ERIC PALMER WINS MODIFIED FEATURE EVENT ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RE:  Saturday, May 30th results

Contact Information: fivemilepoint1@aol.com (775-5555)

 

 

ERIC PALMER BECOMES FOURTH DIFFERENT MODIFIED WINNER IN FOUR WEEKS AT FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY.

 

Kirkwood, NY…Eric Palmer recorded the Modified victory on Saturday night at Five Mile Point Speedway and in the process became the fourth different winner in as many races in the division.  The theme was the same in the Sportsman class as Brian Puckett became the sixth different winner in six weeks with his feature victory.

 

Dan Morden and Tim Votra led the Modified field down for the start of the 30 lap feature event.  Morden took advantage and set the pace during the early go.  On lap 4 Palmer had advanced from his seventh starting spot to second.  It would only take Palmer one lap to work his way to the point.  The race would remain green until lap 14 as a tremendous battle shaped up for spots second through sixth between James Cornell, Tom McGurrin, Jim Gabriel, Jr. and Kevin Bates. 

 

The lap 14 caution would reset the field and this found Gabriel now lined up next to Palmer for the restart.  Palmer quickly pulled away on the restart and opened up a commanding lead as Gabriel, Cornell, Bates and McGurrin put on a great race for those spots.  The remainder of the race would go without a caution as Palmer began to engage in lapped traffic.  Both Gabriel and now Bates took advantage as the large lead began to evaporate.  On the final lap Gabriel closed in on Palmer but was not able to make a serious challenge.  At the finish it would be Palmer ahead of Gabriel by three car lengths.  Bates came across the line in third with Cornell and McGurrin completing the top five.  Positions six through ten were filled by Brian Weaver, Brent Wilcox, Mike Ricci, Jackie Brown, Jr. and Nick Rochinski.

 

Brian Puckett led wire to wire in the 20 lap Sportsman feature event.  Although he led the distance the win did not come easy.  May 9th feature winner Justin Holland made a last race charge from the outside of the speedway and came up just six inches short at the finish.  The final 11 laps of the event were without a caution which made the task for Holland difficult after starting in tenth.  Mike Nagel, Jr., last weeks winner Dwayne Robbins and Brad Grim completed the top five.

 

Darl Ellis, Jr. took the lead on lap 19 of the 20 lap Pure Stock feature after race leader Jim Sykes slowed with mechanical woes.  Charlie Gilbert made a last lap charge on Ellis but Ellis hung on by less than a car length at the finish.  In six races in 2009 only Gilbert has repeat victories. Harold Humphrey, Shane Wolf, Jr. and Jason Benjamin completed the top five.

 

Cliff Pierce took the lead from defending Track Champion Gary Roberts on lap 5 and led the remainder of the way in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature event.  It was the first victory of the season for Pierce.  Mike Wilmot, Tyler Stoddard and Mike Smith made up the top five finishers.

 

Other feature winners:

Figure 8 Feature Winner:  Robert Warner

Kiddie Cat Feature Winner:  Bryan Batzel

Held over Lightning Cat Winner Expert:  Ken Underwood

Held over Lightning Cat Winner Novice:  Tyler Harpell

Lightning Cat Regular Scheduled Feature Winner Expert:  Cody Decker

Lightning Cat Regular Scheduled Feature Winner Novice:  Dave Bainbridge

 

MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 30 LAPS:  ERIC PALMER, Jim Gabriel Jr., Kevin Bates, James Cornell, Tom McGurrin, Brian Weaver, Brent Wilcox, Mike Ricci, Jackie Brown Jr., Nick Rochinski, Frank Yankowski, Shaun Walker, Mike McCallum, Vinny Decicco, J.R. Hurlburt, Chris Ostrowsky, Joe Krisovich, Mike Colsten, Tim Votra, Stewart Friesen, Dan Morden, Gary Griffin, Randy Brokaw, Joel Batzel.

 

DNQ – Brian Puckett, Tom Oleski, Greg Tatich, Carl Nagel, Eric Stephens Jr., Ken Titus, Eric Kocher, Matt Latwinski, Barry White, Brett Barrett, Darin Schuler, George Kostolansky, Glenn Knapp, Brian Malcolm.

 

IMCA MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 20 LAPS: CLIFF PIERCE, Gary Roberts, Mike Wilmot, Tyler Stoddard, Mike Smith, Mike Stoddard, Joe Cole, Jeremy Shaw, Mike Pratschler, Matt Cole, Rich NcNeal, Jason Makosky, Russ Jennings, Gary Dence, Patti Simpson, Steve Simpson.

 

PURE STOCK OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 20 LAPS:  DARL ELLIS JR., Charlie Gilbert, Harold Humphrey, Shane Wolf Jr., Jason Benjamin, Tyler yeagle, Steve Polhamus, Billy Kinner, Jim Sykes, Dave Cronk, Todd Sutliff, Dave Conklin, Eric Beach, Dwayne Jackson, Dave Mutz, Kurt Decker, Jon Carpenter, Chad Ely, Rob Snow, Doug Stack, Nate Stark, Mike Codington.  DNS – Herby Penny.   

 

SPORTSMAN OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 20 LAPS:  BRIAN PUCKETT, Justin Holland, Mike Nagel Jr., Dwayne Robbins, Brad Grim, Brian Decker, Charlie Hendrickson Jr., Joe Colsten, Paul Strohl, Jerry Craig, Mike Austin, A.J. Williams, Josh Ainey, Billy Spoonhower, Chris Wood, Harry Cook Jr., Jamie Batzel, Jerry Tonti, Greg McCloskey, Mike Doughty. 

 

LIGHTNING CAT EXPERT DIVISION OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 12 LAPS:  CODY DECKER, Dave Simms, Gary Kinne, Kenny Underwood, Dave Smith, Frank Kennedy, Beezer Wilkie, Dan Wood, Travis Hayes, Todd Stanton, Chris Taylor, Justin Slezek, Andy Colwell.

 

LIGHTNING CAT NOVICE DIVISION OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 10 LAPS:  DAVE BAINBRIDGE, Tyler Harpell, Barry Wallace, Bill Titus, Scott Heeman, Eric Sigler, Todd Titus, Scott McDonald, Matt Dunham, Mark Clark, Brian Titus, Sean Colwell, Mark Giradano, Duane Kinne, Matt Clark, Kyle Ross.  DNS – Jason Colwell.

 

KIDDIE CAT OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 10 LAPS:  BRYAN BATZEL, Doug Stack Jr., Tanner Harpell, Tucker Harpell, Mike Robinson.

 

HELD OVER LIGHTNING CAT EXPERT DIVISION OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 12 LAPS:  KEN UNDERWOOD, Cody Decker, Gary Kinne, Dan Wood, Travis Hayes, Justin Slezak, Frank Kennedy, Dave Simms.

 

HELD OVER LIGHTNING CAT NOVICE DIVISION OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH 10 LAPS:  TYLER HARPELL, Dave Bainbridge, Bill Titus, Kyle Ross, Eric Sigler, Todd Titus, Mark Giradano, Brian Titus, Matt Clark, Jason Colwell, Duane Kinne.

 

FIGURE 8 OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH:  ROBERT WARNER, Mark Cardew, Joe Warner, Mark Andrus.