Every weekend Just Jammed Pack Race Action
May 23, 2004
Delmar, DE….The season at the Delaware Motorsports Complex is in full swing each weekend. So far, all the drama in the dirt for the Delaware International Speedway on Saturday nights has been some of the best action in every division each week. Along with the U. S. 13 Dragway being filled with some great speeds and reaction times. I am going to try and bring you up to speed of all the happenings just in case you have missed anything.
The U. S. 13 Dragway just finished the second “Bad 8” weekend Sunday, May 23, so I didn’t get all the goods before this publication. But the first “Bad 8” was held back on May 2, when Lou Thibault of Millsboro, DE captured the CamCraft Sponsored Bad 8 Open Wheel final, then drove to his second straight win in Super ET Sunday at the U.S. 13 Dragway. While Mike Hooper of Hurlock, Md. was the winner in the “Bad 8” Full Body and Clayton McKee of Felton, Pa. drove his ’67 Chevelle to the MANDRA Nostalgia win.
The “Bad 8” Open Wheel final was match-up of two of the track’s quickest racers, Thibault and Steve Drummond of Laurel, DE. It was a double break-out run with Thibault taking the win with a 7.648/179.17 on a 7.65 dial while Drummond, who had a .006 light, ran a 7.635/170.61 on a 7.64 dial. The “Bad 8” Full Body final paired Hooper and Vaughn Carey of Berlin, Md. Hooper had a .014 reaction and ran an 8.977/144l.00 on an 8.95 dial for the win. Carey had a 9.200/141.73 on a 9.18 dial.
Currently, David Tucker of Ellendale, DE maintains the lead in the Super division, Ron Pritchett Sr., of Dover, DE has the lead in Heavy, while Charles Nock Frankford, DE mans the Pro-Bike, and Arvie Ruark of Cambridge, MD holds the Street Eliminator so far this year. Ric Thornton of Salisbury, MD retains the lead in Import Eliminator, as Ashley Wendlandt of Salisbury, MD claims Junior I Dragster, and lastly, Amber Mason of Pocomoke, MD retains the lead in Junior II Dragster. But the season is far from over; so catch some of the Dragway drama on Sunday, May 30, or June 6, which will be the last Sunday gig for a while. The quarter mile action switches to Friday nights beginning on June 11, with the third “Bad 8” on the first Friday night. Gates open at 4:30PM, with eliminations some where around 8:00PM or so.
The Speedways racing action has been full of some really close side by side racing every weekend. The “New” AC Delco TSS Modified class has proven to be an equal playing field each week with a new winner every week until last Saturday night. Dave Betts Jr., of Newark, DE has been the only repeat winner in the six features so far. Betts set the tracks fastest lap with a 21.884 second and speeds of 82.252 MPH on a previous night of racing. If my sources serve me correct, that has been the top speed so far in that class.
So far the guys have been telling me they like the feel of the cars compared to what they were accustomed to racing in. Most of the drivers in this class either came from Go-Karts, Micros, or the Modified Lites class and a few have come from the Big Block Modified class.
I had a chance back on the second Test-N-Tune night to chat with TSS Modified driver Tom Curtis, of Hartly, DE. Curtis got his debut win back on May 1, in his American Security, Delmarva Cleaning & Maintenance, and Hawkins Motorsports numbered fifth-seven. Curtis said, he drove Micro-sprints for around two years, and has been running in the Modified Lite class for the last three or four years. As of this writing Curtis has the point lead so far. That’s because he has finished third or better in five of the six events. What’s that word? Let’s see? Ah, yes, consistency I do believe that’s the word I am looking for, but that could be another whole topic. In this sport there is never a guarantee either, anything is possible.
So this new class has given him a chance to be able to afford the step up for both him and the owner Dale Hawkins. Curtis said, “I like the way the new cars feel, it is better than the way the Modified Lite drove. I feel more in control of this car over the way the Lites felt. When I put the TSS car in the turn or set it up the car goes that way. With the Mod Lite, it was not like that? You have to drive the car harder to get it to go where you want in the turns, and the TSS is not like that.” Curtis added, “I like the way the cars feel.” Curtis wants to thank Dale for letting him drive for him and to thank the sponsors plus the crew and Jazz and Patti for all the help each week.
Another driver Bobby Watkins just made the change to the TSS Mod last week from the Big Blocks. Why? Watkins had an engine let go the week before or so, and it was either $30,000 for a new motor, or rebuild it for $5,000 at least, or buys a new motor with all the accessories and parts for about $3500. So weighing those factors together along with the fact the TSS Crate Motor will last all season, and the higher end engine could blow up after one race. This economical motor package made the decision easy; it gave the team a way to race, plus gets more ware for less money as they say.
