June 3, 2005

A CAREER FIRST FOR JUSTIN MASON AT THUNDER ALLEY

EVANS MILLS, NY...It was a night of firsts at Caprara's Thunder Alley Speedpark in Evans Mills. For the first time, North Country fans got a taste of full fendered frenzy DIRT style with the Stacker 2 Pro Stock Super DIRT Series making an appearance at the 1/3 mile oval. Clayton Benedict bested a field of solid contenders in the 25-lap event to earn his first DIRT Pro Stock Tour win.

The firsts didn't stop there, though. Two drivers got their first career wins in their respective divisions Friday night.

Justin Mason started on the pole of the 30-lap DIRT Modified feature and quickly took the lead and pulled out an advantage. Mike Prentice tucked into second, but was soon joined by last week's feature winner John Ramsey and opening night winner Ryan Bartlett, who is the current point leader at Thunder Alley in the DIRT Modified division. As those drivers battled each other for position, Mason was able to build a solid lead.

On lap 28 of the feature, the caution flag flew, setting up a shootout to the finish. Mason timed the start perfectly to build an advantage once again, but slid high in turn four coming to the white flag, and had the same thing happen in the final corner. Fortunately for Mason, his lead was big enough that he was able to recover both times and bring home a career first Modified win, and the second win for a 358 Modified in the combined DIRT Modified/358 division.

"I could feel the car getting tighter (in turns 3 and 4)," Mason said in Victory Lane, "But I kept my cool and drove out of it." Mason becomes the fifth different winner in five Modified races at the facility this season. Prentice held off Ramsey for second, and it's worth nothing that Ramsey ran the last several laps with the track's restart cone wedged in his left sidepod. Bartlett and Mike Adderley were the top finishing DIRT Modifieds in the field, claiming fourth and fifth.

The 15-lap IMCA Modified feature found Rob Keller in Victory Lane once again, but he had a host of challengers. A number of minor incidents kept shuffling the order, with Mark Webb, Jon Dumas, Tom Conklin, and John Mason all taking their shots at the Keller machine during the event. Keller brought it home for another win, thanking his crew for some extra effort during the week. "We found a crack in one of the cylinders early this week, and Mike Capozza and the crew worked all week putting our motor from last year into the car," an elated Keller said, "And this win's for them and all that hard work."

Keller was followed by Dumas, Webb, Chris Taylor, and Conklin.

Thundercar winners Friday night included Josh Verne (4 Cyl. Domestic), Jack Jones (4 Cyl. Foreign), James Hall (6 Cyl.), Kevin Smith (8 Cyl.), and first time winner Leland Whitton (Truck).

The Patriot Sprint Car Group makes its first visit of 2005 to Thunder Alley, joined by the Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Thundercars, and Trucks. The DIRT Modifieds and IMCA Modifieds will have next week off. Racing will get underway at 7:30 p.m.

RACE SUMARY-CAPRARA'S THUNDER ALLEY SPEEDPARK
FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2005

DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE (30 LAPS) - JUSTIN MASON (358), Mike Prentice (358), John Ramsey (358), Ryan Bartlett, Mike Adderley, Billy Dunn, Jason Potter (358), Frankie Caprara, Matt Butler, Doug Fuller (358), Bill Gill, Tim O'Brien, Greg Monica (358), Tyler Bartlett, Bob Bennett, Terry Knoblock, Jordan Bennett, Bob Holland.

IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE (15 LAPS) - ROB KELLER, Jon Dumas, Mark Webb, Chris Taylor, Tom Conklin, John Mason.

THUNDERCAR WINNERS:
4 CYL. DOMESTIC - JOSH VERNE
4 CYL. FOREIGN - JACK JONES
6 CYL. - JAMES HALL
8 CYL. - KEVIN SMITH
TRUCK - LELAND WHITTON