FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Paul Szmal (315) 786-9971

May 13, 2005

KELLER CAPTURES FIRST LEG OF IMCA/CANADIAN MODIFIED CHALLENGE AT THUNDER ALLEY

EVANS MILLS, NY.....Many drivers coming through the gates Friday night at Caprara's Thunder Alley Speedpark were making their first visit to the Evans Mills, NY oval as competitors in the Canadian Modified division at Brighton Speedway Park joined Thunder Alley's IMCA Modified regulars for the first race of a four race series between the two speedways.

For Rob Keller, the extra competition proved to be good motivation, as he held off challenges from IMCA and Canadian Modified competitors over the 25-lap feature distance to score the win.  Keller took the lead early and survived numerous restarts and challenges to park his Dirt Works chassis in victory lane.  "It was a fun night," Keller said in the victory lane interview.  "We had a bunch of the Canadian Modified competitors pitted around us, and it gave us a chance to make some new racing friends.  We're looking forward to making a trip to Brighton to race against them on their home turf."

While Keller pulled away in the second half of the feature event, Canadian Modified racer Doug O'Blenis battled with IMCA regular Chris Taylor and his namesake from the Canadian Modified division.  In the end, O'Blenis came home the runnerup, with the two Taylors in third and fourth.  Tim Burke completed the top five.  4 IMCA Modified regulars and 6 Canadian Modifieds made up the top ten finishers.

The series continues on Sunday, May 22nd at the Dirt Works Victoria Day Weekend event at Brighton Speedway Park.

The 30-lap DIRT Modified feature proved to be a successful venture for Jimmy Phelps, who like many other drivers in the pits, was making his first visit to Thunder Alley.  After Billy Dunn held the early lead, Phelps was able to avoid a spinning Mike Adderley to move into the second spot.  On the restart, Phelps wrestled the lead away, but the battle was far from over.  Dunn chased Phelps into traffic and was joined by opening night feature winner Ryan Bartlett to make the final laps a three-way battle for the lead.  Phelps carried it home to take the win, noting that the restart was his key to taking the top spot.  "That restart was the most important moment of the race for me," Phelps said in victory lane, adding that he had been to the track when he was very young.  "Boy, a lot about the place has changed since then," Phelps said.  Dunn and Bartlett trailed Phelps at the finish with John Ramsey and Greg Monica bringing their 358 Modifieds home in fourth and fifth.

The 20-lap Sportsman feature was a flag to flag win for young Jack Meeks, who took the opening night win at Thunder Alley's sister track, Can-Am Motorsports Park, just six days ago.  "We've got a new Morrison power plant under the hood, and boy, does that thing go," Meeks said.  While Meeks led wire to wire, a great battle for positions lasted all race long behind him, with Jason Potter, Jim Kite, and Lance Willix trading positions back and forth.  When the checkers fell, Potter had the second spot, while Kite barely nipped Willix for the third position.  Matt Butler completed the top five.

The 15-lap Pure Stock feature was one of the best races ever to grace Thunder Alley's clay surface, as it evolved into a one on one battle between Dave Pope and Dave Mannise.  Through each lap, they ran side by side, switching lanes high and low, with the lead being swapped a handful of times.  One minor mistake by Mannise on the backstretch allowed Pope enough breathing space to take the hard fought win.  "We've run a lot of races like that," said Pope, "And it was a lot of run running against Dave side by side through the whole race."  Keith Doxtater, Clint Middlemiss, and Jason Gilmore filled out the rest of the top five.

Thundercar feature events were captured by Josh Vern (4 Cyl. Domestic), JR Durham (4 Cyl. Foreign), James Hall (6 Cyl.), Kevin Smith (8 Cyl.), and Mike Durham (Truck).

Racing action continues on Friday, May 20 at Thunder Alley with DIRT Modified, Sportsman, IMCA Modified, Pure Stock, Thundercar and Truck action.  Gates will open at 5 p.m. and racing will start at 7:30 p.m.  Caprara's Thunder Alley Speedpark is a 1/3 mile clay oval on Route 11 in Evans Mills, NY, just north of the Fort Drum gate.  For more information, please visit the track's web site at www.thunderalleyspeedpark.com.

RACE SUMMARY-CAPRARA'S THUNDER ALLEY SPEEDPARK
FRIDAY, MAY 13TH, 2005

IMCA/CANADIAN MODIFIED CHALLENGE (25 laps) - ROB KELLER (IMCA), Doug O'Blenis (CA), Chris Taylor (IMCA), Chris Taylor (CA), Dan Archibold (CA), Tim Burke (CA), Warren Mowat (CA), Aaron Jacobs (IMCA), Charlie Sandercock (CA), Tom Conklin (IMCA), Brad Sheffield (CA), Jason Dinzler (IMCA), Brian Holder (IMCA), Shawn Gregory (CA), Tim Kerr (CA), Dean Mitchell (IMCA), John Mason (IMCA), Jon Dumas (IMCA), Greg Belyea (CA).  DNS: Kerry Hunt (CA), Mark Webb (IMCA), Tim Bradley (CA).

DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE (30 laps) - JIMMY PHELPS, Billy Dunn, Ryan Bartlett, John Ramsey (358), Greg Monica (358), Frankie Caprara, Jason Potter (358), Tyler Bartlett, Delbert LaGrow (358), Justin Mason (358), Mike Adderley, Tim O'Brien, Rob Galloway (358).

SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20 laps) - JACK MEEKS, Jason Potter, Jim Kite, Lance Willix, Matt Butler, Rob Bellinger, Chris Higgins, Billy Eisele, Jeff Stevenson, Roy Bresnahan, Cricket Mandigo, Kyle Lewis, Rick McCready, Brad Winters.

PURE STOCK FEATURE (15 laps) - DAVE POPE, Dave Mannise, Keith Doxtater, Clint Middlemiss, Jason Gilmore, John Eiss, John Holder.

THUNDERCAR WINNERS:

4 CYL. DOMESTIC - JOSH VERN
4 CYL. FOREIGN - JR DURHAM
6 CYL. - JAMES HALL
8 CYL. - KEVIN SMITH
TRUCK - MIKE DURHAM

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