MAFFETT, SWIM, & MORRIS BEATS THE RAIN AT HILLTOP
Millersburg, Ohio
Saturday, August 4, 2010
By Mike Swanger
A heavy rain shower just after the gates opened backed the start of the races Saturday night at Hilltop Speedway and then another shower hit just as the Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modifieds took to the track as they were able to get just one lap of their feature in due to a caution flag and before they could go green again, the rain increased and ended the night. The racing action in between showers was some of the closest action this year. Heat winners George Lee and Wayne Maffett Jr. started on the front row of the Super Late Model feature and for the first 15 laps they went nose to tail and side by side with Lee able to lead at times but Maffett Jr. of Mansfield was credited with leading every lap. Right behind them was Doug Drown as he was waiting for a slip by the two front runners but he would suffer a flat tire and had to change it and rejoin the field in 12th on lap 14 as the caution was out for Dave Hornikel. Charlie Duncan, heat three winner, and Ty Myers were wheeling and dealing for fourth place in a race that was as close as Maffett Jr and Lee's was for the lead. Things would change on lap 16 as Lee slipped high in turn two and before he gathered himself back up, Duncan slipped underneath him to take second and allowed Maffett Jr. some breathing room and go on to post his third win of the season and his 8th straight top five finish aboard the Adco Truck & Trailer Refinishing, Fultz Fabrication, and Tire Trax #40. Points leader Duncan finished second as Lee held off Myers and Keith Tish for third.
The Street Stock main was even closer than the Super Late Model race was as Galion's Todd Swim led the first lap but a wreck that involved the rest of the top five at the flagstand shook things up as Donna Canode and Ken Daughriety Sr. had to go to the pits to change tires as they were second and third at the time. John Wilson and Brandon Gardner would receive some damage to their cars but continue and when the green flag flew again, Wilson would squeeze into the lead on the restart but Swim reclaimed it by the time they got back to the line as Gardner charged past Wilson on the next lap and pulled alongside Swim and took control on lap five. As the laps wore on, Swim and his JR Dowell Trucking, State Farm Insurance, and Coffee Cup #44 closed back in on Gardner and take the lead back on lap 12 as Gardner would slow and come to a stop with two laps to go, ending his night. Things got wild on the last lap as Wilson, Kenny Daughriety Jr., and Dan Hennig all made contact battling for second going into turn four as they would be credited in finishing in that order. Denny Shear came from his 12th starting spot to fill out the top five. Swim won for the fourth time to expand his points lead and Canode won the heats.
Zanesville's Blake Morris took the lead from Cole Lillibridge on lap four of the Mini Wedge main and park the Morris Trucking #1 in victory lane for the fourth time this year. Tanner Johnson finished second as Triston and Cole Lillibridge ran third and fourth with Taylor Huggins rounded out the top five.
Norm Aronhalt led the first lap of the Modified main but a caution on lap two for Bruce Miller and then the skies opened up and their feature will pick up at that point on August 28 along with the Holmes Tire Mini Stock and the Circle Track Mini Trucks features will be run that night.
Hilltop Speedway will be closed next week, August 21st for the Holmes County Fair. After the three features from last night are finished, a complete program will be run on the 28th of August that will be Season Championship night for all six class'.
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY SUMMARY
Saturday, August 14, 2010
SUPER LATE MODELS
Heat 1 George Lee, Keith Tish, Ty Myers, Bryan Lillibridge, Randy Pollock
Heat 2 Wayne Maffett Jr., Doug Drown, Dave Hornikel, Hiriam Bachmann, Bryan Casey
Heat 3 Charlie Duncan, Steve Prince, Chad Hamilton, Jim Morey, Travis Leyda
Feature Maffett Jr., Duncan, Lee, T. Myers, Tish, Lillibridge, Hamilton, Pollock, Morey, Drown, Hornikel, Bachmann, Leyda, Prince, Casey, Elliott (dns), S. Myers (dns)
STREET STOCKS
Heat 1 Todd Swim, John Wilson, Brandon Gardner, Kenny Daughriety Jr., Dan Hennig, Joe Spearman, Brandon Craver, Bob Chilcote
Heat 2 Donna Canode, Kenny Daughriety Sr., Dave Giaugue, Charlie Dawson, Brian Giaugue, Denny Shear, Danny Gotschall, Tim Workman
Feature Swim, Wilson, Daughriety Jr., Hennig, Shear, Spearman, Craver, Canode, B. Giaugue, Dawson, Gotschall, Daughriety Sr., Gardner, D. Giaugue, Chilcote, Workman
MINI WEDGES
Feature Blake Morris, Tanner Johnson, Triston Lillibridge, Cole Lillibridge, Taylor Huggins, Josey Lillibridge (dns)
SNYDER BROTHERS TRI-STATE MODIFIEDS
Heat 1 George Lee, Robin Duston, Bruce Miller, Rick Mardis, Hilton Eppley, Vern Mardis, Brad Crose
Heat 2 Norm Aronhalt, Ryan West, Clint Keenan, Ty Samples, Jason Graham, Josh Pyers, Kevin Davis
Heat 3 Matt Aber, Jimmy Smith, Matt Samples, Kyle Brown, Aaron Phillis, Sid Danals, Dave Sampsel
Feature- to be completed on August 28, after one lap- 309, 27c, 85, 70, 9w, 280, 29, 2, 41, j4, 44t, 51, 76, 11, 44, 26, 19, 6, 12, 14, 185
CIRCLE TRACK MINI TRUCKS
Heat 1 Scott Gray, Jack Large, Jerry Gardner, Wally Wallace, Kevin Potts, Ken Duncan, Ben Brannon
Heat 2 John Large, Rolly Heyder, Logan Brannon, Tom Garlick, Dustin Miller, Steve Large
Feature to be run on August 28
HOLMES TIRE MINI STOCKS
Heat 1 Jerry Adkins, Kenny Long, Ted Archer, Blain Markey
Heat 2 Josh Gentry, Brett Adkins, Chris Priebe, Kodie Daughriety, Robert Smith, Terry Adkins
Feature to be run on August 28
WISECARVER CARVES OUT HILLTOP'S DIRTY THIRTY MOD WIN; WATSON WHIPS UP WIN IN 1st MINI WEDGE DTWC
Millersburg, Ohio
Saturday, August 7, 2010
By Mike Swanger
With two big features on tap on Guerne Heights Drive In night, a huge crowd piled into Hilltop Speedway Saturday night on a very pleasant night for racing. Up first was the first ever Mini Wedge DTWC with 22 youngsters taking the green flag and it took Tray Watson only three laps to grab the lead from his 14th starting spot and then leave the field way behind as the 11 year old from Weston, Wv and his Sam Watson Trucking, Tire & Rubber Inc., & WOTR 96.3 fm #17t as he lapped all but second place Hunter Cline. Cline, the first heat winner, had a race long battle with second heat winner Jordan Doty and Chase Osborne as they finished in that order. Gunner Travis filled out the top five as Blake Morris won the third heat.
The Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modifieds had 35 cars check into the pits for the Dirty Thirty feature as Zanesville's Jesse Wisecarver won the dash to start on the pole and outdueled Rick Mardis into turn one to start the feature with Larry Holbrook, fast qualifier Gary Clark and George Lee moving past Mardis on lap two. Lee would suffer a flat tire on lap four and return on the tail and on the restart. Norm Aronhalt pulled into fourth from his ninth starting position. On the next circuit he would move past Clark for third and from then on Aronhalt and Holbrook went back and forth for second as Wisecarver and his Denny's Allnighter, Formation Cementing, and Ron & Tami Jewett Motorsports #101 would be uncatchable for his first win of the year at Hilltop. Holbrook would win the battle for second over Aronhalt as Clark ran fourth. Jimmy Smith rounded out the top five after winning a heat as Aronhalt, Hilton Eppley, and Matt Samples also won heats. Josh Pyers and Robin Duston topped the last chance races.
