Submitted by Randy Albert
Moore, Arthurs, Smeal, Luzier Win Features
The drivers, fans and the track crew dodged the raindrops at the Hummingbird Speedway in Falls Creek on Saturday providing another entertaining night of racing action in Central Pennsylvania. Eric Moore from Frenchville proved he could walk the walk with a win in the Limited Late Model class. Moore also took the honors and bragging rights for the night by winning the King of the Hill Competition. Steve Arthurs proved he still has what it takes by taking the checkered flag in his Falls Creek based Pure Stock. Dan Smeal continued to lead the way from Houtzdale to the winner circle in the Street Stock division. Rounding out the nights racing action was Aaron Luzier from Clearfield with a win in the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder Class. Trophies tonight were in memory of long time racer and fan Ollie Snyder who passed away this past year.
A special “King of the Hill” Limited Late Model Race entertained the crowd at intermission. The race was sponsored by Kutsel’s 322 Auto Sales. The first 5-lap session pitted Dwayne Brooks from Falls Creek against Bill McMillen from St Marys. Brooks jumped to a quick lead and held on to take the win. In the second 5-lap race it was Eric Moore from Frenchville who jumped to the lead in front of Josh Young from Berwick. Moore also held on for the win. The final 5-lap event saw two very well prepared and evenly matched cars of Moore and Brooks compete head to head. Moore took the early lead with Brooks looking inside the outside for a way around. Moore was strong and smooth and did not give Brooks any running room. Moore and held on for the win.
The Limited Late Model cars began the night with a first lap caution caused when three cars spun in turn one. On the restart Derek Rodkey in the 14R machine out of Osceola Mills moved quickly to the front position. Both the 55H of Jake Shady from Beech Creek and 102 driven by Rick Maxim from Reynoldsville were looking to the low side of Rodkey. Not far behind was the 00 of Eric Moore from Frenchville and by lap four he was in the second position pressuring Rodkey for the lead. He made the pass on the next lap and looked as strong as he did in the King of the Hill race earlier. The hot battle was for second through fifth positions with Maxim, Rodkey, Bruce Raybuck from Falls Creek in the 10J, and the 812 car of John Chesnalavich Jr. from Reynoldsville all battling for position. Lap traffic just past the halfway point kept the race interesting and made the drivers work for their positions. Moore stretched out his lead despite the slower cars and began to pull away. Other movers in the race were the 50 of Bob McMillen from St Marys, 1B of Dwayne Brooks of Falls Creek, and the 15 driven by Luke Hoffner of Turbotville but they couldn’t break into the top five. Rodkey looked inside on a restart and Maxim proved fast on the outside but Moore would have none of it. At the end Moore led the final lap by eight car lengths to the checkered flag. Following him across the line was Maxim, Chesnalavich, Rodkey, and Raybuck. Heat races were won by Maxim, Rodkey, and Moore.
Steve Arthurs from Falls Creek led the Pure Stock class to the track with George Bailey from Clearfield on his outside. At the drop of the green flag Arthurs jumped to the lead in the 01 car with a three wide battle for second taking place behind him. The 471 of Matt Heindl from St Marys, Justin Kanouff driving the 10N out of Clearfield, and Mike Calhoun from Brockway driving the 25 car were all looking to take second place. The racing action was intense back through the pack with Zach Gustafson in his 93 car from Weedville having a good run in the fifth position. Arthurs and Heindl began to pull away from the pack with Calhoun and Gustafson having their own personal battle for third. As the laps wound down Arthurs maintained his lead with Heindl close behind. The mover and shaker was Calhoun in the 25 car looking inside Heindl for second position. Arthurs crossed the finish line for his third win of the season followed by Calhoun, Heindl, Gustafson, and Kanouff.
Bailey and Arthurs won the heat races.
The competitive Street Stock class always puts on a great show for the fans. Brian Rhed and Joe Kot led the field to the green flag. Rhed, from Brockway driving the 69R, took an early inside lead followed by Joe Kot from Dubois in the 37 car as well as Fuzzy Fields from Brockport driving the 28 car. Each driver took turns looking inside and outside to take the lead from Rhed. Not far behind, and on the outside rail, was the familiar blue and black 44 car driven by Dan Smeal. Kot took the lead after an early caution followed by Fields. Kot kept the 37 car low protecting the inside while Smeal was working his way into second using the high line. Kot held off Smeal until mid-race when Smeal finally worked his way around him. Fields was also working his way forward and inched around Kot as the laps wound down. The 44 car of Smeal was too strong and the charge of Fields too late with Smeal taking the win making it two in a row for the Houtzdale racer. Fields was second, third place went to Kot, Rhed finished in fourth and in a strong fifth place finish was Emory Rinehart in the 105Jr from Morrisdale.
