 A wild and exciting night of racing was in store for fans at Midvale Speedway, this past Saturday night, June 24. Late Model, Sport Stock, Pure Stock, and Compact drivers all competed for the 2006 Mid-Season Championships.
Mark Willison started up front in the 25-lap Performance Race Fuels Late Model feature and was the early race leader. Willison, who was looking for his second feature win in as many weeks, was running a good race out front. However, point leader Mike Miller was setting the world on fire racing through the field. As the night’s top qualifier, Miller had to start around the tenth spot but was racing around fellow competitors in the outside lane. Car-after-car, Miller was closing in on the top spot. Within a handful of laps, Miller shot by and the Clinton, Ohio driver was on his way to victory #3 this season. The NAPA Auto Parts/Bob’s Auto Sales #53 was followed across the stripe by Willison, Bob Sibila, Jr., Bob Schneider, Jr., and Joel McKnight. John Sandquist, Ron Jaberg, Jr., Ed Middaugh, Tony Urdiales, and Norm Taylor completed the top ten. Jaberg won the fast heat, Sibila won the second heat, and Willison won the pursuit race.
In the Tusco Net Sport Stock 20-lap feature, Mike Ravenscroft jumped out to the early lead. The two top qualifiers, Kevin McClintock and Keith Thomas, started in the final row of the feature field and would have to dice their way through traffic to challenge for the victory. Thomas picked the right lane and, at one time during the race, completed a three wide pass of Kurt Waller and John Sluka just in time to avoid an accident. As Thomas closed in on Ravenscroft and Bill Aubihl, he moved again to the outside lane and wrestled the lead away. McClintock later moved into second but the equality of the top two cars kept them in single file formation. Picking up top five finishes behind the two fast veterans were Josh Grove, Ravenscroft, and Aubihl. Also picking up top tens behind Thomas’ Renner & Daughter Concrete/Scott Foods #34 were Chris Kail, Nick Grubbs, Kurt Waller, John Sluka, and Will Walker. Thomas won the fast heat, Grubbs the second heat, while Sluka took the pursuit.
Barnhill, Ohio driver Keith Anderson started up front in the 15-lap Papa John’s Pure Stock feature. Before the race, many would have considered the second year driver a longshot to pick-up his first career victory. However, as the race wore down, only two drivers had a chance to make a winning pass, as Rich Schweitzer and Teddy Oliver had closed to the rear bumper. Schweitzer was the first to make an outside lane attempt, but a slip-up caused him to settle into third behind Oliver. Laps later, Oliver ran to the outside of Anderson on the backstretch. As he entered turn three, Oliver decided to move back into the low lane where Schweitzer had just moved back to the inside. The two traded paint that created a caution and took them out of contention. Over the final two green flag circuits, Anderson made no mistakes and raced to his first career feature victory. Following the improving driver were Doug Higgins who had a much better run, Larry Smith, Blake Mackey, and Rob Scott. Other top ten finishers were Al Street, Jimmy Orr, Chester McMasters, Schweitzer, and Oliver. Oliver won the fast heat and the pursuit, while Anderson and Tim Oliver won the other two heats. Doug Decker set fast time, but was eliminated during a feature crash.
Johnny Campbell had an outstanding run in the fast feature for the Trails End Sports Compacts. The second year driver took the lead from Neil Rolli and led for many laps before a restart with two to go. When the green dropped, it was up to John McNutt to change the outcome and that he did. McNutt, the Compact veteran, put his fine tuned machine in groove #2 and raced around Campbell just in time to pick up the Mid-Season win. Campbell came home second behind the Uhrichsville, Ohio driver, while Adam Mishler, Don Rufener, Jr., and Jason Morgan were top five finishers. Rolli, Mike Hostetler, Mike Pyle, Mike Gribble, and Chris Bloom were top ten finishers.
Jesse Page looked to be on his way to yet another racetrack leading feature win, but Eric Feister had other things in mind. Feister was one of many competitors that used the outside lane to blow by his fellow competitors. Laps after taking the top spot from Page, Feister picked up his second feature win in-a-row. The Midvale, Ohio driver was followed by Page, Tad Grove, Steve Roth, and Tye Kelly. Jason Anthony, Jim Campbell, Pat Carnes, Bob Passwaters, Jr., and Jill Harshey all picked up top tens.
As Michael Keefe was leading the third Compact feature with the white flag waving, he was caught under his qualifying time for the second time in the event. Therefore, as the field was coming to the checkers, Keefe’s win was for naught and Mark Willison, Jr. became victorious for the second time this season. Paul Stull, Bruce Gibson, Tammy Ondo, and Ben Gibson completed the top five. The rest of the top ten were Howard Bartholow, Joe Fitch, Jan McInturf, Michael Varnes, and Keefe completed the top ten.
Johnny Campbell, Eric Feister, Jesse Page, Tammy Ondo, and Michael Keefe were the night’s heat winners, while John McNutt won the pursuit race. Don Rufener, Jr. set fast time.