Cody Parker made it a good night for Zanesville drivers as he won the second heat to start on the outside front row of the Super Late Model main and hold off an early challenge from first heat winner, George Lee who gave way to Wayne Maffett Jr. on lap four. Maffett Jr., the third heat winner, would stay glued to the rear end of Parker's Weekly Electric, North Pointe Dental, & BHR #63 but could never wrestle the lead away from Parker who claimed his second win of the season at Hilltop. Shane McLoughlin slipped past Lee on lap six for third from his 7th starting spot as points leader Charlie Duncan worked his way from his 12th to slide past Lee for 4th at the halfway mark as they would finish in that order.
Points leader Todd Swim set the pace for the first two circuits of the Street Stock feature but after that it was all Brandon Gardner as the Troy driver scored his sixth win of the year aboard the L & L Motors, Maibach Ford #27g. John Wilson moved past Swim for second on lap three as Denny Shear and Donna Canode diced it out for fourth. Shear made a charge on Swim for third and took it away on lap 11 only to have Swim swipe it back on the white flag lap. So the finish behind Gardner was Wilson, Swim, who were the three heat winners, and then Shear and Canode.
Tom Garlick was the leader of the opening three laps of the Circle Track Mini Truck feature with Coshocton's Jack Large in pursuit and the Performance Auto #07 would take the point on lap four with brother John Large taking second but his run was cut short with mechanical woes on lap eight. Jerry Gardner and Chaz O'Dell would pick up the chase to catch Jack Large to no avail as the finished second and third with Kevin Potts grabbing fourth from Garlick with two circuits to go. Potts and Jack Large notched the heat wins.
Driving the #19 of Jeremy Hudson, Loudonville's Jordan James held off race long challenges from Chris Priebe and Brett James to collect his fourth win of the season and expand his point lead in the Holme Tire Mini Stock feature. The threesome would never be more than two car lengths apart as Adkins squeezed past Priebe with four laps to go for second. Blain Markey took fourth ahead of Kenny Long. Priebe and James topped the heats.
Regular racing is on the card for Saturday, August 14 at Hilltop Speedway as all six divisions will be in action
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY SUMMARY
Saturday, August 7, 2010
SNYDER BROTHERS TRI-STATE MODIFIEDS
Fast Qualifier Gary Clark 15.502
Dash Jesse Wisecarver, Rick Mardis, Larry Holbrook, George Lee, Clark, Tanner Wilson
Heat 1 Jimmy Smith, Kyle Brown, Josh Pyers, Aaron Phillis
Heat 2 Hilton Eppley, Nick Smith, Rex Slaughter, Charlie Duncan
Heat 3 Norm Aronhalt, Bruce Miller, Jason Graham, Ted Campbell
Heat 4 Matt Samples, Beau Bradley, Robin Duston, Jeff Dovenbarger
L.C. #1 Pyers, Todd Brennan, Slaughter, Nathan Loney, Kevin Davis, Vern Mardis, Phillis, Sid Danals, Duncan, Larry Moran, Ray Leslie (dns)
L.C. #2 Duston, Ryan West, Dovenbarger, Graham, Ty Samples, Jason Morey, Campbell, Dave Bodkins, David Pryor
Feature Wisecarver, Holbrook, Aronhalt, Clark, Smith, Lee, Brown, Smith, Miller, Bradley, Phillis, Wilson, Duston, Brennan, West, Eppley, M. Samples, R. Mardis, Pyers
SUPER LATE MODELS
Heat 1 George Lee, Dave Hornikel, Shane McLoughlin, Steve Prince, Chris Carpenter, Jeff Esbenshade, Keith Tish
Heat 2 Cody Parker, Bryan Lillibridge, Larry Moran, Mike Worthy, Ryan Bradshaw, Lance Elson, Hiriam Bachmann
Heat 3 Wayne Maffett Jr., Blaine Aber, Ty Myers, Charlie Duncan, Larry Holbrook, Larry Moran, Mike Burford
Feature Parker, Maffett Jr., McLoughlin, Duncan, Lee, Hornikel, Myers, Aber, Holbrook, Esbenshade, Carpenter, Prince, Enos, Bachmann, Lillibridge, Bradshaw, Moran, Burford, Tish, Worthy, Elson (dns)
STREET STOCKS
Heat 1 Todd Swim, Donna Canode, Kenny Daughriety Jr., John Stream, Bob Chilcote, Danny Gotschall, George Kinder
Heat 2 John Wilson, Denny Shear, Joe Spearman, Brian Giaugue, Dave Giaugue, Quinten Lewis
Heat 3 Brandon Gardner, Tim Glassburn, Kevin Sharier, Mike Hutchinson, Joe Wolfe, Kenny Daughriety Sr.
Feature Gardner, Wilson, Swim, Shear, Canode, Daughriety Jr., Spearman, Sharier, Daughriety Sr., Gotschall, Chilcote, Lewis, D. Giaugue, B. Giaugue, Wolfe, Hutchinson, Kinder, Stream, Glassburn
CIRCLE TRACK MINI TRUCKS
Heat 1 Kevin Potts, Jerry Gardner, Tom Garlick, Rolly Heyder, Scott Gray, Wally Wallace, Ben Brannon
Heat 2 Jack Large, Chaz O'Dell, John Large, Ken Duncan, Dustin Miller, Steve Large, Logan Brannon
Feature Ja. Large, Gardner, O'Dell, Potts, Garlick, Gray, Heyder, Miller, Duncan, Wallace, L. Brannon, S. Large, B. Brannon, Jo. Large
HOLMES TIRE MINI STOCKS
Heat 1 Chris Priebe, Brett Adkins, Kenny Long, Matt Kemp, Mitch Ling
Heat 2 Jordan James, Kevin Markey, Mike Rose, Blaine Markey, Kodie Daughriety
Feature James, Adkins, Priebe, B. Markey, Long, Daughriety, K. Markey, Kemp, Ling, Rose (dns)
MINI WEDGES
Heat 1 Hunter Cline, Levi Bowen, Dakota Wyer, Tanner McLoughlin, Joel Richendollar, Charity Bubeck, Phil Bubeck
Heat 2 Jordan Doty, Zack Holbrook, Tanner Johnson, Brady Reed, Tray Watson, Josey Lillibridge, Dow Cameron, Chase Fronapful
Heat 3 Blake Morris, Tiffany Jackson, Chase Osborne, Cole Lillibridge, Triston Lillibridge, Melanie Bryan, Gunner Travis
DTWC Feature Watson, Cline, Doty, Osborne, Travis, Richendollar, Wyer, Reed, Holbrook, Jackson, J. Lillibridge, T. Lillibridge, C. Lillibridge, Fronapful, Morris, P. Bubeck, C. Bubeck, McLoughlin, Bowen, Cameron, Johnson, Bryan
DROWN DICES UP LATE MODEL WIN; ARONHALT EARNS 2 MOD CHECKERS; GARDNER ROCKS STREET STOCKS; ADKINS & SON BIG IN MINI STOCK WINS; LARGE & LARGE PICK UP HILLTOP TRUCK VICTORIES; MORRIS MASTERS MINI WEDGES
Millersburg, Ohio
Saturday, July 31, 2010
By Mike Swanger
There was a lot of action on a perfect night for racing at Hilltop Speedway with the completion of three features from the week before plus the Dash for Cash races and the complete regular show all in store for the big crowd. Jason Flory would grab the lead at the drop of the green as fellow heat winners Wayne Maffett Jr. and Spud Myers would follow. After early pressure from Maffett Jr., Flory would pull away for a comfortable lead as Wooster's Doug Drown was working his way through the field from his 7th starting spot. At the halfway mark, Flory had a half straight way lead over Maffett Jr. with Myers giving up third to Drown and Blaine Aber holding down fifth. Drown would move into second with eight laps to go and with Flory starting to deal with heavy lapped traffic, Drown used the high groove to quickly close in on Flory and make the pass for the lead with five laps to go. The races only caution flag flew with three laps to go for Dave Hornikel's slowed car and on the restart Flory gave Drown one last run for the lead but came up short. Drown's second win of the season came aboard the DJ Miller owned Trenchless Technology #1dj as Flory held on to second with Dash for Cash winner, Maffett Jr. and Spud Myers next in line and Aber holding off Wes Hutchinson and George Lee for fifth. Matt Irey posted the last chance race.
The Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modifieds picked up their feature from the week before on lap 8 with George Lee out front with Charlie Duncan and Darrick Hubbard dueling for second Warsaw's Norm Aronhalt in fourth with Matt Samples in fifth. Duncan would bump a retaining tire on lap nine and would drop back to eighth while mechanical problems forced Hubbard out of action with six circuits to go. Aronhalt would power past Lee with five to go and put the Wyler Enterprises, Dari Hut, and Old Buck's BBQ #309 into victory lane by less than a car length over Lee for the first of two times for the evening. Matt Samples finished third with Bruce Miller in fourth as Hilton Eppley held off Rick Mardis for fifth. It was a caution filled regular feature for the Modifieds as Kyle Brown started on the outside front row and went into turn one sideways and collected Ryan West and George Lee, who both had to go to the pits to change tires with Brown's night finished. In his first visit to Hilltop this season, Barry Jacobs would set the pace as Charlie Duncan and Norm Aronhalt worked each other for second with Robin Duston on their rear bumpers. Aronhalt slipped past Duncan at the midway mark and then using his experience on the high groove, motored past Jacobs on the next lap for the point. Following the last yellow flag on lap 17, Aronhalt was able to pull away from Jacobs for his fourth win of the season and 17th Modified win overall at Hilltop. Duncan and Duston would slice and dice for third the last four laps with Duncan claiming third. Last Chance winner Rick Mardis rounded out the top five. Jacobs, Brown and Aronhalt won the heats and in the 'You had to see it to believe it' Dash for Cash race between Aronhalt and Lee, Aronhalt would lead in turns one and two and down the backstretch while Lee would be ahead in turns three and four and the frontstretch on every lap of the eight lap dash and when the checkered flag waved, it was too close to call and it was called a tie and as both drivers pulled into victory lane, the crowd gave them a standing ovation.
Troy's Brandon Gardner led all the way in the Street Stock feature as he has won five features in the last seven weeks and has 28 wins overall aboard the Maibach Ford and L & L Motors #27g. Points leader Todd Swim ran second with Jose Marsh taking third. Denny Shear outdueled Donna Canode for fourth. Gardner and Swim won the heats with Gardner pocketing the Dash for Cash money.
The make-up main for the Holmes Tire Mini Stocks saw Killbuck's Brett Adkins go flag to flag for his second win of the year as Uncle Jerry Adkins tried to chase him down to no avail. Chris Priebe, Mike Rose and Mitch Ling filled out the top five. The regular feature saw Dad Terry and son Brett Adkins win the heats and start on the front row and this time it was Dad's turn to win as he led all the way for his second win of the season. Mitch Ling moved into second on lap five to finish second as Jerry Adkins slid into third on lap six to claim third as Brett Adkins and Doug Hensel filled out the top five. Ling held off all three Adkins to collect the Dash for Cash dollars.
The Circle Track Mini Trucks did double duty also with Coshocton's Jack Large keeping the field at bay in the make-up feature to chalk up his first win aboard the Performance Auto #07. John Large took second when Kyle Cline lost a wheel on lap five as David Potts moved into third with Jerry Gardner fourth and Tom Garlick came from his ninth starting place to take fifth. Millersburg's John Large took his pole position start and went all the way in front as he parked the L & L Motors and Advance Auto Parts #17 in victory lane for the third time in 2010. Jerry Gardner kept the pressure on Large but settled for second with David Potts scoring his second third place finish of the night. Tom Garlick scored a fourth with points leader Rolly Heyder in fifth. David and Kevin Potts paced the heat races as Jerry Gardner collected the Dash for Cash money.
Zanesville's Blake Morris pulled into the lead on the first lap from his third starting position of the Mini Wedge feature and then go on to win his third feature this year. Driving the Morris Trucking #1, the nine year old was chased across the finish line by Brady Reed, Triston Lillibridge, Josey Lillibridge and Tanner Johnson. Heat winners were Reed and Levi Bowen.
Saturday night, August 7th will be another action packed night of racing with the 1st ever Mini Wedge Dirt Track Championship and the Modified Dirty Thirty the featured events. Super Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Circle Track Mini Trucks will be on the racing card also.
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY SUMMARY
Saturday, July 31, 2010
SUPER LATE MODELS
Dash for Cash Wayne Maffett Jr., Shane McLoughlin, Doug Drown, Dave Hornikel, Charlie Duncan
Heat 1 Jason Flory, George Lee, Drown, Hornikel, McLoughlin
Heat 2 Spud Myers, Blaine Aber, Wes Hutchenson, Kristin Flory, Jeremy Canada
Heat 3 Maffett Jr., Duncan, Trevor Phillips, Keith Tish, Ty Myers
L.C. #1 Matt Irey, JR Gentry, Randy Pollock, Jay McDougal, Mike Enos, Hiriam Bachmann, Randy Wynett, Bryan Casey, Brian Lillibridge, Doug Crabtree
Feature Drown, J. Flory, Maffett Jr., S. Myers, Aber, Hutchenson, Lee, McLoughlin, T. Myers, Canada, Phillips, Duncan, Tish, K. Flory, Pollock, Irey, Hornikel, Gentry
SNYDER BROTHERS TRI-STATE MODIFIEDS
Dash for Cash TIE- George Lee & Norm Aronhalt
7/24 Feature Aronhalt, Lee, Matt Samples, Bruce Miller, Hilton Eppley, Rick Mardis, Josh Pyers, Aaron Phillis, Charlie Duncan, Ryan West, Denny Benjamin, Ty Samples, Darrick Hubbard, Nathan Loney, Chris McCombs, Robin Duston, Jimmy Smith, Vern Mardis
Heat 1 Barry Jacobs, Duncan, Duston, Eppley, M. Samples
Heat 2 Kyle Brown, West, Miller, Pyers, Randy Pennington
Heat 3 Aronhalt, Lee, Tim Opliger, Benjamin, Ted Campbell
L.C. #1 R. Mardis, Phillis, T. Samples, Brad Crose, Brad Eagle, Hubbard (dns)
Feature Aronhalt, Jacobs, Duncan, Duston, R. Mardis, Miller, Eppley, Pennington, West, T. Samples, Opliger, M. Samples, Lee, Benjamin, Pyers, Phillis, Brown, Campbell
STREET STOCKS
Dash for Cash Brandon Gardner, Todd Swim, Donna Canode
Heat 1 Gardner, Jose Marsh, Kevin Sharier, Joe Spearman, Bob Chilcote, Aaron Harris, Danny Gotschall, Mike Hutchenson
Heat 2 Swim, Canode, Denny Shear, John Stream, Dave Giaugue, John Wilson, Joe Staggers, Brian Giaugue
Feature Gardner, Swim, Marsh, Shear, Canode, Stream, Wilson, Harris, Sharier, Chilcote, Spearman, B. Giaugue, Hutchenson, D. Giaugue, Gotschall, Staggers
HOLMES TIRE MINI STOCKS
