Tom Sears Jr. Takes Advantage Of Late Caution To Win Fulton Speedway Modified Feature

Tom Sears Jr. Takes Advantage Of Late Caution To Win Fulton Speedway Modified Feature; June 30 Race One Of The Unique eCigs 358 Modified Series

Story By: Dave Medler/Fulton Speedway

Photos By: Mike Johnson/RacersGuide.com

FULTON, NY – Tom Sears Jr. from Clay, NY took advantage of a lap 29 caution in the 35-lap Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar 358 Modified feature for his first win of the year Saturday night at the Fulton Speedway.

For the second week in a row the Modified feature winning pass wasn’t made until 2 laps to go. This week it was Sears’ turn as he got by Jeff McGinnis who was in total command of the race until that lap 29 yellow.

Other winners on RFH’s Hideaway and Regional Truck & Trailer night were, Amy Holland & Nick Krause (SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman) Dale Caswell (Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models) Jake Davis (E&V Energy Novice Sportsman) Justin Williams (STARS Mod Lites).

Jeff McGinnis would jump out to the early lead in the 35-lap Modified feature setting a quick pace at the front of the field.

On lap 5 rookie Glenn Forward used the top groove of the speedway to drive by McGinnis to be scored the new leader of the race. Tom Sears Jr., Rick Richner and a fast closing Larry Wight race for third through fifth.

Forward, on lap 10, got above the outside groove slowing his momentum enough to allow McGinnis to drive back into the lead. While that was happening third place running and fastest car on the track, Larry Wight suddenly pulled pit side with mechanical issues.

By lap 15 McGinnis was on cruise control out front opening a straightaway lead as Sears, Forward, Jordan McCreadie and Richner looked for a way to close in on the leader.

With 10 laps to go and no yellows to tighten the field up, McGinnis was still on rails at the front of the field as the final laps started to click off the scoring tower.

On lap 29 the yellow flag would wave when a slow-moving Glenn Forward, who was solidly in the top-five, blew a right rear tire setting up 6 lap dash to the finish.

When the green came back out McGinnis would go back to the top of the speedway that gave him his big lead throughout the race and Sears used the low groove looking for a way to the lead. After digging on the bottom side Sears was able to get by McGinnis exiting turn four with two to go and then go on to the win. Pat Ward, Mike Bowman and Jordan McCreadie finished third through fifth.

With 50 SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman signed in the pits two 25-lap features were run.

In the first feature Mike Button would jump out to the early advantage and open a ten-car length advantage by the end of the first lap.

With 5 laps complete Button lengthened his lead to half a straightaway over Isiah Forward, Joe Sobotka, Amy Holland and AJ Miller who were fighting for top five spots.

The yellow would wave on lap 7 to tighten the field up. On the restart Holland moved into second and set her sights on Button for the lead.

At lap 10 Button had Holland all over his back bumper in a close fight for the lead. Sobotka, Brandon Carvey and Jessica Power showed in the top five on the scoring tower.

After hounding Button lap after lap Holland was able to drive under Button and into the lead with 10 laps to go. Not even a late caution was stopping Amy Holland as she drove under the checkers for her first career Fulton Speedway SUNY Canton Sportsman win. With 2 laps to go Zach Sobotka using the top of the speedway went from sixth to finish second. Jessica Power, Mike Button and Matt Janczuk finished third through fifth.

In the second feature Steve Marshall would jump out to the early advantage while the racing behind him was two and three wide in fights for position.

With 5 laps complete Marshall still led but had Rick Rogala on his back bumper. Nick Krause was closing fast on the top two with DJ Forbes and Garett Rushlow showing in fourth and fifth.

On lap 8 Krause who started 10th used the top of the speedway and blasted into the lead and looked to separate himself from the rest of the field.

With 10 laps to go the yellow would wave erasing the 3.4 seconds leads Krause had and would give the field one last shot at Krause to take the race win away.

When the green came back out and the rest of the way there was no stopping Krause as he drove away for his first Fulton win of the season. Rick Rogala, Stephen Marshall, Kyle Perry and Mike Phelps who started 19th finished second through fifth.

Max Hill would open a straightaway lead in the 20-lap Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models until a lap 4 caution erased that early advantage. When racing went back to green it would take Kevan Cook just 2 laps to be scored the new leader.

