BREWERTON, NY - After last week’s heavy rains that cancelled racing, Friday night race fans and race teams were treated to a picture perfect night for racing at the Brewerton Speedway. Ryan Phelps using the top of the speedway on a lap 9 restart went from 4th to the lead in one lap when he got by Tony Steiner exiting turn four to be scored the race leader on lap ten. Once out front Phelps survived a late yellow and challenge from Chuck Bower to win the 35 lap DIRTcar Big Block Modified feature. For the Newark, NY driver it was his second ever Big Block Modified win at the D-Shaped Dirt Demon.
Other winners on Waterfront/Calypso Cay Restaurants Military Appreciation Night were, Dale Caswell Empire State IMCA Modified Series, Gordy Button NAPA Late Models, Jeff Isabell Beaver River Distribution ESDCA Mod Lites and Stephen Denton Four-Cylinder Super Stocks.
Tony Steiner and Matt Fink brought down the Big Block Modified field down to Dave Farney’s green flag with Steiner grabbing the early advantage in the 35 lap feature.
With 5 laps on the SUNY Canton scoring tower Steiner opened up a few car length advantage out front. Behind the leader, Fink, Johnny Hill, Chuck Bower and Larry Wight ran in a tight pack fighting for top-five spots using every inch of the speedway.
On lap 9, sixth place running Mike Bowman would bring out the yellow. Bowman on the back straight sheared off his right front ending his night.
When the green came back out, Ryan Phelps went to the top groove going from fourth to the lead to be shown the new leader on lap ten.
With 15 laps in the books, Phelps opened a half a straightaway lead on the field, while Wight ran alone in second. Behind the top-two, Bower, Matt Sheppard and Jimmy Phelps battled for third through fifth.
On lap 20 Phelps still showed the way but now he had company as Wight cut his lead down to less than a car length. Bower, Sheppard and Phelps were still in the contention for the win as they kept the leaders within sight.
Bower was able to get by Wight on lap 23 as he was now the fastest car on the track as he started to close in on Phelps.
A quick yellow on lap 28 for a slowing Tony Steiner would setup a 7 lap shootout to the finish. When the green came back out Bower mounted a challenge for a couple laps but as the final laps clicked off Phelps got stronger pulling away for the win. Chuck Bower, Matt Sheppard, Larry Wight and Jimmy Phelps rounded out the top-five. Michael Storms, Billy Decker, Pat Ward and Alan Johnson in the Thompson Motorsports No.1 completed the top-ten.
“We had a real good year last year; this year has been frustrating as heck. Last night we had a real rough night at Utica (Utica-Rome Speedway) we have been trying to focus on our weekend deal. Early in the year we were really out to lunch. We were really medium, 5th,5th,4th, tonight we were really good,” a happy but relieved Phelps said after parking his Big Red Towing No.99 in victory lane for the first time in the 2010 season.
“I felt like I was losing a little bit there at the end running the top. After the yellow (lap 28) the crew told me to go to definitely go to the bottom, it seemed to be the key running those last few laps. We were really good at the drop of the green we just kept out there riding and riding on the top, I was worried that maybe my tires were going to give up a little and then the yellow came out, then going to the bottom seemed to be the ticket. We will see if we can come back to Fulton tomorrow night, we seemed to have the combination tonight.”
Thirty cars signed in the pits for Empire State IMCA Modified Series. Dale Caswell took the lead on a lap 2 restart from Jerry Lobdell. Once out front Caswell survived caution periods and lapped traffic to pick up the 25 lap series win. For Caswell it was his 39th overall Brewerton Speedway win. Jerry Lobdell, Kevan Cook, Matt Roberts and Chris Fleming rounded out the top-five.
Jeff Isabell Sr has driven different classes of cars over the years at the Brewerton Speedway with his last Beaver River Distribution ESDCA Mod Lite win in coming August of the 2002 season. This year Isabell found himself driving for John Behron posting a lot of top finishes in the division without a win. Friday night all that changed as Isabell grabbed the 20 lap Mod Lite win. Isabell took the lead on lap 4 from Terry Lapham and then held off late race challenges from Clayton Brewer III to be the first under the Checkers. Clayton Brewer III, Joe Garafolo, Matt Magner and Andrew Schartner chased the winner across the line.