Dash for Cash Mitch Ling, Brett Adkins, Terry Adkins, Jerry Adkins
7/24 Feature B. Adkins, J. Adkins, Chris Priebe, Mike Rose, Ling, Kevin Markey, Blaine Markey, Dick Darr, Ted Archer, Matt Kemp, T. Adkins, Kenny Long, Jordan James (dns), Mike Carsey (dns), Chris Inscore (dns)
Heat 1 T. Adkins, Ling, K. Markey, B. Markey, Doug Hensel, Archer
Heat 2 B. Adkins, Priebe, J. Adkins, Zach Foss, Tanner Neel, Darr, Kemp, Rose
Feature T. Adkins, Ling, J. Adkins, B. Adkins, Hensel, Foss, Priebe, Rose, B. Markey, Kemp, Darr, Archer, Neel, K. Markey
CIRCLE TRACK MINI TRUCKS
Dash for Cash Jerry Gardner, Jack Large, Kevin Potts, John Large, Rolly Heyder
7/24 Feature JA. Large, JO. Large, D. Potts, Gardner, Garlick, Heyder, K. Potts, Scott Gray, Wally Wallace, Logan Brannon, Bill Kutz, Dustin Miller, Kyle Cline, Mitch Caskey
Heat 1 D. Potts, Tom Garlick, J. Gardner, Brandon Gardner, Kutz, Miller, JA. Large
Heat 2 K. Potts, Heyder, JO. Large, Gray, Wallace, Brannon,
Feature JO. Large, J. Gardner, D. Potts, Garlick, Heyder, B. Gardner, Gray, K. Potts, JA. Large, Wallace, Kutz, Brannon, Steve Large, Miller, Cline (dns), Caskey (dns)
MINI WEDGES
Heat 1 Brady Reed, Cole Lillibridge, Tanner Johnson, Triston Lillibridge, Josey Lillibridge
Heat 2 Levi Bowen, Blake Morris, Taylor Huggins, Tanner McLoughlin
Feature Morris, Reed, T. Lillibridge, J. Lillibridge, Johnson, Huggins, C. Lillibridge, Bowen, McLoughlin (dns)
DAUGHERTY COOKS UP STREET STOCK WIN; MAFFETT JR. STORMS TO HILLTOP LATE MODEL CHECKERED FLAG
Millersburg, Ohio
Saturday, July 24, 2010
By Mike Swanger
The Street Stocks were the featured class on a hot muggy night that turned into a race with Mother Nature on Danville Outdoor night at Hilltop Speedway. With lightning to the north of the track, the Street Stocks Invitational, Late Models, and the Mini Wedges were able to get their features in but 7 laps into the Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modifieds, the skies opened up with heavy rains to postpone the rest of race and it will pick up next week at that point with the Holmes Tire Mini Stocks and the Circle Track Mini Trucks running their features before the regular show. Fast qualifier Brandon Gardner grabbed the lead at the start of the Street Stock main with dash winner Jeremy Dickerson, putting on extreme pressure with Mansfield's Bob Daugherty on their rear bumpers. Dickerson was using the high groove to pull alongside Gardner for the lead but on lap nine, Dickerson tagged the wall and cut a tire to end his run. This would put Daugherty into the second spot and working the very bottom of the track, muscled his way past Gardner on lap 13 and then pulled away aboard the Adco Truck & Trailer Refinishing, Char's Cars and Met's Machine Shop #21d for his first win and makes him eligible for next weeks Dash for Cash race. Gardner finished second with points leader Todd Swim taking third. Denny Shear worked his way from a 11th starting position to grab fourth with heat winner Donna Canode rounding out the top five. Darrell Mayer also won a heat race as Aaron Harris topped the last chance race.
First heat winner and points leader Charlie Duncan set the pace for the opening 12 circuits of the Super Late Model feature with second heat winner Wayne Maffett Jr. of Mansfield in hot pursuit. Out powering Duncan coming out of turn two, Maffett Jr. and his Adco Truck & Trailer Refinishing, Wright Choice Auto Sales, and Tire Trax #40 took the lead on lap 13 for his second win of the season. It was real dogfight for third as Ty Myers nipped Spud Myers at the finish line with George Lee and Dave Hornikel less than a car length behind them for fifth and sixth.
Second heat winner Chase Osborne of Zanesville took the lead on lap three from first heat winner Dow Cameron in the Mini Wedge feature and the Bart Hartman Racing, Gene's Auto, and McMillen Tire #75 held of a late run by Blake Morris to win his first feature at Hilltop. Levi Bowen ran third with Tanner Johnson fourth with Cameron taking fifth.
Dash winner Robin Dustin held off George Lee and Charlie Duncan for the first four laps of the Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modified main but mechanical woes for Dustin forced him to pull off at that point of the race giving the lead to Lee. A caution for Chris McCombs on lap seven slowed the action and before the green flag could be waved again, the skies opened up with a big deluge of rain finishing the night of racing. Action will start with lap eight next Saturday night
In the Circle Track Mini Trucks heat races David Potts and John Large notched the wins while Brett Adkins and Jordan James topped the Holmes Tire Mini Stock heat races. Both of those features will run after the Modified feature next week. All class' will also run the Dash for Cash events in which all feature winners are eligible to race in a winner take all event with a regular show following. The Ohio Outlaw Motorsports will be in action Friday night July 30 with Quad races starting at 8 pm.
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY SUMMARY
Saturday, July 24, 2010
SUPER LATE MODELS
Heat 1 Charlie Duncan, Spud Myers, George Lee, Jeremy Canada, Brad Moore, Hiriam Bachmann, Kevin Lentz
Heat 2 Wayne Maffett Jr., Ty Myers, DJ Miller, Dave Hornikel, Steve Prince, Brian Lillibridge
Feature Maffett Jr., Duncan, T. Myers, S. Myers, Lee, Hornikel, Canada, Prince, Moore, Miller, Bachmann, Lentz, Lillibridge
STREET STOCKS
Fast Qualifier Brandon Gardner 16.67
Dash Jeremy Dickerson, Gardner, Bob Daugherty, Todd Swim, John Wilson, Kevin Sharier
Heat 1 Donna Canode, Brandon Craver, Denny Shear, Kyle Warner
Heat 2 Darrell Taylor, Kenny Daughriety Sr., Alan Farris, Kyle Moore
L.C. # 1 Aaron Harris, Johnny Moore, Dave Giaugue, Danny Gotschall, Brian Giaugue, Mike Hutchinson, Charlie Dawson, Kenny Daughriety Jr., Joe Spearman, George Kinder
Feature Daugherty, Gardner, Swim, Shear, Canode, Craver, K. Moore, Wilson, Harris, Gotschall, Sharier, D. Giaugue, Mayer, Daughriety Sr., Farris, Dickerson, J. Moore, Warner (dns)
MINI WEDGES
Heat 1 Dow Cameron, Dakota Wyer, Tanner Johnson, Blake Morris, Triston Lillibridge
Heat 2 Chase Osborne, Levi Bowen, Melanie Bryan, Taylor Huggins
Feature Osborne, Morris, Bowen, Johnson, Cameron, Lillibridge, Bryan, Huggins, Wyer (dns)
SNYDER BROTHERS TRI-STATE MODIFIEDS
Fast Qualifier Norm Aronhalt 15.76
Dash Robin Dustin, Darrick Hubbard, George Lee, Jimmy Smith, Matt Samples, Aronhalt
Heat 1 Charlie Duncan, Hilton Eppley, Bruce Miller, Nathan Loney
Heat 2 Rick Mardis, Chris McCombs, Ryan West, Aaron Phillis
