KIRKWOOD, NY - During his well-documented 13-win season at Five Mile Point Speedway in 2002, Mitch Gibbs rarely deviated from the outside groove.

On Saturday night, in his weekly return to the historic Kirkwood quarter-mile, the North Norwich, N.Y., driver utilized a distinctly different approach.

Low-lining for the entire 50-lap distance, Gibbs drove to victory in the Gary's U-Pull-It 56th Season Opener at FMP, driving his self-owned No. 2G small-block Modified.

In addition to a $1,500 top prize, Gibbs earned a starting berth in the Fabrications by Tauschman All-Star Cash Dash to be held on Sat., Oct. 7 during the First Annual Short Track SuperNationals at Afton (N.Y.) Speedway.

"I tried a different set-up tonight," said Gibbs, who drove a Bicknell with a well-worn Moshier engine. "I was tired of getting beat by the Ricci brothers (Rich Jr. and Mike won three of the last four special shows at FMP). I had to try and get better."

Gibbs started the extra-distance main ninth and methodically moved forward as newcomer Mike Doty and veteran Glenn Knapp diced for the lead. Knapp led laps 1-3 before Doty powered his No. 1K Teo-Pro car to the top spot up high.

By lap seven, Gibbs joined the lead fight, making it a three-car tussle.

"I was trying to figure out, 'Am I wearing tires or not?' because the different set-up makes the car feel loose on entry," Gibbs said of his early climb.

"I was hashing that around when I was racing with them. I really thought my tires were shot - usually I am a pretty good judge of that - but they look great."

Using the outside lane on a ninth-lap restart, Knapp, driving his Dickinson Automotive-powered Troyer "drop-rail maxi-flex" No. 26, regained the top spot.

A caution flew on lap 11 for a multi-car jingle in turn four. On the ensuing restart, Chris Ostrowsky's No. 29 got turned on the homestretch, where he was hit hard by Jack Amundsen and Bobby Puckett.

Amundsen's car landed upside-down at the entrance to turn one. No one was injured in the incident.

When racing resumed, Gibbs continued to work the inner hub, sliding by Doty on the 16th circuit exiting turn four.

On lap 18, he drew even with Knapp through turns one and two, but Knapp's outside momentum carried him back to the lead at the stripe.

After two circuits of wheel-to-wheel action, Gibbs emerged with the lead for good on the 21st go-round.

"I needed to find more drive off (the corners) and I found it," Gibbs said. "It's there.

"They were both running good, (Knapp and Doty). But we've got this car hooked now. Once I got out front, I was just 'idling' really."

Once in front, Gibbs walked away from Knapp and Doty, who traded the runner-up spot. Doty worked by Knapp on lap 29. Two laps later, Knapp regained the position.

Unfortunately, Doty's fine run came to a halt on lap 45, when he dropped off the pace in turn two, necessitating the caution.

Gibbs marched on to the victory in the final five circuits, one night after winning at Penn-Can (Pa.) Speedway, where he is driving for Brad Grammes.

Knapp, 46, of Johnson City, N.Y., continued his extra-distance prowess. The well-liked driver has finished in the top five on four occasions in the last five events longer than 30-laps, including a win last September on Season Championship Night.

Knapp, known for running the inside, said a loose racecar prompted him to stay high.

"I couldn't get down on the bottom where he (Gibbs) was running, because I was loose," Knapp reported. "I was better when I stayed on the top - and it's nice to have a track like that where you can move around.

"Once I saw him (Gibbs), I said 'I know I can run with him,' but he's fast here.

"Finishing second to Mitch, what can you do? The way he goes here, I'm happy."

Steady veteran J.R. Crouse of Nazareth, Pa., placed third in his No. 8JR Morrison-powered TRC chassis. Crouse started fourth.

"I thought I was going to catch Knapp before the yellow came out (on lap 45)," said Crouse, 46. "I was biding my time, pretty much the whole race.

"I thought the tires would go away, but they didn't. The car stayed the same the whole race."

Rich Keehle Jr. of Windsor, N.Y., drove from 10th to finish fourth, the final car on the lead lap. Afton Speedway regular Mike McCollum of Hawley, Pa., placed fifth in a rare FMP appearance.

Modified heat winners were Chris Ostrowsky, Crouse and Gibbs. 24 cars signed into the pit area.

An ugly start to the 20-lap Sportsman feature led track officials to black flag the entire field on the fifth lap. The main, originally the first feature of the night, was then moved to dead last, running the final 15 laps after the Modified headliner was completed.

The time-out worked to the advantage of Brad Grim, who scored the victory.

Grim, of Coplay, Pa., drove his Dave George-powered Dirt Wheels No. 611 to the lead just three circuits after the event resumed, ducking low on Butch Klinger.

Second-generation driver Jesse Kline took second on lap 14 but couldn't challenge Grim, who cruised to the $500 victory.

"I was glad we had that break," said Grim, 27. "I don't know if we could have gotten around the 9 (Klinger) earlier."

Kline, a door-less Shaun Walker, Klinger and 18th-starter Eric Palmer rounded out the top five.

By less than a car-length, Scott Bennett etched his name in the record books as the first feature winner under the full IMCA sanction.

Bennett, of Waverly, N.Y., ran third in the 20-lap IMCA-Modified feature when leader Tommy Eiklor spun entering turn one, collecting second-running Gary Dence moments after starter Raymond Kennerup displayed the white flag.

