Drayton Breaks 9 Year Dry Spell with NES Modified Victory

New Egypt, NJ (June 27, 2009) – Bobby Drayton of Southampton, NJ last visited victory lane on May 6, 2000 when he recorded his only Modified win at New Egypt Speedway.  That was until Saturday night when Drayton passed 19 cars on his way to ending a nine year winless streak on C & M Automotive Warehouse night. Drayton took the lead from Big-Block Modified rookie John McClelland with just 7 laps to go to post the popular win.

“Is this real!?!” quizzed a stunned Drayton of announcer Nick Leach in victory lane, “Before the race tonight, my crew chief asked me if I wanted to put two new tires on the car. I told him, look where we are starting, just leave the old tires on and save the new tires for when we have a chance of winning! This is just unbelievable.”    
 
The 30 lap feature on this evening was an eventful one that started very slowly with several cautions slowing the race in the early going. 20th starting Drayton’s success began early on as was able to stay out of harms way despite being so deep in the pack. Once things got rolling, Nanuet NY’s Johnny Guarino paced the field. The young gun held his own and looked impressive in his own right as the field battled two, three, and sometimes even four wide behind him. Guarino looked very smooth until just before halfway, when a restart found point leader and 75 time career feature winner Billy Pauch lined up alongside of him.  As the two charged into turn one, Guarino slipped up out of the groove with Pauch on the outside of him, and the two quickly fell out of the top five with John McClelland grabbing the top spot. Several drivers looked fast including Tim Tanner, Jr., Gary Butler, Ken Carberry, Frank Cozze and Rick Laubach, and they all chased McClelland. As Guarino picked his way back up to second, Laubach and Pauch were waging a wild duel for fourth when the two tangled causing Pauch to be towed off and Laubach to have to restart at the rear of the field. Drayton was now making his presence known and after another tangle eliminated Butler and Ken Carberry, he found himself lined up on McClelland’s bumper.  “Johnny Mac”, who had already won the SS Sprint feature, tried valiantly to hold on for his first win, but Drayton proved to be too much for the rookie Modified driver as he drove around him for the lead that he would not relinquish. McClelland held on for a career best second place finish followed by Guarino who also posted his first ever top five in third. Tad Cox drove home fourth with invader David VanHorn rebounding back from an early race spin to finish fifth.

Rocco Infante of Hamilton Square, NJ won his 3rd Sportsman feature of the season in the 20 lap event. Infante charged also charged from the back to keep his top five finish streak going in the fifth event of the season. Mike Howardson was third followed by Tim Apgar and John Cornell.

Ron Ormsbee of Howell, NJ won his 22nd career Super Stock feature event tying Billy Bauer for first on the NES all-time win list. George Quinlan chased Ormsbee to the finish line in second, followed by defending champ and point leader Todd Cray. Fourth was local favorite Kenny Guyer and Tony Giglio came home in the fifth position.

The SS Sprints made a popular return to NES Saturday as John McClelland won the 20 lap event in his first time ever in one of these cars. McClelland ran second to David Martin in the first 10 lap segment, and then had to restart the race in fourth as the #5 inversion pill was drawn. McClelland did not let this deter him though as he raced to the front and won in his first ever start. Fast-timer Lee Taylor Jr. crossed the line in second, followed by Ian Borden.

In the Advantage Financial/Cradle Rock Developers Rookie Sportsman series finale, Bridgewater, NJ’s Brian Roemer took home his fourth win in the 12 lap double point event. However it was Hamilton’s DJ Ruppert who won the 2009 NES Rookie crown as his second place finish gave him the coveted championship by just four points.  Ryan Hoffman finished third, followed by Matt Vaillancourt, Ryan Simmons and Harris Kohen.  
 
Next Saturday night, July 4th, New Egypt Speedway will present the much anticipated “Yankee Classic 40” Tri-Track Series Modified event. The Modifieds will also compete in the “Fan Favorite” Modified Shoot-Out, featuring at least 10 one lap match races! Joining the Modifieds on the card will be the one and only appearance of the URC Sprint cars in 2009. The Outlaw Stocks will also be in action, and to top it all off, a Huge Fireworks extravaganza will take place after the final race. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. with the first race starting at 6:00 pm.  For more information, call the speedway office at (609) 758-1900 or log on to www.newegyptspeedway.net.
 
