FULTON, NY – Fresh off his opening night victory, Larry Wight from Phoenix made it two victories in a row Saturday night in the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Modifieds at the Fulton Speedway.
Wight would start the feature in 16th and steadily work his way forward using every inch of the speedway moving into the top-five by lap 10. On lap 20 he moved into third, then setting his sights on the top two and would make the winning pass on lap 23 exiting turn two. Once out front, Wight was never seriously challenged the rest of way.
Other winners on Ingles Performance night were, (DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman) Tyler Corcoran, Matt Janczuk, Brandon Ford, (Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models) Chad Homan, (E&V Energy Sportsman) Ryan Dolebear.
Rob Bellinger and Glenn Forward would lead the 30-car modified field down to the green in the 35-lap feature with Bellinger blasting into the top-spot opening an almost full straightaway lead by lap 5 with two and three-wide racing behind him.
With 10 laps complete Bellinger’s lead shrunk as Forward, Tim Sears Jr., Bobby Herrington and Larry Wight made it tight fight for the top-five positions.
The yellow would slow the pace on lap 11 with Pat Ward coming to rest in the infield on the back straightaway with a collapsed front end.
On the restart Forward would take the lead driving around Bellinger. After a quick yellow on lap 15 Bellinger retook the top spot on the restart.
At the halfway point Bellinger and Forward raced side-by-side for the lead with Dale Planck, Sears and Wight slugging it out just a few car lengths behind the top two.
On lap 20 Wight moved into third and then second on lap 21. Once in the second spot, Wight needed just two more laps to blast into the lead exiting turn two.
Planck would make contact with Sears on lap 26 between turns three and four, spinning Sears. Because of the contact, Planck was sent to the rear of the field.
Over the final laps Wight wasn’t seriously challenged as he cruised under the checkers leading by two seconds. You could have thrown a blanket over second through fifth as they battled to the checkers with Bellinger, Tyler Thompson, Ryan Arbuthnot and Glenn Forward finishing second through fifth.
What made Bellinger’s second place impressive was he had a plug wire come off, finishing the race on seven cylinders.
Sixty-five Sportsman signed into the pits setting up three 25 lap features after qualifying.
In the first feature Robert Gage grabbed the lead at the drop of the green, setting an early quick pace.
With 10 laps showing on the scoring tower, Gage, Tyler Corcoran and Corey Barker were in a three-car breakaway at the front with Jack Meeks and Joe Kline showing in the top-five.
On lap 13 Gage and Corcoran came by the starter’s stand side-by-side with Barker just inches behind the top-two. One lap later, Corcoran drove into the lead and Barker into second.
A yellow on lap 19 set up a battle with the winner in doubt until the checkers.
Over the final laps Barker threw everything he had at Corcoran with opening night winner Jack Meeks ready to pounce on any mistakes by the top-two. Corcoran didn’t flinch, hitting his marks as he cruised under the checkers for his first ever Fulton Speedway victory. Barker, Meeks, Gage and Willy Decker Jr. finished second through fifth.
In the second 25-lap feature, Jeff Taylor took the lead at the drop of the green and would open an almost full straightaway lead by lap 5 with two and three-wide battles behind him throughout field.
With 10 laps complete and no yellows to slow the race, Taylor led by 2.5 seconds. The car coming quick was Matt Janczuk as he was starting to make moves inside the top-five while keeping the leader in sight.
At the halfway point Taylor still led as Janczuk had moved into second and started to slowly reel in the leader.
With the scoring tower showing lap 18 Taylor caught the back markers allowing Janczuk to get to Taylor’s back bumper. One lap later, Janczuk went to the top side of the speedway and went by Taylor to be scored the new leader.
Janczuk would open an almost 2 second lead until a yellow on lap 21, giving the field one last shot at Janczuk and the win.
When the green came back out nobody seriously challenged Janczuk as he collected his second Fulton win of the year. Amy Holland made a late charge to finish second. Taylor, Chris Mackey and Zach Sobotka finished third through fifth.
In the final Sportsman feature Billy Clark Jr. would jump out to the early lead with Steve Marshall right on Clark’s bumper, setting an early fast pace.
On lap 6, Marshall, using the top of the speedway would drive into the lead just before a yellow when defending track champion Alan Fink had heavy smoke coming out of his car.
When the race went back green Clark would take the lead back by a half a car length going under the starter’s stand. One lap later Marshall wrestled the lead back.
With 10 laps to go, Marshall and Wade Chrisman were in a two-car breakaway race for the lead. Behind the top-two, Clark, Brandon Ford and Earl Rudy raced for third through fifth.
On lap 18 Ford blasted from fourth to second and would need one more lap to take the lead from Marshall.
Once out front, Ford drove away, winning by 4.4 seconds at the checkers. The rest of the top-five was a tight battle to the checkers that saw Clark, Marshall, Chrisman and Derek Webb come home second through fifth.
In the 20-lap Late Model feature Kevan Cook took the lead at the drop of the green and by lap 5
was in a two-car breakaway with Chad Homan. Bret Belden, Ahnna Parkhurst and Dale Caswell were in a tight fight for third through fifth.
On lap 7, Homan, running the bottom of the speedway, would drive by Cook and into the lead.
The yellow would wave on lap 9 when Alan Chapman slowed, erasing Homan’s advantage.
With 5 laps to go Homan had checked out from the rest of the field leaving Chris Fleming, Cody Overton, Parkhurst and Cook to race it out behind him.
The rest of the way and no yellows to slow Homan’s pace, he cruised to the 4.8 second win over Fleming. Overton and Parkhurst made the long tow from Georgia pay off finishing third and fourth with Caswell fifth.
In the 15-lap Novice Sportsman feature Ryan Dolebear would lead until lap 7 when a caution slowed the pace. On the restart Cody Manitta would drive into the lead.
Lap 12 would see Dolebear retake the lead and go on to the win over Richard Murtaugh by 1.8 seconds at the checkers. Payton Talbot, Brandon Chretian and Pat Nolan finished third through fifth.
This Saturday, May 18, presented by Scott Jeffery’s Performance Plus is one of the fan favorites on the racing schedule when you will see fast paced racing excitement, plus Demolition Derbies.
Racing excitement will feature the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Modifieds, DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models and the E&V Energy Novice Sportsman.
After the racing it will be time for the sights and sounds of crashing and crunching Kings Smash ‘Em & Crash ‘Em $1,000-to-win 4&6 Cylinder Chain & Bang plus $750-to-win Light Truck & Mini-Van Junk Run.
Adult grandstand admission is $15 with everyone 18 years old and under free. Pit admission is $27 Participant, $30 Non-Participant. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 7 p.m.
Any questions you might have and for marketing opportunities contact Cory Reed at (315) 593-6531 [email protected]
For all the latest news go to www.fultonspeedway.com. Don’t forget to like the speedway Facebook and Twitter pages.
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