Brian White Takes Open Sportsman Thriller; Other Winners Include Dustin Jordan (Crate 602 Sportsman), Dan Allen (Rookie Sportsman), Trevor Dudley (Street Stock), Will Eastman (XCel 600 Modified) & Gabe Forward (FWD Four Cylinder)
Story By: BRETT DEYO / BD MOTORSPORTS MEDIA Photos By:MOJO PHOTOS / RACERSGUIDE.COM
CENTER LISLE, NY –June 13, 2016- Bob Hamm Jr. picked a good night to earn his first victory of the season at Thunder Mountain Speedway.
With an increased $1,500 on the line for the big-block/small-block Modified winner, the Windsor, N.Y., driver led from green-to-checkered in the 30-lap feature. For Hamm, the checkered was his first since the 2014 season at the Center Lisle three-eighths-mile clay oval.
“We’ve gotten jammed up a few times this year – the usual, wrong-place, wrong-time kind of stuff – hopefully that’s behind us now,” Hamm said. “I honestly didn’t think we had that good of a car, but we had track position.
“I’d bet the best racing was going on behind me.”
Hamm, driving a 14-year-old Bicknell mount, shot into the lead at the start of the feature. Second-generation driver Byron Worthing – son of area legend Doug Worthing – pressured Hamm early.
During a long stretch of green-flag racing Hamm opened up a half-straightaway edge on Worthing, who was feeling pressure from an emerging Brian Malcolm.
Hamm raced across the stripe with a healthy advantage.
“This car, believe it or not, is a 2000 (Bicknell),” Hamm said. “It’s an old car but it’s a good car.”
Worthing, of Owego, N.Y., registered his best finish of the year in second spot. Malcolm, of Lake Ariel, Pa., earned a top-three result for the second consecutive week, driving the Chuck Grimm-backed Waymart Building Center No. 119. Ryan Jordan of Dryden, N.Y., raced to a quiet fourth-place finish from seventh and Chad Cook of Deposit, N.Y., climbed from 11th to fifth in the Mike Costello No. 222.
On the first circuit of the 20-lap Open Sportsman feature, Brian White’s No. 56 went spinning off the backstretch. Candor, N.Y.’s White, however, was not to be denied.
White carefully picked his way back into contention through a series of restarts. Then, he set his sights on race-long leader Kevin Jordan. A spirited duel with Jordan ensued as White looked both high and low on the leader.
Ultimately, the finish came down to the wire. White set up to the outside in turn three and shot to the inside. In a drag-race to the checkered, a virtual photo finish ensued. Starter Ron Ford made the call that: White by inches for his second win of the season, worth $700.
“Man I never thought I’d end up here,” an elated White said from the winner’s circle. “This one, racing Kevin like that, I’ll remember this for a long time.”
Jordan settled for second after finishing in the same position Friday night at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y. Micro-Sprint graduate Larry Mekic held on for a third-place finish, with a returning Adam Hilton and Eddie White placing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Dustin Jordan earned his long-awaited first-career win in the Crate 602 Sportsman ranks in Saturday’s 20-lap main. Jordan, an up-and-coming member of the Speedsville, N.Y., racing family, earned every bit of his first checkered.
Jordan first fought off the advances of Tom Collins Jr. Then, Brian Mady – who had restarted from dead last following an early tangle – arrived in second place during the final four laps and applied heavy pressure to the leader.
Jordan, however, was not to be deterred and made no mistakes to take the $500 top prize.
“I had in my head I was going to stay around the tires and make them go around me,” Jordan said while receiving a stream of congratulations from friends and family.
Mady, of Milford, Pa., salvaged a runner-up finish from the rear, with Collins, Mike Nagel Jr. (also from the rear of the field) and teenager Isaiah Forward filling out the front-five finishers.
Berkshire, N.Y., driver Dan Allen returned to Rookie Sportsman Victory Lane in a green-to-checkered 15-lap main. Allen led Landon Cummings under starter Ronnie Ford’s checkered flag.
Sophomore Street Stock sensation Trevor Dudley of Port Byron, N.Y., earned a long-awaited first victory in the 20-lap feature, worth $500. Dudley, who has been oh-so-close to a breakthrough win through the second half of 2015 and early portions of this year, wasn’t to be denied after putting the No. 2D into the lead of a caution-marred main.
Dudley improved by one position over a runner-up effort one week earlier to outdistance Jonathan Carpenter.
“I thought I had one last week and I ended up finishing second,” Dudley said. “This win came a lot harder than any in the Four Cylinder.”
