McLaughlin Wins Exciting Brewerton Modified Feature

Max McLaughlin Wins Exciting Brewerton Speedway Modified Feature

Story By: Dave Medler/Brewerton Speedway

Photos By: Mike Johnson/RacersGuide.com

BREWERTON, NY – Coming into Friday night racing at the Brewerton Speedway, Mooresville, NC racer Max McLaughlin sat fourth in the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modified point standings with his consistent finishes. One thing evaded him, a trip to victory lane.

McLaughlin started the 35-lap feature in 9th spot and would steadily work his way to the front where he would have a close battle lap after lap with race leader Gary Tomkins. On lap 30 McLaughlin would grab the narrow lead by a couple of feet at the flag stand. Once out front he would hold off challenges by Tomkins for his first win this season and second overall at Brewerton.

Other winners on Pro Edge Property Maintenance night were, Zach Sobotka and Alan Fink (SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman) Joe Garafolo and Josh Kinney (STARS Mod Lites) and Chuck Powelczyk (JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders).

Andrew Ferguson would out-race Katelyn Hile to lead the opening lap of the 35-lap Modified feature. His lead would be short lived as one lap later Hile would drive by Ferguson to be scored the new leader.

Hile would hold a slim lead on lap 5 while Ferguson and Tomkins raced side-by-side for second and third with Ron Davis III and Tyler Trump in fourth and fifth just before a quick yellow for Tim Sears Jr. when his night ended when it appeared he hit a uke tire on the back straightaway.

When the green came back out, Davis who started 11th bolted into second and would drive into the lead on lap 9.

On lap 12 Davis would get sideways in turns one and two making contact with Tomkins. Both somehow would keep going but it allowed Ferguson to regain the lead. One lap later Tomkins drove into the top spot.

With 15 laps showing on the scoring tower, Tomkins, Ferguson, Tom Sears, McLaughlin and Pat Ward raced hard for top-five positions using every inch of the speedway.

On lap 20 Tomkins bolted out to a half a straightaway lead. McLaughlin had worked his way to second and set his sights on the leader with Ferguson, Sears and Ward still showing in the top-five.

With 10 laps to go Tomkins was still quick out front as McLaughlin raced alone in second looking for a way to close in on Tomkins. Ward, Larry Wight who started last after going to a back-up car and Sears battled for third through fifth.

On lap 28 McLaughlin ran down Tomkins setting up a battle for the win as the final laps started clicking off the lap counter. With Tomkins and McLaughlin using every inch of the speedway trying to gain an advantage, McLaughlin would find the speed he needed to take the narrow lead on lap 30. Tomkins would fight back but McLaughlin was too quick, winning by 1.652 seconds at the checkers. Tom Sears, Pat Ward and Larry Wight would finish third through fifth.

Forty-two Sportsman signed into the pits setting up two exciting 25-lap features.

In the first feature Zach Sobotka who started third would bolt out to the early lead while racing was two and three wide fighting for positions.

With 10 laps showing on the scoring tower Sobotka still ran the bottom groove holding a ten-car length lead over Billy Clark, Jr. who was running the top side of the speedway looking for a way to close in on the leader. Tyler Thompson, Joe Sobotka and Earl Rudy were in a tight fight for third through fifth.

Zach Sobotka and Clark were still out front with 10 laps to go as Clark slowly cut into Sobotka’s lead. Rich Townsend, Thompson and Joe Sobotka showed on the scoring tower in the top five.

Over the final laps Billy Clark could get to Zach Sobotka but not find a way by as Sobotka was too quick and first under the checkers by 0.638 of a second over Clark. Rich Townsend, Earl Rudy and Brent Joy finished third through fifth.

In the second 25-lap Sportsman feature Rick Rogala would jump to the lead at the drop of the green and would lead 8 laps until Jeff Taylor took a narrow lead.

By lap 10 you could have thrown a blanket over Taylor, Rogala and Scott Prentice as they raced inches apart for the top three positions. Kevin Root and Chris Cunningham were right there ready to pounce on any mistakes by the top-three. On AMB scoring the top-five were separated by less than one-second.

The whole complexion of the race would change on lap 13 when leader Prentice and Taylor would make contact sending Prentice’s car around. Taylor was sent to the back of the field for the contact.

The restart would see Alan Fink, Kevin Root, Rick Rogala, Nick Krause and Chris Cunningham at the front of the pack to settle it.

With 10 laps to go Fink, Root and Krause were in a three-car breakaway with Rogala and Cunningham looking for top-five finishes.

A caution on lap 22 would erase the lead Fink built up setting up a dash to the checkers. When the green came back out Fink was too quick as he was first under the checkers for his second Brewerton win of the year. Kevin Root and Nick Krause ran side by side over the final laps with Root taking second by inches over Krause. Rick Rogala and Chris Cunningham finished fourth and fifth.

