Story By: KENNY SHUPP / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – Dgien Trucking of Howard along with Maple City Collision of Hornell were onboard at the Woodhull Raceway to tag team the nightly sponsorship on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
In the Insinger Performance Modified Division, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. assumed the lead on lap six of the twenty-five lap feature and never looked back in claiming his fourth win of the season.
Steve Coots, who had defeated Potrzebowski earlier in the evening in winning the Dgien Trucking/Maple City Collision King of the Bull Ring brought the field to green with Ajay Jr. in tow. Coots would lead the first three circuits before being overhauled by Joe Dgien who led laps four and five before succumbing to Potrzebowski who would then take command.
Six caution flags would fly with three in each half of the quarter century grind, but on every restart, Potrzebowski was up to the challenge. The final caution flag would fly with just three laps remaining putting Joe Dgien back on the rear bumper of the race leader, but Ajay Jr. was just too much to handle on this night as he would go on to his fourth feature win of the season.
Joe Dgien would finish in the runner-up spot as he was chased across the stripe by Donnie Lawson, Russ Morseman and Jake Dgien who would complete the top five.
For the third consecutive year, the Birdsall Family of Canisteo, NY paid tribute to the Memory of Billy Joe Birdsall with the running of the Big Bop Dirty Thirty for the KMD Excavation Hobby Stock’s.
The largest field of the season found twenty-one drivers take the opening green flag with the re-draw placing Adam Leubner and Paul Dgien on the front row for the thirty lap A-Main event.
Paul Dgien would lead early in the event which saw the caution flag fly numerous times for everything from single car spins to track blocking incidents. In all, eight yellow flags would keep the pace of the event at a snail’s pace with Dgien leading the first four circuits.
On lap five, Kaiden Dgien, son of race leader Paul Dgien would take over the lead which he would never relinquish as he held off numerous challenges by last years Dirty Thirty winner, Jeredd Dennis.
With the lap’s rapidly ending Dennis was trying everything to pass Dgien, but to no avail as Kaiden Dgien was able to take home his third victory in a row holding off Dennis and father, Paul Dgien as the trio would take the top three podium spots. Fourth place went to Rookie of the Year contender, Bradly Morseman with Brandon Birdsall rounding the top five.
In Southern Tier Customs Street Stock twenty lap feature action, Teddy Morseman Jr. and Travis Webster would bring the fifteen-car field to green with Morseman immediately assuming the top position. However, several yellow flags would fly during the first five circuits keeping the field bunched. Morseman was a casualty of caution number three heading pit side with a flat tire. On the restart, Travis Webster would lead holding off a determined Glen Whritenour who began the event inside row four. Another yellow flag showdown would occur on lap seven as Whritenour was now setting the pace with Webster running second and Branden Morseman in third.
GW would open a sizable advantage with the laps winding down and at the checkered flag he held a ten- car length advantage over Travis Webster who would go on to his best run of the season in claiming second. June 10 winner, Branden Morseman held on for third with Willy Easling and Shane Wolfe Jr. completing the top five finishers.
In NAPA 602 Crate Sportsman twenty-five lap feature action Tim Guild and Connor Brown, each having one feature win thus far in 2023 would bring the field to the opening green.
Guild wasted little time in taking command of the top spot as he would open a five- car- length advantage over 2022 Track Champion Isabel Barron who was up to second after starting third on the opening grid. One mid race caution flag would slow the pace and bunch the field however Tim Guild was not to be denied his second trip to victory lane in the past three events. All eyes were on the battle for second place as Cayden Lawson was able to dispose of Barron to take the runner-up spot. Qunitin Buchanan had his best finish of the season as he was able to get by Barron to finish third with Barron holding off her boyfriend, Connor Brown as the pair completed the top five.
2021/2022 Doug Gross Construction RUSH Crate LM Champion, Brian Knowles would set the pace in the early going of the twenty-five- lap feature. However, three time “23” feature winner and last seasons Rookie of the Year, Brett Marlatt powered by Knowles to take over the top spot and hold court at the top of the heap. From lap two through lap three the caution flag would wave no less than four times for a multitude of different spins and wrecks, but on each re-start Marlatt was able to keep Knowles at bay.
Behind the lead duo a torrid battle was shaping up between Joe Layfield, Jason Knowles, Aaron Miller and Austin Allen, however Allen’s night would conclude near the midway portion as something let go in the rear end of his machine ending a great drive.
From there the remainder of the twenty-lap affair was run off in record pace as Marlatt would go on for his second victory in a row, third in the past four weeks and fourth win on the campaign as he was followed by the brothers Knowles with Brian getting the nod over Jason. Aaron Miller put on another consistent performance to take home fourth place money as veteran competitor Joe Layfield would complete the top five.
The Wicked Tee’s Mini Stocks and Front Wheel Drive Divisions would once again join forces in a single twenty lap feature.
June 17 feature winner, Danielle Thomas would get to the point quicker than any other Mini Stock driver and set a torrid pace early on, but a few yellow flags would keep her within striking distance of John Hand Jr. and 2022 Track Champ, Jason Warner.
Thomas would hit her marks to perfection every lap as she was able to hold off a late race rally by Warner after Hand was sent pit side with significant damage to the front end of his machine, but he was able to rejoin the group and finish fourth at the double checkered flags behind eventual winner, Danielle Thomas who picked up her second career feature win. Warner, Bradly Morseman, Hand Jr. and Ryan Stone would go on to finish in the top five positions.
