The Points Are In, The Champions All Announced And Final

 

By Bonnie Nibblett

October 25, 2004

 

Delmar, DE…..Well, last month I said it was winding down time for the racing season, and it has all but just about ended unfortunately for us race fans.  It’s a bittersweet end with a somewhat a relief in the hustle and bustle for teams, drivers, writers, and track officials, in the demand of effort that goes into each week and all weekend with the time spent to race.  In the long run, it is all well worth it to me and I am sure there are many, many that feel the same; as I still crave the dirt action every weekend no matter what.  After all, my NEED FOR SPEED addiction is never filled up it seems.  But fear not, I have quite a few ideas to get us through the off season, but first let’s get the latest action to you. 

 

The Delaware Motorsports Complex still has a trick or two up their sleeve before the end is here.   This weekend, the U. S. 13 will end their 41st season with a Super HALLOWEEN Sunday.  With purses of,  $1500 Super ET, $1000 Heavy ET, $250 Pro Bike plus Hot Rod Trophy, Imports, Bike Trophy, and Jr. Dragsters with the gates opening at 9 am, eliminations 2:30 pm.  Then the action swings over the speedway for the Delaware State Dirt Championship Nov. 6 & 7.  That’s a big, big, 2 day event with hundreds of cars in the field all trying to get a crack to race on that fast half-mile oval.  For details of the dirt championships schedule view the tracks web site at www.delawareracing.com or www.redbud69racing.com also any questions can be answered by calling the tracks office at 302.875.1911.

 

Both the speedway and dragway have both ended the season with the final points at both tracks being all said and done.  At the dragway, this years champions are Sterling Clough, Crisfield, MD, in Super, Phillip Truitt, Parsonsburg, MD, Heavy, Pro-Bike with James Farmer, Felton, DE for second year in a row, Street Eliminator, Arvie Ruark, Cambridge, MD, Import Eliminator, Brooke DeHaven, Salisbury, MD, Junior I Dragster, Holly Passwaters, Bridgeville, DE, and Greg Olink, Dover, DE, Junior II.

 

The NHRA Northeast Division I Brackets (NED) were held earlier in the month for a 4 day event after a pretty strong forecast for rain on the Saturday, causing eliminations to run until curfew on Friday night.  The NED winners were Atco Raceway’s Brian Brown of Marlboro, NJ in Super, Atco Raceway’s Chuck Morris of Windsor Locks, CT in Heavy, DE own home track racer (U.S. 13) James Farmer of Felton, DE in Pro Bike, Maple Grove Raceway’s Mike Barber of Douglasville, PA in Street, and Atco Raceway’s Jason Lawrence of Hamilton, NJ in High School Eliminator.

 

In NED team competition, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park was the winner with 61 points.  Maple Grove Raceway finished in second with 56 points and the host track, U.S. 13 Dragway was third with 54 points.  Atco Raceway with three final round winners finished in fourth with 51 points and Maryland’s Cecil County Dragway rounded out the top five with 49 points.  In order the remaining nine tracks were Capitol raceway with 48 points, Numidia Raceway with 46 points, Island Dragway with 46 points, 75-80 Dragway with 41 points, Esta Safety Park with 40 points, Mason-Dixon Dragway with 38 points, Spencer Speedway with 33 points, Lebanon Valley Dragway with 31 points and South Mountain Dragway with 22 points.

 

The electronics went out the window and it was driver against driver in the Footbrake Nationals held Oct. 17, at the U.S. 13 Dragway. Pat Mariner of Salisbury, MD, took the final round win over Shawn Riley, Jr. of Hoopersville, MD, Jerry Russell of Dover, DE, topped the Combo Eliminator division while Sherell Blake of Delmar, MD, rode to the win in Pro Bike. Other winners included John Scherbach of Salisbury in Hot Rod Trophy, James Rogers of Laurel, DE, in Import, Marquise Blake of Bishopville, MD, in Bike Trophy, Holly Passwaters of Bridgeville, DE, in Jr. Dragster I and Paige Townsend of Dagsboro, DE, in Jr. Dragster II.

