SYRACUSE - For the second consecutive year, Billy Decker will start on the pole for Super DIRT Week's crown jewel for big-block modifieds, the Eckerd 200.
Decker wheeled his Gypsum Wholesalers No. 91 Bicknell modified around the one-mile oval at the New York State Fairgrounds in 28.348 seconds on Wednesday, shattering his own mark from a year ago of 28.763 seconds.
"The Gypsum team did a great job and I got a pretty close to perfect lap in," Decker said. "But you only need to go fast for one lap in time trials, you throw on a hard right rear and go. Tomorrow we work on getting the car comfortable and finding something that works on a longer run. It takes a lot of pressure off us to know we'll be starting up front."
The top six qualifying runs are locked into the first six starting spots for Sunday's Eckerd 200, and the names of the top six had a familiar ring.
Gary Tomkins set the second-fastest time, driving the Elaine James Bicknell chassis No. 1 that won the Eckerd 200 last year with Alan Johnson behind the wheel. Tomkins also surpassed the old record, turning in a lap of 28.586 seconds
Waterloo's Matt Sheppard, the defending Sunoco/A-plus 150 winner, was third quickest at 28.607. Sheppard was driving the Randy Ross Motorsports Bicknell chassis No. 44. Ross' team has previously won the Eckerd on two different occasions with Decker behind the wheel.
French-Canadian Steve Poirer was fourth fastest, at 28.742 seconds in his No. 28.
Two north country runners rounded out the top six, with Tim McCreadie fifth overall in his Sweetener's Plus Bicknell No. 39 with a time of 28.867, and Tim Fuller sixth with a lap of 28.883 seconds in his B and F General Machine Teo pro No. m1.
Steve Paine was seventh fastest, followed by Justin Haers in eighth and Donnie Radd in ninth. Perennial contender Brett Hearn was 10th fastest.
Other notables included past Eckerd champions: Jimmy Horton (13th) Jack Johnson (16th) Doug Hoffman (19th) Kenny Brightbill (20th) Kenny Tremont (21st) Alan Johnson (32nd) and Bob McCreadie (38th).
Sunny skies and balmy temperatures contributed to fast track conditions and with the forecast predicting dry weather throughout the rest of Super DIRT Week, the track should get faster, and the narrow racing groove, a little wider.
Today the big-blocks will time trial again, locking in the two quickest on the day for positions seventh and eighth in the Eckerd.
The rest of the field will be slotted according to their lap time for Friday's 20-lap qualifying races.
"The Gypsum team did a great job and I got a pretty close to perfect lap in," Decker said. "But you only need to go fast for one lap in time trials, you throw on a hard right rear and go. Tomorrow we work on getting the car comfortable and finding something that works on a longer run. It takes a lot of pressure off us to know we'll be starting up front."
The top six qualifying runs are locked into the first six starting spots for Sunday's Eckerd 200, and the names of the top six had a familiar ring.
Gary Tomkins set the second-fastest time, driving the Elaine James Bicknell chassis No. 1 that won the Eckerd 200 last year with Alan Johnson behind the wheel. Tomkins also surpassed the old record, turning in a lap of 28.586 seconds
Waterloo's Matt Sheppard, the defending Sunoco/A-plus 150 winner, was third quickest at 28.607. Sheppard was driving the Randy Ross Motorsports Bicknell chassis No. 44. Ross' team has previously won the Eckerd on two different occasions with Decker behind the wheel.
French-Canadian Steve Poirer was fourth fastest, at 28.742 seconds in his No. 28.
Two north country runners rounded out the top six, with Tim McCreadie fifth overall in his Sweetener's Plus Bicknell No. 39 with a time of 28.867, and Tim Fuller sixth with a lap of 28.883 seconds in his B and F General Machine Teo pro No. m1.
Steve Paine was seventh fastest, followed by Justin Haers in eighth and Donnie Radd in ninth. Perennial contender Brett Hearn was 10th fastest.
Other notables included past Eckerd champions: Jimmy Horton (13th) Jack Johnson (16th) Doug Hoffman (19th) Kenny Brightbill (20th) Kenny Tremont (21st) Alan Johnson (32nd) and Bob McCreadie (38th).
Sunny skies and balmy temperatures contributed to fast track conditions and with the forecast predicting dry weather throughout the rest of Super DIRT Week, the track should get faster, and the narrow racing groove, a little wider.
Today the big-blocks will time trial again, locking in the two quickest on the day for positions seventh and eighth in the Eckerd.
The rest of the field will be slotted according to their lap time for Friday's 20-lap qualifying races.