I-88 Speedway Recap from August 5, 2016
Story By: STEPHAN CLAPPERTON / I-88 SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By: OTTO GRAHAM / RACERSGUIDE.COM
AFTON, NY- August 7, 2016- Alan Barker took the lead with two laps remaining in the Greg Page Construction Modified feature on Klinger Power Sports Night at I-88 Speedway and went on to take his first Modified feature win at the track. Barker, of Norwich, capitalized on heavy lapped traffic in front of Mitch Gibbs coming off turn four to take the lead using the high side off the turn.
“It feels really good to finally maintain throughout the feature. We got right up to second and I said ‘Here we come’ and then it stopped going. Nick (Nye) went by me and Mitch (Gibbs) went by and we went outside to see if we could carry some momentum and it worked. The car just stuck with us tonight,” said Barker in Victory Lane after the race.
Afton’s Kurt Decker took the lead at the start of the race from the outside front row starting position. The first caution of the race came on the second lap when Carbondale PA’s Alex Tonkin clipped an implement tire on the inside of turn two resulting in a chain reaction accident which sent current point leader, Andy Bachetti to the pits. Bachetti, of Sheffield MA, was unable to continue after contact with the turn two wall.
When Carbondale PA’s Brett Tonkin slowed in turn two the caution came out setting of a lap six restart. Nick Nye, of Cortland, took advantage of the restart and grabbed the lead putting Decker in second, Norwich’s Mitch Gibbs third and Barker fourth
At the halfway point Nye continued to lead with Gibbs running second, Barker third and Mike Mahaney, of King Ferry, fourth.
Two laps later Gibbs slipped under Nye to take the lead coming off turn four.
By lap 24 the leaders were into heavy lapped traffic with Barker in second and Mahaney now up to third. With two laps remaining and Gibbs bottled up behind lapped traffic, Barker made the pass for the lead and the win coming off turn four. Mahaney finished second with Gibbs third, Nye fourth and Masonville’s Mike Clapperton fifth.
Charlie Hendrickson Jr., of Bethel, picked up his fourth Chambers and O’Hara Open Sportsmen feature win of the season. Hendrickson took the lead from Edmeston’s Dwayne Jackson coming off turn two on the ninth lap.
Jackson took the lead at the start of the 20 lap race before surrendering the top spot to Hendrickson. At the finish it was Hendrickson with the win, Jackson second, Walton’s Aaron Shelton third, Lisa Williams, of Harpursville, fourth and Butch Klinger, of Walton, fifth.
Norwich’s Harold Humphrey took the lead from Edmeston’s A.J. Digsby on lap 14 and went on to win his third Williams Tire and Auto Crate Sportsmen feature of the season. Digsby lead the race from the drop of the green before relinquishing the lead to Humphrey. Digsby crossed the line second with Harpursville’s Travis Smith third, Matt Brewer, of New Milford PA, fourth and Sherburne’s Allan Hodge, fifth.
James Cornell captured his third Vernooy’s Automotive Excellence IMCA Modified feature on Friday night at I-88 Speedway. Cornell, of Harpursville, started sixth and, after two early race caution periods, took the lead after winning a three wide drag race off turn two with Beau Ballard and Mike Stoddard.
After a caution on lap 4 Cornell led Grand Gorge’s Ballard, Stoddard, of Katellville and Matt Cole, of Binghamton.
On the ensuing restart, Cole would move into third and two laps later, Cobleskill’s Will Ward would break into the top 4.
On lap 17 Ballard was forced pitside with a flat tire as Cornell went on to take the win with Cole second, Ward third, Nineveh’s Gary Roberts fourth and Tyler Stoddard, of Katellville, fifth.
Oneonta’s Dustin Harris won his fourth Nu Look Collision Street Stock feature of the season. Harris took the lead from Afton’s Damon Decker on lap 12 before going on to take the win. Decker finished second with Downsville’s Dave Cronk third, Rob Nober, of Mount Upton, fourth and Matt Thies, of Franklin, fifth.
Brandon Clapperton took his fifth win of the season in the Butler Auto Sales EST Truck feature. Ralph Cuozzo and Bob Crandall, both of Unadilla finished second and third with Afton’s Rob Loucks fourth and Rob Northrup, of Bainbridge, fifth.
I-88 Speedway Results from Klinger Power Sports Night, August 5, 2016
Greg Page Construction Modifieds (30 Laps) Alan Barker, Mike Mahaney, Mitch Gibbs, Nick Nye, Mike Clapperton, J.R. Hurlburt., Kurt Decker, Brandon Walters, Paul Jensen, Steve Babicek, Rusty Smith, Alex Tonkin, Chris Bushnell, Brian Puckett, Kenny Sparks, Darwin Greene, Ken Titus, Jeff Sheely, Brett Tonkin, Andy Bachetti
Chambers and O’Hara Sportsmen (20 Laps) Charlie Hendrickson Jr., Dwayne Jackson, Aaron Shelton, Lisa Williams, Butch Klinger, Steve Andersen, Jim Gould, Rudy Roth, Dave Rosa, Craig Pope, Denny Greenier, Duane Knapp, Landon Cummings, Skip Pickwick, Claude Hutchings Jr.
Williams Tire and Auto Crate Sportsmen (20 Laps) Harold Humphrey, A.J. Digsby, Travis Smith, Matt Brewer, Allan Hodge, Brandon Kuhn, Cody Clark, Pat Jordan, A.J. Miller, Matt Roberts, Russell Hendrickson Jr., Olin Renwick, Art Priscott, Tim French II, Matt Priscott
Vernooy’s Automotive Excellence IMCA Modifieds (20 Laps) James Cornell, Matt Cole, Will Ward, Gary Roberts, Tyler Stoddard, Mike Stoddard, Billy Ward, Tim Vandemark, Tommy Velez, Jim Cummings, Eric Stumpf, Beau Ballard, Jordan Torbitt, Gary Smith
Nu Look Collision Street Stocks (20 Laps) Dustin Harris, Damon Decker, Dave Cronk Jr., Rob Nober, Matt Thies, Ralph Cuozzo
Butler Auto Sales EST Trucks (15 Laps) Brandon Clapperton, Ralph Cuozzo, Bob Crandall, Rob Loucks, Rob Northrup, Jerry Lanfair, Todd Stanton, James Fowlston
SRP Sprints (10 Laps) Anthony Buckler
