 Following a very rough night of racing on June 22, 145 cars made the trip back to the 3/10-mile asphalt oval for Mid-Season Championships night at Midvale Speedway. Late Models, Modifieds, Detroit Irons, Pure Stocks, and Compact all competed for the large trophies and the bragging rights.
The first exciting feature run during the evening was the Tusco Net Detroit Iron 20-lapper. Don Rufener, Jr. and Lee McCreery started in row one for the event and Rufener held the spot after the first lap. On lap two, Travis Page made contact with McCreery in turn four. As McCreery’s #00 spun towards the infield it smacked the Mario Kelly car and sent it head first into the frontstretch wall. Kelly and McCreery were done for the night. Once the green came back out, Bill Aubihl took the lead and held on to the spot for several laps until Kevin McClintock took over. McClintock, last week’s top qualifier, looked to have things wrapped up until Joe Linard made his move with just a few to go. As the top two pulled away from the field, Linard dove to the lowside of the leader in turn three, and by turn four was the new leader. Linard went on to pick up his second win in the Uncle Primo’s/New Image Homes #82. Following the Dover, Ohio driver across the line were McClintock, Tim Skinner, Aubihl, and Doug McMillen. Tim Gowins, Page, Waylon Orr, Rufener, and Roger Linard finished off the top ten. Skinner, Aubihl, and Dan Gasser won the heats, while McClintock was the top qualifier.
The second main event that took place was the 25-lap Smokers Paradise Late Model feature. Bear Schwartz started on the pole with John Sandquist, Jr. alongside. When the green was waved, Sandquist got the better start and took the lead using the outside lane, while Schwartz dropped into second. On the second lap, the leader slipped up in the third turn, but when Schwartz tried to make a move, he also went up the banking and made contact. A yellow flag then came out on the speedway for another accident, but Schwartz had to pit to change a deflated tire. That moved last year’s track champion Mike Miller into the runner-up spot and he hounded Sandquist for several laps before finally putting him away. Tom Garbrandt came along, as he tried to chase down Miller. Miller and Garbrandt ran nose-to-tail as both cars looked to be pretty equal. Despite the exciting racing up front, all eyes were turned towards the middle of the field, where Ryan Tedesco was picking off cars one at a time. Tedesco cut a tire down on the second lap, had it change and eventually picked up over ten positions to get back into the top five. At the finish, Miller in the Allied Auto/Cornwell Tools #79 was victorious for his second win. Following the Clinton, Ohio driver were Garbrandt, Duane Dunn, Tedesco, and A.P. Ren. Tim Sibila, Paul Sibila, Darrel Dexter, Kenny Stevens, and Paul Miller, Jr. completed the top five. Garbrandt and Miller won the heats, while Ren was the fastest in time trials.
The third feature may have been the most exciting of the night. After a June 22 caution fest, 15 cars were back in action in the Tolloti Pipe Modified feature, Saturday night. Butch Erickson started on the pole for the 20-lapper and did everything he could, lap-after-lap to hold off a hard-charging Jeff Smith. As Erickson, Smith, and Dusty Woodie raced, one right after the other, they were pulling away from the rest of the field. Smith tried several times to Erickson’s lowside, but to not avail. Caution free for the first 13 lap, the race was finally slowed by yellow with seven to go as the third place car of Woodie made contact with Smith. Smith looped his #34 racer and both drivers went to the tail. That put Glen Jewell in the second spot for the restart, and it looked as though he was going to be the one to beat. However, as he raced with Erickson, the two cars touched, both checked up and top qualifier Mark Willison soared by for the lead. Jewell eventually took second and closed to Willison’s rear bumper, but could never make it happen. At the end, Willison’s White Performance #17 won it’s first race of the year with Jewell, Erickson, Mark Enos, and Randy Gray completing the top five. Smith, Dan Shannon, Mark Striker, Jeff Walker, and Bill Westlake finished off the top ten. Smith and Mike Bowers won the heat.
Once again, the Papa John’s Pure Stocks put on a great feature – this time, flag-to-flag. The 24-car field was led to the green by Shane Billiter and Mike Martin, with Billiter taking the lead. Billiter led for a handful of laps until Jim Shaw made the outside lane work for his McClean’s Outdoor Maintenance/Kishman’s IGA #88. Shaw took the lead with a few to go and was able to hold off a hard-charging John Leasure to pick up the win. Leasure, Martin, Billiter, and Rick Elkins, Jr. rounded out the top five. Norm Stutler, Rich Schweitzer, Greg Mazzoleni, D.J. Radanovich, and Joe Oliver completed the top ten. Schweitzer, Paul Parson, and Matt Wallick won the heats. Parson won the last chance, while Mazzoleni was the top qualifer.
In the first of four Galigher Motorsports Compact features, Dover, Ohio’s Bubba Smith started on the pole and was able to hold off Josh Grove after a several lap battle. Crossing the line behind the T&J Trucking/Smith’s Auto Sales #12 were Grove, Greg Grove, Terry Colletti, and David Breehl. Billy Stutler, Randy Smart, John McNutt, Justin Courtney, and Cody Kahler rounded out the top ten.
The other three Compact features were won by Brian Oliver, Lennie Orr, and Mike Phillips, Jr. Jason Morgan, Willie Grove, Bryce Scott, and Dale Beatty finished in the top five for the second feature. In the third feature, Bruce Gibson, Mike Swaney, Steve Oxier, and Jason Anthony rounded out the top five and in the final feature William Scott, Jerry Kimble, Billy Hilliker, and Ben Gibson finished in the top five.
Heats were won by Smith, Oliver, Vic Paul, Orr, and John Wissman. Cody Kahler was the night’s top qualifer.
