 A season high 146 drivers were on hand this past Saturday night, September 4, at Midvale Speedway. The Legend car division joined late Models, Modifieds, Sport Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Compacts.
In the Performance Race Fuel Late Model division, Bob Scott and Bob Eichel started on the front row for the 25-lap main event. Eichel raced into the lead, but during the race’s only caution, the veteran driver pulled to the pits and retired with mechanical problems. That put the car of Scott back up front with Mike Enos, making his first 2004 start, second. Enos quickly raced into the lead, as Eichel and Marcum raced for second, and was able to build a sizable advantage. That gave Enos the cushion he needed to pick up his first career victory, using a 15-year old car that has been rebuilt. Marcum, Farmer Smith, Tom Garbrandt, and Doug McMillen followed the Uhrichsville, Ohio driver. Bear Schwartz, A.P. Ren, Bob Scott, Darrel Dexter, and Bob Gainer completed the top ten. Smith and Dexter won the heats, while Gainer set fast time for the second race night in a row.
Jim Beatty, Jr. started up front in the 20-lap Tolloti Pipe Modified feature race. The car on the move, though, was that of the Late Model feature winner’s brother, Mark Enos. Looking for his second feature win, things were not easy for Enos, as Dave Watson, Glen Jewell, and Ron McBride were hot on his tail. As the laps wore down, Enos held off the competitive field to make it an Enos clean sweep of the Late Model and Modified features. Watson, Jewell, McBride, and John Wilson followed the Dennison Yard/Abram’s Head Service #0 across the stripe. Mark Willison, Jim Beatty, Jr., Mike Bowers, Jim McCune, and Mel Robinson finished off the top ten. Willison and Beatty won the heat races. McBride set fast time.
A field of 27 cars lined up for the 20-lap 1st Annual Steve Armstrong Legend Car Classic. A.J. Kramer led the early laps of the main event, but one of the top Midvale Legend car competitors, Tim Davis was able to work by in the early stages. Davis led for many laps during the race’s mid-stage, but Dennis Knox was not to be denied his second win in a row at Midvale. Knox worked by Davis and held off Larry Young for the victory. It was the second Legend race this season that finished with a Knox/Young 1-2 result. Following the Tallmadge, Ohio driver to his $500 win were Young, Davis, Kramer, and Jason Knox. Ryan Ellis, Mike Luke, Fred Davis, Nick Carlson, and Tim Williams. Tim Davis, Kramer, and Tom Williams won the heats, while Bill Richards set fast time.
Roger Butler started on the pole for the 20-lap Tusco Net Sport Stock feature. Butler, looking for his first feature win, led lap-after-lap and looked to be on his way to victory, but Doug McMillen was racing quickly to the front. On the last lap, McMillen got a great run off of turn four and beat Butler to the line by a nose. It came after the drivers raced side-by-side for several laps. The Dug Moore Leasing/Stix & Stones Landscaping #54 topped Butler, Keith Thomas, Bubba Smith, and Kevin McClintock. Rich Stalnaker, Calvin Collins, Paul Murray, Bill Weaver, and Dan Gasser finished off the top ten. McMillen and Murray won the heats and Smith set fast time.
In the fast feature for the Papa John’s Pure Stock class, John Leasure and Tom Feller, Jr. started up front. Leasure led the first couple of circuits, but Feller had a good run and raced into the lead. After a mid-race caution, the night’s second fastest qualifier, Blake Mackey, restarted in the seventh position and after a couple of three wide battles found himself racing to close in on the leader. Feller had a decent lead, but after Mackey caught him, Feller’s car pushed up the banking in the second turn, allowing the third-year driver to the inside. Mackey made the pass to lead the final two laps to pick up his second feature win this season. Following the Midvale, Ohio driver in the Claymont Tire/New Image Homes #7 were Teddy Oliver, Randy Smart, Chuck Elkins, and Feller. Larry Smith, Craig Coventry, Scott Archer, John Leasure, and Bob Passwaters, Jr. rounded out the top ten.
Rich Schweitzer started near the back in the second Pure Stock feature, but quickly raced to the front. Schweitzer, winner of the fast feature two weeks ago, had spark plug problems in qualifying, but the car ran much better in feature action. The New Philadelphia driver was followed to his fourth win by Tim Oliver, Chris Miller, Bob Passwaters, Sr., and Kenny Feister. Miller elected not to go through tech, hence Bryan Hambleton picked up a top five. Dan Moore, Chester McMasters, Butch Knepper, Dave Fox, Jr., and Tim Rodgers finished off the top ten. Rob Scott, Feller, and Moore won the heats. Josh Grove set fast time and a new track record.
Russell Grandison and Jim Poole battled it out in the fast heat, as Grandison beat his teammate to the line by inches. In feature action, the two drivers were again out front and involved in a side-by-side battle. As the last couple of laps clicked off, Tom Barrett joined the battle after an impressive run from the back of the field for the second week straight. At the line, Poole came across in first. It was the first career fast feature win for the Uhrichsville, Ohio driver. Grandison, Barrett, Kelly McNutt, and Adam Mishler finished off the top five. Eric Anderson, Tye Kelly, Perry Nave, Jim Miller, and Jason Morgan finished off the top ten.
The second feature victory went to Waynesburg, Ohio driver Jesse Page. Kenny Jewell, Jill Harshey, Earl Scranton, and Chris Smith finished off the top five. The third Compact feature victory went to Bob Viertel, while Tad Grove, Kenny Jewell, Dana Burlingame, and Ben Gibson followed.
Russell Grandison, Perry Nave, Charles Ritch, Kenny Ford, and Katrina Ford picked up compact preliminary wins. Kelly McNutt, the 2004-point champion, was the top qualifier.
