By Evan Canfield
MONROETON, Pa. (July 9) – Though only two races had been completed in the inaugural NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series season, luck had not been on the side of Brad Sites.
Although he entered the Billy Maynard Memorial at The Hill Speedway as the point leader, the previous two races had gone far from smooth.
While leading in both races, he found himself backwards, having to climb his way back to top five finishes that helped propel him to the top of the standings. At the end of Friday night’s race, he once again had to overcome adversity to claim his first series checkered flag.
Sonny Terry and Rick Watt would lead the field of 18 to the green flag at the Monroeton, Pa., bullring, with Terry jumping to an early lead of the 30-lap feature. Racing would not last long as Rodney Morgan would come to a stop in the middle of the field in turn three, causing cars to scatter but everyone would continue on. When the green flag resumed racing, Terry again took off with the lead, closely pursued by the third place starter Sites.
Sites had barely made the start of the race after suffering a broken coil at the end of his heat race. The problem nearly sidelined him for the evening as he and his team scavenged the pit area to find a replacement.
Overcoming the issue, Sites chased down Terry for the opening laps until Terry slowed and went pitside, his night ending and relinquishing the lead to Sites.
Over the course of the first 10 laps, drivers such as Jake Maynard and Rick Watt also found themselves out of the race with issues. Caution flags sprinkled themselves throughout the event as the cream would start finding way to the top. Keith Jack Lamphere spun out of second, moving him back in the field.
As laps clicked off, Sites continued to lead, getting challenges from Shawn Bruce and Eddie Sites over the course of the race, but did not give way. Lamphere carved his way back through the field and again challenged for the top spot as he worked the top side.
Late-race cautions kept Lamphere from making his way around Sites, who took the checkered flag over Gary Lamphere, with Keith Jack Lamphere rounding out the podium. The $1,269 win put Sites on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, and gave him a guaranteed redraw spot for the season finale at Penn Can Speedway on Sept. 25 as well.
The Billy Maynard Memorial had been postponed from July 2 because of inclement weather. The next race for the NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series will take place at the Afton Motorsports Park on Friday, July 30.
Feature results – 1. Brad Sites; 2. Gary Lamphere; 3. Keith Jack Lamphere; 4. Aaron Benjamin; 5. Keith Lamphere; 6. Oliver Gage; 7. Shawn Bruce; 8. Eddie Sites; 9. Tyler Stoddard; 10. J.W. Lamphere; 11. Bobby Maynard; 12. Ray McClure; 13. Rick Watt; 14. Jake Maynard; 15. Sonny Terry; 16. Rodney Morgan; 17. Mike Stoddard; 18. Lance Conley.