Bob Henry Jr. Is a Winner at the D-Shaped DIRT Demon

by Contributor | July 20, 2008 8:17 pm

By Dave Medler

Brewerton, NY – Bob Henry, Jr. will never forget his July 18, 2008 birthday. On Friday night Henry held off DIRTs all time Modified Feature Winner Alan Johnson to pick up his first ever win in the DIRTcar Modifieds. Other winners on Whittaker’s Trophy Auto Sales Night were, Dale Caswell, IMCA Modifieds, Gary Jeffries, ESDCA Mod Lites and Matt Wetterer, Four Cylinder Super Stocks.

Tony Steiner jumped out to the early lead in the 35-Lap Modified Feature, his lead was short lived as Tom Sears, Jr. was able to power underneath Steiner to grab the top spot on the Second-Lap.

As the field was changing positions up front, Chuck Bower was coming to the front rapidly from his sixth starting spot. A quick yellow on Lap-4 bunched up the pack . On the restart Bower was able to power around Sears and get command of the race on the fifth lap. Sears, Bob Henry, Jr., Tony Steiner and Matt Sheppard ran up front.

The yellow flew again on Lap-7 for a slowing Dan Vauter. Vauter was able to get his car pit-side. When the field fired on the restart Henry used the outside to his advantage and he powered by Bower to grab the lead and started to open advantage over the battles behind him.

On Lap-10 Henry still had a ten car-length advantage as Bower and Sheppard were having a tight race for the second spot. Sears and Willy Decker rounded out the top five.

Billy Shantel, Jr. and Bob Bennett made heavy contact on the front straight with both cars coming to rest at the starter’s stand. Both cars sustained heavy damage and were done for the night.

With the race short of the halfway point and the top still being fast on restarts, Bower found the bite he needed and once again gained the race lead.

A quick yellow came out on Lap-17 setting up the race’s last side-by-side restart. Bower would hold a slight advantage over Henry. As the pair raced side-by-side, Henry was able to grab the lead back when the crossed the start/finish line on nineteenth lap.

While Henry was clicking the laps off and opening up a comfortable advantage, Alan Johnson was working his way to the front having a side-by-side race for second with Bower. Johnson was finally able to get by Bower and set sail for Henry.

Matt Sheppard came to a stop in turn four with nine laps left erasing the lead Henry had. This put Alan Johnson right on the back bumper of the leader.

Over the remaining laps Johnson hounded Henry. Henry wasn’t rattled and ran a perfect line on the bottom of the speedway picking up his first ever Modified win. Johnson, Bower, Jimmy Phelps and Jim Witko completed the top five.

After doing a roof dance on his Pro Socks, No.B2 Henry talked about his win and why he came out so late in the season. “I had a little problem with my shoulder. We’re not really a big funded team so we do what we can afford. We can’t afford to run a full season. I have always liked this place.” When asked about when he kept looking up at the scoreboard and saw the 14 (Alan Johnson) what went through his head? “Don’t leave the bottom, I knew where Alan was going to be, I wasn’t going to leave the bottom.” Henry went on to say he couldn’t believe it after all the years of hard work and four years in Modifieds it finally happened. If it wasn’t for his dad Bob Henry, Sr. he wouldn’t even be behind the wheel of a Modified.

Jerry Beck jumped to the lead from his third starting position to lead the 20-Lap IMCA Feature with Rich Keller close behind. After a yellow on Lap-2 Keller jumped to the lead and looked to put distance between himself and the rest of the field.

By Lap-5 Keller built up a half a straightaway lead on second place running JJ Courcy, Beck, Kevan Cook and Dale Caswell ran in the top five.

A quick yellow flew on Lap-9 taking away the full straightaway lead Keller had built up. On the restart Keller was able to once again open a comfortable lead. On Lap-12 Caswell moved into second and was chasing down the leader.

When the starter gave the five-to-go sign, Keller was in lapped traffic. That allowed Caswell to cut down the lead to two car lengths.

The final caution of the race came with three laps to go and gave Caswell a clear shot at Keller. Rob Keller and Kevan Cook were also right there looking for the win.

With two laps left Caswell was able to pull alongside Keller setting up an exciting finish. The top two went down the back chute side-by-side making the finish still in doubt. As the pair exited turn four heading to the finish Caswell found the bite he needed on the bottom to grab the narrow win. It was Caswell’s ninth win of 2008. Rich Keller, Rob Keller, Kevan Cook and Rich Townsend rounded out the top five.

“I came out of four and seen the starter waving the checker flag. I wasn’t paying attention to what lap it was,” said a smiling Caswell. He went on to say he really needed that last yellow with three to go, “Boy, did I. The car was loose getting in, but it was really good getting off turn two.” He finished by saying if it wasn’t for the late yellow he didn’t know if he could have gotten Keller.

