May 5, 2006

Caprara, Hefti and Mannise Grab Checkers at Thunder Alley

Evans Mills, NY - The 2005 Modified Track Champion Frankie Caprara picked up the win on opening night at Thunder Alley Speed Park. Justin Mason and Caprara led the field to Matt Burdick’s green flag in the 35 lap Modified Feature event. Caprara would take the early lead with Mason falling back to second. On lap three Ryan Bartlett took over the runner up position, while Tim Sears followed in suit picking up the third position. Paul Kinney slid into fourth by lap six from his sixth place starting position. On lap 11, Sears moved past Bartlett to take over second and Pat O’Brien entered the top five. Sears and Bartlett would battle for second and third while Caprara went on to pick up the checkers.

Tom Juhl and Russ Hefti led the front row to the green flag in the 20 lap Sportsman Feature. Juhl would jump out to the lead, while Hefti would fight back to take over the lead. Juhl would do battle with Jack Meeks for the second position with Meeks winning the battle on lap four. Chris Higgins would enter a battle with Juhl on lap 6, with Higgins following Meeks and taking over the position. On lap 19, Juhl would battle back to take over fourth. While the rest of the field watched Hefti take the win, leading the event from green to checkers.

Dave Mannise and Dave Pope headed the field in the 15 lap pro stock feature with Mannise taking the lead. Mike Cousins entered the picture taking the second position away from Pope on lap 2. Upon taking the second position, Cousins let out a few puffs of smoke from his machine but was able to continue. On lap 10, the yellow flag flew when Josh Verne slowed on the back stretch. When racing resumed, Cousins and Pope waged a heavy battle for the second and third position. On lap 13, Pope was able to get under Cousins to pick up the second position. No one would catch Dave Mannise as he would be the third winner to lead from green to checker.

In the 4 Cylinder Domestic Feature, Bob Teft and Dan Way lead the field to green. Teft quickly took over the lead while Larry Teft moved into second from his fourth starting position. On lap three, Mike Trapp and Jake McConnell entered the top five. Steve Malbouf moved into the second position, moving around Larry Teft. Malbouf would move under Bob Teft on lap five taking over the lead, while Mike Trapp moved under Brian McConnell to take over the second position. On the final lap, Malbouf got caught behind a lap car on the backstretch and lost the lead and the win to Mike Trapp.

In the 4 Cylinder Foreign Feature, Nelson Bice and JR Durham would lead the field of 11 to the green. Durham would enter the lead bringing the outside row up with him as Mike Parker and Colby Goodale would follow. On lap three, Goodale would move around Mike Parker to take the second position. The red flag flew on lap 7 when second place runner Goodale’s car would catch on fire. When racing resumed, Wayne Martin moved under Michael Stewart to take over the third position. When the checker flag flew, Durham would pick up the win with a slight lead over Mike Durham. 

In the 6 & 8 Cylinder Feature, Scott Larryson and Verne Harris would lead to the green flag. Cole Murphy would move into the lead from his fourth place starting position. By lap three Kevin Smith would move under Harris to take over the second position. While in the Trucks, Mike Durham would wage a battle with Kris Bice and David Blair, Jr. to take the win. 

Quick Results

Modified (35 Laps): FRANKIE CAPRARA, Tim Sears, Ryan Bartlett, Pat O’Brien, Paul Kinney, Billy Dunn, John Ramsey, Jason Potter, Mike Adderly, Justin Mason, Kyle Dingwall, Adam Roberts, Robbie Grant, Larry Welling, Bob Bennett, Lance Willix, Bill Gill, Tyler Bartlett, Tim O’Brien, Billy Cook

Sportsman (20 Laps): RUSS HEFTI, Jack Meeks, Tom Juhl, Chris Higgins, Jordan Bennett, John Juhl, Brad Kirkland, Mike Entwisle, Ray Bresnahan, Jimmy Peters, Brandon Sweet, Rick McCready, Tyler Rand, Chris Raabe

Purestocks (15 Laps): DAVE MANNISE, Dave Pope, Mike Cousins, Dana Aikens, Josh Verne, Sid Harmer Jr., Sid Harmer Sr., Keith Doxtater, Brian Harbor

Four Cylinder Domestic (10 Laps): MIKE TRAPP, Steve Malbouf, Bob Teft, Brian McConnell, Jake McConnell, Randy Bowman, Chuck Monica, Robert Scott, Jock Symonds, Jim Quinn, Johnny LaFaver, OJ White, Ben VanTassel, Rick Petrie, Thren Pankey, Dan Way, Dave Travis, Larry Teft

Four Cylinder Foreign (10 Laps): JR DURHAM, Mike Durham, Robert Martin, Michael Stewart, OJ White, Nelson Bice, Don Woodworth, Morgan Young, Colby Goodale, Mike Parker, Travis Rivers

6/8 Cylinder (10 Laps): Cole Murphy, Matt Zira, Verne Harris, Russell Bice, Scott Larryson, Kevin Smith

Trucks (10 Laps): MIKE DURHAM, David Blair Jr., Kris Bice, Kevin Bice