 The tight 3/10-mile of Midvale Speedway was expected to tighten up the competition in the Race Threads Midwest Super Modified Association, but the eighteen feature starters got more than they bargained for Saturday night. Dave Shullick, Jr. got by ,point leader, Jack Smith on a late race restart to pick up his second win in the four races run this year.
Hometown driver, Baldy Baker, Jr., of Stasburg, Ohio, and Clyde, Ohio’s Rusty Ryan made up the front row on the start of the 30-lap feature event. They would get three chances to grab the point, as the start was foiled twice for turn one incidents. The first involved Pat Shullick, Jeff Capretto, and Todd Buchanan. Buchanan was the only driver able to continue. On the second start, Tim Jedrejezek and Charlie Schultz collided in the same corner. Both rejoined the field. The third time was a charm and Baker grabbed the lead on the outset. The quick mover was Jack Smith, who bolted from his fith place starting spot to the runner-up position in the first two laps. Buchanan spun again on lap 3, and during the caution, the leader, Baker, retired due to engine trouble. Smith then took over, at that point, with Shullick, Jr., Jedrejezek, and Dave Shullick, Sr., in hot pursuit. At the crossed flags, Smith, Shullick, Jr., and Jedrejezek were under a blanket working through the lapped traffic.
The field was again slowed on lap 17 for a spin, by Bill Zipay, Jr., in turn one. On the restart, Jon Henes broke the rear axle and careened off the front stretch wall, spewing gear oil throughout the turn one area. The race was red-flagged to clean up the slippery mess and to refuel the cars. On the restart, Shullick, Jr. dove below Smith going into turn one to take the lead. However, it appeared that some fluid was spraying from the back of Shullick’s machine and the yellow was thrown for safety reasons, to check the #38 car. Shullick returned to the point to lead the final five laps and collect his second win over Jack Smith, Tim Jedrejezek, Dave Shullick, Sr., and Charlie Schultz. The heat races were won by Baldy Baker, Jr. and Jack Smith.
Massillon, Ohio’s Tim Sibila led in the early stages, once again, in the Smokers Paradise Late Model 25-lapper. Duane Dunn, who started alongside of Sibila, slipped into second on the first pace. The two top cars in the running order, each had drivers inside that were looking for their first Late Model feature win. However, Farmer Smith had other things in mind. The veteran driver, who has won two Late Model track championships in a row at the 3/10-mile oval, took second from Dunn with six laps in. After doing so, it took several laps for him to close the gap that the leader had built up. Finally, with 14 laps complete, Smith moved underneath Sibila, and went on to his third win of the 2001 season. Following the Budweiser/Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union #7 was Sibila, who scored his best Late Model finish. Dunn, Ron Dague, and Mike Miller, the point’s leader, completed the top five. Don Harvey, Jr. finished in the sixth spot, his worst finish of the season in feature competition. Bob Sibila, Tom Garbrandt, Darrel Dexter, and Gary Hoopingarner rounded out the top ten. Smith and Dunn won the heats, while Miller was the top qualifier.
The Tolloti Pipe Modifieds put on an exciting 20-lap feature, as there were three different leaders during the event. Mike Buchanan jumped out front first, but coming in on lap one, Jeff Smith split the top two cars of Buchanan and Mike Bowers to take the lead at the end of the frontstretch. With 6 laps in, the second and third place cars of Ronnie Souders and Jeff Walker made contact. Both cars spun and were sent to the tail. This moved the point’s leader, Dusty Woodie, into second. With a quicker car, Woodie was a handful. Hungry for his first Modified win, Smith did everything he could to keep his car against the bottom groove, including slowing to a crawl at times in the turns. Woodie stayed glued to his bumper, waiting for a mistake, but it never happened. Meanwhile, Glen Jewell was coming fast. With 6 to go, the New Philadelphia, Ohio driver moved to the outside of Woodie and Smith, and went on to win his seventh feature of the season. The Texas Roadhouse/Hydraulic Parts Store #24 was followed by Woodie, Smith, Walker, and Souders. Jim McCune, Butch Erickson, John Wilson, Buchanan, and Bowers finished off the top ten. Woodie was fastest in qualifying, while Smith won the heat.
