Submitted by Robb Thomas, Hummingbird Speedway Race Reporter
Reynoldsville, PA – (May 1, 2010) – After back to back weekends of wet weather, the Hummingbird Speedway was finally able to kick off the 2010 racing season Saturday evening at the 1/3 mile bullring. With the threat of possible scattered showers in the forecast, the event was run off quickly with the final feature wrapping up before 10pm. Drivers picking up feature wins on opening night were, Cody “The Kid” Schultz in the Limited Late Models, “The Hurricane” Gary Little in the Street Stocks, Matt Heindl in the Pure Stocks, Adam Nixon in the 4 Cylinders, and Jacob Kline in the Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinders. Opening night saw some changes to the program, most noticeable to the fans was the addition of the double file restarts for the first half of the feature events, which added a new level of excitement to the show.
The Rear Wheel Drive 4 Cylinders were the first feature on the card for opening night, with Don Henry and Adam Nixon leading the field to the green flag. Henry jumped out to the early lead, but a three car incident on the front stretch involving George Bailey, Randy Albert, and Tim Bailey slowed the field on the first lap. On the restart, Adam Nixon took the lead in turn one and never looked back. While Nixon was stretching his lead over the course of the feature, Henry had his hands full with challenges from Alan Barnett and Paul Metz Jr. Barnett worked his way around Henry for second, but was unable to gain any ground on the leader as Nixon went unchallenged to pick up the opening night feature win with Barnett, Henry, Metz Jr, and Mark Hummel rounding out the top five. Heat race winners were Adam Nixon and Don Henry.
The Street Stocks were up next for their 20 lap feature with Dan Smeal and Scott Winslow leading the field out of turn four. Smeal gained the early advantage entering turn one while third place starter Gary Little settled into second. With only one lap in the books, the caution waved for debris on the track setting up the first double file restart with Smeal and Little occupying the front row. Little rocketed into the lead as the field entered turn one with Smeal right on his bumper. Joe Kot settled into third with Levi Ardery, Brandon Connor and Fuzzy Fields dicing it out for the 4th position. Smeal was challenging Little at both ends of the speedway as the pair raced side by side several times. As the battle for the lead heated up, Kot was able to reel in the leaders an began to challenge Smeal for second. With only a hand full of laps to go, Kot worked his way around Smeal for second and set his sights on the leader, while Fields and Ardery continued to battle for the fourth spot. Little had his hands full as Kot made one last charge at “The Hurricane” on the final lap but was unable to pull off the pass as Little went on to claim the first feature of the season. Kot was second at the stripe with Smeal, Fields and Ardery filling out the top five. Joe Kot and Bob Rosman took the checkers in the heat races.
The 25 lap Limited Late Model feature was up next with John Chesnalavich Jr. and Cody Schultz on the front row. Schultz powered his way into the early lead with Chesnalavich, Derek Rodkey and Denny Fenton fighting for second. An early caution set up a double file restart and saw Chesnalavich ride the outside line around Schultz to take the lead while Fenton worked his way into third before getting crossed up exiting turn four. The mishap shuffled Fenton back to fifth as Rodkey and Bob McMillen both got by, but Fenton wasn?t about to fade away quietly. As Schultz put heavy pressure on Chesnalavich for the lead, Fenton fought his way back into the third position. After several laps of looking inside the leader, Schultz used the outside line to gain the lead from Chesnalavich and allowed Fenton to pull even with the leaders. Fenton made the pass for second just as the caution waved for a spin in turn two. The field reverted back to the last completed lap with Schultz, Chesnalavich, Fenton, Eric Moore, and McMillen lining up single file for the restart. Schultz took advantage of the single file restart and shot out ahead of the pack with Chesnalavich in tow. The battle was for third with Fenton, Moore and McMillen all making a bid for the position. With the laps winding down, Schultz began to stretch his lead as McMillen battled his way around Fenton and Moor to claim the third position. At the checkered flag, it was “The Kid” Cody Schultz picking up the opening night win with Chesnalavich, McMillen, Moore, and Fenton rounding out the top five. Eric Moore and Denny Fenton picked up the heat race wins.
Jeremy Buck and Dustin Challingsworth led the field of Pure Stocks to the start for their 15 lap feature. Buck would take the early lead before the #471 of Matt Heindl powered from his fourth place staring spot to take the lead in turns one and two. One lap later, Kyle Shannon made his presence known as he took the second spot from Buck with an outside move. As Shannon set his sights on Heindl, the action back through the pack was action packed as several drivers were making bids for a top five finish. The feature would go nonstop as the 19 car field put on a great show with the Heindl and Shannon battling for the lead through lapped traffic. Shannon looked under Heindl on the final lap, but his bid for the lead came up short as Heindl took the win with Shannon, Josh Fields, Buck and Challingsworth crossing the line in the top five. Fields was forced to give up his finishing position when he was light at the scales. The three heat races were won by Josh Fields, Matt Heindl and Kyle Shannon.
The Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinders were the final event of the evening with Jacob Kline and Rich Lucas pacing the field on the front row. Kline jumped out to the early lead as Shawn Fedder made his way around Lucas for second. Fedder and Lucas were racing hard for second when Aaron Luzier shot around the pair on the front stretch and set his sights on Kline for the lead. Luzier caught Kline and ran the outside line into the lead down the back stretch. A caution with two laps to go gave the field a chance to regroup and catch their breath. On the restart, Luzier lost a tire entering turn one, allowing Kline to take the lead, while Lucas and the fourth place car of Mitch Kohler got together exiting turn two, bringing out another caution for debris. The incident shuffled the top five with Kline, Walt Fedder, and Bryan Warren holding down the top three positions. The green, white, checkered finish saw Kline hold off the challenges to bring home his first feature win at the speedway with W. Fedder, Warren, Kohler, and Dan White rounding out the top five. Heat winners were Mitch Kohler and Aaron Luzier.
Bird Chatter: 79 cars were in the pits for opening night including 12 Four Cylinders, 15 Street Stocks, 15 Limited Late Models, 19 Pure Stocks, and 18 Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders. Racing action continues next week at the 1/3 mile Bullring, with a 5 division show for the Mothers Day Special. Gates open at 4:30 with racing at 7:00. For more information, visit us on the web at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com.
Full Results…
Four Cylinder:
1. Adam Nixon – Grampian
2. Alan Barnett – Philipsburg
3. Don Henry – Brockway
4. Paul Metz Jr. – Julian
5. Mark Hummel – Philipsburg
6. Mike Anderson – DuBois
7. Devin Lewis – Weedville
8. Bub Murarik – Philipsburg
9. Randy Albert – Morrisdale
10. Tim Bailey – Morrisdale
11. George Bailey – Clearfield
DNS: Randy Coombs – Big Run
Street Stock:
1. Gary Little – Clearfield
2. Joe Kot – DuBois
3. Dan Smeal – Houtzdale
4. Fuzzy Fields – Brockway
5. Levi Ardery – West Decatur
6. Jamie Price – Clearfield
7. Bob Rosman – Sykesville
8. Brandon Connor – Dubois
9. Nathan Yeaney – Corsica
10. Jim Bloom – Curwensville
11. Pernell Beimel – St. Marys
12. Scott Winslow – Weedville
13. Chad Rougeux – Grampian
14. Jeff Mease – Clearfield
DNS: Craig Bainey – Osceola Mills.
Limited Late Model:
1. Cody Schultz – Hyde
2. John Chesnalavich Jr. – Reynoldsville
3. Bob McMillen – St. Marys
4. Eric Moore – Frenchville
5. Denny Fenton – Clearfield
6. Donnie Connor – Reynoldsville
7. Rich Womelsdorf -Apollo
8. Ray Farrell – Clearfield
9. Denny Draisma – Reynoldsville
10. Brian Molnar – Falls Creek
11. Kyle Beimel – St. Marys
12. Rob Molnar – Reynoldsville
13. John Brady – Clearfield
14. Derek Rodkey – Osceola Mills
DNS: Dwayne Brooks – Falls Creek
Pure Stock (incomplete):
1. Matt Heindl – St. Marys
2. Kyle Shannon – Brockway
3. Jeremy Buck – Woodland
4. Dustin Challingsworth – St. Marys
5. Steve Arthurs – Falls Creek
6. Mike Calhoun – Brockway
7. Brian Boboige – Falls Creek
8. Justin Kanouff – Clearfield
9. Ryan Jones – Clearfield
10. Dave Kohler – Stump Creek
11. Travis Brady – Clearfield
12. Jim Challingsworth – St. Marys
13. Tim Gardner – Osceola Mills
14. Jim Challingsworth – St. Marys
15. Kevin Clark – Allport
16. Ryan Hess – Frenchville
DQ : Josh Fields – Brockport
DNS: Terry Borden – Falls Creek
Todd English – Clearfield
Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinder:
1. Jacob Kline – Sykesville
2. Walt Fedder – Curwensville
3. Bryan Warren – Curwensville
4. Mitch Kohler – Rockton
5. Dan White – DuBois
6. Rich Lucas – Wallaceton
7. Stephanie Lucas – Centre Hall
8. Chad Desmett – Curwensville
9. Eric McCall – Grampian
10. Brian Crawford – Punxsutawney
11. Sean Gearhart – Falls Creek
12. Aaron Luzier – Clearfield
13. Brandon Woodward – St. Marys
14. Dustin Kemp – Clearfield
15. Devin Yeaney – Corsica
16. Shawn Fedder – Clearfield
17. Travis Donahue – Elbon
18. Eric Luzier – Clearfield