L.C # 1 Ty Samples, Vern Mardis, Josh Pyers, Denny Benjamin, Brad Crose, Kevin Davis, Eddie Wilson, Jason Graham, Dave Pryor, Dave Sampsel
Feature as of 7 laps 27c, 99, 11d, 309, 44, 9w, 51, 2, 185, 76, 10, 11p, 01, 44t, in pits 7*, 85, 280, 19b
CIRCLE TRACK MINI TRUCKS
Heat 1 Dave Potts, Rolly Heyder, Kyle Cline, Kevin Potts, Tom Garlick, Scott Gray, Dustin Miller
Heat 2 John Large, Jack Large, Jerry Gardner, Mitch Caskey, Bill Kutz, Wally Wallace, Logan Brannon
Feature July 31
HOLMES TIRE MINI STOCKS
Heat 1 Brett Adkins, Jerry Adkins, Chris Priebe, Mitch Lang, Blain Markey, Ken Long, Chris Inscore, Matt Kemp
Heat 2 Jordan James, Mike Rose, Terry Adkins, Kevin Markey, Dick Darr, Mike Carsey, Ted Archer
Feature July 31
HORNIKEL & GARDNER NOTCH 3rd WINS IN A ROW; MOREHOUSE CARVES OUT 10th WIN OF YEAR AT HILLTOP
Millersburg, Ohio
Saturday, July 17, 2010
By Mike Swanger
The fans not only were able to get drivers' autographs before the races, they were then treated to the most highly competitive features of the season in all divisions at Hilltop Speedway Saturday night. Winning the dash, JR Gentry would start on the pole of the feature as he was looking to claim the Lake-Hill Challenge after winning at Lakeville Speedway Friday night as this would be his second attempt at taking the bonus money. He would lead the opening four laps of the Super Late Model feature that included three yellow's as Mansfield's Dave Hornikel, Jeremy Canada, who caused one of the yellow's on the second lap after tagging the guardrail in turn two, points leader Charlie Duncan and Wayne Maffett Jr in hot pursuit on each restart. Using the highside, Hornikel was able to get by Gentry on lap five as Duncan would follow in in his tire tracks to drop Gentry to third. Duncan would drop down to the low groove and keep the pressure on Hornikel as Maffett Jr. moved past Gentry for third on lap seven. The Imperial Truck Refinishing, Innovative Graphics, and Fultz Fabrications #71 of Hornikel could never get more than two car lengths away from Duncan and in the last four laps, Charging Charlie would be able to pull alongside of fast qualifier Hornikel in the corners but could never take the lead away as Hornikel parked in victory lane for the third week in a row and fourth time in five weeks. Gentry hooked up in the high groove and chased down heat winner Maffett Jr. and slipped past him at the checkered flag to take third as Bryan Casey held off Blaine Aber for fifth.
Since Hilltop Speedway re-opened in 2006, Kevin Morehouse and Norm Aronhalt have the most wins in the Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modifieds with Aronhalt having 10 wins in 2007 to lead in that stat while Morehouse was setting on nine wins this year at the start of the night. With those two finishing one - two in the dash, they would start the feature side by side on the front row and on the drop of the green, Morehouse would grab the lead from the pole and run the middle of the track as Aronhalt would climb to the high groove in pursuit but on lap four, Stormin' Norman would let his car get away from him and spin in turn four to bring out the caution and be sent to the tail. Robin Dustin would inherit second place with quick timer Gary Clark, Rick Mardis, Charlie Duncan and Matt Samples following. Mardis allowed Duncan and Samples to get by on lap seven with Duncan putting the heat on Clark for third at the halfway mark. Up front, the Morehouse Logging, Steve Roberts Excavating, Sam's Used Cars #28 of Morehouse was holding a steady five car length over Dustin as Aronhalt was working his way through the field and moved back into fifth with eight laps to go. As Clark and Duncan wheeled and dealed for third, Aronhalt picked them off on the next two laps to take third but ran out of laps as Morehouse kept Dustin at bay to post his tenth win of the year and the Hanover driver now has 24 all time wins at Hilltop. Clark held on to fourth as Duncan stopped a fast closing Ryan West for fifth. Claiming heat wins were Gary Hensel, Tim Opliger, and Jimmy Smith as Verne Mardis topped the last chance win.
The Street Stock feature will be one of those that will be remembered for quite a while as points leader Todd Swim and Brandon Gardner started on the front row and they ran wheel to wheel for the first lap but Swim would slide up turn one just a little on the second lap and that allowed Bob Daugherty to pull into second. As Gardner was using the higher portion of the track, Daugherty used the extreme bottom groove and powered past Gardner for the lead on lap five. They would run door handle to door handle with largest lead coming on restarts following a caution flag with Daugherty on the point. The final caution would be with five laps to go and on that restart, Gardner would take his L & L Motors, Maibach Ford, and Mason Racing #27g to get to the low side of Daugherty and as the white flag waved, the two blue cars rubbed together heading down the backstretch with neither giving an inch and as they went into turns three and four still side by side, Gardner was able to edge into the lead at the line for the win. In just his fifth appearance of the year at Hilltop, the Troy driver has four wins in the last five weeks and an all time high 27 career wins. Swim held on to third as the top three were the heat winners. John Wilson and John Stream filled out the top five.
It's never easy to win your first feature and that's the way it was for Millersburg's Mitch Ling in the Holmes Tire Mini Stock main. Although he lead all the way, Ling had to hold off Brett Adkins early before Terry Adkins applied the pressure late in the race but the Garver's Marathon, Springwalk Farms, and Fortune Signs #4m held on for his first car win as he has won on motorcross cycles. Terry, Brett, and Jerry Adkins finished second - fourth as Tanner Neel rounded out the top five. Ling and Brett Adkins captured the heat races.
The youngster's and their Mini Wedges continue to put on some great races as Brady Reed set the pace for the opening lap of their feature before Levi Bowen took control for the next three laps but it was Zanesville's Blake Morris edging into the lead as the white flag flew and put the Morris Trucking #1 for the second time this year as the nine year old also won the heat race on the last lap. Bowen was second with points leader Tanner Johnson third followed by Triston Lillibridge and Charity Bubeck.
Saturday, July 24 will be the Hilltop Street Stock Invitational with a regular show for the other five divisions as pit gates will open at 4 pm and grandstand gates open at 5 pm with racing at 7: 30 pm.
