By Adam Mackey, Press Release Provided by Midvale Speedway

Fans were treated to another thrilling night that had full fields in the top two divisions this past Saturday, May 18, at Midvale Speedway.  Late Models and Modifieds were joined by Pure Stocks, Mini Trucks, Compacts, and Funpacts.

Matthew Mills and George Riddle brought the 18-car McIntosh Late Model field to the green for the 30-lap feature event.  Mills pulled forward, while Riddle battled hard in the outside lane but couldn’t make up any ground.  Jonathan Reitter squeezed by Riddle for second right before a yellow waved on lap five.  Under the caution, Riddle unfortunately had scanner problems and didn’t respond to  requests to drop back to third from track officials, relegating him to the tail.  On the restart, Reitter used the outside lane to rocket into the lead, while Blake Mackey followed him out front in a two car breakaway.  As the field raced side-by-side for third on back, the lead duo pulled out to a sizable lead.  On lap eight, Mackey got a run to the inside of Reitter coming off of four and completed the pass on the exit of turn two, putting the Chico, California driver ahead of the Weirton, West Virginia competitor.  Lap-after-lap clicked off, as the two remained out front with great racing going on behind them.  Moving forward was point leader and two-time feature winner Bryant Smith.  The Canton, Ohio wheelman was putting on a clinic picking off one car at a time.  On lap 18, Smith was able to maneuver his way around Mills for third and set his sights on Mackey and Reitter.  Smith caught Reitter with about ten to go, as Mackey pulled away by several car lengths.  With five to go, Smith moved into second a started closing quickly on Mackey whose car had freed up to the point of scary loose.  On the final circuit, Smith was glued to the rear bumper of Mackey through one and two and was looking high in turn three.  Exiting four, Mackey’s car again whipped sideways and Smith shot to the outside, coming up just a few feet short at the line.  For Mackey, it was his first Late Model win in what will most likely be his only start of the season.  Following the Miller Lite/Red Dog Beer #7 were Smith, Bubba Smith who had his best run of the season, Reitter, and Mills who claimed his first Late Model top five in his rookie season.  The rest of the top ten were Alex Rosenberry, Ryan Tedesco, Mike Miller, Bob Schneider, Jr., and Rick Sibila.  Bryant Smith, Larry Baker, and Bob Eichel won the heats, while Alex Rosenberry continued his domination in qualifying.

Tad Grove and Greg Hole were the front row starters in the 25-lap Summit Racing Economy Modified feature.  In what turned out to be an extremely entertaining race, even with a few too many cautions, Grove raced out front to pace the field early.  For a large portion of the race, the lead pack was comprised by about five cars, while it was a logjam from sixth on back.  Grove’s lead covered the first half of the race, as the rookie looked for his first Modified win, but Jesse Adams made his move to race out front on the 13th pace.  2012 division champion, Randy Smart, who has been struggling with the setup of the car so far this season, moved into second to challenge Adams.  The race was looking as if it may go from lap six to the end without a caution, however, Lucas Ripley, who was running a great race in third, lost power and initiated a caution with six to go.  It was at this point that mayhem broke out at the front, eliminating Smart, Adams, and Lee McCreery on different restarts.  Eventually, this year’s point leader, Kevin McClintock assumed the lead with Doug Meyer taking over second.  The final five laps of the race then did go without a yellow as McClintock garnered his first win in 2013 and extended his point lead.  Following the Dover, Ohio driver in his Federated Auto Parts/Broadrun Cheesehouse #38 were Meyer, Scott Archer, Todd Ripley, and Bubba Smith.  Others in the top ten were Mike Green, Mike Bowers, Tim Westerfield, Jr., Preston Walker, and Derek Grewell.  Green, Grove, and Neil Rolli won the heats, while Walker set fast time for the second week in-a-row.

