Breakthrough: Ryan Jordan Wins First Modified Feature At Thunder Mountain Speedway Saturday Night; Kevin Jordan (Open Sportsman), Brian Mady (Crate Sportsman), Kinser Hill (Rookie Sportsman), Jonathan Carpenter (Street Stock), Mike Mahaney (XCel 600 Modified) & Dylan Robinson (Four Cylinder) Reach Victory Lane

Breakthrough: Ryan Jordan Wins First Modified Feature At Thunder Mountain Speedway Saturday Night; Kevin Jordan (Open Sportsman), Brian Mady (Crate Sportsman), Kinser Hill (Rookie Sportsman), Jonathan Carpenter (Street Stock), Mike Mahaney (XCel 600 Modified) & Dylan Robinson (Four Cylinder) Reach Victory Lane

CENTER LISLE, NY – Ryan Jordan finally broke through.

The sophomore Modified driver, who had come close but never won at Thunder Mountain Speedway, earned his first career Modified triumph at the Center Lisle, N.Y., facility Saturday night, emerging from a spirited battle for the lead in the 30-lap main event. The Speedsville, N.Y., driver realized a lifelong ambition by reaching Thunder Mountain Victory Lane.

“I grew up watching the races here,” Jordan asserted after climbing from his Hig Fab Chassis No. R21. “I’ve wanted to win a Modified race at Thunder Mountain for my whole life.

“We’ve been so close here, and the car’s been fast, but we haven’t gotten the right breaks. Tonight, it went our way.”

Ken Titus led the opening three laps of the main event before Billy Spoonhower, who started second, took command. Jordan had rolled off the grid in fifth spot and followed Spoonhower into second spot. Jordan chased Spoonhower during the race’s first half.

On lap 17, the 23-year-old made his winning move.

Following a series of slide-job exchanges, Jordan emerged as the race leader.

“For a while, I didn’t think I was going to get Billy,” Jordan said. “Our car kept getting better.”

While Jordan led, seventh-starter Brian Malcolm was moving forward with the Coar-Clark Motorsports No. 119. Following an exchange with Chad Cook for third spot, Malcolm arrived in second on the 21^st lap. He was closing on Jordan when the race’s final yellow flew on the 26^th lap.

Jordan fended off Malcolm’s advances in the remaining four circuits to etch his name on the Thunder Mountain win list. Jordan’s only prior Modified victory came at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y., last season.

Lake Ariel, Pa.’s Malcolm continued his strong 2015 with a runner-up finish. Cook, of Deposit, N.Y., finished third, followed by Chris Stull of Virgil, N.Y. Dickson City, Pa.’s Nick Rochinski recovered from involvement in a lap-13 tangle to complete the top-five with an outside-lane advance.

For the second time this season, Speedsville, N.Y.’s Kevin Jordan was the Open Sportsman victor. On Saturday, Jordan earned every bit of his $700 payday. Utilizing the extreme outside lane, Jordan rolled past race-long leader Larry Hillis with just two laps remaining for the lead.

At one point, Jordan, Hillis and Nick Mady raced three-wide for the lead, using every inch of the speedway.

“My car wouldn’t work on the bottom,” Jordan said. “I went to the top and it took off. I committed to running up there. If I hit it wrong, I’d lose a little, but I could get it back. I kept gaining and gaining a little at a time.”

Jordan edged Hillis, point leader Eric Leet, who recovered from a mid-race incident, Nick Mady and Kenny Hammond.

Brian Mady made his long tow from Milford, Pa., pay off with a thrilling triumph in the 20-lap Crate 602 Sportsman main event. Mady charged to the lead early on in the feature and spent much of the distance battling with a rim-riding Pat Jordan. Jordan actually swept by Mady on the 15^th lap, but Mady didn’t give up.

Relentlessly using the inside, Mady pulled even with Jordan as the white flag flew. Entering turn three, Jordan checked up momentarily behind a slower car. Mady won the race to the line.

Jordan, Shayne Spoonhower, Tyler Singleton (in his first start of the season) and Randy Gates completed the front five.

Kinser Hill of Nichols, N.Y., won his first open-wheel event in the 15-lap Rookie Sportsman feature. Hill, a former Street Stock regular, outdueled Opening Night winner Rudy Roth during the final circuits of the main.

“This car is a whole lot different,” noted Hill, who is making the transition from full-fender racing.

Roth, Coty Bishop, Cole Price and Tyler Keener trailed.

Jonathan Carpenter was the “bounty hunter” in the Barrett’s Race Cars & Components Street Stock division on Saturday. Carpenter won his first 20-lap main of the season and captured the $100 bounty placed on Steven Deinhardt, who had won the first three races of the ’15 campaign.

Carpenter believed he was an unlikely victor after getting shuffled back from his eighth starting spot during the early laps. However, Carpenter cut through traffic in the mid-portions, taking the lead from divisional rookie Trevor Dudley on lap 13. With the bounty, his earnings reached $600!

Dudley held on for second, followed by John Cooper Jr. in his strongest effort this season. Steven Deinhardt pitted for a flat right-rear tire on lap six and recovered for fourth, with Shane Wolf Jr. completing the front five.

