Joe Buyno Claims “Marcus Phelps Memorial” at VCS; Burnside, Charron, Shuman, and Cross claim Victories
By: Chris Nunn

DANVILLE, Il (May 5, 2006) - Joe Buyno survived a late race skirmish, and held on to claim the 28 lap “Marcus Phelps Memorial” for the UMP Street Stock division Friday night at Vermilion County Speedway. In other action at the track, Tommy Burnside emerged victorious in the UMP Modified division, In Pure Stock action, Randy Schuman took the checkers, Nathan Charron won a duel over John Paynter, and in Hornet feature action, Jim Cross, Sr. found victory lane after his son Jim Cross, Jr. flipped violently while leading the event.

The “Marcus Phelps Memorial” main event started with Lee J. Hall and Steve Nolen, Jr. on the front row as the 20 car field took Rick Issacson’s green flag. As the field went into the first turn, Buyno would dive to the low side and get around both Hall and Nolen for the lead. Mike Hope, Jr. would sneak through and get around Nolen for the third position during the first turn madness. With the field safely through to complete two circuits, Larry Matillo found a way past Nolen for the fourth spot, bringing Ben Maxson with him around Nolen as well. Up front, Buyno and Hall were starting to pull away from the third place car of Hope. The first caution of the race flew on lap nine, as Nolen looped his mount around in turn two.

The restart saw Buyno and Hall pull away once more, with Matillo and Hope going at it for the third spot. Maxson didn’t want to be left out of the action, so he joined in to make it a three way for the third position. The trio came down the frontstretch on lap 11 still three wide until they hit turn one. Maxson went into turn one and under the tires in the infield. While attempting to go by both cars, he made contact with Matillo, sending him around. Matillo would go to the tail with a flat left front, as Maxson would be penalized to the rear as well for going under the infield tires.

When racing resumed, it was still Buyno and Hall pulling away from the field in a race of their own. At the halfway point, on lap 14, they were close to a full straight ahead of the third place car of Hope. Hall made his first attempt to get under Buyno on lap 17, but to no avail. Buyno looked a bit faster coming out of the turns, as Hall looked to have advantages into the corners. Behind the two leaders, Josh Foxworthy would lay claim to third, getting around Hope. Neil Rollins and Jerrad Krick also got around Hope as well. Hope’s problems turned to be fatal, as he took his car to the infield on lap 21. With the top two cars now a full straightaway ahead of Foxworthy with just five laps to go, Hall had to turn up the heat on Buyno. Hall’s numerous attempts to get around Buyno were thwarted, as Buyno would simply outdrag Hall down the straights.

Just after the field took the two to go signal, Hall dove into turn one under Buyno. In doing so, he made contact with Buyno, sending him around. Track officials deemed “aggressive driving” and sent Hall to the back, while Buyno would reclaim his spot up front. Buyno would then hold off Krick to the finish when the race resumed, to claim his first “Marcus Phelps Memorial” event. Trailing Buyno and Krick to the line were Rollins, Jesse Simmons, and Scott Tidwell completed the top five. The Ridge Farm, IL native is sponsored by: Lube Right, Halls Race Shop, and Buyno Farms.

In the UMP Modified feature event, a familiar face found his way back into victory lane after a multi year absence. “Topside” Tommy Burnside morphed into “Bottomside” Tommy Burnside, utilizing the bottom all race long en route to victory. The 20 lap feature event started out with a caution before one lap could be completed, as Roger Cary slowed on the backstretch. The second attempt at a start was called back as well for Wes McClara and Terry Duncan in turn two. The third time was indeed the charm, as Burnside shot to the lead from his pole position, leading the field around to complete the first circuit. A three-way battle for the second position began to brew with Dan Hamstra, Gabe Menser, and Rob Fuqua. Menser emerged the winner of that battle, with Fuqua taking third, and Hamstra to fourth. Hamstra would then have to contend with Arby Burton for his fourth position. Hamstra would overpower Burton to keep his fourth position.

The field would slow on lap four, as Tom Staggs looped his car in turn four in a one car spin. Burnside paced the field around to the green flag on the restart, with Menser right on his bumper. Behind them, Hamstra would begin to work on Fuqua for the third position. Hamstra would have his momentum slowed by a caution on lap eight for Staggs. On the restart, Burnside again hit the bottom of the track, with Menser right on his tail. Hamstra and Fuqua would resume their battle, but this time with another competitor in Burton. After the dust settled in the battle for third, Hamstra would emerge with the spot, with Fuqua fourth, and Burton fifth. With Burnside and Menser about three quarters of a straight ahead of the field, the top two looked concrete.

With two laps to go, Burton made a pass on Fuqua for the fourth position. Up front, Burnside would hold off Menser to claim the victory after a multi year absence from victory lane, and racing for that matter. Completing the top five were Hamstra, Burton, and Fuqua. Dyers Ag Repair, Guyer Farms, Burnside Farms, Hollon Signs, Heltsley Farms Angus Freezer Beef, and Bob Pierce Race Cars sponsor Burnside.

In Pure Stock action, Randy Shuman finally found victory lane after some setbacks in weeks previous. Schuman lead the first lap and proceeded to run away with the 12 lap feature event. Last weeks feature winner, Jack Dowers started fourth and ended up with the second position when the checkers flew. Completing the top five were Walter Parsons, Don Treadway, and Jacob Johnson. Schuman is sponsored by Schultz Game Calls, Zep by Keith Suits, and by Brayton and Blaise.

