 A beautiful, but blistering, afternoon brought 135 race teams and a nice crowd out to the racing action this past Saturday, August 3. Late Models, Modifieds, Detroit Irons, Pure Stocks, and Compacts were in action along with the Dale’s Heating & Cooling Figure 8’s.
After a week in which 7 cars were piled up on the front-stretch during the Late Model feature, the smallest field of the year was on hand. Only 12 cars took the green, as Paul Miller, Jr. had a motor expire during his heat race. In the 25-lapper, Bob “The Animal” Eichel and rookie Richard Marcum had their career best starts in Late Model racing as they made up the front row. Eichel jumped into the lead, while Marcum tried to get to the inside lane. While doing so, he made contact with another competitor bringing out the yellow. Marcum admitted fault and went to the tail. He eventually went pitside with mechanical problems. After a lap 3 restart, Tom Garbrandt and Ryan Tedesco were working their way through the field, via the outside lane. After getting around Eichel for the lead, Garbrandt had his hands full with Tedesco on his rear bumper. Eventually, Tedesco was able to get by after a several lap battle, as Garbrandt slipped back into the field. At the finish, it was the Marathon Manufacturing #1 of New Philadelphia’s Ryan Tedesco picking up his third win and extending his points lead. Rich Dessecker, Mike Miller, Tom Newman, Jr., and Tom Garbrandt completed the top five. Duane Dunn, Bob Eichel, A.P. Ren, Mike Enos, and Kenny Stevens completed the top ten. Ren and Enos won the heats, while Dunn had his first career top qualifying effort.
Just because Tedesco won the Late Model feature, didn’t mean he was done for the night. He also decided to drive Mike Swaney’s car in the Dale’s Heating & Cooling Figure 8 race that ended the night. Starting in the front row, he slipped back into second on the start as Dan Grewell jumped into the lead and pulled away. Grewell had about a turn lead, when the drivers started to have some close calls at the intersection. Lap-after-lap Tedesco started to reel Grewell, who used to drive in the Detroit Iron division, in. With two laps to go in the ten-lap grind, Greg Grove and Brian Oliver made contact that caused Oliver’s car to flip on its side. The red flag was displayed, Oliver’s car landed back on its wheels, started up, and blasted Grove in the right rear during the red flag conditions. In the final two laps, Tedesco was able to get by Grewell for the lead, but contact would allow Tim Gowins, in Jerry Kimble’s racecar, to get into the lead battle. On the final lap, Kimble and Grewell made contact in the first corner, slid high, and Tedesco grabbed the lead for the final time as he crossed the stripe the winner of the Dale’s Heating & Cooling Figure 8, making it two-for-two for Tedesco. Gowins, Grewell, and Chuck Harshey rounded out the top four in one of the most exciting races in the last couple of years – anywhere.
14 Tolloti Pipe Modifieds lined up for the 20-lap feature event. George Bowers and Jeff Christy brought the field in for the green with Christy going out front. Christy, a rookie in the Modified division, held on to the lead for the early stages of the event, as the field race for position behind him. In the first half of the race, top point’s man, Glen Jewell, made contact with another automobile, sending him to a grinding crash on the backstretch. Jewell was able to climb from his car under his own power, but the wreck bent the racecar badly. After going back to green, it was more bad news for Jewell, as the runner-up in Modified points, Mark Striker, took over the lead and pulled away for his third win of 2002. Following the Cua’s Body Shop/Trenton Service #77 were Mark Willison, Jim McCune, Mark Enos, and John Wilson. Randy Gray, Baldy Baker, Jr., Butch Erickson, Jeff Christy, and Jeff Smith completed the top ten. Wilson and Erickson won the heats, while Uhrichsville’s Striker was also top qualifier.
Doug McMillen had a few second place finishes before last week, but couldn’t seem to get that first victory in the Tusco Net Detroit Iron class. However, after his July 27 win, momentum was on his side and the New Philadelphia veteran proved that he was the man to beat for the second week straight by taking the lead from Don Rufener, Jr. and pulling out to his second win in a row. Following the Stix & Stones Landscaping/South Philly Pizza #54 were Tim Gowins, Rufener, Roger Linard, and Bill Aubihl. Joe Linard, Kevin McClintock, Waylon Orr, Dan Gasser, and Lee McCreery rounded out the top ten. Gowins and Calvin Collins won the heats, while Roger Linard set fast time.