There will be NO racing on Saturday, July 1, as officials and teams prepare for the Monday, July 3 Main Event Super Late Model 100. Sport Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Compacts will run heats and features as they join the Super Lates making their first appearance this season.
Monday, July 3 pit gates open at 3:00, Midvale division hotlaps will be held from 4:00-4:30 and 5:00-5:30, while the MERS hotlap sessions will be from 4:30-5:00 and 5:30-6:00. Qualifying will start at 6:00, while the racing takes its first green flag at 8:00.
Adult and Senior grandstand tickets are $15, while Student (6-15) tickets are $8. Pit admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members.
The rain date for the event is Tuesday, July 4 with all times moving back 4 hours.
For more information, check us out on the web at midvalespeedway.com.
Results For Midvale Speedway
Performance Race Fuels Late Models
Sunny Side Store Top Time – Mike Miller 14.79
Heat #1 – Ron Jaberg, Jr., Joel McKnight, Greg Beule, Mike Miller, Bob Schneider, Jr.
Heat #2 – Bob Sibila, Jr., Tony Urdiales, Ed Middaugh, Mark Willison, Dave Dobbins
Pursuit – Mark Willison, Ed Middaugh, Ron Jaberg, Jr., Joel McKnight, Greg Beule
Feature – Mike Miller, Mark Willison, Bob Sibila, Jr., Bob Schneider, Jr., Joel McKnight, John Sandquist, Ron Jaberg, Jr., Ed Middaugh, Tony Urdiales, Norm Taylor, Dave Dobbins, Tom Garbrandt, Chris Grubbs, Greg Beule, Justin Courtney, Bob Eichel
Tusco Net Sport Stocks
Sunny Side Store Top Time – Kevin McClintock 15.54
Heat #1 – Keith Thomas, Josh Grove, Ron Dague, Kevin McClintock, Kurt Waller
Heat #2 – Nick Grubbs, John Sluka, Paul Murray, Chris Kail, Virgil Ravenscroft, III
Pursuit – John Sluka, Bill Aubihl, Chris Kail, Keith Thomas, Nick Grubbs
Feature – Keith Thomas, Kevin McClintock, Josh Grove, Mike Ravenscroft, Bill Aubihl, Chris Kail, Nick Grubbs, Kurt Waller, John Sluka, Will Walker
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
J.D. Byrider Top Time – Doug Decker 17.38
Heat #1 – Teddy Oliver, Doug Decker, Blake Mackey, Tory Gibbs, Al Street
Heat #2 – Keith Anderson, John Leasure, Doug Higgins, Rich Schweitzer, Jimmy Orr
Heat #3 – Tim Oliver, Dick Aubihl, Chris Smith, Brock Burcher, Charles Ritch
Pursuit – Teddy Oliver, Keith Anderson, Blake Mackey, Tory Gibbs, Chester McMasters
Feature – Keith Anderson, Doug Higgins, Larry Smith, Blake Mackey, Rob Scott, Al Street, Jimmy Orr, Chester McMasters, Rich Schweitzer, Teddy Oliver, John Leasure, Todd Miller, Dick Aubihl, Tim Oliver, Tory Gibbs, Brock Burcher, Curtis Collins, Doug Decker, Charles Ritch, Chris Smith
Trails End Sports Compacts
East High Arby’s Top Time – Don Rufener, Jr. 18.30
Heat #1 – Johnny Campbell, Chris Bloom, Mike Hostetler, Adam Mishler, John McNutt
Heat #2 – Eric Feister, Kenny Jewell, Brad Henry, Tammy Rufener, Neil Rolli
Heat #3 – Jesse Page, Steve Roth, Tad Grove, Tye Kelly, Jason Anthony
Heat #4 – Tammy Ondo, Joe Fitch, Bruce Gibson, Howard Bartholow, Joe Elerick
Heat #5 – Michael Keefe, Rich Dunlap, Jay Hunt, Paul Stull, Mark Willison, Jr.
Pursuit – John McNutt, Ron Myers, Eric Anderson, Don Rufener, Jr., Johnny Campbell
Feature #1 – John McNutt, Johnny Campbell, Adam Mishler, Don Rufener, Jr., Jason Morgan, Neil Rolli, Mike Hostetler, Mike Pyle, Mike Gribble, Chris Bloom, Russell Grandison, Brad Henry, Tammy Rufener, Ron Myers, Eric Anderson, Tom Barrett
Feature #2 – Eric Feister, Jesse Page, Tad Grove, Steve Roth, Tye Kelly, Jason Anthony, Jim Campbell, Pat Carnes, Bob Passwaters, Jr., Jill Harshey, Ryan Kopp, Mike Swaney, Larry Ennis, D.J. Litten, Josh Feister, Kenny Jewell
Feature #3 – Mark Willison, Jr., Paul Stull, Bruce Gibson, Tammy Ondo, Ben Gibson, Howard Bartholow, Joe Fitch, Jan McInturf, Michael Varnes, Michael Keefe, Rich Dunlap, Jay Hunt
Written by: Adam Mackey |