In the June 22 holdover 20-lap STARS Mod Lite feature Mike Mullen, Justin Williams and Joe Garafolo put on a close race at the front of the field lap after lap.

On lap 12 Williams was able to drive by Mullen to take the lead of the race. Once in the lead Williams would cruise to the win by 3 seconds over Joe Garafolo. Zack Babcock, Mike Mullen and Tucker Halliday finished third through fifth.

In the post-race weigh-in at the scales, Williams was light giving the win to Garafolo.

In the second 20-lap STARS Mod Lite feature Zack Babcock, Mike Mullen and Justin Williams would have a tight battle for the lead when the yellow flag would wave on lap 5. Williams would take advantage of the restart and bolt out to the lead.

Just when it looked like Williams would cruise to the win, the final caution would come on lap 16 to tighten the field up for a dash to the checkers. When the green flag waved it would see Josh Kinney take the lead with a three-wide power move and then go on to the win by 0.834 of a second over Justin Williams. Zack Babcock, Joe Garafolo and Mike Mullen finished third through fifth.

In the 15-lap JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinder feature Chuck Powelczyk would take the lead from Sam Curcie on lap 3 and looked to run away hide. Recent high school graduate Evan Wright who started 12th worked his way to the front, challenging Powelczyk for the lead lap after lap. In the last few laps it looked like Wright’s car started to go away, letting Powelczyk drive away for the win. Evan Wright, Ray Bechler, Nate Powers and Sam Curcie finished second through fifth.

Tyler Young from Hastings, NY won the One-on-One Spectator races.

This Friday, July 20 Syracuse Haulers will present a night of fast, family, affordable fun racing featuring the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman, STARS Mod Lites and JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders.

Adult admission is $12 with everyone 18 years and younger free. Bring your ticket stub from the Syracuse Nationals and receive half-price admission to the grandstands. Pit admission is $27 Member, $30 Non-Member. Grandstands open at 5:30 pm with racing at 7:30 pm.

Any questions you have about the 2018 season or for marketing opportunities please contact Cory Reed (315) 668-6906 or cory@brewertonspeedway.com . For all the latest news go to www.brewertonspeedway.com -Facebook page www.facebook.com/BrewertonSpeedway

Pro Edge Property Maintenance Night July 13 Results

(Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds 35 Laps) – MAX MCLAUGHLIN, Gary Tomkins, Tom Sears Jr., Pat Ward, Larry Wight, Chad Phelps, Jimmy Phelps, Andrew Fergusson, Tim Kerr, Jim Witko, Chris Hile, Tyler Trump, Rob Bellinger, Katelyn Hile, Roy Bresnahan, Tim Harris, Ron Davis III, Tim Sears Jr.

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #1 25 Laps) – ZACH SOBOTKA, Billy Clark Jr., Rich Townsend, Earl Rudy, Brent Joy, Amy Holland, Mark Yorker, Tyler Thompson, Joe Sobotka, Dylan Zacharias, Chris Mackey, Mike Fowler, Tyler Murray, Chris Bonoffski, Colby Herzog, Joe Abbass, Ricky Yelle, Rich Riggs, Mike Stanton, Joe Kline, John Strickler.

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #2 25 Laps) – ALAN FINK, Kevin Root, Nick Krause, Rick Rogala, Chris Cunningham, Will Shields, Tye-Scott Rood, Corey Barker, Stephen Denton, Chris Hulsizer, Joey Buonagurio, Jake Petit, Jeff Taylor, Bailey Groves, Dorian Wahdan, Brian Evenden, Tony Komuda, Scott Prentice, Tony Finch II, Willy Decker Jr., DNS CJ Castelletti.

(STARS Mod Lites June 22 Holdover- 20 Laps) – JOE GARAFOLO, Zack Babcock, Mike Mullen, Tucker Halliday, Hunter Lawton, Dave Brown, Josh Kinney, Kelly Skinner, Jim Dunham, Shawn Hort, Ryan Halliday, Doug Williams, Justin Williams.

(STARS Mod Lites 20 Laps) – JOSH KINNEY, Justin Williams, Zack Babcock, Joe Garafolo, Mike Mullen, Tucker Halliday, Tom Perkins, Doug Williams, Kelly Skinner, Shawn Hort, Jim Dunham, Dave Brown, Hunter Lawton, Ryan Halliday, Sam Usborne, DNS Clayton Brewer.

(JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders 15 Laps) – CHUCK POWELCZYK, Evan Wright, Ray Bechler, Nate Powers, Sam Curcie, Jerry Curcie, Damien Bechler, Adam Gates, Sabrina Jeffries, Stephen Randall, Ken Pitsley, Clayton Koch, Quinn Wallis, Dylan Curcie, Jim Graham Jr.

(One-On-One Spectator Races) – Tyler Young.