Hummingbird Speedway Race Report
August 2, 2014
By: Randy Albert
Bob McMillen from St Marys was back in the winner’s circle on Saturday night at Hummingbird Speedway. He was the victor in the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model feature race. Other winners included; Bruce Hartzfeld from Stump Creek in the Street Stock division, Robert Robertson out of Delmont in the Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints, and in the Pure Stocks it was Doug Surra from Kersey. The Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder race was rained out and will be completed next week.
Skip Lindemuth and Jeff Taylor led the field of BWP Bats Steel Block Late Models to the line. Lindemuth is from Hazen and Taylor from nearby Corsica. Bob Sullinger threw of the green flag and Bob McMillen out of St Marys saw an opening down low in turn one as the other cars pushed up. McMillen shot under them coming out of two and into the lead. Never one to miss an opportunity Chris Farrell from Clearfield repeated the performance in turns three and four and the chase was on. Bob Connor out of DuBois moved up into the third spot quickly as Farrell closed the gap moving up on McMillen’s back bumper. Farrell appeared to have an edge down low but McMillen was strong and steady just keeping him at bay. A restart put Paul Kot from Brockway and Eric Moore from Frenchville in the picture with Kot putting the low slide on Connor moving into third. Moore was next in line and did the same after the next caution restart. The sight of Kot alongside him motivated Farrell to once again take up the charge on McMillen this time looking outside. Moore didn’t waste any time in getting after the leaders taking up the challenge on the inside of McMillen but his effort was cut short in turn four with a spin. On the restart Farrell once again wheeled to the inside of McMillen to pull up alongside him in the turns but McMillen carried the momentum down the stretch each lap. Jerry Redden from Mahaffey had been lurking in the back for most of the race but began a charge with five to go passing Connor in three and four setting his sights on Kot. Farrell gave it everything he had actually pulling up alongside the leader and putting his nose in front of him down the back stretch but McMillen has done this a time or two before and charged right back into the lead. With two to go Farrell clipped tires and anything else he could find to try and take the lead. Redden made the pass for third but could only watch as Farrell made on last valiant attempt. McMillen would not be denied the win as he powered out of turn four to take the checkered flag. A long awaited win for team McMillen and their fans.
Late Model heat race winners included Bob McMillen and Dan Stormer.
Paul Kot did the quick change from the Late Model to the Street Stock and lined up inside Bruce Hartzfeld from Stump Creek for the start of the race. Kot took an early advantage but it was quickly erased with a caution and a full restart. This time Hartzfeld pedaled a little harder and stayed on the outside of Kot eventually gaining the advantage on the second lap taking the lead. Colton Gearhart from DuBois was not far behind along with Kyle Shannon out of Brockway in fourth. Gearhart nosed up alongside Kot at the half way point of the race gaining a slight edge with each lap. Shannon was not far behind but couldn’t get close enough to make an attempt on his competitors. Hartzfeld held a five car advantage as they began to encounter lap traffic but it didn’t deter him from maintaining the edge. Gearhart appeared to close a bit in the waning laps but the checkered flag flew over Hartzfeld as the lightening began to threaten the remaining races.
Colton Gearhart and Bruce Hartzfeld were the winners of the Street Stock heat races.
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints pulled onto the track for their feature race led by Robert Robertson from Delmont and Dave Hawkins out of Lower Burrell. Robertson was out to the early lead as Hawkins had to contend with Robert Garvey Jr from Grassflat who was looking to his inside for the position. Tyler Hawkins, also from Lower Burrell, moved up quickly passing Jason Hamacek from Clarksburg for the fourth spot. Robertson held a slight 2-3 car length edge with the same between Hawkins and Garvey. At the half way point Garvey made the move coming out of turn four to take the second spot. Hawkins, wanted nothing to do with it moved right back around him in three and four but Garvey did the same again in one and two. Both drivers traded places within a lap and a half. Unfortunately for Garvey a caution took away all the momentum of the exciting run and placed him behind Dave Hawkins on the restart with Tyler Hawkins on his tail. Garvey made one last charge with two to go but Tyler Hawkins made his presence known on his inside leaving Garvey to defend the position and not able to repeat the effort on Dave Hawkins for second. Robertson still held his slight lead and it was enough to carry him to the checkered flag and the win.
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprint heat race winners were Dave Hawkins and Robert Robertson.
