BILLY SPOONHOWER FENDS OFF MIKE MAHANEY TO CAP THUNDER MOUNTAIN MODIFIED & SPORTSMAN SWEEP (6-30-14)‏

Billy Spoonhower Fends Off Rim-Riding Mike Mahaney To Cap Perfect Thunder Mountain Night, Wins Modified& Sportsman Events; Deinhardt, Shayne Spoonhower, Sites, Pierce, Votra, Morse & Forward Also Earn Feature Checkered Flags

CENTER LISLE, NY – Billy Spoonhower repelled a rim-riding Mike Mahaney to complete a perfect race night on Saturday at Thunder Mountain Speedway.

Not long after topping the evening’s Sportsman main, Berkshire, N.Y.’s Spoonhower drove to his first-ever big-block/small-block Modified victory in the 30-lap main event. His total take for the night was $1,900: $1,200 as the Modified victor and $700 for his Sportsman triumph.

“We’ve had carburetor trouble with the Modified most of the year,” Spoonhower said. “I had trouble getting the car to run. These last few weeks, the Modified has been getting better.

“This is the first Modified win I’ve ever had. It was a long time coming.”

Spoonhower, who started from the pole, led the entire Modified event, but was faced with three different challengers during the main. Friday’s Penn Can (Pa.) Speedway winner Brian Malcolm raced into the runner-up spot on lap three and challenged Spoonhower.

On the eighth lap, rookie Ryan Jordan pressed into third position, with seventh-starter Mike Mahaney in tow.

Following an extended side-by-side battle, Jordan nosed ahead of Malcolm for second at the halfway mark.

A caution on lap 16 regrouped the field with Spoonhower’s No. 34 leading Jordan, Malcolm and Mahaney.

On the restart, Mahaney’s Olum’s No. 21 powered past Malcolm for third. Four laps later, he rode the high side to second, sweeping by Jordan. Mahaney’s pursuit of Spoonhower followed. He pulled even with the leader at the exit of turn two on lap 22. However, Spoonhower drifted up the track, leaving Mahaney with no real estate.

Despite a pair of cautions in the final seven laps (23 and 27), Mahaney was not able to pull alongside Spoonhower again. The King Ferry, N.Y., driver settled for second, less than a car-length back.

Jordan, of Dryden, N.Y., was third, followed by Lake Ariel, Pa.’s Malcolm and Nick Rochinski of Dickson City, Pa., who edged point leader Brent Wilcox at the line for fifth.

Spoonhower started the 20-lap Sportsman event from fifth. He took second on lap five and began an extended battle with Kevin Jordan for the lead. Ultimately, he found the outside lane and cleared Jordan on the 14^th lap, taking home $700 thanks to Howard Jones Logging & Firewood.

Butch Green completed a final-lap, outside pass of Jordan to finish second. Jordan, Eric Leet and eighth-starter Colton Wilson completed the front five.

Shayne Spoonhower of Berkshire, N.Y., continued his dominance of the Rookie Sportsman division, topping the 12-lap main.

For the fourth time in 2014, Steven Deinhardt of Deposit, N.Y., earned Street Stock laurels. On this occasion, he pocketed $500 in the extra-distance ‘Street Stock Spectacular’ 25-lapper.  Deinhardt used the top side of the speedway to pass Brenton Miller for the lead on lap six and paced the remainder of the distance. Miller, Daryl Krebs, Tom Savercool and Jonathan Carpenter finished second through fifth, respectively.

Eddie Sites of Towanda, Pa., made his first ’14 start of the season at the Mountain a winning one. Sites earned $350 as the IMCA-style Modified 15-lap victor. Sites cleared Kenny Wynn early on after starting sixth and cruised to the checkered over Craig Ward.

Kyle Pierce won for the second time in as many SRP Sprint appearances at Thunder Mountain this season. The Spencer, N.Y., driver held off a fast-closing Bill Nichols in the final circuits while negotiating lapped traffic.

Pat Votra of Marathon, N.Y., won the 12-lap Empire Sport Truck event in convincing fashion over Brandon Clapperton.

A fender-rubbing battle to the finish in the 15-lap Pure Stock event saw Michael Morse of Newark Valley, N.Y., edge Roger Walburn on the final lap. Walburn slowed with a flat tire, allowing Buck Mills Jr. to grab second.

Isaiah Forward of Bouckville, N.Y., returned to prominence in the Four Cylinder ranks. Forward fought off Trevor Dudley to win the 15-lap main.

THUNDER THOUGHTS: Some 94 race cars filled the Thunder Mountain pit area, with another large Saturday night crowd occupying the concrete grandstands. The Modified main event was in the books by 9:47 p.m. during a fast-paced program….

