130 Race Cars Pack Thunder Mountain Pit Area Saturday Night; Mike Mahaney Scores First Modified Victory Of The Season Before Large Crowd; Kenny Hammond (Sportsman), Pat Jordan (Crate), Dominic Fuller (Rookie), Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock), Tim Van Horn (XCel 600 Modified), Don Harvey (Lightning Sprint) & Dylan Robinson (Four Cylinder) Also Triumph
CENTER LISLE, NY – One week after falling shy of victory in the Season Opener, Mike Mahaney got the job done Saturday night at Thunder Mountain Speedway.
Mahaney, of King Ferry, N.Y., drove Jim Shear’s Olum’s-sponsored No. 77x to his first big-block/small-block Modified triumph of 2015 at the Center Lisle, N.Y., three-eighths-mile clay oval, earning $1,200. Again this week, the Modified 30-lap event was a competitive affair with the leaders dicing through heavy lapped traffic during the second half of the feature slowed by just a single yellow flag.
A new record of 130 race cars jammed the Thunder Mountain pit area to overflow for the second event of the ’15 season.
“I have to give credit to this (Jim Shear) team,” Mahaney said of the Whitney Point, N.Y., based operation. “They worked hard all winter and we came out of the box with a phenomenal race car.
“Thanks to everyone involved here at Thunder Mountain. The facility keeps getting better, the racing is great and you can see by the crowd here tonight, Thunder Mountain is definitely back on the map.”
Mahaney started the main third via a redraw of top qualifiers. It was rookie Colton Wilson, a graduate of the Sportsman division, who stole the show early on. Wilson darted into the lead at the wave of Sam Folk’s green flag from his outside pole starting berth.
During the race’s first third, Wilson was able to put distance on the remainder of the field. By lap two, Mahaney had arrived in second.
As the race progressed, Mahaney picked up the pace. He pulled up to Wilson’s back bumper at the halfway mark. Two laps later, he shot inside of Wilson to take a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
“Colton ran a great race,” Mahaney said of Wilson. “It looked like our car got better as the race went on and I was able to run him down.”
Sophomore Modified driver Ryan Jordan of Freeville, N.Y., followed into second on the 21st lap. Jordan earned the runner-up finish after starting sixth. Eighth-starter Brian Malcolm of Lake Ariel, Pa., drove from eighth to finish third, arriving in the podium position on the 26th lap.
Defending track champion Brent Wilcox of Binghamton, N.Y., placed fourth and Freeville, N.Y.’s Wilson completed the front five.
Returning “home” to Thunder Mountain after competing at other facilities during recent seasons, Speedsville, N.Y., driver Kenny Hammond earned his first triumph of ’15 in the Open Sportsman main. Hammond earned $700 via a green-to-checkered romp in the 20-lap affair.
Eric Leet ran in close proximity to Hammond for the entire distance, pulling inside the leader with five laps remaining, but settled for second. Travis Smith advanced from seventh to place third, followed by Sportsman newcomer Dan Burman and Geordie Decker.
Pat Jordan of Richford, N.Y., bettered his Opening Night second-place finish by one to earn his first Crate 602 Sportsman triumph of the year. Jordan led the 20-lap main from start-to-finish after dialing in the handling characteristics of his No. 25. Jordan had battled a tight condition in the lid-lifter.
Shayne Spoonhower, Randy Gates, Frank Burnell and Daryl Krebs completed the front five.
Dominic Fuller of Clay, N.Y., made his first start of ’15 on the Mountain a successful one, winning the 15-lap Rookie Sportsman feature.
Steven Deinhardt of Deposit, N.Y., won his second straight Barrett’s Race Cars & Components 20-lap Street Stock feature in thrilling fashion. Deinhardt thwarted the relentless, lap-after-lap challenges by Jonathan Carpenter to score the $500 victory. Carpenter, who on several occasions looked inside of Deinhardt, finished a strong second. Rich Sharpsteen, Don Russell and Earl Zimmer placed third through fifth, respectively.
With a stellar field of 33 XCel 600 Modifieds on hand for a “tour” event, Phillipsburg, N.J., driver Tim Van Horn won his first-ever feature. Van Horn said the triumph came after seven years of trying! Van Horn led from start-to-finish but was pressured in the closing laps by Southern Tier XCel 600 standout Will Eastman of Oneonta, N.Y.
Nick Mady drove Doug Borger’s rental car from 22nd starting position to finish third, ahead of Nathan Brinker and Richie Hitzler.
The Empire Lightning Sprint 1000cc Micro-Sprint event went to a veteran of racing on the Mountain. Milford, N.Y.’s Don Harvey throttled to the lead on lap seven and survived a final-lap restart challenge from Connecticut driver Peter Dance for the triumph. Rick Stone, Don Bellen and Jim Johnston trailed.
Harpursville, N.Y., young gun Dylan Robinson went two-for-two in the Four Cylinder division thus far in ’15, leading from wire-to-wire. Robinson, who raced elsewhere a season ago, decided to return to Thunder Mountain after winning the opener and made that choice pay off with a checkered. Gabe Forward chased Robinson to the finish.
Racing resumes on Saturday, May 9 with a complete program featuring Modifieds, Open Sportsman ($1,000 to win), Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds and Four Cylinders. Handicapping begins to determine starting positions for week No. 3 of the 2015 season.