Wes Houghtaling once again was the dominant force as he racked up win nine on the season in Wicked Tee’s FWD feature go action. Houghtaling took the early lead and was never challenged by second place finisher Kevin Bacon who came home second. Third through fifth went to Aaron Robinson, Andrew Thomas and Nate Freeland.
In Wicked Tee’s Warrior ten lap feature action, Russ Morseman IV made it double digit feature wins by leading the entire distance in route to his tenth trip to the Siemen’s/Pepsi Victory Lane in 2023. Morseman once again made things look easy as he lapped half the field in the non-stop feature event as Marcus Kerr came across the line to claim the runner-up position followed by Kayleigh Morseman who completed the podium finishers. Izzabella Morseman, sister to the feature winner was next across the line in fourth with Jacob Stone rounding the top five. Des-A-Rae Miles, Alivia Sullivan and Courtney Thomas completed the field.
Congratulations to all competitors.
Coming up at Woodhull on Tuesday, August 8 it will be the 2nd Annual Honoring Alice Williams event featuring a trio of great classes in the $5,500 to win Modifieds, the $4,000 to win RUSH Crate Late Models as well as the Empire Street Stocks running for a winner’s check of $1,000.
The Honoring Alice Night sponsored by B and H Logging, Empire Crushing, Davis Electric and White’s Repair with main gates at 4:30 and racing at 6:30 pm.
Saturday, August 12, 2023 the New York State Stock Car Association along with Dave’s Custom Logging will present a Great 8 Show.
Also, on the card will be the make-up for the Southern Tier Customs Street Stock King of the Bull Ring one-on-one single elimination event.
When the main gates open at 4:30 pm the NYSSCA will hold a special Hall of Fame Induction for four of Woodhull’s all-time greats. Herbie Layfield, Don Lawson Sr., Herbie Wright and Steve Hartman Sr. will all be enshrined into the NYSSCA Hall.
In addition, the Morseman Family will receive special recognition for their many years of involvement in the local race community.
WOODHULL RACEWAY RESULTS. August 5, 2023.
UNOFFICIAL!
Dgien Trucking and Maple City Collision Night
INSINGER PERFORMANCE MODIFIEDS. (17 cars)
25 lap feature. AJAY POTRZEBOWSKI JR. (4), Joe Dgien, Donnie Lawson, Russ Morseman, Jake Dgien, Dayton Brewer, Steve Coots, Brian Doolittle, Ryan Tracy, Brandon Martin, Brayden Bills, Mike Bills, Brady Fultz, Eric Grice, Josh Keesey, Stacy Jackson. DNS, Aiden Grover.
KING OF THE BULL RING! STEVE COOTS.
NAPA SPORTSMAN. (14 cars)
25 lap feature. TIM GUILD (2), Cayden Lawson, Quintin Buchanan, Isabel Barron, Connor Brown, George Schweigart Jr., Kyle Leach, Ethan Decker, Kevin Decamp, Adam Taft, Glenn Trowbridge, Thomas Moon, Blake Lawson. DNS, Adam Taft.
DOUG GROSS CONSTRUCTION RUSH CRATE LATE MODELS. (13 cars)
20 lap feature. BRETT MARLATT (4), Brian Knowles, Jason Knowles, Aaron Miller, Joe Layfield, Steve LeBarron, Garrett Heffner, Noah Talada, Pat Parker, Marhsall O’Brian, Austin Allen, Jacob Tubbs, Rickie Loucks.
SOUTHERN TIER CUSTOMS STREET STOCKS. (15 cars)
20 lap feature. GLEN WHRITENOUR (2), Travis Webster, Branden Morseman, Willy Easling, Shane Wolfe Jr., Mike Spencer, Mike Williams, Bill Tice, Brett Crawford, Joe Giardina, Josh Webster, Teddy Morseman, Jim Buck, Mick Seeley, Jesse Tuthill
KMD EXCAVATION HOBBY STOCKS. (20 cars)
Big Bop Dirty 30 lap feature. (Billy Joe Birdsall Memorial) KAIDEN DGIEN (3), Jeredd Dennis, Paul Dgien, Bradly Morseman, Brandon Birdsall, Scott Brown, Dillon Philip, Collin Brown, Brandon Conklin, Mike Carapella, Tracy Dunn, Meadow Dgien, Scooter Brown, Stephen Knapp, Joe Birdsall, Glenn Van Cise, Hunter Williams, Greg Young, Adam Leubner, Jason Ketrow.
BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S MINI STOCKS. (7 cars)
20 lap feature. DANIELLE THOMAS (2), Jason Warner, Bradly Morseman, John Hand Jr., Ryan Stone, Jaden Stone, Josh Stone.
BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S FWD. (5 cars)
20 lap feature. WES HOUGHTALING (9), Kevin Bacon, Aaron Robinson, Andrew Thomas, Nate Freeland.
BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S WARRIORS. (8 cars)
10 lap feature. RUSS MORSEMAN IV (10), Marcus Kerr, Kayleigh Morseman, Izzabella Morseman, Jacob Stone, Des-A-Rae Miles, Alivia Sullivan, Courtney Thomas