With only one Feature win this season entering the Summer Showdown 100 at Cornwall Motor Speedway, Tim Fuller needed a spark to turn his season around.
The Hall of Famer got that spark Wednesday night, passing Mike Mahaney with 18 laps to go to earn his first DIRTcar 358 Modified Series win of the season.
Fuller, who was all smiles in Victory Lane, described the race with one word. Fun.
“It’s a rare moment to have a lot of fun in racing,” Fuller said. “But that right there with Mike Mahaney, battling for the lead in front of this crowd at a beautiful facility, this is what it’s all about.”
Joey Ladouceur led the field to green in the 100-lap Feature, moving ahead of Ryan Stabler through Turns 1 and 2. However, that was short-lived as Stabler drove past the No. 23 to take the lead on Lap 10.
After a caution on Lap 14, Stabler was challenged for the lead by three-time Series champion Erick Rudolph, who snuck past Ladouceur one lap earlier. The Ransomville, NY driver stayed tight to Stabler’s bumper, trying to take the lead and score his first Series victory since October of 2023.
But as the two battled in traffic, Mahaney was lurking behind them. It wasn’t long before “Smooth Shoe” found an opportunity to wrestle the lead away. After passing Rudolph on Lap 32, the Elizabethtown, NY driver carried his momentum for another circuit, passing Stabler for the lead on Lap 33.
Mahaney drove away from the field, getting out to more than a second lead over Fuller, who passed Stabler for second on Lap 38. But just as it seemed like Mahaney could cruise to victory, a caution on Lap 62 put Fuller next to the No. 35 on a double-file restart.
When the race resumed, Mahaney reclaimed the lead with Fuller right behind him at every turn. As the two waged war for the lead, Fuller’s momentum on the outside line pushed him ahead to lead his first lap of the race on Lap 74. That only lasted a lap, though, as Mahaney powered by him to re-take the lead.
Tim Fuller tries to pass Mike Mahaney for the lead/Joe Grabianowski
Fuller kept his momentum going on the outside lane and didn’t let Mahaney get away. That gave him another chance at the lead—one he didn’t waste.
With a burst of speed, Fuller drove past Mahaney on the outside again, taking a lead he wouldn’t relinquish on Lap 82. From there, the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Famer led the final 18 laps to score the $10,000 (CAN) victory and his 22nd career Series triumph.
Fuller said his experience played a factor in earning the Victory, as he kept an eye on where to be on the track throughout the 100-lap event.
“I just waited for it to come around,” Fuller said. “The track moved around, and Mike was on the bottom and in the middle. He was soul-searching. And the guy in second has the advantage. I’m up on the top, and I had such a good run once, I hit him too hard coming off four.
“It was good racing. We’d get into lap traffic, and it was anybody’s race. I threw it away there on the backstretch one time and got it back and just stayed married to the bottom.”
Mahaney settled for second, earning his fourth podium in six races and second runner-up of the season.
“[Fuller] did a great job running that middle and rolled right around me,” Mahaney said. “I could tell he was right on me after that one restart there. I tried a few different things and just couldn’t gap him. I could feel him. He was using a lot of finesse to try to get around me. He was smooth and did a hell of a job.
“I was proud to race with him, but just couldn’t hold him off, so we’ll have to settle for second.”
With his second-place finish, Mahaney cut Mat Wiliamson’s Series points lead to eight points entering Thursday’s race at Mohawk International Raceway. Williamson finished fourth after starting 17th.
Rudolph crossed the line third to score his first DIRTcar 358 Modified Series podium of the season. He said in Victory Lane that the run was another solid performance for his team.
“We were really fast early on in the race,” Rudolph said. “About a third, maybe halfway through the race, we were just kind of there. I knew we had to hang on a little bit, but nevertheless, a top three against a stellar field. I can’t complain at all.”
William Racine rounded out the top five.
UP NEXT: The DIRTcar 358 Modified Series returns to action on Thursday, July 17, for the Ovide Doiron Memorial at Mohawk International Raceway in Akwesasne, NY.
For more on the DIRTcar Northeast, follow the DIRTcar Northeast Facebook page and the Series’ X/(Twitter) page.
Summer Showdown 100 (100 Laps): 1. 19-Tim Fuller[8]; 2. 35M-Mike Mahaney[4]; 3. 25-Erick Rudolph[7]; 4. 6-Mat Williamson[17]; 5. 35R-William Racine[9]; 6. 21A-Peter Britten[6]; 7. 60-Jackson Gill[10]; 8. 23-Joey Ladouceur[1]; 9. 77E-Ryan Stabler[2]; 10. 88J-Justin Cyr[3]; 11. 94-Gabriel Cyr[5]; 12. 18JR-Louie Jackson Jr[23]; 13. 31-Lance Willix[27]; 14. 41-Samuel Charland[14]; 15. 124-Mario Clair[11]; 16. 124J-Luke Whitteker[13]; 17. 28-Jordan McCreadie[18]; 18. 5H-Amy Holland[26]; 19. 17-Tristan Draper[25]; 20. 15B-Brianna Ladouceur[15]; 21. 11S-Steve Lewis[30]; 22. 18-Kalen Draper[31]; 23. 17M-Gavin MacFarlane[24]; 24. 151KB-Brian McDonald[20]; 25. (DNF) 66X-Carey Terrance[22]; 26. (DNF) 44-Johnathon Ferguson[12]; 27. (DNF) K38-Jarrett Herbison[28]; 28. (DNF) 47S-Corey Wheeler[21]; 29. (DNF) 91-Felix Roy[19]; 30. (DNF) 66-Kyle Dingwall[16]; 31. (DNF) 92-Andrew Buff[29]
Post-Race Tech: Tire Samples were taken from the Heat Race Winners. Carburetors and Intakes were checked on the top three in the Feature.
Hoosier Racing Tire Award (Free Tire): Jordan McCreadie
