Eckerd Pole Winner Fuller Brushes Up With RWR 358-Mod Series Win

Elbridge, NY – October 6, 2006 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director
 
The third consecutive day of non-stop activity during Super DIRT Week continued the streak of success for Tim Fuller as he scored his first Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series victory of the season on a frigid night at Rolling Wheels Raceway. Capturing pole position for Sunday’s headline Eckerd 200 at the New York State Fairgrounds on Thursday and winning the first of the Advance Auto Parts Modified Triple 20s Friday afternoon on the Syracuse Mile, Fuller collected $4,000 for his third set of set checkers in the traditional 100-lap Super DIRT Week special.
 
“Its just been a really good week for our whole team,” said Fuller, following a decisive win over runner-up Brett Hearn while brothers Alan and Danny Johnson and Massachusetts invader Andy Bachetti rounded out the front-five. “It’s pretty cold out here tonight and the team just keeps on giving it their all. I can’t thank John Lazore (major sponsor) and the whole crew enough for sticking by the whole year, there have definitely been a lot of rough spots to overcome.”
 
On Friday night at the ‘Fast Track’ it was smooth sailing for Fuller the second half of the race, charging forward from his eighth-place start on the 30-car grid to overtake Danny Johnson on lap 63 and keep Hearn at bay over the final 20 laps. “I was just horrible in the beginning, and I think I dropped back a spot or two early on. All of a sudden the car started coming on, the opposite of what usually happens late in the race when I normally fade. Tonight it couldn’t have gotten much better.”
 
After Integra Shocks Time Trials lined up the five qualifying heat races, the top-two finishes redrew for starting positions with the previous night’s winner Alan Johnson selecting the top spot. Alan looked to have the field under control running his customary inside line around the fast 5/8-mile Elbridge oval until Danny swept around his older brother out of turn to complete the 23rd circuit. The brothers Johnson paced the pack a quarter of the way through the century grind while Gary Tomkins, Fuller and Bachetti battled further back. The order remained intact at the midway mark with Danny able to open up a commanding eight car-length advantage over Alan before Fuller secured the runner-up position on lap 61. In two more laps the JL Motorsports no. 19 NativePoker.com-Chiefs Tobacco & Gas/TEO entry ducked under Danny in turn two and opened up a half-second lead with 63 clicking on the scoreboard.
 
The final 15 laps were run straight through under green with Hearn able to close the margin ever so slightly using traffic to his advantage. But at the finish it was still Fuller by five car-lengths as Hearn settled for his second consecutive runner-up tally after chasing Alan Johnson across the line Thursday at Brewerton.
 
Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series Race #6 – Rolling Wheels Raceway, Oct. 6, 2006 Event Summary
FEATURE (100-laps):
FIN   STR   CAR#      DRIVER
1          8          19        Tim Fuller/Edwards, NY ($4,000)
2          9          4*        Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
3          6          27j       Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
4          1          14j       Alan Johnson/Phelps,NY
5          7          4b        Andy Bachetti/Sheffield,MA
6          17        h24      Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
7          21        17d     Danny O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
8          4          7z        Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
9          20        m96    Brian McDonald/Cornwall,ONT
10        15        6          Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
11        28        66x      Carey Terrance/Hogansburg,NY
12        18        21k      Randy Chrysler/Lewiston,NY
13        19        99b     Chuck Bower/Lansing,NY
14        30        2t         Todd Stewart/Kingston,ONT
15        29        66        Kyle Dingwall/Brockville,ONT
16        3          17        Ted Lamb Jr./Clay,NY
17        13        7          Scott Kerwin/Newfane,NY
18        5          1k        Robert King/Granville,NY
19        2          007     Roy Tarbell/Hogansburg,NY
20        25        1f         Adam Ferri/Port Colborne,ONT
21        27        81        Jeff Sykes/Edwards, NY
22        26        80        Jeff Marshall/Ft.Covington,NY
23        10        42        Pete Bicknell/St.Catharines,ONT
24        11        2          Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg, NY
25        16        94        Ray Hoard/Granville,NY
26        22        124     Pierre Dagenais/Gatineau,QUE
27        14        93        Rich Vinson/Sanborn,NY
28        23        02        Roy Bresnahan/Palermo,NY
29        24        37        Lance Willix II/Theresa,NY
30        12        32        Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
LAP LEADERS: A.Johnson (1-22), D.Johnson (23-62), Fuller (63-100).
CAUTIONS: 8 for 10 laps.
SYRACUSE 150 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS: Gary Tomkins, Randy Chrysler.
DID NOT QUALIFY(21)
09-Kyle Lewis
3a-Paul Ashton
3k-Kevin Bates
5-Dan Jalbert
15j-Tim Jones
17c-Pete Cosco
20c-Craig Hanson
t21-Roger Chrysler
22-Eric Gauvreau
27-Kyle Jacobs
28-Brian Sisson
34-George Foley
37p-Francisco Pereira
50-Don Slover
77-Jimmy Johnson
78-Vince Quenneville Jr.
91-Travis Cunningham
92-Shawn Donath
123-Robbie Krull
125-Drew Ricco
717-Everett Haubrich
 
