 The Lorain-Midvale Super 6 Late Model Series finally made its first ever appearance at Midvale Speedway this past Saturday night, July 23, after being rained out twice this season. The Sport Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Compacts helped comprise a total car count of 105 for the four divisions of racing.
19 Performance Race Fuels Late Models were in the pits to qualify during the afternoon time trial session. New Philadelphia, Ohio driver Doug McMillen set fast time with a 14.71, as the track was a couple of tenths off due to hot weather conditions. A number 12 pill was drawn to invert the twelve fastest qualifiers for the 35-lap special event. When the green dropped for the event, Bob Schneider, Jr. took control to set the pace. Every couple of laps, seemingly throughout the whole event, a caution flag slowed the field. Eventually, after a few restarts in the first ten laps, track point leader Mike Miller took over the number one spot. Behind him, Don Harvey, Jr., the Super 6 point leader, was moving into second. Making one of the most impressive runs was Paul Adkins. The Brunswick, Ohio driver, making his first appearance at Midvale in 10+ years, started in the 17th spot after winning the third heat race. Adkins used the outside lane to work his way into the top five and eventually battled with Harvey for second before fading into third in the end. After a couple of late race restarts, Miller was able to run away from Harvey each time and race to the $1000 top prize. Following the A-1 Auto & Spring/RAM Construction #53 were Harvey, Adkins, Mark Willison, and Duane Dunn. Mark Enos, A.P. Ren, John Crumrine, Bob Eichel, and Schneider completed the top ten. Miller, Enos, and Adkins won the heats.
The Tusco Net Sport Stock race finished slightly quicker than the Late Model race, but cautions still plagued the event. In the 20-lap event, Nick Grubbs and Bill Aubihl started up front with the rookie, Grubbs, moving into the lead. Grubbs hung on with impressive driving in the early going, while division frontrunners, Wes Gilland, Josh Grove, and Roger Linard were relegated to the tail after an accident in turn one. Once back to green, points runner-up, Keith Thomas made his move on Grubbs and raced out front. From that point on, it was a matter of getting to the finish, as Thomas picked up his third victory of the season. Following the Renner & Daughter Concrete Construction/Musick & Myers Heating & Cooling #34 were Gabe Pringle, Grubbs, Kevin McClintock, and Linard. Grove, Gilland, Don Rufener, Jr., Steve Lute, and Jerry McNealy finished off the top ten. Grove won the fast heat and pursuit, while Rufener took the second heat. Thomas claimed the Fuel Depot cash bonus for setting fast time and winning the feature event.
After the hardest crash of the night eliminated Tim Oliver and Joe Fewkes on the first lap, Greg Grove was able to work his way past Joe Oliver for the lead in the Papa John’s Pure Stock 15-lap feature. Point leader, Randy Smart followed him into the second spot and actually challenged for the lead momentarily before falling back to third at the finish. At the checkered, Grove crossed the line first in his J.D. Byrider/AAA Travel #3. Oliver, Smart, Randy Rice, and Chris Miller finished off the top five. The rest of the top ten were Rich Schweitzer, David Breehl, Tim Rodgers, Bob Passwaters, Sr., and Dick Aubihl. Joe Oliver, Rice, and Chester McMasters claimed heat race victories. Grove won the pursuit, while Rick Elkins, Jr., set the fastest time.
After drivers in the first three features considered completing three consecutive laps under green a long term goal, the Musick & Myers Heating & Cooling Compacts put on the best races of the night. As usual, the large field of cars were split into three features. In the fast feature, 17 cars started the event with polesitter Ron Myers setting the pace. Right behind him, Don Rufener, Jr. was running the bottom lane in second and three-time feature winner Josh Irwin was running the high lane in third. Slowly, but surely, Irwin was inching forward on the top two. With a lap or so remaining, Irwin surged forward to take second and came up just short at the line for the victory. Myers was victorious in his Legacy Homes/R.J. Haines Electric #44, while Irwin came home a close second, Rufener third, Tom Barrett an impressive fourth, and Troy McMath a strong fifth. The rest of the top ten were Jason Morgan, Eric Anderson, Kelly McNutt, Jim Poole, and Adam Mishler.
The second Compact feature may have even been better than the first. Joe Vanfossen led in the early going, as Kenny Ford, Kenny Jewell, and Perry Nave were racing to the front. Ford moved into the lead in the early going, while Jack Grove was picking off spot after spot behind him. With the white flag flying, the top two crossed the line in a virtual tie. As the circled the oval, Ford was ahead for a moment then Grove would look to be in line for victory. As the cars raced across the stripe under the checkered, several officials thought that Ford had taken the victory, but those with the better view could see that Grove inched ahead in the outside lane for the victory. Ford came home second, Jewell third, Nave fourth, and George Miller fifth. Mike Pyle, Joe Vanfossen, Tammy Rufener, James Domer, and Kevin Rennicker completed the top ten.
Billy Hilliker went on to victory in the final Compact feature of the night. Tammy Ondo was second, while Cody Shuss, Travis Mazzoleni, and Mike Roth finished off the top five. Rounding out the top ten spots were Jim Campbell, Michael Keefe, Steve Roth, Chris Bloom, and Earl Scranton.
Don Rufener, Jr., Jim Poole, Jesse Page, Jim Campbell, and Billy Hilliker won the heats, while Josh Irwin won the pursuit. Kelly McNutt set a blistering pace in qualifying with the fastest lap.
