Submitted by Randy Albert
Denny Fenton, Dan Smeal, Mike Calhoun and Doug Surra Win Feature Races
As the summer racing season continues so do the repeat winners at the Hummingbird Speedway. Denny Fenton driving the 55 car out of Clearfield made his second trip to the winner’s circle in 2011 in the Limited Late Model class. A huge crowd of loyal family, friends, and fans helped him celebrate the victory. Dan Smeal from Houtzdale continues to dominate in the #44 Street Stock car making it win number four for the season. Notching win number two in his belt was Mike Calhoun driving the 25 Pure Stock based out of Brockway. Completing the racing action for the evening, with his third win of the season, was the T3 car out of Kersey driven by Doug Surra.
Starting on the pole in the 25 lap Limited Late Model class was Todd Sallack from Luthersburg. At the drop of the green flag Bob McMillen from St Marys driving the 50 car jumped to an early lead followed closely by the 55 of Denny Fenton from Clearfield. McMillen’s night ended early when his car slowed on lap 4 forcing him to the pits. On the restart Fenton was followed closely by John Chesnalavich in the Reynoldsville based #812 machine. Chris Farrell was making his first appearance at the track this year in the 53 car out of Clearfield. He made a quick trip from his 19th starting place into second place by lap number 6. Behind Farrell and Chesnalavich Eric Moore from Frenchville in the 00 car worked his way forward from his tenth starting spot followed closely by last weeks winner Dwayne Brooks in the familiar 1B from Falls Creek. Positions 3 through 5 traded regularly while Farrell put the chase on Fenton for the top spot. Farrell tried various lines but Fenton held him back with some clean competitive racing. Brooks worked his way into third with Chesnalavich and Moore in hot pursuit. Riding the rail into the sixth position was Luke Hoffner from Turbotville in the 15 car. Luke had trouble early in the race and had to restart from the last position. He made up ground fast on the outside but couldn’t move forward at the end. As the laps wound down Fenton continued to hold Farrell at bay and brought the 55 car home for his second win of 2011. It was a happy and welcome victory judging by the crowd who helped him celebrate in victory lane. Farrell made a good run in his first showing of the season and Brooks and Moore are always consistent with smooth and fast cars. Hoffner is always exciting to watch on the outside and tonight was no different. Chesnalavich has been strong all season also, look for him to be at the front again soon.
Heat races were won by Moore, Chesnalavich, and Hoffner.
In the Pure Stock feature race Zach Gustafson was once again on the pole in the 93 car out of Weedville. Right behind him in the 25 car was Mike Calhoun from Brockway with the 1B driven by Jeremy Buck from Woodland on his outside. The heat was on Gustafson from lap one with Calhoun looking on the inside and Buck trying every other line to get around him. He held on strong with numerous challenges but at the half way point Calhoun finally powered by him. Gustafson didn’t give up the position easily and continued to battle back trying to retake the position. Further back in the pack some tight three wide racing was taking place between the 471 of Matt Heindl from St Marys, the 42 of Dave Kohler from Rockton, and the 1* of Colton Joiner from Rockton. Heindl dropped off the pace a bit leaving the door open for last weeks winner Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek in the 01 car to move up. A late caution regrouped the field and gave Gustafson and Buck one more shot at Calhoun. Calhoun made sure no one was going to take the win from him. For a moment it looked like Jeremy Buck was going to steal second from Gustafson but Zach held his ground and had another strong run and second place finish.
Winners in the heat races were Gustafson and Arthurs.
The third great race of the evening was the Street Stock event featuring the 44 driven by Dan Smeal from Houtzdale and the 69R driven by Brian Rhed from Brockport. Smeal has been tough all season and his pole position starting spot made it even harder for the competitors. This class like all the others at Hummingbird has five or so hard chargers who never give up the fight no matter who is on the pole. The chase was on from the start with Fuzzy Fields in the 28 car also from Brockport applying pressure along with Rhed. An early caution placed Fields at the back of the pack; he eventually had to pit due to front-end damage. Rhed took up the chase followed by the 8R driven by Tom Slack from Sabula as well as the 1S car driven tonight by Dom Surra from St Marys. Surra is always competitive and a recent break from driving didn’t hamper his competitive nature. Also having another good run was Jamie Price in the 137 car from Clearfield and Rick Hemphill from Osceola Mills in the 21R machine. While the others jockeyed for position Rhed and Smeal traded paint and positions coming across the starting line side by side more than once. Not far back and moving forward was Joe Kot from Dubois in the red and yellow 37 car finding his way into third just past the half way point. Rhed finally made the inside line stick and took the front position away from Smeal as the rest of the field held on but didn’t make any serious charge toward the front. Smeal charged back into first only to have a late caution relegate him back to second for the restart. That set the stage for the shoot out at the end between Smeal and Rhed. On lap 19 Smeal looked to the inside and made the pass for the lead. While Rhed was giving it everything he had on the outside trying to retake the position the sharks were circling just behind him. Kot and Price took advantage of the situation and elbowed their way into second and third respectively relegating Rhed to fourth. While Smeal didn’t dominate this one he proved he could battle back and overcome the odds when it is necessary. Rhed also proved he could mix it up and probably deserved a better finish. And proving that you never give up until the checkered flag flies were Kot and Price gaining positions from the racing action taking place in front of them.
