Danny Creeden Celebrates July 4th Weekend With $1,776 Modified Win At Thunder Mountain; Brian White (Sportsman), Tom Collins (Crate 602 Sportsman), Ryan Alsdorf (Rookie), Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock), Joe McCabe (XCel 600), John Scarborough (SRP) & Michael Robinson (FWD Four Cylinder) Also Score
Story By: BRETT DEYO / THUNDER MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY Photos By: MOJO PHOTOS / RACERSGUIDE.COM
CENTER LISLE, NY- July 4, 2016- On Independence Day weekend, Danny Creeden raced to a $1,776 ‘Red, White & Blue Special’ payday at Thunder Mountain Speedway.
Wurtsboro, N.Y.’s Creeden, who started 10th in a 28-car field of big-block/small-block Modifieds, earned his third win of the season at the Center Lisle three-eighths-mile oval, surviving a rugged opening half of the 30-lap event.
A capacity crowd took in the program, which featured a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display. The pit area was again jammed to capacity with 136 race cars in competition.
At the outset of the 30-lap main, second-year Modified driver Colton Wilson set the pace from his pole starting berth. At lap three, third-starter Tyler Siri moved into the top spot in search of his first Thunder Mountain checkered.
Siri, through a number of caution flags, held the lead through the race’s one-third mark.
Creeden had been working through traffic, arriving in the top-five on the seventh lap. By lap nine he was second. Using the outside groove, he swept past Siri on lap 11 to take over a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
“I got caught up early in the slower line and I wasn’t making any ground,” Creeden said. “My car was on rails once I got to the bottom. I picked up a bunch of spots and got a good restart with Tyler to get the lead.”
As Creeden’s No. 16X Hig Fab car sat in Victory Lane, steam emerged. It was later determined that bent tabs on the radiator cap caused it to come off.
Lake Ariel, Pa.’s Brian Malcolm, who started ninth, climbed to second on the 13th lap and chased Creeden for the remainder of the distance, finishing runner-up for the second consecutive week aboard the Waymart Building Center No. 119.
Chad Cook, the Deposit, N.Y., throttled the Mike Costello-owned No. 222 from 12th to finish third, followed by Siri, of Horseheads, N.Y., and seventh-starter Ryan Jordan of Dryden, N.Y.
For the fourth week in a row, Brian White of Owego, N.Y., romped to victory in Open Sportsman competition. White, who has been completing final-lap passes in recent weeks, won in convincing fashion this week. White used the outside lane to pass Dan Burman early on and withstood a brief challenge from Chance Spoonhower before Spoonhower went to the pits with a flat right-rear tire.
Eddie White, Brian’s father, finished second, moving forward from seventh. Adam Hilton, a recovering Spoonhower and Larry Hillis completed the front five.
Shaking off a season of misfortune and five-year win drought, Tom Collins of Lansing, N.Y., topped the Crate 602 Sportsman 20-lap feature. The win for Collins was worth $500.
Collins started third and climbed to the lead during the opening stages of the main. Defending divisional champion Pat Jordan rode the high line into second after starting eighth. Jordan nearly pulled even with Collins on several occasions but Collins held a steady wheel out front.
A final-lap restart shuffled the top five, as Shayne Spoonhower burst into second. Daryl Krebs was third, while Pat Jordan got jostled to fourth ahead of his nephew, 11th-starter Dustin Jordan.
Ryan Alsdorf of Bethel, N.Y., utilizing Crate 602 power, won for the second consecutive week, topping the 15-lap Rookie Sportsman main. Alsdorf was never seriously challenged once in front of the field. Moose Gulley was a season-high second, with Tim French Jr., Denny Grenier and Connor Spoonhower completing the front five.
After several weeks away, Steven Deinhardt of Deposit, N.Y., returned and walked away with a $500 payday in the Street Stock ranks. Deinhardt, using bite on the outside lane of the three-eighths-mile, raced from seventh to the top spot and then fought off the persistent late-race advances by Shane Wolf Jr.
In the late stages of the main, Wolf worked the inside of Deinhardt, but fell a half car-length shy at the finish. Matt Spencer finished third, followed by Kevin Garland and Jonathan Carpenter, recovering from a spin.
Joe McCabe of Binghamton, N.Y., took advantage of a non-points XCel 600 Modified event to try a different setup in his No. 116. His experiment paid off. McCabe launched off the front-row via a redraw and led from start-to-finish. Chris Kithcart put forth a solid bid in the final laps, but McCabe held steady for the win, with Kithcart, Tom Shiner, Chris Jordan and Dana Davis finishing second through fifth.
