STRONGSTOWN, PA – Texas Auto Ranch presented trophies to a host of new winners on Friday night with Rick Strong picking up the Townsend Gas and Oil Late Models, Dave Padula of Greencastle returned to victory lane in the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Fastrak Late Models, Jim Boyer of Indiana continued his hot streak in the Jeff Dick Home Sales Street Stocks, Rich Powell on Cherry Tree won another in the Brush Valley Tire Pure Stocks and Ray Hickok Jr. of Commodore and Adam Pletcher split the twin Texas Auto Ranch Four Cylinder Sidewinder features.
The late models hit the track with Billy Eash and Josh Jacoby on the front row and Eash taking the lead. Rick Strong immediately moved into second and set his goals high as he tried the inside but could not get Eash out of the way, so he moved to the outside, and used the Dave Satterlee line to get the lead. Eash was then second with Shawn McGarvey third, but McGarvey broke late in the race. Once Strong was out front, he continued to set a torrid pace and picked up his third win of the season. Eash was second with Jacoby third, Jim Ivory fourth and Paul Dominick fifth. Heat wins went to Rick Strong and Billy20Eash.
Jeff Enos led Tyler Dietz off the fourth turn to start the Fastrak late model feature with Dave Padula moving into second and trying to get past the #11 of Enosbut the Blairsville driver was holding on for the lead until the fifth lap, when Padula took the position from him and shortly after that, on lap nine, Gary Stahl, took second and began to hound Padula for the lead. Stahl tried lots of different ways to get the lead, but he kept striking out as Padula took his first win since opening night. Stahl was second, Enos held on for third, Roger Laughlin was fourth and Ron Smithley was fifth. Gary Stahl and Ron Smithley won the preliminary races.
Mike Laughard and Brad Warrick led the street stocks to the green flag with Laughard taking the green flag and setting the pace with Tyler Hite in second and Jim Boyer coming from last to third. As Laughard finally had the #38L running up to par, something broke, causing Laughard to spin and Hite to tag him. Laughard was out for the night and Hite inherited the lead. He held off Boyer for the next six laps before Boyer took the lead and went on to his sixth win of the season. Hite held on for second with Joe Kelley, Denny Keener and Warrick completing the top five. Jim Boyer and Denny Keener split the heat wins.
The pure stock feature started with a bang, as Bob Helsel barrel rolled off the third turn. He wasn’t injured but the car was done for the night. On the restart20Jeremy Shaffer took the lead from Mike Silk and set the pace for three laps before Rich Powell charged by on the inside and took the lead and eventually his fifth win of the season. Shaffer was second with John Mazey, Tim Laughard and Marshall Detwiler completing the top five with Cory Kilgore and John Mazey splitting heat wins.
Two four cylinder features were run, with the first 15 from the heats in the first race and the second 17 in the second. At the start of the first feature it was Ray Hickok Jr. who took the lead and set the pace. He the race from flag-to-flag with Jason Bialowas moving into second and trying to reel in Hickok, but he couldn’t get the necessary power and at the finish it was Hickok getting his third win of the season over Bialowas, Chris Yoder, Adam Laughard and Tom Pavelko. Heat wins were divided between Ray Hickok Jr., Chris Yoder and David Rocker.
The second four cylinder feature saw Wes McKeel and Mark Young lead the field to the start with Adam Pletcher coming from third to the lead and not letting anyone, including sixth place starter Joe Petyak, who did everything short of crashing Pletcher for the lead, but he settled for second. The top five were Pletcher, Petyak, Jesse Laughard, Young and Robert Noble.
DOG TRACKS: 85 cars filled the pits including 13 late models, 15 Fastrak late models, 11 street stocks, 14 pure stocks and 32 four cylinders…The four cylinder powder puff race was wo n by Karen Day…This weeks action will be sponsored by Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic with a regular show for the late models, Fastrak late models, street stocks, pure stocks and four cylinders. There will also be a powder puff race for the street stocks…Race time is 7:30 p.m. for more details go to the web site at www.dog-hollow.com
SUMMARY
Townsend Gas and Oil Late Models: 1. Rick Strong, Home; 2. Billy Eash, 3. Josh Jacoby, 4. Jim Ivory, 5. Paul Dominick, 6. Jeff Weakland, 7. Rudy Bassaro, 8. Shawn McGarvey, 9. T.J. Fleck, 10. Bill Burns, 11. Dave Day.
Troy Shields and Bernie Whiteford did not start.
Stoystown Auto Wreckers Fastrak Late Models: 1. Dave Padula, Greencastle; 2. Gary Stahl, 3. Jeff Enos, 4. Roger Laughlin, 5. Ron Smithley, 6. Dan Angelicchio, 7. Tyler Dietz, 8. David Airgood, Jr., 9. Chris Angelicchio, 10. John Eckenrod, 11. Ron LeConte, 12. Joe Zuliskey, 13. Kirby Tucker, 14. Andrew Wylie, 15. Joey Volenti.
Jeff Dick Home Sales Street Stocks: 1. Jim Boyer, Indiana; 2. Tyler Hite, 3. Joe Kelley, 4. Denny Keener, 5. Brad Warrick, 6. Cory Poraczky, 7. Andy Burns, 8. Dave Day Jr., 9. Brad Campbell, 10. Mike Laughard.
Alex Kirsch did not start.
Brush Valley Tire Pure Stocks: 1. Rich Powell, Cherry Tree; 2. Jeremy Shaffer, 3. John Maze y, 4. Tim Laughard, 5. Marshall Detwiler, 6. Cory Kilgore, 7. Justin Queen, 8. Nathan Good, 9. Dan Lucas, 10. Mike Phillipson, 11. Derek Stiffler, 12. Mike Silk, 13. Bob Helsel.
Jason Bainy did not start.
Texas Auto Ranch Four Cylinder Sidewinders A feature 1: 1. Ray Hickok Jr., Commodore, 2. Jason Bialowas, 3. Chris Yoder, 4. Adam Laughard, 5. Tom Pavelko, 6. Paul Little, 7. David Rocker, 8. Scott Shirk, 9. Matt Weakland, 10. Jonathon Forshey, 11. Mark Maglett, 12. Joe Huffman, 13. Ryan Clacomb, 14. Jeremy Merten,
Brendon McCracken did not start.
Texas Auto Ranch Four Cylinder Sidewinders A feature 2: 1. Adam Plectcher, 2. Joe Petyak, 3. Jesse Laughard, 4. Mark Young, 5. Robert Noble, 6. Tom Ondro, 7. David Masterine Jr., 8. Wes McKeel, 9. Samantha Harasty, 10. George Gillen Jr., 11. Adam Mathews, 12. Thomas Whiteford, 13. James Whiteford, 14. Marty Lechner, 15. Lee Fitzpatrick, 16. Don Shirk.
Chris Hickok did not start.