Pat Ward Goes Back To 2014 To Win Fulton Speedway Modified Feature

Pat Ward Goes Back To 2014 To Win Fulton Speedway Modified Feature

Story By: Dave Medler/Fulton Speedway

Photos By: Mike Johnson/RacersGuide.com

FULTON, NY – Fan favorite Pat Ward related Saturday night at the Fulton Speedway that the last 6-7 weeks that they were really struggling, and no matter what they tried the results were not up to his or his No.42p, Gypsum Express, LJL race team standards.

Sometimes going back to something that has worked in the past is just what is needed. Ward had a 2014 coil car in the race shop that they got ready for Saturday night, and the result was a trip to victory lane in the caution-free 35-lap Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar 358 Modified feature.

Other winners on Ingles Performance night were, Jackson Gill & Corey Barker (SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman) Kevan Cook (Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models) Austin Germinio (E&V Energy Novice Sportsman) *Jackson Gill win is pending tech inspection*

Joe Shields would lead the opening lap of the 358 Modified feature before Jeff McGinnis shot into the lead one lap later.

With 5 laps complete McGinnis held a narrow lead over Glenn Forward with Mike Bowman, Shields and Tom Sears Jr. not far behind the top two.

On lap 7 Forward found the bite he needed on the low groove to drive by McGinnis into the lead. On lap 10 McGinnis would regain the lead by inches with Forward taking it back one lap later.

With the scoring tower showing lap 15, Forward opened the biggest lead of the race of a half-a-second. McGinnis and Bowman raced side by side for second and third with Pat Ward right there looking for a way by.

On lap 20 Forward was on rails out front leading by almost two-seconds. Behind the leader you could have almost thrown a blanket over Bowman, Ward, McGinnis and Tim Sears Jr. as they used every lane on the speedway looking for any advantage.

With 10 laps to go Ward and Bowman erased Forward’s lead as they were all over his bumper with Sears and Ron Davis III showing in fourth and fifth.

On lap 26 Ward was a rocket on the bottom of the speedway as he drove by Forward and into the lead. Over the final laps nobody challenged Pat Ward as he cruised to his second Fulton win of 2018 and 22nd overall at the speedway. Tom Sears Jr., Mike Bowman, Ron Davis III and Tim Sears Jr. finished second through fifth.

The SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman division continues to impress. On Saturday 57 cars signed into the pits setting up two 25-lap features.

In the first feature DJ Forbes and Josh Livingston would swap the lead back and forth in the early laps while the racing behind them was two-three and a couple times four-wide as they fought position.

With 10 laps complete the battle for the lead was in a tight pack between Forbes, Jackson Gill, Livingston, Mike Phelps and Mike Stanton Jr. just before a yellow would slow the action.

After running bumper to bumper and side by side Gill found just enough room under Forbes exiting turn four and would have the lead on lap 13 by inches at the flagger’s stand.

Gill, Forbes and Phelps were in a three-car breakaway out front with 10 laps left to settle it for the win. Over those laps Gill was able to drive away for the 2.6 seconds win over Mike Phelps. Alan Fink, DJ Forbes and Nate Higgins finished third through fifth. *Jackson Gill win is pending for tech inspection*

In the second feature Steve Marshall would lead the opening 5 laps before Tye-Scott Rood would use the top groove of the speedway to drive into the lead on lap 6.

With 10 laps complete Rood would hold a narrow few car lengths lead while behind him Scott Prentice, Corey Barker, Marshall and Kyle DeMetro raced for second through fifth just before a yellow would slow the pace.

On the restart Prentice shot into the lead with Corey Barker bolting into the second spot.

With Prentice running the top and Barker the bottom they separated themselves from the rest of the field with 10 laps left to settle it for the win.

Over the final laps Prentice and Barker put on a show running side by side, each leading by inches all over the speedway. It all came down to a drag race exiting turn four and down the front straight that would see Corey Barker win by 0.200 of a second over Scott Prentice. Tye-Scott Rood, Nick Krause and Zach Sobotka finished third through fifth.

In the 20-lap Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Model feature Dane Keller Jr. would lead the opening lap before Dale Caswell drove by Keller into the lead one lap later.