Gordy Button seemed to be heading to the easy win in the 15 lap NAPA Late Model feature. Over the final 5 laps Button had to hold off a pack of cars that put the winner in doubt right down to the checkers. Button held his line to pick up the win. AJ Kingsley, Tim Sears Jr., Dale Caswell and Dave Talbot rounded out the top-five.
Stephen Denton put another win in the record books in the 15 lap green to checker Four Cylinder Super Stocks. Denton took the lead on lap 2, from there he drove away from the field winning by a half track. Keith Shay, Chuck Powelczyk, Jessica Herbert and Wendall Washington completed the top-five.
This coming Friday August 6th Beam Mack Presents, DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, IMCA Modifieds, NAPA Late Models, Beaver River Distribution ESDCA Mod Lites, Four-Cylinder Super Stocks and a special appearance by the Midstate Vintage Stock Car Club. Adult grandstand admission is $12 with everyone 18 years old and younger admitted free into the grandstand. Gates open at 5:30p.m with racing at 7:30p.m. For more information please go on line to www.brewertonspeedway.com or call the track office at 315-668-6906 or the race line at 668-RACE.
Fans and competitors alike should take note of some schedule updates. Syracuse.com Family Autograph Night has been rescheduled for Friday, August 13. The return of the World of Outlaws Late Models 2nd Annual Dirt Demon 50 presented by NAPA will take place on Tuesday, August 24.
(DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds 35 Laps) – RYAN PHELPS, Chuck Bower, Matt Sheppard, Larry Wight, Jimmy Phelps, Michael Storms, Billy Decker, Pat Ward, Willy Decker,Alan Johnson, Jason Rood, Jim Witko Jr., Johnny Hill, Tony Steiner, Roy Bresnahan, Chad Phelps, Mike Mahaney, Matt Fink, Mike Bowman, Chris Hile.
(Empire State IMCA Modified Series 25 Laps) – DALE CASWELL, Jerry Lobdell, Kevan Cook, Matt Roberts, Chris Fleming, Mike Wilbur, Lyle Smith, Rob Keller, Josh Van Tassell, Brandon Carvey, Howard Johnson, Gary Roberts, Brad Weaver, Tyler Stoddard, Patty Simpson, Tommy Paige, Jim Walsh, Pete Neff, Jason Amidon, Jeff Cardinale, Mike Smith, Rich Keller, Jeremy Lacoe, Ryan Scotts, DNQ – Mike Stoddard, Wayne Wideman, Fred Gibson, Jeff Amidon, Mike Jones, Stephen Colt.
(Beaver River Distribution ESDCA Mod Lites 20 Laps) – JEFF ISABELL SR., Clayton Brewer III, Joe Garafolo, Matt Magner, Andrew Schartner, Mike Mullen, Tim Devendorf, Gary Jeffries, Doug Williams, Rocco Leone, Lowell Zehr, Tom Walsh, Nick Graziano, Jim Tuttle, Sam Usborne, Jeff Blackburn, Jeff Herbert, Rick Rogala, Lisa Thomas, Rich Townstead, Lorrie Herbert, Bruce Ackley, Sterling Miller, Rick Demo, Frank Sobotka, Terry Lapham.
(NAPA Late Models 15 Laps) – GORDY BUTTON, AJ Kingsley, Tim Sears Jr., Dale Caswell, Dave Talbot, Jim Southard.
(Four-Cylinder Super Stocks 15 Laps) – STEPHEN DENTON, Keith Shay, Chuck Powelczyk, Jessica Herbert, Wendall Washington, Jacob Palmiter, Jerry Herbert, Lorraine Powelczyk, Sam Carista, Sam Curcie, Richard Leahey, Colby Herzog, Mike Ryan, Matt Bullen, DNS – Kevin Hendrix.