Tomkins Finally Gets Long-Awaited First Of ’17 At Brewerton

Story By: DAVE MEDLER / BREWERTON SPEEDWAY – BREWERTON, NY – When it was announced during the offseason that Gary Tomkins and the Coar-Clark racing team would make Brewerton Speedway their Friday night home it was widely known they would be a contender. Coming into Friday night Tomkins and team fought racing gremlins in 2017 with results not up to their standards.

Tomkins and his team kept their heads down and kept fighting and refusing to give up. Friday night all their effort paid off as Tomkins parked his Tracey Road Equipment/Smith Site Development/No.84 in victory lane after the 35 lap Tracey Road Equipment Big Block Modified feature.

Other winners on Syracuse Haulers night at the speedway were, Glenn Forward (SUNY Canton Sportsman) Casey Sykes (Firehouse Subs Mod Lites) Chris Bonoffski (JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders).

Gary Tomkins would jump out to the early lead in the 35 lap Tracey Road Equipment Big Block Modified feature while the racing behind him was two and three wide on the fast racing surface.

On lap 5 Billy Decker, who came into the night second in points, suddenly slowed rolling to a stop on the front straightaway. Decker would not return.

With 10 laps complete Tomkins, Rob Bellinger and Jeremy Smith were locked in a tight three car battle for the top spot with Jimmy Phelps and Rich Scagliotta showing fourth and fifth.

A quick yellow on lap 12 would work to Rob Bellinger’s advantage as he drove into the lead on the restart. Bellinger’s lead would be short lived when heavy smoke billowed out of his car ending his run at the win.

At the halfway point Tomkins held a slim two car length advantage as behind him Smith, Chad Phelps, Larry Wight from 18th and Jimmy Phelps battled for second through fifth in a tight battle.

With 10 laps to go Tomkins opened some breathing room with a ten-car length advantage over Smith, Wight, Chad Phelps and Jimmy Phelps.

A caution on lap 26 would see a chain reaction accident when third place Jeremy Smith bobbled and slowed with what looked like a mechanical issue. Behind Smith, Pat Ward, Chris Hile, Matt Hulsizer and Mike Bowman got stacked up. Only Hile and Ward would not continue.

With Tomkins still running quick laps at the front, Wight would move into second on lap 29 and set his sights on the leader. Over the remaining laps Tomkins was a man on a mission as he wasn’t seriously challenged as he cruised under the checkers first. Larry Wight, Chad Phelps, Jimmy Phelps and Andrew Ferguson finished second through fifth.

In the wild 25 lap SUNY Canton Sportsman feature Zach Sobotka would jump to the early lead setting a quick pace while the racing behind him was close and intense.

With 10 laps complete Sobotka was still setting fast laps in the lead. Jeff Taylor, Glenn Forward, Mike Stanton Jr., and Brent Joy fought for top five spots.

Sobotka was still in total control of the feature with 10 laps to go. Taylor, Forward and Todd Root from deep in the field slugged it for second, third and fourth with Stanton in fifth.

A late yellow and restart would see Taylor and Forward make contact exiting turn four with Taylor suffering damage and Forward moving into second.

On lap 19 Forward made the winning pass getting by Sobotka in turn two and would lead the rest of the way for his first Brewerton win of 2017. Zach Sobotka, Mike Stanton Jr., Tyler Trump and Ron Davis III came home second through fifth.

The 20 lap Firehouse Subs feature went caution free and took just over 6 minutes to run.

Brian Meyers jumped into the lead at the drop of the green building up a full straightaway lead on the field and looked like he was heading to a feature win. Casey Sykes had other ideas. After moving into second place Sykes was able to run down Meyers from that straightaway behind taking the lead on lap 16 out-running Meyers to the checkers. Sykes related that Meyers made him earn the win. Justin Williams, Jeff Sykes and Zack Babcock finished third through fifth.

Chris Bonoffski totally dominated the caution free 15 lap JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinder feature. Bonoffski took the lead on lap 2 and never looked back, winning over Ray Bechler, Quinn Wallis, Sam Curcie and Chuck Powelczyk.

This Friday, July 21 it’s Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux “Destruction at the Demon” King’s Smash ‘Em Crash ‘Em 4 & 6 Cylinder Demo Derby & Youth Demo Derby. Racing before the demo derbies will be the Tracey Road Equipment Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton Sportsman, Firehouse Subs Mod Lites and JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders.

Adult grandstand admission is $15 with everyone 18 yrs old and younger FREE. Pit $27 participant, $30 nonparticipant. Grandstands open at 5:30 with racing at 7:30.

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

Syracuse Haulers Night July 14 Results:

(Tracey Road Equipment Modifieds 35 Laps) – GARY TOMKINS, Larry Wight, Chad Phelps, Jimmy Phelps, Andrew Ferguson, Tim Kerr, Adam Roberts, Max McLaughlin, Jim Witko Jr., Mike Bowman, Mike Mahaney, Matt Hulsizer, Rich Scagliotta, Jeremy Smith, Pat Ward, Chris Hile, John West, Rob Bellinger, Lee Gill, Tim Sears Jr. Ryan Bartlett, Billy Decker.

(Syracuse Haulers $200 Winners Bonus) – Gary Tomkins.

(SUNY Canton Sportsman 25 Laps) – GLENN FORWARD, Zach Sobotka, Mike Stanton Jr., Tyler Trump, Ron Davis III, Todd Root, Tyler Thompson, Brent Joy, Jackson Gill, Earl Rudy, Alan Fink, Chris Cunningham, Dylan Zacharias, James Brown, Jordan Kelly, Rocky Grosso, Stephen Denton, Rocco Leone, Jack Meeks, Joe Sobotka, Jeff Taylor, Nick Krause, Richie Riggs, Rich Townsend.

(Syracuse Haulers $200 Winners Bonus) – Glenn Forward.

(Firehouse Subs Mod Lites 20 Laps) – CASEY SYKES, Brian Meyers, Justin Williams, Jeff Sykes, Zack Babcock, Mike Mullen, Lowell Zehr, Joe Garafolo, Sam Usborne, Tom Mackey, Dave Brown, Kelly Skinner, Tucker Halliday.

(Syracuse Haulers $100 Winners Bonus) – Casey Sykes.

(JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders) – CHRIS BONOFFSKI, Ray Bechler, Quinn Wallis, Sam Curcie, Chuck Powelczyk, Stephanie Seeley, Dylan Curice, Sabrina Jeffries, Nate Powers.

(Syracuse Haulers $50 Winners Bonus) – Chris Bonoffski.