Bennett assumed the lead, but he wasn't free and clear. He had to face a stout Mike Stolarcyk III in a one-lap dash to the finish.

Stolarcyk motored his No. III to the outside of Bennett on the restart, pulling even with down the backstretch. Bennett slid up the track exiting turn four and beat Stolarcyk by approximately four feet to score the win.

Mike Stoddard, Larry Robbins and Joe Cole completed the top five.

Paul Strohl earned his first career Five Mile Point win in dramatic fashion. The Montrose, Pa., driver nursed a deflating left-rear tire home in the waning circuits of the 20-lap Street Stock main and had to be towed to Victory Lane.

Strohl took the lead on lap 11 when Jerry Tonti became entangled with the lapped car of John Williams on the frontstretch. Strohl zipped to the outside, took command and was never headed.

Carl Heater inherited second on the final lap when Dave Luff and Tonti got together entering turn three.

Darren Stout was third, ahead of Tonti and Joe Krisovich.

Binghamton, N.Y.'s Charlie Gilbert said point blank: "I had too good of a car not to win tonight." That's why he was so determined to get to the front in a wild 20-lap Pure Stock feature.

Gilbert, who started seventh in his familiar red and white No. 28, took the lead on the 14th lap with a daring four-wide move on the homestretch, as Jeremy Shaw (who had led from lap three), Frank Chapman, Gilbert and the lapped car of Bobby Melovitz used all of the recently-widened racing surface.

Gilbert emerged from the tussle out front and raced to the win over Shaw, defending champion Mahlon Shoemaker, Matt Spencer and Scott Edwards.

Racing continues on Sat., May 13 at Five Mile Point Speedway with a full program of Modifieds, Sportsman, IMCA-Modifieds, Street Stocks and Pure Stocks. Race time is 6 p.m. For Little League Night, all players in uniform will be admitted free and recognized.

For more information, contact the track office at: (607) 775-5555 or visit the website: www.fivemilepointspeedway.net.

COUNTER POINTS: To say the new lights, put in following the Sun., April 9 Southern Tier Open, made a big difference is an understatement.

When night fell in the Southern Tier, the Kirkwood track was illuminated, drawing praise from competitors and fans....

Other improvements included all electrical wiring being run underground, an expanded turns three and four (by 20 feet), a new Victory Lane on top of the frontstretch wall. New fencing was put into place.

The area outside turns three and four was cleared and filled, while all the walls and yuke tires sported a fresh coat of paint. The material on top of the frontstretch wall was shaved down for better fan viewing....

The surface was in prime condition, providing three- and four-wide racing....

Car counts stood at 24 Modifieds, 21 Sportsman, 13 IMCA-Modifieds, 15 Street Stocks and 16 Pure Stocks....

When asked whether Gibbs would use his guaranteed starting position in the Short Track SuperNationals All-Star Cash Dash, he answered without hesitation.

"Absolutely," he said, "I'll be there!"....

Tire wear was a non-issue. Gibbs said he would use the same set of tires next week; third-place Crouse started the 50-lapper on a used set....

Bobby Puckett utilized a borrowed powerplant from Tom Oleski after his engine let go during the Sat., April 29 practice....

Broken rear-end gears forced IMCA-Mod winner Scott Bennett to be towed from Victory Lane....

GARY'S U-PULL-IT 56TH SEASON OPENER RACE SUMMARY

MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH:
MITCH GIBBS, Glenn Knapp, J.R. Crouse, Rich Keehle Jr., Mike McCollum, Darin Schuler, Joel Batzel, Dan Hineline, Brian Malcolm, Tom Oleski, Gordie Isham, Mike Doty, Barry White, Dana Wagner, Doug Stepanchek, Dave Rumsey, Chris Ostrowsky, Jack Amundsen, Bobby Puckett, George Hildebrant, James Cornell, Robbie Konikowski, Doug Hendricks, Gary Griffin.

SPORTSMAN MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH:
BRAD GRIM, Jesse Kline, Shaun Walker, Butch Klinger, Eric Palmer, Brian Puckett, Mike Mammana, Jamie Cortazar, Eric Stephens, Justin Holland, Harry Landis Jr., Chris Wood, Willard Knecht, Rich Wallace, Tim Gutekunst, Bill Lowden Jr., Rick Raisner, Jim Kleedorfer, Jason Hamilton, Jeremy Holt, Jay Horton.

IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH:
SCOTT BENNETT, Mike Stolarcyk III, Mike Stoddard, Larry Robbins, Joe Cole, K.C. Cole, Carl Bittenbender, Ray Menard, Gary Dence, Tommy Eiklor, Walt McClenon, Steve Hartford, Bob Chapman.

STREET STOCK FEATURE FINISH:
PAUL STROHL, Carl Heater, Darren Stout, Jerry Tonti, Joe Krisovich, Keith Villano, Dave Luff, Mike Mills, Jim Hughes, Les Gillette, Randy Tyler, John Williams, Harry Cook Jr., Tom Herman, Doug Polhamus.

PURE STOCK FEATURE FINISH:
CHARLIE GILBERT, Jeremy Shaw, Mahlon Shoemaker, Matt Spencer, Scott Edwards, Steve Polhamus, Randy Richards, Jonathan Carpenter, Bobby Melovitz, Joe Rafferty Jr., Frank Chapman, Duane Codington, Nate Shay, Jamie Batzel, Mike Codington, Bob Glover Jr.