Carpenter, Earl Zimmer, Matt Spencer and Doug Stack Jr. placed second through fifth, respectively.
Defending XCel 600 Modified champion Will Eastman of Oneonta, N.Y., won for the first time in 2016 Saturday in the 20-lap main event. Eastman, who has been dialing in a new car during the early portions of the season, used a mid-race restart to power around Chris Kithcart and drive off to the win. Kithcart finished second, followed by Eric Boyd, Jamie Frantz and Doug Windhausen.
Gabe Forward of Bouckville, N.Y., put his name on the FWD Four Cylinder win list in the 15-lap feature. Forward took command of the race on the fifth lap and was never headed, opening up a substantial lead in the waning stages of the event. Rich Gardiner finished second, with Chris Taylor, Clint Kadarondak and Kenny Underwood in tow.
THUNDER THOUGHTS: Morning rain subsided and a picture-perfect night for racing emerged. The pit area was filled with 23 Modifieds, 17 Open Sportsman, 22 Crate 602 Sportsman, eight Rookie Sportsman, 15 Street Stocks, 16 XCel 600 Modifieds and eight FWD Four Cylinders….
Despite some mid-program track prep, the Modified feature was completed by 10 p.m. and entire program in the books by 11 p.m. during a fast-paced program….
With rain canceling Saturday’s program at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway, Brandon Walters made his first start of the season in the Thunder Mountain Modified ranks. He finished 13th….
Both Crate 602 Sportsman winner Dustin Jordan and Street Stock victor Trevor Dudley received rousing responses from the crowd….
Brian White experienced a scare during his Open Sportsman charge when the right-front brake momentarily locked up and was a glowing red….
Racing resumes at Thunder Mountain Speedway on Saturday, June 18 with Modifieds, Open Sportsman, Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds, FWD Four Cylinders and the Classics on Dirt Stock Car Club.
Adult grandstand admission is $12. Seniors (ages 65 and over) 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 MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY JUNE 11, 2016 RESULTS SUMMARY
Modified Feature Finish (30 laps): BOB HAMM JR., Byron Worthing, Brian Malcolm, Ryan Jordan, Chad Cook, Nick Nye, Jeremy Smith, Brent Wilcox, Barry White, Alan Barker, Colton Wilson, Tyler Siri, Brandon Walters, Ken Titus, Jeff Sheely, Nick Mady, Lee DeWitt, Todd Titus, Billy Spoonhower, Danny Creeden, John Morse, Randy Brokaw, Sam Allen.
Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): BRIAN WHITE, Kevin Jordan, Larry Mekic, Adam Hilton, Eddie White, Chris Jordan, Greg Morgan, Daniel Burman, Dayton Coney, Chance Spoonhower, Alissa Cody, Marc Goodwin, Dan Burman, Thomas Ferguson, Jason Tuttle, Larry Hillis.
Did Not Start: Geordie Decker.
Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): DUSTIN JORDAN, Brian Mady, Tom Collins, Mike Nagel Jr., Isaiah Forward, Tyler Ward, Kinser Hill, Matt Brewer, Marc Goodwin, Hilary Ward, Brenton Miller, Bob Stahl, James McIntyre, Kimberlee Morgan, Michael Horton, Tyler Keener, Scott Smith, Pat Jordan, Pat Parker, Shayne Spoonhower, Daryl Krebs, Gregg Turner.
Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 laps): DAN ALLEN, Landon Cummings, Ryan Alsdorf, Connor Spoonhower, Jason Beebe, A.J. Williams, Nick Soules, Justin Cobb.
Street Stock Feature Finish (20 laps): TREVOR DUDLEY, Jonathan Carpenter, Earl Zimmer, Matt Spencer, Doug Stack Jr., Shane Wolf Jr., Jeff Wilcox, Jack Holcomb Jr., Mike Wilbur Sr., Steven Deinhardt, K.J. Yager, John Hoover, Rick Sinsabaugh, Jon White, Jacob Fowlston.
XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 laps): WILL EASTMAN, Chris Kithcart, Eric Boyd, Jamie Frantz, Doug Windhausen, Kamdin Maby, Tom Shiner, Joe McCabe, Nick Chase, John Burnside, Jacob Waibel, Dana Davis, Abby Price, Justin Shiner, Bailey Boyd, Dakota Andersen.
FWD Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 laps): GABE Forward, Rich Gardiner, Chris Taylor, Clint Kadarondak, Kenny Underwood, Robbie Fiene, Trevor Belcher, Zack Hayward.