Successful heat race winners included Smeal and Fields.
The final event of the evening was the always-entertaining Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders. Racing was tight and very competitive in this class tonight. While three and sometimes four wide was normal procedure only one caution marked the event and good racing took place throughout the field. Last week’s winner, Mike Lucas driving the 81 out of Philipsburg was on the pole with Frank Barrett III from Dubois in the 357B on the outside. Lucas took and early lead followed by the T3 driven by Doug Surra from Kersey, Joe McCracken in the 37 from Curwensville and the 5 car piloted by Bryan Warren from Curwensville. Lucas appeared to be checking out on the field but an early caution helped the others reel him in for some interesting competition. While Surra, Lucas, and McCracken battled for position Aaron Luzier driving the 5L from Clearfield left no question that he came ready to race tonight. He took the lead at the half way point with the others jockeying for position behind him. Lucas and Surra fought for second position and Warren found his hands full for fourth with Shawn Fedder from Clearfield in the 38A. In the end it was all Luzier followed by Lucas, Surra by a nose in third, with Fedder and Warren rounding out the top five.
Bryan Warren and Chuck White were successful in the heat races.
Notes:
63 Cars registered to compete in the nights racing action including 24Limited Late Models, 13 Street Stocks, 11 Pure Stocks, and 15 Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders.
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. 00 Eric Moore Frenchville
2. 102 Rick Maxim Reynoldsville
3. 812 John Chesnalavich Jr. Reynoldsville
4. 14R Derek Rodkey Osceola Mills
5. 10J Bruce Raybuck Falls Creek
6. 1B Dwayne Brooks Falls Creek
7. 15 Luke Hoffner Turbotville
8. 50 Bob McMillen St Marys
9. 9 John Reed Reynoldsville
10. 69 Bill Burns Johnstown
11. 4K Tommy Kronenwetter St Marys
12. 1E Loren Sallack Johnsonburg
13. 34 Joe Malobicky Jr. St Marys
14. 10 Ryan Christoff Houtzdale
15. 57 Bo Lockwood Brookville
16. 77R Roswell Babcock Curwensville
17. 99X Kyle Beimel St Marys
18. 7J Josh Young Berwick
19. 55 Denny Fenton Clearfield
20. 4 Shawn Hadden Punxsutawney
21. 2R Rich Womeldorf Apollo
22. 55H Jake Shady Beech Creek
23. 78 Brian Molnar Falls Creek
24. 55T Todd English Clearfield
Street Stock
1. 44 Dan Smeal Houtzdale
2. 28 Fuzzy Fields Brockport
3. 37 Joe Kot Dubois
4. 69R Brian Rhed Brockport
5. 105 Jr. Emory Rinehart Jr. Morrisdale
6. 85 Eddie Connor Dubois
7. 17C Brandon Connor Dubois
8. 88 Bruce Hartzfeld Stump Creek
9. 96E Tim Fannin Ridgway
10. 78 Paul Blake Weedville
11. 29L Johnny Lindenpitz Knoxdale
12. 137 Jamie Price Clearfield
13. 1S Kyle Shannon Brockway
Pure Stock
1. 01 Steve Arthurs Falls Creek
2. 25 Mike Calhoun Brockway
3. 471 Matt Heindl St Marys
4. 93 Zach Gustafson Weedville
5. 10N Justin Kanouff Clearfield
6. 1* Colton Joiner Dubois
7. 88 Dustin Fields Brockport
8. 57T Skip Lindenmuth Hazen
9. 20 George Bailey Clearfield
10. 44 Jim Challingsworth St Marys
11. 46 Dustin Challingsworth St Marys
Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinders
1. 5L Aaron Luzier Clearfield
2. 81 Mike Lucas Philipsburg
3. T3 Doug Surra Kersey
4. 38A Shawn Fedder Clearfield
5. 5 Bryan Warren Curwensville
6. 37 Hunter McCracken Curwensville
7. 77S Lee Zalno Clearfield
8. 99L Rich Lucas Wallaceton
9. 08 Mike Fields Brookville
10. 1F Walt Fedder Curwensville
11. 26 Chad Desmett Curwensville
12. 29 Josh Lindenmuth Brockway
13. 2B Rusty Murray Mayport
14. 357B Frank Barrett Dubois
15. 7 Chuck White Dubois