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY SUMMARY
Saturday, July 17, 2010
SUPER LATE MODELS (14)
Fast Qualifier Dave Hornikel 14.878
Dash JR Gentry, Charlie Duncan, Hornikel, Jeremy Canada, Bryan Casey, Steve Prince
Heat 1 Wayne Maffett Jr., Chester Elliott, Blaine Aber, Ty Myers, Bryan Lillibridge, Hiriam Bachmann, Mike Enos, Mike Worthy
Feature Hornikel, Duncan, Gentry, Maffett Jr., Casey, Aber, Myers, Bachmann, Worthy, Lillibridge, Prince, Enos, Elliott, Canada
SNYDER BROTHERS TRI-STATE MODIFIEDS (26)
Fast Qualifier Gary Clark 15.495
Dash Kevin Morehouse, Norm Aronhalt, Robin Dustin, Matt Samples, Charlie Duncan, Clark
Heat 1 Gary Hensel, Rick Mardis, Hilton Eppley
Heat 2 Tim Opliger, Randy Pennington, Josh Pyers
Heat 3 Jimmy Smith, Ryan West, Aaron Phillis
L.C. #1 Verne Mardis, Beau Bradley, Nathan Loney, Kevin Davis, Luke Fairburn, Sid Danals, Ty Samples, Chris McCombs, Mark Enos, Dave Sampsel, Brandon Russell (dns)
Feature Morehouse, Dustin, Aronhalt, Clark, Duncan, West, M. Samples, Hensel, Phillis, Eppley, Bradley, Opliger, Smith, Loney, R. Mardis, V. Mardis, Pennington, Pyers
STREET STOCKS (19)
Heat 1 Todd Swim, Donna Canode, Darrell Mayer, Kevin Sharier, John Wilson, Brian Giaugue, Aaron Harris
Heat 2 Brandon Gardner, Kenny Daughriety Jr., Danny Gotschall, Joe Spearman, Dave Giaugue, Joe Staggers
Heat 3 Bob Daugherty, Jose Marsh, Bob Chilcote, Denny Shear, Kenny Daughriety Sr., John Stream
Feature Gardner, Daugherty, Swim, Wilson, Stream, Daughriety Sr., Harris, Mayer, D. Giaugue, Spearman, Chilcote, Canode, Staggers, B. Giaugue, Daughriety Sr., Shear, Marsh, Gotschall, Sharier
HOLMES TIRE MINI STOCKS (15)
Heat 1 Brett Adkins, Terry Adkins, Jerry Adkins, Mike Rose, Cole Elkins, Kevin Markey, Blain Markey, Kodie Daughriety
Heat 2 Mitch Ling, Tanner Neel, Chris Priebe, Zach Foss, Chris Inscore, Ken Duncan, Robert Smith
Feature Ling, B. Adkins, T. Adkins, J. Adkins, Neel, Rose, Priebe, Foss, K. Markey, B. Markey, Inscore, Daughriety, Duncan, Elkins, Smith (dns)
MINI WEDGES (eight)
Heat 1 Blake Morris, Levi Bowen, Brady Reed, Phil Bubeck, Tanner Johnson, Charity Bubeck, Triston Lillibridge, Taylor Huggins
Feature Morris, Bowen, Johnson, Lillibridge, C. Bubeck, Reed, P. Bubeck (dns), Huggins (dns)
HORNIKEL & MOREHOUSE LOG HILLTOP WINS; POTTS POCKETS TRUCK BUCKS
Millersburg, Ohio
Saturday, July 10, 2010
By Mike Swanger
Another beautiful night for racing saw the grandstands full of fans and 131 cars filling the pits of Hilltop Speedway Saturday night with the Circle Track Mini Trucks being the featured class of the evening. Ken Duncan grabbed the lead on the 1st lap of the Truck race with Sunbury's Kevin Potts taking over on the next circuit. Potts and his Proscape Landscaping and KP-n-Deb racing #8k truck would build up a huge lead and left the rest of the field to battle for position. Jerry Gardner would replace Duncan in second on lap six but could not chase down Potts. Points leader Rolly Heyder moved into third on lap eight and then it was a five way battle for the remaining top five places between Duncan, Dave Potts, Dustin Miller, Wally Wallace and Scott Gray. Dave Potts took control of fourth with three laps to go as Dustin Miller followed him into fifth for his first top five finish. Jack and John Large won the heat races.
Mansfield's Dave Hornikel picked up right where he left off last week as he won the dash and started on the pole of the feature and then held off an early charge by JR Gentry to post his second win in a row and third in the last four races for the Super Late Models aboard the Imperial Truck Refinishing, Deschner's Pizza & Drive Thru, Fultz Fabrication #71. Gentry ran second as fast qualifier George Lee and Wayne Maffett Jr. went back and forth for third with Lee winning out and West Virginia drivers Tyler Carpenter beating out Lance Elson for fifth. Brad Moore, Larry Holbrook and points leader Charlie Duncan topping the heats as Randy Pollock secured the last chance race.
Kevin Morehouse of Hanover beat dash winner Norm Aronhalt into turn one and then kept him at bay to park the Steve Roberts Excavating, Napa Auto Parts, and Morehouse Logging #28 in the Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modified victory circle for the ninth time this year. Todd Brennan and Rick Mardis raced hard for third but a slip with five laps to go by Brennan allowed fast qualifier Gary Clark and Robin Dustin to finish fourth and fifth. Matt Samples, Nick Smith, and Dustin bested the heats with Jeff Dovenbarger and Tim Opliger pacing the two last chance races.
Brandon Gardner was hounded by points leader Todd Swim all race long but the Perrysville based Maibach Ford and L & L Motors #27g picked up his third Street Stock win of the season and his Hilltop Speedway high 26th career win since 2006. The race ended just in time for Gardner as a valve broke in the engine just as he crossed the finish line. John Wilson ended up third as 11th starting Jose Marsh claimed fourth while Darrell Mayer flew to fifth from his 15th starting position. Swim, Gardner, and Kevin Sharier posted the heat wins as Kenny Daughriety Jr. captured the last chance race.
It was a father-son duel in the Holmes Tire Mini Stock main as it was back and forth between dad, Terry and son Brett with son winning his first feature by less then a car length at the finish line. The Killbuck drivers had no room for mistakes as points leader Jordan James and Jerry Adkins was right on the leaders trunk lids with James squeezing into third at the line. Mitch Ling filled out the top five. Terry and Jerry Adkins and James scored the heat wins.
Changing position on every lap, four youngsters had a chance to win the Mini Wedge feature as Newark's Tanner Johnson was in third as the white flag waved but the 10 year old powered his way past Cole Lillibridge and Blake Morris on the last lap to grab his third win of the year aboard the #25. Heat winner Cole Lillibridge hung on to second in front of Morris as 1st timer Chase Osborne was a close fourth with Triston Lillibridge rounding out the top five.
A regular show with all six class' will be on the racing card for Saturday, July 17th and it will be Driver Autograph night with fans able to go into the pits after qualifying to get autographs from the drivers.
