From Tom Skibinski / DIRTcar Racing Northeast Region PR Director - Syracuse, NY – October 8, 2010 – Mirroring last year’s opening day conditions on the sun-drenched New York State Fairgrounds one-mile oval, Modified qualifying races for the 150-lap ‘Salute to the Troops’ 358-Modified Championship got underway Friday with Big-Block veterans Billy Decker and Wayne Jelley taking checkered flags in the Pullen’s Truck Center Twin 20s.
The fastest in time trials the day before, both Decker and Jelley each led every lap en route to their respective heat race victory, with both former winners of the SDW small-block title event also collecting a $1,000 top prize after dominating performances in the 20-mile preliminary events. Decker is a four-time race winner while Jelley parked in the winner’s circle in 2004 following the biggest win of his career.
“A good starting position is definitely the key to a lot of the stuff that goes on out here,” remarked Decker, following his fourth career ‘Twin 20s’ qualifying race triumph on the storied Syracuse Mile. The Unadilla, N.Y. pilot will start on the pole Saturday in search of a third straight Super DIRT Week 358-Modified Championship on the Syracuse Mile steering the red LJL Racing Gypsum Wholesalers-Stadium International/Bicknell mount.
“So far we’ve been spot on every time out. I owe a lot to John, Laura (Wight, cars owners), Scott (Jeffery, crew chief) and this whole team for all the effort they’ve put in this week. You can’t ask for much more having good equipment every time you buckle in. Fortunately, I’ve been able to take advantage and keep the car up front when it counts,” Decker added.
Second-generation star Ronnie Johnson from Duanesburg, N.Y., Vernon, New Yorker Willy Decker, Watertown’s Tim McCreadie and Pennsylvanian Rick Laubach filled out the front-five in the first of two qualifiers that was slowed by three caution periods.
Matching Decker’s flag-to-flag romp in the second 20-lapper, Jelley toured the fairgrounds uncontested with a trio of yellow flags for minor mishaps also keeping the field tight most of the way.
“This was another good run for us, everybody really put in a good effort today,” stated Jelley, who will join Decker on the front row in Saturday’s small-block finale buckled into his yellow Freedom Plains no. 45 Jelley's Auto/TEO entry. Friday’s victory was his first-ever in heat race competition during Super DIRT Week.
“We’ve been good with a small-block pretty much every year, if we can just get the big-block rolling around here better we’ll be in good shape. Have to thank Steve Hough for coming in and helping me out this week, its really made a big difference getting ready for all our qualifying,” Jelley said.
Two-time SEF Small Engine Fuels 200 Big-Block winner Jimmy Horton from Neshanic Station, N.J. chased Jelley across the stripe, followed by five-time ‘Salute To The Troops 150’ winner Pete Bicknell from St. Catharines, ONT, defending SEF 200 champion Matt Sheppard from Waterloo, N.Y. and all-time DIRTcar Northeast open-wheel feature winner Brett Hearn towing in from Sussex, N.J.
The Pullen Truck Center Twin 20s qualifiers set the stage for the 31st edition of the ‘Salute To The Troops’ 150 --- the featured race for Small-Block Modifieds on Saturday of Super DIRT Week XXXIX. Following the Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Series event Friday night at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, a strong 40-plus car starting field will fill out the grid for the headline event that pays $20,000 to the winner and gets underway at 2 p.m.
