 120 cars, competing in one of Midvale Speedway’s five divisions, were in the pits this past Saturday night, July 26. Late Models, Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Compacts were on hand for a regular night of racing that turned out to be anything but regular, as the fast track produced three track records and two Compact rollovers.
Shawn Nastasi and Butch Erickson made up the front row of the Tolloti Pipe Modified feature event. Erickson, looking for his second feature win of the season, took the early lead via the outside lane. On the move was Glen Jewell, who had not picked up a feature victory since his grinding crash in the month of May. Jewell followed Erickson for a handful of laps before finally getting the run he needed to take over the top spot. At the finish, Jewell was victorious for the second time this season in his Texas Roadhouse/J.D. Byrider #24 and was followed by Erickson, Ron McBride, Mark Striker, and John Wilson. Wilson won the heat, while Striker set fast time with a new track record. The Modifieds will next compete in a special 50-lapper this coming Saturday.
17 Late Models were on hand to compete in the 25-lap feature event. Bob Sibila and Mike Enos made up the front row for the race that turned out to be one that will keep fabricators busy for a while. Twice on starts during the race, an accident happened before the cars left turn four. In the two skirmishes, the cars of Steve Gilland, A.P. Ren, Randy Gray, Marcus Malcuit, and Ryan Tedesco were damaged and retired. Under green flag conditions, Sibila had his hands full with the #64 of Tom Garbrandt who was all over his rear bumper. The duo touched a handful of times, as Sibila locked his car up in the bottom lane to protect the preferred groove coming off of the corners. His plan worked to perfection as the Massillon, OH driver crossed the line at the finish with his second feature win of the season followed by Garbrandt, Mike Miller, Bear Schwartz, and Tom Newman, Jr. Don Harvey, Jr., Mike Enos, Darrel Dexter, Greg Beule, and Bob Eichel completed the top ten. Newman and Eichel won the heats, while Ren set fast time.
Dan Gasser held the early lead in the Tusco Net Pro Stock 20-lap feature. Meanwhile, Don Rufener, Jr. and Greg Mazzoleni were working their way to the front. With those three at the front of the field, Gasser started to fade back and Keith Thomas worked his way to the front. Thomas, who drove in the Late Model and Pro Stock division, used the outside lane to quickly work around the lead cars and pull away for the victory. It was the third feature win of the year for the Midvale, OH driver. Following the D&B Machine/Hoop Design Graphics #34 were Mazzoleni, Will Walker, John Tantarelli, Jr., and Tim Skinner. Doug McMillen, Don Rufener, Jr., Waylon Orr, Gabe Pringle, and Gasser completed the top ten. Pringle and Rufener won the heats, while Skinner set fast time.
The Papa John’s Pure Stock feature was exciting as usual, as this week three drivers competed for the feature victory. On the original start, point leader Joe Oliver took the lead from polesitter Justin Lawson and led the field around with Bubba Smith moving into the second spot. Smith quickly moved to the outside lane to challenge Oliver, and the duo battled until the checkered flag was waved. Also in on the three car battle was John Leasure. As the cars maneuvered turns three and four on the final lap, Smith gave it one last attempt to no avail, but in the process allowed Leasure to take second at the line. For Oliver, it was the fifth feature win of the season for the Canton, OH driver. Leasure, Smith, Blake Mackey, and Justin Courtney completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Curtis Collins, Tom Feller, Jr., Teddy Oliver, Rich Schweitzer, and D.J. Radanovich.
In the second Pure Stock feature, Larry Smith, who had transmission troubles in qualifying, was able to start the race at the back of the field, as the transmission was fixed by feature time. It turned out to be another feature victory for the Valvoline/Frame’s Tavern #8, as his car proved to be too much for the competitors in the second feature. Mike Martin, Chuck Sampson, Barney Gerber, and Norm Stutler rounded out the top five. Completing positions six through ten were Dick Aubihl, Shawanna Myers, Chris Miller, Ron Myers, and Douglas Higgins. Radanovich, Norm Stutler, and Chuck Sampson won the heats, while Teddy Oliver set fast time with a new track record.
Russell Grandison and Jason Grewell made up the first row for the 15-lap fast Compact feature. Grewell easily moved into the lead and pulled away from his fellow competitors. With the race all but wrapped up for the Dover, OH driver, another competitor put a stream of water down in the turn three and four portion of the speedway. Grewell got his car sideways, slid up the banking and clipped the #3 of Greg Grove. Grove’s car went up on its two right side wheels, rolled over and slid on its roof hitting the driver side into the wall. Grove was okay, but both Grove and Grewell were done for the night. On the final shootout, top qualifier Kelly McNutt was able to hold off Terry Colletti for the feature victory. For the New Philadelphia, OH driver it was his first win of the season, not counting the lawn mower race. Colletti, Dale Beatty, John McNutt, and Jim Beatty, Jr. followed the United Sales/Route 39 Auto Salvage #36 across the stripe. Gary Musick, Jason Morgan, Randy Hahn, Josh Grove, and Bob Passwaters, Jr. finished off the top ten.
Tammy Rufener picked up her second feature win of the season in the second Compact feature, by beating Kenny Jewell, Jack Grove, Adam Mishler, and Will Miller across the line. For the Uhrichsville, OH driver it turned out to be a great night, as she won both her heat and her feature in the Auto Zone/Wainright Auto Parts #7.
