 Over 100 drivers competed on one of Midvale Speedway’s remaining weekends of the 2005 schedule. The Performance Race Fuels Late Models ran a 50-lap Super 6 Series feature, while Sport Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Compacts ran in regular action.
In Super 6 Late Model qualifying, Midvale Speedway point leader, Mike Miller set fast time with a 14.59. He then drew a number 8 pill, putting A.P. Ren and Duane Dunn up front for the 50-lap Super 6 finale. When the green was waved, several cautions plagued the early going of the event. After the drivers took 45 minutes to run a grand total of two green flag laps, things really settled down and racing became very exciting. Up front, Duane Dunn was in the lead, as Ren dropped back through the field. With Dunn out front, Bubba Smith was hanging on to the second spot, but Don Harvey, Jr. was looking for his first Midvale win of the season. Harvey came into the event the Super 6 Series point leader, but Miller and Smith were close behind. Not only did Harvey salvage his point lead on this night, he put on a great show of veteran driving by using the outside lane around Smith for second. Moments later, the Barberton, Ohio driver closed in to the rear bumper of Dunn. Lap-after-lap ticked off as Harvey stuck his nose inside of Dunn several times, but was struggling to pull alongside. Finally, Dunn slipped up just enough for Harvey and the race had a new leader one lap later. Miller eventually moved into second, while Dunn settled into third. At the checkers, Don Harvey, Jr. was victorious with the $1200 win and a $750 Super 6 point championship. Following the Akron Auto & Truck Tire/Rittzman Muffler #12 were Miller, Dunn, Jimmy Carter, and Smith. The rest of the top ten were Greg Beule, Norm Taylor, Paul Adkins, Kenny Cantrell, and Johnny Buckshot. A.P. Ren, Mark Willison, and Johnny Buckshot won the heats.
Rookie Wes Gilland was the top qualifier in the Tusco Net Sport Stock division. He then drew a six pill, which eventually put many time feature winner, Keith Thomas up front for the 20-lap feature. When the green dropped, Thomas was on his way to his fifth feature victory in a row, moving him one step closer to the 2005 championship. His biggest point challenger, Roger Linard, came home second, while Gabe Pringle, Gilland, and Kevin McClintock finished in the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Josh Grove, Bill Hilliker, Paul Murray, Chad Dixon, and Joe Sanford, Jr. Thomas and Don Rufener, Jr., won the heats.
Doug Higgins and Rich Schweitzer were the front row starters for the 15-lap Papa John’s Pure Stock feature. Higgins raced out front, as Joe Oliver and Randy Smart competed behind him. Moments later, contact between Oliver and Smart created an Oliver spin, but Smart admitted fault giving Oliver his spot back. Over the last several circuits Oliver tried, but was not quite strong enough for Higgins. The Canton, Ohio driver, having a career year, picked up yet another victory, while Oliver, David Breehl, Adam Mackey, and Mike Phillips, Jr. finished off the top five. Smart, Randy Rice, Tim Rodgers, Chester McMasters, and Dan Moore were top ten finishers. Mackey, Rodgers, and Larry Smith won heats.
Compact great, John McNutt, was back in action behind the wheel of a brand new car. By way of a small inversion, McNutt started up front and never looked back in the fast 15-lap feature. Following the Jim Martin sponsored #35 were Tad Grove, Kenny Ford, Josh Irwin, and Troy McMath. Kelly McNutt, Adam Mishler, Don Rufener, Jr., Perry Nave, and Jesse Page completed the top ten.
Tammy Rufener was victorious in the second Compact feature event after holding off a challenging Kenny Jewell. Steve Roth, Lissa Courtney, and Neil Rolli were top five finishers. Tom Barrett, Joe Milburn, Earl Scranton, Pat Carnes, and C.J. Campbell finished in positions six thru ten.
Lennie Orr made a late-race run that found him in front on the final lap for victory in the third Compact feature. Johnny Campbell took second from long time leader, Paul Stull. Stull was third, Bruce Gibson fourth, and Tammy Ondo fifth. The rest of the top ten were John Wissman, Jr., Cody Shuss, Dave Moreland, Anthony Nicholas, and Jaimie Huebner.
