Billy Van Pelt and Grant Hilfiger Go Three for Three on Woodhull’s High Banks
Story By: STEVE OVENS / WOODHULL RACEWAY MEDIA
Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
WOODHULL, NY – December 10, 2016- One of the big questions entering 2016, for the Insinger Performance 370 Modifieds, was who could stop Billy Van Pelt and Grant Hilfiger from obtaining their third straight track championship in the No. 78?
That question wouldn’t be answered until late in the season, although Hilfiger took the backup car to an opening night victory on a chilly April night on the High Banks.
Van Pelt didn’t get off to a hot start in 2016; as he didn’t pick up his first win of the season until mid-June. ‘The Maniac’ Mike Bills came out from the beginning with guns blazing, having scored two wins and three top-two finishes in the first five races. But after the win in June, Van Pelt went “beast mode” and caught fire as Summer wore on.
“BVP” would close out the 2016 campaign with four more wins, having finished in the top five in all but one race from the month of June forward to Championship Night on September 3rd.
Van Pelt also claimed wins in the Jake Davis Memorial King of the Ring (Van Pelt’s first win in the event) and the annual Lyle Sherwood Memorial, a race very important to Van Pelt and Hilfiger.
2016’s championship will be Van Pelt’s last with Hilfiger, as Hilfiger will take a step back from weekly racing and car ownership after going three-for-three with Van Pelt. Van Pelt will climb back aboard “The Deuce” for Kevin Chilson in 2017.
Other highlights from the season included the second trip ever to Woodhull for Brett Deyo’s Short Track Super Series North Region. Once again, Woodhull provided two to three grooves for the best in the Northeast to compete on.
Though New Jersey’s Ryan Godown would come out victorious, the show was from second on back between Grant Hilfiger, Donnie Lawson and invader Andy Bachetti. Hilfiger and Lawson defended home turf to finish on the podium in front of a great crowd and against a stout field of competition.
Speaking of Lawson, he would score a much-needed victory in June after destroying a car at Outlaw Speedway. Lawson was consistent the rest of the season, scoring four second place finishes and a third place finish to close out the year.
One of the pleasant surprises of the season was the pair of victories logged by Brady Fultz’ No. 70 Troyer. Fultz isn’t a regular competitor at Woodhull, but every time he pulled through the gates he was a contender to win the Modified feature.
Cory Costa won the second points race in his family-owned No. 02. Frank Dunning went up and over off turn three early in the season, but put everything back together to come back and score a big win on July 23rd. Dave DuBois scored an emotional victory in August after losing a dear friend and friend to all in motorsports in Skip Starkey.
All of Woodhull Raceway’s track champions will be crowned on Saturday night at the Watson Homestead & Conference Center in Painted Post, New York. Cocktail Hour kicks off at 5:30PM, with dinner and awards taking place immediately afterwards. Turn 5 Live on the Performance Motorsports Network will be recording a LIVE episode of their weekly dirt track racing program throughout the event and will interview all of the champions and many other drivers and special guests.
For more information visit www.woodhullraceway.com or visit Woodhull Raceway on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