In the other classes we have had some mighty fine rubbin and bumpin going on. The track was nice and heavy this past weekend. The last week or two, the wind has played a factor in drying out a little more or faster it seemed. The heavier the track, I think makes for faster racing. The URC Sprints have visited twice so far with Brain Seidel picking up the first win for the Taylor and Messick Delaware State Series along with Kevin Welsh winning on the second visit. The URC Sprints appear again June 5, so don’t miss those fast, furious winged monsters play in the clay.
In the Modified Lite class Erik McKinney, of Dover, DE currently leads in points, and has had two wins this early in the season in the Durham Racing Motor, North East Lightening Chassis, R & F Auto Sales and Woods Construction numbered seventy-six lite. Jon Callaway of Harrington, DE in the Callaway Furniture, Bennie’s Junction, and Fairview Farms, has too claimed two wins. Last weekend, Rookie Matt Jester of Faison Motorsports possessed his first win in the Modified Lite Class. Great job Matt!
The 2003 defending Street Modified Champion Mark Williams has made his presence known with two wins so far and leading in points. This guy gets around the track in that Atlantic Screening Inc., and Kenny Pettyjohn Consulting race car. I look for him to upgrade in the future, he would do great in the Late Model division, as most of the drivers that have made that transition in the last few years have really been doing super. Rick Whaley, Mark Byram, Robert Massey are a just few to name that have switched. Chris Sockriter has also picked up two wins, but on another couple of nights he had some real bad luck and could not even race after an altercation and the car not being able to run in an event.
The Modified class has been having some wild things going on from a fiery silhouette of Norman Short on the back stretch when a piston rod and blew the oil pan off. Norman was in the hot seat but amazingly no damage was done to him or the cars paint scheme outside just the big hole in the bottom. Short had the car back at the track just last week. Russ Davenport captured a great photo of this which you can see on my web site. Beau Wilkins currently has the lead in points, but the season has a ways to go. Thank goodness, because my NEED FOR SPEED for fast cars, rubbin, smells, sounds, and all the dirt has been very satisfied each week.
H. J. Bunting III driving the Will Brown owned car, sponsored by Will Brown Truck Repair, Inc., Delmarva Excavations of Harrington, DE, First-State Chevy Olds, and Courtland Manor Inc., has had three wins in the Big Blocks. But he too has had his bad luck of nights being another victim of circumstances. As David Hill has also won three features in the Late Model division. Hill has been had a bad night or two, and really there are a few more guys that have also had bad luck. That’s what makes the world of racing wild and crazy I guess. Hill is currently sitting in the lead in points.
But overall, the runner-ups or top five drivers in all the classes have all been right on the heels or wheel to wheel with the winner all the way to the checkered. Now that has been drama. In other Late Model action Mark Bryam has picked up two feature wins. The points with both of these classes have been switching up and down, but the season has just got going, so a lot of changing will still be taking place.
Speaking of Drama, last Saturday night, Cliff Foskey in the Scott’s Furniture Modified took a wild ride airborne of at least three end over end flips, landing into the catch fence in turn three. Cliff was okay, as far as I know, as he did walked away on his own power. The crowd rose, and let out a big cheer when Cliff came out of the car and waved to the fans. But this is just a good reminder in just how much safety plays such an important role. The car landed upside down on the barrier wall of dirt which is at least eight feet tall. Those Modifieds are not as common and neither are the Late Models in flipping over so much and landing on their roofs. The sprints and Mod Lites are more likely to flip over. Cliff went to the hospital to be checked, so Cliff just a little thought to let you know all the fans hope you are feeling okay and hopes you will be right back on the track this week.
Don’t forget the U. S. 13 Kart Club is on the Delaware Motorsports Complex, and race every Friday night, with gates opening at 5:00PM, practice starts at 7:00 PM. The racing has been really full of some hot close competing action. So take a chance and go see some of the future racers for the speedway.
Well, that is a little info on some of the dirt at the Delaware Motorsports Complex. Come on out and support your local track. Plan a family night of fun or celebrate you birthday with a private party held at the speedway in one of the trackside suites. Contact the track office for any questions or information you need at 302.875.1911.
Just a reminder Camp Barnes Night will be on Tuesday, July 6, with a rain date of Thursday, July 8. The race is usually on a Wednesday, so make sure you mark that date on your calendar. The proceeds help less fortunate children the ability to attend Camp Barnes for social skills and lessons learned along with a fun time and experience. The Delaware State Police have been holding this event for a number of years and depends on all of us contributing. I’ll see you at the track!
Bonnie Nibblett