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[#17RaceTeam]

Hummingbird Speedway Race Report
Saturday, July 18, 2015
By: Randy Albert
The track crews came out the winner in the battle with Mother Nature at Hummingbird Speedway on Saturday night.  A brief but intense rain shower hit the track just as the national anthem was about to play causing a delay in the start of the show.  The track crew was diligent and brought the racing surface back to an acceptable condition to the delight of the fans and competitors.  Also happy with the nights result was Chis Farrell from Clearfield, the winner in the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model division.  The Sunny 106.5 FM Micro Sprint race was won by Scott Hawkins from Sarver.  Success in the Street Stock class came to Brian Rhed from Brockport.  The winner in the Pure Stock class was Doug Surra from St Marys and closing out the evenings racing entertainment, John Campisano from Punxsutawney started in the front and finished in the front in the Front Wheel Drive cars sponsored by Aarons of DuBois.
Ed Connor from DuBois and Chris Farrell out of Clearfield lined up side by side and waited for Bob Sullinger to wave the green flag for the start of the BWP Bats Steel Block Late Model race.  Farrell quickly used the cushion to move by Connor into the lead.  Charlie Powell from Brookville was in third followed by Dan Gill out of Clearfield and Dwayne Brooks from Falls Creek.  The drivers encountered lap traffic early as Powell pulled up on the back bumper of Connor and then showed his colors at Connors left door. The pair went hard and heavy into turn one but Connors had to check up to avoid slower cars causing him to stop on the track and be sent to the back for the restart.  On the next green flag Farrell was once again off to the races with Powell in pursuit mode.  Brooks was working Gill hard on the inside but Gill was having a good run and doing a good job of holding him off.  Denny Fenton from Clearfield and Eric Moore out of Frenchville were making their way forward also on a very tacky racing surface from the earlier rain shower.  Powell was finally up to Farrell’s rear deck and alongside a few times but lap traffic again looked like it would play a role.  This isn’t the first time Farrell has played in traffic and he must have paid attention before as he took one car high, the next one low and vice a versa to make the best of the situation at hand, holding onto the lead.  The next restart it was Powell under Farrell, Brooks under Gill and Moore under Fenton, the hardest part was deciding which battle to watch.  Moore was the successful one as he cleared Fenton then Brooks who slid high coming out of turn four.  Brooks pulled off the track with mechanical difficulties.  Farrell was in control as the closing laps wound down.  Moore had cleared Gill but back pedaled a bit losing positions to both Gill and Fenton.  He regained his composure and again moved past both drivers into the third spot behind Powell in second and the winner Chris Farrell. 
BWP Bats heat race winners included; Ed Connor, Chris Farrell, and Charlie Powell.
Scott Hawkins from Sarver was on the pole with Brian Forester from Saxonburg on his outside for the start of the Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprint feature race.  Hawkins moved out to the lead followed closely by Robert Garvey Jr from Grassflat.  A trio of cars behind them included Forester, Sean McAndrew from Apollo and Dave Hawkins from Lower Burrell.  The field dropped into single file with the exception of some two and three wide racing back in the pack.  Garvey was riding 5 car lengths behind Hawkins and McAndrew was closing slowly on Garvey.  McAndrew could get a run at Garvey and was looking to the outside but couldn’t quite make the pass.  Dave Hawkins was still there but unable to move forward from the fourth spot and last week’s winner, Bryce Craft from Frenchville, was trying to get in the hunt moving up into fifth.  Scott Hawkins extended his lead to ten car lengths on the final lap as McAndrew took one last opportunity at passing Garvey by shooting under him going into turn one.  The move worked helped out by lap traffic relinquishing Garvey to third followed by Dave Hawkins in fourth.
Sunny 106.5 Micro Sprint heat race winners included Robert Garvey Jr and Brian Forester.
Street Stocks were the next division on the track for their feature race.  Bruce Hartzfeld from Stump Creek and Dom Surra out of St Marys made up the front row for the start of the race.  Hartzfeld was in the lead after the first lap with heavy pressure from Brian Rhed out of Brockport.  Bob Rossman from Sykesville and Fuzzy Fields out of Brockway were hotly contesting for the third spot trying to go three wide with Surra. Last Week’s winner, Bob Connor from DuBois was quickly in the action from his rear starting position but with the advantage of a short field, a short distance to the front and a fast car.  Hartzfeld chose the outside for a couple of restarts giving Rhed the open inside lane.  Rhed made the car wide in turn three moving Hartzfeld high and giving up the position.  Rossman and Connor took advantage of Hartzfeld’s position on the track also going three wide in turns one and two moving Hartzfeld back even farther.  Rossman and Connor worked side by side with Rossman on the outside who eventually moved into second place.  Both Hartzfeld and Surra had dropped off the pace allowing Rich Howell from Clearfield to move forward as Rossman and Connor tried to close the gap on Rhed.  Rhed continued to ride the rim with his right rear tire with Rossman doing the same but not gaining any ground.  Connor managed to take a peek under Rossman a few time in the closing laps but there seemed to be little traction down low and he had to settle for third place as Rhed took the checkered flag and the win.
