CLEARFIELD, PA – The inaugural Koala Bear Nationals were held over the weekend at Central PA Speedway with more than 70 racers competing in nine different divisions throughout the two-days.
Winners over the weekend included Paul White Jr. in the lites division, Tyler Denochick in the Rookie I division, Randy McCullough and Paul White Jr. in the Heavy division, Travis Orwick and Chris Claar in the Super Heavy division, Kyle Denmyer doubled up in the Rookies II Division, Melissa Ford and Kenny Heffner in theAnimal 370 class, Randy McCullough and Derek Hauck in the Medium class, Eric Burge doubled up in the Junior Gold and Chris Finnigan and Randy Bainey won the Clone features.
Saturday’s racing action was run under the lights at the big three eights mile oval with the Lite class taking to the track first for their 12 lap feature with Paul White Jr. and Andy Lazeration on the front row. As the green waved it was the Paul and Andy show as the duo led the race from start-to-finish with the pair crossing the line the way they started. The top five were: Paul White Jr., Andy Lazeration, Nick Snyder, Melissa Ford and Nathan Claycomb. The heat win went to Matt Jordan.
The Rookie I class was next on the oval with Tyler Denockick and Beau Aikey on the front row. At the initial waving of Gary Deem’s green flag it was Aikey who took the lead, but one lap later Jacob Fleck took the lead from Aikey, but he was on only out front for three laps, when Denochick worked his way into the lead and held on for the win. The top five were: Denochick, Aikey, Hershel Johnson, Shane Vroman and Fleck. The heat was won by Denochick. The Rookie I class is for those ages 6-10 years old.
The Heavy feature saw Paul White Jr. take the lead from the inside front row with Chris Claar in second and Randy McCullough in third from second, but McCullough was fighting back. While he was working his way to the lead, Claar taking the lead on lap three, then on lap four it was McCullough who took the lead and went on to get the win. White, Claar, Dustin Prettyleaf and Matt Jordan completed the top five. Paul White Jr. won the heat.
In the Rookie II class there were only two registered racers and Kyle Dunmyer led Cody Lucas the entire distance to get the victory. The Rookie II class is for those ages 10-12.
Darin Smith led the Super Heavy class for the opening lap before Chris Claar took the lead, but Claar didn’t keep it as a determined Travis Orwick worked his way into the lead on the seventh lap and went on to win over Claar, Smith, Mike Trevitz and Don Maurer.
Joe Stiner took the lead from Melissa Ford to start the Animal 370 division with Ford in second and starting to reel in the leader, which she did with three laps to go and held on for the win. Zac Smith, Derek Hauck, Brian Grove and Mark Rhodes. Joe Stiner won the heat.
The Jr. Gold class is for those 12-15 years old and Brandon Denochick led the opening lap before Eric Burge took the lead on lap two. Denochick regained the lead in two laps and took the win. Brandon Denochick won the heat.
The medium class had the largest car count on Saturday with 20 racers signed in and Randy McCullough taking the lead at the start and holding it for six laps before Terry Yarrison took the lead. He sat out front for several laps before Paul White Jr. took the lead for a lap, then McCullough took the lead back and took the win. At the line the top five were McCullough, Melissa Ford, Derek Hauck, Chris Claar and Dustin Prettyleaf. The heats were won by Randy McCullough and Derek Hauck.
The final race of the night on Saturday was the clone division with only two entries this night and Chris Finnigan leading the first three laps, before Corin Monoskey took the lead on lap four. Finnigan regained the lead on laps six and took the win.
Sunday the racing was done in the daytime with some classes having a few more karts signing in.
Sixteen drivers signed in to compete in the lite division with Paul White Jr. going flag to flag to get the victory by holding off first Eric Beggs then Adam Nicholson who came from 12th to finish second, Andy Lazaration was third, Steve Arthurs was foruth and Jared Owens was fifth. Jared Owens and Paul White Jr. won the heats.
The Rookie I class saw Tyler Denochick lead from start to finish to but he had to ward off the challenges from Beau Aikey and Jacob Fleck the whole way, but at the line it was all Denochick getting the victory. Aikey, Fleck, Shane Vroman and Delmar Blackwell completed the top five. Beau Aikey won the heat.
The Heavy feature was all Paul White as he led the event wire-to-wire for his victory over Chris Claar, Randy McCullough, Ducstin Prettyleaf and Joe Stiner. Paul White also copped the heat race.
Like Saturday night the Rookie II class only had two entries with Kyle Denmyer leading Cody Lucas the entire distance. Denmyer was also the heat winner.
Darin Smith led the first lap of the Super Heavy feature with Chris Claar taking the lead a lap later and never giving it up. At the finish it was Claar over Smith, Travis Orwick and Mike Trevitz. Travis Orwick won the heat.
