Bechtelsville, PA — July 16, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series PR Director
*Chris Budihas Photo
Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series points leader Billy Decker was once again superb Wednesday night, claiming his second career title in the 11th Annual ‘Traffic Jam’ 100 at Grandview Speedway to open the ‘Super Southern Swing’ on the hill.
The tour-high fifth Advance Series victory of 2008 for Decker was worth $6,000 and enabled the ‘Franklin Flyer’ to distance himself from the pack further in his quest for a second career overall Hoosier Tire Mr. DIRTcar Championship through 10 events.
Click to listen to first place Billy Decker, second place Jeff Strunk, and third place finisher Duane Howard
“We were fortunate, things have been good,” downplayed Decker, 43, after already nearly matching his best single-season best Advance Series total of six wins registered en route to his lone Mr. DIRTcar title run in 1998. Not even half the ’08 tour is in the record book and crew chief Scott Jeffery has the LJL Racing no. 91 Gypsum Wholesalers-Stadium Int’l-Quality Hardwoods/Bicknell entry dialed in with a chance to catch all-time record-holder Brett Hearn, who netted 10 extra-distance triumphs in 2002. “We’ve got a great program right now, I’ll tell you its second to none and its proven itself day in and day out on the race track.”
Finishing a straightaway back to clinch preferred starter status in the prestigious Rite Aid 200 Championship race on Oct. 12 of Super DIRT Week XXXVII at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse was local Pennsylvania pilot Jeff Strunk, fellow Keystone State standout Duane Howard, tour star Brett Hearn and popular Penn/Jersey traveler Rick Laubach.
“I think the no. 4 (Howard) car, he just got the lead too early. At that time the outside lane happened to be better and at that stage it was better to be running second instead of leading. I know what he was saying when I went by him, ‘geez, I probably should’ve went there,’ but he’s had a heck of a season as well so we knew we had to stay on our toes the rest of the way,” noted Decker, following his DIRTcar Racing NorthEast leading 16th Big-Block Modified feature win of the year.
Also nearly mirroring the dominance he displayed at Ransomville Speedway to open the month of July, Decker once again pulled off the trifecta at Grandview, setting a new track record in Integra Shocks Time Trials and copping his qualifying heat race before cruising home for the decisive feature win. After starting on the pole at Ransomville, Decker needed 13 laps to grab the lead for good, while 38 laps were counted down at Grandview before he could wrestle the point from Howard after starting seventh on the 32-car grid.
“We didn’t know what (lead) we had,” Decker revealed at the end. “I felt I faded a little bit, I’m sure I did, and the track was moving around. You couldn’t get off the top in turn two anymore so I was just feeling for lanes and trying to go any place I could. When you’re leading like that you don’t want to see a caution, especially when you think you’re at that stage of just hanging on, which I thought we were. So you don’t want to give anybody another shot at you, if you got any distance in there or any lap cars you want to keep them there.”
Decker only had to slow on three occasions during the finale, although when the third and final yellow flag flew on lap 43 it was the only time he held the lead. Tom Scheetz Jr. looped his no. 37x TNT Repairs/Bicknell mount to bring out the initial caution period just four laps in before Ryan Godown suffered a flat left-rear tire on lap 32 to incur the second slowdown. Veteran Jimmy Horton spun in the first turn to send the yellow lights flashing around the speedway for the final time only to allow the competition to see Decker for the final time before the checkered flag .
Fan favorite Kenny Brightbill started on the pole through luck of the draw between top heat race qualifiers yet could only hold back Howard until he pulled off a three-wide maneuver exiting turn two. Decker dropped back as far as ninth at the outset before methodically picking his way toward the front on the ultra-fast third-miler.
“Two reasons why we went to the top early were one, that we weren’t any good on the bottom. And two, just before that first caution we were racing with (Matt) Sheppard and he was really rolling up there on the outside and I even think the car on the outside of me was holding him up,’ recalled Decker, who copped his first ‘Traffic Jam’ trophy in 2003. “When the caution came out I got an outside restart and I said I better try this thing and lo and behold it was pretty good up there.”
Decker hovered around the front-five with the initial 10 laps scored, leaving Howard, Brightbill and Rick Laubach to contend for the first-place spot. Decker skirted into the top-three a quarter of the way through with Howard opening up a seemingly insurmountable 2.2-second lead when 30 laps had clicked off.