At the halfway point Cook and Dale Caswell were in a two-car breakaway battle for the lead with Hill, Jason Parkhurst and Bret Belden in a close battle for third through fifth just before a yellow slowed the race.

When the race went back green Caswell using the high side of the speedway blasted into the lead. Over the final laps there was no stopping Dale Caswell as he went under the checkers first by a half a straightway over Kevan Cook. Jason Parkhurst, Chris Fleming and Bret Belden finished third through fifth.

Ryan Gustin would lead the opening laps of the 15-lap E&V Energy Novice Sportsman feature until Jake Davis took over the lead on a lap 4 restart. Once out-front Davis went on to win his second in a row. Robert Gage, Kearra Backus, Matt Becker and Keith Stevenson came home second through fifth.

The STARS Mod Lites visited the Fulton Speedway Saturday night. Justin Williams backed up his fourth win in a row Friday at the Brewerton Speedway with a win Saturday night leading every lap. After a late caution Williams had to hold off a hard charging Mike Mullen for the win. Deric Ellsworth, Matt Fregoe and Kelly Skinner finished third through fifth.

The Fulton Speedway will be closed this Saturday, June 23 so families and friends can celebrate with their 2018 graduates.

Racing will return in a big way on Saturday, June 30 when Collectibles Galore & Oswego County Today will present the first race of the Unique eCigs 358 Modified Series 50-lap, $2,000-To-Win event.

Track points will be awarded but the race will be a draw through the pit gate (No track handicapping), timed hot laps with the top 12 from the heats redrawing for feature starting positions.

Joining the 358 Modifieds for an exciting night of racing will be the SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models and E&V Energy Novice Sportsman.

Adult grandstand admission will be $15 with everyone 18 years old and younger free. Pit admission is $27 Member, $30 Non-Member. Grandstands will 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.

June 16 Regional Truck & Trailer & RFH’s Hideaway Night Results.

(Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar 358 Modifieds 35 Laps) – TOM SEARS JR., Jeff McGinnis, Pat Ward, Mike Bowman, Jordan McCreadie, Tim Sears Jr., Bobby Herrington, Ron Davis III, Billy Whittaker, Matt Farnham, Rick Richner, Glenn Forward, Phil Vigneri, Todd Root, Joe Shields, Larry Welling, Tyler Meeks, Roy Shields, Tyler Trump, Larry Wight.

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #1 – 25 Laps) – AMY HOLLAND, Zach Sobotka, Jessica Power, Mike Button, Matt Janczuk, Brandon Carvey, Mike Fowler, Brandon Ford, Tony Finch II, Chris Mackey, Nate Higgins, Dylan Zacharias, Alan Fink, Jim Spano, AJ Miller, Greg Doust, Kyle DeMetro, Jake Holmes, Frank Sobotka, Billy Sauve, Joe Sobotka, Rachel Zacharias, Isaiah Forward, Joey Buonagurio, DNS-Chris Bonoffski.

(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman #2 – 25 Laps) – NICK KRAUSE, Rick Rogala, Stephen Marshall, Kyle Perry, Mike Phelps, DJ Forbes, Scott Prentice, Corey Barker, Jackson Gill, Wade Chrisman, Jimmy Moyer, Chris Hulsizer, Tim Abate, Willy Decker Jr., Richie Riggs, Tyler Corcoran, Addison Bowman, Ted Starr, John Strickler, Torrey Stoughtenger, Kelly Smith, Tye-Scott Rood, Garett Rushlow, Anthony Rasmussen, DNS-Earl Rudy.

(Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH Late Models 20 Laps) – DALE CASWELL, Kevan Cook, Jason Parkhurst, Chris Fleming, Bret Belden, Jason Occhino, Dane Keller Jr., Max Hill, Mike Kazmierczak, Sean Beardsley.

(E&V Energy Novice Sportsman 15 Laps) – JAKE DAVIS, Robert Gage, Kearra Backus, Matt Becker, Keith Stevenson, Ryan Gustin, Brandon Blair, Josh Pete, Tyler Murray, Erica Bowman, DNS- Wesley Hayes.

(STARS Mod Lites 15 Laps) – JUSTIN WILLIAMS, Mike Mullen, Deric Ellsworth, Matt Fregoe, Kelly Skinner, Shawn Hort, Ryan Halliday, Jim Dunham, DNS – Hunter Lawton.