In the Papa John’s Pure Stock division, Canton’s John Leasure continued his second half hot streak by taking the feature win in his Canton Auto Salvage/Gallagher’s Auto Center #12. Barney Gerber, Mike Martin, Brian Wood, and Teddy Oliver rounded out the top five. Finishing in positions six through ten were Rick Elkins, Jr., Joe Oliver, Al Street, D.J. Radanovich, and Matt Wallick.
In the second Pure Stock feature, point’s leader Jimmy Orr picked up the win, driving the Zane Petroleum/Best Wireline car across the stripe in first. John Ferrell, Chester McMasters, Rick Hoffman, and Chris Miller completed the top five. The rest of the top ten were Mike Daugherty, Blake Mackey, Douglas Higgins, Tom Wilson, and Curtis Collins. Teddy Oliver, Orr, and McMasters won the heats, while Teddy Oliver was quick time setter.
Terry Colletti held off a strong challenge from Billy Stutler in the first feature for the Compact division. Following the Performance Graphics/Russ Moore & Sons Concrete #27 were Stutler, David Breehl, Russell Grandison, and Bubba Smith. Phil Veno, Cody Kahler, Josh Grove, Bryce Scott, and Gabe Pringle rounded out the top ten.
In the second feature, Shawn Smarsh picked up the win with Rocky Moore, Tammy Rufener, Jim Poole, and William Scott finishing second through fifth. The third feature was won by Dale Beatty as Jason Grewell, Eric Feister, Lennie Orr, and John Baker rounded out the top five. And in the final feature, Chuck Harshey took the win. George Veno, Bruce Gibson, Shawn Royer, and Kenny Jewell completed the top five. Stutler, Justin Courtney, Feister, Beatty, and Gibson won heats. The “Dash For Automatics” was taken by Jamie Leslie, while the top qualifier was Cody Kahler.
The Main Event Racing Series will now travel to Midvale Speedway on Friday, August 9 (raindate August 10) for the Texas Roadhouse Super Late 100. This will be the series’ second visit to the speedway this season. In their first appearance, Tim Ice came from the sixth starting spot to record the victory, while Tim Felver, Don Harvey, Jr., Ryan Tedesco, and Rich Rohrer completed the top five in the very exciting race. Modifieds, Detroit Irons, Pure Stocks, and Compacts will all be in action. Pit Gates open at 2:00, hotlaps start at 2:30, qualifying from 5:30-7:30, and the racing action will start at 8:00. For more information visit www.midvalespeedway.com or www.maineventracingseries.com. An open practice will be held on Thursday night from 4-8 for anyone wanting to hot-lap. Pit admission is $10, grandstand admission free.
The Main Event Racing Series will now travel to Midvale Speedway on Friday, August 9 (raindate August 10) for the Texas Roadhouse Super Late 100. This will be the series’ second visit to the speedway this season. In their first appearance, Tim Ice came from the sixth starting spot to record the victory, while Tim Felver, Don Harvey, Jr., Ryan Tedesco, and Rich Rohrer completed the top five in the very exciting race. Modifieds, Detroit Irons, Pure Stocks, and Compacts will all be in action. Pit Gates open at 2:00, hotlaps start at 2:30, qualifying from 5:30-7:30, and the racing action will start at 8:00. For more information visit www.midvalespeedway.com or www.maineventracingseries.com. An open practice will be held on Thursday night from 4-8 for anyone wanting to hot-lap. Pit admission is $10, grandstand admission free.
Results For Midvale Speedway
Smokers Paradise Late Models
Top Qualifier – Duane Dunn 14.98
Heat #1 – A.P. Ren, Ryan Tedesco, Rich Dessecker, Tom Newman, Jr., Duane Dunn
Heat #2 – Mike Enos, Tom Garbrandt, Kenny Stevens, Richard Marcum, Bear Schwartz
Feature – Ryan Tedesco, Rich Dessecker, Mike Miller, Tom Newman, Jr., Duane Dunn, Bob Eichel, A.P. Ren, Mike Enos, Kenny Stevens, Bear Schwartz, Richard Marcum
Tolloti Pipe Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Mark Striker 14.96
Heat #1 – John Wilson, Randy Gray, Glen Jewell, Mark Willison, Mark Striker
Heat #2 – Butch Erickson, Jeff Christy, Jim McCune, Jeff Smith, Mike Bowers
Feature – Mark Striker, Mark Willison, Jim McCune, Mark Enos, John Wilson, Randy Gray, Baldy Baker, Jr., Butch Erickson, Jeff Christy, Jeff Smith, Mike Bowers, Lawney Vaughn, Glen Jewell, George Bowers
Tusco Net Detroit Irons
Top Qualifier – Roger Linard 16.11
Heat #1 – Tim Gowins, Tim Skinner, Joe Linard, Roger Linard, Doug McMillen
Heat #2 – Calvin Collins, Lee McCreery, Bill Aubihl, Paul Murray, Don Rufener, Jr.
