Story By: KENNY SHUPP / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – This past Saturday night the Woodhull Raceway celebrated the Annual Jim Williams Memorial with the traditional I Pyro Fireworks Show that was originally scheduled for June 29 but was lost to Mother Nature.
However, on this night fans were treated to perfect weather conditions as a packed house enjoyed not only a brilliant fireworks program, but some great racing on the High Banked one-third of a mile clay oval.
In the Insinger Performance Modified feature, opening night winner, Josh Keesey would bring the field to green from his pole starting position and lead the opening trio of laps before being overhauled by Dayton Brewer who led circuit number four where the second caution flag of the twenty-five-lap event was waved.
On the restart, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., who began the event in position seven got the jump and took over the top spot which he would not relinquish as he had to withstand three more cautions on laps five, sixteen and twenty-two.
However, on each re-start Potrzebowski was able to maintain the lead as he cruised to win three on the season backing up wins on June 8 and 15.
Dayton Brewer was finally able to overcome season long engine problems to claim the runner-up spot as he was chased across the line by Jake Dgien who completed the podium.
Early race leader, Josh Keesey would race within the lead group throughout the event to claim fourth, however the drive of the night came from Carter Crooker.
The fourth-generation driver from Savona, NY began the event buried in position sixteen, took full advantage of the many caution flags and when the double checkered flags waved found him completing the top five.
Like the Modifieds, the Empire Crushing LLC RUSH Crate Late Models also suffered through a marathon of five caution flag slow downs and one red flag stoppage, but at the end of the day it was current high point man, Brett Marlatt picking up win four on the campaign as he took over the lead on lap eight from his outside row two starting spot and go on from there to victory lane.
Austin Allen would lead the opening pair of circuits before exiting with problems and then it was Steve LeBarron’s turn to lead the field which he did from laps three through seven before Marlatt would power by and from there cruise to the popular win.
Following Marlatt across the line was Brian Knowles who began the twenty-lap feature in spot six with Steve LeBarron holding on for third.
Rounding out the top five were veteran pilot Joe Layfield and young gun Rickie Loucks.
In the Hometown Excavation Crate Sportsman, Quintin Buchanan and Kenny Peoples Jr. would bring the seventeen-car field to green with Peoples getting the jump and leading all twenty-five laps in route to win number six on the season.
However, for the second-generation Addison, NY and 2023 Track Champion it would not come easy as another second gen pilot in Tim Guild would keep Peoples Jr. on his toes throughout the entire distance after moving into the runner-up spot from his inside row two starting spot.
However, Peoples Jr. was able to hold on to the preferred line and flash across the line with just a slim advantage over Guild who had to settle for second with Tony Harris making a rare Woodhull appearance taking home third place money after starting seventh on the opening grid.
Fourth place was claimed by pole position starter, Quintin Buchanan who ran within the lead group the entire distance.
Blake Lawson will have the Lawson Family bragging rights for the week as he rounded out the top five finishers after starting ninth and during the event he had to pass brothers Braylon and Cayden to make it into the top five.
Third generation driver and former Warrior Track Champion, Bradly Morseman and Clayton McLean would bring the ten car Southern Tier Customs Street Stock field to green for their twenty-lap A Main with McLean immediately taking control and from there go on to win four of the season backing up his previous victories on May 18, June 1 and June 22.
Once out front Mclean had his potent #1a on cruise control, but a spirited battle was on for second on back and with just one lone yellow flag on lap eighteen to slow the pace it was a crap shoot and when the checkered flag waved Glenn Whritenour had made his way into second after lining up eighth on the opening grid with Bradly Morseman holding off his father, Teddy Morseman Jr. as the pair finished third and fourth.
Lawrenceville, Pa. veteran speedster, Mick Seeley would begin the event in fifth and maintain that spot the entire distance.
In twenty-lap Sawyer’s Camper and RV Service and Repair Hobby Stock action, Dillon Philip and Joe Birdsall would bring the fourteen-car field to green but it was Brandon Conklin taking control early on and from there go on to pick-up win number two on the 2024 season.
Philip would hound Conklin the entire distance, however his effort was nullified after a post -race inspection found a technical infraction relegating him to a DQ status.
That would move Canisteo, NY speedster, Joe Birdsall into the runner-up spot with Tioga, Pa’s Scott Brown completing the podium after starting sixth.
Fourth place went to May 25 feature winner, Dale Houghtaling with Brandon Birdsall completing the top five.
Three caution flags would slow the pace; however, Conklin was up to the challenge on every re-start to claim the victory.
In Big Jim’s Wicked Tee’s Quad C twenty-lap feature action, Wesley Houghtaling would line up inside row two, make an early race pass of Travis Southard and from there go on to win seven on the season.
Southard would continue his impressive 2024 season with another runner-up finish holding off his girlfriend, Danielle Thomas as she would compete the top three podium finishers.
