 The biggest car count for the regular five divisions was present this past Saturday, August 4, at Midvale Speedway. During the evening, over 140 cars competed in qualifying, heats, and features, and on this night, the drivers put on a great show.
The first feature of the night was the Smokers Paradise Late Model main event. Making his first appearance of the season, Kenny Cantrell, was to start on the pole of the 19-car field, alongside Tom Garbrandt. However, as the cars pulled away from the frontstretch, one was left sitting – that of Cantrell. He went pitside with ignition problems. That put Garbrandt, looking for his first win, on the pole with Marcus Malcuit on the outside. At the start of the 25-lapper, Malcuit tried to jump into the lead, but couldn’t, as Garbrandt was too strong in the low lane. At mid-race, Malcuit tried again for several laps, but with the same result. With five laps to go, Malcuit put his blue #75 in the high lane and ran side-by-side with Garbrandt each and every lap, but could not pull ahead. On the last lap, however, Malcuit kept his car as close to the bottom lane as possible without squeezing Garbrandt, and this made all the difference. As the cars exited turn four, Malcuit got his best run, and crossed the start finish line right beside Garbrandt. Too close to call from the grandstands, several officials from the pit area declared Malcuit the winner by mere inches over Garbrandt. For Malcuit, it was the third win of the season for the Dairy Queen/Esber Beverage car. For Garbrandt, it was his best run of the year, as he has been the hard luck driver this year. Don Harvey, Gary Hoopingarner, and Mike Miller completed the top five in the race that went flag-to-flag. Bob Sibila, Farmer Smith, Kenny Carroll, Bear Schwartz, and Paul Sibila completed the top ten. Malcuit and Rob Julian won the heat races, while Carroll was the top qualifier.
In the Tolloti Pipe Modified division’s 20-lap feature, Danny Shannon held the early lead, but would later give it up to Jeff Smith. With Smith out front, and a handful of laps to go, Lawney Vaughn made a run in the outside lane to take over the top spot. Vaughn crossed the line first at the finish, but a post race inspection found his transmission to be illegal. This gave the win to the Massillon driver, Smith – his first feature win in a Modified. Glen Jewell, Butch Erickson, Dusty Woodie, and Jim McCune rounded out the top five. Mike Enos, Danny Shannon, Mike Bowers, George Bowers, and Duane Workman completed the top ten. Heats were won by McCune and Smith, while Woodie turned the top qualifying time.
In another exciting Tusco Net Detroit Iron feature, Tim Postel started on the outside of Dave Jordan to lead the field down to the green. Jordan moved into the lead, as Postel and the outside groove fought hard to stay up front. The outside groove eventually fell back to fight for fifth around the halfway point, but as the cars worked their way around the 3/10-mile oval with around five to go, the outside lane started to come back, as Jordan’s #3 seemed to slow a bit. In fact, Postel would move into the lead with around three laps to go. However, on lap 17 of 20, the first caution of the race came out for an accident in turn three. This put Jordan back out front, since he was ahead at the last completed lap. Back to green flag racing, Postel would again work around the leader, but this time he went into the lead for good. However, as in the Modified feature, the winner’s car was found to be illegal, and that gave the win to New Cumberland’s Todd Miller. Miller was followed in the official rundown by Kevin McClintock, Jordan, Bill Hilliker, and Bill Aubihl. Tim Skinner, Joe Linard, Jimmy Orr, Gabe Pringle, and Waylon Orr rounded out the top ten. Skinner, Dan Gasser, and Don Rufener, Jr. won the heats, while Randy Doolin won the last chance race. The top qualifier was Linard.
In Pure Stock feature action, Dover’s Barney Gerber was the man on the move. Starting in row four, Gerber worked his way through the front half of the 24-car field during the 15-laps, and went on to win in his Nature’s Food Market/Depression Gold Company #2T. Jim Shaw, Sonny Arkenburgh, Brian Wood, and Bryan Aubihl rounded out the top five. Finishing off the top ten were Paul Parson, Larry Smith, Curtis Collins, Joe Oliver, and John Leasure. Brian Oliver, Teddy Oliver, and Jeff Smith won the heats, while Mike Martin turned the top time.
In Canton Auto Salvage Compact feature action, Chuck Elkins, of Waynesburg, won the fast feature. Jimbo Roup, Billy Stutler, Terry Colletti, and Cody Kahler finished off the top five. John McNutt, Jason Shaw, Lennie Orr, Josh Grove, and Russell Grandison rounded out the top ten.
Earlier in the night, Rocky DeLuca was going for the heat race win off of the final corner, when 13-year old, Justin Courtney slammed the door on him and picked up his first win. However, in the second feature, DeLuca was not to be denied as he won over Jason Anthony, Willie Grove, Joe Mazzoleni, and Rich Fox. Blaine Partee, Bruce Gibson, Chad Squires, Rick Everett, Jr., and Courtney completed the top ten.
In the third and final feature, Larry Riggle picked up the win in his Bobby Labonte look alike #18. Mike Phillips, Tom Craw, Ron Myers, and Gary Gibson finished off the top five.
Heats in the Compact division were picked up by two of the 13-year old racers, Cody Kahler and Justin Courtney, along with Garry Lute, Gary Smith, Sr, and Tom Craw. The top qualifier was Kelly McNutt.