With the pack of mighty DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds once again jumbled, a four-wide restart highlighted the return to action following the second yellow flag on lap 33. Decker thrilled the capacity crowd three laps later when he charged from fourth to second out of turn two, disposing of both Laubach and Strunk, before blasting around Howard as the lead duo battled on lap 38.
With green lights remaining on throughout the second half of the race, Decker was untouchable although the race for runner-up laurels stayed heated for the duration. Strunk crossed the line low on lap 56 to take over second for good, with Laubach staving off every effort offered by Dale Planck and Hearn during the closing stages. The only change up front occurred with 15 laps to go when Hearn cracked the top-five once more and overtook Laubach for fourth to help settle the final score.
“All the guys we race with every day you can trust,” added Decker, attempting to describe some of his bold maneuvers made through heavy traffic during the final circuits. “I didn’t know where Jeff or Duane was, but you can’t leave anything on the table with these racers. You roll over a little bit and fall out of the seat and these guys will show you why you shouldn’t have.”
Instead, Decker was unflappable as the veteran chauffeur from Unadilla, New York maintained a 5.0-second margin of victory to score his 44th career victory in Advance Auto Parts Super Series competition.
“Decker was so far ahead our only hope to win was if he would’ve broke,” figured Strunk, 38, after parking the Glenn and Bonita Hynemann-owned no. 126 Gold Rush Custom Trailers-Touch of Green Landscaping/TEO entry outside Grandview’s checkered board square following his best career Advance Series finish. “They got good equipment, a good crew chief and a great team there.”
“We’ve got a great team also, I’m proud of all the guys. These (tour) guys are the best in the business and wherever they go they’re the ones to beat. I have to thank Glenn and Bonita and everybody that helped out, they did a great job for us tonight,” said six-time Grandview points champion Strunk, who had won the last two regular Saturday night shows at his hometrack coming in and was primed to defend against the Northeast’s top open-wheel invaders.
Contending in just his second Advance Series event of the season, Howard authored another impressive top-three finish in as many starts. Himself a three-time points king at Grandview, the Oley, Pennsylvania driver set fast time before settling for runner-up honors behind winner Matt Sheppard in the ’08 tour opener in May at Virginia Motor Speedway.
“It’s a shame, we really want one of these (series) races bad,” divulged Howard, 44, after time trialing second quickest behind only Decker, then crossing the line third Wednesday steering the BPG Racing no. 4 Penske Shocks-Mavericks Motorcycle Club-Alex’s Lemonade/TEO ride of Chad Sinon. “I had a really good car early and it really started getting tight on me, couldn’t roll the top at all. Just needed to plant that right front (tire) a little better.”
“But all in all it was really good racing with me and Jeff and Decker, its just fun racing out there. 100 laps is a long time and I knew I was a sitting duck being the leader, didn’t know which line … you never know when the high line is gonna change until you’re passed. You’re kind of a sitting duck there waiting for someone to go by you.”
“Again, it was a good race but we really want to win one of these big races pretty bad. Lapped cars were difficult because everybody was kinda hugging the bottom and I was so tight we couldn’t roll the top. And Jeff was fighting lap cars and we were fighting each other, too. It was a good battle all around the track every lap, the fans certainly got a show out of it,” Howard commented.
The second and final leg of the ‘Super Southern Swing’ is slated for Georgetown Speedway on Thursday, July 17. While just one week earlier Brockville Ontario Speedway staged the 600th event in the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series, Georgetown will mark the 45th different track to host a championship event since C.D. Coville claimed the first set of checkers at Fonda Speedway in 1980.
Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Race #10 – Grandview Speedway, July 16, 2008 ‘11th Annual Traffic Jam 100’ Big-Block Modified Event Summary
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 7 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY($6,000)
2 6 126 Jeff Strunk/Mohnton,PA
3 4 4 Duane Howard/Oley,PA
4 5 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
5 2 14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
6 14 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
7 11 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
8 17 1c Craig VonDohren/Oley,PA
9 1 19 Kenny Brightbill/Sinking Spring,PA
10 20 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
11 24 fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
12 12 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
13 9 14w Ryan Watt/Boyertown,PA
14 13 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
15 8 53 Mike Gular/Green Lane,PA
16 21 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
17 16 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
18 26 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY®
19 28 21k Kyle Weiss/Hamburg,PA
20 31 3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
21 27 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
22 25 79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ®
23 23 85 Jim Robertson/Levittown,PA
24 3 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
25 19 33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA
26 10 26 Ryan Godown/Ringoes,NJ
27 18 37x Tom Scheetz/Boyertown,PA
28 22 117 Kevin Hirthler/Boyertown,PA
29 30 41 Shawn Reimert/Oley,PA
30 29 43 Jim Horton IV/Neshanic Station,NJ
31 32 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
32 *15 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
*Started in rear after failing to fire at line;
+Started in rear in back-up car.
