 For the second time this season, the Main Event Racing Series Super Late Models made an appearance at Midvale Speedway. This time, 22 Super Lates were in the pits for the J.D. Byrider 100, as well as Modifieds, Detroit Irons, Pure Stocks, and Compacts. The five divisions of racing had a grand total of 140 cars.
Qualifying for the outlaw bodied Late Model cars was extremely close, as three drivers tied for the fastest time. 13.94 was turned by Gary Whipkey, Ryan Tedesco, and Steve Gilland, but Whipkey had a quicker second lap which gave him the tie-breaker. Marcus Malcuit (14.04) and Rich Rohrer (14.09) completed the top five in time trials. At the completion of the qualifying session, Whipkey drew the #8 pill which inverted the top eight qualifiers for the 100-lap grind.
For the second time this season, Scott Baker started up front. Joey Shuryan, who had a good effort, started alongside, in the high groove. As the two came down for the original start, Shuryan slipped back immediately, while Baker drove off in the lead. As Shuryan fell back to the end of the top five, point’s leader, Steve Gilland tried to split him and Tedesco. Gilland clipped the left rear of Shuryan’s car, veered right, and hit the turn two wall head on. Gilland retired from the event with severe front-end damage.
On the complete restart, Baker again took the lead, and Shuryan fell back to fourth before getting to the inside lane. Baker would start to pull away, as Mack Gribble, Jr., Malcuit, Shuryan, Whipkey, and Rohrer ran single file.
The caution would fly for the second time on lap 4, as Scott Whyel spun in the second turn. After the restart, the top qualifier would move up yet another spot, as Shuryan went high and Whipkey made the pass.
After a Rob Randa caution flag, Malcuit and Gribble made contact coming off of turn four. It caused just enough damage on Gribble’s car to create an ill-handling car, and one that would later over-heat.
On lap 24, the fourth caution of the race came out. This time, it was for Tom Garbrandt and Oliver Allen, as they made contact deep in the field. Two laps after the restart, Whipkey continued his way to the front, by taking second from Malcuit.
Caution number five came out twenty laps later when Gribble put water down on the raceway. Gribble then went pitside for the second half of the race. The sixth and seventh cautions were for minor spin-outs on the 3/10-mile oval. From lap 55 on, the race would go caution-free.
In the second half, there were several two-car battles to watch. The most important was for the lead, as Baker could not shake Whipkey. Several car lengths back, Rohrer was putting pressure on Malcuit, and even further back Tim Ice was pressuring Tedesco for fifth. Not one of those cars seemed to make a mistake, keeping them in single file running order.
That is – until lap 99. As the cars crossed the start finish line under the white flag, Baker looked to have the $3,000 in his pocket. However, as his Sypolt Chevrolet/Tallmadge Asphalt #11 entered turn one, the car slid sideways and into the upper lane. Whipkey jumped to the inside and had the top spot by the middle of the backstretch. As the cars exited turn four and crossed the white stripe in front of an amazed crowd, Whipkey had won and Baker came home in second.
For Whipkey, it was his first win of the year for his TDL Construction/Gable Racing Engines #59. For Baker, it was the second time this year that bad luck has struck at Midvale. In the July 3 event, Baker led for the first 87 laps before something let go in the suspension. This time, it was 99 laps before he lost the lead and the win.
Doylestown’s Gary Whipkey was followed at the stripe by Baker, Malcuit, Rohrer, and Tedesco. Ice, Dino Long, Chuck Silva, Scott McLaughlin, and Allen completed the top ten.
The Main Event Racing Series now travels to Ovid, MI for another event at the Owosso Speedway. It will take place Saturday, August 18.
