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[#17RaceTeam]

Hummingbird Speedway Race Report

August 30, 2014

By: Randy Albert

 

The Season Championship for all divisions was on the line Saturday night at Hummingbird Speedway in Falls Creek.  This race was “make or break” in some of the classes with tight point margins separating the drivers.  Chris Farrell from Clearfield added to his point cushion with a win in the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model division.  Kyle Shannon from Brockway took home the win in the Street Stock class.  The Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprint winner was Dave Hawkins out of Lower Burrell.  Doug Surra from Kersey capitalized on a stellar season with another win in the Dilullo Transport Pure Stock division.  The checkered flag waved for Matt Bryant from Weedville in the Aarons Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder class.  Aarons representatives were also on hand and passed out door prizes to the fans and had a sign up for a chance to win a flat screen TV.

 

Points leaders and track champions at the end of the night included:

BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model:    #53     Chris Farrell        Clearfield

Street Stock:                                            #1        Kyle Shannon   Brockway

Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints:                 #27      Dave Hawkins   Lower Burrell

Dilullo Transport Pure Stock:            #3AA     Doug Surra        Kersey

Aarons FWD Four Cylinders:             #17        Randy Albert Morrisdale

 

The BWP Bats Steel Block Late Models were the first feature race of the evening.  The competitors lined up behind Ed Connor from DuBois and Eric Moore from Frenchville for the start of the race.  Conner jumped out to the lead quickly but Moore overtook him on the backstretch followed closely by Chris Farrell from Clearfield on his back bumper.  Bob McMillen from St Marys was next in line behind Connor with Jeff Taylor out of Corsica in fifth.  Moore and Farrell were using the same mid to high line with Farrell attempting to gain momentum going high in turns one and two then ducking low in three and four. McMillen continued to look under Connor behind the leaders but was unable to make a clean pass for position.  Farrell finally was able to keep his machine inside of Moore’s car as a slower car came into focus.  They split the lap car with Farrell taking the high line and Moore going low going into turn one.  Farrell got the slingshot off of the turn two fence and was able to take the lead with the move.  Taylor made the best of the same line using it to move by McMillen into fourth behind Connor.  McMillen didn’t give up the spot easily but had pressure from Paul Kot from Brockway going three wide with Kot and Taylor.  Farrell edged out to a five car length lead late in the race with Connor checking in on Moore coming up alongside him in the turns but unable to take the position.  Chris Farrell has been on top of the game all year long and the car preparation has been spot on nearly each and every night. Eric Moore never gives up anything on or off the track and was doing everything he could to make Farrell earn it.  Tonight it was Chris Farrell who found the ounce of advantage coming off the high side of turn two on a move that not too many other guys could or would make.  This was Farrell’s seventh win of the season.

 

Heat race winners included in the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model class included Jeff Taylor, Chris Farrell, and Andrew Gordon.

 

Bruce Hartzfeld from Stump Creek and Gary Luzier out of Luthersburg made up on the front row of a healthy field of Street Stocks.  Bob Sullinger dropped the checkered flag only to grab the yellow before the completion of the first lap.  With a front runner getting sideways coming out of turn four a number of competitors were stacked up and when the dust settled about eight cars were in a tangle with one on its side.  After cleanup activities there was a complete restart but with less cars than the initial green flag. Kyle Shannon restarted on the pole as a result of his original starting position and the number of cars out of the race.  He was out to the early lead with Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek attempting to make a bid for the lead.  Luzier was behind the leaders with Paul Kot from DuBois having to work his way forward due to being involved in the early incident.  Shannon had a slight one to two car length lead over Arthurs as they came up on lap traffic.  Shannon managed to maneuver cleanly through a number of cars followed by Arthurs with Kot having to do battle with Luzier for the third spot slowing his march to the front.  Shannon was coming up on a three way side by side wall of traffic near the end of the race which looked like it could provide Arthurs an opportunity but the checkered flag flew prior to him having to make any critical decisions to hold off Arthurs. 

 

Shawn Lindemuth, Scott Winslow, and Fuzzy Fields were the winners of the Street Stock heat races. 

 

The Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints were the next feature race with Larry Straw from Philipsburg and Brandon Hawkins hailing from Lower Burrell in control for the beginning of the race.  Straw was off to a good start and in the lead but challenged early by Bryce Craft from Frenchville.  Craft moved around Straw at the end of the first lap as Dave and Brandon Hawkins, also from Lower Burrell dueled with Robert Garvey Jr for the runner up positions.  Craft had complete control of the race moving out to a 20 car length lead over Straw.  Late in the race Dave Hawkins edged up on the rear wing of Straw making the pass on the outside.  Craft did come up on a couple of slower cars late in the race but cleared them just as the checkered flag flew.  The other cars were strung out and the flag to flag green run didn’t allow them to make a bid on a strong running Craft.

