VANPELT NAILS FIRST OF SEASON AS WOODHULL RACEWAY OPENS 2022 CAMPAIGN

VANPELT NAILS FIRST OF SEASON AS WOODHULL RACEWAY OPENS 2022 CAMPAIGN

Mayo gets first ever in Crate Sportsman, LeBarron takes home RUSH Crate Late Model win, Crawford in Street Stocks, Dennis in Hobby Stocks, Teddy Morseman, Ryan Austin and Bradley Morseman also find victory lane.

Story by Kenny Shupp Jr.  Promotions and Consulting LLC

(Woodhull, NY) After a spring season plagued with constant rain and snow showers, the Woodhull Raceway was finally able to swing open the gates for the 2022 race season.  Warm temperatures greeted the anxious fans and competitors for the season lid lifter which featured a special $2,000 to win Insinger Performance Modified 25 lap A-main event.

Billy VanPelt allowed fellow car owner, Bill Brewer to handle his re-draw position which would find the twenty-three-time Insinger Performance Modified Champion start the event on the outside of the front starting row.  At the drop of the green BVP jumped into a lead that he would not relinquish having to withstand numerous caution flags which would slow the pace.  Behind VanPelt a torrid battle raged thru the entire field with several drivers swapping the runner up spot throughout, some of which would succumb to mechanical issues and fall from the pace.  At the end VanPelt had a comfortable five car length advantage of Joe Dgien who began the event in the eleventh spot.  Working traffic to perfection and taking full advantage of the many yellow flags, last season’s opening night winner Dgien was able to keep Brian Doolittle at bay as the pair would join VanPelt as the top three podium finishers.  Doolittle joined BVP on the front row to start the event and ran in the top two or three throughout bringing home a nice beginning to his “22” season.  Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., who began the event in fifth had to go to the tail of the field on one occasion, however the third-generation speedster made some nifty moves to sweep thru the field in claiming fourth while Brady Fultz started fourteenth on the opening grid, kept his nose clean and rounded out the top five finishers.

David Mayo has bounced around in his young driving career and like so many others before him he too began his career in go-karts honing his skills at several local karting venues.  Having owned and driver several of his own NAPA Crate Sportsman over the past several years, in 2021 Mayo settled into the seat of fellow driver, Tim Guild’s backup car and like they say, the rest is history.  Having a successful 2021 campaign together at Woodhull, Guild opted to put Mayo back into the season of his 06x machine for 2022 and the results have immediately brought dividends.  Mayo, who resides about one mile from the track began the twenty-five-lap event in the third starting position, had the lead by lap one and cruised to the popular win.  Having withstood a handful of caution flags, Mayo was on auto pilot throughout, but another young gun and third generation driver in Blake Lawson kept Mayo on his toes but was never able to make any serious challenges for the win and had to settle for second at the finish.  Seasoned Modified pilot, Josh Nobriga had a solid run racing within the top five throughout and claimed third at the finish as he was chased across the line by another veteran in Stacy Jackson while AJ Costley would start the event right behind Jackson, stay glued to his rear bumper the entire race and would round the top five.

Steve LeBarron has shown some real brilliance at times in his Armstrong RUSH Crate Late Model driving career, and then there have been times he has struggled.  At the beginning of the night things did not exactly go his way as a loose left front wheel kept him from getting into a re-draw spot.  However, tagging onto the back of the sixteen- car starting field, LeBArron drove thru the field with reckless abandon and using the very top of the high banked one-third of a mile clay oval to perfection, he passed cars at will and by lap ten passed both Jason and Brian Knowles to take over the lead and check out from there.  With only a few yellow flags to slow the pace, LeBarron continued to click off near record laps and when the double checkers dropped, he had a full straight away lead over eventual runner-up finisher, Jason “Jet” Knowles.  Clayton Tarabori began the twenty-lap affair outside the front row and ran a solid race to claim the third and final podium spot as early race leader, Brian Knowles would drift back late in the event to claim fourth while 2021 feature rookie season feature winner, Austin Allen began his “22” season with a solid fifth place finish.

Like Billy VanPelt before him, Brett Crawford began defense of his 2021 Joe Willcox Performance Street Stock Championship by taking home the win on opening night.  Pulling pill #1, Crawford took the lead off the drop of the opening green flag and lead all twenty laps.  Having to manage heavy lap traffic at the very end, Crawford kept his composure all the while keeping Dan Gardner at bay in the closing laps to claim the victory.  Gardner kept up the pressure on but had to settle for a well deserved second place finish as he was followed across the line by Travis Webster, Mike Williams and Luke Boom who finished in the top five.