In the wildest race of the night, the Tusco Net Detroit Irons ran a 20-lapper. At the start, Bill Hilliker took the lead via his outside front row starting spot. On lap 2, the first installment of continuous natural disasters took place. Will Walker, while running fourth, slid in front of Tim Gowins. The two cars spun in turn four, collecting Kevin McClintock, Joe Linard, Randy Doolin, Waylon Orr, and Dave McMillen. Linard, the point’s leader, among others, was done for the event. A few laps after a later restart, Dave Jordan put water down in turn four. Lee McCreery and McClintock spun in the H2O, and with nowhere to go, Rich Stalnaker slammed into them,. Stalnaker and McCreery got out of their cars, exchanged pleasantries, and were sent pitside. Somehow, the car of McClintock, was able to continue. Back to green flag racing, the crossed flags were shown for the halfway signal. Roger Linard, in his second week of 2001 competition, challenged Hilliker on the outside. As the pair exited turn two with 11 laps in, they slipped up, allowing Todd Miller to make it three wide. Entering turn three, with Linard unaware of a third car in the battle, he came down in front of Hilliker. All three cars eventually were involved in the accident, and a decision was made that gave McClintock the win because the time-limit had run out. However, after going back through the lap-by-lap rundowns, it was seen that Doug McMillen crossed the line in fourth the last completed lap, giving him the win. The three cars that were going for the lead, Linard, Miller, and Hilliker were relegated to positions, eleven through thirteen, for the accident. Following the Speedy Auto Parts/Packard’s Garage #54 in the official rundown were McClintock, Waylon Orr, Don Rufener, Jr., and Tim Skinner. Roger Butler, Rich Schweitzer, Calvin Collins, Dan Gasser, and Ron Lute rounded out the top ten. Miller, Gasser, and Greg Mazzoleni won the heats. Rufener won the last chance race, while Joe Linard was the top qualifier.
Two strong Papa John’s Pure Stock drivers, Paul Parson and John Leasure, brought the 21-car field down for the 15-lap main event. However, Canton, Ohio’s Larry Smith took charge of the event, and held on through several caution periods. As in the Detroit Iron feature, the time-limit expired, causing the race to end early. Smith, driving the Pro Decal/World Import Automotive #3, won his first feature of the season. Sonny Arkenburgh came home second, while Joe Oliver, Jimmy Orr, and John Leasure rounded out the top five. Brian Wood, Brian Oliver, Barney Gerber, Matt Wallick, and Curtis Collins finished off the top ten. Anthony Bissett and Smith won the heat race events, while Jimmy Orr was head of the class in qualifying.
Due to several long delays that took place throughout the evening, the Compact features were unfortunately postponed. An announcement will be made, in the near future, on the scheduling of these three races. Heats in the division were won by Cody Kahler, Phil Veno, Lennie Orr, Ron McMasters, and Ben Gibson. The top qualifier was Terry Colletti.
This coming Saturday, July 28, kids attending the races will have the opportunity to ride on lap around Midvale Speedway in a racecar. The special session will be held at intermission of the night’s program. All five divisions will race with qualifying at 4 and racing at 6:30.
Results For Midvale
Super Modifieds
Heat 1 - Baldy Baker Jr., Tim Jedrejezek, Pat Shullick, Larry Lehnart Jr., Marcus Malcuit
Heat 2 - Jack Smith, Dave Shullick Jr., Jon Henes, Dave Shullick Sr., Bill Zipay Jr.
Feature (30 Laps) - Dave Shullick Jr., Jack Smith, Tim Jedrejezek, Dave Shullick Sr., Charlie Schultz, Denny Fisher, Rusty Ryan, Rich Reid, Don Johnson, Todd Buchanan, Jon Henes, Larry Lehnart Jr., Bill Zipay Jr., Marcus Malcuit, Baldy Baker Jr., Pat Shullick, Jeff Capretto, Shawn Wilford.
