Five Mile Point Race Results

MITCH GIBBS WINS 42ND RUNNING OF HEATH MEMORIAL AT FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY. SHAUN WALKER WINS THE SPORTSMAN MAIN WITH MIKE STOLARYCK, III NOTCHING IMCA HONORS. LES GILLETTE TOPS STREET STOCK FIELD WITH CHARLIE GILBERT SCORING WIN NUMBER FOUR IN THE PURE STOCKS.

KIRKWOOD, NY - Mitch Gibbs used his usual combination of patience and a smooth driving style to win his third Heath Memorial Modified 50 lapper on Saturday at Five Mile Point Speedway. Other winners included Shaun Walker (Sportsman Modified) Mike Stolaryck, III (IMCA Modified), Les Gillette (Street Stock), Charlie Gilbert (Pure Stock) and Jeff Ackerman (Midstate Antique Racers).

Thirty-three Modified teams signed in for the 42nd annual running of the Heath Memorial on Saturday night with twenty four primed to take the green in the 50 lap event. At the drop of the green Rich Keehle moved past pole setter Dan Hineline for the early lead. Keehle was tailed by James Cornell and Hineline during the early stages as the leaders set a torrid pace. Keehle, Cornell and Hineline quickly pulled away from the remainder of the field as they used the outside heavy cushion to their liking. On lap ten Cornell abruptly headed pit side with motor troubles as the racing remained under green. The first caution of the event flew on the very next circuit as a spinning Daren Schuler collected several cars.

On the restart Keehle and Hineline again pulled away as Bobby Puckett ran in third place with J.R. Crouse and Barry White in the top five. On lap twenty one Hineline retired to the pits with mechanical problems while running in the second slot. By the midway point the top five now consisted of Keehle, Crouse, Mike Doty, Gibbs and Puckett. All eyes had shifted to Doug Manmiller as he was now up to sixth place from his nineteenth starting slot. Keehle had opened up a sizeable lead but on the twenty eighth lap Gibbs worked his way into second and began to take advantage of lapped cars as he closed the gap for the lead. It would only take Gibbs four laps to make the winning pass on Keehle as now he had to contend with a hard charging Doty. Keehle and Doty had a tremendous battle for second as Manmiller worked past Crouse on lap forty one. The final twenty five laps went caution free as Gibbs worked through heavy lapped traffic in the final stages enroute to his third Heath Memorial victory. Keehle managed to hold off Doty for second, with Manmiller and Crouse rounding out the top five.

After the feature Gibbs commented on the victory, he remarked, “The high cushion took made me change my driving style from previous weeks but you could race from top to bottom.” Gibbs added, “I was getting concerned as the lengthy green flag laps made it difficult to catch Keehle but lapped traffic worked in my favor.”

Jamie Cortazar took the initial lead in the twenty lap Sportsman Modified feature but his lead would be short lived after being collected by second place runner Jason Griffiths on lap three. Shaun Walker inherited the lead the remainder of the way for his second victory of the season. Jesse Kline and Eric Palmer remained within striking distance throughout but could not mount serious challenges. At the finish it was Walker, Kline, Palmer, Butch Klinger and Brad Grim.

Once again this Saturday Brad Weaver took the early lead in the IMCA Modified feature but it would only last three circuits as Brian Rhodes worked past. Rhodes maintained his lead until lap thirteen when Stolarcyk made his way into the lead. Stolarcyk led the distance as Rhodes stayed close at the end but could not challenge. Following Stolaryck and Rhodes across the line were: Walt McClennon, Mike Stoddard and K.C. Cole.

The twenty lap Street Stock feature event was plagued by numerous early cautions. Once things settled down Harry Cook, Jr. looked strong as he motored out front. Last weeks winner Les Gillette ran in the second slot throughout the first half of the event and eventually made the winning pass on lap twelve. Gillette went on for his second consecutive victory followed by Cook, Joe Krisovich, Darwin Green and Jerry Tonti.

Charlie Gilbert rebounded from a tough outing the previous Saturday to cop the twenty lap Pure Stock feature on Saturday night. Gilbert led from last five on after making his way past Darl Ellis, Jr. The victory was the fourth of the season for Gilbert. He was followed across the line by Doug Stack, Shane Wolf, Ellis and Toby Sparks.

COUNTER POINTS: The special evening saw a number of former racer’s return for a reunion at the speedway…Mitch Gibbs Heath Memorial win was his third in four attempts reaffirming his prowess in extra distance FMP events…FMP great Chuck Akulis paced the Modified field with a former pink and white coupe that was restored for the event…Doug Manmiller had an impressive outing even though his day wasn’t smooth…After an early morning rainout at the Grandview Speedway the #00 team headed to FMP but blew two rear tires on their tow vehicle in route…Upon arriving in the speedway he started last in the final heat, avoided a lap one jingle and qualified in the final transfer spot…Manmiller started nineteenth and wound up fourth in the Modified feature…Mike Stolaryck, III also captured his third Heath Memorial victories…two back to back in the IMCA Modified class and one previous in the Pure Stock division…

HEATH MEMORIAL MODIFIED FEATURE OFFICIAL FINISH (50):
MITCH GIBBS, Rich Keehle, Mike Doty, Doug Manmiller, J.R. Crouse, Joey Grammes, Brian Malcolm, Bobby Puckett, Chris Ostrowsky, Glenn Knapp, Jim Crawn, Carl Nagel, Joel Batzel, Dana Wagner, Barry White, Doug Hendricks, Tom Oleski, George Hildebrandt, Dan Hineline, Butch Getz, Gary Griffin, Stan Frankenfield Jr., Daren Schuler, James Cornell.

HEATH MEMORIAL SPORTSMAN MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20):
SHAUN WALKER, Jesse Kline, Eric Palmer, Butch Klinger, Brad Grim, Chris Wood, Russ Zimmerman, Justin Holland, Jamie Cortazar, Jamie Yankowski, Jason Griffiths, Rich Wallace, Jason Kleedorfer, Don Caldwell, Greg Morgan, Nick Petrilak, Willard Knecht, Eric Stephens Jr., Brian Puckett.

HEATH MEMORIAL IMCA MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20):
MIKE STOLARCYK III, Brian Rhodes, Walt McClennon, Mike Stoddard, Kevin Cole, Steve Hartford, Gary Dence, Brad Weaver, Tyler Stoddard, Joe Cole.

HEATH MEMORIAL STREET STOCK OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20):
LES GILLETTE, Harry Cook Jr., Joe Krisovich, Darwin Green, Jerry Tonti, Dave Luff, Daren Stoudt, Doug Polhamus, Paul Harrington, Ken Hineline, Carl Heater, James Mallard, Josh Conklin.

HEATH MEMORIAL PURE STOCK OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20):
CHARLIE GILBERT, Doug Stack, Shane Wolf, Darl Ellis Jr., Toby Sparks, Jeremy Shaw, Ed Felker, Tom Harrington, Tom Eiklor, Joe Rafferty, Jr., Dennis Warren, Matt Spencer, Pau. Carpenter, Randy Richards, Mahlon Shoemaker, Jamie Batzel, Josh Towner, Dan Mazzarese.

MIDSTATE ANTIQUE RACERS:
JEFF ACKERMAN, Dick Ackerman, Jim Chase, Larry Witter, Jim Hilimire, Gary Wood.