Jacob Stone would begin the twenty-lap affair in the fourth spot and that is right where he would finish as he was chased across the line by Chris Hand who completed the top five.
Thus far in 2024, Houghtaling has picked up seven wins with this week’s victory making it six in a row. Danielle Thomas has the other two wins in class with those coming in May on the 4th and 18th.
Prior to intermission, the Big Jim’s Wicked Tee’s Warriors were on track for their weekly ten lap feature.
Izzabella Morseman is the daughter and sister of the Modified father/son duo of Russ Morseman and Russ Morseman IV. Try as she might for the past two seasons and even though a broken wrist did sideline her from some action in 2023, she has been a weekly competitor watching other family members Kayleigh Morseman and Courtney Thomas take much the glory.
However, on this night Izzabella was not to be denied as she finally parked her potent #14 machine in Woodhull’s victory lane for her first ever triumph much to the delight of the packed grandstands.
Following Morseman across the line was three-time 2024 winner, Kayleigh Morseman with Courtney Thomas claiming third. Finishing fourth was Colston Decamp with Cadin Thomas coming home fifth.
Five-time 2024 winner, Markus Kerr completed the six-car field.
Congratulations to all competitors.
A standing room only crowd was on hand for the Annual Jim Williams Memorial named in honor of Woodhull’s first promoter. I Pyro once again did a masterful job shooting off fireworks much to the delight of the massive crowd in attendance. The entire program was put to music.
The night kicked off with some 300 Chicken BBQ dinners sold courtesy of the Woodhull Volunteer Fire Department.
Up next at Woodhull will be the Annual Christmas in July Bicycle Give Away along with a Super 7 Show on Saturday, July 20, 2024.
The Hometown Excavation Sportsman will run their traditional King of the Ring as part of the on-track action.
The night will be sponsored by a pair of Addison, NY based entities in the Addison Eagles along with Country Crossroads Feed and Seeds.
Gates for the night will find the pit area opening at 4:00 pm with grandstands to follow one half hour later at 4:30 pm.
WOODHULL RACEWAY JIM WILLIAMS MEMORIAL STORY AND RESULTS. UNOFFCIAL!!!!!
Saturday, July 13, 2024.
B H Log Hauling and TP’s Concrete and Construction Night.
INSINGER PERFORMANCE MODIFIEDS. (18 cars) 25 lap feature.
AJAY POTRZEBOWSKI JR. (3), Dayton Brewer, Jake Dgien, Josh Keesey, Carter Crooker, Stacy Jackson, Brady Fultz, Adam Coots, Chris Ostrowsky, Ryan Tracy, Steve Coots, Brian Doolittle, Russ Morseman, Joe Dgien, Russ Morseman IV, Aiden Grover Larry Keegan, Donnie Lawson.
EMPIRE CRUSHING RUSH CEATE LATE MODELS. (12 cars) 20 lap feature.
BRETT MARLATT (4), Brian Knowles, Steve LeBarron, Joe Layfield, Rickie Loucks, Justin Yuto, Marshall O’Brian, Rich McNeal, Austin Allen. DQ. Tony Kelley, Garrett Heffner. DNS, Jason Knowles.
HOMETOWN EXCAVATION CRATE SPORTSMAN. (17 cars) 25 lap feature.
KENNY PEOPLES JR. (6), Tim Guild, Tony Harris, Quintin Buchanan, Blake Lawson, Isabel Barron, Brandon Morseman, Cayden Lawson, Kevin Decamp, Chris Clemens, Braden Buchanan, Jacob Trowbridge, Adam Taft, Reese Hackett, Braylon Lawson, Glenn Trowbridge, Connor Brown.
SOUTHERN TIER CUSTOMS STREET STOCKS. (10 cars) 20 lap feature.
CLAYTON MCCLEAN (4), Glenn Whritenour, Bradly Morseman, Teddy Morseman, Mick Seeley, Brian Butler, Luke Boom, Mike Williams, Dan Gardner. DNS. Mike Spencer.
SAWYER’S CAMPER AND RV SERVICE AND REPAIR HOBBY STOCKS. (14 cars) 20 lap feature.
BRANDON CONKLIN (2), Joe Birdsall, Scott Brown, Dale Houghtaling, Brandon Birdsall, Mike Carapella, Brian Austin, Drew Whritenour, Jason Warner, Greg Young, Stephen Knapp, Hunter Williams, Jason Ketrow. DQ. Dillon Philip
BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S QUAD C MINI STOCKS. (8 cars) 20 lap feature.
WES HOUGHTALING (7), Travis Southard, Danielle Thomas, Jacob Stone, Chris Hand, Scott McCray Jr.
DNS. Ralph Teeter, Jeff Stone.
BIG JIM’S WICKED TEE’S YOUTH WARRIORS. (6 cars) 10 lap feature.
IZZABELLA MORSEMAN, Kayleigh Morseman, Courtney Thomas, Colston Decamp, Cadin Thomas, Markus Kerr.