Fuller and Ferguson Continue Early Season Success while Winters Rabtoy and Pecore Grace Mohawk Victory Lane
By: Tim Baltz
Action Race Parts and Mohawk Plumbing were on hand for another solid night of racing action at the Mohawk International Raceway. With the Green's Performance Mod Lite division having the week off the Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour joined the 4 regular divisions on a night that saw some great racing.
The Pete Mitchell Memorial qualifier for the Crossroads Tobacco Sportsman division was set for 35 fast laps with the race winner guaranteed to start at least 13th in the Pete Mitchell Memorial in August. Cedric Gauvreau took the lead at the drop of the green flag after he redrew the number 1 spot with Robert Delormier, Anthony Rasmussen, Johnathon Ferguson and Ricky Thompson giving chase. Gauvreau had a great race car in the first 7 laps until a caution flew for Kyle Sharp and Junior Delormier as they tangled in turns 3 and 4. On the restart Gauvreau continued to lead but Johnathon Ferguson was on the move and headed to the front. Ferguson would get by Robert Delormier and Anthony Rasmussen on lap 9 and quickly close in on the race leader. On lap 10 Gauvreau slid up the track allowing Ferguson to get by and begin to pull away. As the laps clicked off traffic became an issue but so was the racing groove. The bottom was the place to be as Ferguson held the lead but Robert Delormier was on the move and closed in on the race leader by lap 20 while Ricky Thompson, Chris Frennier and Ryan Stabler started to make a charge forward. Lapped traffic was playing a major role as to where the leaders would run but on lap 27 a 3 car tangle in turn 4 ended all that and would give Ferguson clear race track. When the green flew it was no contest as Ferguson moved away from the field but Shane Pecore and Chris Frennier were having a great battle having moved into the top 5 late in the race. Over the remaining laps Johnathon Ferguson never lost focus and kept the car on the low lane and despite a last ditch effort by Robert Delormier Ferguson would march on to score his 2nd win in a row.Robert Delormier would cross in 2nd while Chris Frennier had a career best 3rd place finish, Shane Pecore and Ryan Stabler would complete the top 5.
The Twin Leaf Convenience 358 Modified division was set to roll for 30 fast laps and last week's winner Tim Fuller was looking to duplicate the dominant performance from opening night. When the green flew Fuller took off from the pole over Corey Wheeler, Lance Willix, Todd Stone and Carey Terrance. With the low lane being the place to be Fuller would pull away from a quality field in the opening laps while Wheeler, Willix, Terrance and Stone tried to keep pace. It didn't take long for Fuller to get into traffic but he had plenty of time to pick his way through traffic as over a straightaway back Carey Terrance was on the charge getting by both Stone and Wheeler to move into 2nd on lap 11, but still had a ways to go to catch Fuller. Just past the halfway point Fuller was clearly the dominant force as he built up a huge lead while Terrance did everything he could to chip away at the deficit. After a season that saw him win the opening 2 weeks of the year Tim Fuller would replay this movie a year later as he would go unmatched in a caution free race to score his 2nd win in as many weeks at MIR. Carey Terrance took his Twin Leaf Convenience machine to a runner up finish in his first start of the season with Corey Wheeler, Lance Willix and Todd Stone completing the top 5.
The Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour was ready to take to the speedway for 15 laps and Cory Winters had a fast race car as he took the lead at the drop of the green flag over Nathan Berry Matt Barbour John Stanley and Evan Reynolds. Winters debuted his machine mid way through last season and was the clear dominant force as he drove away in the early laps as Nathan Berry and Matt Barbour were in a battle of their own for 2nd. At the halfway point it was Winters in front as he worked through a few lapped cars with no problem while Berry and Barbour continued to fight for 2nd with John Stanley and Evan Reynolds completing the top 5. In an event that saw no caution flags Cory Winters put it on auto pilot as he motored on to win the season opener for the Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour. Nathan Berry had a great opening night coming home 2nd with Matt Barbour holding on to complete the podium. Cory Winters and Evan Reynolds claimed heat wins on the night.
