Double Up: Danny Creeden Sweeps Twin 20’s At Five Mile Point Speedway
Story By: TYLER HARPELL / FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY – KIRKWOOD, NY – Dan Creeden made an infrequent appearance at Five Mile Point Speedway Saturday on Doug’s Speed Shop Season Championship Night. The decision proved to be the right one as Creeden went on to win both Twin 20 lap features for the Sunoco Modifieds.
Blaine Klinger had a successful weekend as he returned to victory lane in the Insinger Performance Sportsman main event. Buck Mills Sr dominated once again as he raced his was back to Factory Stock victory lane, while Walter Decker did the same in the Belgray Oil 4 Cylinder Novice feature. Nick Kennedy was victorious in the Belgray Oil 4 Cylinder Expert feature while also claiming the track championship. Brett Gray was the winner in the 600cc Modified division.
On a night where mother Nature decided to cooperate, a large crowd assembled to witness excellent car counts compete on Season Championship Night presented by Doug’s Speed Shop. 32 Sunoco Modifieds and 32 Insinger Performance Sportsman filled the pits along with great car counts in the other divisions. As the final checkered flags flew, the 2019 points titles had been decided. Brian Malcolm Strung together two top 5 finishes in the Twin 20s leading him to his second consecutive Sunoco Modified Track Championship.
Corey Cormier called the speedway home for 2019. Despite a rough night on the track Saturday, Cormier’s consistent season led him to his first ever Fmp track championship in the Insinger Performance Sportsman.
Charlie Gilbert also had a tough night on the track Saturday, however consistency once again proved to be key as held on for another Factory Stock Track Championship. Nick Kennedy not only picked up the Belgray Oil 4 Cylinder Expert feature win, he also picked up his third consecutive championship in the division. Walter Decker also had a clean sweep winning both the feature and the championship in the Belgray Oil 4 Cylinder Novice. Adam Mudge had a dominating season in the 600cc Modified class as he became the 2019 track champion.
Barry White and Jesse Kline brought the first Sunoco Modified twin 20 to the green flag and White jumped out to the advantage. Quick cautions on laps 2 and 4 halted the field. On the ensuing restart White again jumped out to the lead over Kline. The strong run for Kline would come to an end on lap 12 as he pulled his 59j machine pit side. Eventual Modified rookie of the year driver Matt Cole then took over the reigns of position two with his sights set on chasing down White.
White looked strong as he searched for his first win of the season. As Cole continued to run second, Creeden was on a mission moving into third from his 12th place starting position. The final caution flag of the race flew on lap 17 as race leader White made contact with a lapped car sending both cars around. Fortunately for White his car never came to a complete stop as he did a 360. White picked it back up in the fifth position. As White went around, Creeden made what proved to be the race winning pass on Cole for the lead. When the checkers flew, it was Creeden over Cole, Brian Malcolm, Brad Szulewski, and Barry White completing the top 5.
In victory lane, Creeden drew pill number 4 as the invert number. This meant Creeden would start 4th in Twin 20 number two with the 4th place finisher from the first race now starting on the pole. This meant that Szulewski started on the pole alongside Malcolm who had locked up the Track Championship following the first feature.
At the drop of the green, Szulewski jumped to the lap 1 lead. The lead was short lived however as Malcolm was a man on a mission. The Lake Ariel, PA driver locked up the championship and was looking for a race win as well as he took over the lead on lap 2. Malcolm was unable to get too far away from Szulewski in the early stages however as a string of cautions on laps 3,4, and 5 kept the pace of the race slow.
On the lap 6 restart, Malcolm again jumped out to the lead while Creeden followed him to the front taking over the second position from Szulewski. As the race approached the middle stages, the race for the lead became intense. Malcolm held on to the advantage but was forced to work hard as Creeden tried high and low to get by for the top spot. The top two set a quick pace and pulled away to a half straightaway advantage over third place runner Szulewski. As the leaders came off of turn 4 on the 16th circuit, Creeden finally made a move stick and got by Malcolm for the race lead. When the checkered flags flew, it was Creeden sweeping the night, with Malcolm, Szulewski, Justin Holland, and White completing the top 5.
Jake Mason and Lem Atkins led the Insiger Performance Sportsman 20 lapper to the green flag. Both drivers were searching for their first Five Mile Point Speedway win. Mason wasted no time taking the race lead with Atkins running in second. After a couple cautions around the midway point of the race, Tyler Peet moved into the second position as he worked past Atkins.
Caution flags halted the field a couple more times on laps 11, and 12. On the ensuing restart, the race for the lead continued to heat up as Peet searched for a way to get by Mason for the lead. Mason maintained the lead running a great line around the track until Peet made a turn 4 pass on lap 19. Once Peet made the pass, Mason attempted to get back by for the lead and made contact spinning both cars around. Blaine Klinger was in the right place at the right time and was handed the lead with just one lap to go. Klinger went on to lead the final circuit with Matt Brewer moving up into second, Atkins, third, with Todd Titus, and Ryan Stone rounding out the top 5.
In the 600cc Modified main event, Brett Gray led wire to wire to pick up the Season Championship night win. Track champion Adam Mudge ran second for the entirety of the 20 lap feature but was never able to get by Gray for the top sport. Gray picked up the win with Mudge, Nolan Smith, Nick Chase, and Tim Frantz completing the top 5.
The Factory Stock feature was action packed with Justin Slezak leading the first 6 laps. On lap 7 Buck Mills Sr took over the race lead and did not look back as he led the remainder of the laps. Charlie Gilbert was crowned the track champion for the second year in a row.
Nick Kennedy left no doubt in the Belgray Oil 4 Cylinder Expert main event as he took the lead on lap 7 and did not look back. The win for Kennedy capped off a dominant 2019 season which found him as the Track Champion for the third consecutive year. Walter Decker also won both the feature and the Track Championship in the Belgray Oil 4 Cylinder Novice division.
Fmp news and notes: Nearly 120 cars were on hand on Season Championship Night presented by Doug’s Speed Shop..Consolations races were run for both the Insinger Performance Sportsman, and the Sunoco Modifieds as each class had 32 cars respectively..Fans were treated to a fast paced show as Track Officials did a great job running the 26 race show off without taking a single break all night long…The speedway was in excellent condition providing a smooth, multi groove surface.
Five Mile Point Speedway will host one more weekend of racing in 2019, taking place next Saturday September 7th, and Sunday September 8th. The Sunoco Race Fuels National Quarter Mile Dirt Track Championship Weekend is always a must see weekend of racing. Saturday is headlined by the Sunoco Modified 50 lap Dave Kneisel Tribute race paying $2,711 to win. Also on the card Saturday is Little Mikes Race to Win for the IMCA Style Mods, paying $1,000 to win, NY6A Micro Sprints, Factory Stocks, paying $300 to win and Belgray Oil 4 Cylinders, also paying $300 to win. Race time is 7:11 p.m. in honor of Dave Kneisel.
Sunday the 8th is headlined by the GRIT Series Insinger Performance Sportsman 30 lapper, paying $1,000 to win. They will be joined by the Wingless Sprint Alliance Tour, a 600cc Modified open rule event, Factory Stocks, paying $300 to win and Belgray Oil 4 Cylinders, paying $300 to win. Race time is 6:00 p.m.
