142 Race Cars Enter Thunder Mountain Opener; Anthony Perrego Takes $1,992 Modified Win.
Story By;BRETT DEYO / BD MOTORSPORTS MEDIA Photos By:EVAN CANFIELD /MOJO PHOTOS
CENTER LISLE, NY –May 1, 2016- Anthony Perrego added his name to the Thunder Mountain Speedway win list in convincing fashion.
Perrego, the Montgomery, N.Y., invader, drove to a $1,992 payday in Saturday night’s official Season Opener at the three-eighths-mile clay oval. Perrego bested a stout field in the 30-lap big-block/small-block Modified event driving Gary Mann’s New York Truck Parts No. 55.
The recently expanded Thunder Mountain pit area was jammed to capacity with 142 race cars signing in for competition.
A banner roster of 30 Modifieds entered Saturday’s program. Management opted to start all cars and 29 took the green for the main.
Tyler Siri, the new promoter of Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, N.Y., started from the pole via a redraw of top qualifiers and burst into the lead at the outset. As Siri led, fifth-starter Perrego began to advance. On lap five, he arrived in second.
The leaders reached slower traffic in short order. Perrego was able to slip by Siri to take command on the 11th lap.
The final yellow of the main flew on lap 14. During the caution period, Siri was alerted of a shock tower issue but elected to stay on the speedway. Perrego regained control with Siri in pursuit.
The focus of attention, however, was Danny Creeden.
Wurtsboro, N.Y.’s Creeden was collected in a multi-car tangle on the first lap and restarted 27th. By the 14th-lap yellow, he was ninth. During the final green stretch, Creeden sliced through traffic, taking third on lap 23.
Perrego rolled to victory, the first of his career on the Mountain. He had been a top-five finisher in both Short Track Super Series specials at the speedway last year but felt he found extra speed Saturday.
“We struggled in the heat race,” Perrego said. “If we weren’t as bad in the heat, we probably wouldn’t have made that many changes. I think we found something we can use for the big race (STSS ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ May 29) coming up.”
Siri, the Watkins Glen, N.Y., driver nursed his No. 5* home in second. Creeden, who will race regularly at Thunder Mountain in 2016, impressed with a third-place finish followed by eighth-starter Nick Rochinski of Dickson City, Pa., and Ryan Jordan of Speedsville, N.Y., who rallied from 15th on the grid.
After earning his first-career win on April 23, Geordie Decker of Berkshire, N.Y., went back-to-back, taking home the 20-lap Open Sportsman main worth $700. Decker started fifth and raced into second by lap three behind pole starter Kenny Hammond.
Decker stalked Hammond, working the extreme inside line, before taking the lead on the 14th lap. Once in front, he powered to the win over Hammond, Chris Jordan, seventh-starter Brian White and Kevin Jordan.
Defending divisional champion Pat Jordan of Speedsville, N.Y., drove to victory in the 20-lap Crate 602 Sportsman main. He earned $500. Jordan, running a Hig Fab chassis this season, started from the pole and fended off the persistent late challenges from Tom Collins Jr., who had started in the third row and moved forward.
Collins settled for second, followed by Matt Brewer, Mike Decker and Mike Nagel Jr., up from 13th.
Street Stock graduate Jason Beebe of Berkshire, N.Y., ascended to open-wheel racing for 2016 and earned Saturday night’s 15-lap Rookie Sportsman nightcap. Beebe outdistanced Slingshot graduate Joe Krum in the final laps.
In a down-to-the-wire 20-lap Street Stock main, Shane Wolf Jr. of Susquehanna, Pa., edged Jonathan Carpenter for a $600 top prize boosted by Green’s Flag Car Service. Carpenter charged hard in the final laps – at one point nosing ahead of Wolf on the 16th lap before a caution negated the move – but settled for second at the finish.
Wolf and Carpenter led Brett Barrett, Doug Stack Jr. and Nick Robinson across the line.
Binghamton, N.Y., driver Eric Boyd earned every bit of his XCel 600 Modified payday in the 20-lap event. Boyd was pressured heavily by Jamie Frantz as the pair battled for victory in the final laps. At the finish, it was Boyd winning narrowly over Frantz, who had advanced from 12th starting spot. Nick Chase and the New Jersey tandem of Korey Inglin and Abbey Price completed the front five.
Michael Robinson of Harpursville, N.Y., edged Keith Potter in a wheel-to-wheel battle for FWD Four Cylinder supremacy in the 15-lap feature. Robinson occupied the outside lane in his drive for a second consecutive ’16 win. Potter, Gabe Forward, Chris Taylor and Jimmy Difulvio finished second through fifth, respectively.
