LITTLE VALLEY - It was championship night in three divisions, plus the annual 358 Modified invasion, as Little Valley Speedway brought down the curtain on its 2012 season on Saturday.
Veteran Ron Davies won his second Super Late Model Feature of the season and came up just short of the championship while Dylan Dewart won his first ever 358 Feature, after years of trying, and John Waters continued a remarkable season, winning the ISKY Racing Cams 360 Late Model Championship.
Davies started sixth in the 30-lap SLM event, but was on the prowl early. With the car on the proverbial rail, he vaulted into second by the third lap, claimed second on lap five and then reeled in leader and defending champion, Dick Barton. He slipped past Barton inside in turn one on lap eight to take a lead he would never relinquish.
His only problem after that was maneuvering past the lap car of Scott Gurdak, who was running his line and a lap 26 caution, which gave Barton a final opportunity to challenge, but Davies was up to the task and he won going away.
At the line, it was Davies with the win and the $4,000 winner's check, followed by Barton, Mike Knight, Dutch Davies, and Greg Oakes to round out the top five. By virtue of his eighth place finish, Jason Dupont won the track championship by one point over Davies.
Twenty-six cars were on hand for the 358 Modified feature and it boiled down to a three-car battle between, Dewart, who had yet to win despite years of trying, veteran Ransomville campaigner Robbie Krull and multi time winner Billy Van Pelt. Starting outside on the front row, Dewart outgunned Frank Dunning to the first turn. Krull, who started fourth, darted into second before the first lap was over.
A series of cautions slowed proceedings, with Dewart and Krull still the main combatants for the top spot, with Krull hounding Dewart at every opportunity. Van Pelt, who went off eleventh, and always runs well at Little Valley, worked his way into third by lap 13, while the battle at the front continued.
Krull continued to pressure Dewart and actually got under him a couple of times in turn two, his strong point throughout the race, but Dewart was able to hold him off. Following a period of three cautions on lap 14, officials decided to shorten the race to 20 laps from the scheduled 25.
The race was tight between the top three over the remaining laps, with Van Pelt momentarily getting past Krull, for second, but Krull returned the favor shortly thereafter. At the line, it was Dewart with the hard-earned win, followed by Krull, Van Pelt, and fellow Canadians Mike Bowman, making his first trip to Little Valley and stout running Todd Gordon, to complete the top five.
The ISKY Racing Cams 360 Late Model Championship, worth $1,500 to the winner, went to John Waters, from Whitesville, who swept the five Dart Challenge races earlier in the season, and is having a career year. Waters led every lap after taking the lead from the outside pole over Mikey wonderment, who started on the point. His main challenger was many time Little Valley winner, Bruce Miller, who was able to stay within haling distance, but never able to mount a serious bid for the lead. At the line it was Waters comfortably ahead of Miller, followed by defending track champion Jeremy wonderment, Glen Writenour and Dusty Waters.
With the win, Waters annexed the Little Valley track championship, as well. By virtue of Tour wins at Black Rock and Little Valley, plus seconds at Woodhull and Little Valley, Miller claimed the 2012 BRP Can am Series Tour Championship over Waters, who recorded wins at Woodhull and Little Valley, but failed to finish on May 27th At LVS, which ultimately proved to be his undoing. The final point tally had Miller with 566 and Waters 527.
Finally, the 15 lap Street Stock feature saw Don Wolfer cross the line ahead of Alleghany's Andy Michael, with Michael declared the winner when Wolfer failed tech due to an over-sized engine. Adam Ashcroft, who ended up second, won the track championship.
Super Late Models
Ron Davies, Dick Barton, Mike Knight, Dutch Davies, Greg Oakes, Boom Briggs, Bob Close, Jason Dupont, Scott Gurdak, Terry Porter, John Lacki, Jeff Hoffman, Dan Davies, Rick Briggs, Brady wonderment, and Jim Mason. Heat winners were Dutch Davies and Knight.
358 Modifieds
Dylan Dewart, Robbie Krull, Billy Van Pelt, Mike Bowman, Todd Gordon, Ray Bliss, Scott Wood, Ray Dann, Frank Dunning, Dale Welty, Brady Fultz, Don Lawson, Ryan Susice, Roger Chrysler, Ron Cartwright, Joe Dgien, Jimmy Holden, Tim Jones, Casey Pawlick, Steve Schumacher, Ron White, Lee Bills, Mike Bills, Chad Chevalier, Rick Hoctor, and John Smith. Heat winners were Van Pelt, Mike Bills, and Cartwright.
360 Late Models
John Waters, Bruce Miller, Jeremy Wonderment, Glen Whritenour, Dusty Waters, Mikey Wonderment, Brian Knowles, Jim Johnson, Billy Van Pelt, Mike wonderment, Steve LeBarron, Dave Dubois, Jason Knowles, Bob Babbitt, Quinn Sutherland, Barry Payne, Cecil LeBarron, Bob Stilson, Jared Hill, Wally Wade, Larry Knowles, Jeff Chesebro, Jon Rivers, and Steve Watson. Heat winners were Miller, Johnson, Brian Knowles, and John Waters. Consi winner was Steve Watson.
Street Stocks
Andy Michael, Adam Ashcroft, Levi Watson, Critter Hemphill, Randy Taylor, Ted Mascho, Steve Sklar, Chris Austin, Steve Mowrey, Brett Marlott, Brad Hillman. DNS: Rob Stromecki. DQ: Don Wolfer. Heat winners were Ashcroft and Wolfer.