Woodhull High Banks Ready For Action On Saturday April 15th
Story By: STEVE OWENS / WOODHULL RACEWAY MEDIA Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.CCOM
WOODHULL, NY- April 13, 2016- The much anticipated 2016 season at ‘New York’s Toughest Bullring’ begins on Saturday night as six out of the seven regular divisions will see action on Ted White Trucking night on the high banks.
This season marks the 52nd consecutive season of racing on the Steuben County oval and the anticipation amongst the race fans has been palpable. Mother Nature has been playing kind so far this week, with even better weather projected for this weekend and race night.
Race Fans will be treated to $10 general admission as the Insinger Performance 370 Modifieds will not begin their points season until Saturday April 30th. What this sets up is a grand stage for the support divisions of Woodhull Raceway.
The NAPA Crate Sportsman will take the stage for the Woodhull faithful just one week before the 30-lap $1,000-to-win show. This first event will allow drivers like Brandon Martin, Brandon Butler, AJ Costley, Mike Williams and the Jackson brothers a chance to fine tune on their new or rebuilt mounts for the 2016 campaign.
A favorite for this one would also have to be the defending track champion Chris Daugherty. In a Facebook fan poll that is active on the Woodhull Raceway page, Daugherty has a narrow lead over Mike Jackson with 24% of the votes so far. Jackson, returning to Crate Sportsman racing in 2016, currently holds 19% of the Fan Poll votes.
Glenn Whritenour is back to defend his title in the 360 Late Model division and displayed his sharp No. 15 in center court at the annual Arnot Mall Car Show. He will have a stout field to battle with the likes of Carl Hughes, Mick Seeley, Bruce Miller and Kurt Stebbins. Look for the No. 15 to pull double duty with the Street Stocks as well.
The Joe Willcox Performance Automatics Street Stocks will see a fast fleet return for competition in 2016 as well. Defending track champion Dylan Cecce has his Potter Chassis No. 7 ready to defend their first championship with a whole new paint scheme- trading last year’s flat black for white, blue and fluorescent yellow. He will no doubt be chased feverishly by Teddy Morseman, Brett Marlatt, newcomer Gene Balmer to weekly competition as well as Kurt Stebbins and Dennis Cummings.
For the last few months, Rich Sharpsteen had fallen off the face of the planet in terms of racing and it was very much in doubt that he would return to defend his double championship season at Woodhull Raceway in the Daugherty Auto Sales Mini Stocks and Outlaw Speedway in Dundee. We now know that Sharpsteen will in fact return, building a brand new car that will take every last minute they have this week to complete.
Adam DelGrosso has sent a message to his competition in the Woodhull Auto Supply Front Wheel Drives. The driver who in recent seasons has obtained the nickname “Mr. Maple Cream” has set his goal to win his third-straight track championship. If he can do so, he will be the only Front Wheel Drive competitor to have three championships to his credit. The charismatic driver out of Horseheads, NY has challenged all competition to stop him from setting a record in 2016.
What we do know in 2016, is that there will be a new track champion that will go down in the Woodhull record books. The Daugherty Auto Sales Warriors will see a brand new crop of drivers take center stage in a division designed to groom the future of Woodhull Raceway’s driver fleet. The Potrzebowski drivers in Ajay Jr. and Kayley will have their sibling rivalry on display each week in 2016. But one driver to keep your eye on has just as much, if not more, heritage at the high banks.
13-year-old Hunter Williams is a fourth generation driver from the well-renowned Williams family that built Woodhull Raceway from the ground up. Hunter has vast experience in the go-kart ranks, like the Potrzebowski drivers, and will look to learn a great deal from his BFR team and put on a show! He will carry his grandpa Jim Williams’ car number in 2016 which is the No. 00.
For more information on Woodhull Raceway, race over to www.woodhullraceway.com. There you will find the latest news, results, points, driver profiles and a feed of the latest on our Social Media accounts. Follow Woodhull Raceway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodhullraceway as well as on Twitter @WoodhullPR.
Saturday April 16th will be opening night to start the 52nd consecutive season of racing on the third-mile Steuben County oval sponsored by Ted White Trucking. The Insinger Performance 370 Modifieds will have April 16th and 23rd off with their opening show taking place on April 30th.
This night will put all support divisions on center stage including the SLW Awards 360 Late Models, NAPA Crate Sportsman, Joe Willcox Performance Automatics Street Stocks, Daugherty Auto Sales Mini Stocks, Woodhull Auto Supply Front Wheel Drives and Daugherty Auto Sales Warriors.
Pit gates will open at 3:30PM with general admission gates opening at 4:30PM with Scott Lyon’s first green flag of 2016 waving promptly at 6:30PM. General admission is just $10. Race fans are encouraged to sign up for the fastest alerts from Woodhull Raceway’s Rained Out Alert system by sending the text message “WoodhullAlert” to 84483, message and data rates may apply.
For more information race over to www.woodhullraceway.com, Like Woodhull Raceway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WoodhullRaceway or Follow Woodhull on Twitter @WoodhullPR.
Woodhull Raceway is located in Woodhull, NY, just 30 minutes West of Corning, NY and competes weekly on Saturday nights from mid-April through Labor Day Weekend. The track offers several special events including the Patriot Sprint Tour 360 Sprints and the Short Track Super Series Modifieds in mid-August.