Gates open at 4 p.m., with hot laps at 6:20 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. Adult grandstand admission is $12. Seniors (ages 65 and up) and Students (ages 10-17) pay $10. Kids 9 and under are FREE. Pit admission is $30, with no license required.
For Thunder Mountain Speedway general information and a complete schedule, visit www.thundermtnspeedway.com. The speedway office number is 607.657.8202. On race day, call 607.849.7899. The speedway e-mail is thundermtnspeedway@gmail.com. “Like” Thunder Mountain Speedway on Facebook or follow @thundermtnspeed on Twitter.
Thunder Mountain Speedway is located at 91 Hunts Corners Road Center Lisle, NY 13797, approximately 25 miles north of Binghamton. The three-eighths-mile clay oval features hillside concrete seating, free parking and camping, a variety of concession items and novelties, a family environment and more.
THUNDER THOUGHTS: In its second season back under the leadership of speedway founder Karl Spoonhower, Thunder Mountain is breaking new ground in 2015. The 130-car turnout for Saturday’s program was the strongest for a weekly program since the track’s grand reopening….
Despite the bulging pit area, the entire program was completed by 11 p.m. The Modified feature was completed moments before 10 p.m. on an efficiently run evening….
American Racer/Lias Tire giveaway winners were Chad Cook (seventh, Modified), Nick Mady (11th, Open Sportsman) and John Cooper Jr. (ninth, Street Stock)….
Ms. Area Auto Racing News 2015 Dylanne Hodge visited the speedway for the first time this season….
Newcomers to the Modified division this week included Jeff Sheely, a regular at the track years ago, Matt Latwinski was also back on hand, making the tow north from Pennsylvania….
Heat winners included Colton Wilson, Brian Malcolm and Brent Wilcox (Modified); Geordie Decker and Nick Mady (Sportsman); Pat Jordan and Frank Burnell (Crate 602 Sportsman); Dominic Fuller and Shawn Davis (Crate 602 Sportsman); Matt Spencer, Shane Wolf Jr. and Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock); Korey Inglin, Will Eastman, Abbey Price and Tim Van Horn Jr. (XCel 600 Modified); Jerry Sehn and Don Harvey (Empire Lightning Sprints); and Dylan Robinson and Gabe Forward (Four Cylinder). A.J. Miller won the XCel 600 Modified consolation.
MAY 2, 2015 RACE SUMMARY
Modified Feature Finish (30 Laps): MIKE MAHANEY, Ryan Jordan, Brian Malcolm, Brent Wilcox, Colton Wilson, Nick Rochinski, Chad Cook, Chance Spoonhower, Byron Worthing, Ken Titus, Chris Stull, Billy Spoonhower, Mike Nagel Jr., Steve Cummings, Matt Latwinski, Marshall Balzer, Jeff Sheely, Marc Goodwin, Steve Wren Jr., Tom Collins Jr.
Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): KENNY HAMMOND, Eric Leet, Travis Smith, Dan Burman, Geordie Decker, Larry Hillis, Kevin Jordan, Jake Fowlston, Chris Jordan, Tommy Eiklor, Nick Mady, Ricky Ross Jr.
Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): PAT JORDAN, Shayne Spoonhower, Randy Gates, Frank Burnell, Daryl Krebs, David Doig Jr., Isaiah Forward, Tate Mangiarelli, Coty Bishop, Rich Powell, Brian Mady, T.J. Frost, Josh Underwood, Jerry Vorhis, Dan Pease, Dustin Jordan, Chris Mangiarelli.
Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 Laps): DOMINIC FULLER, Kailee Dimorier, Shawn Davis, Dayton Coney, Kerri Cook, Kenny Benjamin, Terry Falter, Kinser Hill.
Did Not Start: Hunter Pease
Street Stock Feature Finish (20 Laps): STEVEN DEINHARDT, Jonathan Carpenter, Rich Sharpsteen, Don Russell, Earl Zimmer, Shawn Boynton, Brett Barrett, Matt Spencer, Jon Cooper Jr., Shane Wolf Jr., Jason Beebe, Bobby Hall, Kinser Hill, Kevin Garland, Trevor Dudley, Doug Stack Jr., Rick Sinsabaugh, Dan Force.
XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 Laps): TIM VAN HORN, Will Eastman, Nick Mady, Nathan Brinker, Richie Hitzler, Brian Mady, Billie Koch, Abby Price, Joe McCabe, Doug Windhausen, Rob Compton, A.J. Miller, Eric Boyd, Jonathan Josko, Tom Shiner, Brian Blankenbiller, Jamie Frantz, Josh Pepe, Wyatt Harrar, Shawn Schibilia, Kamdin Maby, Mike Mahaney, Rob Vivona.
Did Not Start: Korey Inglin, Aaron Bowes.
Did Not Qualify: D.J. Hunt, Dave Baldwin, Nick Chase, Eric Boyd, Jon Pepe, Dana Davis, Dakota Andersen, Wyatt Harrar.
Empire Lightning Sprint Feature Finish (20 Laps): DON HARVEY, Peter Dance, Jerry Sehn, Rick Stone, Don Bellen, Jim Johnston, John LeClair, Nick DeNyse, Lou Torres, Mike Badgley, Kurt Conklin.
Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 Laps): DYLAN ROBINSON, Gabe Forward, Chris Taylor, Mike Taylor, Guy Raymond Jr., Brian Nornhold, Don Cole, Clayton Force, Colin Davey.
