FULTONVILLE — Getting through traffic on a tight quarter-mile dirt track can be difficult and lead to changes at the blink of an eye.
With the 25-lap 602 modified feature going caution free it came down to who got the break between Brian Calabrese, Chad Edwards and David Constantino as they battled on the front end.
With the lead changing four times in the final 10 laps before Constantino was able to break through and pick up the victory Sunday night at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park.
Joining Constantino with victories Sunday night were Nick Stone (Pro Stock), Bill August (Limited Sportsman), Shane Mahieu (Sr. Sling Shots), Derrick McGrew Jr. (Jr. Sling Shots) and Andy Graves (Cruisers) while Shilo Boyce picked up the victory in the Lucas Oil POWRi midgets main event.
Jim Introne Jr. and Kurtis Hohensheldt brought the field of 19 602 modifieds to the green with Introne setting the early pace over Calabrese and Constantino.
Calabrese moved to the front, passing Introne off the fourth turn on lap six and Constantino followed him through into second, leaving Introne to battle with Edwards and Jeremy Pitts..
Edwards moved up to Constantino’s back bumper as the leaders began catching lapped traffic. Calabrese handled the task using the slower cars to keep Constantino and Edwards at bay.
Constantino saw an opening on the bottom on lap 18 and got under Calabrese on the front stretch and momentarily got a nose in front before running into the back of a lapped car. Constantino and Calabrese checked up, sliding up the track, allowing Edwards to slide through on the bottom and into the lead with seven laps to go.
Constantino regained his momentum with a open track in front of himself and Edwards and was able to dive under Edwards exiting turn two on lap 24 to take the lead and hold on for the victory.
Calabrese came home in third with Pitts and Introne Jr. rounding out the top five.
Todd Hoffman and Ivan Joslin crossed the line in a deadheat on the opening lap of the 20-lap Pro Stock feature before Joslin gained control on a second-lap restart.
A series of early-race cautions allowed Nick Stone and Dennis Joslin to move up through the field and join in the battle fron the top spot.
Ivan Joslin held off Stone until a 16-lap green flag condition allowed Stone to get to the front and pull away for his first win of the year at The Ridge. Ivan Joslin crossed under the checkers in second with Dennis Joslin third and Luke Horning recovered from an early-race accident to finish fourth. Jay Fitzgerald rounds out the top five.
August grabbed the lead in the 20-lap Limited Sportsman feature at the drop of the green with Marty Kelly Jr. and Dave Richer in pursuit.
August built a solid lead before Richer got around Kelly for second.
With the race staying under green-flag conditions, Richer chipped away at August’s advantage and was within striking distance as the white flag was shown.
Richer made one big move for the lead when August got pinned behind a lapped car but came up .003-seconds short as August got across the line for his first win at Glen Ridge.
Dan Ballard led the Senior Sling Shot feature from green-to-checkers but had the victory taken away after failing post-race tech, giving Shane Mahieu the win.
Racing returns to The Ridge next Sunday night with the Vintage Modifieds joining the regular race program along with a meet-and-greet for the fans to connect with their favorite drivers.
