Tim Sears Jr. Wins Modified Main Saturday Night At Fulton Speedway
Story By: DAVE MEDLER / FULTON SPEEDWAY – FULTON, NY – Tim Sears Jr. made a strong statement Saturday night at the Fulton Speedway winning his second straight Modified feature showing he is a top-contender to win the track championship.
Sears would start the feature in 18th place and had his car working everywhere on the speedway in his run to the front. After making it into the top-five Sears would run down and make the winning pass on lap 31 driving by race long leader Todd Root and then would outrun Larry Wight for the popular win.
Other winners on Scott Jeffery’s Performance Plus and Oswego County Today night at the races were, Josh Livingston and Rich Murtaugh (Sportsman) Brian Knowles (Late Models) and Paul DeRuyter (Novice Sportsman).
The 35-lap Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Modified feature would see Todd Root bolt from his third starting spot to a full straightaway lead by lap 5 with Willy Decker, Andrew Ferguson, Garett Rushlow and Mike Stanton Jr. racing for second through fifth.
By lap 10 Root was on rails opening a 2.7 second lead over Decker with Ferguson, Rushlow and Stanton still racing in the top-five.
When the race reached the halfway point and no yellows to slow the field, Root was cruising out front by 3.8 seconds over Decker and Ferguson with two of the division heavy hitters Tim Sears Jr. and Ron Davis III now in the top-five.
The first yellow of the race waved on lap 24 as Decker had caught Root in heavy traffic, but now Root would have a clear track when the race went back to green.
As the final laps started clicking off the lap counter, Root, Sears and Larry Wight were putting on a show in a tight fight at the front when Sears went to the top of the speedway driving by Root to be scored the new leader on lap 31.
Sears would get two great restarts after a pair of late yellows and drive to victory lane for the second straight race. Larry Wight, Todd Root, Pat Ward and Ron Davis III finished second through fifth. Sears would also collect the Larkin Mowing $50 hard charger of the race.
In the first 25-lap DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman feature Kyle Devendorf would jump out to the early lead as Josh Livingston, Austin Germinio, Remington Hamm and Josh Van Tassell raced in the top-five in the early going.
Livingston would race to the lead on lap 10 as he was glued to the bottom of the speedway as he looked to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field.
With 10 laps to go Livingston was still showing the way out front with a few car lengths advantage over Devendorf. Hamm, Chris Mackey from 13th and Germinio ran third through fifth.
A caution on lap 22 would erase Livingston’s 3.7 second lead and would give the field one last shot to go to victory lane.
When the race went back to green, Josh Livingston hit his marks and drove to his first-ever Fulton Speedway Sportsman win. Opening night winner Jack Meeks came from deep in the field to finish a strong second followed by Mackey, Devendorf and Cody Manitta.
In the second 25-lap Sportsman feature Robert Gage took off at the drop of the green and had a half-a-straightaway lead on the first lap as racing behind him was two and three-wide.
With 5 laps showing on the scoring tower Gage saw his lead shrink to about 10 car lengths as Matt Janczuk who started 12th was closing fast with Richard Murtaugh, Kearra Backus and Jeff Prentice running third through fifth.
A yellow on lap 7 and a restart would see Janczuk drive to the top-spot as he looked to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field.
On lap 10 Janczuk was fast out front with a half-a-straightaway lead with Prentice, Murtaugh, Gage and Amy Holland racing in the top-five.
With 10 laps remaining Janczuk was still out front with Murtaugh keeping pace with the leader. Holland, Prentice and Tyler Murray joined the battle for a top-five finish.
The whole complexation of the race would change on lap 22 under yellow when Janczuk headed to the pits with a flat.
When the green came back out there was no denying Richard Murtaugh as he went on to win his first DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman race at the speedway. Amy Holland, Tyler Murray, Stephen Marshall and Dorian Wahdan completed the top-five.
Sean Beardsley would grab the lead at the drop of the green in the 20-lap Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models feature with a half a track lead by lap 5 over Kevan Cook, Brian Knowles, Chad Homan and Dave Moyer.
At the halfway mark Beardsley still led with Knowles closing fast as Homan, Cook and Chris Fleming raced for top-five spots.
On lap 11 Knowles would catch and pass Beardsley to be scored the new leader.
