Mother Nature Steps In For August, But The Delaware Motorsports
Complex Racing Action Remains Just As Hot
By Bonnie Nibblett
Delmar, DE…..This past Saturday night, Aug 21, 2004, Delaware International Speedway was plagued with threatening wet weather forcing another weekend without racing at the speedway, and just the weekend before both the dragway and kart tracks were closed, along with the speedway. But other than that the fast action has been non-stop on every running night.
The 2004 Advance Auto Parts Modified Super Dirt Series (MSDS) just made a tour down to Delaware to verse the DIS guys on Tuesday, Aug. 17, making a great midweek show especially without any weekend warrior time for us race nuts. Some great racers were on hand with either a first time visit to the fastest half-mile clay oval running in Delaware or either taking another shot to win some cash.
This was the first visit for the MSDS since a 100 lapper in 1998. It was in that six year ago race that Billy Decker, would win his first win at the DIS speedway, and then Decker turns it around and making a duce of a night with another 100 lap win Tuesday night. Decker in the Bicknell, Enders Motor Racing Engines, Gypsum Wholesalers, Stadium International Trucks, and Integra Racing Shock numbered ninety-one Modified had the fastest time in his heat and second fastest in the feature with a 19.538 seconds and 92.128 MPH lap.
Decker said, I won here in the 1998 Dirt Series race, and to come back and win again is really great. The track was a little rough in the middle, so we just had to find another groove. The car was good and it just kept coming to me.
I asked Decker earlier, “How he would compare the difference of running here in his WoOLMS car in July and back down here in the Modified tonight?” Decker said he had not been in the late model since that WoOLMS race in DE, and we just want to get our feet wet in that car this year. In the Modified, I feel I stand a better chance producing better.
Brett Hearn in the numbered three TEO Bud modified came in second. Afterward, Hearn said, “I apologize to my crew, all I did was complain about how bad the car was, and I knew it would come to us. After the track was groomed it messed us up a little, we just had to be patient, and wait for the track to come to us. I want to thank all the fans for their support.”
Tim McCreadie in the Sweetener Plus numbered thirty-nine finished third in the 100 lap feature. McCreadie said, “Suspension was our problem tonight from the start, I just don’t know what it was making it so off, so after the heat we changed the torsion bar and everything but the engine to get a better set up. When we went back out there, there was a big difference. The track was too wet after grating, and a few spots were rough from being so wet and breaking up. But if you could get around that, the track started coming to you.
A total of forty – three cars came to the track with heat winners being Brett Hearn 3, Gary Tompkins 1, Ricky Elliott 85, and Billy Decker 91. Two consolation heats were held with winners being Vic Coffey 32C, and Steve Paine 7X. The fastest time in time trials was set by Frank Cozze 44 with 19.331 second and speeds of 93.115 MPH.
Hearn started on the pole at the drop of the green, by lap five Gary Simpson 12, was over on his top just outside of turn two and out for the night. On the restart Decker took the lead. By lap ten Ricky Elliott 85, run a little side by side action with Decker. Elliott and Hearn stayed in top five back and forth. Decker was still leading at the half way as action was still hot and heavy in the back. Decker would take the checkered followed by Hearn, McCreadie, Elliott and Matt Sheppard 44S.
This was twenty-two year old Matt Sheppard’s first visit saying he liked the track. Pat Ward said “This is my first visit, and the track is fast.” Paine finished sixth in the feature. Steve Paine was much faster in the consi over the heat. Paine said, “We increased gears after qualifying and that helped us to be a lot faster. It has been a long time since I have been here but the track is nice.”
Stormin Norman Short was off the track with only three laps in the feature for a spline in the torsion bar breaking. Robert Dutton had dirt in the wheels causing him problems. Jimmy Chester stated smoking and left with less than twenty laps for something breaking in the engine. H. J. Bunting III was very strong until getting a flat and being a lap down. A lot of good cars were out of the feature and out before the night started by not qualifying. Overall, the racing was great that night.