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY SUMMARY
Saturday, July 10, 2010
SUPER LATE MODELS (29)
Fast Qualifier George Lee 15.081
Dash Dave Hornikel, JR Gentry, Lance Elson, Wayne Maffett Jr., Tyler Carpenter, Lee
Heat 1 Brad Moore, Mike Bores, Bryan Casey
Heat 2 Larry Holbrook, Mike Lonas, Kevin Lentz
Heat 3 Charlie Duncan, Jeremy Canada, Blaine Aber
L.C. Randy Pollock, Matt Irey, Bryan Lillibridge, Michael Stiltner, Brandon Perkins, Hiriam Bachmann, Jim Morey, Mike Worthy, Bobby Michaels, Shaun Cains (dns), Mike Enos (dns), Doug Smith (dns), Mike Burford (dns), Nate Potts (dns)
Feature Hornikel, Gentry, Lee, Maffett Jr., Carpenter, Elson, Duncan, Canada, Holbrook, Bores, Casey, Moore, Pollock, Lentz, Aber, Irey, Lonas, Lillibridge
SNYDER BROTHERS TRI-STATE MODIFIEDS (37)
Fast Qualifier Gary Clark 15.673
Dash Norm Aronhalt, Kevin Morehouse, Clark, Rick Mardis, Ryan West, Todd BrennaHeat 1 Matt Samples, Beau Bradley, Chris McCombs
Heat 2 Nick Smith, George Lee, Ernie Scott
Heat 3 Robin Dustin, Jimmy Smith, Rory Reed
L.C.# 1 Jeff Dovenbarger, Denny Benjamin, Vern Mardis, Ted Tucker, Randy Pennington, Ted Campbell, Mark Enos, Ty Samples, Bob Sims (dns), Todd McElwain, (dns), Darrick Hubard (dns)
L.C.# 2 Tim Opliger, Korey Kimble, Jason Graham, Brad Crose, Sid Danals, Dave Sampsel, Hilton Eppley, Aaron Phillis, Josh Pyers, Kevin Davis (dns), Jon Sluka (dns)
Feature Morehouse, Aronhalt, R. Mardis, Clark, Dustin, Brennan, Lee, N. Smith, J. Smith, Bradley, McCombs, M. Samples, Reed, Opliger, Scott, Kimble, West, Dovenbarger, Benjamin
STREET STOCKS (24)
Heat 1 Todd Swim, Denny Shear, Bob Fry, Brian Giaugue, Dave Giaugue
Heat 2 Brandon Gardner, John Wilson, Justin Patterson, Jose Marsh, Kyle Moore
Heat 3 Kevin Sharier, John Stream, Brock Burcher, Josh Miller, Darrell Mayer
L.C. Kenny Daughriety Jr., Joe Spearman, Kenny Daughriety Sr., Ray Hixon, George Kinder, Danny Gotschall, Donna Canode (dns), Dan Hinkens (dns), Bob Chilcote (dns)
Feature Gardner, Swim, Wilson, Marsh, Mayer, Shear, Burcher, Miller, Daughriety Jr., Sharier, Stream, Daughriety Sr., D. Giaugue, Fry, Spearman, B. Giaugue, Moore, Patterson
CIRCLE TRACK MINI TRUCKS (14)
Heat 1 John Large, Jerry Gardner, Tom Garlick, Kyle Cline, David Potts, Scott Gray, Heidi Miller
Heat 2 Jack Large, Rolly Heyder, Ken Duncan, Kevin Potts, Wally Wallace, Dustin Miller, Logan Brannon
Feature K. Potts, Gardner, Heyder, D. Potts, D. Miller, Gray, Duncan, Ja, Large, Brannon, Wallace, Garlick, Jo. Large, H. Miller, Cline (dns)
HOLMES TIRE MINI STOCKS (19)
Heat 1 Jordan James, Dale Beckett, Glen Elliott Jr., Mike Rose, Kevin Markey, Chris Inscore, Kodie Daughriety
Heat 2 Brett Adkins, Terry Adkins, Blain Markey, Mike Amick, Chris Priebe, Ernest Fortune
Heat 3 Jerry Adkins, Mitch Ling, Robert Smith, Ted Archer, Desi McHenry, Charlie Duncan
Feature B. Adkins, T. Adkins, James, J. Adkins, Ling, B. Markey, Priebe, Elliott Jr., Amick, K. Markey, Fortune, Archer, McHenry, Daughriety, Duncan, Rose, Smith, Inscore, Beckett (dns)
MINI WEDGES (8)
Heat 1 Cole Lillibridge, Chase Osborne, Blake Morris, Triston Lillibridge, Brady Reed, Josey Lillibridge, Taylor Huggins, Tanner Johnson
Feature Johnson, C. Lillibridge, Morris, Osborne, T. Lillibridge, J. Lillibridge, Huggins, Reed (dns)
HORNIKEL 1st TWO TIME WINNER IN HILLTOP'S LATE MODELS
Millersburg, Ohio
Saturday, July 3, 2010
By Mike Swanger
Another big crowd packed into Hilltop Speedway to watch a season high 113 cars put on a sizzling show on Tim Hawkins Logging and Susan's Footwear & Fashion night that also honored all past and present military people on hand. Mansfield's Dave Hornikel went side by side with dash winner Jeremy Canada for the first six laps of the Super Late Model feature and using the high groove was able to take control at that point and open up a two car length lead over Canada. Behind them was a three way battle for third with Jason Flory, Ryan Markham, and Wayne Maffett Jr. using every inch of the track for position. Just past the halfway mark, Flory worked his way past Canada for second and closed in on Hornikel. A caution with two laps to go for Doug Eaton bunched the field together and on the restart, Flory made one last dive to the bottom to swipe the lead away but came up short as the Imperial Truck Refinishing, Deschner's Pizza & Drive Thru, and Fultz Fabrication # 71 of Hornikel held him off and become the first Super Late Model driver to win two features this year at Hilltop. Canada held on to third as Maffett Jr. edged past Markham at the finish line for fourth. Brad Moore won the last chance race with points leader Charlie Duncan, Maffett Jr., and Wes Hutchinson scoring heat wins.
Pulling into the pits with a brand new Diamond racecar, seven time winner Kevin Morehouse didn't miss a beat as the Hanover driver led all the way in the caution filled Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modified main for his eighth win of the year and 22nd win at Hilltop. Starting beside points leader and dash winner George Lee, Morehouse and his Morehouse Logging, Roberts Excavating, and Sam's Used Cars # 28 would build up a four car length lead on Lee, who had Hilton Eppley putting the pressure on for the second spot all race long. Randy Gray and Matt Samples both had top five runs going but each caused a caution late in the race that would allow Rick Mardis, who was in the mix of things for top five to finish fourth. After being charged with an opening lap caution, fast qualifier Gary Clark came from 18th to grab fifth. Brandon Russell topped the last chance race with Gray, Mardis and Ryan West claiming the heat wins.
Brandon Gardner withstood the early charge of Kenny Daughriety Jr. and then cruise away in the Perrysville based Maichbach Ford and L & L Motors #27g for his second Street Stock win this season and 25th overall at Hilltop. Daughriety Jr. spent the whole race battling off Donna Canode, points leader Todd Swim and Darrell Mayer to finish a season best second. Mayer picked off Swim on lap ten for fourth and then moved past Canode with three to go for third. Last chance winner, Jose Marsh started 16th and finished sixth as heat winners were Daughriety Jr., Gardner, and Canode.
By winning the heat races, it was an all Adkins front row starting positions for the Holmes Tire Mini Stock feature and when the checkered flag flew, Killbuck's Terry Adkins putting the # 49a into the victory circle for the first time this season as he beat Jerry Adkins by a straightaway. Jerry had to wheel and deal with points leader Jordan James and Mike Rose all race as those three would finish in that order with another Adkins, Brett, filling out the top five.
After starting the season out with two wins, Galena's Rolly Heyder returned to victory lane in the Circle Track Mini Truck feature. It may have been a little motivation for the driver of the Jack Maxton Parts, All City Auto Wrecking, and Rader Collision #10 as his mother watched for the first time ever. Tom Garlick gave Heyder some competition early on as Jerry Gardner would replace Garlick in second on lap seven, who would drop another spot on the next circuit to John Large. Kevin Potts and Scott Gray would take Garlick out of the top five with three laps to go as they finished in that order. Posting the heat wins were Heyder and Gardner.
Making his first visit to Hilltop, Londonberry's Joel Richendollar and his Custom Machine and Sports Plus #02 Mini Wedge edged out two time winner Dakota Wyer at the line for the win. Cole Lillibridge, Melanie Bryan, and Triston Lillibridge rounded out the top five.
All divisions will be in action next Saturday, July 10th with the Mini Truck Invitational being the featured class.
