Race Results: May 27th, 2006

KIRKWOOD, NY - If the first one is any indication, James Cornell won't have to wait long for his next trip to Victory Lane.

The former Street Stock standout from Harpursville, N.Y., scored Modified victory number one Saturday night at Five Mile Point Speedway in a caution-free 30-lap feature.

The third-year open-wheel regular picked up $1,000 after executing a dramatic late-race pass of Doug Hendricks.

"My confidence is up," admitted Cornell. "We've got a good car now; last year, my confidence was down a little bit."

Starting third, Cornell watched as outside polesitter Doug Hendricks set a torrid early pace aboard Buddy Biever's No. 114. As Hendricks put distance on the field, Cornell worked by Gary Griffin for second on the 10th lap in turn four.

Hendricks had a full straightaway lead in his Wide Open Technologies big-block-powered Bicknell by that point.

"In the beginning, I told myself I knew he (Hendricks) would run the bottom," Cornell reflected. "My car was getting better as the race went on."

Searching for his first-career Modified victory, Orwigsburg, Pa.'s Hendricks, a former Sportsman and Roadrunner standout, encountered lapped traffic midway through the event.

Simultaneously, the handing on his car went away, allowing Cornell to close rapidly aboard his Dickinson Automotive-powered No. J3 Bicknell.

With five laps remaining, Cornell pulled up to Hendricks's back bumper.

"I could see I was reeling him in," Cornell said. "I saw he wasn't getting off the top like he was.

"With the lapped cars running in the middle, it worked out for me. They couldn't hold their cars next to the yuke tire; I could keep my car down there."

Cornell's low-line prowess propelled him to the front. Exiting turn four on the 27th lap, the 22-year-old darted to the recently-expanded inside groove.

As Hendricks slid up the track, Cornell took the top spot with two laps remaining.

As Hendricks slid up the track, Cornell took the top spot with two laps remaining. Cornell then motored on to the breakthrough triumph. "Right now, we're set," he bottom-lined.

Hendricks, 28, recorded a career-high runner-up effort."This is the best night we've had so far," Hendricks, a Friday-night Big Diamond (Pa.) Raceway regular, said. Hendricks said said his car went away as the race went on."If I tried to stay down or run the middle, it (the car) just got worse. Once the 15 (the lapped car of Butch Getz) got back by me, I knew I was just hanging on."

Kunkletown, Pa.'s Joey Grammes raced from 12th to finish third in the RPM-powered Bicknell No. 5. Otisville, N.Y.'s Mike Doty started seventh and placed fourth, while 11th-starter Mitch Gibbs of North Norwich, N.Y., was fifth.

Heat winners for the 30 Modifieds in attendance were Gibbs, Hendricks, Dan Hineline and Cornell. Brian Malcolm topped the consolation.

Hendricks picked up $300 for winning the Fabrications by Tauschman/Teo-Pro Car 5-lap Dash-for-Cash.

Shaun Walker's decision to call Five Mile Point his Saturday-night home paid off quickly.

Walker visited Victory Lane for the first time at the Kirkwood oval following the 20-lap Sportsman feature.

The Masonville, N.Y., driver raced from ninth to challenge Rick Raisner and Rich Wallace, who battled for the lead, by the sixth lap. When Wallace overtook Raisner on the seventh circuit, Walker worked into second. Three laps later, he put his No. 21 Bicknell into the lead, nosing out Wallace at the line when the yellow flag flew on lap 10.

Defending champion Eric Palmer of Cresco, Pa., worked by Wallace on a lap-13 restart, but couldn't chase down Walker, who earned $500 for the triumph.

"The outside was good in (turns) one and two," the soft-spoken Walker related of his pass for the lead. "But my car worked well on the bottom in (turns) three and four."

Bill Deckelman of Fremont Center, N.Y., drove from 19th starting position to place third, ahead of Jesse Kline and Eric Stephens. Rich Wallace and Rick Raisner, who placed third and fifth, respectively, were disqualified for carburetor infractions.

Tunkhannock, Pa.'s Jerry Tonti overcame the competition and an overheating engine to win the 20-lap regularly-scheduled Street Stock feature. Tonti ducked under Keith Villano and Darren Stout on a lap-three restart and was never headed.

Dave Luff, Paul Strohl, Joe Krisovich and Les Gillette placed second through fifth, respectively.

When Mike Mills spun from the lead on the third circuit of the 20-lap Street Stock heldover event from May 13, Mayfield, Pa.'s Joe Krisovich inherited a lead he would never relinquish en route to his first trip to Victory Lane of 2006.

