Story By: KENNY SHUPP / WOODHULL RACEWAY – For the past forty plus years the Woodhull Raceway has honored the facilities’ founding father, with the traditional running of the George Williams Memorial to kick off the first official holiday weekend of the summer.
Ole’ George, as he was known, designed, built and promoted the track beginning in the mid 1960’s along with his two sons Jim and Bob. The Williams family built a tradition at Woodhull as being one of the premier race facilities in the region.
The Elkland Moose, Main Street in downtown Elkland, Pa was back on board as the stand alone sponsor in promoting the George Williams Memorial, a tradition for the Elkland Moose which began over a decade and a half ago.
In the $2,500 to win, 30 lap Insinger Performance Modified feature event and by the luck of the re-draw, a pair of second -generation pilots in Dayton Brewer and Brian Doolittle brought the sixteen- car field to the opening green flag. From lap one, Brewer showed his muscle in leading the pack through no less than six yellow flag slow downs and one red flag stoppage on route to his first feature win of the season.
However, for the Woodhull, NY resident it did not come easy as he had to hold off relentless pressure from both Joe and Jake Dgien along with Ajay Potrzebowski to pick up the victory. As the top four would distance themselves from the rest of the field a spirited battle for fifth on back was going on between the likes of Brady Fultz, Russ Morseman and Donnie Lawson. A lap twenty- four yellow would bunch the field and one lap later the red flag appeared due to a bone jarring turn one crash involving opening night winner, Bob Silvernail and former Woodhull Track Champion Steve Coots. Both drivers would be ok. On the ensuing restart, Brewer would again set the pace and open a comfortable advantage and go on for the victory with last week’s feature winner, Joe Dgien coming home second. Opening night winner, Ajay Potrzebowski would begin the event in the third position and that is where he would finish as he was chased across the line by Brian Doolittle who ran with the lead pack the entire distance. Jake Dgien would drift back in the closing laps and come across the line to complete the top five.
In the NAPA Crate Sportsman twenty-five lap feature go Stacy Jackson and Cayden Lawson would bring the field to green, however an incident on lap one would find Jackson sideways in turns three and four drawing the first of three yellow flags. Kenny Peoples Jr. would line up ninth on the opening grid and on a lap eight restart was already up to second and would take charge on lap nine and cruise to his second feature win of the season backing up his May 13 victory.
Isabel Barron began the feature inside row three, avoided near catastrophe during a lap eight melee in turns one and two and would nail down the runner-up spot making it three bridesmaids finishes in four outings to begin the 2023 season. Blake Lawson started the event outside row three and progressed a trio of positions to claim the third and final podium spot. Tony Harris began the event mired in the final starting row, kept his nose clean and with a flawless effort rode home to a well deserved fourth place run as Tim Guild would complete the top five finishers.
In Doug Gross Construction RUSH Crate Late Model twenty lap feature action, 2022 Rookie of the Year, Brett Marlatt would immediately jump into the lead and would stretch his advantage over second place running, Aaron Miller. However, Marlatt’s great run would be cut short as while in lap traffic a slower machine would spin in front of the race leader ending any chance of victory. On the lap nine restart, Miller would assume the top spot followed by Jacob Tubbs with 2022 Track Champion, Brian Knowles now in third, but before lap ten could be completed, caution flag number two would wave for a turn one incident.
With green back on the field, Miller would continue to hold court at the top of the field with Tubbs fighting off hard pressure from Brian Knowles. With a handful of laps to go, Miller was in heavy lap traffic allowing Tubbs to rapidly close in on the race leader and with two laps to go, Tubbs made his winning move and would go on to his first ever feature win in the Late Model Division. A disappointed Aaron Miller would hold on for second pushed across the line by Knowles as Austin Allen and Steven LeBarron would complete the top five.
The Southern Tier Customs Street Stocks were up next in the batting order on this night as last week’s feature winner and Rookie of the Year contender, Clayton McClean would take command off the drop of the opening green and go on to making it back- to- back trips to victory lane. However, McClean’s win would not be unchallenged as May 13 feature winner, Mick Seeley would give him fits over the last few laps, but McClean was up to the challenge and would bring home the “W” as Seeley would have to settle for second followed by Teddy Morseman, Glen Whritenour with Branden Morseman completing the top five.
Dillon Philip and Scooter Brown would lead the seventeen car KMD Excavating Hobby Stock field to the opening green for their twenty lap A Main event with Philip assuming control on the opening few circuits, but it only took two- time 2023 feature winner, Jeredd Dennis a handful of laps to take over the lead and from there go on to make it three wins in a row. Even a lap fifteen caution that would tighten the field could not stop Dennis as Kaiden Dgien was now up to second from his seventh starting position. The yellow would fly again on lap seventeen putting Dgien right on the rear bumper of Dennis with Philip in third and still within striking distance. Numerous cautions would slow the pace over the final few circuits as Dgien tried every move possible to overhaul Dennis for the win, however it was to no avail as Dennis would go on the win with Kaiden Dgien a car length behind in second. Tracy Dunn just nipped Dillon Philip at the line for third with Scooter Brown rounding the top five as he was piloting the Paul Dgien owned ride for the night.