DID NOT QUALIFY(7)
00-Doug Manmiller/Wyomissing,PA
3m-Sam Martz/Whitehouse Station,NJ
3y-Ricky Yetter/Bethlehem,PA
11-Danny Creeden/Middletown,NY
23-Tom Carberry/Hopewell,NJ
44-Frank Cozze/Wind Gap,PA
357-Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NY
EVENT SUMMARY:
LAP LEADERS: Brightbill (1-4), Howard (5-37), Decker (38-100).
CAUTIONS: 3 (lap 4, lap 33, lap 43).
HEAT WINNERS: Decker, Hearn, Brightbill, Sheppard.
DIG SAFELY NEW YORK LAST CHANCE RACE WINNERS: D.Johnson, Hirthler.
BICKNELL RACING PRODUCTS WINNER AWARD: Billy Decker.
CRANE CAMS WINNER AWARD: Billy Decker.
RISLONE OIL STABILIZER & TREATMENT WINNER AWARD: Billy Decker.
BARS LEAKS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Jeff Strunk.
CRANE CAMS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Jeff Strunk.
SYRACUSE RITE AID 200 QUALIFIER: Jeff Strunk (P).
HALFWAY LEADER: Billy Decker.
FITZPATRICK, LENTZ & BUDDA, P.C. LAP 20 AWARD: Duane Howard.
BERT/KSE RACING PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Frankie Caprara.
HOLLEY HARD LUCK AWARD: Ryan Godown.
PENSKE POWER POSITION AWARD (28th): Kevin Hirthler.
INTEGRA SHOCKS FAST TIME AWARD: Billy Decker (14.349sec/83.630mph).
COMDIAL TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS FAST TIME AWARD: Billy Decker (14.349sec/83.630mph).
TOTAL PURSE: $27,875.
CARS ENTERED: 39.
NEXT EVENT: Georgetown Speedway “Super Southern 100” – July 17, 2008.
QUALIFYING
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
*1 14.349 83.630 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
*$100 Integra Shocks Fast Qualifier Award
*$200 Comdial Communications Award
2 14.618 82.091 4 Duane Howard/Oley,PA
3 14.681 81.738 14w Ryan Watt/Boyertown,PA
4 14.699 81.638 26 Ryan Godown/Ringoes,NJ
5 14.748 81.367 126 Jeff Strunk/Mohnton,PA
6 14.757 81.317 14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
7 14.758 81.312 44 Frank Cozze/Wind Gap,PA
8 14.763 81.284 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
9 14.786 81.158 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
14.786 81.158 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
11 14.800 81.081 19 Kenny Brightbill/Sinking Spring,PA
12 14.806 81.048 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
13 14.867 80.716 79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ®
14 14.873 80.683 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
15 14.896 80.559 5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
16 14.909 80.488 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
17 14.938 80.332 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
18 14.942 80.311 37x Tom Scheetz/Boyertown,PA
19 14.947 80.284 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
20 14.960 80.214 53 Mike Gular/Green Lane,PA
21 14.972 80.150 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
22 14.981 80.101 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
23 14.982 80.096 33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA
24 14.990 80.053 fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
25 14.991 80.048 43 Jim Horton IV/Neshanic Station,NJ
26 15.032 79.830 3m Sam Martz/Whitehouse Station,NJ
27 15.041 79.782 117 Kevin Hirthler/Boyertown,PA
28 15.045 79.761 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY®
29 15.083 79.560 3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
30 15.122 79.355 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
31 15.146 79.229 21k Kyle Weiss/Hamburg,PA
32 15.149 79.213 357 Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NY
33 15.166 79.124 1c Craig VonDohren/Oley,PA
34 15.180 79.051 85 Jim Robertson/Levittown,PA
35 15.197 78.963 41 Shawn Reimert/Oley,PA
36 15.201 78.942 00 Doug Manmiller/Wyomissing,PA
37 15.333 78.263 11 Danny Creeden/Middletown,NY
38 15.360 78.125 23 Tom Carberry/Hopewell,NJ
39 16.000 75.000 3y Ricky Yetter/Bethlehem,PA
*NEW TRACK RECORD.