With a small invert after qualifying, the fast cars found themselves at the front early on in the 20-lap Pure Stock feature.  Front row starters, Vince Martin and Don Boron, Jr. battle briefly for the lead but Boron moved out front via the outside lane.  A lap three caution created a double file restart that hurt Martin’s chance for a runner up finish, as point leader, Rich Schweitzer pulled to the inside lane and took second.  From that point on, it was mainly a Boron/Schweitzer battle at the front, while top qualifier Mike Martin watched from third.  The race did see a few yellows that gave Schweitzer chances in the outside lane, but the young Boron was able to remain error free and hold off the vet.  As the checkered waved, Boron was followed closely in his Bowling’s Used Cars/B&B Diner #82 by Schweitzer, Nick Harmon had challenged Boron for the lead at one point, Martin, and Vince Martin.  The rest of the top ten finishers were Austin Harvey, Kyle Anders, Gary Hoopingarner, Josh Moss, and Rich Dunlap.  Boron and Hoopingarner won the heats.

Dennis Wood led for one lap in the new Midvale Speedway Mini Truck division before last week’s winner Cody Collmar shot by in the team truck.  Collmar pulled out to a convincing lead as top qualifier Doug Decker methodically worked into second after winning the heat race.  The event, which went caution free for the last eleven laps, saw Collmar take his second win in-a-row.  Following the Barberton, Ohio driver in his C&D Towing/Shaker’s Auto Recycling #12 were Decker Wood, and Teddy Oliver, Jr.  Vince Martin and John Bertram also had trucks on the premises but mechanical issues didn’t allow for feature starts.

Point leader, Bob Schneider, Jr. and Anthony Vasilliu led the 17-car Compact field to the green flag for the Compact division feature.  Vasilliu took the early lead, while Schneider and Waylon Orr followed in second and third.  On lap six, Schneider got a run to the inside of Vasilliu for the lead.  Vasilliu, not wanting to lose the top spot, tried to protect as the two went down the backstretch.  Unforunately, it was too late as Schneider was already there and Vasilliu was relegated to the tail.  Schneider led the next two laps, but Wes Ennis was hungry for his first win in 2013.  The New Philadelphia, Ohio driver missed the first couple of weeks due to a newborn child, was racing for the second time and made the most of it setting quick time and racing to the front.  Down the stretch, Ennis solidified his lead, while defending champion Braden Swaney assumed second.  The H&H Cleaning/Haas Body Shop #09 was followed by Swaney, Schneider, Orr, and Jesse Patterson.  Others in the top ten were  Clayton Oliver, Donnie Leggett, III, Allen Clark, A.J. Vasilliu, and Leeza Moore.  Orr, Leggett, and Moore claimed the wins.

The Midvale Speedway Funpact division were scheduled to run the big oval on this night, one of six different courses they’ll be running throughout the year.  Chris Bloom, who won on the small oval on opening night, set the pace early in front of Kohlten Bryan.  Bryan cut down a tire near the race’s midway stage and Dan Buckey took second.  Buckey had problems shortly thereafter as Brad McClain garnered second.  Bloom, though, had a dominant lead at this point and ran away with his second feature win of the season.  The Wabash Lanes/Montrose Auto #151 won the event over Brad McClain by 6.6 seconds.  Chris Paul, Blaine Salsberry, and Bob Walker finished off the top five.

Chuck Elkins claimed the night’s spectator drag win at intermission.

This coming Saturday, May 25, the track will be celebrating its 60th anniversary season.  Late Models and Economy Modifieds will each be competing in 60-lap feature events, while Pure Stocks, Compacts, Funpacts, and Mini Trucks will also run.  At the end of the evening, the always thrilling skid plate race will be held.  Skid plate vehicles are front wheel drive with metal plates instead of rear tires.

Grandstand admission will be $15 for adults, $13 for seniors 62+, $10 for kids 6-15, and children 5 and under are free.  Pit gates open at 2:30, hotlaps and grandstands at 3:00, qualifying at 4:45, and racing will begin at 6:30.

