Story By: KENNY SHUPP / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – The Addison Eagles along with the participating NAPA Auto Parts Stores from across the Twin Tiers joined forces to sponsor the July 22, 2023, event at the Woodhull Raceway which featured a Regular Great 8 Show plus the NAPA sponsored Crate Sportsman king of the Bull Ring one-on-one elimination event.
Steve Coots and Donnie Lawson would bring the field to green in the Insinger Performance Modified twenty-five lap feature with Lawson immediately assuming command and opening a full straightaway lead over Brayden Bills who moved into the second slot from his inside row two starting position. The first yellow of the event would wave just shy of the half-way mark on lap eleven for the disabled machine of Aiden Grover. On the restart, Lawson would again take control, but before the lap could be completed the second caution flag would fly for a three-car tangle in turn two. With eleven laps still in the books Lawson would again keep control of the field on the restart with Russ Morseman III and Jake Dgien now closing in on the lead duo of Lawson and Bills. Lawson continued to fight off relentless pressure from Bills, Dgien and Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. who had entered the mix. A lap fifteen caution involving both Brayden Bills and Potrzebowski Jr. would see Ajay Jr going pit side and Bills tagging on to the rear of the field. With the field under green Lawson continued to set a torrid pace with defending Track Champion and three-time 2023 feature winner, Joe Dgien now making some noise on the outside of the speedway. With just a pair of laps remaining Lawson was nearing his first feature win of the season, but Joe Dgien had other ideas as he blasted by on the last lap and just nipped Lawson at the line by half a car length to claim victory. Lawson would go on to nail second has he was followed across the finish line by Russ Morseman, Brian Doolittle with Brady Fultz Fults coming from deep in the field to round the top five.
Last weeks Southern Tier Customs Street Stock feature winner, Teddy Morseman began the twenty- lap affair inside row three and wasted little time in moving into the lead and from there stretch his advantage to a full straight away in claiming back -to- back feature wins in dominating fashion. Willy Easling raced within the lead group the entire distance waging a torrid battle with his teammate and two- time 2023 feature winner, Brent Crawford as the second-generation pilot from Beaver Dams, NY would go on to claim second, his best finish in his Rookie season. Crawford would go on to finish third as he was followed across the line by the fourth-place finishing machine of Dale Rissinger who was making his first appearance of 2023 while Travis Webster would complete the top five.
Yellow fever was the name of the game in the NAPA Crate Sportsman twenty-five lap feature with no less than seven caution flags keeping the pace slowed and the field bunched. Cayden Lawson looked poised to pick up his first feature win of 2023 until he headed pit side near the halfway margin while leading and under caution. That would hand the top spot over to Kenny Peoples Jr. who had picked up the King of the Bull Ring win earlier in the evening and was looking to sweep the night. Three more yellow flags would keep the second place running machine of Connor Brown in touch with Peoples Jr., but the Addison, NY pilot was too much to manage as he cruised to win six on the season with opening night winner, Connor Brown finishing second. Last week’s winner, Tim Guild put in another impressive performance to claim third as he was chased across the line by Blake Lawson while Cayden Lawson recovered nicely and drove from last to round out the top five.
Like the Crate Sportsman before them, one caution flag after another would keep the Doug Gross Construction RUSH Crate Late Model feature event slowed to a crawl with a red flag stoppage for a pair of machines sitting on top of each other in turns one and two coming on lap five. Under green flag conditions the racing at the front of the field was nothing short of phenomenal as Brett Marlatt, Brian Knowles, Aaron Miller and John Waters would slug it out for the top spot. Under a long green flag run, Marlatt was able to stretch the distance to a full straight away until a lap fifteen caution erased his sizable advantage and put Brian Knowles right back on his rear trunk lid. Once back to action Marlatt was able to open a four-car length advantage over the field as he would go on to win three of the campaign with Brian Knowles finishing second. In the early going it appeared that John Waters would waltz his way to the top spot from his seventh starting position, but once to third his bid would stall out and that is where he would finish the event as he was chased across the line by Aaron Miller who had yet another strong finish with Jason Knowles rounding the top five after starting last on the grid.
The KMD Excavation Hobby Stocks sported a nice field of eighteen cars as they took the green flag for their scheduled twenty lap feature. By the luck of the re-draw, Jeredd Dennis and Paul Dgien would bring the field to green with Dennis immediately setting the early pace. A few quick cautions early on would keep the field tightly knit as Dennis would continue to hold court at the front of the field until last weeks winner and second -generation pilot, Kaiden Dgien would power by, take command, and never look back. A couple additional late race yellow flags would keep Dennis right on the rear bumper of Dgien as Paul Dgien and Brandon Conklin had worked their way into the mix. With five to go it was still Kaiden Dgien pulling the freight train around the high banked one-third of a mile clay oval. Dennis was continuing to keep up the pressure on Deign, but to no avail as he would go on to his second win in as many weeks with Jeredd Dennis nailing down second. Paul Dgien, father of the feature winner came home third after starting in that spot with Brandon Conklin and Tracy Dunn completing the top five.
