Submitted by Randy Albert
A mid afternoon rainstorm nearly caused cancellation of the racing action at Hummingbird Speedway on Saturday night. After the rain passed through the track crew made the best of what nature provided and prepared the track for the nights activities. Happy race teams included those of the 7J, Limited Late Model, driven by Josh Young from Berwick, PA. This was Josh’s first career win. In the Street Stock class the 28 car piloted by Fuzzy Fields of Brockport found the checkered flag. Success in the Pure Stock class came to a consistent Steven Arthurs driving the 01 car out of Falls Creek. Rounding out the winners was Bryan Warren from Curwensville driving the #5 car in the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder division.
The highlight of the evening in addition to the racing action was the popular “Racing Pioneers” night. Some vintage rides were on display and former drivers enjoyed remembering the days they mixed it up on Saturday nights at tracks like Houtzdale, Clearfield Speedway and even “The Bird”. Special memories were included of Ollie Snyder who passed away this past year. Emory Rinehart Jr. also competed in the 105Jr car in the Street Stock class in memory of his father Emory Sr. who was a well known figure in local racing circles. It was great to see the cars on the track and think back to when we all first became hooked on the sport of racing.
A caution filled Limited Late Model feature began with the 10J of Bruce Raybuck leading the filed to the green flag. Racing was tough up front with Loren Sallack from Johnsonburg applying pressure early. Caution caused numerous restarts in the first 10 laps with Raybuck, Sallack, the 812 of John Chesnalavich Jr. and Big John Reed in the #9 car all mixing it up for the top four positions. The race settled down in the middle laps with Chesnalavich showing his strength and having a very consistent run. Various cars including Reed, the 1B of Dwayne Brooks and 18 being driven by Eddie Conner all made attempts to get to the front but Chesnalavich was up to the task. Meanwhile the 7J car, driven by Josh Young from Berwick was working his way through the pack from his 16th starting position. He worked his way into the top five by lap 16 then picked off his competitors one by one. On the quickly diminishing laps Brooks was working on Chesnalavich with Young looking inside then outside for room to race. A late race caution set up the green, white, checkered flag finish and what a finish it was. Young put the 7J car on the outside rail and didn’t lift down the backstretch and through turns 3 and 4. Chesnalavich had no choice but to protect the bottom from a hard charging Brooks but Young’s slingshot move worked brilliantly. The car held the top line and shot around the leader for the win. This was his first career win as well as his first at Hummingbird. Word was that he narrowly lost his first win on Friday night at Clinton County. It looked like he made up for it at The Bird.
Derek Rodkey, Dwayne Brooks, and Denny Fenton won limited Late Model heat races.
Pure Stocks were the next on the track for their 15-lap feature. Mike Calhoun from Brockway in the 25 car and Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek in the 01 car lead the 16-car field to the green flag. Arthurs and Calhoun raced side by side for the start and through a restart after a lap two caution with Arthurs taking the lead on lap 3. By no means a run away Arthurs was challenged throughout the race by the front runners in the Pure Stock class. The 1* of Colton Joiner from Dubois was strong early but had to pit after an early race caution. The 471 driven by Matt Heindl made his presence known, as did a strong running Jeremy Buck driving the 1B out of Woodland. Last week’s winner, Dustin Challingsworth from St Marys found his way to the front pack at mid race making the race for second, third and fourth tight and exciting. Arthurs continued to hold the lead with Buck, Challingsworth, and Heindl showing their driving skills in the battle for 2nd through 4th going three wide on the final lap. Arthurs crossed the line for the win followed by Buck, Challingsworth and Heindl.
Heat races in the Pure Stock class were won by Mike Calhoun and Steve Arthurs.
The always-exciting Street Stock class made their way onto the track with 15 cars making the line up. Jim “Animal” Bloom driving the 37A out of Curwensville was on the pole with the 85 of “Fast” Eddie Conner from Dubois on his outside. Bloom held the lead through a lap two caution but a determined Fuzzy Field in the 28 car, who started right behind Bloom, didn’t wait long to take the lead. Lap four found Fields in the lead and trying to pull away from the rest of the pack. The battle for second was where everyone was watching with Conner and Bloom continuing to mix it up while the 137 driven by Jamie Price and Rick Hemphill piloting the 21R made sure no one was dominating second place. Of course Joe Kot and Brian Rhed also made it known they wanted a piece of the action. Rhed out of Brockport driving the 69 car worked his way into second on lap 13 followed by Conner with Kot in the 37 from Dubois in fourth. No one was giving up any room with Kot up high trying for third position on lap 17. A late race caution bunched the field up and Fuzzy Fields was the rabbit that everyone was chasing. Rhed was looking inside and Kot was looking outside but neither had the edge with Fields taking the checkered flag followed by Rhed and Kot with Conner in fourth.