Dave Luff took second on lap 13, but couldn't unseat Krisovich, settling for second. Les Gillette, Jerry Tonti and Carl Heater trailed.

Charlie Gilbert of Binghamton, N.Y., recorded his fourth straight victory in the 20-lap Pure Stock main. Gilbert started ninth aboard his red and white No. 28, sweeping into the lead with a three-wide move on lap three. Making his first appearance of the season, Shane Wolf challenged Gilbert until succumbing to a right-rear flat tire on the final lap.

Darl Ellis Jr. snuck into second, ahead of Wolf, Jeremy Shaw and Larry Fenton Jr.

Mike Murphy's 165-mile, one-way tow to FMP ended in Victory Lane. The Buchanan, N.Y., native won the 15-lap Northeastern Vintage Dirt Modified Racing Club main, passing Jeff Richardson on lap four. Richardson, Jimmy Halpin, Howie Murphy and Rob Casti rounded out the top five.

Racing resumes at FMP on Sat., June 3 with a full program of Modifieds, Sportsman (in double features), IMCA-Modifieds, Street Stocks and Figure Eights. It is Windsor Community night, with all Windsor residents admitted free. Race time is 6 p.m. For more information, contact the track office: (607) 775-5555 or visit the website: www.fivemilepointspeedway.net.

COUNTER POINTS: The pits were packed with 30 Modifieds, 21 Sportsman, 18 Street Stocks, 20 Pure Stocks and seven Vintage Modifieds....

With the Friday-night rainout of Accord (N.Y.) Speedway, Mike Ricci and Scott Ferrier joined the Modified ranks. For Ferrier, it was his first-ever visit to FMP....

Utica-Rome (N.Y.) Speedway regular John Ramsey was another first-time visitor....

RACE SUMMARY

Modified Feature Finish:
JAMES CORNELL, Doug Hendricks, Joey Grammes, Mike Doty, Mitch Gibbs, J.R. Crouse, Mike Ricci, Bobby Puckett, Joel Batzel, Dana Wagner, Rich Keehle Jr., Barry White, Glenn Knapp, Butch Getz, Chris Ostrowsky, Dan Hineline, Brian Malcolm, Darin Schuler, Scott Ferrier, Darwin Greene, John Ramsey, Gordie Isham, Gary Griffin, George Hilbebrant.
Did Not Qualify: Doug Stepanchek, Jason Andrews, Stan Frankenfield Jr., Rob Konikowski, Jack Amundsen, Ken Hildebrant.

Sportsman Feature Finish:
SHAUN WALKER, Eric Palmer, Bill Deckelman, Jesse Kline, Eric Stephens, Butch Klinger, Brian Puckett, Jamie Cortazar, Jason Griffiths, Jim Kleedorfer, Brad Grim, Willard Knecht, Howard Jarvis, Bruce Gould, Chris Wood, Bubba Folk, Bill Lowden Jr., Jeremy Holt, Justin Holland.
Disqualified: Rich Wallace, Rick Raisner.

Street Stock Feature Finish:
JERRY TONTI, Dave Luff, Paul Strohl, Joe Krisovich, Les Gillette, Randy Tyler, Darwin Greene, John Williams, Dan Stevens, Harry Cook Jr., Doug Polhamus, Darren Stout, James Millard, Carl Heater, Bob Mills Jr., Jim Hughes Sr., Keith Villano.
Did Not Start: Mike Mills.

Street Stock Heldover Feature From May 13:
Gillette, Jerry Tonti, Carl Heater, Randy Tyler, James Millard, Mike Mills, John Williams, Darwin Greene, Keith Villano, Mike Mills Jr., Harry Cook Jr., Doug Polhamus, Darren Stout.
Did Not Start: Neil DiBlasi.

Pure Stock Feature Finish:
CHARLIE GILBERT, Darl Ellis Jr., Shane Wolf, Jeremy Shaw, Larry Fenton Jr., Jamie Batzel, Joe Rafferty Jr., Eddie Felker, Duane Codington, Dan Mazzarese, Matt Spencer, Steve Polhamus, Bob Melovitz, Dave Conklin Jr., Mike Codington, Chuck Towner, Scott Edwards, Jonathan Carpenter, Tommy Eiklor.
Did Not Start: Randy Richards.

Northeastern Vintage Dirt Modified Racing Club Feature Finish:
MIKE MURPHY, Jeff Richardson, Jimmy Halpin, Howie Murphy, Rob Casti, Phil Claussen, Mike Kehr.