Busti, NY: Twenty-four Super Late Models were on hand for the fifth race in the PONY Series sponsored by Time Warner of Jamestown and American Racer. Wally Fox, Scott Johnson and Rod Philips won the qualification heats gaining the top three spots in 30 lap $3,000 to win feature event. Dave Hess Jr. made a super run in the PONY feature event taking the lead with three laps remaining from Chris Hackett and early leader Scott Johnson. Bill Baker Jr. won his first of the year in the first Spectator feature as did John Kelsey in the second. Nathan Short won his second of the year in the Outlaw Cadet division. Rookie Bryan Ester held off the veteran Pat McGuire to win his first feature in the Budweiser Super Sportsman division. Mike Hess won his fourth in the E-Mod feature just barley holding off a Dale Applebee. Sam Courson won the first the Super Challenger feature and Dereck Frank the second.

Wally Fox and Scott Johnson were on the front row for the PONY race and Johnson grabbed the early lead. Two laps were in the books when Randy Lobb spun in turn four for the first yellow. It was Johnson, Fox, Rod Philips, Chris Hackett, Chad Valone and Dick Barton for the restart. Johnson moved into the lead on the green and Philips fought with Fox for the second spot. Fox barely led Philips at the line then the yellow flew for Andy Boozel and Moose Dunnewold in turn four. Philips scrapped the fence going into turn three on the restart lap but retained his second place. Hackett was third with Fox fourth and Dave Hess Jr. fifth. Barton was running sixth. Hess caught part of the wall on lap twelve losing a spot Barton. Johnson caught the tail end of the field at the half way mark just as Barton and Doug Eck tangled in turn four. Barton and Eck were moved to the rear during the realignment and Randy Lobb was pushed into the pits. Eck stopped in turn two to argue his case with the officials who relented giving him his spot back and sending Barton to the rear. Johnson did not get the big jump on this restart and Hackett and Philips stayed on his bumper. Hess was fourth with Fox fifth. Rich Gardner moved into the sixth spot on lap twenty-one. Hackett lost the lead to Johnson on lap twenty-four the slipped another spot at Hess moved to second. Hess took the lead with three to go and Johnson fought back to second putting Hackett in the third spot. Hess won after nearly getting on his roof earlier in the race with Hackett second and Johnson third.

Bill Dunn led the first lap with John Lewis second. Phil Knight was third on lap two with Mike Knight fourth and Nathan Short fifth. Phil Knight and Lewis tangled letting Nathan Short by for the runner up spot on lap six. Short moved under Dunn at the half way mark and Alex Feisler spun bringing out the first caution with eight laps complete. Short grabbed a ten-car length lead on the restart as Mike and Phil Knight battled for the third spot with Dunn second. Feisler and Eugene Bevil brought out the yellow with ten complete. Mike Knight was placed third for the restart with Phil fourth and Louis DeDionisio fifth. Mike Knight ran up under Dunn but could not make the pass. Scott Lewis and Andy Knight brought out the yellow with two laps remaining. DeDionisio moved to third on the restart but could not get by the highflying Bill Dunn. Short won for his second of the season.

Tom Hagberg and Dale Applebee fought for the E-Mod lead during the first lap of their feature event with Applebee gaining the spot. A multi-car incident collecting Brian Fardink, Joe Buccola and Dan Nocero brought out the yellow with three complete. Applebee was on the pole for the restart with Mike Hess on the outside and Dave Hess Jr. third. Mike Hess took the lead at the drop of the green and began to build a lead over Applebee and Hess. Bill Thomas brought the yellow with six complete. Mike Hess retained control after the restart but could not run away from Applebee who stayed within striking distance. The yellow appeared once more with ten complete for Thomas in turn one. Mike Munsee moved under Dave Hess Jr. on the restart lap and Hess spun out collecting Holly Nelson and Wade Mohawk. The top five for the restart were Mike Hess, Applebee, Munsee, Hagberg and Tim Rater. Quincy Turner grabbed fifth on the restart. The yellow flew once more with twelve complete involving Buccola and Fardink. Rater took back his spot from Turner on the restart then one lap later Matt Swanson spun in turn one collecting Jason Illig. Buccola brought out the yellow once more on the white flag lap. Applebee made a valiant effort to get under Mike Hess on the last lap but came up just short giving Hess his fourth of the season.

Bryan Ester temporarily lost the lead during the first lap on the Budweiser Super Sportsman event then fought back to regain the spot at the line. Jake Eller was second but tangled with Scott Kuschel losing several spots but the green stayed out. John Boardman was second with Pat McGuire third and Dan Nocero fourth. Ester was still the leader at the halfway point. Dave Cummings Jr. lost a wheel bringing out the first caution with nine laps complete. Ester led the next lap with Boardman and McGuire on his rear bumper. Ester took the two to go signal from Spanky Hall and Boardman spun into the infield but no yellow appeared. Ester held off McGuire over the final lap winning by a car length at the line. It was Ester’s first feature win and he accomplished it in his rookie season.