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY SUMMARY
Saturday, July 3, 2010
SUPER LATE MODELS (30)
Fast Qualifier J R Gentry 14.875
Dash Jeremy Canada, Dave Hornikel, Ryan Markham, Jason Flory, Gentry, George Lee
Heat 1 Charlie Duncan, Kristin Flory, Blaine Aber
Heat 2 Wayne Maffett Jr., Doug Eaton, Trevor Phillips
Heat 3 Wes Hutchinson, Ty Myers, Thomas Baker
L. C. Brad Moore, Larry Holbrook, Dave Liles, DJ Miller, Doug Smith, Jim Morey, Mike Enos, Ted Johnson Jr., Mike Worthy, Chester Elliott, Travis Leyda, Steve Prince, Bryan Lillibridge, Kevin Lentz (dns), Keith Tish (dns)
Feature Hornikel, J. Flory, Canada, Maffett Jr., Markham, K. Flory, Myers, Duncan, Aber, Hutchinson, Holbrook, Liles, Miller, Phillips, Eaton, Baker, Gentry, Moore, Lee (dns)
SNYDER BROTHERS TRI-STATE MODIFIEDS (26)
Fast Qualifier Gary Clark 15.649
Dash George Lee, Kevin Morehouse, Clark, Hilton Eppley, Matt Samples, Jimmy Smith
Heat 1 Randy Gray, Rex Slaughter, Beau Bradley
Heat 2 Rick Mardis, Aaron Phillis, Kevin Davis
Heat 3 Ryan West, Vern Mardis, Jeff Dovenbarger
L. C. Brandon Russell, Jeff Gress, Ty Samples, Tim Opliger, Nathan Loney, Dave Sampsel, Sid Danals, Brad Crose, David Pryor, Luke Fairburn (dns)
Feature Morehouse, Lee, Eppley, R. Mardis, Clark, West, Gray, Phillis, Slaughter, V. Mardis, Gress, M. Samples, Davis, Smith, Russell, T. Samples, Bradley, Dovenbarger
STREET STOCKS (22)
Heat 1 Kenny Daughriety Jr., Aaron Harris, Bob Fry, Raymond Hixon, Brian Giaugue
Heat 2 Brandon Gardner, Todd Swim, Kevin Sharier, John Wilson, Kyle Moore
Heat 3 Donna Canode, Darrell Mayer, Kenny Daughriety Sr., Tyler Bryan, John Stream
L. C. Jose Marsh, Denny Shear, Joe Spearman, Bob Chilcote, Dave Giaugue, Brock Burcher (dns), Joe Staggers (dns)
Feature Gardner, Daughriety Jr., Mayer, Canode, Swim, Marsh, Shear, Harris, Daughriety Sr., Bryan, Spearman, Moore, Hixon, Sharier, Fry, B. Giaugue, Stream, Wilson
HOLMES TIRE MINI STOCKS (14)
Heat 1 Jerry Adkins, Jordan James, Chris Priebe, Jeremy Lucas, Desi McHenry, Kevin Markey
Heat 2 Terry Adkins, Mike Rose, Brett Adkins, Robert Smith, Blaine Markey, Zach Foss
Feature T. Adkins, J. Adkins, James, Rose, B. Adkins, Priebe, Lucas, B. Markey, Foss, K. Markey, Smith, Chris Inscore, McHenry, Mike Bowers
CIRCLE TRACK MINI TRUCKS (13)
Heat 1 Jerry Gardner, Kevin Potts, Jack Large, John Large, Ken Duncan, Dustin Miller, Heidi Miller
Heat 2 Rolly Heyder, Tom Garlick, Scott Gray, Kyle Cline, Wally Wallace, Logan Brannon
Feature Heyder, Gardner, Jo. Large, Potts, Gray, Garlick, Cline, Wallace, Brannon, H. Miller, Duncan, Ja. Large, D. Miller
MINI WEDGES (8)
Feature Joel Richendollar, Dakota Wyer, Cole Lillibridge, Melanie Bryan, Triston Lillibridge, Blake Morris, Tanner Johnson, Josey Lillibridge
Chaney gets last lap, last corner pass for Ohio Speedweek win in front of hometown crowd at Hilltop
MILLERSBURG, Ohio – Rob Chaney passed David Gravel exiting turn four coming to the checkered flag to score the 40-lap victory Tuesday for night #5 of O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions Ohio Sprint Speedweek, leaving the huge hometown crowd at Hilltop Speedway all abuzz.
“I didn’t even know I won. When I passed Tim Shaffer (on lap 32 of the 40-lap affair for third), I knew I was close to the front. This is awesome to do this in front of my family and friends. Bryan Grove and the crew gave me a great car tonight. I just had to be patient and save the tires,” said Chaney, who started eighth and utilized the high groove around the high-banked little track.
“I feel bad for David (Gravel) to get that close and not get the win…it’s heartbreaking. I know, I’ve been there before,” added Chaney beside his Canton Erectors backed #45. It marked Chaney’s third career All Star victory.
In fact, Chaney didn’t become a threat for the win until a lap 27 restart when he drove from sixth into fourth. Chaney worked on defending All Star champion Tim Shaffer the next four laps before driving under him in turn two to take third. Tyler Walker was the next victim in Chaney’s march to the front, and he drove around him in turns three and four and into second with four to go. As leader David Gravel, from Watertown, Conn., who will celebrate his 18th birthday Wednesday, took the white flag, Chaney was on his rear bumper. Gravel drove low in turns three and four, his engine sputtering as his machine ran low on fuel. Chaney would blast to the outside and the two raced side-by-side out of turn four with Chaney’s momentum carrying him to the win.
“I ran out of fuel here again. This is the third time I’ve been here and the second time I’ve run out of fuel…it’s just so disappointing. I had this one won. My car was just so good on the bottom. With about five laps to go, the engine began sputtering… I just couldn’t believe it,” said dejected Gravel beside his DDR Motorsports, P&M Transportation, Hometown Wheels backed #89G. “At least this time I finished the race.”
Los Angeles, California’s Tyler Walker would lead the first 10 laps before Gravel would drive under him for the top spot. Walker would fight back to regain the lead on lap 13 as he and Gravel thrilled the crowed with their side-by-side, slide job trading racing. Walker would run in the top three throughout the race and would bring the Keen Motorsports #17 home in third at the end.
“We have not run these Goodyear tires much and we haven’t raced on slick tracks like this so my crew and I have had a steep learning curve. My hats off to my guys…they have worked their tails off to change this thing around…we’re figuring it out,” said Walker beside his Peterbuilt, Hunter’s Truck Sales backed #17.
“I lost this one…I burned the tires off way too early. I have to learn to be more patient. My thanks to the Keens for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to resurrect my career,” added Walker.
The race got off to a slow start, with one lap complete, Cole Duncan and Todd Kane got together in turn one to bring out the caution. Outside front row starter Walker would blast into the lead on the restart with Texan Gary Wright, Gravel, NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, Matthew Reed and Dean Jacobs in tow. The caution would fly on lap 9, just as the leaders were hitting the back of the field. Another quick yellow, and Walker would use the clear track to jump back into the lead, but not for long. Gravel, who moved around Wright into second on lap 9, would drive to Walker’s inside exiting turn four on lap 11 to take the lead with Blaney getting around Wright for third on lap 10.
Walker would drive the high line to regain the lead on lap 13 as he and Gravel continued to race side-by-side with Blaney closing. The leaders would catch lapped traffic on lap 18, and the “Connecticut Kid” would use one as a pick to regain the lead. Blaney would show his old sprint car racing form to drive under Walker into second at the halfway mark, but “Tee dub” would retake the runner-up position on lap 22.
The action would slow on lap 26 for a Greg Wilson, Matthew Reed collision. On the ensuing restart, Dave Blaney would drive into the turn two guardrail, putting his #55 on its lid and ending his great run. The running order was now Gravel, Walker, Dean Jacobs, 9th starter Tim Shaffer, Gary Wright and Chaney. When the green flew again, Shaffer would blast into third, with Chaney driving from sixth into fourth. The car on the move was Brandon Wimmer who started 19th and was not 7th.
Gavel would continue to lead, with Walker and Shaffer racing each other hard for second with Chaney waiting to pounce. Chaney would wait to take third on lap 32 as Gavel was mired in traffic, allowing Walker, Chaney and Shaffer to close. With five laps to go, Chaney would drive around Walker into second. As Gravel raced under the flags with just two laps remaining, Chaney quickly closed with Walker and Shaffer right there as well. Gravel would take the white flag with Chaney glued to his rear bumper while Walker stuck his nose under Chaney for second with Shaffer in the mix. As Gravel dove to the bottom of turns three and four one final time, Chaney would slingshot around the top to race to the win. Gravel, Walker, Shaffer and Dean Jacobs would round out the top five.
For more information go to www.allstarsprint.com
HILLTOP SPEEDWAY
