Change Of Luck: Byron Worthing Drives Dan Morden’s No. 14K Hig Fab Chassis To $1,776 Modified Victory Saturday At Thunder Mountain; Larry Hillis (Sportsman), Adam Hilton (Crate), Coty Bishop (Rookie), Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock) & Dylan Robinson (Four Cylinder) Also Triumph On Independence Day
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CENTER LISLE, NY – A change of car and luck resulted in victory for Byron Worthing.
Saddled by early season engine and handling issues, second-generation driver Worthing made the switch to Dan Morden’s No. 14K Hig Fab mount for weekly racing at Thunder Mountain Speedway. On Saturday night – in his first feature aboard the car – Worthing drove to a $1,776 payday in the 30-lap Greene’s ACE Home Center of Whitney Point ‘Red, White and Blue’ special.
For Worthing, the win was the second of his Modified career.
“I can’t thank Dan and Harriette Morden enough,” Worthing said. “This car was perfect. I definitely recommend these Hig Fab cars after tonight.”
In a rough-and-tumble, caution-marred event, Worthing led the entire distance after launching off the pole position via the track’s handicapping system.
“That was the longest race I’ve ever been in, and it felt longer because I was leading,” noted Worthing, whose father Doug is a former Southern Tier Modified standout. “I definitely got some restart practice in.”
Behind Worthing, recent ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ winner Brian Malcolm was working forward. Malcolm, of Lake Ariel, Pa., drove inside Billy Spoonhower to take over second with less than two circuits remaining. Malcolm chased Worthing across the line for a runner-up finish in the Waymart Building Center No. 119 Troyer.
Spoonhower held on for third, followed by Mike Nagel Jr., who climbed from 12th to finish fourth in one of his strongest outings of the season and 18th-starter Ryan Jordan, overcoming heat-race carburetor issues that forced him to start last in the main event.
Vestal, N.Y., veteran Larry Hillis took over the lead on lap four and drove on to victory in the 20-lap Open Sportsman feature, netting the $700 payday for his second triumph of 2015.
Hillis raced side-by-side with Marc Goodwin during the opening three laps and once in front was never headed. Invader Jim Britt of Broomall, Pa., racing at Thunder Mountain since his home track of Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway was closed for the holiday weekend, finished second after starting ninth.
Kenny Hammond completed a last-lap, three-wide pass for third followed by point leader Eric Leet and Goodwin.
Adam Hilton of Buffalo, N.Y., earned the Crate 602 Sportsman triumph. Hilton worked the extreme low line past Shayne Spoonhower on the seventh lap and never looked back. Sixth-starter Brian Mady, Spoonhower, David Doig Jr. and Dustin Jordan completed the front five.
Coty Bishop of Binghamton, N.Y., used a rim-riding performance to earn his second consecutive Rookie Sportsman 15-lap triumph over an improving Kailee Dimorier.
Driving from eighth to the lead in a matter of two laps running the extreme outside lane, Steven Deinhardt of Deposit, N.Y., returned to Victory Lane in the 20-lap Barrett’s Race Cars & Components Street Stock feature, earning a $500 payday. Deinhardt took advantage of a recently reworked track surface to drive to the front quickly.
Rich Sharpsteen chased Deinhardt to the finish, followed by Donald Russell, Jonathan Carpenter and Earl Zimmer. All but one of the race’s 19 starters took the checkered in a clean, quickly run event.
Dylan Robinson of Harpursville, N.Y., continued his domination of the Four Cylinder ranks, topping the 15-lap feature. Gabe Forward, Keith Potter, Ryan Wood and Guy Raymond Jr. completed the front five.
Racing resumes next Saturday, July 11 when Barrett Paving Materials Inc. presents a full program of Modifieds, Open Sportsman, Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds ($1,000-to-win ‘tour’ race) and FWD Four Cylinders. The SRP Sprints return to the Mountain, as well.
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, visitwww.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: Rain showers throughout the first half of the day subsided for a clear and cool night for racing that included a spectacular fireworks display following the Modified feature. The XCel 600 Modifieds had a scheduled week off and return onJuly 11….
A large crowd filled the speedway’s concrete grandstand for the event….
Byron Worthing’s first Modified win came last year at the Mountain during the ‘Sprint Car Saturday’ on Labor Day weekend….
The wet week continued to take its toll on a saturated track surface, which required extensive reworking during the intermission break….
Jim Britt, Sportsman runner-up, and Steve Davis towed from the PA/NJ area for the weekend, racing at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y., Friday and Thunder Mountain on Saturday while staying nearby in Deposit, N.Y….
Qualifying heat winners included Ken Titus, Billy Spoonhower and Chance Spoonhower (Modified); Larry Hillis and Kenny Hammond (Sportsman); Dan Pease and Shayne Spoonhower (Crate 602 Sportsman); Coty Bishop and Mark Andrus (Rookie Sportsman); Jonathan Carpenter, Trevor Dudley and Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock); and Dylan Robinson (Four Cylinder)….
JULY 4, 2015 ‘RED, WHITE & BLUE SPECIAL’ RACE SUMMARY
Modified Feature Finish (30 Laps): BYRON WORTHING, Brian Malcolm, Billy Spoonhower, Mike Nagel Jr., Ryan Jordan, Tom Collins Jr., Chris Stull, Brent Wilcox, Butch Green, Chad Cook, Nick Rochinski, Mike Wilbur, Mike Mahaney, Marshall Balzer, Matt Latwinski, Ken Titus, Colton Wilson, Chance Spoonhower.
Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): LARRY HILLIS, Jim Britt, Kenny Hammond, Eric Leet, Marc Goodwin, Billy Spoonhower, Brandon Walters, Nick Mady, Dan Burman, Kevin Jordan, Steve Davis, A.J. Lord, Chris Jordan, Jacob Fowlston, Geordie Decker.
Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): ADAM HILTON, Brian Mady, Shayne Spoonhower, David Doig Jr., Dustin Jordan, Josh Underwood, Daryl Krebs, Hilary Ward, Jerry Voorhis, Pat Jordan, Todd Titus, Isaiah Forward, Randy Gates, Dan Pease, Todd Hayward.
Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 Laps): COTY BISHOP, Kailee Dimorier, Tyler Keener, Cole Price, Zach Balzer, Shawn Davis, Tony Amato, Kinser Hill, Kerri Cook, Thomas Ferguson, Rudy Roth.
Did Not Start: Mark Andrus
Street Stock Feature Finish (20 Laps): STEVEN DEINHARDT, Rich Sharpsteen, Donald Russell, Jonathan Carpenter, Earl Zimmer, John Cooper Jr., Trevor Dudley, Doug Stack, Shawn Boynton, Shane Wolf Jr., Jason Beebe, Matt Spencer, Kevin Garland, Dan Force, Rick Sinsabaugh, Kyle Stark, Levi Davis, K.J. Yager, Quinn Shay.
Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 Laps): DYLAN ROBINSON, Gabe Forward, Keith Potter, Ryan Wood, Guy Raymond Jr., Brian Nornhold, Willy Turner.
Did Not Start: Doug O’Hara.
