HESSTON, PA – The inaugural Big Bob Memorial Race saw lots of teary-eyed
spectators, as Bob Deem and former driver Terry Wagner were both remembered
throughout the night.
Deem was the front stretch line-up man and he died last year from a heart
attack. Wagner lost his battle with cancer just last Wednesday.
Young driver Randy Burkholder held off the challengers to get the limited
late model win while Bill Henney (street stocks) and Bill Replogle (hobby
stocks) copped wins in there divisions. Paul Bacchus won the Penn Mar Vintage Car
race.
Mike Altobelli Jr. and Mike Duck led the limited late models to the green
flag with Duck taking the lead and pulling out front. He was setting the pace
until lap eight, when the leader went spinning in turn two.
This gave the lead over to Altobelli with second place Randy Burkholder and
third Rance Garlock closing in. On lap 10, Burkholder took the lead, but
Altobelli was right there, and he regained the lead on lap 11. Burkholder was
still pressuring the leader and regained the lead on lap 13.
Once in the lead, Burkholder pulling away and Altobelli was looking for a
way of keeping Garlock in tow. Burkholder was reeled back in when a caution
waved on lap 24 for a spinning Chase Billett.
When the race restarted it was still Burkholder in the lead, but Altobelli
went to the outside and was actually leading at times, but never at the line.
On lap 26 Altobelli took the lead but Burkholder stayed along side but with
two laps left Altobelli got a car length advantage over Burkholder, but
entering the fourth turn Altobelli went high and Burkholder dove to the low side
and took the win off the final turn. Altobelli was second with Tim Smith Jr.,
Mike Shoemaker and Garlock completing the top five.
Tim Smith Jr. and Rance Garlock won the preliminary events.
A crash on the front stretch before the first lap could be completed slow
the street stock feature after Bill Heffner and Tim Brindle tangled, with
Brindle riding on top of the front stretch wall. They were out of the race, but
escaped injury.
On the complete restart Cris Edwards took the lead and led the opening two
laps before Dave Brown made his way into the lead. Brown held off the
challenges of Bill Heffner until lap eight, when Heffner went to the outside off turn
four and took the lead. Once he had the lead Khi Swanger tried to reel him
in, but he started trying too late and ran out of time. The top five at the
line were: Henney, Swanger, Edwards, Tom Williams and Brown. Heat wins were
split by Jarrett Walker and Bill Henney.
Dan Lucas led the opening lap of the hobby stock feature before Russell
Lightner took the lead. Lightner developed a flat and pitted on lap four giving
the lead to Bill Replogle. Replogle had to hold off a pair of Joe’s, Hammers
and Dearmitt, to get his first win of the season. The top five at the waving
of Gary Deems checkered flag were Replogle, Hammers, Dearmitt, Curtis Guyer
and Brian Helsley. Heat wins went to Joe Hammers, Gary Morder and Dan Lucas.
Larry Felty and Lloyd Hockenberry led the Penn Mar vintage cars to the
green, with Hockenberry taking the lead. He led for two laps before Paul Bacchus
took the lead and went on to win, holding off Glenn Pobblet. The top five were
Bacchus, Pobblet, Fred Krickbaum, Fred Thompson and Rick Pastor. Bacchus won
the heat.
PIT NOTES: 65 cars filled the pits, including 17 limited late models, 17
street stocks, 22 hobby stocks and 9 vintage cars…The limited late models did a
four wide parade lap in honor of Bob Deem. Burkholder, only 18-years-old,
picked up $2,000 for the win…The street stocks did a four wide parade lap in
honor of Terry Wagner…Coming up this week is the Jamie Peterson, and Mark
Goshorn Memorial race Night Sponsored by Goshorn’s Racing Supplies for the limited
late models, PA 305 Sprints, street stocks and hobby stocks with race time
set for 7 p.m. More details are on the website at www.hesstonspeedway.com_
Limited Late Models: 1. #77 Randy Burkholder; 2. #1 Mike Altobelli Jr.;
3. #39 Tim Smith Jr.; 4. #8\” Mike Shoemaker; 5. #19 Rance Garlock; 6. #5*
Derek Byler; 7. #14B Shawn Bilger; 8. #73 Mike Duck; 9. #37J Jimmy
Andrews; 10. #80E John Hedge; 11. #77 George Dixon Jr.; 12. #50 Jake Griffith; 13.
#11 Jim Leidy; 14. #15 Matt Parks; 15. #22 Chase Billet; 16. #1J James
Andrews Sr.; 17. #66 Justin Kann
Street Stocks: 1. #50 Bill Henney; 2. #88 Khi Swanger; 3. #66 Cris
Edwards; 4. #8T Tom Williams; 5. #110 Dave Brown; 6. #59 Mike Desch; 7. #57
Ken Singer; 8. #13 Scott White; 9. #22 Jessie Snyder; 10. #3 Chad Parks;
11. #24 Dave Swanger; 12. #65 Jarret Walker; 13. #21W Wes Miles Sr.; 14. #98
Terry Wyles; 15. #45 Tim Brindle; 16. #64 Bill Heffner
Hobby Stocks: 1. #60 Bill Replogle; 2. #29 Joe Hammers; 3. #21 Joe
Dearmitt; 4. #8C Curtis Guyer; 5. #78 Brian Helsley; 6. #81 Dan Lucas; 7. #36K
Keith Russell; 8. #84 Damion Miller; 9. #0 Kevin Hunsicker; 10 . #8\” Jeff
Shoemaker; 11. #10 Jake Gongloff; 12. #71 Curtis Heath; 13. #32 Dale
Claycomb; 14. #61 Adrain McMullen; 15. #413 Bill Monihan; 16. #1 Gary Morder; 17.
#14 Bobby Witters; 18. #30 Russell Lightner; 19. #5 Don Betres; 20. #22S Mark
Snyder