"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13
Weekly Race Report
Hummingbird Speedway
May 25, 2013
By: Randy Albert
A chilly evening had all the race fans bundled up and all the early gardeners nervous as Hummingbird Speedway open its doors for another night of local racing action. Derek Rodkey made good on last week’s misfortune by winning the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model feature in a strong flag to flag run. The Warrior Energy Services Street Stock division found Ed Connor taking the checkered flag after 20 laps of close racing. Colton Joiner took his first win of the season in the Pure Stock class. Also with his first win of 2013, Chuck White led a competitive group of Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder cars across the finish line.
Derek Rodkey out of Osceola Mills and Bob Connor led the eleven car field of Late Model race cars, sponsored by BWP Bats, onto the racing surface. Rodkey wasted no time in blasting into an early lead leaving Connor and Rick Maxim from Reynoldsville trying to make up lost ground. Rodkey used both the cushion and low line to effectively keep Maxim and Connor at arm’s length behind him. Dwayne Brooks out of Falls Creek slipped past John Reed from Reynoldsville for the fourth position. Brooks made the pass and looked like he had something for the leaders as he moved low on Connor into third then onto challenge Maxim for second. Rodkey meanwhile continued to be smooth and consistent but began to encounter slower cars giving Maxim and Brooks a chance to close the gap. Their hopes were extinguished when Maxim got loose between turns one and two and Brooks had no place to go but to try and spin and avoid Maxim. On the restart Maxim was able to continue but Brooks had to head to the pits. Rodkey took the opportunity to stretch out his lead in the closing laps. Connor stayed close for a few circuits but Rodkey was too strong and had a ten car length lead when the checkered flag flew.
Dwayne Brooks and Paul Kot both won the Late Model heat races.
Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek made his second appearance at the speedway and was flanked by Bruce Hartzfeld out of Stump Creek for the drop of Bob Sullinger’s green flag. Arthurs had a good start and nice momentum coming off the corners setting up what looked like a strong run. Brandon and Ed Connor, both from DuBois, had cleared Hartzfeld and were running in second and third place. Unfortunately Arthur’s night ended early with equipment problems bringing out a caution and handing over the lead to Brandon Connor. On the restart Brandon took the inside lane leaving Ed to the outside followed closely by Hartzfeld and Skip Lindemuth from Hazen. Also at the drop of the green, last week’s winner, Kyle Shannon quickly moved into fifth just to keep it interesting. Ed Connor took a slight lead and used the cushion while Brandon tried to make the low line work to his advantage. Lap after lap Brandon came up just short of making the pass for the lead as he worked the corner into position only to have Ed use the momentum coming off the top line to hold and regain the advantage. It would have been interesting to hear what was going through each of the Connor’s mind during the race. The big question is who does Ms. Connor cheer for when father and son are in another heated Street Stock duel? Behind them Shannon had worked his way into fourth and eventually made the pass on Lindemuth for third as the laps wound down. Both the Connor cars look sharp on the track and the Connor drivers looked spot on tonight in both preparation and driving skill. It could have gone either way depending on the circumstances but Ed Connor stayed with what was working edging out Brandon for the win in another exciting Street Stock finish at Hummingbird.
Heat race winner included Bruce Hartzfeld and Steve Arthurs.
The Pure Stocks lined up for their feature event led by Dave Kohler from Rockton and Doug Surra out of Kersey. Kohler held the lead for the first circuit as Colton Joiner from DuBois sipped into the low groove around Surra and then for the lead. An early caution reset the field with Joiner on the inside and Kohler on the outside. Kohler slowed on the restart bringing out another caution and ending his night. On the restart it was again Joiner now flanked by Surra on the outside. Devin Lewis from Weedville wasted no time in pressuring the leaders with Shawn Munoz from Punxsutawney not far behind. Mike Anderson had moved up from his last place starting position into fifth place by the first couple of laps. The field stretched out rather quickly and the long green flag run helped Joiner to continue to stretch out a lead. Lewis stayed close to Surra and Anderson was pressuring Munoz for the fourth position but no one could mount a serious attack on the leader. Anderson made the pass on Munoz at the half way point with Lewis still trailing Surra’s right rear quarter panel on the outside. It was a nice Saturday night for a ride and win for Colton Joiner who had a straight away lead over Surra and Lewis at the conclusion of the race.
