Story By: KENNY SHUPP / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – Brady Fultz has had his share of tough luck in the early part of the season in Modified action at the Woodhull Raceway, but he was finally able to park his Herbie Wright owned machine in Pepsi Victory Lane on Saturday, June 17, 2023 as Hatfield Real Estate, S & D Pools and Twin-Tier Detailing joined forces to sponsor the Great 8 Show.
Donnie Lawson and Aiden Grover would bring the eighteen-car Insinger Performance Modified field to green, but multiple caution flags in the opening two laps coupled with a track blocking red flag stoppage on lap three would slow the pace and keep the field bunched. When things settled down, Brady Fultz assumed the lead on the lap three re-start and began to put daylight between himself and the second-place machine of Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. who started the twenty-five- lap affair in the eighth starting spot. Another pair of yellow flags would fly on laps nine and eleven putting Ajay Jr. on the rear bumper of the race leader, but on each restart, Fultz was able to open a substantial advantage over the field. By lap fifteen, Ajay Potrzebowski Sr. was up to third from his row six starting position and was closing on his son and race leader, Fultz. Joe Dgien who was swept up in an early event caution was clawing his way back through traffic and was up to fifth and putting pressure on Brian Doolittle who was riding fourth. With a handful of laps remaining and with Fultz still holding court at the front and on cruise control, Dgien was able to clear Doolittle for fourth as the Father/Son duo of Ajay Jr. and Sr. were still running in second and third and as Fultz would take the checkered flag and claim his first of the season, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. and Ajay Sr. would finish second and third respectively with Dgien and Doolittle rounding the top five.
Stacy Jackson was able to overhaul early race leader, Blake Lawson and go on to his second twenty-five lap NAPA Crate Sportsman feature of the season following his May 20 victory. A few early event caution flags would keep things tight, but by lap nine the field had sorted out with Jackson holding a comfortable advantage over his cousin, Tim Guild who had worked into second from his third row starting position. Kenny Peoples Jr. was involved in a lap one, turn one skirmish and after going to the back the second-generation pilot began his masterful drive through traffic and by lap fifteen had cleared Isabel Barron and Blake Lawson and was up to third and closing on Guild for second. However, with the double checkered flags waiving that is where his drive would end as Jackson would go on to the victory followed by Guild with Peoples Jr. coming home third. Blake Lawson would keep the leader’s insight finishing fourth while Isabel Barron would have another solid run completing the top five.
The Doug Gross Construction RUSH Crate Late Models would see Brian Knowles and Austin Allen bring the field to the opening green flag with Allen wrestling away the top spot from Knowles in the early going and cruise to back-to-back feature wins. However, the race behind Allen was furious as brothers Brian and Jason Knowles would try and keep pace with the high-flying Allen as sophomore competitor and former Street Stock Track Champion, Brett Marlatt would join the party and begin to put pressure on the Knowles Boys who continued to run second and third. With the laps winding down, Allen had a comfortable lead as both Knowles brothers and Marlatt would go three wide at times all challenging for second. But, in the end it was the two time and defending class Track Champion, Brian Knowles finishing second by a car length over Jason Knowles with Marlatt a close fourth. Rickie Loucks would recover from an early event spin to round out the top five.
The KMD Excavation Hobby Stocks put a solid sixteen cars on the starting grid for their twenty lap A-Main as Mike Spencer and Scott Brown would bring the field to the opening green. Spencer would lead the opening pair of laps before inside row three starter, Tracy Dunn would assume command and go on to win number two of the year backing up his June 3 victory. However, it did not come easy as he was hounded by the entire distance by Spencer who wound up second. A wild finish would ensue from third on back as Kaiden Dgien would make a last lap effort in clearing both Brandon Conklin and Jeredd Dennis to claim third with Conklin and Dennis completing the top five. In post-race, Dennis was issued a DQ for not crossing the scales moving. The Hobby Stock feature finish remains UNOFFICIAL as there may be other DQ’s involving post-race activity not readily made available prior to release of this story.
In the combined Mini/FWD twenty lap feature, Danielle Thomas and Wesley Houghtaling would bring the field to green with Houghtaling in his FWD immediately taking control with opening night FWD feature winner, Nate Freeland in hot pursuit. By a lap seven caution, last week’s Mini Stock feature winner, Ray Hyer was up to third with John Hand running fourth and Danielle Thomas hanging with the lead group. On the re-start, Hyer and Freeland would make contact bringing out the yellow flag with both machines able to continue but relegated to the tail of the field. Houghtaling would continue to set the pace looking for his fifth win of the year as he was chased by John Hand Jr. and Danielle Thomas who were now second and third. With the laps winding down and the checkered flag waving Wes Houghtaling would take the overall win in the Big Jim’s Wicked Tee’s FWD Division however on the last lap, Hand would slow with mechanical problems and with that Danielle Thomas would flash by and go on to her career first claiming the Wicked Tee’s Mini Stocks. Following Thomas across the line it was Willy Easling who nailed the runner-up spot followed by Ryan Stone, Craig Decamp with a disappointed John Hand Jr. creeping across the line to claim fifth. In the Wicked Tee’s FWD finish, Houghtaling was chased across the line by Matt Prescott with Travis Southard, Nate Freeland and Aaron Robinson completing the top five.