The combined Big Jim’s Wicked Tee’s sponsored Mini Stocks and FWD Divisions raced together in their twenty-lap feature. Ray Hyer who has been on tear in 2023 would overcome expired power plants over the past few weeks to claim his sixth feature win at Woodhull in the Mini Stock Division after he wrestled the lead away from last weeks feature winner, John Jr. and go on to his sixth win of the season. Hand would hand on for second place followed by another consistent performance by Danielle Thomas who completed the podium finishers. Ryan Stone led the charge of the Stone finishers as Josh and Jaden would complete the Mini finishing order.
Nate Freeland did something not many before him have been able to accomplish in 2023 and that is take a feature win away from Wes Houghtaling, but Freeland was able to pass Houghtaling just prior to the midway mark and go on to his second victory in 2023. Andrew Thomas was able to slip by Houghtaling coming for checkered with Wes Houghtaling limping across the line in third with a flat right front tire.
In the companion Wicked Tee’s Youth Warrior Division, for the ninth time in 2023 Russ Morseman IV walked away with the ten-lap feature event. Morseman, who began the event inside row two wasted no time in taking command of the event. A lap one caution would end the nigh for Brayden Feenaughty and Alivia Sullivan as they made contact off turns one and two, but on the re-start, Russ Morseman was again able to keep the rest of the competitors at bay as he cruised to his eighth win in a row in the upstart class. His sister, Izzabella Morseman who was back in action after an earlier season setback wound up second with two-time 2023 feature winner Kayleigh Morseman claiming the final podium spot. Jacob Stone and Des-A-Rae Miles completed the top five finishers.
Congratulations to all competitors.
Up next at Woodhull the track will pull the curtain on the month of July with the Big Bop Dirty Thirty for the Hobby Stocks. Also, on the card will be the NYPENN IMCA Modified Series as well as the Vintage Cars along with all the regular eight divisions.
Woodhull Raceway Shorts.
Woodhull regular track announcer, Joe Cook was not in attendance as his girlfriend was in the hospital delivering their first child. Former track announcers, Jerry Symonds and Kenny Shupp tag teamed the event which was run in front of a capacity crowd under perfect weather conditions.
The 50/50 draw was over $800 winners share.
It was the Annual Christmas in July Celebration at the track as some thirty-seven kids bikes were handed out to a group of happy youngsters during intermission.
WOODHULL RACEWAY RESULTS. July 22, 2023. UNOFFICIAL
Addison Eagles and NAPA Night.
INSINGER PERFORMANCE MODIFIEDS. (17 cars)
25 lap feature. JOE DGIEN (4), Donnie Lawson, Russ Morseman III, Brian Doolittle, Brady Fultz, Dayton Brewer, Shannon Whaley, Josh Keesey, Eric Grice, Steve Coots, Brayden Bills, Aiden Grover, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., Stacy Jackson, Ajay Potrzebowski Sr. DQ. Jake Dgien. DNS, Mike Bills.
NAPA CRATE SPORTSMAN. (19 cars)
25 lap feature. KENNY PEOPLES JR. (6), Connor Brown, Tim Guild, Blake Lawson, Cayden Lawson, Quintin Buchanan, Kyle Leach, Chris Clemens, George Schweigart Jr., Isabel Barron, Kevin Decamp, Reese Hackett, Justin Schenck, Adam Taft, Glenn Trowbridge, Ethan Decker, Stacy Jackson. DQ., Josh Nobriga, Tony Harris.
King of the Bull Ring. KENNY PEOPLES JR.
DOUG GROSS CONSTRUCTION RUSH CRATE LATE MODELS. (14 cars)
20 lap feature. BRETT MARLATT (3), Brian Knowles, John Waters, Aaron Miller, Jason Knowles, Steve LeBarron, Joe Layfield, Rich Mcneal, Rickie Loucks, Dennis Loucks, Austin Allen, Noah Talada, Garrett Heffner, Marhsall O’Brian.
SOUTHERN TIER CUSTOMS STREET STOCKS. (12 cars)
20 lap feature. TEDDY MORSEMAN JR. (3), Willy Easling, Brent Crawford, Dale Rissinger, Travis Webster, Mick Seeley, Branden Morseman, Jim Buck, Mike Williams, Josh Giardina, Jesse Tuthill, Luke Boom
KMD EXCAVATION HOBBY STOCKS. (18 cars)
20 lap feature. KAIDEN DGIEN (2), Jeredd Dennis, Paul Dgien, Brandon Conklin, Tracy Dunn, Scott Brown, Brian Austin, Glenn VanCise, Meadow Dgien, Collin Brown, Adam Leubner, Mike Carapella, Joe Birdsall, Dale Houghtaling, Bradly Morseman, Kenny Peoples Jr., Hunter Williams, Dillon Philip.
WICKED TEE’S MINI STOCKS. (6 cars)
20 lap feature. RAY HYER (6), John Hand Jr., Danielle Thomas, Ryan Stone, Josh Stone, Jaden Stone.
WICKED TEE’S FWD. (3 cars)
20 lap feature. NATE FREELAND (2), Andrew Thomas, Wes Houghtaling.
WICKED TEE’S WARRIORS. (8 cars)
10 lap feature. RUSS MORSEMAN IV (9), Izzabella Morseman, Kayleigh Morseman, Jacob Stone, Des-A-Rae Miles, Courtney Thomas, Brayden Feenaughty, Alicia Sullivan.