NES RESULTS 6/27/09
 
MODIFIED RESULTS
1st Heat: 1. Johnny Guarino 2. Kenny Carberry 3. John Stangle 4. David VanHorn 5. Marc Herman 6. Tim Tanner Jr. 
2nd Heat: 1. John McClelland 2. Rick Laubach 3. Tad Cox 4. Willie Osmun 5. Ron John Koczon 6. Frank Cozze
3rd Heat: 1. Billy Pauch 2. Dominick Buffalino 3. Mike McAleer 4. Gary Butler 5. Sam Martz 6. Tommy Beamer
B-Main: 1. Mike Hendershot 2. BobbY Drayton 3. Frank Cozze Jr. 4. Dan Waisempacher 5. Mark Forte Jr. 6. Brad Freeman 7. Tom Carberry 8. Mark Forte Sr. (Pts Prov. John Salvatore Jr., Fans Prov. Jim Robertson)

Feature (30 Laps): 1. Bob Drayton 2. John McClelland 3. Johnny Guarino 4. Tad Cox 5. David VanHorn 6. Dominick Buffalino 7. Sam Martz 8. Jim Robertson 9. Tim Tanner Jr. 10. John Stangle 11. Mike Howardson 12. Gary Butler 13. Rick Laubach 14. Dan Waisempacher 15. Ron John Koczon 16. Frank Cozze 17. Frank Cozze Jr. 18. Mark Forte Jr. 19. Marc Herman 20. Tommy Beamer 21. Mark Forte Sr. 22. Brad Freeman 23. Kenny Carberry 24. Billy Pauch 25. Mike McAleer 26. Tom Carberry 27. Willie Osmun 28. John Salvatore Jr.

DNQ: Chris Allen Jr., Kevin Nagy, John Miloszar, Bucky Kell.
 
SPORTSMAN RESULTS
1st Heat: 1. Lou Farina 2. Gene Stravinsky 3. JT Trstensky 4. Will Dupree 5. Mike Howardson 6. Tommy Carberry Jr. 
2nd Heat: 1. Jeff Geiges 2. John Cornell 3. Tim Apgar 4. Jeff Marcucci 5. Alan Bleacher 6. Pat Wall 
B-Main: 1. Mike Lyons 2. Mike Ruggerio 3. Kevin Vaclavicek 4. DJ Ruppert 5. George Gareis 6. Everett Taylor

Feature (20 Laps): 1. Rocco Infante 2. Jeff Geiges 3. Mike Howardson 4. Tim Apgar 5. John Cornell 6. Mike Lyons 7. Steve Davis 8. Bill Liedtka 9. Tommy Carberry Jr. 10. Alan Bleacher 11. Mike Ruggerio 12. George Quinlan 13. Gene Stravinsky 14. Lou Farina 15. Ryan Forte 16. Will Dupree 17. Jeff Marcucci 18. Pat Wall 19. Andy Visinski 20. George Gareis 21. Everett Taylor 22. DJ Ruppert 23. JT Trstensky 24. Kevin Vaclavicek 25. Brian Roemer

DNQ: PJ Oilver, Jimmy Watts, Ryan Hoffman, Dwight Laird, John Marini Jr., Wayne Bechtel, Joe Baumann
 
SUPER STOCK RESULTS
1st Heat: 1. Todd Cray 2. George Quinlan 3. George Marrero 4. Shawn McCaughey 5. Billy Bauer 6. Mike Vaccaro
2nd Heat: 1. Jerry Confer 2. Larry Bubeck 3. Pete Fogarty 4. Jason Bubeck 5. Mick Search 6. Rob Ormsbee

Feature (20 Laps): 1. Rob Ormsbee 2. George Quinlan 3. Todd Cray 4. Kenny Guyer 5. Tony Giglio 6. Jason Bubeck 7. Billy Bauer 8. George Marrero 9. Norm Saxton 10. Kevin Bifulco 11. Larry Bubeck 12. Mick Search 13. Nick Vasquez 14. Shawn McCaughey 15. Pete Fogarty 16. Mike Vaccaro 17. Charlie Gunner 18. Al Burdge 19. Jerry Confer 20. Marty Derr 21. Jesse McLaughlin
 
SS SPRINT RESULTS
Quick Time: Lee Taylor Jr. 16.918

Feature (20 Laps): 1. John McClelland 2. Lee Taylor Jr. 3. Ian Borden 4. Dave Martin 5. Frank Cozze Jr. 6. Nick Bardsley Jr. 7. Ryan Miscoski  8. Robert Liedl 9. Rob Pfister
 
ROOKIE SPORTSMAN RESULTS
Feature (12 Laps): 1. Brian Roemer 2. DJ Ruppert 3. Ryan Hoffman 4. Matt Vaillancourt 5. Ryan Simmons 6. Harris Kohen