The Figure 8 feature event was won by Larry Riggle.
Results For Midvale
Smokers Paradise Late Models
Top Qualifier – Kenny Carroll
Heat #1 – Marcus Malcuit, Tom Garbrandt, Don Harvey, Kenny Cantrell, Gary Hoopingarner
Heat #2 – Rob Julian, Darrel Dexter, Duane Dunn, Paul Sibila, Ron Jaberg, Jr.
Feature – Marcus Malcuit, Tom Garbrandt, Don Harvey, Gary Hoopingarner, Mike Miller, Bob Sibila, Farmer Smith, Kenny Carroll, Bear Schwartz, Paul Sibila, Duane Dunn, Tim Sibila, Ron Jaberg, Jr., Darrel Dexter, Rob Julian, Bob Eichel, Larry Page
Tolloti Pipe Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Dusty Woodie
Heat #1 – Jim McCune, John Wilson, Dusty Woodie, Butch Erickson
Heat #2 – Jeff Smith, Duane Workman, Danny Shannon, Mike Enos, George Bowers
Feature – Jeff Smith, Glen Jewell, Butch Erickson, Dusty Woodie, Jim McCune, Mike Enos, Danny Shannon, Mike Bowers, George Bowers, Duane Workman, John Wilson
Tusco Net Detroit Irons
Top Qualifier – Joe Linard
Heat #1 – Tim Skinner, Will Walker, Bill Aubihl, Jimmy Orr, Roger Butler
Heat #2 – Dan Gasser, Gabe Pringle, Waylon Orr, Bill Hillicker
Heat #3 – Don Rufener, Jr., Paul Murray, Calvin Collins, Randy Doolin, Dave McMillen
Last Chance – Randy Doolin, Dave McMillen, Tammy Randolph, Don Rufener, Jr., Calvin Collins, Paul Murray, Joe Sanford, Jr., Mike Royer
Feature – Todd Miller, Kevin McClintock, Dave Jordan, Bill Hilliker, Bill Aubihl, Tim Skinner, Joe Linard, Jimmy Orr, Gabe Pringle, Waylon Orr, Don Rufener, Jr., Dan Gasser, Dave McMillen, Calvin Collins, Paul Murray, Randy Doolin, Tammy Randolph, Roger Butler, Tim Gowins, Will Walker, Rich Stalnaker, Tim Roudebush, Joe Sanford, Jr.
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Mike Martin
Heat #1 – Brian Oliver, Paul Parson, Don Rufener, Jr., Brian Wood, Mike Martin
Heat #2 – Teddy Oliver, Joe Coram, Al Street, Chester McMasters, Vic Paul
Heat #3 – Jeff Smith, Curtis Collins, Brian Ridgway, Josh Moss, John Leasure
Feature – Barney Gerber, Jim Shaw, Sonny Arkenburgh, Brian Wood, Bryan Aubihl, Paul Parson, Larry Smith, Curtis Collins, Joe Oliver, John Leasure, Don Rufener, Jr., Jeff Smith, Al Street, Vic Paul, Brian Ridgway, Joe Coram, Mike Martin, Teddy Oliver, Josh Moss, Chester McMasters, Bob Oliver, John Ferrell, Matt Wallick, Brian Oliver
Canton Auto Salvage Compacts
Top Qualifier – Kelly McNutt
Heat #1 – Cody Kahler, Chuck Elkins, Billy Stutler, John McNutt, Russell Grandison
Heat #2 – Garry Lute, Willie Grove, George Miller, Jimbo Roup, Jim Keller, Jr.
Heat #3 – Justin Courtney, Jason Anthony, Rick Everett, Jr., Chad Squires, Rich Fox
Heat #4 – Gary Smith, Sr., Mike Phillips, Larry Riggle, Robert Nealey, Ron Myers
Heat #5 – Tom Craw, Reece Shoup, Bobby Long, Phillip Murray, Ben Gibson
Feature #1 – Chuck Elkins, Jimbo Roup, Billy Stutler, Terry Colletti, Cody Kahler, John McNutt, Jason Shaw, Lennie Orr, Josh Grove, Russell Grandison, Kelly McNutt, Jason Morgan, Bubba Smith, Phil Veno, Rick Elkins, Jr., George Miller, Ray Scott, Jim Keller, Jr., Jim Poole, Jim Jaberg, Kelly Wissman
Feature #2 – Rocky DeLuca, Jason Anthony, Willie Grove, Joe Mazzoleni, Rich Fox, Blaine Partee, Bruce Gibson, Chad Squires, Rick Everett, Jr., Justin Courtney, Robert Mizer, Ben Pearch, Ron McMasters, Seth Lute, Jack Grove, Matt Eggerton, Garry Lute, Jerry Kimble, Bobby Hunter
Feature #3 – Larry Riggle, Mike Phillips, Tom Craw, Ron Myers, Gary Gibson, John Wissman, Reece Shoup, Jamie Leslie, Gary Smith, Sr., Bobby Long, Gary Murray, Robert Nealey, Gary Smith, Jr.
Dale’s Heating & Cooling Figure 8’s
Feature – Larry Riggle
Written by: Adam Mackey |
