“Pre-Season” Racing Kicks Off At Thunder Mountain Speedway: Geordie Decker Wins First In Open Sportsman
Story By:BRETT DEYO / BD MOTORSPORTS MEDIA
Photos By: DUANE CANFIELD / RACERSGUIDE.COM
CENTER LISLE, NY –April 24, 2014- Geordie Decker will always remember April 23, 2016. That’s the date Decker etched his name on the Thunder Mountain Speedway win list. Decker, of Berkshire, N.Y., led from start-to-finish in Saturday night’s “pre-season” 20-lap Open Sportsman main at the three-eighths-mile track, collecting the $700 top prize.
The win for Decker was his first at Thunder Mountain after several “near-misses” during the 2015 season.
Saturday’s event featured non-points events for all divisions minus the Modifieds, which took part in a number of practice sessions. The official Season Opener is slated for April 30 with a Sunday rain date if needed. Modifieds ($1,992 to win), Open Sportsman, Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds and FWD Four Cylinders launch the ’16 championship battles.
Decker, by virtue of a redraw, launched off the pole starting position for the Open Sportsman main and led the entire distance, which ran caution-free. Decker was pressured heavily in the final laps by Nick Nye, who worked to his inside but wasn’t able to complete a pass.
Decker led Nye across the line by less than a car-length. Nye finished second, with Chance Spoonhower, 11th-starter Kevin Jordan and Duane Knapp in tow.
Groton, N.Y.’s Nick Nye earned a $500 payday in the Crate 602 Sportsman main. Nye led the entire distance to take the win. He will move into the Modified division for the remainder of the season, running weekly on the Mountain.
Defending Crate 602 champion Pat Jordan drove from 12th starting position to earn a runner-up finish, chasing Nye across the line. Brian Mady, Will Shields and Mike Nagel Jr., recovering from an early flat tire, completed the front five.
Second-generation driver Richie Hillis of Vestal, N.Y., won the 15-lap Rookie Sportsman feature, besting Street Stock graduate Jason Beebe, Connor Spoonhower, Dan Allen and Kerri Cook.
Damon Decker of Afton, N.Y., wired the field in the 20-lap Street Stock main for a $500 payday. Decker weaved through lapped traffic with precision skill and thwarted the race-long advances of Don Russell, who settled for second. Gene Sharpsteen, Earl Zimmer (who suffered mechanical woes after the checkered) and T.J. Frost completed the front five.
Doug Windhausen of Fabius, N.Y., earned the 20-lap XCel 600 Modified triumph. Windhausen, a second-generation driver, spent much of the race pressuring Dakota Anderson. However, Anderson’s bid ended when the No. 4R slowed on a lap-15 restart with mechanical woes. Windhausen assumed the lead and powered to victory followed by Eric Boyd, Jamie Frantz, Chris Kithcart and Tom Shiner.
Michael Robinson of Harpursville, N.Y., dominated the FWD Four Cylinder 15-lap main, surviving a one-lap shootout to hold off Nick Kennedy, Frankie Kennedy, Mackenzie Gibbons and Chris Taylor.
THUNDER THOUGHTS: With no points on the line, 13 Open Sportsman, 23 Crate 602 Sportsman, nine Rookie Sportsman, 13 Street Stocks, 17 Street Stocks and nine FWD Four Cylinders took part in action, while 14 Modifieds took part in a number of practice sessions….
Defending Street Stock champion Steven Deinhardt was done after hot laps with mechanical issues….
Due to cold temperatures and wind, the program was pressed through and all Victory Lane ceremonies were held at the end of the night….
Modifieds on hand for practice included Chad Cook, Arnie Slade, Colton Wilson, Ryan Jordan, Byron Worthing, Jeremy Smith, Lee DeWitt, John Morse, Barry White, Shea Montgomery, Randy Brokaw, Billy Spoonhower, Brent Wilcox and Ken Titus….
Heat winners included Jason Tuttle and Duane Knapp (Open Sportsman); Nick Nye, Dustin Jordan and Andrew Smith (Crate 602 Sportsman); Richie Hillis and Jason Beebe (Rookie Sportsman); Donald Russell and Gene Sharpsteen (Street Stock); Doug Windhausen and Joe McCabe (XCel 600 Modified); and Michael Robinson (FWD Four Cylinder)….
Racing resumes at Thunder Mountain Speedway next Saturday, April 30 with the first points-paying event of 2016. Modifieds headline the program racing for $1,992 to win (in celebration of the track’s opener). Open Sportsman, Crate 602 Sportsman, Rookie Sportsman, Street Stocks, XCel 600 Modifieds and FWD Four Cylinders complete the program.
Pit gates will open at 4 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6:20 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. on April 30.
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 23, 2016 RACE SUMMARY – NON-POINTS “PRE-SEASON” EVENT
Open Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): GEORDIE DECKER, Nick Nye, Chance Spoonhower, Kevin Jordan, Duane Knapp, Chris Jordan, Dan Burman, Larry Hillis, Brian White, Jason Tuttle, Dayton Coney.
Did Not Start: Cole Price, Carl Bittenbender.
Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): NICK NYE, Pat Jordan, Brian Mady, Will Shields, Mike Nagel Jr., Andrew Smith, Rich Powell, Tom Collins, Tyler Ward, Bob Stahl, Daryl Krebs, Kinser Hill, Shayne Spoonhower, Dominic Fuller, James McIntyre, Pat Parker, Mike Decker, Dustin Jordan, Lee Foland, Matt Hynds, Brenton Miller, Hilary Ward.
Did Not Start: Michael Horton
Rookie Sportsman Feature Finish (15 laps): RICHIE HILLIS, Jason Beebe, Connor Spoonhower, Dan Allen, Kerri Cook, Anthony Rundell, Justin Cobb, Bill Reidenbach.
Did Not Start: Nick Soules
Street Stock Feature Finish (20 laps): DAMON DECKER, Donald Russell, Gene Sharpsteen, Earl Zimmer, T.J. Frost, K.J. Yager, Kevin Garland, John White, Mike Chilson, Doug Stack Jr., Rick Sinsabaugh, Trevor Dudley.
Did Not Start: Dan Force, Steven Deinhardt
XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 laps): DOUG WINDHAUSEN, Eric Boyd, Jamie Frantz, Chris Kithcart, Tom Shiner, Dana Davis, Chris Jordan, Justin DiMorier, Justin Shiner, Jacob Waibel, Dakota Anderson, Nick Chase, Joe McCabe, Kamdin Maby.
Did Not Start: Bailey Boyd, Dusty Decker, Paul DeRuyter.
FWD Four Cylinder Feature Finish (15 laps): MICHAEL ROBINSON, Nick Kennedy, Frankie Kennedy, Mackenzie Gibson, Chris Taylor, Josh Backus, Adrian Stetson, Kyle Rogers.
Did Not Start: Clinton Kadarondak
