 cars)

Heats. Brody Amidon.

15 lap feature. BRODY AMIDON (3), Jason Warner, Jacob Tubbs, Travis Southard, Dylon Morseman, Rick Amidon, Jeff Stone, Josh Snyder, Jacob Banks.

JOHNSON AUTO SUPPLY FWD. (17 cars)

Heats. Wesley Houghtaling, Nick Brown.

20 lap feature. CODY BAKER (2), Adam Delgrosso, Wesley Houghtaling, Garrett Wilson, Jeff Lafler, Jacob McConnell, Derrick Evans, Ryan Austin, Nate Freeland, Josh Stone, Carl O’Dell, Nick Brown, Tierney White, Robert Haynes, Mike Moore, Larry Keeney.

BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S WARRIORS. (11 cars)

Heats. Levi Riley, Ridge Cobb.

10 lap feature. LEVI RILEY (3), Ridge Cobb, Keegan Smith, Marshall O’Brien, Kayley Bacon, Brayden Feenaughty, Jaden Stone, Devin Stone, Gracie Knapp, Bradly Morseman, Courtney Thomas.