Rick Donovan led the opening four laps of the 20-Lap ESDCA Mod Lite Feature. After a caution Gary Jeffries was able to grab the lead on lap five and looked to run away and hide. Lowell Zehr had other ideas and wouldn’t let Jeffries get away. By the midway point six-time feature winner Doug Williams and Tim Devendorf joined the battle at the front.

At the halfway mark Jeffries and Zehr were still having a tight race at the front with Williams and Devendorf a distant third and fourth with Matt Magner running fifth.

When the race got to a handful of laps to go, Jeffries opened some distance over Zehr till a final yellow. Zehr gave it one last shot at the lead but didn’t have enough as Jeffries was first under the checkers. For Jeffries it was his first ever Mod Lite win. Zehr, came home second, Joe Garafolo made a late charge to finish third, Doug Williams and last week’s Fulton winner Joe Sobotka completed the top five.

“Thanks to Lowell (Zehr) and Gypsum, without them I couldn’t to this,” said Jeffries. “I knew I had to keep the car low ’cause if I didn’t I know Lowell would have been just a little bit lower.” He finished up by saying the Mod Lites are just as tough as the IMCA Modifieds where he has had two wins at Brewerton in the past.

Matt Wetterer grabbed the lead on Lap-4 and from there held off mid-race challenges from Chuck Powelczyk to cruise to his first win of the season in the 15-Lap Four Cylinder Super Stocks. Powelczyk, Claude Hutchings, Jr., Bill Tice and Sam Curcie rounded out the top five.

Wetterer who has been fast all season but always had something go wrong related, “We have broken more stuff this year than we can even count. We made upgrades to the car but they all broke. We went back to what we know to get the win tonight.”

Next Friday July 25 at the Brewerton Speedway will be A&P Auto Parts Night plus the popular Fans Autograph Session. On the card will be the DIRTcar Modifieds, IMCA Modifieds, ESDCA Mod Lites, Four Cylinder Super Stocks and Four Cylinder Enduro. (Save your Ticket Stub from July 18 that will get you $2 off the Admission Price). Gates open at 5:30 with the first heat set to go at 7:30. Admission Prices are Adults 15 and over- $12, Children 10 to 14 -$5 with Children 9 and under Free. For more information contact the Speedway office at 315-668-6906 or visit www.brewertonspeedway.com

(DIRTcar MODIFIEDS 35-LAPS)- Bob Henry Jr., Alan Johnson, Chuck Bower, Jimmy Phelps, Jim Witko Jr., Billy Decker, Kevin Bates, Jeremy Smith, Pat Ward, Chad Phelps, Kyle Lewis, Johnny Hill, Stephen Planck, Tony Steiner, Larry Wight, Willy Decker, Matt Sheppard, Terry Knoblock, Tim Harris, Tom Sears Jr., Mike Bowman, Dan Vauter, Billy Shantel Jr., Bob Bennett.

(IMCA MODIFIEDS 20-LAPS) – Dale Caswell, Rich Keller, Rob Kellar Kevan Cook, Rich Townsend, JJ Courcy, Pete Anderson, Jerry Beck, Calvin Painter, Bill Anderson, Bill Anderson Jr., Les Hubbard, Dave Talbot, Jeff Amidon, Mike Jones, Brian Evenden, Jason Amidon, Tony Finch.

(ESDCA MOD LITES 20-LAPS) – Gary Jeffries, Lowell Zehr, Joe Garafolo, Doug Williams, Frank Sobotka, Tim Devendorf, Dan Williams, Rocco Leone, Jason, Broedel, Rick Donovan, Jeff Barker, Andrew Schartner, Ken Gamlen, Joe Gwilt, Matt Magner, Luke Lonergan, Justin Crisafulli, Mike Virginia, Jeff Blackburn, Mike Bruce, Lisa Thomas, Chris Lane, Kelly Skinner, Jim Tuttle, Matt Virginia, Dan Wilcox, Tommy Felicia, Jeff Herbert, Terry Lapham, Dick Townsend. ( DIG SAFELY NEW YORK CONSI WINNER) – Luke Lonergan.

(FOUR CYLINDER SUPER STOCKS 15-LAPS) – Matt Wetterer, Chuck Powelczyk, Claude Hutchings Jr., Bill Tice, Sam Curcie, Lorraine Powelczyk, Aron Backus, Jerry Curcie Sr., Jessica Herbert, Stephen Denton, Jerry Curcie Jr., Matt Fay, Michelle Britton, Glen Erwin, Randy Knight.

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