Mike Coast and Brian Wagner brought out the Spectators for their first feature event. Coast won the dash to turn one but an incident involving Rich Becker, James Britt and Bob Kinne. The leaders were involved in another incident on the next restart placing Jeremy Arnold and Shiloh Swabik on the front row for the third start. Arnold led lap one then Rich Becker slowed smoking heavily bringing out the yellow before lap two was complete. Arnold got loose and made contact with Swabik sending Arnold spinning into the infield and bringing out another caution. Swabik was sent to the rear and the race lead was turned over to Bill Baker Jr. and Ken Jackson. Jackson grabbed the lead on the restart. Baker hounded Jackson through the next couple of laps then Jackson slipped up the speedway giving Baker the opening he was waiting for. Baker led the final four laps to notch his first win of the year.

Kevin Brumett led the first lap of the second Spectator feature with John Kelsey second and Rick Thompson third. Rush Firestone and Matt Lozowski completed the top five. Lozowski took fourth from Firestone on lap five and Kelsey passed Brumett for the lead. Brumett spun into the infield with two to go moving Thompson to second. Firestone had trouble on the final lap as did David McClanahan but the green stayed out giving Kelsey his first win of the year.

Heat 1: Matt Lozowski, John Swabik, Rush Firestone

Heat 2: Lonnie Waldron, Mike Coast, Rich Becker

Feature 1: Bill Baker Jr., Ken Jackson, Bob Kinne, Mark Luce, Pat Landy, Dan Surrena, Shiloh Swabik, Jeremiah Arnold, Art Jimmerson, Scott Perrin

Feature 2: John Kelsey, Rick Thompson, Matt Lozowski, Lester Shoff, John Swabik, Bill Van Volkenburg, Chris Couchenour, Brian Crandall, Terry Lavery, Jeremy English

Heat 1: Mike Moore, Alex Fiesler, John Cline

Heat 2: Nathan Short, Phil Knight, Louis DeDionisio

Feature: Nathan Short, Bill Dunn, Louis DeDionisio, Phil Knight, John Cline, Mike Knight, Paul Norman, Mike Moore, Jamie Erhard, Alex Feisler

Heat 1: Scott Kuschel, Chris Kuschel, Will Wanstreet
Heat 2: Pete Volpe, Pat McGuire, Bobby Rohrer

Feature: Bryan Ester, Pat McGuire, Bobby Rohrer, Pete Volpe, Don McGuire, John Boardman, Mike Corrigan, Chris Kuschel, Will Wanstreet, Mike Murray

Heat 1: Dale Applebee, Mike Hess, Mike Munsee

Heat 2: Tom Hagberg, Dave Hess Jr., Tim Rater

Feature: Mike Hess, Dale Applebee, Mike Hess, Tom Hagberg, Quincy Turner, Ti Rater, Dan Nocero, Justin Carlson, Troy Carr, Bill Thomas

Heat 1: Wally Fox, Chad Valone, Bill Cunningham, Dick Barton, Rich Gardner

Heat 2: Scott Johnson, Merle Terry, Bump Hedman, Doug Eck, Bruce Hordusky

Heat 3: Rod Philips, Chris Hackett, Chad Ruhlman, Dave Hess Jr., Moose Dunnewold

Feature: Dave Hess Jr., Scott Johnson, Chris Hackett, Rod Philips, Wally Fox, Rich Gardner, Chad Ruhlman, Doug Eck, Chad Valone, Keith Berner, Bill Cunningham, Merle Terry, Bruce Hordusky, Paul Briggs, Randy Lobb, Dick Barton, Jason Morell, Bump Hedman, Moose Dunnewold, Wendell Pinckney, Andy Boozel, Mike Coyle, Scott Gurdak, Kevin Weise

Heat 1: Dereck Frank, Jay Seekings, James Paul
Heat 2: Kirk Foust, Mike Genco, Mike Beatman
Heat 3: Mike Kelwaski, Shawn Seekings, Henry Seekings

Feature 1: Sam Courson, Ken Kaltenboch, Brian Swift, Mike Kelwaski, Bryon Johnson, Randy Carlson, Jesse Dash, Eric McCray, Jeff Birath, Steve Seekings

Feature 2: Dereck Frank, Brett Van Guilder, Ryan Scott, Glenn Slaney, Mike Genco, Chuck Dickinson, Kirk Foust, Terry Lester, Henry Seekings, A. J. Moore