Heat Races (10 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature, top 3 went to re-draw)
#1: Decker, Planck, Strunk, Tomkins, VonDohren, D.Johnson, Horton IV, Storms, Haers, Creeden.
#2: Hearn, Howard, Laubach, J.Phelps, Scheetz, Robertson, Dunn, Brownell, Carberry, Martz.
#3: Brightbill, Horton, Watt, A.Johnson, Swinehart, Hirthler, Weiss, Reimert, Cozze (DNS), Yetter (DNS).
#4: Sheppard, Godown, Gular, R.Phelps, Paine, Caprara, Wight, Manmiller, Pauch (DNS).
Dig Safely New York Last Chance Races (10 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: D.Johnson, Robertson, Storms, Dunn, Horton IV, Martz, Creeden, Brownell, Yetter (DNS).
#2: Hirthler, Caprara, Wight, Weiss, Reimert, Haers, Cozze, Manmiller, Carberry, Pauch (DNS).
Guaranteed: Haers.
Provisional: Brownell.
Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Point Standings (Through July 16, 2008)
Rank No. Driver Total SeriesDiff Money Wins Top-5 Top-10 Starts
1 91 Billy Decker 876 876 0 $36,900 5 8 10 10
2 20 Brett Hearn 760 760 -116 $19,800 1 7 9 10
3 77x Dale Planck 721 721 -155 $23,475 3 5 7 10
4 98h Jimmy Phelps 687 687 -189 $16,500 0 3 8 10
5 84 Gary Tomkins 659 659 -217 $10,700 0 3 9 10
6 9s Matt Sheppard 658 658 -218 $17,200 1 2 6 10
7 7x Steve Paine 627 627 -249 $11,575 0 4 5 10
8 27J Danny Johnson 594 594 -282 $12,325 0 3 4 10
9 FX1 Frankie Caprara 585 585 -291 $7,500 0 1 6 10
10 3 Justin Haers 580 580 -296 $6,950 0 1 6 10
11 14J Alan Johnson 576 576 -300 $7,950 0 1 4 10
12 99 Ryan Phelps 533 533 -343 $5,000 0 0 2 10
13 49 Billy Dunn 505 505 -371 $5,475 0 0 2 10
14 99L Larry Wight 427 427 -449 $4,000 0 0 1 10
15 6 Pat O’Brien 299 299 -577 $2,960 0 0 1 7
16 29 Jeff Brownell Jr.288 288 -588 $2,000 0 0 0 7
17 42B Kevin Bates 220 220 -656 $1,950 0 0 0 6
18 4 Duane Howard 198 198 -678 $8,500 0 2 2 2
19 21 Yan Bussiere 161 161 -715 $1,600 0 0 1 3
20 22 Mario Clair 152 152 -724 $1,000 0 0 0 3
21 79 Mike Storms 144 144 -732 $1,350 0 0 0 4
22 99b Chuck Bower 140 140 -736 $900 0 0 0 4
23 11j Sean Beardsley 139 139 -737 $900 0 0 0 4
24 14 Rick Laubach 135 135 -741 $2,700 0 1 1 2
25 16 Mike Bowman 135 135 -741 $900 0 0 0 4
26 357 Stewart Friesen 131 131 -745 $2,750 0 1 1 2
27 19 Tim Fuller 130 130 -746 $2,750 0 1 1 2
28 46 Kayle Robidoux 125 125 -751 $1,200 0 0 2 2
29 56 Vince Vitale 125 125 -751 $610 0 0 0 3
30 5 Jason Potter 125 125 -751 $900 0 0 0 4
31 48T Dave Rauscher 119 119 -757 $750 0 0 0 3
32 44 Shannon Whaley 100 100 -776 $450 0 0 0 3
33 62s Tom Sears Jr. 99 99 -777 $700 0 0 0 3
34 3 Claude Brouillard 98 98 -778 $650 0 0 0 2
35 126 Jeff Strunk 96 96 -780 $4,000 0 1 1 1
36 23 Dany Bilodeau 96 96 -780 $650 0 0 0 2
37 123 Robbie Krull 96 96 -780 $4,000 0 1 1 1
38 2 Michel Dusseault 90 90 -786 $600 0 0 0 2
39 85 Dan Vauter 89 89 -787 $600 0 0 0 2
40 1 David Hebert 88 88 -788 $600 0 0 0 2
41 8 Rob Bellinger 86 86 -790 $600 0 0 0 3
42 24L Carl Labonte 84 84 -792 $600 0 0 0 2
43 21 Derrick Podsiadlo 84 84 -792 $600 0 0 0 3
44 54 Steve Bernard 81 81 -795 $600 0 0 0 2
45 6G Martin Gagné 81 81 -795 $600 0 0 0 2
46 84L Eric Landry 80 80 -796 $600 0 0 0 2
47 66w Wallace Stacey 80 80 -796 $300 0 0 0 1
48 89b Todd Burley 80 80 -796 $1,700 0 1 1 1
49 1w Billy Pauch 76 76 -800 $1,400 0 0 1 1
50 28 Scott Kerwin 76 76 -800 $1,400 0 0 1 1
51 13 Tony Steiner 73 73 -803 $300 0 0 0 1
52 19 Kenny Brightbill 70 70 -806 $800 0 0 1 1
53 32c Vic Coffey 70 70 -806 $500 0 0 0 1