Winner in the Pure Stock heat races included Doug Surra and Dave Kohler.
The Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders made their way onto the track for the final chilly feature race of the evening. Troy Peace from Big Run and Zach Lindemuth from Brockway lead the field of competitors to the green flag. Chuck White from DuBois quickly made it three wide with Peace and Lindemuth coming out of turn two with John Campisano from Punxsutawney and Randy Albert from Morrisdale right behind them. White held the lead after the first lap and Campisano, Lindemuth and Albert jockeyed for position and a chance to compete with White. The field stretched out a bit with White having a 5-7 car length lead over Campisano as Lindemuth held off Albert’s attempt’s to take the fourth position. Albert eventually made the pass just as Dustin Gray from Weedville took in the view in turn four from his roof. He exited the car and as all right to the relief of all in attendance. The race commenced with five laps to go and this gave the field a chance to bunch up on White and put Matt Bryant from Weedville on the back bumper of Lindemuth. Campisano made numerous attempts to pass White on the inside as Albert returned the favor trying to work Campisano first on the outside then inside. As the laps closed Bryant was able to use the outside to pass Lindemuth for fourth. White went on to take his first win of the season.
Heat race winners in the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders included John Campisano and Matt Bryant.
The staff and management would like to thank everyone who turns out each week to support local racing. Sponsors, car owners, drivers and track personnel all come together each week to make an evening of entertainment possible for fans of local dirt track racing. Hummingbird Speedway has been, and will continue to be, a source that entertainment. They provide a family friendly environment for stock car racing in central Pennsylvania.
Next week is a regular event at the speedway featuring the Steel Block Late Models, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders. Racing Pioneers night is planned for June 15, 2013. Visit the speedway web site at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com for details on next week’s race, point standings, weekly photographs, and more.
FINAL RESULTS
BWP Bats Steel Block Late Models
1. 14R Derek Rodkey Osceola Mills
2. 18 Bob Connor DuBois
3. 10 Bruce Raybuck Falls Creek
4. 9 John Reed Reynoldsville
5. 01 Donnie Connor Reynoldsville
6. 48 Jr Rich Runyan Brockway
7. 78 Brian Molnar Falls Creek
8. 102 Rick Maxim Reynoldsville
9. 2R Rich Womeldorf Apollo
10. 1B Dwayne Brooks Falls Creek
11. 36 Paul Kot Brockway
Warrior Energy Services Street Stocks
1. 33 Ed Connor DuBois
2. 05 Brandon Connor DuBois
3. 1S Kyle Shannon Brockway
4. 22 Skip Lindemuth Hazen
5. 101 Bruce Hartzfeld Stump Creek
6. 37 Joe Kot DuBois
7. 29L Johnny Lindenpitz Knox Dale
8. 28 Fuzzy Fields Brockway
9. 69R Brian Rhed Brockport
10. 54 Shawn Lindemuth Brookville
11. 68 Don Henry Falls Creek
12. 43 W Kyle Beimel St Marys
13. 43 P Pernell Beimel St Marys
14. 01 Steve Arthurs Falls Creek
Pure Stocks
1. 1* Colton Joiner DuBois
2. 3 Doug Surra Kersey
3. 73 Devin Lewis Weedville
4. 76 Mike Anderson DuBois
5. 15M Shawn Munoz Punxsutawney
6. 32 Scott Zimmerman Brookville
7. 8 Cory Silvis Brookville
8. 83 Dalton Gustafson Weedville
9. 3L Brandon Lansberry Marion Center
10. 42 Dave Kohler Rockton
11. 4T DNS Randy “Tank” Coombs Big Run
Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders
1. 7K Chuck White DuBois
2. 8C John Campisano Punxsutawney
3. 17 Randy Albert Morrisdale
4. 32 Matt Bryant Weedville
5. 34 Zach Lindemuth Brockway
6. 65C Cory Reitz Brockway
7. 73 Troy Peace Big Run
8. 94R Richelle Sheeley Hazen
9. 422 Randy Holliday Brookville
10. 2B Rusty Murray Mayport
11. 29Z Jason Wulfert Rochester Mills
12. 6B Frank Barrett III DuBois
13. 43 Josh Gray Weedville
14. 63 Dustin Gray Weedville
Edited by #17RaceTeam, 26 May 2013 - 11:05 PM.