Dode Overton, of the New Life Church of God, won the first ever Faster Pastor race at Midvale Speedway. His son, Ben Overton, finished second in the five car field.
Racing action continues this coming Saturday, July 30, as kids will ride in cars at intermission. Late Models, Sport Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Compacts are on the night’s card. Pit gates open at 2, grandstands at 2:30, and qualifying is at 4:00. Racing will start at 6:30.
The Late Model top qualifier will be running for the All Parts & Supply $225 award bonus if he can win the feature. The Sport Stock top qualifier will be running for the $25 Fuel Depot award if he can win the feature and if the Pure Stock top qualifier wins the feature, he will pick up an additional $100 courtesy of J.D. Byrider of Dover. The DLC Racing Equipment Hard Charger of the Night was Keith Thomas.
Results For Midvale Speedway
Performance Race Fuels Super 6 Late Models
Top Qualifier – Doug McMillen 14.71
Heat #1 – Mike Miller, Bobby Porter, Bubba Smith, Duane Dunn, A.P. Ren
Heat #2 – Mark Enos, Mark Willison, Rich Marcum, Mike Enos, John Crumrine
Heat #3 – Paul Adkins, Bob Eichel, Travis Devore, Jay Grega, Bob Schneider, Jr.
Feature – Mike Miller, Don Harvey, Jr., Paul Adkins, Mark Willison, Duane Dunn, Mark Enos, A.P. Ren, John Crumrine, Bob Eichel, Bob Schneider, Jr., Bubba Smith, Mike Enos, Doug McMillen, Bobby Porter, Tom Garbrandt, Jay Grega, Rich Marcum, Travis Devore
Tusco Net Sport Stocks
Top Qualifier – Keith Thomas 15.48
Heat #1 – Josh Grove, Roger Linard, Wes Gilland, Keith Thomas, Bill Aubihl
Heat #2 – Don Rufener, Jr., Paul Murray, Nick Grubbs, Jerry McNealy, Chris Grubbs
Pursuit – Josh Grove, Kevin McClintock, Keith Thomas, Wes Gilland, Roger Linard
Feature – Keith Thomas, Gabe Pringle, Nick Grubbs, Kevin McClintock, Roger Linard, Josh Grove, Wes Gilland, Don Rufener, Jr., Steve Lute, Jerry McNealy, Bill Aubihl, Chris Grubbs, Paul Murray
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Rick Elkins, Jr. 17.28
Heat #1 – Joe Oliver, Randy Smart, Rick Elkins, Jr., Rich Schweitzer, David Breehl
Heat #2 – Randy Rice, Tim Rodgers, Chris Miller, Bob Passwaters, Sr., Tim Oliver
Heat #3 – Chester McMasters, Dick Aubihl, Keith Anderson, John Cross, Joe Fewkes
Pursuit – Greg Grove, Rick Elkins, Jr., Dan Moore, Randy Rice, Tim Rodgers
Feature – Greg Grove, Joe Oliver, Randy Smart, Randy Rice, Chris Miller, Rich Schweitzer, David Breehl, Tim Rodgers, Bob Passwaters, Sr., Dick Aubihl, John Cross, Keith Anderson, Chester McMasters, Rick Elkins, Jr., Tim Oliver, Dan Moore, Joe Fewkes
Musick & Myers Heating & Cooling Compacts
Top Qualifier – Kelly McNutt 18.17
Heat #1 – Don Rufener, Jr., Josh Irwin, Troy McMath, Adam Mishler, Russell Grandison
Heat #2 – Jim Poole, Lissa Courtney, Kyle Grewell, Perry Nave, Jason Morgan
Heat #3 – Jesse Page, Joe Vanfossen, Mike Pyle, Kevin Rennicker, Steve Lute
Heat #4 – Jim Campbell, Cody Shuss, Steve Roth, Mike Roth, Travis Mazzoleni
Heat #5 – Billy Hilliker, Paul Stull, Tammy Ondo, Michael Keefe, Ben Gibson
Pursuit – Josh Irwin, Jason Morgan, Adam Mishler, Russell Grandison, Kelly McNutt
Feature #1 – Ron Myers, Josh Irwin, Don Rufener, Jr., Tom Barrett, Troy McMath, Jason Morgan, Eric Anderson, Kelly McNutt, Jim Poole, Adam Mishler, Russell Grandison, Tad Grove, Kyle Grewell, Mike Hostetler, John McNutt, Shawanna Myers, Derek Grewell
Feature #2 – Jack Grove, Kenny Ford, Kenny Jewell, Perry Nave, George Miller, Mike Pyle, Joe Vanfossen, Tammy Rufener, James Domer, Kevin Rennicker, Steve Lute, Jaimie Huebner, Chris Smith, Johnny Campbell, Jesse Page, Jill Harshey
Feature #3 – Billy Hilliker, Tammy Ondo, Cody Shuss, Travis Mazzoleni, Mike Roth, Jim Campbell, Michael Keefe, Steve Roth, Chris Bloom, Earl Scranton, John Wissman, Jr., Ben Gibson, Gary Housler, Howard Bartholow, Paul Stull, John Wissman, Joe Elerick
Faster Pastor Race
Winner – Dode Overton
Written by: Adam Mackey |
