Hummingbird Speedway Race Report
July 12, 2014
By: Randy Albert
Chris Farrell from Clearfield claimed his spot once again in the winner’s circle in the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model division at Hummingbird Speedway on Saturday night. Kyle Shannon from Brockway took to the high line and found it to his liking winning the Street Stock race. In the Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprint class Bryce Craft from Frenchville was the best of the winged warriors winning his feature race. The Pure Stock race was down to the wire in a photo finish with Doug Surra smiling for the camera after the race with his win. Closing out the evening Eric Boozel from McVeytown took the checkered flag in the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder division.
Jerry Redden from Mahaffey and Chris Farrell from Clearfield made up the front row for the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model feature race. Bob Sullinger waved the green flag to set the wheels in motion for the start of the race. Farrell held his high line for a couple laps but then dropped low pulling up alongside Redden. He continued to look low in the turns moving up behind him on the straights to regain speed in the attempt to make the pass. Behind them Bob McMillen from St Marys and Paul Kot from Brockway were doing the same but for the third and fourth position. The two leaders began to encounter lap traffic with three cars directly in front of them leading to a decision on both drivers part as to how to make the best of the situation. Farrell had the better line on the bottom causing Redden to settle for tucking in behind him to clear the slower cars. A mid race caution regrouped the cars just after Farrell’s pass with Redden on his tail and McMillen looking for a way forward in third. Eric Moore from Frenchville was moving forward from his thirteenth starting position and leaning heavily on the bumper of Dave Buchanan out of Cherry Tree. Redden was driving hard into the corners pulling up alongside his rival but in the effort he got loose in turn two, not spinning but scrubbing off enough speed to give Farrell a little breathing room and giving McMillen the opportunity to make a move for the second spot. A late race caution gave the drivers one last chance at Farrell but the only challenge was for second as Redden tried to retake the spot from McMillen and Moore hoping for either driver to make a mistake giving him an opening. The three drivers were head to tail and nearly three wide in the turns but as the checkered flag flew it was Farrell followed by McMillen, Redden, and Moore.
Heat race winners in the class included Chris Farrell and Jerry Redden.
Bruce Hartzfeld from Stump Creek was on the pole for the start of the Street Stock feature race with Shawn Lindemuth from Brookville to his right. Hartzfeld was out to an early lead but an early caution restart found Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek making his way under Hartzfeld to take the lead. Behind them a gaggle of drivers were seeking to occupy the same real estate including Lindemuth, Colton Gearhart from DuBois, Paul Kot fresh out of his late model into the street stock, Tom Slack from Sabula and Kyle Shannon from Brockway. Arthurs had a narrow lead and held it through a number restarts. Gearhart found the outside to his liking moving around Hartzfeld for second with Shannon making the same decision and using it to shoot by Hartzfeld then Gearhart on the next lap. He quickly pulled up on the outside of the leader Arthurs on the next lap and they raced side by side for a few circuits with Shannon eventually making the pass for the lead. Gearhart looked low a number of times then eased to the high groove to find his way past Arthurs to take the second spot. Shannon held a small but comfortable lead using the high line and smooth driving to keep his competitors at bay and take the win.
Street Stock heat race winners included Bruce Hartzfeld and Paul Kot.
The sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints made their way to the track with Scott Hawkins from Sarver and Brian Haney out of Salina leading the way. Haney jumped out to the lead on the inside with Bryce Craft from Frenchville moving up on his right with Dave Hawkins from Lower Burrell looking on from third. Craft moved past Haney on the outside on the next lap as a caution brought the drivers back together for a restart. Haney re-challenged the leader on the restart and Hawkins was looking to do the same but Craft held his ground and had the advantage coming out of turn four with the lead. Craft developed a commanding lead near mid-race with Robert Garvey Jr from Grassflat making his way by Hawkins for the fourth positon as the caution flag flew again reeling the leader back in. This time the leader stepped out quickly taking command of the race as Brian Forester from Saxonburg took over the third spot from Garvey. As the field began to string out under green flag racing Craft continued to control the pace going on to take his first win of the season.
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprint heat race winners were Bryce Craft and Brian Haney.
The Pure Stock cars lined up behind Dustin Challingsworth from St Marys and Mike Miller from Rockton with Challingsworth moving into the lead position for the first lap. He was followed closely by Zach Meyers from Knox while Dustin Michuck out of St Marys and Doug Surra from Kersey raced side by side behind the leaders. Meyers nosed up on the bumper of the Challingsworth car then tucked his car under the left rear quarter panel of the leader in turns one and two to make the pass going down the back stretch. Challingsworth drifted high opening the door for Surra to make the move into second. Surra crept up on the leader lap by lap and caution restart reset the field behind them with four laps to go. It was now Surra’s turn to look low on the leader. Surra got a strong run going into turn three on the last lap pulling up next to Meyers. As they slid through the turn Surra had a slight advantage coming onto the front stretch. Meyer’s car regained momentum as the drivers approached the flag stand and Bob Sullinger waving the checkered flag. In a nearly too close to call, photo finish Doug Surra nosed out a strong running Zach Meyers for the win.
Dustin Michuck and Doug Zimmerman were the heat race winners in the Pure Stock class.