Racing will continue on Saturday, September 10, as the Season Championships will be on the line. All four regular divisions will be in action, as qualifying starts at 4:00 and racing begins at 6:30. The final event of the season will be September 17/18 with the 2005 Fall Classic.
For more information on upcoming events, go to www.midvalespeedway.com
Results For Midvale Speedway
Performance Race Fuels Late Models
Top Qualifier – Mike Miller 14.59
Heat #1 – A.P. Ren, Dave Wagner, Duane Dunn, Bubba Smith, Bobby Porter
Heat #2 – Mark Willison, Tom Garbrandt, Greg Beule, Doug McMillen, Bob Schneider, Jr.
Heat #3 – Johnny Buckshot, Darrel Dexter, Paul Slentz, Travis Devore, Kenny Cantrell
Feature – Don Harvey, Jr., Mike Miller, Duane Dunn, Jimmy Carter, Bubba Smith, Greg Beule, Norm Taylor, Paul Adkins, Kenny Cantrell, Johnny Buckshot, Bob Schneider, Jr., A.P. Ren, Tom Garbrandt, Dave Wagner, Mark Willison, Doug McMillen, Bobby Porter, Bob Eichel, Darrel Dexter, Mike Enos, John Sandquist, Travis Devore
Tusco Net Sport Stocks
Top Qualifier – Wes Gilland 15.43
Heat #1 – Keith Thomas, Gabe Pringle, Josh Grove, Wes Gilland, Kevin McClintock
Heat #2 – Don Rufener, Jr., Chris Grubbs, Joe Sanford, Jr., Chris Kail, Anthony Milano
Feature – Keith Thomas, Roger Linard, Gabe Pringle, Wes Gilland, Kevin McClintock, Josh Grove, Bill Hilliker, Paul Murray, Chad Dixon, Joe Sanford, Jr., Chris Kail, Anthony Milano, Chris Grubbs, Don Rufener, Jr.
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Randy Smart 17.24
Heat #1 – Adam Mackey, Randy Smart, Doug Higgins, Todd Miller, Bryant Smith
Heat #2 – Tim Rodgers, Randy Rice, David Breehl, Chris Miller, Matt Wallick
Heat #3 – Larry Smith, Chester McMasters, Dick Aubihl, Dan Moore, Duane Moore
Feature – Doug Higgins, Joe Oliver, David Breehl, Adam Mackey, Mike Phillips, Jr., Randy Smart, Randy Rice, Tim Rodgers, Chester McMasters, Dan Moore, Dick Aubihl, Cody Wilson, Matt Wallick, Rich Schweitzer, Chris Miller, Duane Moore, Larry Smith
Musick & Myers Heating & Cooling Compacts
Top Qualifier – Kelly McNutt 18.22
Heat #1 – Don Rufener, Jr., Troy McMath, Josh Irwin, Kenny Ford, Adam Mishler
Heat #2 – Derek Grewell, Jesse Page, Kenny Jewell, Jack Grove, Neil Rolli
Heat #3 – Mike Roth, Earl Scranton, Steve Roth, Joe Milburn, Michael Keefe
Heat #4 – Paul Stull, Johnny Campbell, Travis Mazzoleni, John Wissman, Jr., Bruce Gibson
Heat #5 – Dave Moreland, Howard Bartholow, Tim Frederick, Cody Shuss, Jaimie Huebner
Feature #1 – John McNutt, Tad Grove, Kenny Ford, Josh Irwin, Troy McMath, Kelly McNutt, Adam Mishler, Don Rufener, Jr., Perry Nave, Jesse Page, Jason Morgan, Mike Pyle, Chris Smith, Brad Henry, Jack Grove
Feature #2 – Tammy Rufener, Kenny Jewell, Steve Roth, Lissa Courtney, Neil Rolli, Tom Barrett, Joe Milburn, Earl Scranton, Pat Carnes, C.J. Campbell, Travis Mazzoleni, Jason Anthony, Chris Bloom, Michael Keefe, Derek Grewell, Mike Roth
Feature #3 – Lennie Orr, Johnny Campbell, Paul Stull, Bruce Gibson, Tammy Ondo, John Wissman, Jr., Cody Shuss, Dave Moreland, Anthony Nicholas, Jaimie Huebner, Howard Bartholow, Ryan Kopp, John Wissman
Written by: Adam Mackey |
