Press release by Terry Whetstone
CLEARFIELD, PA – Jeff and America Taylor swung the gates open at America’s Motorsports Park Saturday Night with a near capacity crowd on hand to witness the opening of the speedway that sat and deteriorated for seven years since it last saw action as Gambler’s Raceway Park.
Feature winners included: Mike Blose of Dayton in the Randy Sterling Trucking Late Models; TimFannin of Ridgway in the Harter and Sons Garage Street Stocks, Cody Hummel of Morrisdale in the Quigley’s Pub Pure Stocks; Shawn Fedder of Clearfield in the Clearfield County Metals Four Cylinders and Denny Fenton of Clearfield in the Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub Semi LateModels.
Waylon Wagner and Tom Shaffer led the Late Models to the start with a six-car pile-up, slowing the action in the first turn. With the crash cleared and those involved tailing the field, Mike Blose realigned beside Wagner and on the green, it was Blose taking the lead and setting the pace for all 25-laps. Wagner battled for the lead first before Sammy Stile came in to do battle for the position, he stole second from Wagner, who had to contend with Luke Hoffner.
While they battled for third, Stile was pressuring Blose for the lead, but Blose wasn’t going to give it away, and he didn’t, holding off Stile till the double checkered flags waved over the field. Stile was second with Hoffner, Denny Fenton and Dan Gill following . Heat wins went to Chris Farrell and Blose.
Doug Tibbens and ChadRougeux led the Street Stocks to the start and it was Tibbens taking the lead. He led the event several laps, and sat through numerous cautions, with Rougeux in second hounding him for the lead, butRougeux was racing the leader clean until lap nine when Curtis Teats showed his power. He was able to get past Rougeux for a lap then eventually he moved by Rougeux for good on lap 10 and he started to pressure Tibbens. From time to time Teats would get into Tibbens’ back bumper, proving that rubbing is racing, but at some point the pair touched more on lap 17 and the field scattered in turn two, leaving the door wide open for Tim Fannin to take the lead. He held off Teats the final three laps and took the win. Teats settled for second over Rougeux, Jamie Price and Tibbens. Heat wins went to Price and Rougeux.
The Pure Stock feature was led to Allen Luzier’s green flag by Preston Imler and Ben Krause, with Cody Hummel taking the lead and never looking back, as he went on to win his first career stock car feature. Hummel ran just three races last season after graduating from the go-kart ranks. He won easily over a slim field of just five cars. Krause was second with #8 third, Imler fourth and Chad Desmett fifth. Hummel also won the heat.
The Four Cylinders hit the track with Eric Luzier and Bryan Warren on the front row, with Warren leading the first lap, before Tom Pavelko took the lead. He led until lap three when he broke in turn four. This gave the lead over to Luzier, who led the race for the next nine laps, but not easliy, as he had to contend with Shawn Fedder and Stephanie Ivory, as they swapped positions on every lap, then KoltonWagner got into the mix but Luzier managed to lead each time at the line. Fedder took the lead, and eventual win, with just two laps to go. Luzier was second with Ivory third, Wagner fourth and Josh Henry fifth. The heats were won by Fedder and Pavelko.
DennyFenton led the Semi Late Feature from start to finish, as the newlycreated division saw only two cars sign into the pits. The other driver was his cousin, Dylan Fenton. Denny also won the heat.
AMPEDNOTES: There were 43 total cars for opening night, including: 13 Late Models, 2 Semi Lates, 12 StreetStocks, 5 Pure Stocks and 11 Four Cylinders…Coming up this week is a regular show for the Late Models, Semi Late Models, Street Stocks,Pure Stocks and Four Cylinders with the addition of the Race Saver 305 Sprints. Gates open at 3 with racing beginning at 6 p.m. For more information call the speedway at 814-765-FLAG or check the website atwww.americasmotorsportspark.com.
SUMMARY
RandySterling Trucking Late Models:1. Mike Blose 2. Sammy Stile 3. Luke Hoffner 4. Denny Fenton 5. Dan Gill 6. TomShaffer 7. Scott Alvetro; 8. Justin Kanouff 9. Waylon Wagner 10.Roswell Babcock 11. Chris Farrell 12. Duane Stiner 13.#6M.
Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub Semi Lates: 1. Denny Fenton,2 Dylan Fenton.
Harterand Son’s Garage Street Stocks: 1. Tim Fannin2. Curtis Teats 3. Chad Rougeux 4. Jamie Price 5. Doug Tibbens 6.Mark Bell 7. Ron Mentz 8. Tony Brown 9. Joe Jordan 10. PaulBlake 11. Brent Lee DNS Ray Billotte.
Quigley’s Pub Pure Stocks: 1. Cody Hummel 2. Ben Krause 3. # 8 4. Preston Imler 5. Chad Desmett.
ClearfieldCounty Metals Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinders: 1. Shawn Fedder 2.Eric Luzier 3. Stephanie Ivory 4. Kolton Wagner 5. Josh Henry 6.Bryan Warren 7. Milton Owens 8. Walt Fedder 9. Todd Fedder 10.Bob Smay 11. Tom Pavelko.