Front Wheel Drives were the final full race of the evening and leading the way was Cory Reitz from Brockway and Austin Dempsey from Brookville. Eric Boozel from McVeytown quickly made it three wide taking the lead on the back stretch followed closely by Josh Frantz from DuBois. Reitz was holding his own on the outside trading placed with Frantz for second as a group of drivers vied for the third through eight spot behind them. On a caution restart Dale Lindemuth from Brockway and John Campisano out of Punxsutawney managed to get by Reitz followed by Randy Albert from Morrisdale working his way forward in the high groove after losing a couple of positions early in the race. The outside continued to work for Albert as he moved by Campisano then Lindemuth into third. Frantz was still in the second spot trying to chase down Boozel. A late race caution reeled Boozel back in with Frantz slowing on the restart leaving Albert to try and chase down the leader. He managed to pull up with in a couple of car lengths on the leader but Boozel was too strong and went on to take the win.
Heat race winners included Dale Lindemuth, Randy Albert, and Eric Boozel.
The Micro Sprint drivers typically put on a special challenge race each evening and tonight they took the wings off and raced to see who was better without the advantage. Robert Garvey Jr from Frenchville made the best of changes in handling without the wing and downforce winning the race over nine of his competitors.
Be sure to join us for some of the best short track racing in Central Pennsylvania at Hummingbird Speedway this Saturday night. Hummingbird Speedway provides a family friendly environment and competitive action for the racing enthusiast. Fan Appreciation Night is quickly approaching on July 26 with Kid’s Banner Night and Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night on August 9.
Steel Block Late Models, Street Stocks, Micro Sprints, Pure Stocks, and Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders will make up next week’s program. 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
- 53 Chris Farrell Clearfield
- 50 Bob McMillen St Marys
- 5R Jerry Redden Mahaffey
- 00 Eric Moore Frenchville
- 60 Jeff Taylor Corsica
- 68 Josh Kunselman Punxsutawney
- 22 Skip Lindemuth Brookville
- 72 Dave Buchanan Cherry Tree
- 16 Dan Stormer Corsica
- 45 Tim Steis St Marys
- 10 Bruce Raybuck Falls Creek
- 36 Paul Kot Brockway
- 09 Scott Stein Cherry Tree
Street Stocks
- 1S Kyle Shannon Brockway
- T3 Colton Gearhart DuBois
- 01 Steve Arthurs Falls Creek
- 101 Bruce Hartzfeld Stump Creek
- 3 Rich Howell Clearfield
- 54 Shawn Lindemuth Brookville
- 1 Ben Smith DuBois
- 37 Paul Kot Brockway
- 43 Pernell Beimel St Marys
- 8R Tom Slack Sabula
- 21Y Dale Yeaney Brookville
- 4 Brad Meyers Strattanville
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints
- 12X Bryce Craft Frenchville
- 55H Brian Haney Salina
- 17 Brian Forester Saxonburg
- 11X Robert Garvey Jr Grassflat
- 27H Brandon Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 37 Scott Hawkins Sarver
- 37T Tyler Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 68 Jason Hamacek Clarksburg
- 3 Ryan Beatty Leechburg
- 26M Mike McIntyre Timblin
- 27 Dave Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 11 Anthony Pasquerella Leechburg
- 4W Johnny Walker Tarentum
- 4B (DNS) Tim Robertson Delmont
Pure Stocks
- 3AA Doug Surra Kersey
- 1M Zach Meyers Knox
- 46 Dustin Challingsworth St Marys
- 471 Dustin Michuck St. Marys
- 15M Shawn Munoz Punxsutawney
- 83 Dalton Gustafson Weedville
- 32 Scott Zimmerman Brookville
- 42 Dave Kohler Rockton
- 44 Jim Challingsworth St Marys
- 88M Doug Zimmerman Brookville
- 8 Cory Silvis Brookville
- H-8 Matt Howell Clearfield
- 57T Todd Bailey Brockway
Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders
- 151 Eric Boozel McVeytown
- 17 Randy Albert Morrisdale
- 8C John Campisano Punxsutawney
- 222 Dale Lindemuth Falls Creek
- 65C Cory Reitz Brockway
- 31B Frank Barrett, III DuBois
- 2 Rusty Murray Mayport
- 4F Jim Fye Reynoldsville
- 7L Cheyenne Lindemuth Brookville
- 45 Kyle Isaacs Rossiter
- 11M Michael Guthrie Brookville
- 158 Josh Frantz DuBois
- 73 Troy Peace Big Run
- F6 Justin Forsythe Knox
- 30 Austin Dempsey Brookville
- 63 Dustin Gray Weedville
- 43 Tim McAninch Sharpsville
- 422 Randy Holliday Brookville
- 32 Matt Bryant Weedville
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints “Wingless Challenge”
- 11X Robert Garvey Jr Grassflat
- 27H Brandon Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 4W Johnny Walker Tarentum
- 17 Brian Forester Saxonburg
- 37T Tyler Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 11 Anthony Pasquerella Leechburg
- 37 Scott Hawkins Sarver
- 68 Jason Hamacek Clarksburg
- 3 Ryan Beatty Leechburg
