Jimmy Phelps Fulton Speedway Modified Win Sets Up A Three-way Race For The Title

Jimmy Phelps Fulton Speedway Modified Win Sets Up A Three-way Race For The Track Championship; Empire Super Sprints Part Of September 2 Championship Night

Story By: Dave Medler/Fulton Speedway

Photos By: Mike Johnson/RacersGuide.com

FULTON, NY – August 26, 2017 – Coming into Saturday night Jimmy Phelps sat third in points and he knew he had to take matters into his own hands to have a shot at the Tracey Road Equipment Modified Track Championship on Saturday, September 2.

Phelps went out and won the 35-lap feature after a tough battle with Billy Whittaker making the winning pass on lap 27 and putting him just one point out of the championship chase. Tim Sears, Jr. (658) Jimmy Phelps (657) Larry Wight (648).

It’s not just the modifieds that will need the final points night to decide 2017 track champions. The SUNY Canton Sportsman and Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Late Models will need every lap this Saturday to crown their champions.

In the 35-lap modified feature, Joe August, Jr. would lead the opening lap before Billy Whittaker blasted into the lead using the top side of the speedway.

At the 10-lap mark, Whittaker was on cruise control out front leading by a straightaway while August, Tim Kerr and Jimmy Phelps were in a close fight for second, third and fourth and Mike Bowman was fifth a few car lengths back.

With 15-laps showing on the scoring tower Whittaker was still clicking off quick laps as he was putting cars a lap down. Phelps, August, Kerr and Bowman still showed in the top-five.

At the halfway point Phelps caught Whittaker and the battle for the lead was on as the pair raced bumper to bumper and side by side in and out of traffic.

Phelps made the winning pass of the race on lap 28 when he saw the bottom lane open. Once out front, Phelps slowly drove away for the win. Billy Whittaker, Tim Kerr, Mike Bowman and Tom Sears, Jr finished second through fifth.

Modified points coming into Saturday, September 2 Championship Night. Tim Sears Jr. (658) Jimmy Phelps (657) Larry Wight (648) Pat Ward (589) Max McLaughlin (562).

Once again, the SUNY Canton Sportsman impressed with 55 cars signing into the pits bringing out 6 heats and three full point, full purse 25-lap features.

In the first 25-lap feature recent Novice Sportsman graduate Jimmy Moyer would lead the opening 5-laps before Amy Holland grabbed the top-spot.

At the 10-lap mark, Holland ran alone out front using the bottom of the speedway while Kyle Fink, Moyer and Alan Fink were in a three-way fight for second through fourth with Tyler Trump a distant fifth.

After moving into second Alan Fink chased down and passed Holland with 10-laps remaining. Once out front Fink drove away for his fourth Fulton win of the year. Amy Holland, Kyle Fink, Mike Phelps and Chris Cunningham finished second through fifth.

In the second 25-lap feature Mike Button would take the lead on a lap-2 restart to set the early pace while the racing behind him was two and three wide for position.

At the 10-lap point Button was in control of the race while racing behind him was tight between Dylan Zacharias, Nick Krause, Ryan Hatherill and Glenn Forward.

The race would change on a lap-11 caution and restart. On the restart, in turns three and four, leader Button got turned around also collecting Davis and Forward. All three cars would continue at the back of the field.

The story over the second half would be the battle royal between Nick Krause, Dylan Zacharias and Corey Barker. All over the speedway the trio would run under a blanket and even three-wide more than once that saw Barker grab his second win in a row. Dylan Zacharias, Nick Krause, Ron Davis III and Nate Higgins finished second through fifth.

The final 25-lap feature would see Wade Chrisman behind the wheel of his recently purchased Jeremy Dygert car bolt out to a half a straightaway lead by lap-10 with AJ Miller, Jeremy Pitcher, Todd Root and Dorian Wahdan racing for second through fifth.

The whole race would come down to a three-car shootout between Chrisman, Pitcher and Root. Lap after lap the three would run within inches of each other. They would come across the line three-wide on the final lap that saw Root win by a narrow margin over Pitcher and Chrisman. AJ Miller and Mike Stanton, Jr. finished fourth and fifth.

Sportsman points coming into Saturday, September 2 Championship Night. Ron Davis III (722) Todd Root (720) Corey Barker (684) Jeremy Pitcher (675) Glenn Forward (672).

In the 20-lap Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Late Model feature Jason Parkhurst would take the lead on lap-2 and looked to run away and hide but Chris Fleming had other ideas.

At lap-5 Parkhurst and Fleming were in a two-car breakaway at the front of the field. You could have thrown a blanket over Sean Beardsley, Kevan Cook and Alan Chapman in the race for third through fifth.