The final point battles will take place this coming Saturday, September 11, as the season championships are held. The kid’s racecar rides will be held at intermission. Racing starts at 6:30. The final weekend of racing will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 18/19, as the 2004 Run What’ya Brung Fall Classic will be held. Complete information for this exciting weekend is online at www.midvalespeedway.com .
Results For Midvale Speedway
Legends
Top Qualifier – Bill Richards 16.02
Heat #1 – Tim Davis, Rick Riffle, Jason Miller, Dennis Knox, Jason Knox
Heat #2 – A.J. Kramer, Fred Davis, Tim Williams, Randy Burns, Mike Bryant
Heat #3 – Tom Williams, Larry Jewell, Mark Wills, Mike Denny, Jerry Harlan
Feature – Dennis Knox, Larry Young, Tim Davis, A.J. Kramer, Jason Knox, Ryan Ellis, Mike Luke, Fred Davis, Nick Carlson, Tim Williams, Bill Richards, Tom Williams, Denny Argabrite, Bill Southworth, Mike Denny, Chris Guffin, Mark Wills, Larry Jewell, Jim Mathews, Mike Bryant, Bob Eaton, Jason Miller, Jerry Harlan, Rick Riffle, Duane Lorens, Randy Burns
Performance Race Fuels Late Models
Top Qualifier – Bob Gainer 14.51
Heat #1 – Farmer Smith, John Miller, Tom Garbrandt, A.P. Ren, Bob Gainer
Heat #2 – Darrel Dexter, Bob Eichel, Rich Marcum, Doug McMillen, Mike Enos
Feature – Mike Enos, Rich Marcum, Farmer Smith, Tom Garbrandt, Doug McMillen, Bear Schwartz, A.P. Ren, Bob Scott, Darrel Dexter, Bob Gainer, John Miller, Bob Eichel
Tolloti Pipe Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Ron McBride 14.70
Heat #1 – Mark Willison, Ron McBride, John Wilson, Glen Jewell, Dave Watson
Heat #2 – Jim Beatty, Jr., Jim McCune, Mark Enos, Mike Bowers, Rick Elkins, Jr.
Feature – Mark Enos, Dave Watson, Glen Jewell, Ron McBride, John Wilson, Mark Willison, Jim Beatty, Jr., Mike Bowers, Jim McCune, Mel Robinson, Jeff Smith
Tusco Net Sport Stocks
Top Qualifier – Bubba Smith 15.65
Heat #1 – Doug McMillen, Roger Butler, Bubba Smith, Bill Aubihl, Kevin McClintock
Heat #2 – Paul Murray, Larry Page, Dan Gasser, Rich Stalnaker, Chris Kail
Feature – Doug McMillen, Roger Butler, Keith Thomas, Bubba Smith, Kevin McClintock, Rich Stalnaker, Calvin Collins, Paul Murray, Bill Weaver, Dan Gasser, Don Rufener, Jr., Bill Aubihl, Terry Colletti, Randy Smith, Larry Page
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Josh Grove 17.27 NTR
Heat #1 – Rob Scott, Chuck Elkins, Randy Smart, Greg Grove, Teddy Oliver
Heat #2 – Tom Feller, Jr., Bob Passwaters, Sr., John Leasure, Bob Passwaters, Jr., Larry Smith
Heat #3 – Dan Moore, Tim Rodgers, Dave Fox, Jr., Kenny Feister, Butch Knepper
Feature #1 – Blake Mackey, Teddy Oliver, Randy Smart, Chuck Elkins, Tom Feller, Jr., Larry Smith, Craig Coventry, Scott Archer, John Leasure, Bob Passwaters, Jr., Rob Scott
Feature #2 – Rich Schweitzer, Tim Oliver, Bob Passwaters, Sr., Kenny Feister, Bryan Hambleton, Dan Moore, Chester McMasters, Butch Knepper, Dave Fox, Jr., Tim Rodgers
Compacts
Top Qualifier – Kelly McNutt 18.20
Heat #1 – Russell Grandison, Jim Poole, Tom Barrett, Jim Miller, Kelly McNutt
Heat #2 – Perry Nave, Kenny Jewell, Bruce Gibson, Lennie Orr, James Domer
Heat #3 – Charles Ritch, Jesse Page, Jill Harshey, Earl Scranton, Josh Truxall
Heat #4 – Kenny Ford, Tad Grove, Chris Smith, Bob Viertel, Barb Feister
Heat #5 – Katrina Ford, Dana Burlingame, John Wissman, Jr., Jaimie Huebner, Jr., Violet McMasters
Feature #1 – Jim Poole, Russell Grandison, Tom Barrett, Kelly McNutt, Adam Mishler, Eric Anderson, Tye Kelly, Perry Nave, Jim Miller, Jason Morgan, Kyle Grewell, Eric Feister, Lissa Courtney, Bryant Smith, Tammy Rufener, Janna Shaw, Don Rufener, Jr., Troy McMath
Feature #2 – Jesse Page, Kenny Jewell, Jill Harshey, Earl Scranton, Chris Smith, Lennie Orr, Jason Anthony, Josh Truxall, Linda Morgan, Bruce Gibson, Richard Duvall, Charles Ritch, Bill Burkholder, Jerry Kimble, Bubba Smith, James Domer
Feature #3 – Bob Viertel, Tad Grove, Kenny Ford, Dana Burlingame, Ben Gibson, Barb Feister, Laura Green, Violet McMasters, John Wissman, Jr., Jaimie Huebner, Jr., Jaimie Huebner, Sr., Jamie Leslie
Written by: Adam Mackey |