QUALIFYING
            FAST              AVE               
            TIME               MPH           CAR#     DRIVER
1          20.779            108.282          007     Roy Tarbell
*$100 Integra Shocks Fast Qualifier Award
2          20.803            108.157          17        Ted Lamb Jr.
3          20.921            107.547          7          Scott Kerwin
4          20.983            107.230          1k        Robert King
5          20.993            107.179          19        Tim Fuller
6          21.049            106.893          4b        Andy Bachetti
7          21.051            106.883          4*        Brett Hearn
8          21.076            106.757          27j       Danny Johnson
9          21.091            106.681          14j       Alan Johnson
10        21.101            106.630          6          Pat O'Brien
11        21.159            106.338          94        Ray Hoard
12        21.163            106.318          h24      Stewart Friesen
13        21.166            106.303          3k        Kevin Bates
14        21.179            106.237          93        Rich Vinson
15        21.195            106.157          42        Pete Bicknell
16        21.201            106.127          2          Ronnie Johnson
17        21.208            106.092          32        Matt Sheppard
18        21.218            106.042          7z        Gary Tomkins
19        21.327            105.500          99b     Chuck Bower
20        21.329            105.490          124     Pierre Dagenais
21        21.350            105.386          02        Roy Bresnahan
22        21.369            105.293          22        Eric Gauvreau
23        21.370            105.288          80        Jeff Marshall
24        21.387            105.204          37        Lance Willix II
25        21.397            105.155          17d     Danny O'Brien
            21.397            105.155          m96    Brian McDonald
27        21.416            105.062          1f         Adam Ferri
28        21.430            104.993          21k      Randy Chrysler
29        21.444            104.924          66        Kyle Dingwall
30        21.524            104.534          91        Travis Cunningham
31        21.623            104.056          20c      Craig Hanson
32        21.631            104.017          78        Vince Quenneville Jr.
33        21.637            103.989          123     Robbie Krull
34        21.655            103.902          81        Jeff Sykes
35        21.703            103.672          27        Kyle Jacobs
36        21.720            103.591          09        Kyle Lewis
37        21.757            103.415          125     Drew Ricco
38        21.777            103.320          15j       Tim Jones
39        21.813            103.149          17c      Pete Cosco
40        21.873            102.867          2t         Todd Stewart
41        22.095            101.833          92        Shawn Donath
42        22.122            101.709          77        Jimmy Johnson
43        22.379            100.541          28        Brian Sisson
44        22.409            100.406          34        George Foley
45        22.421            100.352          5          Dan Jalbert
46        22.437            100.281          t21       Roger Chrysler
47        22.769            98.819            717     Everett Haubrich
48        24.469            91.953            50        Don Slover
49        -NT-                  -----               66x      Carey Terrance
50        -NT-                  -----               3a        Paul Ashton
51        -NT-                  -----               37p     Francisco Pereira
 
