Carberry done, Horton dives to NES victory

NEW EGYPT - Tom Carberry was almost the top cat, but veteran Jimmy Horton of Neshanic Station, was ultimately the top dog at New Egypt Speedway on Saturday, after Carberry's driveshaft broke while leading the 30-lap Modified main event on a night sponsored by A Team Motorsports.

"It was a shame for Tommy. He would've won it, hands down," Horton said, after scoring his second win in as many weeks for car owner Rick Grosso. "Without restarts, we had a third-place car. But like I always say, I'd rather be lucky than good. Tonight, we were lucky."

Carberry was the man to beat in the Modified race, jumping from third to the lead in the first lap, and then opening up to leave the rest of the field far in his wake. Restarts, heavy lapped traffic - nothing fazed Carberry as he aimed for his fifth career trip to the winner's circle at New Egypt. But it wasn't to be. While running out front alone on lap 22, Carberry suddenly pulled to a stop in turn 1. His No. 23 had lost the drivetrain.

It was a whole new ball game then, with the cat done and all the dogs drooling for the $2,500 prize. The savvy Horton, running third at the time, now had another clean shot and he made the most of it.

Shadowing new leader Ron John Koczon through the final laps, Horton finally dove low on Koczon on a two-to-go restart, found something to grab onto, and kicked it into high gear to score his second consecutive Mod win, the 419th of his long career. Koczon came in second, with Billy Pauch rebounding from a lap 2 jingle to take third. Modified rookies Rich Rutski and Billy Pauch Jr. drove like pros to finish fourth and fifth.

Mike Lyons, of Monroe Township, showed some muscle in the 20-lap Sportsman event, fending off everything John McClelland could throw at him to record his sixth career win at NES. Mike Howardson, Willie Osmun and Jack Swain followed Lyons and McClelland across the stripe.

Spider Ensinger Jr., of Bayville, trapped leader Mick Search in a traffic jam at the halfway mark, then sailed on to score his second career win in the 20-lap Super Stock fray. Former division champ Billy Bauer tried to make it a race at the very end but came up one spot short. Search, Norm Saxton and Jake Roveda trailed at the checkers.

In the Haldeman Ford SS Sprint race, Steve Wilson, of Southampton, held off a late-charging Art Liedl, the division's two-time champion, to take his first of the year, the second of his career. Craig Martin, John Snook and Ed Hughes completed the top five.

In the third race of the Advantage Financial/Cradle Rock Developers Rookie Sportsman series, Jason Dunn of Hamilton, ran wire-to-wire to set a new eight-lap track record and raise his very first checkered flag. Series points leader Bryan Driver was second, with last week's winner, Steve Davis, in third, Mike Smith in fourth and Tony Pietrofitta in fifth.

The Vespia Tire & Auto Care Lightning Lap bonuses for fastest laps in timed dash qualifying went to Glenn Pyatt (Sportsman, 18.021), Kory Fleming (Super Stock, 19.058), and Steve Wilson (SS Sprint, 17.506).

Next Saturday, May 13, at New Egypt Speedway, ShopRite presents the track's annual Mother's Day Bouquet: a full card of macho racing featuring big-block Modifieds, Sportsman, Super Stocks, the Haldeman Ford SS Sprints and the Advantage Financial/Cradle Rock Developers Rookies - plus Perlmutter Family ShopRite stores will present the second annual Supermom Stocks, with mothers of Sportsman drivers racing their sons' cars in a very special race. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. with first green at 6 p.m. Adult admission is $16, children 7-12 are $5, and kids 6 and under are free. For more information, call the speedway office at (609) 758-1900 or go to www.newegyptspeedway.net.