The Southern Tier Customs Street Stocks would see nine machines take the opening green for their twenty-lap feature as last week’s winner Brandon Morseman was not able to make the opening bell. Several cautions would slow the pace, but when the green flag would wave a torrid battle was going at the head of the class between Brent Crawford and Mick Seeley both looking for their second wins of the 2023 campaign. Teddy Morseman would begin the event in row three and wasted little time moving to third and challenging the lead duo. With the laps clicking off, Seeley continued to set the pace with Morseman now up to second and last row starter, Travis Webster in third and that is how they would finish with Seeley taking the win with Teddy Morseman second chased by Webster in third. Fourth place was claimed by Mike Williams with Brett Crawford fifth.
Russ Morseman IV continued his dominance of the Wicked Tee’s Youth Warrior Division by claiming his fourth in a row and fifth on the season as he led all ten laps in the feature event. Courtney Thomas began the event outside the front row and put on a steady performance in claiming the runner-up spot as Marcus Kerr completed the podium finishers. Fourth place went to two- time 2023 feature winner, Kayleigh Morseman with Alivia Sullivan rounding the top five. Des-A-Rae Miles was next across the line followed by Jacob Stone with Brayden Feenaughty completing the field.
Early in the evening the Doug Gross Construction RUSH Crate Late Models ran their traditional King of the Bull Ring one on one single elimination event with Austin Allen claim the win over a stellar field as he defeated John Waters in the final round.
The night concluded with a Special Powder Puff Race with the lady competitors using Hobby Stock machines. Six gals took to the High Banked one-third of a mile clay oval and at the completion of their ten-lap event, Lorrie Morseman Bostwick proudly stood in victory lane. Nice job ladies!
Congratulations to all competitors.
Up next at Woodhull on Saturday, June 24, 2023 it is the Annual Jim Williams Memorial Fireworks program in conjunction with a Great 8 Show featuring all the weekly divisions.
This promises to be the biggest fan attended night of the year, so spectators are encouraged to arrive early as quality parking and seating will be at a premium.
WOODHULL RACEWAY RESULTS. JUNE 17, 2023. UNOFFICIAL
Hatfield Real Estate, S&D Pools and Twin-Tier Detailing Night.
INSINGER PERFORMANCE MODIFIEDS. (18 cars)
25 lap feature. BRADY FULTZ, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., Ajay Potrzebowski Sr., Joe Dgien, Brian Doolittle, Eric Grice, Josh Keesey, Donnie Lawson, Steve Coots, Aiden Grover, Russ Morseman, Sheldon Gardner, Gil Tegg Jr., Jake Dgien, Cole Youse, Dayton Brewer, Brayden Bills, Wally Wade.
NAPA CRATE SPORTSMAN. (19 cars)
25 lap feature. STACY JACKSON (2), Tim Guild, Kenny Peoples Jr., Blake Lawson, Isabel Barron, Carter Crooker, Reese Hackett, Kevin Decamp, Tony Harris, George Schweigart, Connor Brown, Thomas Moon, Chris Clemens, Cayden Lawson, Adam Taft, Kreg Crooker, Ethan Decker, Greg Crooker, Quintin Buchanan.
DOUG GROSS CONSTRUCTION RUSH LATE MODELS. (17 cars)
20 lap feature. AUSTIN ALLEN (2), Brian Knowles, Jason Knowles, Brett Marlatt, Rickie Loucks, Steve LeBarron, Noah Talada, Marhsall O’Brian, Garrett Heffner, Joe Layfield, Joe Lane, Dennis Loucks, Aaron Miller, John Haggerty, Pat Parker, Jake Wilbur, John Waters.
KING OF THE BULL RING (One on One single elimination). AUSTIN ALLEN.
SOUTHER TIER CUSTOMS STREET STOCKS. (10 cars)
20 lap feature. MICK SEELEY (2), Teddy Morseman, Travis Webster, Mike Williams, Brett Crawford, Clayton McClean, Luke Boom, Jim Buck, Willy Easling, Brandon Morseman.
KMD EXCAVATION HOBBY STOCKS. (16 cars)
20 lap feature. TRACY DUNN (2), Mike Spencer, Kaiden Dgien, Brandon Conklin, Meadow Dgien, Scott Brown, Bradly Morseman, Jason Ketrow, Mike Carapella, Stephen Knapp, Hunter Williams, Thomas Bostwick, Glenn VanCise, Brian Austin, Brent Williams. DQ, Jeredd Dennis.
POWDER PUFF. (7cars)
10 lap feature. LORRIE BOSTWICK.
WICKED TEE’S MINI STOCKS. (8 cars)
20 lap feature. DANIELLE THOMAS, Willy Easling, Ryan Stone, Craig Decamp, John Hand Jr., Joshua Stone, Jaden Stone, Ray Hyer.
WICKED TEE’S FWD. (11 cars)
20 lap feature. WES HOUGHTALING (5), Matt Prescott, Travis Southard, Nate Freeland, Aaron Robinson, Coty Maines, Troy Bennett, Matthew Stone, Kevin Williams, James Granger Jr., Michael Morton.
WICKED TEE’S WARRIORS. (8 cars)
10 lap feature. RUSS MORSEMAN IV (5), Courtney Thomas, Marcus Kerr, Kayleigh Morseman, Alivia Sullivan, Des-A-Rae Miles, Jacob Stone, Brayden Feenaughty,