Fulton (N.Y.) Speedway regular Chad Phelps made a rare Thunder Mountain appearance – only the second of his career – finishing a respectable eighth. Joe Eisenhauer, Brent Boyer and Roy Shields rejoined the Modified ranks….

Track conditions were ideal given the hot and dry summer day. Drivers had three racing lanes available to utilize, with the outside lane taking prominence during the main events….

Heat winners were Ken Titus and Brian Malcolm (Modified) Kevin Jordan and Butch Green (Sportsman); Shayne Spoonhower (Rookie Sportsman); Steven Deinhardt and Brenton Miller (Street Stock); Bill Nichols (SRP Sprint); Jason Tuttle and Eddie Sites (IMCA-style Modified); Brandon Clapperton (Empire Sport Truck); Michael Morse (Pure Stock); and Guy Raymond Jr. and Trevor Dudley (Four Cylinder).

Racing resumes on Saturday, July 5 when Greene’s ACE Hardware of Whitney Point presents the ‘Red White & Blue Special’ featuring a gigantic fireworks display and Modifieds competing for a $1,776 winner’s share. Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, IMCA-style Modifieds, Empire Sport Trucks, Pure Stocks and Four Cylinders.

Gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. Special event pricing is in effect for the July 5 program.  Adult grandstand admission is $12. Seniors (65 and over) and students (ages 10-17) pay $10. Kids nine and under are FREE. Pit admission is $32, with no license required.

For rules, 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.

JUNE 28, 2014 QUICK RESULTS SUMMARY

Modified Feature Finish (30 Laps): BILLY SPOONHOWER ($1,200), Mike Mahaney, Ryan Jordan, Brian Malcolm, Nick Rochinski, Brent Wilcox, Mike Clapperton, Chad Phelps, Chad Cook, Ken Titus, Brent Boyer, Steve Cummings, Roy Shields, Joe Eisenhauer, Greg Birosh, Rob Rowe.

American Racer/Lias Tire Certificate (FREE Tire): Mike Mahaney
Free Pass Drawing: Ryan Jordan

Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): BILLY SPOONHOWER ($700), Butch Green, Kevin Jordan, Eric Leet, Colton Wilson, Chris Jordan, Scott Conover, Marshall Balzer, Rich Talada, Geordie Decker, Wayne Ross, Larry Hillis, Chance Spoonhower, Pat Jordan.

Newcomer Bonus ($50): Rich Talada
$85 American Racer/Lias Tire Certificate: Kevin Jordan

Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (12 Laps): SHAYNE SPOONHOWER ($150), Todd Hayward, Cole Price, Tyler Keener.

Did Not Start: Josh Underwood.

Street Stock Feature Finish (25 Laps): STEVEN DEINHARDT ($500), Brenton Miller, Daryl Krebs, Tom Savercool, Jonathan Carpenter, Ricky Davis Sr., Jason Beebe, Dan Force, Earl Zimmer, Bob Mills, Kevin Garland, Doug Stack Jr., Dan Babcock, Steve Wren, Gene Sharpsteen, Rich Sharpsteen.

Newcomer Bonus ($50 Bonus): Kevin Garland

IMCA-Style Modified Feature Finish (15 Laps): EDDIE SITES ($350), Craig Ward, Rich Green, Kenny Winn, Brad Sites, Jason Tuttle, Mike Wilbur Jr., Matt Jones.

Did Not Start: Harry Ely

SRP Sprint Feature Finish (12 Laps): KYLE PIERCE, Bill Nichols, Cliff Pierce, Cheyenna Ling, Chad Tibbals, Jim Clapper, Dakota Anderson, Bud Leizaer, Vern Weeks.

Empire Sport Truck Feature Finish (12 Laps): PAT VOTRA ($125), Brandon Clapperton, Bob Crandall, Steve Argus.

Pure Stock Feature Finish (15 Laps): MICHAEL MORSE ($150), Buck Mills Jr., Roger Walburn, Levi Davis, Mitch Quail Jr., Bubba Peters, Michael Schrader.  

Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 Laps): ISAIAH FORWARD ($125), Trevor Dudley, Chris Taylor, Mark Wheeler, Jeff Cornell, Mike Taylor, Guy Raymond Jr., Justin Vanderburg, Quinn Shay, Matt Gibson, Mackenzie Gibson, Ryan Wood, Ray Oakley Sr., Rick Sinsabaugh.

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Brett Deyo

Promotions, Public Relations & Marketing
Thunder Mountain Speedway

91 Hunts Corners Road Center Lisle, NY 13797

www.thundermtnspeedway.com

Cell: 845.728.2781

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