Heat Races (8 laps, top-4 finishers transferred to feature, top-2 went to re-draw)
#1: Bachetti, Tarbell, R.Johnson, Hoard, D.O’Brien, Bresnahan, Lewis, Hanson, Ro.Chrysler, Donath (scratched).
#2: Hearn, Lamb, Sheppard, Friesen, Ferri, Quenneville, J.Johnson, Gauvreau, Ricco, Haubrich.
#3: D.Johnson, Tomkins, Kerwin, Ra.Chrysler, Marshall, Krull, Jones, Sisson, Bates, Slover.
#4: A.Johnson, King, Vinson, Bower, Willix, Sykes, Terrance, Dingwall, Cosco, Foley, Ashton (DNS).
#5: Fuller, Bicknell, P.O’Brien, McDonald, Dagenais, Jacobs, Cunningham, Donath, Jalbert, Pereira, Stewart
Consolation Round (8 laps, top-2 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: D.O’Brien, Willix, Jacobs, Quenneville, Ricco, Jones, Dingwall, Jalbert, Hanson, Slover (DNS).
#2: Dagenais, Ferri, Krull, Lewis, Terrance, Donath, Gauvreau, Foley, Bates (DNS), Pereira (DNS).
#3: Bresnahan, Marshall, Sykes, J.Johnson, Cunningham, Cosco, Stewart, Ro.Chrysler, Sisson, Haubrich, Ashton (DNS).
Guaranteed: Sykes, Terrance, Dingwall, Stewart.
 
Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series Point Standings (Top-12 through Oct. 6, 2006)
1440-Pat O’Brien, 1426-Brett Hearn, 1384-Andy Bachetti, 1331-Brian McDonald, 1310-Carey Terrance, 1283-Pete Bicknell, 1280-Lance Willix II, 1266-Kyle Dingwall, 1242-Danny O’Brien, 1237-Jeff Sykes, 1216-Todd Stewart, 1197-Roy Tarbell.
 