Bruce Hartzfeld and Bob Connor were the winners of the Street Stock heat races.
Jim Challingsworth from St Marys and Doug Surra out of Kersey lined up to lead the parade lap for the Pure Stock race.  Surra took to the early lead with Challingsworth in tow.  After an early restart Dustin Challingsworth, also from St Marys moved up into the fray first passing Eric Lucas from Clearfield then Shawn Munoz from Punxsutawney. Mike Miller from Rockton was close by as Munoz began to throw smoke causing others to check up with Miller moving forward. While the back markers sorted out their positions Surra continued to hold the lead with Dustin Challingsworth moving under Jim to take away second.  Miller also managed to move under Jim Challingsworth to take away third place.  On the one restart Dustin Challingsworth looked as if he was trying to open the left side door of Surra with his right front fender. Close than a gnat’s eyelash, at least that is how it appeared.  On the next restart Challingsworth tried looking to the outside but Surra held his own keeping him at bay for the next four laps until the end of the race. 
Cory Silvis was the winner of the lone heat race.
Aarons of DuBois Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders were the final event of the evening.  John Campisano from Punxsutawney lined up inside with Randy Albert out of Morrisdale to his right.  Campisano took the early advantage quickly moving to the high line with Albert following his line.  Aaron Luzier from Clearfield was behind Albert.  With no room to race up high Luzier was taking the car inside Albert trying to take away the position.  Dylan Frantz from DuBois and Tom Peters out of Clearfield were just behind the front trio trading paint with Frantz coming out on top in the fourth spot.  As Campisano continued to hold the lead Luzier made his presence known outside Albert’s right side window working the low line trying to find an advantage.  Luzier tucked in behind Albert for a few laps then again dropped low against the tires to try one more time but was unable to gain enough momentum to take second away from Albert.  Campisano held the cards from the start and didn’t allow anyone else in the game.  He held the high ground as well and continued a successful season taking another win.
Aarons of DuBois heat race winners include Matt Bryant and John Campisano.
Fan appreciation night is scheduled for next week, July 25, 2015.  Fans have the opportunity to mingle with the drivers, look over the carts and maybe even score a treat from the race teams.  Other upcoming events include; August 1: Children’s Tumor Foundation Fundraiser and August 15: Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night.  It’s hard to believe but the season is starting to wind down. Only six races remain in the regular season.  Be sure to come out and cheer on your favorite drives as they race toward the end of the season Hummingbird style.  Join us each week for some of the best dirt track racing in Central Pennsylvania.  Hummingbird Speedway offers a family friendly racing experience with good food and reasonable admission.  Looks us up on the web at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com and join us on Twitter for updates on rain delays as well as preliminary race results.
Final Results
BWP Bats Steel Block Late Models
1. 53 Chris Farrell  Clearfield
2. 94 Charles Powell Jr Brookville
3. 00 Eric Moore  Frenchville
4. 11G Dan Gill   Clearfield
5. 96E Denny Fenton  Clearfield
6. 11 Curtis Teats  Morrisdale
7. 36 Paul Kot  Brockway
8. 102 Ed Connor  DuBois
9. 60 Jeff Taylor  Corsica
10. 13X Kenny Schaffer  DuBois
11. 46 Tom Merryman  Morrisdale
12. 37 Joe Kot   DuBois
13. 68 Don Henry  Falls Creek
14. 77R Roswell Babcock Curwensville
15. 25 Dylan Fenton  Clearfield
16. 1B Dwayne Brooks  Falls Creek
17. 41 Levi George  Morrisdale
18. 21T Orin Taylor  DuBois
19. 44 Dan Smeal  Houtzdale DNS
20. 25L Colton Gearhart DuBois  DNS
SUNNY 106.5 FM MICRO SPRINTS
1. 37 Scott Hawkins  Sarver
2. 15 Sean McAndrew Apollo
3. 11X Robert Garvey, Jr  Grassflat
4. 27 Dave Hawkins  Lower Burrell
5. 27H Brandon Hawkins Salina
6. 17 Brain Forester  Saxonburg
7. 12X Bryce Craft  Frenchville
8. 4W Johnny Walker  Natrona Heights
9. 68 Jason Hamacek  Clarksburg
10. 911 Mike Wenrick  Pleasant Gap
11. 29 D. Trey Straw  West Decatur
12. 03 Craig Cummings Tarentum
13. 26 Tony Curtorillo  Philipsburg DNS
14. 516 Zack Lennox  Sykesville DNS
STREET STOCKS
1. 69R Brian Rhed  Brockport
2. 48R Bob Rossman  Sykesville
3. 55 Bob Connor  DuBois
4. 3 Rich Howell   Clearfield
5. 101 Bruce Hartzfeld   Stump Creek
6. 28 Fuzzy Fields  Brockway
7. T31 Dom Surra  Kersey
8. 88B Luke Barnett  Mahaffey
9. 43 Pernell Beimel  St Marys
10. 104 Allan Lamb  Reynoldsville
11. 51 Charles Powell JR Brookville DNS
PURE STOCKS
1. 3AA Doug Surra  Kersey
2. 46 Dustin Challingsworth  St. Marys
3. 88 Mike Miller  Rockton
4. 44 Jim Challingsworth  St. Marys
5. 8 Cory Silvis   Brookville
6. 8L Eric Lucas  Clearfield
7. 18 Stephen Brugmann DuBois
8. 11M Michael Guthrie Brookville
9. 15M Shawn Munoz  Punxsutawney
AARON’S OF DUBOIS FWD 4-CYLINDERS
1. 8C John Campisano  Punxsutawney
2. 17 Randy Albert   Morrisdale
3. 5L Aaron Luzier  Clearfield
4. 26 Dylan Frantz   Luthersburg
5. 71 Tom Peters  Clearfield
6. 96R Ricky Sheley  Hazen
7. 4F Jim Fye   Reynoldsville
8. 17J Zach Frantz  Penfield
9. 33  Bryan Snyder  Clearfield
10. 126 Jeff McClure  Luthersburg
11. 23A Austin Hockenbury Morrisdale
12. 2 Rusty Murray   Mayport
13. 200 Matt Bryant  Weedville
14. 70 Damion Frantz  Penfield

[speedster101]

As usual great write up Randy & a great night of racing at the Bird🏁