Making the long drive from the state of Vermont, John Scarborough led from start-to-finish in a caution-free 15-lap SRP Micro-Sprint main. Anthony Buchler and Gary Kratzer finished second and third, respectively.
Michael Robinson of Harpursville, N.Y., won the 15-lap FWD Four Cylinder main over the season’s largest field of 17 cars. Robinson raced from eighth to the win, with Rich Gardiner, Jeremy Warren, Ken Underwood and Chris Taylor.
MOUNTAIN MEMOS: The total car count of 136 was comprised of 28 Modifieds, 19 Open Sportsman, 26 Crate Sportsman, nine Rookie Sportsman, 17 Street Stocks, 14 XCel Modifieds, 17 FWD Four Cylinders and six SRP Sprints….
The Mid-State Antique Stock Car Club was on hand with a display in the grandstand area and a brief on-track exhibition….
Among those boosting the Modified field were Mike Colsten, Joe Krum, Brett Graham, Mike Clapperton and Dan Humes….
The fireworks display was set off following the 30-lap Modified main….
A helmet drive raised more than $580 for FWD Four Cylinder driver Mackenzie Gibson, who will be undergoing surgery this week in New York City. Gibson took a “victory lap” and enjoyed a photo with friends and family before she begins a road to recovery this week….
Racing resumes at the speedway on Saturday, July 9 with Fan Appreciation Night featuring an on-track Meet & Greet. In action will be Modifieds, Open Sportsman, Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds and FWD Four Cylinders.
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.
THUNDER MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY JULY 2, 2016 RACE RESULTS SUMMARY
Modified Feature Finish (30 laps): DANNY CREEDEN, Brian Malcolm, Chad Cook, Tyler Siri, Ryan Jordan, Alan Barker, Colton Wilson, Billy Spoonhower, Jeremy Smith, Brent Wilcox, Bob Hamm, Nick Nye, Randy Brokaw, Jim Britt, John Morse, Jeff Sheeley, Mike Colsten, Nick Mady, Joe Krum, Chad Loiodice, Byron Worthing, Barry White, Brett Graham, Ken Titus, Dan Humes, Sam Allen, Chris Ostrowsky, Mike Clapperton.
Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): BRIAN WHITE, Eddie White, Adam Hilton, Chance Spoonhower, Larry Hillis, Tommy Eiklor, Dan Burman, Greg Morgan, Daniel Burman, Jason Tuttle, Aaron Shelton, Shawn Davis, Tim French Sr., Dayton Coney, Larry Mekic, Kevin Jordan, Thomas Ferguson, Chris Jordan.
Did Not Start: Cole Price
Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): TOM COLLINS, Shayne Spoonhower, Daryl Krebs, Pat Jordan, Dustin Jordan, Matt Roberts, Brian Mady, Mike Nagel Jr., Matt Brewer, Allen James, Lanson Albanese, Kinser Hill, Dusty Barton, T.J. Frost, Hilary Ward, Kimberlee Morgan, Pat Parker, Gregg Turner, Tyler Keener, Bob Stahl, James McIntyre, Kailee DiMorier, Michael Horton, Brenton Miller, Isaiah Forward.
Did Not Start: Cole Price
Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 laps): RYAN ALSDORF, Moose Gulley, Tim French, Denny Grenier, Connor Spoonhower, Justin Cobb, Dan Allen, Jason Beebe, Landon Cummings.
Street Stock Feature Finish (20 laps): STEVEN DEINHARDT, Shane Wolf Jr., Matt Spencer, Kevin Garland, Jonathan Carpenter, Doug Stack Jr., Earl Zimmer, Dan Searles, K.J. Yager, Trevor Dudley, John Hoover, Jeff Wilcox Jr., Dan Mazzarese, Dan Force, Rick Sinsabaugh, Mike Wilbur Sr., Jack Holcomb Jr.
XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 laps): JOE McCABE, Chris Kithcart, Tom Shiner, Chris Jordan, Dana Davis, Kamdin Maby, Will Eastman, John Burnside, Doug Windhausen, Justin Shiner, Damon Henry, Justin DiMorier, Dakota Andersen, Jacob Waibel.
SRP Sprint Feature Finish (15 laps): JOHN SCARBOROUGH, Anthony Buchler, Gary Kratzer, Matt Padbury, Lisa Kratzer, John Kenyon.
FWD Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 laps): MICHAEL ROBINSON, Rich Gardiner, Jeremy Warren, Kenny Underwood, Chris Taylor, Sheldon Whitman, Robbie Fiene, Caleb Lacey, Keith Beach, Cameron Searles, Zack Hayward, Clint Kadarondak, Dave Jenkins, Ronnie Welch, Josh Hubbard, Mackenzie Gibson.
Did Not Start: Kayla Wood
