.
GIBBS
WINS SECOND, SPARKS, PERCIVAL, CLEVELAND AND GARVEY FIRST TIME FIVE MILE
POINT WINNERS IN 2002
(12-May-02)
KIRKWOOD, NY Mitch Gibbs raced to his second 358 Modified feature win on
Saturday at Five Mile Point Speedway. Ken Sparks, Jr., Randy Percival, Jeff Cleveland and Brian Garvey were all first time winners in 2002.
The Modified feature found Ed
Harris out front for the first five laps. Seventh starting Dana Wagner quickly worked his way into second
and then raced past Harris for the lead on lap six. Wagner then opened a
comfortable lead. Meanwhile there was a
torrid battle taking place from second through seventh as these positions were being swapped back and forth, lap after
lap between, Rich Keehle, Butch Klinger, Dan Hineline, Mitch Gibbs, Mike Clapperton and J.R. Crouse.
Those drivers were putting on a clinic, racing three wide, dicing it out all over the track. The caution
flew on lap 19 when Hineline made contact with Klinger while they were running third and fourth. Both drivers restarted
from the rear. On the restart it was still Wagner in front over Keehle, Gibbs, Clapperton and Crouse.
Wagner looked like he might be on his way to his first Five Mile Point win but Gibbs had other ideas. Gibbs
tried the bottom and middle grooves before going to the top of the track. Once he went to the top
his car really came to life and he powered around Keehle for second. Two laps
later he raced to the outside of Wagner to take the lead. Clapperton was the next car on the move as
he worked his way into second with four
to go and quickly caught Gibbs in lapped traffic. As the white flag flew Clapperton went to the bottom and looked as
though he might get the lead from Gibbs. The move didn't materialize as
Hineline spun in turn two, bringing out the final caution of the race. Under caution Wagners right front
wheel came off, ending his great run.
On the restart Clapperton stayed right with Gibbs. As they came out of turn four
for the checkered flag Clapperton go underneath Gibbs. It wasn't enough though
as Gibbs pulled him on the straightaway to claim his second win of the season. Clapperton was
second ahead of Crouse, Glenn Knapp and Don Hart, Jr. Rounding out the top ten
were Keehle, Ed Strada, Jim Potts, Jim Allen and Dave Locke.
Ken Sparks, Jr. led wire to wire
to claim his first Five Mile Point Street Stock feature win. Fourteenth starting Brett Spoor, the winner
the previous two weeks, hounded him during the entire race. Sparks was never rattled and claimed the victory. Sparks
was second and was followed by Jerry
Tonti, Pete Sobol and Greg McKernan. Sixth through tenth went to Jerry Liford, Jason Bartsch, Ralph Shoemaker, Jr., Tom Heeman and Fred Christ.
Jeff Cleveland dominated the
Grand American Modified feature to claim his first career feature win. He led the whole race and lapped all but the
top four cars. Two time winner Mike Stoddard was second ahead of Charlie Gilbert, Bob Chapman and Kevin Cole. Positions
six through ten went to Jason Makosky,
Joe Cole, Pete Hoover, Bill Hawkins and Tom Vasta.
Randy Percival took the lead on
lap four of the Pure Stock feature and then held off Darl Ellis to capture his
first win of the season. Ellis was second and was followed by Mark Aldrich,
Bryan Lindsey and Todd Sutliff. Rounding
out the top ten were Jack Champion, Bill House, Mahlon Shoemaker, Walt McClenon
and Todd Houghtaling.
Brian Garvey scored his first
career Figure 8 feature win. He was followed to the line by Joe Momma and Steve
Dechow.
This NSA Sprint Cars will invade
the Point this Saturday on French's/Interstate Auto Parts Night. They will join
the full show of 358 Modifieds, Street
Stocks, Grand American Modifieds and Pure Stocks. Race time will be 6:00 p.m., one half hour earlier than normal.
COUNTER POINTS The biggest
field of cars performed in front of the biggest crowd of the season. ¦Cleveland
and Garvey celebrated first career wins while Sparks won his first Five Mile
Point Street Stock feature. ¦Once again the track was smooth, with three good
grooves making for a great night of racing in all divisions.
358 MODIFIED
FEATURE FINISH: MITCH
GIBBS, Mike Clapperton, J.R. Crouse, Glenn
Knapp, Don Hart, Jr., Rich Keehle, Ed Strada, Jim Potts, Jim Allen, Dave Locke, Billy Thornton, Dave Calaman, Butch Klinger, Chuck Kennison,
Ed Harris, Tom Rose, Dennis Dietrich, Dan Hineline, Bob Conklin, Dana Wagner, Ray Menard, Art Bray, Joe Biasi, Bobby Puckett, Harry Marvin, Jr. DNS:
Danny West.
STREET STOCK
FEATURE FINISH: KEN
SPARKS, JR., Brett Spoor, Jerry Tonti, Pete Sobol, Greg McKernan, Jerry Liford, Jason Bartsch, Ralph
Shoemaker, Jr., Tom Heeman, Fred Christ, Randy Rolison, Guy Park, Byron Pitcher, Mike Mills,
Jay Conroy.
GRAND AMERICAN
MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: JEFF
CLEVELAND, Mike Stoddard, Charlie Gilbert, Bob Chapman, Kevin Cole, Pete Hoover,
Bill Hawkins, Tom Vasta, Joe Novak, Gordy Isham, Scott Vanderpool.
PURE STOCK
FEATURE FINISH: RANDY
PERCIVAL, Darl Ellis, Mark Aldrich, Bryan Lindsey, Todd Sutliff, Jack Champion,
Bill House, Mahlon Shoemaker, Walt McClenon, Todd Houghtaling, Harold Goodell, Harry Cook, Jr., Ted Baker,
Jerry Whitmarsh, Shephard Blodgett, Jeremy Shaw, Mark Andrus, Roger Salai, Jim Ortiz, Fred Velez, Harry Marvin III, Bob Tyriw, Joe Plouse, Dave Bellis.
FIGURE 8
FEATURE FINISH: BRIAN
GARVEY, Joe Momma,