Beginning last in the eight car Wicked Tee’s Youth Warrior ten lap feature, Russ Morseman IV wasted little time in getting to the front and after disposing of two- time 2023 feature winner, Kayleigh Morseman as well as his sister, Izzabella, he then went on to claim his second feature win of the season in dominating fashion. Older sister, Izzabella Morseman held on for second place as she was chased across the line by Cousin Kayleigh Morseman as well yet another cousin in Courtney Thomas as the Morseman family completed a sweep of the top four spots. Des A Rae Miles rounded the top five. Alivia Sullivan, Jacob Stone and Brayden Feenaughty completing the field. Only one caution flag slowed the event.
In the combined Wicked Tee’s Mini Stock/Front Wheel Drive Feature Ray Hyer kept his perfect win streak intact as he would go on to claim his fourth win of the campaign. Hyer would hold off John Hand Jr. as the pair would cross the finish line making it a one/two finish for machines formerly owned and raced by Brody and Rick Amidon when they dominated the class. Danielle Thomas would begin the event on the pole position, race with the leaders throughout the entire twenty lap distance and come home third as she continues to impress in the division. Craig Decamp and 2023 Track Champion, Jason Warner who started in the last row would complete the top five.
Seven FWD would take the opening green flag in the twenty- lap combined feature with a pair of heavy weights in Ryan Austin and Nate Freeland leading the field to green. However, Wes Houghtaling proved once again that his potent machine was just too hard to handle as he would go on to his third consecutive trip to victory lane having lost just one event on opening night to Freeland who would finish second in this one. Andrew Thomas, Josh Stone, James Auffhammer, Ryan Austin and Garrett Wilson would cross the line in that order.
Congratulations to all competitors.
Up next at Woodhull, it will be the inaugural Ted Morseman Sr. Memorial Mini Stock Sash for Cash in addition to a complete Great 8 Show.
The night of action will be presented by Welsh Well Drilling and Kuhn Ventures with both entities located in Addison, NY.
WOODHULL RACEWAY RESULTS. Unofficial
Car counts are based on the opening draw, not on how many compete in their respective feature events.
May 27, 2023, George Williams Memorial Great 8 Show presented by the Elkland Moose.
INSINGER PERFORMANCE MODIFIEDS. (16 cars)
30 lap feature. DAYTON BREWER, Joe Dgien, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., Brian Doolittle, Jake Dgien, Brady Fultz, Donnie Lawson, Josh Keesey, Aiden Grover, Russ Morseman, Sheldon Gardner, Wally Wade, Bob Silvernail, Steve Coots, Eric Grice, Ajay Potrzebowski Sr.
NAPA 602 CRATE SPORTSMAN. (16 cars)
25 lap feature. KENNY PEOPLES JR. (2), Isabel Barron, Blake Lawson, Tony Harris, Tim Guild, Thomas Moon, Cayden Lawson, Connor Brown, Quintin Buchanan, Adam Taft, Brandon Birdsall, Kyle Leach, Ethan Decker, George Schweigart, Stacy Jackson, AJ Costley.
DOUG GROSS CONSTRUCTION RUSH CRATE LATE MODELS. (14 cars)
20 lap feature. JACOB TUBBS, Aaron Miller, Brian Knowles, Austin Allen, Steve LeBArron, Noah Talada, Garrett Heffner, Rickie Loucks, John Haggerty, Brett Marlatt, Joe Layfield, Dennis Loucks, Marshall O’Brian, Tony Kelley
SOUTHERN TIER CUSTOMS STREET STOCKS. (12 cars)
20 lap feature. CLAYTON MCCLEAN (2), Mick Seeley, Teddy Morseman Jr., Glen Whritenour, Branden Morseman, Willy Easling, Luke Boom, Mike Williams, Brett Crawford, Travis Webster, Brett Flint, Jim Buck.
KMD EXCAVATING HOBBY STOCKS. (17 cars)
20 lap feature. JEREDD DENNIS (3), Kaiden Dgien, Tracy Dunn, Dillon Philip, Scooter Brown, Brian Austin, Scott Brown, Teddy Morseman, Glenn VanCise, Meadow Dgien, Dale Houghtaling, AJ Niedermaier, Brandon Conklin, Mike Spencer, Hunter Williams, Stephen Knapp, Mike Carapella.
WICKED TEE’S MINI STOCKS. (9 cars)
20 lap feature. RAY HYER (4), John Hand Jr., Danielle Thomas, Craig Decamp, Jason Warner, Jordan Costley, Travis Southard, Ryan Stone, Jaden Stone.
WICKED TEE’S FWD. (7 cars)
20 lap feature. WES HOUGHTALING (3), Nate Freeland, Andrew Thomas, Joshua Stone, James Auffhammer, Ryan Austin, Garrett Wilson.
WICKED TEE’S YOURTH WARRIORS. (8 cars)
10 lap feature. RUSS MORSEMAN IV (2), Izzabella Morseman, Kayleigh Morseman, Courtney Thomas, Des A Rae Miles, Alivia Sullivan, Jacob Stone, Brayden Feenaughty.