Chad Cook Continues Late Surge, Wins Modified Main Saturday At Thunder Mountain Speedway With 30-Car Field On Hand

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Chad Cook Continues Late Surge, Wins Modified Main Saturday At Thunder Mountain Speedway With 30-Car Field On Hand; Kevin Jordan (Sportsman), Pat Jordan (Crate 602 Sportsman), Coty Bishop (Rookie Sportsman), Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock), Will Eastman (XCel 600 Modified) & Nick Kennedy (Four Cylinder) Also Victors As Champions Are Crowned

CENTER LISLE, NY – Chad Cook’s late-season surge continued on Saturday at Thunder Mountain Speedway.

Cook, of Deposit, N.Y., drove the Mike Costello-owned No. 222 to victory in the Season Championship Night 30-lap big-block/small-block Modified main, earning $1,500 for his second consecutive triumph at the three-eighths-mile oval. The win for Cook was his division-leading fifth of the season.

A 30-car field of Modifieds signed in on a weather-threatened evening, setting a new Saturday night record since the track reopened in April 2014.

The entire program was spun off in rapid fashion with the final checkered flying at 9:21 p.m. Just minutes later, rain moved over the speedway.

Cook – who started 10th – found the outside lane to his liking in the second half of the event. From the outset pole starter Bob Henry Jr. launched into the lead, searching for the first Modified triumph of his career on the Mountain. Cook, meanwhile, was slowly moving through the field.

When the race’s final caution flew on lap 20, Cook sat fourth, trailing Henry, Brent Wilcox and Ryan Jordan.

On lap 23, Cook powered three-wide past both Wilcox and Jordan to sweep into the runner-up spot. One lap later, he cleared Henry using the topside of turn two and was never headed.

Cook now sets his sights on the $5,000-to-win MjH Oilfield Wade Decker Memorial to be run at the speedway next Sunday (Sept. 27).

“We’re coming for it,” Cook said of the big event. “We definitely found something here late in the season.”

Jordan, of Speedsville, N.Y., settled for runner-up pay, followed by Henry, of Clay, N.Y., a rim-riding Chris Stull of Virgil, N.Y., and Lake Ariel, Pa., driver Brian Malcolm.

Mike Mahaney of King Ferry, N.Y., finished sixth and earned his first-career Thunder Mountain Speedway track championship driving for car owner Jim Shear.

In a down-to-the-wire finish, Kevin Jordan of Speedsville, N.Y., drove to a $700 victory over a stout 18-car Open Sportsman field. Geordie Decker, a Rookie Sportsman graduate in search of his breakthrough Open Sportsman win, led 16 of the race’s 20 laps. However, Jordan was able to cut to his inside racing to the line for the 17th circuit and drove on to the win.

Eric Leet of Marathon, N.Y., also slipped by Decker. His second-place finish secured the Open Sportsman title for 2015. Decker, invader Jim Britt and Chris Jordan placed third through fifth, respectively.

Pat Jordan of Richford, N.Y., won the Crate 602 Sportsman title in convincing fashion by also winning the division’s 20-lap feature. Jordan was able to clear open-wheel rookie Isaiah Forward on the 11th lap and was never headed. Brian Mady drove up to second and chased Jordan to the finish, followed by Shayne Spoonhower (recovering from an opening lap spin), Forward and recent first-time winner Daryl Krebs.

Coty Bishop of Binghamton, N.Y., romped to another Rookie Sportsman score in the 15-lap main. Bishop took a lead he would never relinquish on the sixth lap. He won over eventual runner-up finisher Kinser Hill.

Shawn Davis of Berkshire, N.Y., placed third and clinched the 2015 Rookie Sportsman title.

Steven Deinhardt put an exclamation point on his outstanding season in the Barrett’s Race Cars & Components Street Stock division. Deinhardt, of Deposit, N.Y., earned Saturday night’s $500 payday and clinched the crown for the second straight year.

Deinhardt worked the top lane by rookie Trevor Dudley on the eighth lap. Dudley finished second, followed by Matt Spencer, T.J. Frost (driving the John Cooper Jr. car) and Jason Beebe.

Will Eastman became the XCel 600 Modified track champion with a win in the 20-lap feature event. The Oneonta, N.Y., driver put his Loux Motorsports into the top spot on the opening lap and was never seriously challenged during the main. Dana Davis followed Eastman across the line, with Doug Windhausen, Joe McCabe and Nick Chase in tow.

Nick Kennedy of Windsor, N.Y., topped the 15-lap Four Cylinder feature. Harpursville, N.Y., driver Dylan Robinson, meanwhile, finished second to lock of the division’s track championship. Gabe Forward, Chris Taylor and Keith Potter completed the front five.