The U. S. 13 Dragway has just finished the last Friday night show, and will switch back to Sunday shows starting this weekend. They will be celebrating the William J. Cathell Memorial 41st Anniversary with a Super Chevy Show, Shine, and Drags show and Mandra & double points. The Super Chevy Show will be hosted by the Mason-Dixon Classic Chevy Club with judging by qualified judges; time trials 10 AM registration 9 AM-noon. For show information you can contact Virgil Truitt 302.934.8718 or Tom Foxwell 410.632.3107.
August 6, invaders win the “Bad 8” held at the dragway, with Charles Reed of Baltimore, Md. capturing the “Bad 8” Full Body final and Ernest Frederick of Northeast, MD, won the “Bad 8” Open wheel final in the Professional Lawn & Bush Hog Service sponsored drag racing program. Other final round winners included Eddie Chapman of Pocomoke, MD, in the Bike Trophy, Douglas Mackey of Millsboro, DE, in the Import, Randy Driscoll of Dagsboro, DE, in the Hot Rod Trophy, Paige Townsend of Dagsboro, DE in Jr. Dragster I and Jamie Russell of Dover, DE, in the Jr. Dragster II. The Super ET, Heavy ET, and Pro Bike classes all fell victims to the curfew.
The “Bad 8” Full Body final was an all-Baltimore matched up between Charles Redd in his ’68 Camaro and Lee Alston in his Dodge. The two were even at the start but Alston was way under his dial running a 7.893/172.l67 on a 7.93 dial. Redd got the win with an 8.220/166.85 on an 8.19 dial. Top Full Body qualifier was Alston with a 7.886 ET. Harry Jarvis of Dagsboro had the top miles per hour with a 179.56. The cut for the top eight qualifiers was an 8.559 by Jack Back of Delmar.
The “Bad 8” Full Body final paired Ernest Frederick against former Super ET champion, Bob Johnson of Millsboro. The two had almost identical reaction times but Johnson broke out by one one-thousandth of a second with a 7.829/165.80 on a 7.83 dial. Frederick got the win with a run of 7.737/173.01. Top qualifier was Billy Cannon of Bishopville, Md. with a 7.442/182.33. The cut for the top eight qualifiers was a 7.840 by Allan Bradford of Salisbury. Don’t forget to visit on any Sunday for all the strip action.
Currently points leaders are Sterling Clough of Crisfield, MD with 660 points over David Tucker of Ellendale, DE with 590 total points in the Super. Phillip Truitt of Parsonsburg, MD leads in Heavy with 570 points and Don Dyke of Dagsboro, DE with 550 points, just twenty behind. Currently James Farmer leads in Pro-Bike, Joshua Peek leads in Street Eliminator, Brooke DeHaven in Import Eliminator, Holly Passwaters in Junior I Dragster, and Amanda Weaver in Junior Dragster II.
Other action at the speedway had Eric Reed picking up his first career win in the Street Modified class back on Aug 6 in his Steve Seipp Homeworld, H. D. Warrington Shark Service Center, Jeff’s Tap Room, BRB Buck’s Racing Engine, and JSR Inc, numbered twenty-five. Reed said, “This is unbelievable! It’s hot up here in this piece.” A quote painted on his spoiler on the rear of the car. Reed has been running Street Modified for the last five years and wants to thank Buck Wyatt for the motor, his Mom for all her support, the crew of Cassie, Josh, Buck, Eric P., CL & ML, Brooks, Tyler, Nathan, and a special thanks going to Mike Christopher.
Kerry King in the K & B Auto Sales Street mod blew an engine that night and managed to putt around the track just to pick up twenty-five points since he is in the top five. Speaking of points, Mark Williams has a strong lead, but the remaining top five are in a close battle with second point’s holder Kelly Putz, Jason Cahall, Jeff Patilla, and Kerry King rounding out the top five. Cahall picked up his second win on Aug 6, in the Chesapeake Engines, Roland Auto and Bayco of Easton, numbered nineteen-C. He said, “The track was good, something in my rear was starting to go away and the car was tightening up the last lap or two, we were lucky to finish. Thanks to my crew and sponsors for all their help.”