Ernie Shook returned to racing at Midvale Speedway in the Tolloti Pipe Modified division, on this night. Shook started on the pole of the event and took the early lead. However, on lap 3 the caution came out for Shook who went under his qualifying time – sending him to the tail. This gave the lead to John Wilson, who had John White, Mike Bowers, Mark Enos, and Mark Striker following him. With 9 laps in, the yellow flew for the second place car of White, who stopped in turn four. During that caution period, Wilson was sent to the tail for going under his qualifying time. This handed the lead to eight-time feature winner Glen Jewell. Dusty Woodie took over second shortly after the halfway point, but did not have enough for the leader. Following the J.D. Byrider/Texas Roadhouse #24 were Woodie, Striker, Jim McCune, and Shook who came back through the field. White, Butch Erickson, Wilson, Mike Buchanan, and George Bowers rounded out the top ten. Enos and Shook won the heat race events, while Woodie was the top qualifier.
In the 20-lap Tusco Net Detroit Iron feature event, Roger Butler and Will Walker started alongside each other in the front row. With five laps in, Waylon Orr, driving his father’s car, started pressuring Butler for the lead, but could not get around him. The car on the move was the #67 of John Tantarelli. He was using the outside lane to move up and was going for second with five to go. On lap 16, Tantarelli took the spot from Orr, but slid slightly up the track, causing him to drop back to third. The first caution of the event did not come out until lap 17. Tony Newman and Russ Moore, Jr. brought it out when the two cars got hooked up in turn four. Once back to green, Tantarelli moved back to the high lane. He took second by the end of lap 18, and when the white flew, he tried to get around Butler. However, Butler beat him back to the line by one half a car length. A post race inspection of the top finishing cars, found Butler’s frame height to by too low, thus handing the win to Tantarelli. Following the Action Extreme Sports/Ember Home Care car in the official rundown were Orr, Joe Linard, Walker, and Doug McMillen. Kevin McClintock, Bill Aubihl, Todd Miller, Tim Gowins, and Tim Skinner completed the top ten. The top qualifier was Linard, while Walker, Bill Hilliker, and Paul Murray won the heats.
Larry Smith led past the halfway point in the Papa John’s Pure Stock 15-lap feature. However, Teddy Oliver was on the move, and got around Canton’s Smith on lap number 10, after a two-lap battle. The Danny’s Auto Parts/Used Tire Company #49 went on to pick up the win, while Barney Gerber, Curtis Collins, Joe Oliver, and J.T. Turner followed him in the official rundown, after a couple of the top five cars were disqualified. Vic Paul, Al Street, Paul Parson, Mike Martin, and Anthony Bissett completed the top ten. Teddy Oliver, Collins, and John Ferrell won the heats, while Jim Shaw had the top qualifying time.
Tim Dreher won the fast 15-lap feature in the Canton Auto Salvage Compact division. Following the Tusky Transmission/Used Tire Company #8 were Billy Stutler, John McNutt, Bubba Smith, and Josh Grove. Completing the top ten were Terry Colletti, Jason Shaw, Terry McNutt, Cody Kahler, and Jason Morgan.
Russell Grandison won the second feature event, by holding off a hard-charging Jimbo Roup. Chad Squires, Jim Poole, and Jerry Kimble rounded out the top five.
In the third and final feature, Vince Martin picked up the win driving the J.D. Byrider #13. Jim Keller, Jr., Dan Gray, Larry Riggle, and Chuck Harshey completed the top five.
Jason Shaw was the top Compact qualifier, while Greg Grove, Chuck Elkins, Vince Martin, and Bill Mercier were heat race winners.
Racing action will continue at Midvale this Saturday, as all five regular divisions will be back in action. A gold rush will be held at intermission for kids aged 10 and under. Qualifying starts at 4, while racing will begin at 6:30.