In the Street Stock heat races Fields and Kot took the checkered flags.
The final race on the card for the evening was the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders. The 5L of Aaron Luzier out of Clearfield was on the pole flanked by the #7 car driven by Danny White from Dubois. Luzier jumped to a quick lead with White close behind. A tight battle was shaping up behind the leaders with Shawn Fedder from Clearfield in the 38A, the 81 driven by Mike Lucas from Philipsburg and the T3 of Dom Surra out of St Marys closing fast. Three wide racing is normal in this class and Surra, Fedder, and Lucas made it exciting. Bryan Warren from Curwensville piloting the 5 car is never far from the action and worked his way into the mix for position. Luzier seemed to be checking out on the field when he spun into the infield on the front stretch. The caution placed him at the back of the pack on the restart. White took the top spot and battled with Lucas for a number of laps only to slow on the backstretch and had to head to the pits. Lucas continued to lead on the outside but the T3 of Surra had won his bid for second position over Fedder and Warren and was headed for the front spot. Lucas held onto the topside while Surra pressured from the bottom both showing two different driving styles that were fast. Warren and Fedder were fighting for third and fourth and coming back into the picture was Luzier from his last place restart. On the next to the last lap Surra looked to the inside one more time and wound the four cylinder tight coming out of turn four to take the position from Lucas. Surra held on for the win followed by Lucas, Warren, Fedder, and Luzier.
Luzier and White won the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder heat races.
Notes:
22 Limited Late Models, 16 Street Stocks, 14 Pure Stocks, and 15 Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders competed tonight for a total of 67 cars registered for racing action.
Next weeks program consists of the regular 4 division racing action. Gates open at 4:30 PM and racing action starts at 7:00 PM.
For more information visit us on the web at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com.
Full Results
Limited Late Model
1. 55 Denny Fenton Clearfield
2. 53 Chris Farrell Clearfield
3. 1B Dwayne Brooks Falls Creek
4. 15 Luke Hoffner Turbotville
5. 00 Eric Moore Frenchville
6. 812 John Chesnalavich Jr. Reynoldsville
7. 36 Paul Kot Brockway
8. 34 Joe Malobicky Jr. St Marys
9. 10J Bruce Raybuck Falls Creek
10. 1E Loren Sallack Johnsonburg
11. 57 Bo Lockwood Brookville
12. 96 John Brady Clearfield
13. 55X Mike Ebock Fort Bragg, NC
14. 77 Roswell Babcock Curwensville
15. 32 Todd Sallak Luthersburg
16. 78 Brian Molnar Falls Creek
17. 99X Kyle Beimel St Marys
18. 4 Orvie Newcome III Punxsutawney
19. 50 Bob McMillen St Marys
20. 9 John Reed Reynoldsville
21. 55H Jake Shady Beech Creek
22. 14R (DNS)Derek Rodkey Osceola Mills
Street Stock
1. 44 Dan Smeal Houtzdale
2. 37 Joe Kot Dubois
3. 137 Jamie Price Clearfield
4. 69R Brian Rhed Brockport
5. 1S Dom Surra St Marys
6. 37A Jim Bloom Curwensville
7. 8R Tom Slack Sabula
8. 22J Joe Jordan Woodland
9. 96E Tim Fannin Ridgway
10. 17C Brandon Conner Sabula
11. 78 Paul Blake Weedville
12. 21R Rick Hemphill Osceola Mills
13. 68 Don Henry Brockway
14. 28 Fuzzy Fields Brockport
15. 94R(DNS) Chad Rougeux Grampian
16. 85 (DNS) Eddie Conner Sabula
Pure Stock
1. 25 Mike Calhoun Brockway
2. 93 Zach Gustafson Weedville
3. 1B Jeremy Buck Woodland
4. 42 Dave Kohler Rockton
5. 1* Colton Joiner Dubois
6. 01 Steve Arthurs Falls Creek
7. 471 Matt Heindl St Marys
8. 46 Dustin Challingsworth St Marys
9. 44 Jim Challingsworth St Marys
10. 57T Todd Bailey Brockway
11. 22K Josh Keith Kane
12. 88 Dustin Fields Brockport
13. 23 Lester Hudson Clearfield
14. 10N (DNS)Justin Kanouff Clearfield
Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders
1. T3 Doug Surra Kersey
2. 81 Mike Lucas Philipsburg
3. 5 Bryan Warren Curwensville
4. 38A Shawn Fedder Clearfield
5. 5L Aaron Luzier Clearfield
6. 37 Hunter McCracken Curwensville
7. 357B Frank Barrett Dubois
8. 30N Jacob Kline Dubois
9. 99 Rich Lucas Wallaceton
10. 26 Chad Desmett Curwensville
11. 29 Josh Lindenmuth Brockway
12. 08 Mike Fields Brookville
13. 2B Rusty Murray Mayport
14. 7 Danny White Dubois
15. 77S (DNS) Lee Zalno Clearfield