ELBRIDGE - "Barefoot" Bob McCreadie thrilled the crowd at Rolling Wheels Raceway Sunday evening, trouncing the competition in his Kinney Drugs No. 9 for an apparent win in the 100-lap DIRT Challenge Cup. But the victory celebration was ruined when DIRT officials found the rear spoiler height on his Bicknell car to be one inch too high.

McCreadie's mount was deemed illegal and the win was handed over to second-place finisher Brett Hearn. The grandstand crowd voiced their displeasure over the unpopular ruling.

"We had a second-place car here today," Hearn said. "I feel bad for Bob. That one inch probably didn't make him that much faster; he had a heck of a run out there. I'm happy to have a solid showing for our new sponsor, Page Transportation."

McCreadie was unavailable for comment, loading his car and leaving the pit area swiftly.

McCreadie certainly had the swiftest big-block modified on the speedway, although Pat Ward looked to have the advantage over the field early on. Ward took the early lead from his front row starting spot and built up a huge lead on the field on several different occasions, only to have several caution periods erase it.

McCreadie drifted back to fifth place after starting third, but after the last caution of the race on lap 32, he began his march forward. McCreadie passed his son Tim McCreadie for fourth on the lap 34 race restart, got by Gary Tomkins for third on lap 38, and then reeled in Ward and Hearn by lap 46.

The lead three entered lapped traffic and battled each other while working through it, with McCreadie besting Hearn on lap 48. Five laps later, he eclipsed Ward to grab a lead he would not relinquish until the DIRT officials contacted him after the race.

Hearn was unable to get by Ward until lap 80, making the pass for second spot that would prove to actually be for the $6,000 payday. Ward settled for the runner-up slot.

Also moving up in the order of finish was Tomkins, scored third in the Beachy entry. Tim McCreadie was fourth, followed by Matt Sheppard in fifth.

Billy Decker was sixth, followed by Frank Cozze, Chad Brachmann, and Justin Haers. Vic Coffey completed the top 10 finishers.

Tim Hindley passed Russ Hefti on the white flag lap to win the 20-lap sportsman main. Rob Pratt was third, trailed by Scott Schrader and Dan Wiesner.

Blane Smith won the 15-lap street stock feature, leading from green to checkered. Nick Dandino was second, with Dave Mannise finishing third. Nick Rizzo and Dave Marcuccilli rounded out the top five finishers.

Racing returns to Cayuga County Fair Speedway Sunday, May 8 with the season opener for the Empire Super Sprints. The sportsman cars join them on the card with a Mother's Day friendly starting time of 4 p.m.