News Director 
Story By: KENNY SHUPP / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – Erick Rudolph has a brilliant career in every form of Motorsports that he has attempted in his career.
However, the Woodhull Raceway has been a challenge for the third generation, Ransomville, NY speedster as he has been kept out of victory lane in all his previous attempts.
“I think the first couple times I ever came here I did not even qualify. Just could not figure this place out. But, last year in this event I finished second and backed that up with a win here tonight.” That according to a jubilant Rudolph in victory lane.
For Rudolph his $5,500 win in the 55 lap Honoring Alice Event puts his name into the books alongside Bily VanPelt and Ajay Potrzebowski Sr. who won the first two events named in memory of Woodhull’s Firs Lady, Alice Williams who alongside of her late husband, Jim promoted the Woodhull Raceway prior to selling it after the first 33 years of the track existence.
Rudolph’s victory was no walk in the park as he went toe to toe with last week’s feature winner, Dayton Brewer for the first half of the 55-lap feature grind.
Brewer led the opening sixteen laps after pulling the pole position pill as he and outside row one starter, Ron Cartwright Jr. brought the field to green.
Rudolph lined up fifth on the opening grid and very methodically worked his way to the front and by lap ten was up to second and charging.
The first of eight caution flags would fly on lap fifteen followed by a second caution on the same lap and on the ensuing restart, Dayton Brewer could continue to set a blistering pace, but Erick Rudolph was poised and took over the top spot on lap sixteen.
The lead duo would swap the lead back and forth numerous times over the next several circuits before Rudolph would gain control and from there stretch his advantage.
The countless cautions flag slowdowns, 8 total would keep not just Brewer, but Jeff Daugherty, Danny Johnson and Ajay Potrzebowski all within eyesight of the race leader and well within striking distance.
However, on every restart, Run, Run Rudolph was too much to manage as he ran away and hid from his fellow competitors.
As attrition was taking its toll lap cars were hardly a problem from the lead group and for Rudolph it was just a matter of hitting his marks as he cruised to a half straight away win over Brewer and Daugherty would complete the podium.
Wally Wade of Canisteo, NY had his best run in a Modified came home for fourth at the finish as he was chased across the line by Russ Morseman who came from the rear on at least two separate occasions to round the top five.
For the Woodhull faithful it was a sweep of positions two through five.
The Mike Welch led Empire Street Stocks rounded out the aggressive 3 card event and like last year’s feature, Glenn Whritenour looked poised to take home the victory.
In the early going Whritenour of nearby Jasper, NY was in command, but had to contend with Mike Spencer piloting one of Whritenour’s former creations.
Lap after lap Spencer kept up the pressure until Jerry Lobdell Jr. came into the picture after beginning the thirty-lap affair on the pole but drifted to third after the opening green.
When into second, Lobdell began to draw a bead on GW as the event was now well past the half- way mark.
Four caution flags with the last coming on lap sixteen kept Lobdell and Spencer who was as now third within striking distance of the high- flying Whritenour but by lap twenty, Lobdell had caught the race leader, and it was now a two car, ten lap shootout.
Lap after lap Lobdell would exit turn four on the bottom with GW running the middle, but the drag race to the flag stand was always won by GW by only a bumper.
For five laps this was the norm, begore Lobdell used an inside move entering turn one to muscle his way around Whritenour and go to the win.
Whritenour would finish a disappointing second with Spencer third.
Last week’s feature winner, Dan Gardner was back after a year layoff and was a contender early challenging GW for the lead before fading to fourth at the finish followed by multiple 2024 feature winner, Clayton McClean of Elkland.
“I have been a good friend of Glenn for a long time, stated Lobdell in fact this is one of his former cars. He does all my bodywork every winter and any other updates, as necessary. For me to come here and beat him at his track is special.”
WOODHULL RACEWAY SHORTS…
In the Modified Division, several invaders made their way to Woodhull for the Honoring Alice Event.
Danny Creeden, Ron Cartwright Jr., Tyler Siri, Danny Johnson, Erick Rudolph, Justin Wright and Alan Komoar. Other than Rudolph none had good finishes.
A deluge of rain hit the greater Woodhull region three days prior to the event wiping out pit roads and turning the entire back straight away into a large lake prompting track owner, Nikki Brewer to move the original date from Tuesday to Wednesday, however with the abundance of rain the track experienced it made for little or no time to get the large amount of water out of the surface which caused for choppy corners, plenty of caution flags and lots of attrition. However, the huge crowd was treated to plenty of great three wide racing with the features in the Rush CLM and the Empire Street Stocks coming right down to the wire.
For Bryce Davis it was a hometown victory as he swept the entire night of action in front of a large contingent of Davis followers.
Bam Bam Pinkerous is authentic. The fourteen-year-old set second quick time won his heat finished second in the Dash and gave Davis fits the entire 30 lap distance. On top of all that he was able to hold multi time RUSH CLM Series Champion, Mr. Excitement, Jeremy Wonderling who finished third.
It was difficult for fans to watch the battle at the front between Davis and Pinkerous or the show being put on by Austin Allen who lost power on lap three, went to the rear and put on a brilliant drive from the back of the stacked field to finish fourth.
Dayton Brewer has been on fire at Woodhull the past two weeks after a dismal 2024 season. Engine issues have been the biggest problem, but with a win in late July coupled with a runner-up finish to Erick Rudolph things are looking up for the second-generation pilot who now resides in Woodhull.
It is a rarity whenever Street Stock driver, Glenn Whritenour gets beat at Woodhull, but after dominating most of the Empire Street Stock 30 lap feature that is what happened when he was passed by Thunder Mountain regular competitor, Jerry Lobdell Jr.
MODIFIEDS
(25 cars) 55-lap feature.
Heats. Dayton Brewer, Erick Rudolph, Ajay Potrzebowski, Ron Cartwright Jr.
ERICK RUDOLPH, Dayton Brewer, Jeff Daugherty, Wally Wade, Russ Morseman, Ajay Potrzebowski, Russ Morseman IV, Danny Johnson, Chris Ostrowsky. DNF, Adam Coots, Steve Coots, Brady Fultz, Jake Dgien, Aiden Grover, Stacy Jackson, Donnie Lawson, Ron Cartwright Jr., Carter Crooker, Kaiden Dgien, Dan Creeden, Justin Wright, Tyler Siri, Alan Komar, Brian Doolittle, Josh Keesey.
EMPIRE STREET STOCK TOURING SERIES
(17 cars) 30-lap feature.
Heats. Glenn Whritenour, Dan Gardner, Jerry Lobdell Jr.
JERRY LOBDELL JR., Glenn Whritenour, Mike Spencer, Dan Gardner, Clayton McClean, Jimmy Grant, Bradly Morseman, Justin Neff, Jeff Almekinder. DNF, Edward McKernan, Teddy Morseman Jr., Shane Wolfe Jr., Mick Seeley, Leonard Kobbe Jr., Brett Crawford. DNS, Brian Butler, Mike Williams.