 

In speedway news, Craig Mullins, Bridgeville, DE, collected his second Modified Championship in a row with just 34 pts over H. J. Bunting III, Milford, DE.  H. J. Bunting and Craig Mullins came into the final points nights event Oct 16, with only 4 pts separating the leader Mullins from Bunting.  Bunting won his heat, and Mullins was second in his heat.  At the start of the feature only one point was between the two.  At the end of the 1st heat as Bunting took the checkered something broke and he went off turn 1.  Bunting was forced to use his back up car and had to start dead last in the feature.  Bunting was supreme and relished to 5th place, a great attempt by Bunting. 

 

But Mullins powered his only second time to the track, and new TEO, Pat Morrison, Jungle Jim Carburetor, from eight to take the lead on lap 6 from Norman Short and leave a trail of smokin "You Can't Touch This" for the remaining field.  So with the win Craig Mullins officially wins the 2004 Delaware International Modified Championship.  

 

Late Model Championship goes to David Pettyjohn, Millsboro, DE, to win his first Championship.  Pettyjohn was a strong contender last year but was involved in an incident forcing him to be out weeks of racing.  The “New” AC Delco TSS Modified Champion goes to Tom Curtis, Hartly, DE, who came from the Modified Lite class to run the new class and yet dominated in the class with consistency.  More like 2 wins, 15 top 5's and 3 top 10's in 20 events, now that was some driving.  Mark Williams, Georgetown, DE, won the 2004 Delaware Street Modified Championship to be crowned for the 3rd year in a row; Williams’ one that runs consistent as well.  Rookie Steve Stamps, Milton, DE, finished a strong 6th place finish in his first year at the track.  While returning driver Jeff Patilla, Delmar, DE, placed 4th in points after not being able to race since a near death accident (non-track related) in 1994.  Way to go guys!

 

Erik McKinney, Dover, DE, clinched his 2004 Modified Lite Championship with the final point’s race.  McKinney pulled off 7 wins throughout the year in his first time running full time in DE.  This class also had a quite a few new drivers with Steven Lang, Jr., Parksley, VA and Kirk Miles, Saxis, VA both finishing just inside the top ten in points. 

 

Taylor and Messick sponsors the URC DE State Series where URC driver, Kevin Welsh, Far Hills, NJ, claimed that title over Curt Michael, Oceanview, DE; however Michael was the overall 2004 URC Champion. 

 

The U. S. 13 Kart Club has also finished their season with a bang.  Champion winners were, Jr. I-Kody Joudrey, Jr. II-Scott Hitchens, Jr. III-Erika Hearn, Stock Lite and Limited winner was John Ellis, Jr. with both championships in his 2nd season, Stock Medium-John Macklin, Stock Heavy-Chad Reed, Stock Xtra-Heavy-James Hickman, and 35 & Over-Ralph Moore.  The Pee-Wee class races each week but no points were awarded.  One of the pee-wee drivers Brady Bowden was in every race but one so an honorable mention to him and all the future racers.    

 

So you can see the action has been hot as ever in Delaware all season even down to the last wire.  I must say the guys all did a great job in competing each and every week keeping the fans on their feet.  This season there were quite a few first time winners ever, winners in new classes, and winners that had never won at Delmar.  Look for more on that in coming months.  The banquets will be coming up later and lots more news for sure, so even though the season has almost ended fear not I will still be bringing you all the racing “dirt” at the Delaware Motorsports Complex. 

 

I would like to say as a writer, there are times when news comes out on any racing tragedies or ones affected by a tragedy it is one of the hardest things to write.  For me it is as though you write the news, and at the same time the breath is knocked out of me as I am posting it.  I sit typing with my mouth gapped open, yet it is gratifying knowing you are putting the news out there for others to know what is going on.  I am speaking of the Hendricks Motorsports plane crashing on Sunday, Oct. 24, while in route to the Martinsville Speedway where all 10 passengers were killed including Ricky Hendricks, John Hendricks and other family members and employees died.  I just want to say my prayers and thoughts are with the families and all affected.  My condolences go out to all the families and friends.

 

Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Nov. Champ show Nov. 6 & 7 or call for any details the tracks office at 302.8751911.  See you at the track!