 

Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprint winners included Dave Hawkins and Robert Garvey Jr.

 

The Dilullo Transport Pure Stock division made their way onto the track led by Dustin Challingsworth from St Marys and Dalton Gustafson from south of St Marys in nearby Weedville.  Gustafson led the first circuit but an early caution put Challingsworth on the inside with Gustafson choosing the outside for the restart.  Right behind them was Scott Zimmerman from Brookville and Doug Surra out of Kersey, another south St Marys suburb hot bed of racing.  Again Gustafson took the lead with Challingsworth, Surra and Zimmerman in tow.  Challingsworth stayed glued to the back bumper of Gustafson looking inside for an advantage.  Meanwhile Surra was looking for his own way to the front alternating between high and low searching for an opening.  Surra tucked in low in turns one and two under Challingsworth but Challingsworth came back and moved low on Gustafson in three and four.  A slow car loomed in front of the leaders and it stayed in the high line, the line the Gustafson was using to hold the lead.  Both Challingsworth and Surra used the pick to gain the edge on Gustafson; Challingsworth into the lead and Surra pulling up alongside him to do battle for second.  Surra moved up under Challingsworth for second place in one and two and dropped back in line through three and four.  On the next circuit he did the same this time making it stick down the back stretch and into turns three and four.  Challingsworth stayed on his outside rear corner but couldn’t retake the lead despite a couple of good runs into turn one.  Surra went on to take his eighth win of the season.

 

Dilullo Transport heat race winners included Doug Surra and Shawn Munoz in the Pure Stock division.

 

A full field of Front Wheel Drives made their way onto the track for the Aarons of DuBois sponsored event.  Aaron Luzier from Clearfield and Matt Bryant out of Weedville led the group to the green flag.  Luzier and Bryant staged a drag race down the back stretch with Bryant coming out in front.  Through a couple of restarts Cory Reitz from Brockway and Randy Albert out of Morrisdale were vying for the third spot as John Campisano from Punxsutawney moved up in the low groove to make it three wide on the front stretch.  Campisano cleared Reitz and Albert then ducked low on Luzier taking the second spot headed for Bryant in the lead.  With Bryant running the high groove Campisano again dropped low to challenge the leader.  Behind them Reitz tried the low line on Luzier and managed to get by him but Luzier didn’t give up easily coming back under him for the position on the next lap.  Both drivers were trading positions and paint until Reitz came up with a flat tire shortening his night.  Bryant began to stretch out a small lead with Campisano second and Luzier in the third position as the laps wound down bringing the final race in the season point battle to a close.

 

Aarons Front Wheel Drive heat race winners included Frank Barrett III, Matt Bryant, Aaron Luzier, and Cory Reitz.

 

A variety of activities were held in advance of the Mick Orsich Memorial Late Model Open scheduled for September 6.  The annual walk from Clearfield took place along with a new fund raising activity the “Mud Pit Plunge”.  Track announcer Todd Orsich and two drivers Steve Arthurs and Tyler Hawkins dove into the primordial soup known as “Louie’s Lake” to raise money for cancer research.  To date the efforts of the Orsich family has raised nearly $30,000.00 for this important cause.  Next week’s races will pay $2,000 to win and will start at 6:00 PM.

 

The annual Ina Caltagarone Street Stock Special is scheduled for September 13 with a $1000 to win purse and will also have the early start time of 6:00.

 

Come and join us for the final races of the season and one of central Pennsylvania’s most friendly and exciting tracks.  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, final point standings, weekly photographs, and more.

 

FINAL RESULTS

 

 

BWP Bats Steel Block Late Models

 

1. 53                    Chris Farrell                Clearfield
2. 00                    Eric Moore                  Frenchville
3. 102                  Ed Connor                   DuBois
4. 60                    Jeff Taylor                   Corsica
5. 36                    Paul Kot                       Brockway
6. 50                    Bob McMillen             St Marys
7. 11G                  Dan Gill                       Clearfield
8. 00S                  Randy Sterling             Morrisdale
9. 96E                  Tim Fannin                  Ridgway
10. 11                    Curtis Teats                 Morrisdale
11. 32                    Benny Gordon             DuBois
12. 22                    Skip Lindemuth           Brookville
13. 46                    Tom Merryman          Morrisdale
14. 55                    Denny Fenton              Clearfield
15. 18                    Andrew Gordon           DuBois
16. 38                    Mike Butterworth       Philipsburg
17. 43                    Bill Davis                     Luthersburg
18. 48Jr                 Rich Runyan                Brockway
19. 93                    Kevin Dickson              West Decatur
20. 45                    Tim Steis                     St Marys
21. 72                    Dave Buchanan           Cherry Tree
22. 13 (DNS)          Kenny Schaffer            DuBois

