Hummingbird Speedway Race Report
July 26, 2014
By: Randy Albert
With fans anxious to meet and greet their favorite drivers and the threat of rain in the forecast the crew at Hummingbird Speedway made it happen on Saturday night and mother nature held off keeping everyone dry. Fans were treated to pictures, treats, prizes, and face to face time with all of the drivers during Fan Appreciation Night. Eric Moore from Frenchville didn’t disappoint his fans with another win in the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model division. Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek has been knocking at the door of the Street Stock winners circle and tonight he opened it with his first win in the competitive division. Sean McAndrew racing out of Apollo took the honors in the Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints. In the Pure Stock class Shawn Munoz from Punxsutawney was the best in class with his win. Josh Frantz from Dubois was the winner in the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder class. Special thanks to M J Services for sponsoring the evening’s trophies.
After the fans and drivers mixed it up during the fan appreciation activities the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Models mixed it up for their feature event. Jeff Taylor form Corsica and Paul Kot out of Brockway led the field to the wave of Bob Sullinger’s green flag. Taylor led the charge and had the early lead. Heavy pressure from three drivers included Bob McMillen from St Marys, Kot, and Eric Moore from Frenchville going three wide on the first lap. Moore was racing hard looking for a way around McMillen as Dave Buchanan from Cherry tree pressed the back bumper of Kot. In spite of Moore’s efforts McMillen was focused on getting an edge on the leader Taylor looking under him for an opening to the front. A number of cautions reset the field and Moore had actually passed McMillen once only to be relegated to third on the restart. McMillen, never one to give up a battle, nosed up by Taylor with Moore right there inside against the tires keeping the attention of the fans. Moore was in the second spot for the next restart and moved up beside Taylor for a few laps making the pass coming off of turn two to take the lead. Kot, who had been near the front but dropped back a bit, began to regain momentum moving by McMillen. Chris Farrell from Clearfield was working through the difficulties of starting thirteenth and some early problems beginning to come into the picture of the lead pack. After Moore made the pass he had a clear track. Giving Eric Moore his preferred line is never a good thing as he made the best of it while McMillen and Kot continued to duke it out behind him. In the closing laps Kot actually closed in on Moore with Farrell passing a number of cars switching from the high to low line to slip into the third spot. Kot made one last stab at the leader coming out of turn four as they looked toward the checkered flag but Moore had it covered taking the win with Kot on his bumper.
Heat race winners included Dave Buchanan and Eric Moore.
Kot then jumped out of the late model into his brother Joe’s Street Stock for the next feature race. He lined up outside Ben Smith from DuBois for the start of his second event of the evening. Smith and Kot held their positions onto the backstretch with Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek pulling up alongside to go three wide into turn three. Arthurs backed off a bit keeping it clean going through turn four but came right back on lap two with the same move, this time being successful going into the lead on the front stretch. Shawn Lindemuth from Brookville had his nose in the mix for second place until he looped it in turn two giving up the opportunity to Colton Gearhart from DuBois. Arthurs held his own on a couple of restarts with the action behind him best described and a five car scramble between Smith, Kot, Gearhart, Lindemuth and Bruce Hartzfeld from Stump Creek. Gearhart began to let the leader know he was there by showing his nose out the left side window of the leader. While Gearhart continued to apply the pressure the leader Arthurs didn’t let it intimidate him. He held a consistent line with every lap just keeping his challenger at bay. Gearhart’s relentless pursuit continued through a late race caution with a replay of the late model finish. Gearhart pulled up even with the leader on the backstretch of the last lap, dead even going through the final two turns. As the cars came out of turn four Arthurs held the same steady line that had worked the entire race. Gearhart had to make the sharper turn onto the front straight and overcome Arthurs momentum to have a chance at the win. The Rear of Gearhart’s car slipped sideways just enough for Arthurs to gain the advantage he needed. Arthurs took the win with Gearhart crossing the line just off his left rear quarter panel. Arthurs has been close all season and tonight’s win was well earned and deserved.
Kyle Shannon and Paul Kot were the heat race winners in the division.
The Sunny 106.5 Micron Sprints were next onto the racing surface led by Sean McAndrew from Apollo and Robert Garvey Jr out of Grassflat. McAndrew had Garvey and Brandon Hawkins from Lower Burrell on both sides for the first lap until he began to move out to the lead. After a caution restart McAndrew took control of the race with Garvey in second and Dave Hawkins also from Lower Burrell moving up to challenge him. Hawkins kept it tucked low working by Garvey little by little with each lap. The battle for third and fourth consisted of Brian Forester from Saxonburg and Tyler Hawkins from Lower Burrell. McAndrew began to encounter some lap cars but that didn’t diminish his 15-20 car length lead he had over team Hawkins and Garvey. McAndrew took the win with the Hawkins crew having a good showing with second through fourth. Garvey was disqualified after the race relinquishing his second place finish.
Robert Garvey Jr and Sean McAndrew were the winners of the heat races.