Results For Midvale
Main Event Racing Series
Top Qualifier – Gary Whipkey
J.D. Byrider 100 - Gary Whipkey, Scott Baker, Marcus Malcuit, Rich Rohrer, Ryan Tedesco, Tim Ice, Dino Long, Chuck Silva, Scott McLaughlin, Oliver Allen, Todd Ripley, Joey Shuryan, Cord Ehrhart, Joel McKnight, Scott Whyel, Tom Garbrandt, Tim Sibila, A.P. Ren, Mack Gribble, Jr., Rob Randa, Ron Jaberg, Jr., Steve Gilland
Tolloti Pipe Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Dusty Woodie
Heat #1 – Mark Enos, John White, Jim McCune, Mark Striker, Dusty Woodie
Heat #2 – Ernie Shook, John Wilson, Mike Buchanan, Danny Shannon, Mike Bowers
Feature – Glen Jewell, Dusty Woodie, Mark Striker, Jim McCune, Ernie Shook, John White, Butch Erickson, John Wilson, Mike Buchanan, George Bowers, Mark Enos, Mike Bowers, Danny Shannon, Jeff Smith, Jeff Walker
Tusco Net Detroit Irons
Top Qualifier – Joe Linard
Heat #1 – Will Walker, Waylon Orr, John Tantarelli, Bill Aubihl, Doug McMillen
Heat #2 – Bill Hilliker, Russ Moore, Jr., Dave McMillen, Don Rufener, Jr.
Heat #3 – Paul Murray, Tony Newman, Calvin Collins, Greg Mazzoleni, Cleet Heck
Feature – John Tantarelli, Waylon Orr, Joe Linard, Will Walker, Doug McMillen, Kevin McClintock, Bill Aubihl, Todd Miller, Tim Gowins, Tim Skinner, Don Rufener, Jr., Bill Hilliker, Dave Jordan, Dave McMillen, Russ Moore, Jr., Tony Newman, Tim Roudebush, Calvin Collins, Greg Mazzoleni, Rich Stalnaker, Gabe Pringle, Cleet Heck, Paul Murray
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Jim Shaw
Heat #1 – Teddy Oliver, Al Street, Brian Wood, Jim Shaw, Bryan Aubihl
Heat #2 – Curtis Collins, Anthony Bissett, Bob Oliver
Heat #3 – John Ferrell, D.J. Radanovich, Scott Spino, Douglas Higgins, Chester McMasters
Feature – Teddy Oliver, Barney Gerber, Curtis Collins, Joe Oliver, J.T. Turner, Vic Paul, Al Street, Paul Parson, Mike Martin, Anthony Bissett, Brian Wood, Bryan Aubihl, Bob Oliver, D.J. Radanovich, John Ferrell, Don Rufener, Jr., Douglas Higgins, Chester McMasters, Joe Coram, Jim Shaw
Canton Auto Salvage Compacts
Top Qualifier – Jason Shaw
Heat #1 – Larry Smith, Cody Kahler, Josh Grove, Robert Mizer, Billy Stutler
Heat #2 – Chuck Elkins, Jimbo Roup, Lennie Orr, Blaine Partee, Paul Wade
Heat #3 – Vince Martin, Larry Riggle, Jerry Kimble, Chad Squires, Bill Peckins
Heat #4 – Bill Mercier, Dan Gray, Chuck Harshey, Gary Murray, Violet McMasters
Feature #1 – Lennie Orr, Billy Stutler, John McNutt, Bubba Smith, Josh Grove, Terry Colletti, Jason Shaw, Terry McNutt, Cody Kahler, Jason Morgan, Greg Grove, Phil Veno, Chuck Elkins, Jack Grove, Rick Elkins, Jr., Robert Mizer
Feature #2 – Russell Grandison, Jimbo Roup, Chad Squires, Jim Poole, Jerry Kimble, Bryce Scott, Rich Fox, Ray Scott, Bob Schneider, Jr., Paul Wade, John Wissman, Otto Polilli, Blaine Partee, Bill Peckins
Feature #3 – Vince Martin, Jim Keller, Jr., Dan Gray, Larry Riggle, Chuck Harshey, Robert Nealey, Ron Myers, Violet McMasters, Gary Murray, Kirk Whittaker, Kelly Wissman, Jamie Leslie, Bill Mercier, Carol Morrow
Written by: Adam Mackey |
