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USAC Eastern Storm Tour invades New
Jersey.....
LEVI JONES
& DUANE HOWARD SHARE VICTORIES
IN THUNDER SERIES ROAD SHOW AT NEW
EGYPT SPEEDWAY THURSDAY NIGHT
New
Egypt, NJ (June 3, 2010) – For the first time
in thirty-two years, the USAC National Sprint Tour returned to the
state of New Jersey for their first ever visit to the New Egypt
Speedway on Thursday night. The blockbuster double header
showcased the AMSOIL USAC Wingless Sprint cars and Big Block Modifieds
in this first time ever presentation in New Jersey.
Levi Jones of Olney, IL collected $6,000 after winning the
40 lap sprint feature as Oley, PA driver Duane Howard earned
$3,000 for winning the 30 lap Big Block Modified feature.
With threatening skies in the area and a threat for severe
thunderstorms, a large crowd turned out for this first time ever
spectacular event promoted by Thunder on the Hill organizers Bob
Miller, Bruce and Kenny Rogers. The show started promptly
at 7:30 PM and was completed minutes before 10 PM.
In sprint
car time trials, Levi Jones set a one lap track record of 15.726
seconds for the three-eighth mile New Egypt Speedway.
Three USAC sprint heats were presented with victories going to Shane
Hmiel, Chris Windom and Tracy Hines.
Qualifying for the
modifieds saw heat race victories go to Duane Howard, Rick Laubach and
Bob Drayton as Ryan Godown won the consolation.
With rain fast approaching the area, the AMSOIL USAC sprint feature
was called to the speedway. At the drop of the green flag
Chase Stockon jumped into the early lead with Damion Gardner and Dave
Darland in the hunt. Levi Jones, winner of the first two
events on the USAC Eastern Storm Tour (Grandview Tuesday night and
Lincoln Speedway Wednesday night) advanced from fourth to second
on lap six. Jones now had the task of chasing down racer
leader Chase Stockon who has over a backstretch lead. At
the halfway point of the race, Stockon still had a comfortable lead
but all that came to a halt when the yellow was displayed on lap
twenty-one for Casey Shuman who stopped in turn four.
The
restart saw Stockon with his hands full as Levi Jones looked for a
lane to make the pass. By lap twenty-four Jones was the
race leader followed by Stockon, Dave Darland, Chris Windom and Bryan
Clauson.
As Jones dominated the USAC field, there was plenty of
shuffling for the rest of the top five positions. By lap
twenty-nine Windom moved into second with Clauson third.
Windom, still looking for his first career URC win broke away from the
rest of the pack and began to chase down Levi Jones. The
race for third was shaping up as Stockon, Darland and Clauson were
racing under a blanket and swapping spots through each turn.
With the checker flag waiving, Levi Jones took the win followed by
Chris Windom, Bryan Clauson, Dave Darland and Chase Stockon.
The thirty lap Big Block Modified feature was a thriller as well with
Frank Cozze leading the first lap followed by Grandview Speedway
defending champion Duane Howard, Rick Laubach, Sam Martz and Billy
Pauch. On lap two, Howard made an inside move that earned
him the lead. Cozze, Pauch and Laubach were in a heated
battle for second but on lap six, Pauch moved into the runner-up spot.
A multi-car tangle on lap seven brought out the caution flag.
On the restart, Pauch nosed ahead of Howard for the lead going into
turn one but with a strong run off turn two, Howard moved his BPG
modified back into firm control of the lead. A
second yellow was displayed on lap ten when three cars tangled in turn
four.
On the restart, Pauch tried once again to take the lead
but Howard was up to the challenge. When the field
crossed for the halfway sign, Howard, Pauch, Cozze, Bob Drayton and
Sam Martz made up the top five. The final caution of the race
came out on lap twenty and set up the race for a ten lap run to the
checker.
Howard was again up to the challenge but only after
holding off still another attempt from Pauch to take the lead.
On lap twenty-one Billy Pauch Jr. moved into the top but had to
contend with challenges from Keith Hoffman and flying Ryan Godown who
won the consolation. By lap twenty-three, Pauch Jr moved into
fourth and set his sights on Frank Cozze.
For the final five
laps of the feature, Howard remained in control to take the win and
pocket the $3,000 first place prize. Billy Pauch finished
second followed by Frank Cozze, Billy Pauch Jr and Keith Hoffman.
In post race inspection, the Frank Cozze modified did not
pass at the scale and was disqualified for being light.
That moved Pauch Jr to third, Hoffman fourth and Ryan Godown to fifth.
USAC Fast Time: Levi Jones (15.726)
USAC HEAT QUALIFIERS:
HEAT
1- Shane Hmiel, Levi Jones, Ricky Williams, Dave Darland, Jerry Coons
Jr.
HEAT 2- Chris Windom, Damion Gardner, Bryan Clauson, Kyle
Robbins, Mark Bitner
HEAT 3- Tracy Hines, Bill Rose, Casey Shuman,
Chase Stockton, Jeff Geiges
USAC FEATURE FINISH: Levi Jones,
Chris Windom, Bryan Clauson, Dave Darland, Chase Stockon, Henry
Clarke, Tracy Hines, Ricky Williams, Mark Bitner, Damion Gardner,
Jerry Coons, Casey Shuman, Shane Hmiel, JR Berry, JC Bland, Kyle
Robbins, Bill Rose, Jeff Geiges, Jonathan Swanson, Steve Petry, Landon
Simon
BIG BLOCK MODIFIED HEAT QUALIFIERS:
HEAT 1- Duane
Howard, Ryan Forte, Frank Cozze, Tom Carberry Jr., Mike Barone, Wade
Hendrickson
HEAT 2- Rick Laubach, Sean Merkel, Billy Pauch, Sam
Martz, Billy Pauch Jr., Keith Hoffman
HEAT 3- Bob Drayton, Ron Jon
Koczon, John Stangle, Mark Forte Jr., Richie Pratt Jr., Dom Buffalino
BIG BLOCK MODIFIED CONSI QUALIFIERS: Ryan Godown, Frank Cozze Jr.,
Jimmy Horton, John Willman, Kevin Nagy, John Dixon
BIG BLOCK
MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: Duane Howard, Billy Pauch, Billy Pauch Jr.,
Keith Hoffman, Ryan Godown, Richie Pratt Jr., Wade Hendrickson, Sam
Martz, Sean Merkel, John Willman, Frank Cozze Jr., John Stangle, Rick
Laubach, Mike Barone, Ryan Forte, Bob Drayton, Jimmy Horton, Tommy
Carberry Jr., Kevin Nagy, John Dixon, Mark Forte Jr., Ron Jon Koczon,
Dom Buffalino
DQ: Frank Cozze |
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