SUPER DIRT WEEK XXXIX 358-MODIFIED TWIN 20s RESULTS
*Pullen’s Truck Center Heat #1
FIN CAR# DRIVER
1 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
2 76a Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg,NY
3 1x Willy Decker/Vernon,NY
4 4* Tim McCreadie/Watertown,NY
5 27L Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
6 74x Matt Billings/Brockville,ONT
7 99 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
8 1h David Hebert/St. Damase,QUE
9 01 Chris Raabe/Napanee,ONT
10 6m Mat Williamson/St.Catharines,ONT
11 1xx Todd Stone/Middlebury,VT
12 115 Kenny Tremont/West Sand Lake,NY
13 24 Patrick Dupree/Saranac Lake,NY
14 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
15 1ny Greg Atkins/Clintonville,NY
16 32c Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY
17 7g Lance Willix II/Theresa,NY
18 19 John Lazore/Hogansburg,NY
19 4j Jeff Sykes/Edwards,NY
20 24s Chris Shultz/Pawling,NY
21 27 Ryan Godown/Ringoes,NJ
22 24x Mike Perrotte/Plattsburgh,NY
23 16 Kyle Hoffman/Averill Park,NY
24 3m Henry Maier/Spencerport,NY
25 34 George Foley/Saranac Lake,NY
DNS 72 Denis Gauvreau/Alymer,QUE
DNS 124 Pierre DagenaisGatineau,QUE
*Pullen’s Truck Center Heat #2
FIN CAR# DRIVER
1 45 Wayne Jelley/Pittsfield,MA
2 14 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
3 42 Pete Bicknell/St.Catharines,ONT
4 1w Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
5 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
6 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
7 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
8 22j Jeremy Wilder/Fort Plain,NY
9 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
10 10 Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY
11 22 Larry Lampman,Jr./Port Colborne,ONT
12 3j Marc Johnson/Guilderland,NY
13 74 Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY
14 13 Tony Steiner/Jamesville,NY
15 46 Kayle Robidoux/St-Constant,QUE
16 4 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
17 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
18 72 Tommy Flannigan/St.Catharines,ONT
19 tj1 Tom Jock Jr./Akwesasne,NY
20 14s Brian Swarthout/Beaver Dams,NY
21 7* Danny O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
22 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
23 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
24 85 Ted Lamb Jr./Clay,NY
25 66x Carey Terrance/Akwesasne,NY
DNS 22g Eric Gauvreau/Chelsea,QUE
DNS 38 Luke Whitteker/Iroquois,ONT
DNS 14m C.G. Morey/Rutland,VT
SUPER DIRT WEEK XXXIX 358-MOD NON-QUALIFIERS RACE LINE-UP (Oct. 9)
ST CAR# DRIVER
1 32c Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY
2 4 Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
3 7g Lance Willix II/Theresa,NY
4 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
5 19 John Lazore/Hogansburg,NY
6 72 Tommy Flannigan/St.Catharines,ONT
7 4j Jeff Sykes/Edwards,NY
8 tj1 Tom Jock Jr./Akwesasne,NY
9 24 Chris Shultz/Pawling,NY
10 14s Brian Swarthout/Beaver Dams,NY
11 27 Ryan Godown/Ringoes,NJ
12 7* Danny O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
13 24x Mike Perrotte/Plattsburgh,NY
14 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
15 16 Kyle Hoffman/Averill Park,NY
16 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
17 3m Henry Maier/Spencerport,NY
18 85 Ted Lamb Jr./Clay,NY
19 34 George Foley/Saranac Lake,NY
20 66x Carey Terrance/Akwesasne,NY
"SALUTE TO THE TROOPS" 150
MR. DIRTcar 358-MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP STARTING LINE-UP
STR CAR# DRIVER
1 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
2 45 Wayne Jelley/Pittsfield,MA
3 4* Tim McCreadie/Watertown,NY
4 14 Jimmy Horton/Neshanic Station,NJ
5 76a Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg,NY
6 42 Pete Bicknell/St.Catharines,ONT
7 1x Willy Decker/Vernon,NY
8 1w Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
9 27L Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
10 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
11 74x Matt Billings/Brockville,ONT
12 42p Pat Ward/Genoa,NY
13 99 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
14 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
15 1h David Hebert/St. Damase,QUE
16 22j Jeremy Wilder/Fort Plain,NY
17 01 Chris Raabe/Napanee,ONT
18 8 Rich Scagliotta/Bound Brook,NJ
19 6m Mat Williamson/St.Catharines,ONT
20 10 Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY
21 1xx Todd Stone/Middlebury,VT
22 22L Larry Lampman,Jr./Port Colborne,ONT
23 115 Kenny Tremont/West Sand Lake,NY
24 3j Marc Johnson/Guilderland,NY
25 24 Patrick Dupree/Saranac Lake,NY
26 74 Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY
27 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
28 13 Tony Steiner/Jamesville,NY
29 1ny Greg Atkins/Clintonville,NY
30 46 Kayle Robidoux/St-Constant,QUE
*Top-6 locked in from Thursday time trials;
*Positions 7-30 locked in from Friday Pullen's Truck Center Twin-20s;
*Remaining positions filled in by Rolling Wheels qualifier on Friday, last-chance qualifier Saturday at Syracuse plus Guaranteed & Provisional Starters.
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