Novice Sportsman had another solid field as Xavier Perrin would jump out to the early lead and drive away from everyone in the opening laps while Thomas Jock III, Eugene Tarbell, Dylan Rabtoy and Brian McGinnley completed the top 5 early on. Perrin had the fastest car on the track and was running away and hiding from the field but Jock, Tarbell and Rabtoy were in their own war for a top 5 position. At the halfway point it looked like it was going to be a sure win for Perrin as lapped traffic was not even a factor, however a yellow flag with 2 to go would bunch up the field for a key restart for Dylan Rabtoy. When the green flew Perrin did not get the start he wanted allowing Jock to move to the high lane. coming off turn 4 Perrin got loose as he slid up the track allowing Rabtoy to take over the lead. Dylan Rabtoy had run great on asphalt and on this night he put it all together as he scored his first ever win on dirt at Mohawk. Last Week's winner Corbin Millar would cross in 2nd with Tommy Jock III, Xavier Perrin and Brian McGinnley completing the top 5.
The 10 lap Bandit feature got off to a rocky start for last week's winner RJ Tressider as he spun early on lap 2 and fought handling issues the entire night, at the front of the field the story was different. Gary Sharlow would lead the way early on over Nick Perham and Mike Pecore. However Sharlow's night would go bad in a hurry as he went pit side on lap 3. When the green flew and the laps clicked off Mike Pecore held the lead over Nick Perham and Shane Ray. These 3 cars put on a great show at the front with neither driver getting an advantage. Pecore and Ray would make a race out of it in the late stages as they battled hard for the win. Despite one last effort by Shane Ray it was not enough as Mike Pecore would take his first ever Bandit win. Shane Ray held on for 2nd over Nick Perham, Ian Bressett and RJ Tressider.
Next week Frenchie's Chevrolet and Frenchie's Ford will present the 50 lap Memorial Cup for the Twin Leaf Stores 358 Modified division as they take center stage and it's also first leg in the 3 race 358 Modified series. The Crossroads Tobacco Sportsman will be on hand along with the Green's Performance Mod Lites, Novice Sportsman and Bandits. Racing begins at 7:30pm. For more information you can check out our website at mohawkintraceway.com or look us up on Facebook.
Crossroads Tobacco Sportsman Pete Mitchell Memorial Qualifier
JOHNATHON FERGUSON, Robert Delmorier, Chris Frennier, Shane Pecore, Ryan Stabler, Ricky Thompson, Mike Stacey, Cedric Gauvreau, Brianna Ladouceur, Anthony Rasmussen, Thomas Cook, Brent Kelsey, Delbert Legrow Jr., Lonnie Rivers, Kristian Smoke, Jamy Begor, Delbert Legrow, Greg Snyder, Devin Willis, Jamie Lafountain, Andy Howard, Bruce Makinson, Joel Hargrave, Kyle Sharp, Richard Thornton, Junior Delormier, Billy Cook, Styles Arquiett, Miquel Peterson, Adam Rozon, (DNS) Bucko Branham
Heat Winners: Brent Kelsey, Joel Hargrave, Robert Delormier, Bruce Makinson
Twin Leaf Convenience 358 Modified
TIM FULLER, Carey Terrance, Corey Wheeler, Lance Willix, Todd Stone, Lee Ladouceur, Chris Raabe, George Foley, Louie Jackson Jr., Brian McDonald, Jeremy LaSalle, Larry Welling, Matt Woodruff, John Mulder, Ryan McLean, Gage Morin, Madison Mulder
Heat Winners: Tim Fuller and Corey Wheeler
Novice Sportsman
DYLAN RABTOY, Corbin Millar, Thomas Jock III, Xavier Perrin, Brian McGinnley, Jason Rose, Lee Barcomb, Kurt Russell, Dale Gonyo, Eugene Tarbell, Joshua Pete, Jonathan Rush, Josh Lavare
Heat Winners: Thomas Jock III and Xavier Perrin
Bandit
MIKE PECORE, Shane Ray, Nick Perham, Ian Bressett, RJ Tressider, Anthony Law, Gary Sharlow, Terry Lamica
Heat Winner: Gary Sharlow
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