Shawn Munoz from Punxsutawney lined up alongside George Bailey from Clearfield for the start of the Pure Stock feature race. Munoz had the honors of leading the first lap with Dave Kohler out of Rockton moving under Bailey with Dustin Challingsworth from St Marys in tow to take the second and third spots. A couple of puffs of smoke from the Munoz machine made it look like there may be early trouble for the Punxsutawney driver but he continued to maintain the lead through a number of restarts. Munoz had the advantage with Kohler looking both low and high for a way around him. Challingsworth eventually took up the effort by passing Kohler for second place. Dalton Gustafson from Weedville was making some moves through the pack working both the high and low sides from his last place starting position. Munoz held a slight lead in the closing lap with Challingsworth a few car lengths behind in second. Gustafson had pulled up outside Kohler at the flag stand to take the third spot away by inches as Munoz celebrated his win.
Pure Stock heat race winners included Dave Kohler and Dustin Challingsworth.
As the thunder clouds rolled in and the lightening lit up the distant sky the Front Wheel Drive division rolled onto the track. Dustin Gray from Weedville and Cory Reitz from Brockway made up the front row for the final race of the evening. Reitz moved out to the lead with John Campisano from Punxsutawney moving up quickly to challenge the leader. Josh Frantz from DuBois wasted no time in getting into the chase for the lead while Randy Albert from Morrisdale cleared some of the traffic using the outside line to move into the fourth spot. Frantz cleared Reitz and Campisano for the lead with Campisano moving under Reitz to try and chase down the leader. Frantz held about a five car length lead back to Campisano and Reitz with another five back to Albert in fourth. The cars began to stretch out with the leaders encountering lap traffic but no one was able to mount a serious charge on Frantz the eventual winner of the feature race.
Heat race winners included Ricky Sheely, Dale Lindemuth, and Randy Albert.
Upcoming events at the track include the always popular Kid’s Banner Night and Pittsburgh Circle Track night scheduled for Saturday August 9. A special Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder “King of the Hill” race will be held on the same night for the top ten in points in the division. A similar event is being planned for the Pure Stock class in the near future. Stay tuned for sponsors and more details on these activities.
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. 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
- 00 Eric Moore Frenchville
- 36 Paul Kot Brockway
- 53 Chris Farrell Clearfield
- 50 Bob McMillen St Marys
- 60 Jeff Taylor Corsica
- 72 Dave Buchanan Cherry Tree
- 07 Tim Krape Bellefonte
- 18 Bob Connor DuBois
- 68 Josh Kunselman Punxsutawney
- 25 Dylan Fenton Clearfield
- 45 Tim Steis St Marys
- 16 Dan Stormer Corsica
- 99X Kyle Beimel St Marys
- 22 Skip Lindemuth Brookville
- 55 Denny Fenton Clearfield
- 5R (DNS) Jerry Redden Mahaffey
Street Stocks
- 01 Steve Arthurs Falls Creek
- T3 Colton Gearhart DuBois
- 37 Paul Kot Brockway
- 101 Bruce Hartzfeld Stump Creek
- 54 Shawn Lindemuth Brookville
- 4 Brad Meyers Strattanville
- 3 Rich Howell Clearfield
- 1 Ben Smith DuBois
- 43 Pernell Beimel St Marys
- 1S Kyle Shannon Brockway
- 51 Bill Reitz Jr Brookville
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints
- 15 Sean McAndrew Apollo
- 27 Dave Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 27H Brandon Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 37T Tyler Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 17 Brian Forester Saxonburg
- 37 Scott Hawkins Sarver
- 4W Johnny Walker Tarentum
- 68 Jason Hamacek Clarksburg
- 8M Marcus Miller Harrisville
- 7UP Phil Uplinger Reynoldsville
- 68H Austin Pasquerella Leechburg
- 3 Ryan Beatty Leechburg
- 11 (DNS) Anthony Pasquerella Leechburg
- 12X (DNS) Bryce Craft Frenchville
- 11X (DQD) Robert Garvey Jr Grassflat
Pure Stocks
- 15M Shawn Munoz Punxsutawney
- 46 Dustin Challingsworth St Marys
- 83 Dalton Gustafson Weedville
- 42 Dave Kohler Rockton
- 3AA Doug Surra Kersey
- 471 Dustin Michuck St. Marys
- 21 Andrew Frey St Marys
- 32 Scott Zimmerman Brookville
- H-8 Matt Howell Clearfield
- 57T Todd Bailey Brockway
- 88M Doug Zimmerman Brookville
- 44 Jim Challingsworth St Marys
- 8 Cory Silvis Brookville
- 18 Mike Donahue Reynoldsville
- 20 George Bailey Clearfield
- 88 (DNS) Mike Miller Rockton
Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders
- 158 Josh Frantz DuBois
- 8C John Campisano Punxsutawney
- 65C Cory Reitz Brockway
- 17 Randy Albert Morrisdale
- 31B Frank Barrett, III DuBois
- 30 Austin Dempsey Brookville
- 94R Rachelle Sheely Hazen
- 11M Michael Guthrie Brookville
- 24 Kody Barrett Falls Creek
- 422 Randy Holliday Brookville
- 126 Jeff McClure Luthersburg
- 4F Jim Fye Reynoldsville
- 222 Dale Lindemuth Falls Creek
- 7L Cheyenne Lindemuth Brookville
- 45 Kyle Isaacs Rossiter
- 96R Ricky Sheely Hazen
- 2 Rusty Murray Mayport
- 63 Dustin Gray Weedville
- 26 (DNS) Dylan Frantz Luthersburg
