HESSTON, PA – Jake Griffith of Huntingdon picked up his first career limited late model feature Saturday night at Hesston speedway on Auto Locator Trophy night. Joe Zap of Hollidaysburg won the PA 305 Sprint special while repeat winners included Bill Henney of Huntingdon in the street stocks and Carl Snare of Huntingdon in the hobby stocks.
Rick Singleton and Mike Duck led the Georges Used Cars Limited Late Models to the start with Singleton taking the lead and Duck in second with Tim Smith Jr. in third. Smith passed Duck for second on lap three. Smith was trying to get past Singleton when Jake Griffith moved into third and began to battle Smith for second and Singleton for the lead.
Then on lap seven Griffith took the second spot from Smith and two laps later he got the lead from Singleton, but Singleton battled back and regained the lead on lap 10, before losing a left front wheel while completing lap 10. With Singleton now out of contention new father Derek Byler moved into third behind Smith, who was challenging Griffith for the lead. The top three were then began a two car battle, as Byler got past Smith with five laps left. Byler and Griffith were then side-by-side for the rest of the race, with Byler working the inside and Griffith the outside. Every lap Griffith had the lead, but only by inches over Byler. As Dickie Talbert waved the checkered flag it was Griffith beating Byler to the line by half a car. Smith held on to third with Ranch Garlock and Brad Kling completing the top five. Heat wins went to Derek Byler and Jake Griffith.
The Auto Locator PA 305 Sprints were in the spotlight with a 30 lap special on tap with Joe Zap and Tim Kline leading the field to the start with it coming to an immediate red when something broke on the Reed Thompson R6, causing the car the cart-wheel end-over-end into the first turn. Luckily Thompson wasn’t injured but he was out for the night.
On the complete restart it was Zap who took the lead and held off Kline for two laps, then it was Jim Kennedy who moved into second, but as the race wore on Zap was pulling away from the field. By the 16th lap Mark Watkins moved into second and tried to reel in the leader, but to his advantage a caution slowed the race with 10 laps to go. On the restart Watkins stayed with Zap but Zap wasn’t about to be denied his first win of the season. Watkins was second with Kennedy third, Erin Statler fourth and Andy Haus from 20th to fifth. Heat wins went to Erin Statler, Mike Heckman and Roger Irvine.
Paul gambol and Cris Edwards Jr. led the street stocks to the green with Edwards taking the lead and setting the pace. As he led Gambol sat second for five laps, before Bill Henney moved into second on lap six. As the race continued, Henney tried repeatedly to get past Edwards, as they ran side-by-side several laps, with Edwards on the outside and Henney inside before found the right groove on lap 13 and took the lead and win. At the line the top five were: Henney, Edwards, Jesse Snyder, Khi Swanger and Dave Brown. Heat wins went to Dave Brown and Eric Irvin.
The Walter’s Auto Wrecking and Salvage Hobby Stocks were led to the line with Terry Norris and Ryan Sager on the front row. Sager took the lead and Norris settled into second with Jake Gongloff in third. The battle at the front was fierce with Sager having the field covered and Norris, Gongloff and Carl Snare fighting for second. Then on lap 12, Sager had the transmission got out, ending his night and giving the lead to Norris. On the restart Norris held the lead, but Snare wanted to get the win and he was diving under Norris several times before finally getting the lead exiting the fourth turn on the white flag lap and taking the win. Damion Miller and Chad Gambol also got past Norris for second and third with Jeff Shoemaker completing the top five. The heats were won by Jake Gongloff, Carl Snare and Ryan Sager.
PIT NOTES: 73 cars filled the pits including: 17 limited late models, 23 PA 305 Sprints, 13 street stocks and 20 hobby stocks…this weeks action is the final point race and will include a regular show for the limited late models, PA 305 Sprints, street stocks and hobby stocks…Race time is 7 p.m. For more details check out the website at www.hesstonspeedway.com
Summary
George’s Used Cars Limited Late Models: 1. #50 Jake Griffith, Huntingdon; 2. #5* Dereck Byler, 3. #39 Tim Smith Jr., 4. #19 Rance Garlock, 5. #11 Brad Kling, 6. #8\” Mike Shoemaker, 7. #66 Justin Kann, 8. #73 Mike Duck, 9. #66C Matt Cosner, 10. #RE3 Ron Evans, 11. #12 Maurice Thompson, 12. #22 Chase Billet, 13. #55 Tom Barron, 14. #1M Jessie Morrison, 15. #6 Allen Lemin, 16. #99* Rick Singleton, 17. #71 Mike Altobelli Jr.
Auto Locator PA 305 Sprints: 1. #33z Joe Zap, Hollidaysburg; 2. #17W Mark Watkins, 3. #7 Jim Kennedy, 4. #2 Erin Statler, 5. #76 Andy Haus, 6. #23 Nathan Gramley, 7. #8H Michael Heckman, 8. #25 Tyler Bear, 9. #36 Rod Ort, 10. #6 Tim Kline, 11. #4 Rodney Peters, 12. #98S Jeff Sell, 13. #71 Nicole Bittner, 14. #47 Tom Worrick, 15. #79 Mel Light, 16. #1 Brian Sweitzer, 17. #10 Scott Ellerman, 18. #12 Roger Irvine, 19. #84 Cliff Conner, 20. #27K Alan Kumpf, 21. #R6 Reed Thompson,
Did Not Start: #22 Jim Marquette and #26 Ryan Lynn
Street Stocks: 1. #50 Bill Henney, Huntingdon, 2. #66 Cris Edwards, 3. #22 Jesse Snyder, 4. #88 Khi Swanger, 5. #110 Dave Brown, 6. #45 Tim Brindle, 7. #85 Paul Gambol, 8. #9 Josh Gustaf, 9. #87 Eric Irvin, 10. #15W Rob Wilkins
DQ\’ed 59 Mike Desch Did Not Start #32 Dale Claycomb and #3 Chad Parks
Walter’s Auto Wrecking and Salvage Hobby Stocks: 1. #66 Carl Snare, Huntingdon; 2. #84 Damion Miller, 3. #13 Chad Gambol, 4. #73 Terry Norris, 5. #8\” Jeff Shoemaker, 6. #35 Keith Russell, 7. #30 Russell Lightner, 8. #88JR Mike Grubb, 9. #4s Travis Waite, 10. #77 Lou Wannyn, 11. #1 Gary Morder, 12. #21 Joe Dearmitt, 13. #18B Tom Dearmitt, 14. #32 Jeff Brown, 15. #10 Jake Gongloff, 16. #D16 Darin Desch, 17. #01 Dereck Graybill, 18. #22 Ryan Sager, 19. #14 Bobby Witters24. #
DNS 69G Ernie Goss