More info available at midvalespeedway.com.

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Results For Midvale Speedway

McIntosh Oil Company Late Models
Top Quailfier – Alex Rosenberry 14.007
Heat #1 – Bryant Smith, Rick Sibila, Rich Dessecker, Bubba Smith, Ryan Tedesco
Heat #2 – Larry Baker, George Riddle, Blake Mackey, Matthew Mills, Jonathan Reitter
Heat #3 – Bob Eichel, William Robinson, Rick Grudier, Dave McAlicker, Joe Fewkes
Feature – Blake Mackey, Bryant Smith, Bubba Smith, Jonathan Reitter, Matthew Mills, Alex Rosenberry, Ryan Tedesco, Mike Miller, Bob Schneider, Jr., Rick Sibila, George Riddle, Larry Baker, William Robinson, Bob Eichel, Rick Grudier, Rich Dessecker, Dave McAlicker, Joe Fewkes

Summit Racing Equipment Economy Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Preston Walker 14.682
Heat #1 – Mike Green, Kevin McClintock, Todd Ripley, Preston Walker, Doug Meyer
Heat #2 – Tad Grove, Randy Smart, Jesse Adams, Greg Hole, Mike Bowers
Heat #3 – Neil Rolli, Josh Anders, Tim Westerfield, Jr., Jeremy Sloan, Derek Grewell
Feature – Kevin McClintock, Doug Meyer, Scott Archer, Todd Ripley, Bubba Smith, Mike Green, Mike Bowers, Tim Westerfield, Jr., Preston Walker, Derek Grewell, Neil Rolli, Greg Hole, Josh Anders, Jesse Adams, Randy Smart, Lee McCreery, Brock Burcher, Lucas Ripley, Tad Grove, Jeremy Sloan

Midvale Speedway Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Mike Martin 16.378
Heat #1 – Don Boron, Jr., Vince Martin, Rich Schweitzer, Nick Harmon, Mike Martin
Heat #2 – Gary Hoopingarner, Rich Dunlap, Kyle Anders, Josh Moss, Austin Harvey
Feature – Don Boron, Jr., Rich Schweitzer, Nick Harmon, Mike Martin, Vince Martin, Austin Harvey, Kyle Anders, Gary Hoopingarner, Josh Moss, Rich Dunlap

Midvale Speedway Mini Trucks
Top Qualifier – Doug Decker 17.940 NTR
Heat – Doug Decker, Dennis Wood, Teddy Oliver, Jr., Cody Collmar, John Bertram
Feature – Cody Collmar, Doug Decker, Dennis Wood, Teddy Oliver, Jr.

Midvale Speedway Compacts
Top Qualifier – Wes Ennis 18.046
Heat #1 – Waylon Orr, Mike Swaney, Braden Swaney, Jesse Patterson, Wes Ennis
Heat #2 – Donnie Leggett, III, Bob Schneider, Jr., Anthony Vasilliu, Allen Clark, A.J. Vasilliu
Heat #3 – Leeza Moore, Kyle Finlayson, Laney Striejewske, Gerald Hahn, Chris Bloom
Feature – Wes Ennis, Braden Swaney, Bob Schneider, Jr., Waylon Orr, Jesse Patterson, Clayton Oliver, Donnie Leggett, III, Allen Clark, A.J. Vasilliu, Leeza Moore, Kyle Finlayson, Gerald Hahn, Laney Striejewske, Anthony Vasilliu, Josh Roberts, Tim Frederick, Mike Swaney

Midvale Speedway Funpacts
Top Qualifier – Blaine Salsberry 18.731
Heat – Chris Bloom, Blaine Salsberry, Kohlten Bryan, Dan Buckey, Chris Paul
Feature – Chris Bloom, Brad McClain, Chris Paul, Blaine Salsberry, Bob Walker, Dan Buckey, Kohlten Bryan

Spectator Drags
Winner – Chuck Elkins