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Jim Witko Jr. Grabs Popular First Career Brewerton Speedway Modified Win

 BREWERTON, NY – July 7, 2017 – For years the two-person Big Block Modified race team of Jim Witko Jr. and his wife Barb would drive by other race tracks on their 150-mile one way trip from their home in Clarks Summit, PA to compete at the Brewerton and Fulton Speedways in the Tracey Road Equipment Big Block Modifieds. Why? Because they said they wanted to race with the best.

Over the years there had been many top-five finishes along with heartbreak coming so close to getting that first win at the Brewerton Speedway. On Friday night, all that changed as Witko finally parked his #24 in victory lane at the “D-Shaped Dirt Demon.�

The win was anything but easy, as many in attendance called it the race of the year.  Witko and Andrew Ferguson, who is also looking for his first Modified win, put on a show, swapping the lead back and forth an official six times with the winner in doubt until the checkers waved over Witko by a car length over Ferguson.

Behind the top two, the racing was just as tight and saw Pat Ward, Max McLaughlin and Tim Sears Jr. finish third through fifth. Billy Decker, Chris Hile, Mike Bowman, Larry Wight and Chad Phelps completed the top-ten.

“I thought he was going to get me a couple times,� Jim Witko said after getting huge hugs from his wife Barb in victory lane. “But we held him off,� said a still-shocked Witko with a huge smile.

When Witko, a man of few words was asked if he thought if that win would ever come and could he believe he was standing in victory lane he still couldn’t believe it actually happened. “This is big. This is really big. This is the Daytona 500 you know.�

Witko related the key to getting to victory lane and turning around what had been, until Friday night, a tough season is what a lot of racers have said when all else doesn’t work, 'Get back to the basics.'

In the 25 lap SUNY Canton Sportsman feature, Jackson Gill, Stephen Denton and Tyler Trump would have a tight three-car battle at the front of the field when Denton, running the low side of the speedway on lap 6, would drive by Gill and into the lead.

Once in the lead, Denton would first hold off Gill and then over the last 12 laps Trump could keep pace with Denton but never mounted a serious challenge as Denton cruised to his first ever Brewerton Speedway Sportsman win. Ron Davis III, Jackson Gill and Glenn Forward finished third through fifth.

After doing a roof celebration on top of his #44c, Stephen Denton talked about his first ever win.

“This is my first career Sportsman win and I can’t be more happy. Everybody here has been through seven years of this telling them we’re going to get it, we’re going to get it. Keep working, digging hard."

Denton talked about an issue that was found that could have been the key to victory. “We found some issues before the heat race. We got to take stuff apart, there is something wrong. We found the problem (Broken shock) and fixed it.�

Denton finished up by saying he wanted to throw out a huge thank you to the men and woman in the United States military saying without them he wouldn’t be able to race in this country.

 

In the 20 lap Firehouse Subs Mod Lite feature Sam Usborne would lead the opening 7 laps before Joe Garafolo was able to get by Usborne to be scored the new leader. Then on lap 10 Brian Meyers, using the top of the speedway, drove into the lead at the halfway point.

Meyers' lead would only last a couple laps when he spun at the top of the speedway in turns 3 & 4. Casey Sykes would take the top spot and lead the rest of the way. Justin Williams who had a heavily smoking engine in his heat race finished second. Joe Garafolo, Lowell Zehr and Brian Meyers finished third through fifth.

Dakota Bechler would go from his 11^th starting spot to the lead in just 3 laps in the 15 lap JB Logging Firewood 4-Cylinder feature. Once out front Bechler would lead the rest of the way, having to hold off late race pressure from Ray Bechler. Jacobe Palmiter, Chris Bonoffski and Nate Powers finished third through fifth.

Dakota Bechler made it three first career Brewerton winners on the night joining Jim Witko Jr. and Stephen Denton.

This Friday, July 14 Syracuse Haulers will present a night of fast, family, affordable, fun racing. On the race card will be the Tracey Road Equipment Big Block Modifieds, SUNY Canton Sportsman, Firehouse Subs Mod Lites, JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders. The Syracuse Microd & Quarter Midget Clubs will have their cars on display in the midway.

Adult grandstand admission is $12 with everyone 18 yrs. old and younger FREE. Pit is $27 participant, $30 nonparticipant. Grandstands open at 5:30 with racing at 7:30.

Any questions you might have and for marketing opportunities please contact Cory Reed (315) 668-6906 or cory@brewertonspeedway.com.  For all the latest news go to www.brewertonspeedway.com .  Like the track Facebook page www.facebook.com/BrewertonSpeedway.

McDonald’s® Restaurants Night July 7 Results.

(Tracey Road Equipment Modifieds 35 Laps) – JIM WITKO JR., Andrew Ferguson, Pat Ward, Max McLaughlin, Tim Sears Jr., Billy Decker, Chris Hile, Mike Bowman, Larry Wight, Chad Phelps, Mike Mahaney, Rich Scagliotta, Jimmy Phelps, Jeremy Smith, Rob Bellinger, Jeff Blackburn, Matt Hulsizer, Ryan Bartlett, Adam Roberts, Joe August Jr., Gary Tomkins, John West.

(SUNY Canton Sportsman 25 Laps) – STEPHEN DENTON, Tyler Trump, Ron Davis III, Jackson Gill, Glenn Forward, Chris Cunningham, Alan Fink, Todd Root, Brent Joy, Rich Townsend, Zach Sobotka, Kyle Fink, Earl Rudy, Kevin Root, Nick Krause, Rocco Leone, Mike Stanton Jr., Jeff Taylor, Bailey Groves.

(Firehouse Subs Mod Lites 20 Laps) – CASEY SYKES, Justin Williams, Joe Garafolo, Lowell Zehr, Brian Meyers, Jeff Sykes, Mike Mullen, Sam Usborne, Kelly Skinner, Joe Isabell, Tom Mackey, Josh Kinney.

(JB Logging & Firewood 4-Cylinders 15 Laps) – DAKOTA BECHLER, Ray Bechler, Jacobe Palmiter, Chris Bonoffski, Nate Powers, Quinn Wallis, Evan Wright, Stephanie Seeley, Sam Curcie, Dylan Curcie, Chuck Powelczyk, DNS- Jamie Radley.

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