With 5 laps remaining Knowles had company as Homan was on the back bumper of the leader. Over the last handful of laps Knowles made the long tow to the speedway pay off as he was the first under the checkers for his first win at the speedway. Homan, Beardsley, Cook and Fleming completed the top-five.
In the 15-lap E&V Energy Novice Sportsman feature, Brett Sears would lead the opening laps until a yellow and restart on lap 6 would see Paul DeRuyter drive into the lead.
Once in the lead, DeRuyter would drive away from the field for his first win at Fulton. Brett Sears, Nick Stadelman, Chris Crump and Teddy Clayton finished second through fifth.
A pair of exciting Kings Smash ‘Em Crash ‘Em demolition derbies were run to cap off a great night of racing. In the $750-To-Win Light Truck & Mini Van Junk Run, Freddy White from Fulton, NY took home the win. In the $1000-To-Win 4&6 Cylinder Chain & Bang it was Adam Buteau from Deposit, NY who outlasted 27 other competitors.
This coming Saturday, May 22 Regional Truck & Trailer will present a night of fast, family affordable night of racing on the ‘Highbanks.’
The race night will see the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Modifieds, DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models and the E&V Energy Novice Sportsman.
Adult grandstand admission is $15 with everyone 18 years old and under, free. Pit admission is $35. Pits open at 4:00 pm, grandstands 5:00 pm with racing at 7:00 pm.
(Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Modifieds 35 Laps) – TIM SEARS JR, Larry Wight, Todd Root, Pat Ward, Ron Davis III, Andrew Ferguson, Roy Bresnahan, Jackson Gill, Garett Rushlow, Dave Marcuccilli, Willy Decker, Bob Henry Jr., Jason Parkhurst, Greg Martin, Ben Bushaw, Nick Krause, Jeff Taylor, Ryan Richardson, Corey Barker, Marshall Hurd, Chris Cunningham, Mike Stanton, Brian Murphey, Joe Shields, Kyle DeMetro, Dylan Zacharias, Justin Crisafulli,
(Larkin Mowing Hard Charger $50) – Tim Sears Jr.
(DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman #1 25 Laps) – JOSH LIVINGSTON, Jack Meeks, Chris Mackey, Kyle Devendorf, Cody Manitta, AJ Miller, Willy Decker Jr., Dave Moyer, Rick Miller, Tyler Corcoran, Austin Germinio, Gavin Eisele, Jake Davis, Josh Amodio, Mike Root, Remington Hamm, Josh Van Tassell, Jimmy Moyer, Chris Bonoffski, Tony Finch, Rich Riggs, Tim Gareau
(DOT Foods Pit Pass Award) – Josh Livingston
(NAPA Auto Parts Chase Elliot Award) – Rick Miller
(DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman #2 25 Laps – Pending Tech) – RICHARD MURTAUGH, Amy Holland, Tyler Murray, Steve Marshall, Dorian Wahdan, Wade Chrisman, Robert Gage, Quinn Wallis, Ryan Dolbear, Mike Button, Rachel Zacharias, Matt Kitts, Kelly Smith, Kearra Backus, Matt Janczuk, Jeff Prentice, Joey Buonagurio, Matt Richardson, Mike Phelps, Joe Kline, Teddy Starr, DNS Rocky Grosso.
(DOT Foods Pit Pass Award) – Richard Murtaugh
(NAPA Auto Parts Chase Elliot Award) – Ryan Dolbear.
(Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models 20 Laps) – BRIAN KNOWLES, Chad Homan, Sean Beardsley, Kevan Cook, Chris Fleming, Bret Belden, Dave Moyer, Darin Horton, Alan Chapman, Max Hill, Todd Chapman.
(E&V Energy Novice Sportsman 15 Laps) – PAUL DeRUYTER, Brett Sears, Nick Stadleman, Chris Crump, Teddy Clayton, Buddy Leathley, Tavin Marino, Jason Breezee, Savannah Leflair, Scott Kline, Mikey Wight, Brianna Murtaugh, Pat Nolan, Jacob Dupra, Austin Cooper.
($1000-To-Win 4&6 Cylinder Chain & Bang) – Adam Buteau – Deposit, NY
($750-To-Win Light Truck & Mini Van Junk Run) – Freddy White – Fulton, NY
