Sprint Car Saturday Makes Thunder Mountain Speedway History: 115 Race Cars Fill Pit Area As Stewart Friesen Wins First-Ever ESS Visit; Byron Worthing Earns Breakthrough Modified Victory; Herrick, Harvey, Mekic, Spoonhower, Zimmer & Ackerman Also Score Before Huge Crowd
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CENTER LISLE, NY – A near capacity crowd packed Thunder Mountain Speedway on Saturday night with 115 race cars in the pit area for the inaugural ‘Sprint Car Saturday’ special.
The co-promotion involving BD Motorsports Media LLC and track owner Karl Spoonhower brought the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) 360 Sprint Cars to Thunder Mountain for the first time in the series’ 31-year history.
Overflow spectator parking was needed to accommodate the huge crowd turning out for the ‘Sprint Car Saturday’ featuring a full plate of winged racing.
Stewart Friesen of Sprakers, N.Y., executed a last-lap pass of Quebec’s Steve Poirier to earn the $2,100-plus victory in the 25-lap ESS event driving the Doug Emery No. 33. The full ESS release has already been forwarded to the Thunder Mountain media list.
Dalton Herrick of McDonough, N.Y., won his first CRSA 305 Sprint Car 20-lap main event. Negotiating lapped traffic to perfection in the final circuits, with Kelly Hebing, Brent Jaycox and Josh Pieniazek closing while battling with second, third and fourth, respectively. Mike Kiser completed the front five.
Don Harvey bested a 16-car field to win the 20-lap Lightning Sprint 1000cc main. Harvey, of Milford, N.Y., flashed across the line ahead of Kurt Conklin in a fast-paced main.
Larry Mekic of Hamlin, Pa., unseated Bill Nichols for the lead and raced on to win the 15-lap SRP Sprint main event, which was contested with open rules to allow all 583cc, 600cc and 636cc combinations.
In Modified action, second-generation driver Byron Worthing of Owego, N.Y., topped the 30-lap heldover feature from Aug. 16: the first checkered flag of his burgeoning career.
Worthing, whose father the ‘Junkyard Jet’ Doug Worthing is a Southern Tier legend, earned $1,200 for his efforts, righting a season of frustration for his family No. 63 team.
“It’s unbelievable,” Worthing said. “We’ve had a lot of troubles this year with the car and motor, but tonight it finally went our way. The part that feels good about tonight is I was able to hold off some of the guys I used to watch when Dad raced here.”
Worthing started from the pole but actually lost the lead at the outset to Bob Henry Jr., the Central New York racer who launched off the outside to take command.
Henry led the race’s opening 15 laps running the extreme outside lane of the three-eighths-mile oval. On the 16th circuit, he bobbled momentarily in turn three. Worthing shot to the inside to take command.
As Worthing led, seventh-starter Brent Wilcox was working through traffic. Wilcox burst into second spot on lap 19 and chased Worthing to the finish.
Worthing bested Wilcox to the line by a car-length for the popular victory.
For Binghamton, N.Y.’s Wilcox, the second-place finish clinched the 2014 Modified track championship one week prior to the point season finale. Henry, of Clay, N.Y., settled for third position, followed by sixth-starter Mike Clapperton of Sidney, N.Y., and Chad Cook of Deposit, N.Y.
The heldover 20-lap Sportsman main restarted with four laps in the books completed on Aug. 16. Larry Hillis, who was the leader, was pushed to the pit area when his No. 31 lost power moments before the restart. Hillis’ misfortune handed the top spot to Berkshire, N.Y.’s Billy Spoonhower, who held off younger brother Chance Spoonhower for a $700 payday.
Rich Green worked the top lane of the speedway to finish third, with rookie Geordie Decker and Colton Wilson in tow.
Earl Zimmer of Newark Valley, N.Y., upset the leading Street Stock winner and track champion Steven Deinhardt to win the 20-lap Aug. 16 rain-postponed event. Zimmer cleared Deinhardt on a mid-race restart and thwarted the late-race bids by a resurgent Deinhardt to take the victory, drawing the crowd to its feet.
Daryl Krebs, Ricky Davis Sr. and Kevin Boynton, who started last, completed the front five.
Jeff Ackerman bested the Midstate Vintage Stock Car Club field in the 12-lap main event.
Racing resumes on Saturday, Sept. 6 with Season Championship Night featuring Modifieds ($1,500-to-win), Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, IMCA-style Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Empire Sport Trucks and Four Cylinders. Additionally, there will be heldover feature events from Aug. 16 for Rookie Sportsman, IMCA-style Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Empire Sport Trucks and Four Cylinders.