Smokers Paradise Late Models
Top Qualifier – Mike Miller
Heat #1 – Farmer Smith, Ron Dague, Tom Garbrandt, Marcus Malcuit, Don Harvey, Jr.
Heat #2 – Duane Dunn, Bob Schneider, Jr., Darrel Dexter, Bob Eichel, Gary Hoopingarner
Feature – Farmer Smith, Tim Sibila, Duane Dunn, Ron Dague, Mike Miller, Don Harvey, Jr., Bob Sibila, Tom Garbrandt, Darrel Dexter, Gary Hoopingarner, Kenny Stevens, Bob Eichel, Ronnie Souders, Bob Schneider, Jr
Tolloti Pipe Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Dusty Woodie
Heat – Jeff Smith, John Wilson, Butch Erickson, Jeff Walker, Dusty Woodie
Feature – Glen Jewell, Dusty Woodie, Jeff Smith, Jeff Walker, Ronnie Souders, Jim McCune, Butch Erickson, John Wilson, Mike Buchanan, Mike Bowers, Mike Enos
Tusco Net Detroit Irons
Top Qualifier – Joe Linard
Heat #1 – Todd Miller, Will Walker, Tim Gowins, Roger Linard, Kevin McClintock
Heat #2 – Dan Gasser, Tim Skinner, Don Rufener, Jr., Rich Schweitzer, Bill Hilliker
Heat #3 – Greg Mazzoleni, Mike Royer, Ron Lute, Dave McMillen, Tim Roudebush
Last Chance – Don Rufener, Jr., Dan Gasser, Ron Lute, Dave McMillen, Greg Mazzoleni, Calvin Collins, Mike Royer, Mike Bowers, Larry Ennis, Paul Murray, Tim Roudebush
Feature – Doug McMillen, Kevin McClintock, Waylon Orr, Don Rufener, Jr., Tim Skinner, Roger Butler, Rich Schweitzer, Calvin Collins, Dan Gasser, Ron Lute, Todd Miller, Bill Hilliker, Roger Linard, Jimmy Orr, Rich Stalnaker, Lee McCreery, Dave Jordan, Greg Mazzoleni, Will Walker, Tim Gowins, Joe Linard, Randy Doolin, Dave McMillen, Tim Postel
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Jimmy Orr
Heat #1 – Anthony Bissett, Brian Oliver, Teddy Oliver, Mike Martin, Jimmy Orr
Heat #2 – Larry Smith, Matt Wallick, Paul Parson, John Leasure, Al Street
Feature – Larry Smith, Sonny Arkenburgh, Joe Oliver, Jimmy Orr, John Leasure, Brian Wood, Brian Oliver, Barney Gerber, Matt Wallick, Curtis Collins, Jeff Anthony, Tammy Rufener, Paul Parson, Bob Oliver, Teddy Oliver, Chester McMasters, Joe Coram, Anthony Bissett, Mike Martin, Al Street, Jim Shaw
Canton Auto Salvage Compacts
Top Qualifier – Terry Colletti
Heat #1 – Cody Kahler, Billy Stutler, Jim Poole, Terry Colletti, Rocky DeLuca
Heat #2 – Phil Veno, Jerry Kimble, Chuck Elkins, Josh Grove, Greg Grove
Heat #3 – Lennie Orr, Jason Anthony, Shawn Musick, Mike Phillips, Justin Courtney
Heat #4 – Ron McMasters, Brian Oliver, Dan Gray, Philip Murray, Bill Peckins
Heat #5 – Ben Gibson, Gary Murray, “unknown”, Bruce Gibson, Valerie Schwartz
Features 1, 2, and 3 – Postponed To A Later Date
Written by: Lee A. Booze/Adam Mackey |
