CONNOR AND WALLS PICK UP FIRST WINS OF SEASON WHILE FIELDS, TEATS, AND SURRA ADD TO THEIR WIN TOTALS AT HUMMINGBIRD SPEEDWAY.
By: Todd Orsich, Speedway Writer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reynoldsville (July 23)—It was a good night for Dubois’ drivers Eddie Connor and Jerry Walls as each piloted their cars to their first wins of the season Saturday evening at Hummingbird Speedway. Also finding victory lane on MJ Services night included Fuzzy Fields of Brockway, Curtis Teats of Morrisdale and Doug Surra of Kersey.
The BWP Bats steel block late models led off the feature action this evening with Connor and Chris Farrell leading the field in the 25-lap main. Connor took the initial lead with Farrell in close tow. Connor continued to hold off Farrell with Paul Kot joining the pair in the battle for the top spot. Connor held a slight lead at the midway point with Farrell, Kot, Tim Krape, and Charlie Powell, Jr. keeping things close. A number of late race cautions kept the field close with Connor still out in front. Kot made a pass of Farrell with two laps to go, but ran out of time as Connor went on to score a ½ second win over Kot. Farrell and Krape took the heat race wins.
Fields and Matt Krause led the field of street stocks trackside for their 20-lap feature. After a complete restart a red flag flew for a three car pileup in turn two. Fields grabbed the initial lead and held it threw a number of early caution periods with McMillen keeping close tabs on the leader. Fields and McMillen were pulling away from the field with Bruce Hartzfeld and Shawn Lindemuth hooked up in a good battle for third. Fields stretched out his lead through the midway mark with McMillen closing the gap as the laps wound down. Fields was too strong as he went on to take his third checkered flag of the season. McMillen’s third straight runner-up finish in as many weeks help him take over the points lead in the division by a mere four points over Bob Connor. Connor and Bruce Hartzfeld won the heats.
Kevin Clark and Josh Henry made up the starting front row of the 20-lap Swanson Heavy Duty Truck Repair semi late feature. Clark grabbed the early lead and maintained it through a number of early caution periods. After a restart on lap 8, Teats darted into the lead with Clark his closest pursuer. Clark’s good run came to an end on lap 13 when he tagged the front stretch fence. Teats pulled away from the field on the restart as Scott Zimmerman and newcomer, Milo Kemerer battled side by side for second. Teats cruised on for his second straight win in the division with Zimmerman and Kemerer completing the top three. Teats and Jason Beichner won the preliminaries.
The Sunny 106.5 FM pure stocks made their way onto the racing surface for their 15-lap feature with Surra and Ben Krause showing the way to the green flag. Surra held the early advantage and looked to pull away from the field with Dustin Challingsworth trying to close the gap. Seven other cars battled three and four wide behind the top two. Surra maintained his lead through the midway mark with Josh Fields making up ten spots and was running third before he spun his car out on lap 11. After a lap 13 caution, Surra and Challingsworth pulled away from the rest of the field with Surra going on to claim his fourth win of the season. Challingsworth and Krause won the heats.
The Aaron’s of DuBois front wheel drive four-cylinders were the final race of the night with Walls and Jim Fye starting on the front row of the 12-lap main. The start of the race saw a three wide battle for the lead with Fye coming out as the leader. Fye drove to the high line with a number of cars following behind him. The lone car to go low was newcomer, Matt Bryant. At times the race looked like a freight train as most of the field used the high line to get around the speedway. Walls put his car into high gear as he was able to get by Fye. Walls was strong the rest of the way as he went on for the win in the nonstop race that lasted a little over four minutes. Mike Lucas and Randy Albert took the heat race wins.
Speedway Notes: The Speedway welcomed the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Elk counties to the track this evening.
Racing continues Saturday evening with trophies being sponsored by PA Racing Outreach Ministry. It will also be kid’s banner night with a number of prizes to be given out at intermission. There will also be awards for the hard charger in each of the five classes. Gates open at 4:30pm with racing at 7. For more information visit the track’s website at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com or call the track office at 653-8400.
Results
BWP Bats Steel Block Late Models:
1. Eddie Connor, DuBois; 2. Paul Kot, Brockway; 3. Chris Farrell, Clearfield; 4. Charlie Powell, Jr., Brookville; 5. Tim Krape, Bellefonte; 6. Jason Witherite, Luthersburg; 7. Skip Lindemuth, Hazen; 8. Scott Stein, Cherry Tree; 9. Dylan Fenton, Clearfield; 10. Scott Alvetro, Reynoldsville; 11. B.J. Hudson, Clearfield; 12. Steve Scaife, Philipsburg; 13. Don Henry, Falls Creek; 14. Chad Rougeux, Frenchville; 15. Kenny Schaffer, DuBois; 16. Dan Stormer, Corsica. DNS: Eric Moore, Jamie Barber, & Dennis Bothell.
Swanson Heavy Duty Truck Repair Semi Lates:
1. Curtis Teats, Morrisdale; 2. Scott Zimmerman, Brookville; 3. Milo Kemerer, Brookville; 4. Jason Beichner, Shippenville; 5. Melissa Fannin, Clearfield; 6. Kevin Clark, Olanta; 7. Phil Uplinger, Panic; 8. Josh Henry, Clearfield; 9. Roswell Babcock, Curwensville; 10. Adam Nixon, Grampian; 12. Neil Wilson, Jr., Clearfield.
Street Stocks:
1. Fuzzy Fields, Brockway; 2. Bob McMillen, St. Marys; 3. Shawn Lindemuth, Brookville; 4. Kyle Shannon, DuBois; 5. Bruce Hartzfeld, Brockport; 6. Joe Malobicky, Jr., St. Marys; 7. Alan Lamb, Reynoldsville; 8. Nate Brady, Clearfield; 9. Jim Bloom, Curwensville; 10. Bob Connor, DuBois; 11. Matt Krause, Brisbin; 12. Jake Cunliffe, Knox; 13. George Bailey, Clearfield; 14. Tyson Scaife, Philipsburg; 15. Jeff Mease, Clearfield; 16. Josh Frantz, DuBois.
Sunny 106.5 FM Pure Stocks:
1. Doug Surra, Kersey; 2. Dustin Challingsworth, St. Marys; 3. Ben Krause, Houtzdale; 4. Mike Miller, Rockton; 5. Tim Steis, St. Marys; 6. Matt Howell, Clearfield; 7. Jim Challingsworth, St. Marys; 8. Jeff Kronenwetter, St. Marys; 9. Mike Annis, St. Marys; 10. Josh Fields, Brockport; 11. Eric Lucas, Clearfield; 12. Dustin Gray, Weedville; 13. Casey Wolfe, Brockway; 14. Steve Shugars, Brockport; 15. Andrew Frey, St. Marys; 16. Steve Brugman, DuBois.
Aaron’s of DuBois Front Wheel Drive Four-Cylinders:
1. Jerry Walls, DuBois; 2. Jim Fye, Reynoldsville; 3. Randy Albert, Morrisdale; 4. Zack Frantz, DuBois; 5. Matt Bryant, Weedville; 6. Tom Peters, Clearfield, 7. Mike Lucas, Philipsburg; 8. Eric Luzier, Clearfield; 9. Brian Snyder, Clearfield; 10. Jason Henry, Reynoldsville; 11. Jim Boyer, Penfield. DNS: Austin Hockenberry & Todd Hanlon.