Gates will open at 4 p.m., with hot laps at 6 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. Adult grandstand admission is $10. Seniors (65 and over) and students (ages 10-17) pay $8. Kids nine and under are FREE. Pit admission is $30, with no license required.
For Thunder Mountain Speedway general information and a complete schedule, visit www.thundermtnspeedway.com. The speedway office number is 607.657.8202. On race day, call 607.849.7899. The speedway e-mail is thundermtnspeedway@gmail.com. “Like” Thunder Mountain Speedway on Facebook or follow @thundermtnspeed on Twitter.
Thunder Mountain Speedway is located at 91 Hunts Corners Road Center Lisle, NY 13797, approximately 25 miles north of Binghamton. The three-eighths-mile clay oval features hillside concrete seating, free parking and camping, a variety of concession items and novelties, a family environment and more.
SPRINT CAR SATURDAY RACE SUMMARY – AUGUST 30, 2014
Empire Super Sprints (ESS) Feature Finish (25 laps): STEWART FRIESEN, Steve Poirier, Matt Tanner, Aaron Ott, Chuck Hebing, Jeff Cook, Dave Axton, Jason Barney, Paul Kinney, George Suprick III, Cory Sparks, Parker Evans, Clint Ide, Mike Stelter, Rob Dietrick, Tim Axton, Sammy Reakes IV.
Capital Region Sprint Association (CRSA) Feature Finish (20 laps): DALTON HERRICK, Kelly Hebing, Brent Jaycox, Josh Pieniazek, Mike Kiser, Cory Bova, Art Kiser, Emily Van Inwegen, Joe Kata, Jeremy Quick, Warren Alexson, Ed Newhauser, Kyle Smith, Thomas Radivoy, Tyler Jashembowski, John Matrafailo.
Did Not Start: Scott Goodrich.
Lightning Sprint Feature Finish (20 laps): DON HARVEY, Kurt Conklin, Jerry Sehn, Chris Van Buren, Justin Phillips, Peter Dance, Phil Bessette, Silo Boyce, Zack Bennett, Don Bellen, Rick Stone, Mike Badgley, Tim Proctor, Jamie Kiser, C.J. Hirt, Nick DeNyse.
SRP Sprint Feature Finish (15 laps): LARRY MEKIC, Bill Nichols, Eric Wright, Jon Westcott, Cheyenna Ling, Chad Tibbals, Bob Johnson, Geoff Stillwell, Tyler Hart, Vern Weeks, Chuck Bruce, Jordan Jaindl, Alan Lockwood.
Modified Aug. 16 Heldover Feature Finish (30 laps): BYRON WORTHING, Brent Wilcox, Bob Henry Jr., Mike Clapperton, Chad Cook, Brian Malcolm, Ken Titus, Billy Spoonhower, Steve Cummings, Mike Nagel Jr., Greg Birosh, Brent Boyer, Chris Stull, Brad Shaffer, Roy Shields.
Sportsman Aug. 16 Heldover Feature Finish (20 laps): BILLY SPOONHOWER, Chance Spoonhower, Butch Green, Geordie Decker, Colton Wilson, Charlie Hendrickson, Eric Leet, Todd Titus, Chris Jordan, Jake Fowlston, Fran Hilton, Larry Hillis, Steve Wren.
Did Not Start: Tommy Thompson.
Street Stock Aug. 16 Heldover Feature Finish (20 laps): EARL ZIMMER, Steven Deinhardt, Daryl Krebs, Ricky Davis Sr., Kevin Boynton, Kinser Hill, Jason Beebe, Dan Force, John Hoover, Kevin Garland, Tyler Belcher, Rich Sharpsteen.
Midstate Vintage Stock Car Feature Finish (12 laps): JEFF ACKERMAN, Howie Witter, Dick Ackerman, Cody Johnson, Jim Hilmire, Rich Applebee, Norm Richardson, Brian Moore, Mike Cole, Brent Cobb.
Did Not Start: Bill Kisselstein.
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Brett Deyo
Promotions, Public Relations & Marketing
Thunder Mountain Speedway
Thunder Mountain Speedway
91 Hunts Corners Road Center Lisle, NY 13797
Cell: 845.728.2781
"Thunder Mountain Speedway" on Facebook
@thundermtnspeed on Twitter
@thundermtnspeed on Twitter
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