May 6, 2005

DOUST GIVES COMMAND PERFORMANCE AT THUNDER ALLEY SPEEDPARK
-Ryan Bartlett Outduels Caprara For Modified Win-

EVANS MILLS, NY.....For several seasons, Greg Doust has been a solid pilot in the DIRT Sportsman division. He gave notice that 2005 may be his best year yet by opening the Hooiser Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman Super DIRT Series with a convincing win Friday night at the season opener of Caprara's Thunder Alley Speedpark in Evans Mills, NY.

Taking the lead at the one-third mark of the 30-lap feature event from Joe Williams, Doust carefully threaded his way through lapped traffic in the second half of the race to score a dominating win, which he celebrated with a roof dance in Victory Lane. Doust was quick to credit his team for giving him a top flight car, saying in the Victory Lane interview, "I have a Nextel Cup-quality pit crew that puts this car together, and it was awesome to drive tonight." 

Canadian driver Marcel Pecore took the runner up spot, a half lap behind Doust at the finish. Russ Hefti, New Jersey invader Sean Carman, and Jordan Bennett completed the top five.

The "young guns" also had a shootout in the 30-lap DIRT Modified feature event, as Ryan Bartlett and Frankie Caprara battled furiously for the lead in the first half of the feature. Things got interesting just past halfway when Bartlett nearly got tangled up with Greg Monica's car as he was working through lapped traffic. Bartlett avoided a spin by gunning his car into the infield. As Caprara was moving around the Monica car, Bartlett came back on the track alongside the pair. Caprara won the drag race into the first turn, but only a couple of laps later, Tyler Bartlett's car came to a stop to bring out the yellow on lap 22. Bartlett timed the restart perfectly, slipping under Caprara to retake the lead, and he held it to the finish for his first ever Thunder Alley win. Caprara was only a couple of car lengths back in second. John Lazore was the highest finishing 358 Modified, coming home third, folllowed by John Ramsey in a 358 Modified, and the big block of Mike Adderley.

Mark Webb's victory in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature was not an easy one, as we withstood challenges from Jon Dumas and Aaron Jacobs to take the opening night victory. Dumas, who had to recover from a near spin with Rob Keller, was right behind Webb at the flag, with Jacobs taking third. Tom Conklin and Howie Metzger rounded out the top five.

Dave Mannise had problems with his car following heat race action, but Dana Aikins lent him his ride for the 15-lap Pure Stock feature. Mannise put it to good use as he hounded Dave Pope over the entire distance, but was unable to catch him. However, Pope's car did not make weight following the feature event, which gave Mannise the nod. Dan Hoffman, John Holder, Keith Doxtater, and Clint Middlemiss filled out the top five in the Pure Stock feature event.

In Thundercar competition, feature wins were taken by Jake McConnell (4 Cylinder Domestic), Jack Jones (4 Cylinder Foreign), James Hall (6 Cylinder), Kevin Smith (8 Cylinder), and Sid Harmer II (Truck).

Racing at Thunder Alley Speedpark continues on Friday, May 13 with the running of the first round of the IMCA/Canadian Modified Challenge. This four-race series will pit Thunder Alley regulars against the Canadian Modifieds from Brighton Speedway Park. The DIRT Modifieds, Sportsman, Pure Stocks, and Thundercars will round out the card, with racing starting at 7:30 p.m.

Caprara's Thunder Alley Speedpark is a 1/3 mile dirt oval in Evans Mills, NY, just two miles north of the main gate entrance to Fort Drum. For more information, please visit the track's web site at www.thunderalleyspeedpark.com