Stormin Norman Short in the Hair w/ Flair, Collier’s Trim Shop, Georgetown Seaford Co., The Carmean Group and Boozier Excavation numbered eight-M also picked up his first win for the season that Saturday despite being plagued with bad luck on and off all year. Either his car would fail with engines woes or driver handling errors. Short replied that it felt good to be in victory circle, we changed the steering pump, and the car was good and hooked up tonight.
Cliff Foskey 28, made his come back with a super night to claim his first win for 2004 in a new car, July 31, Foskey made his first appearance since May 22 and ran a flawless race. Foskey said, “I knew I was good in the turns and that Tim Millman was getting tighter.” Foskey had a horrific crash back in May and totally destroyed his car to no end. Foskey driving the new Scott’s Furniture sponsored car made the buy from Jim Beechy with a used car and wanted to thank him for selling a really great car to them and a special thanks to John Richards also. Another first career winner this year is Robert Dutton 888, in the Muncy Trucking, Truitt’s NASCAR Collectables, Bicknell, who won in July. Dutton had come close many a time in his tries but sealed it that night. Even with the three rained out events so far, the performance of the drivers has made it some of the hottest dirt wheeling in clay each weekend.
Points leader in the Modified class is the 2003 defending champ, Craig Mullins 2 who has only won only one feature this season, but has been consistent in the top five’s and ten’s, which helps tremendously. Mullins is followed by H. J. Bunting III 91, Rick Bishop 62, Ricky Johnson 69, and Beau Wilkins 9, rounding out the top five in points.
In Late Model action teammates Mark Byram 4B, and Rick Whaley 4, have been having a super banner of a year. Byram picked up his fourth win Aug 6. Leading in points so far is David Pettyjohn RT9, then Byram, Whaley, David Hill 75, and Donald Lingo Jr. 55L, in fifth. The battle is still heating up for these guys in points.
The “new” AC Delco TSS Modified has continued to be competitive among the drivers each week. Tom Curtis 57, continues to lead in points followed by Mark West 91, Dave Betts Jr. 22B, Jack Mullins Jr. 1, and Dale Hawkins 83; with all these guys being rookies in this class. Jack Mullins has won the most features with four wins.
The Modified Lite class has been dominated by Erik McKinney 76, with five wins and a lot of top five and tens. Looks like his year has been great and he might be well on his way to win the championship. Bobby Walls III 22, follows with Tim White 16, in his first year of racing full time at DIS, Herb Tunis 85, has been strong and just waiting for that win, and Jon Callaway 95, rounding out the top five. Rookie Kirk Miles picked up a fifth place finish and it felt like a win to them they said. Great job guys!
The U. S. 13 Kart Club has been having a lot of action going on each Friday night. Junior I points leader is Austin Wright 1, Jr. II is Scott Hitchens 15, Jr. III, Brandon Beale 10, Stock-Lite leader is John Ellis Jr. 22, Stock-Medium is John Macklin 96, Stock Heavy is Chad Reed 58, Stock Xtra-Heavy is James Hickman 16, Ralph Moore 5, leads in the 35 and over class, and John Ellis Jr. is also leading in the Limited class. You can see any of the kart action on Friday nights.
The season is starting to wind down a little with a lot of the regular weekly events ending after September. That doesn’t sit well with me, so I don’t want to think that far ahead. There is still a lot of racing action to come so come on out to Delaware for all your racing fixes. If you have any question on coming events for the dragway or the track call the office at 302.875.1794. Any other things you can view on the tracks site at www.delawareracing.com or mine at www.redbud69racing.com. See you at the track!