The final event of 2015 on the Mountain takes place next Sunday, Sept. 27, with the MjH Oilfield Wade Decker Memorial headlined by the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region Modifieds racing for $5,000 to win, $1,000 for 10th and $400 to take the green. Also in action will be the GRIT American Series Crate 602 Sportsman, XCel 600 Modifieds in a tour race and Street Stocks, all battling for $1,000 to win!

Adult admission for the Wade Decker Memorial is $20. Seniors (ages 65 and up) and Students (ages 10-17) pay $18. Kids nine and under are FREE. Pit admission is $35, with no license required.

Gates open at 2 p.m., with hot laps at 5 p.m. and racing getting the green flag promptly at 6 p.m.

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.

THUNDER THOUGHTS: Another jam-packed pit area greeted Thunder Mountain Speedway fans Saturday with a total of 118 race cars in competition despite a weather outlook that was threatening at best….

Short Track Super Series traveler Anthony Perrego visited the speedway in preparation for next Sunday’s Wade Decker Memorial event and flashed speed early in the feature before heading to the pits at the race’ midway point….

Track conditions were smooth and wide for the evening’s events with only minimal touch-ups required during the rapidly run program….

Rain began to fall during the Victory Lane interviews and championship celebrations held at the end of the program….

Qualifying heat winners included Bob Henry Jr., Chance Spoonhower, Ryan Jordan and Brent Wilcox (Modified); Marc Goodwin, Geordie Decker and Chris Jordan (Open Sportsman); Jon Miller and Pat Jordan (Crate 602 Sportsman); Steven Deinhardt and Trevor Dudley (Street Stock); Will Eastman and Doug Windhausen (XCel 600 Modifieds); and Dylan Robinson and Nick Kennedy (Four Cylinder). The Modified consolation winner was Jeff Sheely….

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT RACE SUMMARY

Modified Feature Finish (30 Laps): CHAD COOK, Ryan Jordan, Bob Henry Jr., Chris Stull, Brian Malcolm, Mike Mahaney, Brent Wilcox, Mike Clapperton, Ken Titus, Byron Worthing, Brandon Walters, Colton Wilson, Rusty Smith, Chance Spoonhower, Chris Ostrowsky, Jeff Sheely, Dan Humes, John Morse, Lee DeWitt, Jim Walsh, Randy Brokaw, Mike Ward, Billy Spoonhower, Anthony Perrego, Mike Nagel Jr., Butch Green.

Did Not Qualify: Mike Wilbur, Marshall Balzer, Roy Shields, Matt Latwinski.

2015 Modified Track Champion: Mike Mahaney

Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): KEVIN JORDAN, Eric Leet, Geordie Decker, Jim Britt, Chris Jordan, Kenny Hammond, Marc Goodwin, Tommy Eiklor, Pat O’Hanlon, Dan Burman, Mike Richmond, Dusty Jagger, Nick Mady, Joe Krum, Duane Knapp, Tyler Keener, Thomas Ferguson, Carl Bittenbender.

2015 Open Sportsman Track Champion: Eric Leet

Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 Laps): PAT JORDAN, Brian Mady, Shayne Spoonhower, Isaiah Forward, Daryl Krebs, Dustin Jordan, Todd Hayward, Rich Powell, Jon Miller, James McIntyre, Dan Pease, Lee Foland, Randy Gates, Kailee DiMorier.

2015 Crate 602 Sportsman Track Champion: Pat Jordan

Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 Laps): COTY BISHOP, Kinser Hill, Shawn Davis, Nick Coss, Zach Balzer, Dan Allen, Kerri Cook, Connor Spoonhower, Bill Brenchley, Cole Price.

2015 Rookie Sportsman Track Champion: Shawn Davis

Street Stock Feature Finish (20 Laps): STEVEN DEINHARDT, Trevor Dudley, Matt Spencer, T.J. Frost, Jason Beebe, Rich Sharpsteen, Mike Wilbur, John Cooper Sr., Rick Sinsabaugh, Don Russell, Jerry Wilcox, Jack Holcomb Jr., Kevin Garland, Dan Force.

2015 Street Stock Track Champion: Steven Deinhardt

XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 Laps): WILL EASTMAN, Dana Davis, Doug Windhausen, Joe McCabe, Nick Chase, Paul DeRuyter, Jared Jordan, Dakota Andersen, Bailey Boyd, Bob Rowback, Chris Kithcart, Dusty Decker, Tom Shiner, Charlie Tibbitts, Jamie Frantz, Eric Boyd.

2015 XCel 600 Modified Track Champion: Will Eastman

Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 Laps): NICK KENNEDY, Dylan Robinson, Gabe Forward, Chris Taylor, Keith Potter, Guy Raymond Jr., Ryan Wood, Amber Patrick, Amelia Fitzpatrick, Mackenzie Gibson, Kyle Rogers, Willy Turner, Frank Kennedy, Matt Gibson.

2015 Four Cylinder Track Champion: Dylan Robinson

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