54 1c Craig VonDohren 68 68 -808 $1,000 0 0 1 1
55 88 Steve Hulsizer 65 65 -811 $450 0 0 0 2
56 20m Jeff McGinnis 65 65 -811 $800 0 0 1 1
57 17d Danny O’Brien 65 65 -811 $800 0 0 1 1
58 15x Billy Pauch Jr. 63 63 -813 $1,040 0 0 0 1
59 85 Wade Hendrickson 62 62 -814 $1,200 0 0 1 1
60 97 Michel Chicoine 60 60 -816 $300 0 0 0 1
61 63 Dominic Dufault 59 59 -817 $300 0 0 0 1
62 71 David VanHorn Jr. 59 59 -817 $1,020 0 0 0 1
63 26 Rick Richner 58 58 -818 $400 0 0 0 1
64 73 Alain Boisvert 58 58 -818 $400 0 0 0 1
65 14w Ryan Watt 57 57 -819 $350 0 0 0 1
66 95 Alex Boisvert 56 56 -820 $300 0 0 0 1
67 93 Rich Vinson 56 56 -820 $350 0 0 0 1
68 M96 Jessica Zemken 54 54 -822 $325 0 0 0 1
69 53 Mike Gular 53 53 -823 $300 0 0 0 1
70 5 Jimmy Horton 53 53 -823 $300 0 0 0 1
71 91h Chad Homan 53 53 -823 $300 0 0 0 1
72 44v Phil Vigneri 52 52 -824 $300 0 0 0 1
73 99 Mike Adderley 52 52 -824 $300 0 0 0 1
74 37X Tom Scheetz Jr. 50 50 -826 $300 0 0 0 1
75 9 Alex Fortier 50 50 -826 $300 0 0 0 1
76 93 Ryan Bartlett 50 50 -826 $300 0 0 0 1
77 111 Kevin Wills 50 50 -826 $300 0 0 0 1
78 90 Scott Parliament 48 48 -828 $300 0 0 0 1
79 20R Josh Richards 48 48 -828 $750 0 0 0 1
80 115 Stephane LaFrance 46 46 -830 $300 0 0 0 1
81 90 Martin Roy 46 46 -830 $300 0 0 0 1
82 21k Kyle Weiss 45 45 -831 $300 0 0 0 1
83 74 Frederic Gamache 45 45 -831 $300 0 0 0 1
84 85 David Langlois 45 45 -831 $300 0 0 0 1
85 19 John Lazore 44 44 -832 $300 0 0 0 1
86 41 Boyd MacTavish 44 44 -832 $300 0 0 0 1
87 26 Ryan Godown 43 43 -833 $300 0 0 0 1
88 43 Keith Flach 43 43 -833 $300 0 0 0 2
89 39w Steven Downs 42 42 -834 $750 0 0 0 1
90 X Chad Phelps 42 42 -834 $300 0 0 0 1
Advance Auto Parts DIRTcar Modified Entries – July 16 (39)
CAR# DRIVER / HOMETOWN TEAM (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)
00 Doug Manmiller/Wyomissing,PA Car Corner Auto Sales-Manmiller Electric/Bicknell/Doug Meyers
1c Craig VonDohren/Oley,PA Millville Glass Center-Felty Farms/TEO/Wide Open Technology
fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY F.X. Caprara Car Co.-Auto Value-JK Contracting/Troyer/Dan Bedell
3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY Phelps Cement Products-SMV Motorsports-Jeff Jolly Masonry/Bicknell/Finger Lakes
3m Sam Martz/Whitehouse Station,NJ Perone’s Auto Service & Salvage-Energy Options/Bicknell/JPM
3y Ricky Yetter/Bethlehem,PA Yetter Law Office-Judy’s Auto Repair-Jim’s Towing/TEO/Burnett
4 Duane Howard/Oley,PA BPG Racing-Penske Shocks-Mavericks Motorcycle Club-Alex’s Lemonade/TEO/Feil
5 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ Lincoln Auto Body-Schmidt Racing/Troyer/JPM
7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY Tallmadge Tire-Swarthout Recycling-Instant Heat Wood Pellets/Troyer/Finger Lakes
9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY Advanced Lubrication Specialties-BPG/Chad Sinon Motorsports/Bicknell/Finger Lakes
11 Danny Creeden/Middletown,NY R.G.H. Construction-Mid Hudson Construction Management/TEO/Dan Bedell
14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA Jerry Simons Builder-Alpha Mills-Reiley & Sterner Auto Sales/TEO/Enders
14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY Tri-State Roofing-Dirt Works-Cedar Ridge RV/TEO/Precision
14w Ryan Watt/Boyertown,PA BPG Racing-Penske Shocks-Mavericks Motorcycle Club-Alex’s Lemonade/TEO/Feil
19 Kenny Brightbill/Sinking Spring,PA BPG Racing-Heavy Business/TEO/HG Associates