After a devastating garage fire that wiped out most of the Jeredd Dennis racing operation just a short time ago, he and his team were able to rally as the 2021 Hobby Stock Track Champion made a late race pass of then race leader, Mike Spencer to take home the first- place check.  In victory lane, a gracious Dennis thanked the many supporters who came to his aide after the fire and noted that the power plant under the hood was a piece that was tucked in the back corner of the shop but did not receive any severe damage.  A disappointed Mike Spencer had led much of the event, but still came home with a second-place finish as he and Dennis were chased across the line by Paul Dgien, Joe Birdasll and Dillon Phillip who would take home the third thru fifth spots.

Teddy Morseman made short work of the Mini Stock twenty lap feature leading the entire event and when the double checkered flags dropped had a half track advantage over second place finisher Dillon Morseman.  Brian Grant Jr. made a late race pass to wrestle third place away from Rick Amidon as the pair would go on to claim third and fourth while Danielle Thomas finished fifth.  For Thomas it was a good Mini Stock opening night after having spend the past few season competing in the Crate Sportsman Division.

Ryan Austin was flawless in a runaway win in the fifteen lap FWD feature event as newcomers Devon Tarr, Kevin Doud, DJ Williams and Tommy Watson would take sport two thru five.

Bradley Morseman, using dad Ted’s potent Mini Stock led all fifteen laps in claiming the Woodhull Warrior feature event.  However, Morseman had to stay on his toes as Marshall O’Brian kept things interesting but came up a few car lengths shy at the finish and steeled for second.  Rounding the top five were Jaden Stone, Kayley Bacon and Kayleigh Morseman.

Congratulations to all competitors.

Up next at Woodhull on April 23, Kickin’ Country 105.3 FM in Hornell, NY will present a Regular Great 8 Show featuring all the regular weekly divisions.

Pit and Grandstand gates open at 4:30 with racing at 6:30 pm.

For more updates leading up to the event stay abreast by going to www.Facebook.com/WoodhullRaceway/. 

The complete 2022 schedule of events, class rules, directions to the facility, sponsors and points can be located at www.woodhullraceway.com. 

WOODHULL RACEWAY QUICK RESULTS    April 23, 2022   UNOFFICIAL!

White’s Truck Repair and Towing Service Night.

Car counts based on early evening sign in.  Not on how many run the features events.  102 cars total.

INSINGER PERFORMANCE MODIFIEDS.  (22 cars)

25 Lap Feature.  BILLY VANPELT, Joe Dgien, Brian Doolittle, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., Brady Fultz, Russell Morseman, Donnie Lawson, Alan Rudalavage, Steve Coots, Cory Costa, Jake Dgien, Josh Sawyer, Aiden Groover, Mike Bills, Tony Harris, Bob Silvernail, Dayton Brewer, Brayden Bills, Ryan Tracy, Jeff Daugherty, Alex Hoag, Greg Turner

NAPA CRATE SPORTSMAN.  (16 cars)

25 lap feature.  DAVID MAYO, Blake Lawson, Josh Nobriga, Stacy Jackson, AJ Costley, Adam Taft, Kenny Peoples Jr., Josh Keesey, Isabel Barron, Levi Riley, Art Goodier, Don Potter, Matt Stross, Josh Makatura, Teddy Morseman, Cayden Lawson.   

ARMSTRONG RUSH CRATE LATE MODELS.  (16 cars)

20 lap feature.  STEVE LEBARRON, Jason Knowles, Clayton Tarabori, Brian Knowles, Austin Allen, Aaron Miller, Brett Marlatt, Chris Fleming, Jim Buck, Jason McGregor, John Haggarty, Rickie Loucks, Joe Layfield, Chuck LaFleur, Jacob Tubbs.   

JOE WILLCOX PERFORMANCE STREET STOCKS.  (10 cars)

20 lap feature.  BRETT CRAWEFORD, Dan Gardner, Travis Webster, Mike Williams, Luke Boom, Sherman Gage, Mick Seeley, Glen Whritenour, Dennis Loucks. 

HOBBY STOCKS.   (15 cars)

20 lap feature.  JEREDD DENNIS, Mike Spencer, Paul Dgien, Joe Birdsall, Dillon Phillip, Brian Austin, Scott Brown, Jason Ketrow, Mike Carapella, Jeremy Smith, Brandon Conklin, Meadow Dgien, Kaiden Dgien, Greg Young, Brent Williams.

MINI STOCKS.   (10 cars)

20 lap feature.  TEDDY MORSEMAN, Dillon Morseman, Brian Grant Jr., Rick Amidon, Danielle Thomas, Travis Southard, Jason Warner, Ryan Stone, Kory Lanni

FRONT WHEEL DRIVES.    (6 cars)

15 lap feature.  RYAN AUSTIN, Devon Tarr, Kevin Doud, DJ Williams, Tommy Watson, Wes Houghtaling

WARRIORS.   (7 cars)

15 lap Feature.  BRADLEY MORSEMAN, Marshall O’Brian, Jaden Stone, Kayley Bacon, Kayleigh Morseman, Jasmine Southard, Courtney Thomas.