The Animal 370 feature was led to the start by Kenny Heffner and Eric Beggs, with Heffner taking the lead and never giving it up as he went on to get the victory. Second was a different story, as Melissa Ford held it for a while before Mark Rhodes took the spot then it was Beggs in second with the top five being Heffner, Beggs, Ford, Rhodes and Derek Hauck. Heffner also won the heat.
Only three kar ts were signed in for the Junior Gold race and only two finished, with Eric Burge going wire-to-wire for the win. Drandon Denochick was second and Joey Bainey finished third. Burge also claimed the heat win.
Like the lites, sixteen Medium karts were signed in for action with Ryan Spangler and Paul White Jr. on the front row. Unlike his earlier action, White didn’t dart into the lead but Spangler did. He led the race holding off the challenges of first Randy McCullough then Derek Hauck, but Hauck was able to get the lead on lap four, but Spangler fought back and took the lead on lap six. Then on the final lap Hauck, who never gave up, got past Spangler on the final turn to get the victory. Spangler was second, White was third, Steve Arthurs was fourth and Nathan Claycomb was fifth. Heat race wins went to Ryan Spangler and Paul White Jr.
The final race of the day was the Clones with eight drivers making it this time.Sara Bowling led the first three laps before Chris Finnigan took the lead. Randy Bainey then got the lead on lap six but Bowling battled back and go t the lead again on lap seven, but Bainey wanted to get his first ever win, so he once again battled back and finally took the lead at the end of the race for the victory over Bowling, Dan Bainey, Finnigan and Lee Gunter. The heat was won by Bowling.
SUMMARY:
SATURDAY
LITES: 1. Paul White Jr., 2. Andy Lazeration, 3. Nick Snyder, 4. Melissa Ford, 5. Jared Owens.
ROOKIE I: 1. Tyler Denochick, 2. Beau aikey, 3. Hershel Johnson, 4. Shane Vroman, 5. Jacob Fleck.
HEAVY: 1. Randy McCullough, 2. Paul White Jr., 3. Chris Claar, 4. Dustin Prettyleaf, 5. Matt Jordan.
ROOKIE II: 1. Kyle Denmyer, 2. Cody Lucas.
SUPER HEAVY: 1. Travis O rwick, 2. Chris Claar, 3. Darin Smith, 4. Mike Trevitz, 5. Don Mauer.
ANIMAL 370: 1. Melissa Ford, 2. Zac Zmith, 3. Derek Hauck, 4. Brian Grove, 5. Mark Rhodes.
JUNIOR GOLD: 1. Eric Burge, 2. Brandon Denochick, 3. Joey Bainey.
MEDIUM: 1. Randy McCullough, 2. Melissa Ford, 3. Derek Hauck, 4. Chris Claar, 5. Dustin Prettyleaf.
CLONES: 1. Chris Finnigan, 2. Corin Monoskey.
SUNDAY
LITES: 1. Paul White, 2. Adam Nicholson, 3. Andy Lazeration, 4. Steve Arthurs, 5. Nathan Claycomb, 6. Ryan Spangler, 7. Eric Beggs, 8. Melissa Ford, 9. Joey Bainey, 10. Jared Owens, 11. Matt Jordan, 12. Nick Snyder, 13. Shawn Kallenback, 14. Darwin Knuth, 15. Bryan Zachas, 16. Chris Spangler.
ROOKIE I: 1. Tyler Denochick, 2. Beau Aikey, 3. Jacob Fleck, 4. Shawn Vroman, 5. Delmar Blackwell.
HEAVY: 1. Paul White, 2. Chris Claar, 3. Randy McCullough, 4. Dustin Prettyleaf, 5. Joe Stiner, 6. Travis Orwick, 7. Bryan Zachas, 8. Dustin Boney.
ROOKIE II: 1. Kyle Denmyer, 2. Cody Lucas.
SUPER HEAVY: 1. Chris Claar, 2. Darin Smith, 3. Travis Orwick, 4. Mike Trevitz.
ANIMAL 370: 1. Kenny Heffner, 2. Eric Beggs, 3. Melissa Ford, 4. Mark Rhodes, 5. Derek Hauck, 6. Doug Lucas, 7. Steve Scaife, 8. Jim Challingsworth.
JUNIOR GOLD: 1. Eric Burge, 2. Brandon Denochick, 3. Joey Bainey.
MEDIUM: 1. Derek Hauck, 2. Ryan S pangler, 3. Paul White Jr., 4. Steve Arthurs, 5. Nathan Claycomb, 6. Chris Claar, 7. Dustin Prettyleaf, 8. Melissa Ford, 9. Bryan Zachas, 10. Matt Jordan, 11. Chris Spangler, 12. Kirk Hess, 13. Curt Bish, 14. Shawn Kallenbach, 15. Adam Nicholson, 16. Randy McCullough.
CLONES: 1. Randy Bainey, 2. Sara Bowling, 3. Dan Bainey, 4. Chris Finnigan, 5. Lee Gunter, 6. Terry Smith, 7. Corin Monoskey, 8. Luke Bezilla.