20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ Madsen Motorsports-Wentworth Custom Homes-Kruger-WLR/TEO/Enders
21k Kyle Weiss/Hamburg,PA Race Foundation-Schaeffer’s Harley Davidson-Doug Keim Creative Cycle/Bicknell/Main
23 Tom Carberry/Hopewell,NJ Bucks County River Country-B&R Transmissions-PennFab/Bicknell/Ken Carberry
26 Ryan Godown/Ringoes,NJ Stanton Hills Landscaping/Bicknell/Feil
27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY JIR Motorsports-A&D Structures/Troyer/Morrison
29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY Advanced Lubrication Specialties-Seneca Auto Sales/Bicknell/Finger Lakes
33 Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA J & L Speed Supplies/Bicknell/Morrison
37x Tom Scheetz/Boyertown,PA TNT Repairs-Jeff D’Ambrosio Dodge/Bicknell/Doug Meyers
41 Shawn Reimert/Oley,PA Vince’s Automotive & Towing-Kochel Equipment Co./Bicknell/Squeak Racing Engines
43 Jim Horton IV/Neshanic Station,NJ Supreme Manufacturing-Metal Fab Pro Race Shop-Penske Shocks/TEO/Feil
44 Frank Cozze/Wind Gap,PA Waite’s General Contractors-Carquest-Bert Transmission/PMC/M2 Power
49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY Number One Speed-American Traditions-Fast Lube Watertown/Bicknell/Finger Lakes
53 Mike Gular/Green Lane,PA TH Properties-Castrol Oil-Spectrum Electrical/Bicknell/Dan Denny(DDE)
77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY RezX Racing-Grow It Hydroseeding-Action Race Parts-Teo Fab./TEO/Kevlar
79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ® Mike Sparta Trucking-Skyline Construction-Four Star Transmissions/TEO/Morrison
84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY Honeoye Auto Parts-Red Parker & Son Excavating/Bicknell/Mastin
85 Jim Robertson/Levittown,PA B&R Transmissions-X-Cel Landscaping/Bicknell/Bill Robertson(B&R)
91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY Gypsum Wholesalers-Stadium Int’l-Quality Hardwoods/Bicknell/Enders
98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY Mohawk N.E.-New England Race Fuels-Joe Gibbs Racing Oil/Troyer/Finger Lakes
99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY Big Red Towing-Dave Miller Auto Body/Bicknell/Enders
99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY® Gypsum Express,Ltd./Bicknell/Enders
117 Kevin Hirthler/Boyertown,PA Green Lane William Penn-4 Star Lettering/Bicknell/Doug Meyers
126 Jeff Strunk/Mohnton,PA Gold Rush Custom Trailers-Touch of Green Landscaping/TEO/Lombardo
357 Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NY Norm’s Save Station-Mari Al Auto Body/Bicknell/Doug Meyers
SKIDMARKS
‘A.J. Slideways & Sherlocks Reunite: The last time Alan Johnson steered the Sherlock Motorsports Big-Block entry was at Fulton Speedway back in early June. Until Wednesday night at Grandview Speedway, the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series opener at Virginia Motor Speedway was the only other time the Tri-State Roofing-Dirt Works-Cedar Ridge RV/Teo ride was adorned by the No. 14J. “We didn’t want to go to Canada with a car we didn’t feel was capable of winning, but with Alan you just really never know,” said Randy Sherlock, who co-owns the team with brother Roby Sherlock. “When our motor first blew we sent it back and got a raw deal with the re-build. Just plain got ripped off with the parts that were used. In America that guy would be in jail right now for what he did. We’re using a Precision motor now, the same one we had for Alan early in the year, and expecting a brand new one back in another week. We should be in good shape for Middletown when we’re planning to debut an experimental Teo car, something no one has ever seen before.” Motor issues again curtailed the efforts of both Sherlocks and Johnson as he completed just one lap in the feature to fall in dead-last at 32nd-place.