Modified star Mike Mahaney raced to the win in the 20-lap XCel 600 Modified event. Mahaney battled with Doug Windhausen for the lead before taking command on the 14^th lap. He marched on to the win sweeping the XCel 600 weekend after toppingFriday’s I-88 event.

Will Eastman, Windhausen, Brian Mady and Tom Shiner finished second through fifth, respectively.

Dylan Robinson brought his fourth straight FWD Four Cylinder 15-lap victory back to Harpursville, N.Y., in dominant fashion. Robinson drove from sixth to the lead in one lap and was never seriously challenged.

Racing resumes next Saturday, May 30, with a full program of Modifieds, Open Sportsman, Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds and FWD Four Cylinders. The SRP Sprints also make their first appearance of the 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 isthundermtnspeedway@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: Track conditions were ideal for Saturday’s program, with three-wide racing the norm on a wide and smooth surface. Dust was minimal despite wind and sun conditions all day. The surface drew praise from competitors in all of the weekly divisions….

Kids’ bike race winners during intermission were Damon Dowd (ages 3-5), Dustin Jones (ages 6-8) and Jacob Waibel (ages 9-11). The races were held on the frontstretch with encouragement of the crowd….

The bounty on Dylan Robinson in the FWD Four Cylinder division increases to $100 for next Saturday’s (May 30) event. Robinson must finish on the lead lap for the bounty to be collected. Should he win again next Saturday, Robinson will be able to collect the bounty on the first Saturday of June….

Car counts remain strong on the Mountain with 102 competitors signing in for action….

Had Pat Jordan fended off Brian Mady in the Crate 602 Sportsman event, he would have been the third Jordan family member in Victory Lane Saturday night joining his nephew Ryan (Modified) and brother Kevin (Open Sportsman)….

Lias Tire/American Racer FREE tire giveaway winners were Byron Worthing (Modified), Chris Jordan (Sportsman) and Rich Sharpsteen (Street Stock)….

Qualifying heat winners included Mike Clapperton, Chris Stull and Ryan Jordan (Modified); Larry Hillis and Tommy Eiklor (Sportsman); Pat Jordan and Randy Gates (Crate 602 Sportsman); Coty Bishop and Wayne Ross (Rookie Sportsman); Brett Barrett, Trevor Dudley and Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock); Will Eastman and Doug Windhausen (XCel 600 Modified); and Gabe Forward and Dylan Robinson (Four Cylinder)….

MAY 23, 2015 RACE SUMMARY

Modified Feature Finish (30 Laps): RYAN JORDAN, Brian Malcolm, Chad Cook, Chris Stull, Nick Rochinski, Billy Spoonhower, Ken Titus, Mike Mahaney, Byron Worthing, Mike Nagel Jr., Butch Green, Marshall Balzer, Jeff Sheely, Tom Collins Jr., Steve Wren Jr., Colton Wilson, Mike Clapperton, Matt Latwinski, Brent Wilcox.

American Racer/Lias Tire FREE Tire: Byron Worthing

Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): KEVIN JORDAN, Larry Hillis, Eric Leet, Nick Mady, Kenny Hammond, Travis Smith, Chris Jordan, Billy Spoonhower, Tom Eiklor, Geordie Decker, Dan Burman, Marc Goodwin, Jake Fowlston.

American Racer/Lias Tire FREE Tire: Chris Jordan

Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): BRIAN MADY, Pat Jordan, Shayne Spoonhower, Tyler Singleton, Randy Gates, Josh Underwood, Isaiah Forward, Eric Boynton, Dustin Jordan, Lanson Albanese, Daryl Krebs, Dan Pease, T.J. Frost, Adam Hilton, David Doig Jr., Jerry Voorhis.

Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 Laps): KINSER HILL, Rudy Roth, Coty Bishop, Cole Price, Tyler Keener, Kerri Cook, Wayne Ross, Kenny Benjamin, Thomas Ferguson, Kailee Dimorier.

Did Not Start: Dayton Coney.

Street Stock Feature Finish (20 Laps): JONATHAN CARPENTER, Trevor Dudley, John Cooper Jr., Steven Deinhardt, Shane Wolf Jr., Don Russell, Rich Sharpsteen, Jason Beebe, Matt Spencer, Dan Force, Shawn Boynton, Levi Davis, Mike Schrader, Earl Zimmer, Quinn Shay, Brett Barrett, Rick Sinsabaugh, Pat Votra.

American Racer/Lias Tire FREE Tire: Rich Sharpsteen

XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 Laps): MIKE MAHANEY, Will Eastman, Doug Windhausen, Brian Mady, Tom Shiner, Jamie Frantz, Joe McCabe, Eric Boyd, Matthew Colwell, Dana Davis, Bailey Boyd, Dakota Andersen, Nick Chase, Kamdin Maby.

Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 Laps): DYLAN ROBINSON, Gabe Forward, Keith Potter, Guy Raymond Jr., Brian Nornhold, Collin Davey, Clayton Force, Don Cole, C.J. Wheeland, Willy Turner, Chris Taylor.