Tom Sears Jr. Wins Saturday At Fulton Speedway
Story By: DAVE MEDLER / FULTON SPEEDWAY – FULTON, NY – The Fulton Speedway kicked off July and the extended holiday weekend with a big five division show on the “Highbanks” Saturday night.
The big winners were, Tom Sears Jr. (Modifieds) Jason Barney (ESS Sprints) Alan Fink & Billy Clark Jr. (Sportsman) Chad Homan (Late Models) Jimmy Moyer (Novice Sportsman).
Matt Hulsizer would out race Tim Mayne to lead the opening lap of the 35 lap Tracey Road Equipment Modified feature while two and three wide racing was happening behind the leader.
Hulsizer would open a half a straightaway lead by lap 5 as Tom Sears Jr. was slowly reeling in the leader. Behind the top two Mayne, Katelyn Hile and Tim Kerr were in a close tussle for third through fifth.
On lap 8 Sears was able to catch and drive by Hulsizer to go to the top of the scoring tower.
Sears and Hulsizer were in a two-car breakaway at the front of the field with 10 laps in the books. Mayne, Mike Bowman, Max McLaughlin and teammate Jimmy Phelps were in a tight battle for third through sixth.
A yellow on laps 17 and 20 was the only thing slowing down Sears just before the halfway point.
With 20 laps complete Sears was still clicking off quick laps out front as McLaughlin, Hulsizer, Pat Ward, Chris Hile and Bowman ran nose to tail and side by side for second through sixth.
Over the final laps nobody was catching Tom Sears Jr. as he cruised to his second win of the season. Max McLaughlin, Pat Ward, Matt Hulsizer and Chris Hile came home second through fifth.
Night #4 of the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints – Donath Motor Worx CNY Speedweek invaded the speedway.
Paul Kinney would grab a half a car length lead over Mike Mahaney to start the 25 lap A-Main
With 5 laps complete, Kinney still held the lead with Mahaney hot on his heels for the top spot. Behind the top two, Jonathan Preston, Jason Barney and Danny Varin were putting on a show of their own in the top five.
On lap 8 Mahaney dove under Kinney exiting turn two as he blasted into the lead.
A yellow on lap 11 would slow the frantic pace throughout the field just before halfway. This would put Barney right with Mahaney for the restart. It would take Barney just one lap to wrestle the lead away from Mahaney.
The rest of the distance nobody seriously challenged Jason Barney as he became the first three-time winner in 2017. Chuck Hebing was the show as he put on a wild drive finishing second followed by Danny Varin, Billy VanInwegen, Mike Mahaney to round out the top five.
Almost 40 SUNY Canton Sportsman were pit-side making the night a two 25 lap full points, full purse features.
In the first feature JJ Courcy would lead the opening lap before Nick Krause was able to drive into the top spot setting the early race pace.
With 5 laps complete, Krause was turning quick laps opening a half a straightaway lead. Courcy, Will Shields, Jessica Power and Jeremy Dygert in his new Hig Fab Chassis battled in the the top five.
At the halfway point Krause was still leading but now had Alan Fink, who started 12th, starting to close, shrinking his lead. Fink would need just three more laps to catch and pass Krause exiting turn four just before a yellow on lap 16.
Just when it looked like Fink would cruise to the win, the final caution waved with three laps to go. Fink would have to deal with invader and always fast Rocky Warner who started 14th.
When the green came back out Warner threw everything he had at Fink but Fink didn’t flinch picking up his second win of the year at Fulton and completing the weekend sweep winning at Brewerton Speedway the night before. Rocky Warner, Nick Krause, Zach Sobotka and Corey Barker finished third through fifth.
Willy Decker Jr. jumped out to the lead in the second 25 lap SUNY Canton Sportsman feature and opened a few car length advantage while behind him the racing was as hot as the weather for position.
With 5 laps complete Decker opened a ten car length lead as behind him you could’ve almost thrown a large blanket over Ryan Hatherill, Chris Cunningham, Tyler Trump, Mike Button and Billy Clark Jr. for second through sixth.
At the 10 lap point Decker, Hatherill, Cunningham, Clark and Ron Davis III were still racing in tight quarters in contention for the win.
The yellow flag would wave on lap 15 for a third place-running Davis who slowed with a flat. That would take away Decker’s comfortable lead and so would another yellow on lap 20 setting up a 5 lap dash to the checkers.
On lap 21 Billy Clark Jr. would move into second and set his sights on Decker. With one lap to go Clark used the top of the speedway to drive by Willy Decker Jr. for the win. Tyler Trump, Glenn Forward and Chris Cunningham finished third through fifth.
Jason Occhino would jump out to the early lead in the 20 lap Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Late Model feature opening a few car length advantage.