Parkhurst and Fleming were still in a close battle for the lead at the halfway point as Sean Beardsley ran alone in third looking for a way to close in on the top-two. Jason Occhino and Cook showed fourth and fifth.

A yellow on lap-14 slowed the battle royal for the lead and would put the rest of the field within striking distance for the final six laps.

When the green came back out Parkhurst and Cook took off again to settle it between them. Fleming threw everything he had at Parkhurst but Parkhurst was too quick, grabbing his fourth win of the year. Chris Fleming, Sean Beardsley, Kevan Cook and Jason Occhino finished second through fifth.

Late Model points going into Saturday, September 2 Championship Night. Jason Parkhurst (1,485) Kevan Cook (1,485) Chad Homan (1,477) Chris Fleming (1,468) Bret Belden (1,452).

Robert Gage was the class of the field in the first 15-lap E&V Energy Novice Sportsman feature over Jake Petit, Casey Cunningham, Kearra Backus and Brandon Thompson. In the second 15-lap feature Wesley Hayes won his second in a row. Pat Nolan, Kyle Rood, Dan Dupra and Billy Sauve finished second through fifth.

This Saturday, September 2 will be a Labor Day Weekend Holiday Spectacular presented by Unique eCigs featuring the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints and Champions will be crowned in the Tracey Road Equipment Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton Sportsman, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Late Models plus the E&V Energy Novice Sportsman.

Adult grandstand admission is $20 with everyone 18 years old and younger FREE. Pit is $35. Gates will open at 5:00 with racing at 7:00.

Any questions you might have and for marketing opportunities please contact Cory Reed (315) 593-6531 or cory@fultonspeedway.com. For the latest news visit www.fultonspeedway.com . Like the track Facebook page www.facebook.com/FultonSpeedway .

Burke’s Do-It-Best Centers of Fulton & Oswego – August 26 Results.

(Tracey Road Equipment Modifieds 35 Laps) – JIMMY PHELPS, Billy Whittaker, Tim Kerr, Mike Bowman, Tom Sears Jr., Tim Sears Jr., Joe August Jr., Max McLaughlin, Ryan Jordan, Chris Hile, Pat Ward, Larry Wight, Chad Phelps, Adam Roberts, Andrew Ferguson, Jim Witko Jr., Kody Graham, Katelyn Hile, Tim Mayne, Tim Harris, John West, Andy Noto, Tim Murphy, Brandon Carvey.

(SUNY Canton Sportsman #1 – 25 Laps) – ALAN FINK, Amy Holland, Kyle Fink, Mike Phelps, Chris Cunningham, Billy Clark Jr., Jessica Power, Joe Isabell, Steve Calabrese, Jimmy Moyer, Charlie Tibbitts, James Carlson, Tom Juno, Josh Blackwell, Dave Talbot, Aaron Jacobs, Mason Olmstead, Kyle Perry, Tyler Trump.

(SUNY Canton Sportsman #2 – 25 Laps) – COREY BARKER, Dylan Zacharias, Nick Krause, Ron Davis III, Nate Higgins, Jason Amidon, Brett Draper, Ricky Yelle, Mike Button, Glenn Forward, Dan Kapuscinski, Steve Marshall, Tony Finch Sr., Brandon Ford, Ryan Hatherill, Tyler Singleton, Jim Spano, Joey Buonagurio.

(SUNY Canton Sportsman #3 – 25 Laps) – TODD ROOT, Jeremy Pitcher, Wade Chrisman, AJ Miller, Mike Stanton Jr., Tyler Thompson, Chris Mackey, Will Shields, Willy Decker Jr., Mike Prentice, Richie Riggs, Dorian Wahdan, Colby Herzog, Joe Sobotka, Pat LaPage, Aaron Backus, Torrey Stoughtenger, DNS-Tim Falter.

(Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Late Models 20 Laps) – JASON PARKHURST, Chris Fleming, Sean Beardsley, Kevan Cook, Jason Occhino, Chad Homan, AJ Kingsley, Bret Belden, Dale Caswell, Steve Coit, Jeff Isabell Jr., Aaron Jacobs, Alan Chapman, Max Hill, Rich Riggs, Harry Halliday, Brandon Carvey.

(E&V Energy Novice Sportsman #1 – 15 Laps) – ROBERT GAGE, Jake Petit, Casey Cunningham, Kearra Backus, Brandon Thompson, Kelly Smith, Tim Abate, Tyler Rogers, Chris Bonoffski.

(E&V Energy Novice Sportsman #2 – 15 Laps) – WESLEY HAYES, Pat Nolan, Kyle Rood, Dan Dupra, Billy Sauve, DJ Forbes, Dwight Nichols, Ryan Gustin.