Cozze At Home In Keystone State: A member of the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series traveling team the previous two seasons, Wind Gap, Pennsylvanian Frank Cozze arrived at his first tour show of the season Wednesday at Grandview Speedway. “I miss the hell out of it,” said Cozze, referring to the premier tour for Big-Block Modifieds in the Northeast. He finished 12th in the overall 2006 Mr. DIRTcar Championship and improved one position to 11th last year. “I even miss all those tracks that I didn’t like. Just been too busy with work and needed to stay closer to home this year. I hate racing the same track every week, although New Egypt seems to change every Saturday which makes it a little more interesting.” Cozze was one of seven drivers not to make the starting grid for this year’s ‘Traffic Jam’ headliner, an event he won to help kick off the new millennium in August of 2000.
Phelps Looking Toward Future: Still in search of victory lane for the first time this season on tour, Jimmy Phelps scored a pair of runner-up tallies recently in Canada to remain comfortably in the top-5 of the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series points standings. “Grandview hasn’t been one of my favorite tracks but you have to get used to every track some day and hopefully tonight is finally our night,” said Phelps, as he prepared the H&H Motorsports 98H Mohawk N.E.-New England Race Fuels-Joe Gibbs Racing Oil/Troyer machine prior to warm-ups on Wednesday. “It’s a tough little bullring and most of the top local guys show up so that’s good to race against their best.” With the 2008 DIRTcar Racing NorthEast season just passing the halfway point, Phelps has already locked up a deal to travel across the world next year and compete in Australia during the month of February.
Brightbill Back On The Hill: 2008 was supposed to be a grand year for Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania veteran Kenny Brightbill. Instead, it was one of the most disheartening for the notorious ‘Shillington Slingshot’ as the Advance Series stop at Grandview marked just his first race of the season anywhere. “We actually got out last Saturday for some hot laps,” revealed Brightbill, 60, who turned in some hot laps last weekend to help dial in the legendary no. 19 Heavy Business/TEO car, on this rare occasion sponsored by Chad Sinon and BPG Racing, making Ryan Watt and Howard his teammates for a night. Brighbtill began his racing career in 1968, making this his 40th Anniversary tour in the world of short-track auto racing. “I had some friends and former sponsors talk to Chad about putting something together. I was originally going to be in another no. 4 car for a two-race deal that includes Georgetown tomorrow, but I’m back in my own now. We just brought the car out at Grandview to make sure it had brakes and that nothing was broken or falling apart. I guess were all fresh now.”