With rain threatening the Pure Stock division pulled onto the track. In the lead for the pace lap was Matt Howell from Clearfield and Doug Surra out of Kersey. Surra took advantage of the outside spot moving into the lead at the drop of the flag. Dalton Gustafson from Weedville took the second spot from Howell using the inside line in turns one and two followed by Scott Zimmerman from Brookville. A restart moved Gustafson closer to Surra but the Weedville driver had to settle for the view from one car length back as Surra ran a smooth comfortable line with just enough of an advantage to hold the lead. It was ten car lengths back to Zimmerman and another ten plus back to the other competitors. They began to encounter slower cars with five laps to go but Surra found a hole between the tires and the lap car threading his way around them maintaining the lead. Gustafson went high on the two slower cars then split them coming out of turn four as the two laps to go sign was given to the drivers. Gustafson pulled up on Surra’s back bumper and peeked down low in the turns but Surra would not be denied win number six as rain began to dampen the spirits and the track.
Matt Howell, Doug Surra, and Dalton Gustafson were the winners of the Pure Stock heat races.
The Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders pulled onto the track and took the green flag only to have the skies finally open up and cancel the last race of the evening. The race will be made up next week.
The always popular Kid’s Banner Night is scheduled for next week. Make a banner, poster or sign supporting your favorite driver. Prizes will be given to all the participants. Pittsburgh Circle Track Club night will also be on tap for the evening.
There will be lots of FWD action next week at Hummingbird Speedway with double features as well as a special “King of the Hill” race for the division. Sponsors include; Forest Way Inn, Carlson and Shugarts Funeral Home, Royer’s Route 219 Auto Sales, Bernard P Snyder Funeral Home, Mackie’s Auto Sales and Service, The Bobette Restaurant, Fastrak Inc. and Fastrak Trucking, Sierzega’s Auto Repair, Pennzoil Express Lube, and Roadside Café and Creamery.
A special Pure Stock “King of the Hill” race is also planned for August 16. Sponsors for that race will be listed next week.
Thanks to the sponsors of these special races and to all the sponsors and supporters of local racing. Without your help our drivers, crews and fans could not enjoy the level of competition provided at Hummingbird Speedway. We encourage all of the teams and fans to support and thank these individuals and businesses.
The season Championship is only a few short weeks away on August 30 and the always popular “Mick Orsich Memorial” is set for September 6. This annual fund raiser helps provided needed funds for cancer research locally.
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
- 50 Bob McMillen St Marys
- 53 Chris Farrell Clearfield
- 5R Jerry Redden Mahaffey
- 36 Paul Kot Brockway
- 18 Bob Connor DuBois
- 60 Jeff Taylor Corsica
- 00 Eric Moore Frenchville
- 22 Skip Lindemuth Brookville
- 16 Dan Stormer Corsica
- 45 Tim Steis St Marys
- 48Jr(DNS) Rich Runyan Jr Brockway
Street Stocks
- 101 Bruce Hartzfeld Stump Creek
- T3 Colton Gearhart DuBois
- 37 Paul Kot Brockway
- 1S Kyle Shannon Brockway
- 3 Rich Howell Clearfield
- 01 Steve Arthurs Falls Creek
- 1 Dennis Asel Kane
- 54 Shawn Lindemuth Brookville
- 37A Jim Bloom Clearfield
- C-8 William Hurrelbrink Emlenton
- 4 Brad Meyers Strattanville
- 911 Tony Brown DuBois
- K3 Jeff Krach DuBois
- 51 Bill Reitz Jr Brookville
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints
- 4B Robert Robertson Delmont
- 27 Dave Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 11X Robert Garvey Jr Grassflat
- 37T Tyler Hawkins Lower Burrell
- 68 Jason Hamacek Clarksburg
- 26 Tony Curtorillo Philipsburg
- 4W Johnny Walker Tarentum
- 3 Ryan Beatty Leechburg
- 29L Larry Straw Philipsburg
- 68H Austin Pasquerella Leechburg
- 17 Brian Forester Saxonburg
- 7UP Phil Uplinger Reynoldsville
- 37 Scott Hawkins Sarver
Pure Stocks
- 3AA Doug Surra Kersey
- 83 Dalton Gustafson Weedville
- 32 Scott Zimmerman Brookville
- 15M Shawn Munoz Punxsutawney
- 471 Dustin Michuck St. Marys
- 18 Mike Donahue Reynoldsville
- H-8 Matt Howell Clearfield
- 8 Cory Silvis Brookville
- 23 Lester Hudson Clearfield
- 88 Mike Miller Rockton
- 21 Andrew Frey St Marys
- 4T Randy Coombs Big Run
- 57T Todd Bailey Brockway
- 46 Dustin Challingsworth St Marys
- 80 (DNS) Dustin Kemp Clearfield
- 8L (DNS) Eric Lucas Clearfield
- 1M (DNS) Zack Meyers Knox
Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders
- Mother Nature
