VERNON, N.Y. – Billy Decker raced to the lead on lap 11 and led the remaining 19 laps in Friday’s Sunoco Modified non-stop feature for his seventh career win at Utica-Rome Speedway.
The win was the first for the ‘Franklin Flyer’ in nearly seven years, with his last triumph coming on June 24, 2015. Decker came from the outside of the third row to best the Sunoco Modified field.
“We’re glad to be back here, it seems like it took forever to win here again,” explained Decker of his near seven-year hiatus from victory lane. “I can remember some big wins here in the past and it’s good to get back here.”
Alan Barker and Bobby Hackel occupied the front row when the green flag fell on the 30-lap main event.
Barker quickly raced out to the lead at the start. Nick Heywood quickly raced underneath Hackel for the runner-up spot and Billy Decker was wasting no time challenging Hackel for third.
Decker raced by Hackel by the end of the third circuit and set his sights on the top two. One lap later, Decker raced by Heywood for second after Heywood bobbled on the cushion, moving Decker into the runner-up spot to chase down Barker.
Matt Sheppard was on the charge in the early going, as well. After starting in the 12th position, Sheppard was into seventh by the end of seven laps and was quickly closing in on the top five.
Two laps later Sheppard took the fifth spot away, cracking the top five with 21 laps to go. While Sheppard was navigating his way through traffic, Decker began to apply the pressure to Barker for the lead.
Decker used the inside groove to slide underneath Barker and take the lead away with 19 laps remaining.
“You’ve got to have a maneuverable car here, at least the guys that are winning sure do. We’ve been maneuvering our way backwards but tonight we had it dialed in,” explained Decker.
Rocky Warner was quietly marching through the field, after falling back to seventh on the initial start, Warner was up to third at the halfway point, while Sheppard was working to get by Heywood for the fourth spot.
Alex Yankowski moved into sixth place and was closing in on the duo of Sheppard and Heywood battling for the fourth spot. Sheppard finally got the run he needed on the 19th circuit to clear Heywood. One lap later, Yankowski made the same move, following Sheppard as the duo raced to the front.
With Decker leading by over three seconds with 10 laps remaining, the battle was on for the runner-up spot. Warner was closing in on Barker with Sheppard and Yankowski running down the pair in front of them.
Sheppard used the inside groove to drive underneath both Warner and Barker and into the runner-up spot with four laps remaining. Sheppard’s charge from 12th would end there, as Decker’s advantage was too great up front.
The Hall of Famer would go on to collect a $2,400 payday and his first Sunoco Modified win of the 2022 campaign at Utica-Rome Speedway. Sheppard continued his streak, making it six consecutive races to open the season finishing in the top two.
Yankowski followed Sheppard for much of the 30-lap feature and wound up behind him at the finish coming home third. Warner grabbed the fourth spot in his Jason Simmons Racing No. 98 and Heywood rounded out the top-five.
Payton Talbot continued his hot streak, winning his second consecutive Worthington Industries Crate 602 Sportsman feature worth $1,000.
Alex Hughes was triumphant for the third time this season with the Fastline Performance Limited Sportsman.
For the second consecutive week with the Fonda Fair Four Cylinders, Corey Valade and Hunter Tarbania were victorious in the 12-lap feature. Corey Valade claimed his third Dual Cam win of the season while Tarbania crossed the line in third, good enough to win the Single Cam portion of the event.
Scott Sprague held off a hard-charging Brett Putnam and Chris Darrow for the Senior Services Inc. All-Star Slingshot 20-lap victory, his first of the season.
Blake Banek was dominant in the D&S Landscaping Junior Slingshot 15-lap event, claiming his third victory of the season over Corky Warner and Ayden Goodier.