POT HOLES: Unlike last year when gray skies blanketed the Pennsylvania hills surrounding Grandview Speedway, fans and racers were greeted by temperatures hovering around 90-degrees for promoter Bob Miller’s fourth ‘Thunder On The Hill’ installment of 2008…..perfect track conditions allowed Billy Decker to set a new track record with 38 cars being clocked in just 13 minutes on the fast 1/3-miler….Immediately following the 100-lap main event, Justin Haers was notified that his fiancée’s grandfather had passed away, forcing the young pilot to make an earlier departure toward his home in Phelps, New York and miss out on the next day’s inaugural show at Georgetown Speedway…..Orange County Fair Speedway regular Danny Creeden made a rare visit to Grandview “just looking for a change” although he returned home to Middletown, New York with a disappointing DNQ in his maiden voyage to the Bechtelsville, Pa. oval…..Arguably the best collection of racers ever assembled for a ‘Traffic Jam’ special, 14 Advance Series drivers made the haul south to take on a powerful Pennsylvania possess headlined by local stars Jeff Strunk, Duane Howard, Rick Laubach, Craig VonDohren, Kenny Brightbill and Ryan Watt.
Get Out The Word First: RACEceiver is the Official Driver Communicator of DIRTcar Racing. A compact radio receiver that conveniently fits into a driver’s pocket, a RACEceiver allows each driver to hear directions from series officials, which greatly enhances the safety and timeliness of events. A similar version available to fans will allow RACEceiver users to hear what information series officials are relaying to the drivers. For more information about RACEceiver, visit www.raceceiver.com, call 866/301-7223, or look for their sales trailers at various events.
Tracks Know The Score: In the ongoing effort to assist every sanctioned track with presenting the best possible race programs, DIRT has teamed with AMB i.t. which continues to be recognized as the Official Timing System of DIRTcar racing. AMB i.t. is the world’s leader in automatic race timing and scoring systems and the DIRT organization is proud to retain the company as a valued partner in the timing and scoring of all DIRTcar Racing events.
UPCOMING EVENT
The mighty Big-Block Modified contingent heads further south for the first-ever Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series event scheduled at Georgetown Speedway on July 17. The return to the First State for the first time since 2004 brings the curtain down on the inaugural edition of the ‘Super Southern Swing’ encompassing back-to-back DIRTcar Modified events in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
2008 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Schedule
NP=Non-Point event.
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE TRACK WINNER/RITE AID 200 QUALIFIER
Wed-Feb 13 Volusia Speedway Park-NP Billy Pauch
Thr-Feb 14 Volusia Speedway Park-NP Brett Hearn
Fri-Feb 15 Volusia Speedway Park-NP Dale Planck
Sat-Feb 16 Volusia Speedway Park-NP Jimmy Horton
Sat-Mar 22 Hagerstown Speedway Weather-Cancelled
Thr-May 1 Virginia Motor Speedway Matt Sheppard(G)
Sun-May 4 Rolling Wheels Raceway Billy Decker(G)
Sun-May 4 Rolling Wheels Raceway Dale Planck(G)
Sun-May 25 Cayuga Co Fair Speedway D.Planck/Danny Johnson(P)
Sat-Jun 7 Fulton Speedway B.Decker/Brett Hearn(P)
Thr-Jul 3 Ransomville Speedway B.Decker/Robbie Krull(P)
Thr-Jul 10 Brockville Ont Speedway B.Decker/Jimmy Phelps(P)
Fri-Jul 11 Autodrome Granby Brett Hearn(G)
Sat-Jul 12 Autodrome Drummond D.Planck/Steve Paine(P)
Wed-Jul 16 Grandview Speedway B.Decker/Jeff Strunk(P)
Thr-Jul 17 Georgetown Speedway Georgetown,DE
Thr-Jul 31 Orange Co Fair Speedway Middletown,NY
Mon-Aug 4 Merrittville Speedway Thorold,ONT
Fri-Aug 8 Brewerton Speedway Brewerton,NY
Sat-Aug 9 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua,NY
Sat-Aug 16 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville,NY
Sun-Aug 17 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall,ONT
Sun-Aug 31 Cayuga Co Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY
Mon-Sep 1 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Sat-Sep 6 Lebanon Valley Speedway West Lebanon,NY
Fri-Sep 12 Lernerville Speedway Sarver,PA
Sat-Sep 20 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua,NY
Sat-Sep 27 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge,NY
Sun-Oct 12 New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse,NY
Sun-Oct 19 Orange Co Fair Speedway Middletown,NY
Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets As of April 19, 2008, the Company operated 3,291 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts and accessories can be found on the Company’s web site at http://www.advanceautoparts.com.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MODIFIED SERIES SPONSORS
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts and Hoosier Racing Tire. Rite Aid Corporation is a promotional partner and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks, Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Dig Safely New York, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks, Rislone Oil Stabilizer and Wrisco Industries.
