FULTON, NY – In one of the best Big Block Modified features of the year at Fulton Speedway, Willy Decker and Alan Johnson thrilled the fans with a battle that went right down to the checkers with Decker picking up the first ever win for car owner Ken Seya. A yellow with one lap to go was key for Decker as he was able to open a car length on Johnson to be the first under the checkers in his Commercial Roofing & Sheet Metal No.10 for the 0.444 second win.
Other winners on Syracuse.Com/ Carson’s Car Mart of Oswego were, Tim Sears Jr. SUNY Canton Sportsman, Tim Devendorf NAPA Late Models, Matt Emmons E&V Energy Novice Sportsman and Skip DeGroff Gladiators.
Willy Decker got the jump on Tony Steiner to lead the opening lap of the 35 lap Big Block Modified feature on the second to last points paying night.
With 5 laps showing on the lap counter Decker had already built up a half a straightaway lead on the field. Behind Decker, Johnny Hill and Alan Johnson raced side by side for 2nd with Michael Storms and Tom Sears running a few lengths back in fourth and fifth.
By lap 10, Decker pulled out to a full straightaway lead running the bottom of the speedway. Johnson ran in 2nd as he tried to close the gap on Decker, Storms, Billy Decker and Larry Wight showed on the scoring tower.
On lap 11 the caution would fly for a spinning Tony Steiner erasing the big lead Decker had built up. Johnson would take advantage of the yellow as he was able to drive around Decker using the cushion to be shown as the new leader on lap-twelve.
With 15 laps completed you could have thrown a blanket over the top three of Johnson, Willy Decker and Billy Decker as they used every inch of the Fulton high banks. Just a car length back of the top-three was Storms and points leader Jimmy Phelps.
Decker still running the bottom was able to retake take the lead by inches over Johnson just before a yellow came out for Tim Fuller on lap seventeen.
After the final double file restart Johnson running the middle and the top reassumed the lead on lap 19 by feet over Decker. Phelps, Matt Sheppard and Billy Decker were within striking distance making it a five-way fight for the win.
When the starter gave the field the ten to go sign, Johnson and Decker still ran side by side for the lead with Sheppard and Phelps hounding the top-two for the victory.
Decker refused to give up on running the bottom of the speedway as he and Johnson ran side by side with Decker inching ahead using a back marker before the final caution on lap thirty-four. That final caution is just what Decker needed for the restart as he was able to outdistance Johnson at the checkers by a slim margin. Matt Sheppard, Jimmy Phelps and Billy Decker finished third through fifth.
“It’s been a very tough year for us, what a heck of a run. Alan Johnson, I seen Jimmy (Phelps ) in there for awhile looking at the board, Billy Decker , I can’t say enough this is great,” said a happy and relieved Willy Decker after his second Fulton Speedway Big Block Modified win.
“We came out strong in the hundred lapper here,” talking about the Series race back in April. “Seems like ever since then things have kind of gone downhill. Kenny (Seya) really pulled it together, got the new car we just put together, all these guys helped out, it’s great.”
“Alan (Johnson) is tough, you usually don’t see him up top, he’s usually at the bottom. It was great to run along side of him and never run into each other. It was just good close racing.”
In the 20 lap SUNY Canton Sportsman feature Sean McCarthy would lead from lap 2 to lap 8 before Billy Clark Jr. would take over the top spot just before halfway. While Clark was running out front Tim Sears Jr. was working his way to the front from his 14th starting spot.
From lap 12 to lap 15 Sears hounded Clark before finally making his way into the lead on lap sixteen. Once in the lead, Sears survived a late yellow and late race charge from Billy Whittaker who was subbing for Sam Reakes IV to pick up the win. Sears also picked up the $100 SUNY Canton Hard Charger Award. Matt Hulsizer, Billy Clark Jr. and Ben Wheeler chased the top-two across the line.
In the green to checker NAPA Late Model feature it looked like Gus Schmidt was going to cruise to the easy win. Schmidt grabbed the lead from Jordan Keruskie on lap 8 and then took off from the rest of the field building up a full straightaway lead. Tim Devendorf moved into 2nd on lap 12 and started chipping away at Schmidt's lead. On lap 18 Devendorf caught and passed Schmidt for the race lead. Schmidt took one last shot at the win on the final lap pulling even with Devendorf exiting turn four as the pair raced to the checkers in a photo finish. AMB scoring determined Devendorf the winner by 0.031 seconds. Jordan Keruskie, Dale Caswell and AJ Kingsley rounded out the top-five.
Matt Emmons took the lead from Bill Thomas on lap 4 of the 15 lap E&V Energy Novice Sportsman feature. Emmons then held off a late charge from Justin Thomson to pick up the narrow win. Scott Kline, Doug Cook and Bill Thomas finished third through fifth.
Skip DeGroff cruised to the easy 20 lap Gladiator feature as was never seriously challenged once in the lead. Jerry Herbert, Eric M Zirbel, Mark Johnston and Keith Zirbel chased DeGroff across the line.
This coming Saturday night September 4th 2010 Track Champions will be crowned. On the race card will be the Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton Sportsman, NAPA Late Models, E&V Energy Novice Sportsman, Gladiators and the Mod Lites will be running the Doug Cooper Memorial. Adult grandstand admission is $12 with everyone 18 years old and younger admitted free to the grandstands. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. with racing at 7:00p.m.
Fulton Speedway is located just south of the speedway on route 57. For more information please visit www.fultonspeedway.com . The track office number is 315-668-6906 with the race line reached at 668-RACE.
(DIRTcar Modified 35 laps) -WILLY DECKER, Alan Johnson, Matt Sheppard, Jimmy Phelps, Billy Decker, Pat Ward, Dale Planck, Tom Sears, Larry Wight, Ryan Phelps, Jim Witko, Chuck Bower, Johnny Hill, Michael Storms, Alan Barker, Mike Mahaney, Rich Scagliotta, Matt Fink, Mike Bowman, Dan Vauter, Tony Steiner, Tim Fuller, Roy Bresnahan,Tim Harris.
(SUNY Canton DIRTcar Sportsman 20 laps) -TIM SEARS JR., Billy Whittaker, Matt Hulsizer, Bill Clark, Ben Wheeler, Jeremy Pitcher, Matthew Parkhurst, Jason Occhino, Katelyn Kane, Gregg Kimball, Christine Martin, John Juhl, Sean McCarthy, Dave Emmons, Henry Desormeau, Joe Harrington, Joe Harrington, Joe Kline, Jordan Bennett, Gregg Carner, Beth Schneider, Bob Bennett, Tim Schneider, Brandon Hagan,Stewart Garrison. DQ Rich Townsend.
(NAPA Crate Late Models 20 laps) -TIM DEVENDORF, Gus Schmidt, Jordan Keruskie, Dale Caswell, AJ Kingsley, Gordy Button, Shane Tenace, Rob Pratt, Harry Halliday, Dave Talbot, Joe August Jr., Jim Southard, Mike Vaughn.
(E&V Energy Novice Sportsman 15 Laps) – MATT EMMONS, Justin Thomson, Scott Kline, Doug Cook, Bill Thomas, Jim Graham, Brian Freese, Ed McCarthy Jr., Josh Blackwell.
(Gladiators 20 Laps) – SKIP DEGROFF, Jerry Herbert, Eric M Zirbel, Mark Johnston, Keith Zirbel, Chris Bonoffski, Jamie Radley, Kevin Hendrix.