Midvale Speedway competitors will have just a couple of nights off and will be back in action this Wednesday, July 3. The Main Event Racing Series Super Late Models will be making their first visit this year along with the Modifieds, Detroit Irons, Pure Stocks, and Compacts. The Super Lates will go 100 laps for $3,000 to win. Fireworks will be held around 11 o’clock. Racing starts at 8. For more info go to www.midvalespeedway.com or www.maineventracingseries.com .
Results For Midvale Speedway
Smokers Paradise Late Models
Top Qualifier – A.P. Ren 14.80
Heat #1 – Tom Garbrandt, Dave Sluka, Ryan Tedesco, A.P. Ren, Duane Dunn
Heat #2 – Mike Miller, Darrel Dexter, Bear Schwartz, Richard Marcum, John Sandquist, Jr.
Feature – Mike Miller, Tom Garbrandt, Duane Dunn, Ryan Tedesco, A.P. Ren, Tim Sibila, Paul Sibila, Darrel Dexter, Kenny Stevens, Paul Miller, Jr., Rich Dessecker, Richard Marcum, Bob Eichel, John Sandquist, Jr., Dave Sluka, Ron Jaberg, Jr., Bear Schwartz
Tolloti Pipe Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Mark Willison 14.95
Heat #1 – Jeff Smith, Dan Shannon, Mark Enos, Jeff Walker, Dusty Woodie
Heat #2 – Mike Bowers, Lawney Vaughn, Jim McCune, Bill Westlake, Butch Erickson
Feature – Mark Willison, Glen Jewell, Butch Erickson, Mark Enos, Randy Gray, Jeff Smith, Dan Shannon, Mark Striker, Jeff Walker, Bill Westlake, Dusty Woodie, Mike Bowers, George Bowers, Lawney Vaughn, Jim McCune
Tusco Net Detroit Irons
Top Qualifier – Kevin McClintock 16.03
Heat #1 – Tim Skinner, Joe Linard, Doug McMillen, Mario Kelly, Jimmy Orr
Heat #2 – Bill Aubihl, Travis Page, Roger Linard, Lee McCreery, Don Rufener, Jr.
Heat #3 – Dan Gasser, Sonny Arkenburgh, Rich Stalnaker, Tim Gowins, Mike Royer
Feature – Joe Linard, Kevin McClintock, Tim Skinner, Bill Aubihl, Doug McMillen, Tim Gowins, Travis Page, Waylon Orr, Don Rufener, Jr., Roger Linard, Rich Stalnaker, Sonny Arkenburgh, Dan Gasser, Joe Sanford, Jr., Mike Royer, Mario Kelly, Lee McCreery
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Greg Mazzoleni 18.44
Heat #1 – Rich Schweitzer, Norm Stutler, John Leasure, Greg Mazzoleni, Scott Ollis
Heat #2 – Paul Parson, Mike Martin, Curtis Collins, Brian Wood, Anthony Bissett
Heat #3 – Matt Wallick, Douglas Higgins, Chris Miller, Brian Oliver, Blake Mackey
Last Chance – Paul Parson, Shane Ball, Larry Smith, Brian Oliver, Douglas Higgins, Matt Wallick, Scott McRobie, Dan Moore, Blake Mackey, Mike Daugherty, Chris Miller
Feature – Jim Shaw, John Leasure, Mike Martin, Shane Billiter, Rick Elkins, Jr., Norm Stutler, Rich Schweitzer, Greg Mazzoleni, D.J. Radanovich, Joe Oliver, Brian Oliver, Anthony Bissett, John Ferrell, Al Street, Matt Wallick, Paul Parson, Shane Ball, Larry Smith, Douglas Higgins, Scott McRobie, Dan Moore, Scott Ollis, Brian Wood, Curtis Collins
Galigher Motorsports Racing Collectibles Compacts
Top Qualifier – Cody Kahler 18.87
Heat #1 – Bubba Smith, Josh Grove, Randy Hahn, Greg Grove, David Breehl
Heat #2 – Brian Oliver, Ron Myers, Willie Grove, Bryce Scott, Phil Veno
Heat #3 – Vic Paul, Jason Anthony, Bruce Gibson, Shawn Smarsh, Steve Oxier
Heat #4 – Lennie Orr, Mike Phillips, Jr., Bobby Courtney, Jill Harshey, Joe Ujcich
Heat #5 – John Wissman, Jerry Kimble, Ben Gibson, Tom Barrett, Billy Hilliker
Feature #1 – Bubba Smith, Josh Grove, Greg Grove, Terry Colletti, David Breehl, Billy Stutler, Randy Smart, John McNutt, Justin Courtney, Cody Kahler, Ray Scott, Kelly McNutt, Gabe Pringle, Jim Poole, Phil Veno, Jim Keller, Jr.
Feature #2 – Brian Oliver, Jason Morgan, Willie Grove, Bryce Scott, Dale Beatty, Russell Grandison, Shawn Smarsh, Bill Mercier, Rocky Moore, Jimbo Roup, Bob Passwaters, Gary Murray, Tammy Rufener, Ron Myers, Shawna Myers, Larry Riggle, Jack Grove
Feature #3 – Lennie Orr, Bruce Gibson, Mike Swaney, Steve Oxier, Jason Anthony, John Baker, Vic Paul, Dougie Cross, James Perrenoud, Jill Harshey, Jason Grewell, Tye Kelly, Otto Polilli, Joe Ujcich, Eric Feister, Bill Coburn, Robert Nealey, John Drescher
Feature #4 – Mike Phillips, Jr., William Scott, Jerry Kimble, Billy Hilliker, Ben Gibson, Bobby Courtney, John Wissman, Tom Barrett, Kenny Jewell, Violet McMasters, Dale Nealey, Robert Bower, Craig Rudolph, Charles Ritch
Written by: Adam Mackey |