THUNDER THOUGHTS: The massive 142-car count for Saturday’s point season opener was broken down as follows: 30 Modifieds, 18 Open Sportsman, 24 Crate 602 Sportsman, 11 Rookie Sportsman, 20 Street Stocks, 24 XCel 600 Modifieds and 15 FWD Four Cylinders. A healthy crowd took in the action as well….
Mechanical issues sidelined Dale Welty in Modified qualifying, meaning 29 of the 30 cars on hand started the feature….
Passing was prevalent through the rapidly run program. The headlining Modified event was completed by 9:46 p.m., with an 11 p.m. completion time for the final checkered….
Heat winners included Nick Nye, Mike Clapperton, Billy Spoonhower and Byron Worthing (Modified); Geordie Decker, Dan Burman and Kenny Hammond (Open Sportsman); Dustin Jordan, Mike Decker and Pat Jordan (Crate 602 Sportsman); Jason Beebe and Justin Alsdorf (Rookie Sportsman); Jonathan Carpenter, Brett Barrett and Shane Wolf Jr. (Street Stock); Kamdin Maby, Jamie Franz and Eric Boyd (XCel 600 Modified); and Keith Potter and Michael Robinson (FWD Four Cylinder)….
Racing resumes at Thunder Mountain Speedway next Saturday, May 7 with Modifieds, Open Sportsman, Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds, FWD Four Cylinders and the NY6A Micro-Sprints in competition.
Pit gates will open at 4 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6:20 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m.
Adult grandstand admission is $12. Seniors (ages 65 and over) 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 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.
APRIL 30, 2016 RACE SUMMARY – OFFICIAL SEASON OPENER
Modified Feature Finish (30 laps): ANTHONY PERREGO, Tyler Siri, Dan Creeden, Nick Rochinski, Ryan Jordan, Mike Clapperton, Brett Tonkin, Ken Titus, Colton Wilson, Chad Cook, Randy Brokaw, Brent Wilcox, Jeff Sheeley, Arnie Slade, Mike Decker, Dan Humes, John Morse, Lee DeWitt, Jeremy Smith, Sam Allen, Nick Nye, Bob Hamm, Randall Paxton, Chance Spoonhower, Billy Spoonhower, Brian Malcolm, Byron Worthing, Alan Barker, Barry White.
Did Not Start: Dale Welty.
Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): GEORDIE DECKER, Kenny Hammond, Chris Jordan, Brian White, Kevin Jordan, Dan Burman, Larry Hillis, Aaron Shelton, Travis Smith, Jason Tuttle, Charlie Hendrickson, Phil Goetchius, Dayton Coney, Tom Eiklor, Larry Mekic, Cole Price, Duane Knapp, Chance Spoonhower.
Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): PAT JORDAN, Tom Collins, Matt Brewer, Mike Decker, Mike Nagel Jr., Dustin Jordan, Brian Mady, Isaiah Forward, James McIntyre, Rob Humphreys, Tyler Ward, Russell Hendrickson, Kailee DiMorier, Hilary Ward, Kyle Pierce, Gregg Turner, Brenton Miller, Pat Parker, Kinser Hill, Shayne Spoonhower, Bob Stahl, Lee Foland, Tyler Keener, Daryl Krebs.
Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 laps): JASON BEEBE, Joe Krum, Jason Feinberg, Dan Allen, Connor Spoonhower, Bill Reidenbach, Cody Hendrickson, Justin Cobb, Ryan Alsdorf, Shawn Davis.
Did Not Start: Anthony Rundell.
Street Stock Feature Finish (20 laps): SHANE WOLF JR., Jonathan Carpenter, Brett Barrett, Doug Stack Jr., Nick Robinson, Rich Sharpsteen, Damon Decker, Trevor Dudley, Jacob Fowlston, Dan Force, Jon White, T.J. Frost, Eric Boynton, K.J. Yager, Don Russell, Kevin Garland, Earl Zimmer, Jack Holcomb Jr., Matt Spencer, Rick Sinsabaugh.
XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 laps): ERIC BOYD, Jamie Frantz, Nick Chase, Korey Inglin, Abby Price, Joe McCabe, Chris Kithcart, Tom Shiner, Dana Davis, Kamdin Maby, Justin Dimorier, Bailey Boyd, Justin Shiner, Will Eastman, Wyatt Harrar, Jacob Waibel, Dusty Decker, Norm Whittemore, Dakota Andersen, Chris Jordan, Bob Rowback, Luke Harrar, Doug Windhausen.
Did Not Start: Damon Henry.
FWD Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 laps): MIKE ROBINSON, Keith Potter, Gabe Forward, Chris Taylor, Jimmy Difulvio, Guy Raymond Jr., Mackenzie Gibson, Jeremy Warren, Charlie Towner, Justin Lovejoy, Zack Hayward, Ronnie Welch, Josh Wilder.
Did Not Start: Nick Kennedy, Dave Jenkins.