With 5 laps complete Caswell held a two-car length lead over Kevan Cook as Keller, Chris Fleming and Jason Parkhurst were in a tight battle for third through fifth.

At the halfway point Caswell and Cook were in a two-car breakaway at the front of the field with Parkhurst alone in third looking for a way to close in on the top-two.

Caswell and Cook ran side by side for a few laps before Cook was able to take the lead with a handful of laps left and drive away for the 2.419 seconds win at the checkers. Jason Parkhurst, Dane Keller Jr. and Chris Fleming finished third through fifth.

The 15-lap E&V Energy Novice Sportsman feature came down to Pat Nolan and Austin Germinio putting on a show racing bumper to bumper and side by side with Germinio winning by 0.177 of a second over Nolan. For Germinio it was his second straight win. Robert Gage, Matt Becker and Richard Page finished third through fifth.

The month of July will end in an exciting way this Saturday, July 28 when VP Small Engine Fuels presents race-two in the $2,000-To-Win 50-lap Unique eCigs 358 Modified Series. The series is no track handicapping, draw at the pit gate, timed hot laps and feature redraw.

Joining the 358 Modifieds will be the SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models, E&V Energy Novice Sportsman and a visit from the STARS Mod Lite Series.

Adult grandstand admission is $15 with everyone 18 years old and younger free. Pit admission is $27 Member, $30 Non-Member. Grandstands open at 5:00 PM with racing at 7:00 pm.

Any questions you might have about the 2018 racing season and for marketing opportunities, please contact Cory Reed at 315-593-6531 or cory@fultonspeedway.com . For all the latest news go to www.fultonspeedway.com and like the track Facebook page www.facebook.com/FultonSpeedway for weekly and race day updates.

Ingles Performance Night July 21 Results

(Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar 358 Modifieds 35 Laps) – PAT WARD, Tom Sears Jr., Mike Bowman, Ron Davis III, Tim Sears Jr., Glenn Forward, Larry Wight, Jeff McGinnis, Rob Bellinger, Jordan McCreadie, Todd Root, Billy Whittaker, Bobby Herrington, Joe Shields, Tyler Trump, Andy Noto, Brent Cross.

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #1 – 25 Laps) – * JACKSON Gill*, Mike Phelps, Alan Fink, DJ Forbes, Nate Higgins, Mike Stanton Jr., Chris Mackey, Wade Chrisman, Mike Button, Billy Clark Jr., Ton Finch II, Dylan Zacharias, Chris Corbett, Joe Sobotka, Chris Bonoffski, Tyler Corcoran, Matt Steffenhagen, Josh Livingston, Brandon Carvey, Earl Rudy, Colby Herzog, Tony Komuda, Jake Petit, Ryan Hatherill, Billy Sauve, Torry Stoughtenger, John Traphagen, Ted Starr, Brett Draper. (* Jackson Gill -Pending Tech Inspection*)

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #2 – 25 Laps) – COREY BARKER, Scott Prentice, Tye-Scott Rood, Nick Krause, Zach Sobotka, Chris Hulsizer, Bob Henry, Amy Holland, Kyle DeMetro, Jessica Power, Jim Spano, Richie Riggs, Jimmy Moyer, Willy Decker Jr., Greg Doust, Addison Bowman, Tyler Murray, Tom Juno, Chris Curtis, Dorian Wahdan, Chuck Miller, Josh Blackwell, Rich Riggs, John Strickler, Frank Sobotka, Steve Marshall, Brandon Ford, Kyle Perry.

(Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models 20 Laps) –KEVAN COOK, Dale Caswell, Jason Parkhurst, Dane Keller, Chris Fleming, David Pangrazio, Bret Belden, TJ Downs, Max Hill, Sean Beardsley.

(E&V Energy Novice Sportsman 15 Laps) – AUSTIN GERMINIO, Pat Nolan, Robert Gage, Matt Becker, Richard Page, Dwight Nichols, Mikey Wight, Quinn Wallis, Riley Rogala, Nick Casterline, Kearra Backus, Jake Davis.