At lap 5 Occhino held a ten car advantage while behind him Chad Homan, Bret Belden, Kevan Cook and Jason Parkhurst ran in a tight fight that would see Belden get turned around bringing out the caution. On the restart Homan used the top of the speedway to blast into the lead.
At the halfway mark, Homan was on cruise control out front opening a half a straightaway lead. Occhino, Parkhurst, Cook and Sean Beardsley slugged it out behind the leader.
Over the second half of the race nobody had anything for Homan as he picked up his third win of the year at the speedway. Jason Occhino, Kevan Cook, Jason Parkhurst and Sean Beardsley finished second through fifth.
In the 15 lap E&V Energy Novice Sportsman feature, where the racing was close throughout the field, Matthew Becker looked to be heading to a win but somebody forgot to tell Jimmy Moyer. On lap 10 Moyer made the race winning pass for his second win of 2017. Wesley Hayes, Kearra Backus, Casey Cunningham and Dan Dupra chased Moyer across the line.
This coming Saturday, July 8 McDonald’s Restaurants presents fan favorite Family Autograph night. Fans will be able to come down on the speedway and get up close to cars and stars of the Fulton Speedway for autographs, photos and driver giveaways.
On the speedway will be the Tracey Road Equipment Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton Sportsman, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Late Models, E&V Energy Novice Sportsman and JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders.
Adult grandstand admission is $12 with everyone 18 years old and younger FREE. Pit is $27 Participant, $30 non-participant. Grandstands open at 5:00 racing 7:00.
Any questions you might have and for marketing opportunities contact Cory Reed at (315) 593-6531 orcory@fultonspeedway.com and for all the latest news go to www.fultonspeedway.com. Like the track Facebook pagewww.facebook.com?FultonSpeedway .
NAPA Auto Parts Night July 1 Results.
(Tracey Road Equipment Modifieds 35 Laps) – TOM SEARS JR., Max McLaughlin, Pat Ward, Matt Hulsizer, Chris Hile, Tim Sears Jr., Mike Bowman, Billy Whittaker, Jim Witko, Larry Wight, Andrew Ferguson, Chad Phelps, Katelyn Hile, Adam Roberts, Tim Mayne, Jimmy Phelps, Tim Kerr, Roy Bresnahan, Mike Maresca, Tim Harris, Andy Noto, James Walsh, Tim Murphy, DNS -Cody Graham, Ryan Jordan.
(Larkin Mowing of Oswego NY $25 Heat Winner Bonus) – Tom Sears Jr., Matt Hulsizer, Jimmy Phelps.
(Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints 25 Laps) – JASON BARNEY, Chuck Hebing, Danny Varin, Billy VanInwegen, Mike Mahaney, Matt Billings, Paul Kinney, George Suprick, Jeff Cook, Joe Trenca, Matt Tanner, Mark Smith, Mike Haggenbottom, Yan Bilodeau, Jonathan Preston, Paulie Colagiovanni, Kelly Hebing, Dalton Herrick, Dave Axton, Chad Miller, Emily VanInwegen, Shawn Donath, Scott Holcomb, Coleman Gulick.
(SUNY Canton Sportsman #1- 25 Laps) – ALAN FINK, Rocky Warner, Nick Krause, Zach Sobotka, Corey Barker, Will Shields, Jessica Power, Mike Phelps, Jeremy Pitcher, Amy Holland, Nate Higgins, Wade Chrisman, Brett Draper, Pat LaPage, Bailer Groves, JJ Courcy, Jeremy Dygert, Colby Herzog, Aron Backus.
(SUNY Canton Sportsman #2 – 25 Laps) – BILLY CLARK JR, Willy Decker Jr., Tyler Trump, Glenn Forward, Chris Cunningham, Tom Collins, Ron Davis III, Mike Button, Ricky Yelle, Ryan Hatherill, Todd Root, Tyler Thompson, Joey Buonagurio, Kyle Perry, Matt Janczuk, Dorian Wahdan, Torrey Stoughtenger, Dave Rogers, Chris Mackey.
(Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Late Models 20 Laps) – CHAD HOMAN, Jason Occhino, Kevan Cook, Jason Parkhurst, Sean Beardsley, Steve Coit, Mike Kazmierczak, Ryan Halliday, Dick Parkhurst, Bret Belden, Chris Fleming, DNS- Brad Smith.
(E&V Energy Novice Sportsman 15 Laps) – JIMMY MOYER, Wesley Hayes, Kearra Backus, Casey Cunningham, Dan Dupra, Matthew Becker, Jake Petit, Ryan Gustin, Robert Gage, Tyler Rogers, Tom Juno, Kyle Root, Jake Davis.
