Raabe Inches Closer To Mohawk Modified Title

HOGANSBURG, N.Y. – Chris Raabe inched closer to the Mohawk Int’l Speedway Twin Leaf Stores 358 Modified track championship with his third victory of the season Friday night.

Matt Woodruff would lead the way in the opening laps of the Twin Leaf Stores 358 Modified feature over John Mulder, Lance Willix, Preston Forbes and Brian McDonald. Woodruff had a fast car and was pulling away from the field until lap nine when Mike Stacey slowed with suspension problems on the front stretch.

When the green waved for the restart it was still Woodruff in front, but Lance Willix was closing in and mounting a serious challenge for the top spot. On lap 18 Willix was able to take over the lead as Raabe started to enter into the picture with Michael Maresca and Tim Fuller charging into the top-five as Woodruff slid back to the number five spot.

Willix was in fine form and in complete control of the race but Chris Raabe was charging hard and looking to score a big win while Willix was hoping to end Mohawk winless drought that dated back to Sept. 1, 2017.

On lap 26 Raabe would use the top lane on the speedway to draw even with Willix and make a run at the lead. The Alexandria native charged to the top spot and would start to pull away.

After a few weeks of motor problems Raabe would put all of that behind him and secure his third win of 2019. Lance Willix would take his second runner-up finish of the week over Michael Maresca, Tim Fuller and Carey Terrance.

Other feature winners included Shane Pecore in the Crossroads Tobacco Sportsman, Ian Bressette in Mod Lite, Dan Reif in Novice Sportsman, Matt Zira in Bandits and Matt Barbour and Scott Gauthier in the Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour.