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Phelps Conquers Mohawk

091711_SDS_MohawkPhelps

Phelps Charges to Victory at Mohawk, First Series Win of the Season

Heating up just in time for another shot at Super DIRT Week Glory

AKWESASNE, N.Y. – Sept. 17, 2011 – Jimmy Phelps finally broke through with his first Big-Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series win of the season on a last lap pass of Brett Hearn at Mohawk International Raceway. (Rick Young Photo)

The second night of 222’s/Tomohawk Tobacco Weekend at Mohawk International Raceway saw the Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Pro Stock Series fill the pit area.

 

In the Big-Block Modified ranks it was Billy Decker who led 30-car starting field to the green with Clayton Benedict to his outside. Decker jumped out to an early lead as he looked for the Mohawk weekend sweep after capturing the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series win on Friday night.

 

Hearn showed he’d be a force to be reckoned with early in the 100-lapper as he made quick work of Benedict to move into the runner up spot. Hearn then quickly closed on Decker for the top spot as the leaders negotiated lapped traffic.

The leaders would get a break from traffic when the caution flew for a slowing Justin Haers on lap 20. Under the caution, in an attempt to capture the success found by Decker on the previous night, 10 cars pitted for new right rear tires. Pit stops would prove to be a recurring theme throughout the night, as multiple drivers would come in for fresh rubber during seemingly every caution flag period.

Carey Terrance and Danny Johnson were two drivers who made vast improvements after making a tire changes. Terrance used the extreme outside for much of the night while Johnson would run wherever possible to complete passes on other drivers.

As Terrance and Johnson were charging from the back, Hearn was challenging Decker for the lead. Hearn completed the pass as he went to the outside around Decker for the race lead on lap 36 and immediately established himself as the car to beat as he jumped out to a big lead.

Despite a bevy of caution flags, Hearn was able to build up a lead of more than a straightaway in the Madsen Motorsports #20 as Jimmy Phelps moved past Decker for second on lap 87.

As the race wore on, so did Hearn’s right rear tire as it began to shake violently. Hearn attempted to nurse the car to the finish when Phelps began quickly catching him for the lead.

On the final lap, Phelps kept his car glued to the bottom off of turn 2 as Hearn’s ailing car slid up the racetrack, allowing Phelps to complete the pass and go on to pick up his first Big-Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series win of the season. Hearn would hold on for second, with Decker finishing third over hard-chargers Terrance and Danny Johnson rounding out the top-5.

Terrance picked up an extra $500 as he was the highest finishing DIRTcar 358-Modified.

The DIRTcar Pro Stock Series saw Corey Wheeler and Joey Ladouceur virtually tied for the Series points lead heading into the event. Wheeler jumped into the race lead on lap 10 as Ladouceur was making his way through the field after a lap-4 pit stop.

Rob Yetman, who was running second, slowed late in the race as his night came to an end, leaving Corey Wheeler to go unchallenged and pick up his first career DIRTcar Pro Stock Series victory. Ghislain Valade, Stephane Lebrun, Dion Oakes and Ladouceur rounded out the top-5.

Next up for the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Series and DIRTcar Pro Stock Series is Super DIRT Week XL Oct. 5-9 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit SuperDIRTWeekOnline.com.

Follow Super DIRT Week on Twitter @SuperDIRTWeek.

Super DIRTCar Series (100 laps) – 1. JIMMY PHELPS, 2. Brett Hearn, 3. Billy Decker, 4. Carey Terrance, 5. Danny Johnson, 6. Pat O’Brien, 7. Billy Dunn, 8. Pat Ward, 9. Matt Sheppard, 10. Tim O’Brien, 11. Tom Sears Jr., 13. Justin Haers, 14. Roy Tarbell, 15. Tim Currier, 16. Steve Bernard, 17. Clayton Benedict, 18. Mario Clair, 19. Luke Whittaker, 20. Pete Britten, 21. Rich Scagliotta, 22. Michel Chicoine, 23. Pierre Dagenais, 24. David Hebert, 25. Jeff Sykes, 26. Larry Wight, 27. Mike Adderley, 28. Laurent Ladouceur, 29. Rob Bellinger, 30. Ryan Phelps, 31. Dale Planck.

Mr. DIRTCar Pro Stock Series (35 laps) – 1. COREY WHEELER, 2. Ghislain Valade, 3. Stephane Lebrun, 4. Dion Oakes, 5. Joey Ladouceur, 6. David Papineau, 7. Dave Bissonette, 8. Louie Jackson, 9. Jocelyn Roy, 10. Eugene Tarbell, 11. Roch Aubin, 12. Mike White, 13. Ryan Stabler, 14. PJ Peters, 15. Jody Swamp, 16. Ricky Thompson, 17. Mark Lalonde, 18. Rob Yetman.

2011 Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified Schedule

DAY-DATE-WINNER

Sun-May – 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway – Tim Fuller

Tues-Jun 14 – Canandaigua Motorsports Park – Billy Decker

Tues-Jun 21 – Orange County Fair Speedway – Billy Decker

Sun-Jul 3 – Cornwall Motor Speedway – Danny Johnson

Mon-Jul 4 – Rolling Wheels Raceway – Matt Sheppard

Mon-Jul 18 – Autodrome Drummond – Brett Hearn

Tues-Jul 19 – Autodrome Granby – Matt Sheppard

Mon-Aug 1 – Merrittville Speedway – Matt Sheppard

Thurs-Aug 25 – Lebanon Valley Speedway – JR Heffner

Sun-Sept 4 – CMP Presents Weedsport Speedway – RAIN

Sat-Sept 10 – Autodrome Drummond – Matt Sheppard

Sat-Sept 17 – Mohawk International Speedway – Jimmy Phelps

Sun-Oct 9 – New York State Fairgrounds

Sun-Oct 16 – Brockville Ontario Speedway

Sun-Oct 23 Orange County Fair Speedway

Fri-Nov 4 – Dirt Track at Charlotte

Sat-Nov 5 – Dirt Track at Charlotte

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