Jim Cross, Sr had an unfortunate view of the crash that took his son, Jim Cross, Jr. out of the lead in the Hornet main event. On the fifth circuit, Cross, Jr. flipped violently through turns one and two and landed upside down. After a few minutes of making sure everything was OK in the car, Cross, Jr. emerged from the wreckage under his own power. When the field was reset for the restart, Cross Sr. was now the leader via running second at the time of the red flag. The elder Cross then went on to go unchallenged for the win in his self sponsored #5c. Completing the top five were Kevin Grant, Tony Tidwell, Sr., Chris Newell, and Paul Weisman.

In 600cc Mini Sprint Action, Nathan Charron cabbaged on a late race caution, and got around race leader, John Paynter with just five laps to go. Paynter had led from the start, and pulled out to a good sized lead over the field before Charron got under him. Paynter then lost the second spot to Jonathan Hendrick with just a couple of laps to go. Lucas Sprague and Bryan Cox rounded out the top five. PMP Chassis, Sign Design, and Warren Danz Law Office sponsor Charron.

SUMMARY:

UMP MODIFIEDS (24 ENTRIES)

HEAT ONE: Gabe Menser, Terry Duncan, Dan Hamstra, Jimmy Hayden, Cody Hood, Craig Conyer, Bill Wagoner, Danny Schwartz

HEAT TWO: Roger Cary, Rob Fuqua, Don Kiger, Jammie Wilson, Ron Matthys, Tim Reynolds, Phil Vansant, Seth Parker

HEAT THREE: Tommy Burnside, Arby Burton, Wes McClara, Tom Staggs, Terry Pichon, Jamie Henson, Ryan Cary, Doug Jones

CONSI: Jamie Henson, Tim Reynolds, Bill Wagoner, Danny Schwartz, Phil Vansant, Doug Jones, Ryan Cary, Seth Parker

FEATURE: Tommy Burnside, Gabe Menser, Dan Hamstra, Arby Burton, Rob Fuqua, Don Kiger, Wes McClara, Terry Duncan, Jamie Henson, Craig Conyer, Tim Reynolds, Cody Hood, Bill Wagoner, Jimmy Hayden, Ron Matthys, Danny Schwartz, Tom Staggs, Jammie Wilson, Terry Pichon, Roger Cary

UMP STREET STOCKS ( 31 ENTRIES)

HEAT ONE: Steve Nolen Jr, Lee J. Hall, Ben Maxson, Jerrad Krick, Willie Kerst, Scott Miller, Daniel Foxworthy, Mike Goodwin, Jim Ransom, Chad Ziegler

HEAT TWO: Joe Buyno, Larry Matillo, Josh Foxworthy, Jonah Buyno, Frank Wright, Wes Parsons, Scott Buchanan, Pete Bruce, Steve Evans, Ryan Taylor, Jason Townsend

HEAT THREE: Mike Hope Jr, Neil Rollins, Nathan Alexander, Jesse Simmons, Chris McCoy, Scott Tidwell, Eric Austin, Jim Brown, Jimmy Akins, Jim Hanson

CONSI ONE: Scott Tidwell, Jim Ransom, Scott Buchanan, Jimmy Akins, Jason Townsend, Eric Austin, Ryan Taylor, Jim Brown

CONSI TWO: Daniel Foxworthy, Jim Hanson, Scott Miller, Steve Evans, Pete Bruce, Mike Goodwin, Chad Ziegler

MARCUS PHELPS MEMORIAL FEATURE: Joe Buyno, Jerrad Krick, Neil Rollins, Jesse Simmons, Scott Tidwell, Jim Ransom, Nathan Alexander, Chris McCoy, Jim Hanson, Steve Nolen Jr, Lee J. Hall, Josh Foxworthy, Ben Maxson, Mike Hope Jr, Larry Matillo, Jonah Buyno, Frank Wright, Wes Parsons

PURE STOCKS (8 ENTRIES)

HEAT: Randy Schuman, Walter Parsons, Lance Evans, Jack Dowers, Tony Mitchell, Gordon Parsons, Jacob Johnson, Don Treadway

FEATURE: Randy Schuman, Jack Dowers, Walter Parsons, Don Treadway, Jacob Johnson, Tony Mitchell, Lance Evans, Gordon Parsons

HORNETS (21 ENTRIES)

HEAT ONE: Jim Cross Jr, Mike Pollitt, Danny Cope, Chris Newell, Paul Weisman, Matthew Marrow, Luke Smith, Bill Kingore, Chris Quinn, James Buyno, Curtis Thompson

HEAT TWO: Jim Cross Sr, Tony Tidwell Sr, Clint Sommer, Kevin Grant, Tony Tidwell Jr, Chris Graves, Brock Evans, Mike Johnson, Ryan Tucker, Kenny Tidwell

FEATURE: Jim Cross Sr, Kevin Grant, Tony Tidwell Sr, Chris Newell, Paul Weisman, Danny Cope, James Buyno, Matthew Marrow, Chris Graves, Brock Evans, Bill Kingore, Tony Tidwell Jr, Mike Pollitt, Clint Sommer, Luke Smith, Jim Cross Jr, Mike Johnson, Chris Quinn, Ryan Tucker, Kenny Tidwell, Curtis Thompson

600CC MINI SPRINTS (15 ENTRIES)

HEAT ONE: John Paynter, Bryan Cox, Ian Keller, Kasey Schrock, Will Sylvester, Ryan Langston, Wesley Gordon, Nick Eastin

HEAT TWO: Lucas Sprague, Jonathan Hendrick, Nathan Charron, Bryce Hites, Caleb Graybeal, Jared Cagley, Gregg Dillion

FEATURE: Nathan Charron, Jonathan Hendrick, John Paynter, Lucas Sprague, Bryan Cox, Kasey Schrock, Will Sylvester, Ian Keller, Gregg Dillion, Bryce Hites, Jared Cagley, Nick Eastin, Caleb Graybeal, Wesley Gordon, Ryan Langston