Feature – Doug McMillen, Tim Gowins, Don Rufener, Jr., Roger Linard, Bill Aubihl, Joe Linard, Kevin McClintock, Waylon Orr, Dan Gasser, Lee McCreery, Calvin Collins, Sonny Arkenburgh, Paul Murray, Rich Stalnaker, Tim Skinner, Dave McMillen
Papa John’s Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Teddy Oliver 18.39
Heat #1 – Teddy Oliver, John Leasure, Mike Martin, Joe Oliver, Barney Gerber
Heat #2 – Jimmy Orr, John Ferrell, Rick Hoffman, Matt Wallick, Paul Parson
Heat #3 – Chester McMasters, Curtis Collins, Dan Moore, Tom Craw, Chris Miller
Feature #1 – John Leasure, Barney Gerber, Mike Martin, Brian Wood, Teddy Oliver, Rick Elkins, Jr., Joe Oliver, Al Street, D.J. Radanovich, Matt Wallick, Jim Shaw, Kevin Locker, Paul Parson, Mark Deeser
Feature #2 – Jimmy Orr, John Ferrell, Chester McMasters, Rick Hoffman, Chris Miller, Mike Daugherty, Blake Mackey, Douglas Higgins, Tom Wilson, Curtis Collins, Tom Craw, Dan Moore, Carl Cordia, Lou Francis, Ron Myers
Galigher Motorsports Racing Collectible Compacts
Top Qualifier – Cody Kahler 18.95
Automatics Dash For Cash – Jamie Leslie, Jason Grewell, Bill Mercier, Chuck Harshey, Gary Gibson, Justin Lawson, Robert Nealey, Amy Cordia, Jerry Kimble
Heat #1 – Billy Stutler, Bryce Scott, John McNutt, Kelly McNutt, Brian Oliver
Heat #2 – Justin Courtney, Russell Grandison, Jack Grove, Jason Morgan, Bob Passwaters, Jr.
Heat #3 – Eric Feister, Tammy Rufener, Jim Poole, Jason Grewell, William Scott
Heat #4 – Dale Beatty, Lennie Orr, George Veno, Bob Passwaters, Sr., John Baker
Heat #5 – Bruce Gibson, Chuck Harshey, Kenny Jewell, Robert Nealey, Dale Nealey
Feature #1 – Terry Colletti, Billy Stutler, David Breehl, Russell Grandison, Bubba Smith, Phil Veno, Cody Kahler, Josh Grove, Bryce Scott, Gabe Pringle, John McNutt, Kelly McNutt, Brian Oliver, Randy Smart, Bill Mercier, Greg Grove
Feature #2 – Shawn Smarsh, Rocky Moore, Tammy Rufener, Jim Poole, William Scott, Justin Courtney, Jack Grove, Steve Oxier, Jason Morgan, Jimbo Roup, Ray Van Lehn, Bob Passwaters, Jr., Steve Randall, Bill Coburn, Adam Mishler, Dougie Cross
Feature #3 – Dale Beatty, Jason Grewell, Eric Feister, Lennie Orr, John Baker, Shawna Myers, Tye Kelly, John Wissman, Tom Barrett, Jason Anthony, Jerry Kimble, Phil Wade, Jamie Leslie
Feature #4 – Chuck Harshey, George Veno, Bruce Gibson, Shawn Royer, Kenny Jewell, Amy Cordia, Ben Gibson, Gary Gibson, David Napier, Dale Nealey, Justin Lawson, Chris Perkins, Bob Passwaters, Sr., Robert Nealey, Kenny Feister
Dale’s Heating & Cooling Figure 8’s
Feature (Top 5) – Ryan Tedesco, Tim Gowins, Dan Grewell, Chuck Harshey, Chad Squires
Written by: Adam Mackey |