 

Street Stocks

 

1. 1S                    Kyle Shannon               Brockway
2. 01                    Steve Arthurs              Falls Creek
3. 37                    Paul Kot                       Brockway
4. 960                  Gary Luzier                  Luthersburg
5. 64                    Allen English               Morrisdale
6. 21R                  Rick Hemphill              Osceola Mills
7. 1                      Dom Surra                   St Marys
8. 54                    Skip Lindemuth           Brookville
9. 3                      Rich Howell                 Clearfield
10. 29L                  Johnny Lindenpitz        Knoxdale
11. 51                    Bill Reitz Jr                  Brookville
12. 54J                   Jamie Cowell               Knox
13. 8L                    Eric Lucas                    Clearfield
14. 101                  Bruce Hartzfeld           Stump Creek
15. 4                      Brad Meyers               Strattanville
16. 137                  Jamie Price                 Clearfield
17. 28                    Fuzzy Fields                 Brockway
18. 5S                    Scott Winslow             Weedville
19. 21T                  Orin Taylor                  DuBois

 

Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprints

 

1. 12X                  Bryce Craft                  Frenchville
2. 27                    Dave Hawkins             Lower Burrell
3. 29L                  Larry Straw                 Philipsburg
4. 11X                  Robert Garvey Jr        Grassflat
5. 27H                  Brandon Hawkins        Lower Burrell
6. 37T                  Tyler Hawkins             Lower Burrell
7. 82^ND                 David Stemmerich      Harrisville      
8. 4W                   Johnny Walker            Tarentum
9. 68                    Jason Hamacek           Clarksburg
10. 26                    Tony Curtorillo            Philipsburg
11. 3                      Ryan Beatty                 Leechburg
12. 26M                 Mike McIntyre                        Timblin
13. 8M (DNS)        Marcus Miller             Harrisville

 

Pure Stocks

 

1. 3AA                  Doug Surra                  Kersey
2. 46                    Dustin Challingsworth             St Marys
3. 83                    Dalton Gustafson        Weedville
4. 32                    Scott Zimmerman       Brookville
5. 42                    Dave Kohler                Rockton
6. 88M                 Doug Zimmerman      Brookville
7. 88                    Mike Miller                 Rockton
8. 8                      Cory Silvis                    Brookville
9. 48
10. 471                  Dustin Michuck           St. Marys
11. 21                    Andrew Frey                St Marys
12. 2W                   JR Wick                        Curwensville
13. 15M                 Shawn Munoz              Punxsutawney

 

Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders

 

1. 32                    Matt Bryant                Weedville
2. 8C                    John Campisano          Punxsutawney
3. 5L                    Aaron Luzier                Clearfield
4. 20                    Aaron Hill                    Brookville
5. 17                    Randy Albert               Morrisdale
6. 14                    Steven Hill                   Brookville
7. 6                      Eric Luzier                   Clearfield
8. 31B                  Frank Barrett III          DuBois
9. 299                  Shane Smith                Knox
10. 76                    Robert Kline                Brockway
11. 94R                  Richelle Sheely            Hazen
12. 96R                  Ricky Sheely                Hazen
13. 31                    Frank Barrett              DuBois
14. 21                    Devin Yeaney              Brookville
15. 33                    Brian Snyder               Clearfield
16. 45                    Kyle Isaacs                   Rossiter
17. 3                      Corin Monoskey          Clearfield
18. 23S                  Ryan Shnaffer             Lecontes Mills
19. 91                    Bobby Siegel               Saxonburg
20. 65C                  Cory Reitz                    Brockway
21. 99                    Andrew Leigey                        Lecontes Mills
22. 4F                    Jim Fye                                    Reynoldsville
23. 222                  Dale Lindemuth          Falls Creek
24. 30                    Austin Dempsey          Brookville

Edited by #17RaceTeam, 31 August 2014 - 07:57 PM.

[ProDirt]

Great write up once again Randy.

Congratulations on your back to back 4 cyl. Championship wins !