In the third and final Compact main event, the action was still furious, as fans saw, not only the second flip of the season, but the second flip of the night. As a group of cars exited turn two, Walter Cline, who was celebrating his birthday, had contact and rolled the car down the backstretch. With fans waiting to see if he was okay, he jumped from his car, ran to the concrete retaining wall and climbed it only to jump off with his hands raised in the air in jubilation. He then climbed back in his car and drove it to the pits. When the checkered did come out, Jack Thomas of New Philadelphia, OH was victorious, in only his second week of racing. Kevin Rennicker, John Wissman, Kyle Grewell, and Luke Crawshaw completed the top five.
Terry Colletti, Perry Nave, Tammy Rufener, Josh Irwin, and John Wissman won compact preliminaries. Kelly McNutt set fast time with a new track record.
This coming Saturday, August 2, the Tolloti Pipe Modifieds will compete in a 50-lap feature event for $800 to win and $100 to start, based on a 15 car field. Late Models, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Compacts will also be racing. Qualifying begins at 3:50 and ends at 5:50, while the racing starts at 6:30. Admission for the event will be $9.95 for adults, $8.95 for seniors, and $6 for kids. Then the following Friday, August 8, the Main Event Racing Series returns for its second visit. Racing that night will be 8:00.
Results For Midvale Speedway
Late Models
Top Qualifier – A.P. Ren 14.65
Heat #1 – Tom Newman, Jr., Mike Miller, Keith Thomas, Marcus Malcuit, Ryan Tedesco
Heat #2 – Bob Eichel, Randy Gray, Darrel Dexter, Tom Garbrandt, Bob Sibila
Feature – Bob Sibila, Tom Garbrandt, Mike Miller, Bear Schwartz, Tom Newman, Jr., Don Harvey, Jr., Mike Enos, Darrel Dexter, Greg Beule, Bob Eichel, Bob Gainer, Keith Thomas, Ryan Tedesco, Marcus Malcuit, Randy Gray, A.P. Ren, Steve Gilland
Tolloti Pipe Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Mark Striker 14.61 (NTR)
Heat – John Wilson, Mark Enos, Mark Striker, Ron McBride, Shawn Nastasi
Feature – Glen Jewell, Butch Erickson, Ron McBride, Mark Striker, John Wilson, Mark Enos, Shawn Nastasi, Mark Willison
Tusco Net Pro Stocks
Top Qualifier – Tim Skinner 15.84
Heat #1 – Gabe Pringle, Keith Thomas, Will Walker, Tim Skinner, Kevin McClintock
Heat #2 – Don Rufener, Jr., Greg Mazzoleni, Dan Gasser, Ron Carothers, Bill Weaver
Feature – Keith Thomas, Greg Mazzoleni, Will Walker, John Tantarelli, Jr., Tim Skinner, Doug McMillen, Don Rufener, Jr., Waylon Orr, Gabe Pringle, Dan Gasser, Ron Carothers, Roger Linard, Frank Heater, Kevin McClintock, Sonny Arkenburgh, Bill Weaver
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Teddy Oliver 17.83 (NTR)
Heat #1 – D.J. Radanovich, Blake Mackey, Rich Schweitzer, Teddy Oliver, Al Street
Heat #2 – Norm Stutler, Barney Gerber, Chris Miller, Joe Oliver, Justin Lawson
Heat #3 – Chuck Sampson, Mike Martin, Ray Van Lehn, Ron Myers, Dick Aubihl
Feature #1 – Joe Oliver, John Leasure, Bubba Smith, Blake Mackey, Justin Courtney, Curtis Collins, Tom Feller, Jr., Teddy Oliver, Rich Schweitzer, D.J. Radanovich, Brian Wood, Rick Elkins, Jr., Justin Lawson, Al Street
Feature #2 – Larry Smith, Mike Martin, Chuck Sampson, Barney Gerber, Norm Stutler, Dick Aubihl, Shawanna Myers, Chris Miller, Ron Myers, Douglas Higgins, Ray Van Lehn, Shawn Royer
Fireproofcar.com Compacts
Top Qualifier – Kelly McNutt 18.14 (NTR)
Heat #1 – Terry Colletti, Greg Grove, Dale Beatty, Randy Hahn, Randy Smart
Heat #2 – Perry Nave, Russell Grandison, Jason Grewell, Jason Morgan, Josh Grove
Heat #3 – Tammy Rufener, Phil Veno, Rocky Moore, John Drescher, Bob Passwaters, Sr.
Heat #4 – Josh Irwin, Charles Ritch, Bruce Gibson, Eric Sell, Kevin Rennicker
Heat #5 – John Wissman, Walter Cline, Jack Thomas, Ben Gibson, Jaimie Huebner
Feature #1 – Kelly McNutt, Terry Colletti, Dale Beatty, John McNutt, Jim Beatty, Jr., Gary Musick, Jason Morgan, Randy Hahn, Josh Grove, Bob Passwaters, Jr., Jason Grewell, Greg Grove, Randy Smart, Jim Poole, Russell Grandison, Cody Kahler, Willie Grove, John Nealey
Feature #2 – Tammy Rufener, Kenny Jewell, Jack Grove, Adam Mishler, Will Miller, Tom Barrett, Phil Wade, Rocky Moore, Tye Kelly, Bruce Gibson, Jeff Lanzer, Dougie Cross, Perry Nave, Josh Irwin, Jamie Leslie, Bob Passwaters, Sr., Phil Veno
Feature #3 – Jack Thomas, Kevin Rennicker, John Wissman, Kyle Grewell, Luke Crawshaw, Charles Ritch, Jesse Page, Jaimie Huebner, Steve Cooper, Ben Gibson, Gary Murray, Justin Rennicker, Jim Miller, Eric Sell, Walter Cline
Written by: Adam Mackey |