Street Stock heat races were won by Kot and Smeal.
The final race of the evening was the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders. The 12-lap feature was started by the 38A of Shawn Fedder from Clearfield. Bryan Warren from Curwensville was on the outside pole in the #5 car. Warren took the low line in setting up the pass on Fedder on lap 3 and never looked back after he took the lead. The 99, driven by Rich Lucas, and the T3, being driven by Phil Craig from St Marys were waging a close battle for third position proving that “rubbing is indeed racing”. A caution free race strung the field out with Warren continuing to show the way for the win.
Warren and Fedder won the FWD Four Cylinder heat races.
Notes:
63 Cars registered to compete in the nights racing action including 19 Limited Late Models, 16 Street Stocks, 16 Pure Stocks, and 12 Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders.
For more information visit us on the web at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com.
Full Results
Limited Late Model
1. 7J Josh Young Berwick
2. 812 John Chesnalavich Reynoldsville
3. 1B Dwayne Brooks Falls Creek
4. 9 John Reed Reynoldsville
5. 50 Bob McMillen St Marys
6. 18 Eddie Conner Dubois
7. 10J Bruce Raybuck Falls Creek
8. 99X Kyle Beimel St Marys
9. 14R Derek Rodkey Osceola Mills
10. 57 Bo Lockwood Brookville
11. 55 Denny Fenton Clearfield
12. 55T Todd English Clearfield
13. 77R Roswell Babcock Curwensville
14. 36 Paul Kot Brockway
15. 3D Bill Davis
16. 1E Loren Sallack Johnsonburg
17. 15 Luke Hoffner Turbotville
18. 92X Brent Johnson Brookville
19. 34 Joe Malobicky, Jr. St Marys
Street Stock
1. 28 Fuzzy Fields Brockport
2. 69R Brian Rhed Brockport
3. 37 Joe Kot Dubois
4. 85 Eddie Conner Dubois
5. 21R Rick Hemphill Osceola Mills
6. 29L Johnny Lindenpitz Knoxdale
7. 101 Bruce Hartzfeld Stump Creek
8. 37A Jim Bloom Curwensville
9. 105 Jr. Emory Rinehart Jr. Morrisdale
10. 89 Ryan Jones Clearfield
11. 96E Tim Fannin Ridgway
12. 17C Brandon Conner Dubois
13. 137 Jamie Price Clearfield
14. 44 Dan Smeal Houtzdale
15. 78 Paul Blake Weedville
16. 1S Kyle Shannon Brockway
Pure Stock
1. 01 Steve Arthurs Falls Creek
2. 1B Jeremy Buck Woodland
3. 46 Dustin Challingsworth St Marys
4. 471 Matt Heindl St Marys
5. 10N Justin Kanouff
6. 21 Nathan Yeaney Brookville
7. 20 George Bailey Clearfield
8. 88 Dustin Fields Brockport
9. 13 Dustin Michuck St Marys
10. 44 Jim Challingsworth St Marys
11. 24 Devin Yeaney Brookville
12. 93 Zach Gustafson Weedville
13. 1* Colton Joiner Dubois
14. 25 Mike Calhoun Brockway
15. 57T Todd Bailey Brockway
16. 15M Shawn Munoz Punxsutawney (DNS)
Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders
1. 5 Bryan Warren Clearfield
2. 38A Shawn Fedder Clearfield
3. 99L Rich Lucas Wallaceton
4. 37 McCracken Curwensville
5. 26 Chad Desmett Curwensville
6. 357B Frank Barrett Dubois
7. 29 Josh Lindenmuth Brockway
8. 08 Mike Fields Brockway
9. 2B Rusty Murray Mayport
10. 1F Walt Fedder Curwensville
11. T3 Phil Craig St Marys
12. 30N Jacob Kline Dubois (DNS)
Randy Albert
Race Reporter
Hummingbird Speedway