5/30/04

        Moravia, NY's Larry Weaver won the 3rd Annual Box Stock Willys

Challenge held at Pocket Rocket Raceway on Saturday May 29, 2004.  By

continuing his streak, he managed to break that of Dave Hendrickson, who

had been unbeaten on PRR Majors thus far in 2004.

3rd Annual Box Stock Willys Challenge Entry List

Driver, Hometown - Entrant

Mark Burdick, Millerton, PA - BAM Racing

Dave Hendrickson, Erin, NY - KRD Racing

Matt Metcalf, Corning, NY - Matthew Metcalf Racing

Patrick Nevius, Moravia, NY - Kanga Kars

Jeff "Hoss" Phoenix, Solvay, NY - Self

Larry "Lawrence Of Moravia" Weaver, Moravia, NY - Kanga Kars

Mark Webster, Camillus, NY - Self

QUALIFYING

        The drivers were given an eight-minute warm up session to get

familiar with the four cars and controllers, which were supplied by PRR.

Although the warm up session did not count toward the race, everyone took

note that it was Dave Hendrickson who managed the most laps.  After the

warm up they went straight to qualifying.  It was a mild surprise, and a

bad omen for the rest of the field, when Larry Weaver grabbed the pole.

Weaver is not known for his qualifying performances, even though he had

taken pole in last year's event as well.  Dave Hendrickson was the last

one up in qualifying and fell just short of toppling Weaver from the top spot.  Both

drivers finished with the same number of laps, with a matter of a few

feet separating them.  The very experienced Jeff "Hoss" Phoenix grabbed

third spot, followed by Mark Webster, Mark Burdick, Patrick Nevius and

Matt Metcalf. 

SEMI FINALS

        The drivers were re-gridded from qualifying the Semi #1 featured

Weaver, Phoenix, Burdick and Metcalf.  Phoenix jumped out to the lead and

held on through most of the first segment before Weaver took over.

Phoenix took the lead back in the second segment before Weaver grabbed it

back for good in the third.  Weaver's win guaranteed him a spot in the

final.  Phoenix's performance was a two-lap gain over his qualifying run

and he looked like a sure shot for the final as well.  Semi #2 featured

Hendrickson, Webster and Nevius.  Hendrickson jumped out to the early

lead but Webster hung on gamely and even led in the second segment.

After that it was all Hendrickson as he shocked the others with an 82 lap

run, two better than Weaver.  Webster gained an impressive six laps over

his qualifying performance to earn his first final round appearance at

PRR. 

BOX STOCK WILLYS CHALLENGE FINAL

        The finalists were now set for the 28-minute race.  Hendrickson

had lane choice and appeared to have the edge going in.  If Weaver was

worried about losing his title, it didn't show.  He had been beaten by

Scott Walker in the Semi round during he 2003 event, also by two laps -

but he had still won the final.  Webster and Phoenix didn't seem to have

the pace of the first two, but both were keen on giving it their best

shot. 

        At the start all four drivers roared off together.  At turn five

on the first lap, they all went off the track together in a four-car

pileup.  Once things settled down Hendrickson began to pull away.  At the

halfway point of the first segment he led by half a lap over Phoenix and

Webster who were dueling over second place.  Weaver was struggling in the

blue gutter lane, nearly a lap down.  Then the tide began to turn.  Just

after putting Weaver a lap down, Hendrickson's tires began to fade.

Phoenix made the charge toward the lead, while Webster made a series of

errors and could not capitalize on the leader's slowing pace.  With

everyone else now sliding as much as he had been, Weaver managed to stop

the bleeding and remain within a couple of feet of regaining the lead lap

as Hendrickson and Phoenix swapped first position several times.  At the

end of the first segment it was Phoenix on top by three feet over

Hendrickson.  Webster was 3/4 of a lap down in 3rd, while defending champ

Weaver found himself one lap down in 4th. 

        Everything was about to change.  The second segment saw Weaver

charging hard.  Despite several spins he soon regained the lead lap.  2

1/2 minutes into the segment he swept past Hendrickson for 2nd.  Then he

steadily reeled in Phoenix for the lead.  For his part Phoenix held on as

long as he could.  With three minutes remaining he finally slipped up and

Weaver was back into his customary position.  In the final two segments

Weaver consolidated his position and went on to an easy win.   

        With Weaver out in front, and Webster fading, the real battle

came down between Phoenix and Hendrickson for 2nd.  Going into the final

segment Phoenix held the advantage by two laps.  Hendrickson closed to

within one, but then lost that when he pitted to clean his tires at about

the four-minute mark.  With those clean tires he was now the fastest car

on the track and Phoenix began to feel the heat.  When he pitted with 2

1/2 minutes to go the two found themselves on the same lap.  Hendrickson

could not be stopped and quickly put Phoenix away for 2nd.

        The victory means that Weaver has now walked away from PRR with

16 new free slot cars in the last three years.  It also means that

Hendrickson's bid to become the first person to sweep all of PRR's Majors

in one calendar year has come to an end.

PRR's Next Major - 7/31/04 - The Can-Am Challenge for 1/28 Vanquish cars,

(includes 1/32 WEC support race)  Call or e-mail for rules.

PRR's Friday Night HO Racing Series runs every Friday evening with races

beginning at 7 PM.  Current classes are Fray T-Jet and

X-Traction/Magnatraction.  Call or e-mail for rules.

PRR's Saturday Night 1/32 Racing Series runs every Saturday evening with

races beginning at 5 PM.  Current classes are World Endurance

Championship and Carrera Classic.  **Next race will be 6/12/04.  Call or

e-mail for rules. 

Pocket Rocket Raceway

2117 Grand Central Ave.

Horseheads, NY  14845

Phone: (607) 796-2168

Web Site:  http://www.pocketrocketraceway.com/

E-mail:  prrho@juno.com