2006 358-MODIFIED SYRACUSE CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS                        
 (+)-denotes Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series event.                         
DAY-DATE        TRACK LOCATION                                            WINNER/QUALIFIER
Sat-Apr 29         Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      Matt Quinn
Sat-Apr 29         Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY     Jerry Higbie
Sat-May 13       Lebanon Valley Speedway /West Lebanon,NY     Andy Bachetti
Mon-May 22      Merrittville Speedway/Thorold,ONT                       Robbie Krull
Sat-May 27       Frogtown Int'l Speedway/Hogansburg,NY Dave Heaslip/Jeff Sykes (2nd)
Sat-May 27       Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville,QUE          David Hebert
Sat-May 27       Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      J.R. Heffner
Fri-Jun 2            Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville,NY               Scott Kerwin
Fri-Jun 2            Autodrome Granby/Granby,QUE             Martin Roy
Sat-Jun 10         Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY     Tim Hindley
Sat-Jun 17         Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      A.Bachetti/Keith Flach (4th)
Sat-Jun 24         Genesee Speedway/Batavia,NY                          Scott Wood
Sat-Jul 1           Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      Rich Salisbury
Tue-Jul 4           Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville,ONT         A.Johnson/Danny O'Brien 7th)
Sun-Jul 9           Cayuga County Fair Speedway/Weedsport,NY     Chad Brachmann
Sun-Jul 9           Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT  Dale Planck/Chris Jones (9th)
Thr-Jul 13          Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY     David VanHorn
Fri-Jul 14           Autodrome Granby/Granby,QUE             D.Hebert/Mario Clair (2nd)
Sat-Jul 15          Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      Donnie Corellis
Sat-Jul 15          Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville,QUE          D.Hebert/Kayle Robidoux (2nd)
Sat-Jul 15          Merrittville Speedway/Thorold,ONT                       Pete Bicknell
Sun-Jul 23         Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      Wayne Jelley
Thr-Jul 27          Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd./LaFargeville,NY    Tim Fuller
Fri-July 28         Autodrome Edelweiss/Hull,QUE                          Pierre Dagenais
Sat-July 29        Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville,ONT         D.O'Brien/Yan Bussiere (3rd)
Sun-Jul 30         Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT  Brian McDonald
Sun-July 30       Humberstone Speedway/Port Colborne,ONT         P.Bicknell/Adam Ferri (2nd)
Sat-Aug 5          Canandaigua Speedway/Canandaigua,NY            V.Coffey/Just.Henderson (10th)
Sat-Aug 5          Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      A.Bachetti/Ted Teal (7th)
Sun-Aug 6         Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT  B.McDonald/Kyle Dingwall (2nd)
Mon-Aug 7        Merrittville Speedway/Thorold,ONT                       A.Johnson/Ken Cosgrove (3rd)
Tue-Aug 8         Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville,NY               Stewart Friesen
Fri-Aug 11         Ohsweken Speedway/Ohsweken,ONT                 A.Ferri/Rick Richner (4th)
Sat-Aug 26        Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville,QUE          Clement Therrien
Fri-Sep 1           Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville,NY               P.Bicknell/Boyd MacTavish(2nd)
Fri-Sep 1           Thunder Alley Speedpark/Evans Mills,NY F.Caprara/Pat O'Brien (3rd)
Fri-Sep 1           Autodrome Edelweiss/Hull,QUE                          Laurent Ladouceur
Sat-Sep 2          Orange County Fair Speedway/Middletown,NY     -rain-
Sat-Sep 2          Frogtown Int'l Speedway/Hogansburg,NY J.Sykes/Carey Terrance (2nd)
Sat-Sep 2          Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      B.Hearn/Alan Houghtaling (7th)
Sun-Sep 3+       Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall,ONT  -rain-
Sun-Sep 3         Northern Region Champion/DIRT NorthEast          Pat O'Brien
Sun-Sep 3         Eastern Region Champion/DIRT NorthEast           Brett Hearn
Sun-Sep 3         Western Region Champion/DIRT NorthEast          Pete Bicknell
Sat-Sep 9+        Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon,NY      A.Bachetti/Alan Johnson (2nd)
                                                                                                Kenny Tremont (5th),
Ryan Larkin (6th)
                                                                                                Jimmy Johnson (8th)
Sat-Sep 9          Autodrome Granby/Granby,QUE             Y.Bussiere/Real LaFrance (5th)
Sat-Sep 9          Little Valley Speedway/Little Valley,NY                C.Donk/George Bosse (22nd)
Sun-Sep 10+     Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd./LaFargeville,NY    A.Johnson/Frank Caprara (4th)
Sat-Sep 16+      Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville,ONT         P.Bicknell/Danny Johnson (2nd)
Fri-Sep 22+       Rolling Wheels Raceway/Elbridge,NY                  A.Johnson/Jimmy Phelps (5th)
Sat-Sep 30        Fulton Speedway/Fulton,NY                                D.Johnson/Dan Vauter (21st)
Wed-Oct 4+      Can-Am Motorsports Park,Ltd./LaFargeville,NY    -rain-    
Thr-Oct 5+         Brewerton Speedway/Brewerton,NY                     A.Johnson/Matt Sheppard (6th)   
Fri-Oct 6+         Rolling Wheels Raceway(2)/Elbridge,NY              T.Fuller/Gary Tomkins (10th),
                                                                                                Randy Chrysler (12th)
Sat-Oct 7+        New York State Fairgrounds/Syracuse,NY
 
UPCOMING EVENT
Small-block action continues at the New York State Fairgrounds in October with only Saturday’s ITT Industries Goulds Pumps "Salute to the Troops" 358-Modified Championship remaining during Super DIRT Week XXXV with valuable points awarded towards the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Championship.
 
2006 MR. DIRT 358-MODIFIED SERIES SCHEDULE
*Show up points only
DAY-DATE    LAPS  TRACK – LOCATION / WINNER
Sun-Sep 3       100    Cornwall Motor Speedway / RAIN-CANCELLED
Sat-Sep 9        50      Lebanon Valley Speedway / ANDY BACHETTI
Sun-Sep 10     80      Can-Am Motorsports Park / ALAN JOHNSON
Sat-Sep 16      75      Brockville Ontario Speedway / PETE BICKNELL
Fri-Sep 22     100     Rolling Wheels Raceway / ALAN JOHNSON
Wed-Oct 4       75      Can-Am Motorsports Park / RAIN-CANCELLED
Thr-Oct 5          75      Brewerton Speedway / ALAN JOHNSON
Fri-Oct 6         100     Rolling Wheels Raceway / TIM FULLER
*Sat-Oct 7      150     New York State Fairgrounds - Syracuse,NY
Sat-Oct 21     150     Orange County Fair Speedway - Middletown,NY
 
The DIRT MotorSports™ 358-Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., DealMaker Auto Group and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, DART Machinery, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.