By Adam Mackey, Press Release Provided by Midvale Speedway
Night number two was nearly a replica of opening night when it came to the large car count, great weather, and exciting racing. In the neighborhood of 90 cars filled the pits for the second week straight for the six divisions on hand.
The extremely fast McIntosh Oil Company Late Models again put on a thrilling show. In the opener, Bryant Smith edged Doug McMillen at the line after a seven lap, side-by-side battle. On this night, it was New Philadelphia, Ohio driver Ryan Tedesco putting on the show coming through the field as Bryant Smith paced the field in the early stages. Tedesco, who qualified second and started tenth, was maneuvering around his fellow competitors in the outside lane and methodically working to the front. Tedesco worked by veteran Mike Miller for second place on lap 16 of the 30 lap grind. Tedesco then caught Smith, who was in cruise control out front. The New Philadelphia driver hounded Smith for nearly ten circuits, before a yellow waved on lap 27, setting up a double file restart. As the field retook the green, Smith and Tedesco raced door-to-door through turns one and two. Wheel-to-wheel going down the backstretch, Tedesco and Smith were on edge going for the lead. Entering turn three, Tedesco started his entry just slightly before Smith creating some contact and a spin ensued. Unfortunately, Miller and Matthew Mills were collected with significant damage. Tedesco pulled pitside, ending his great run, while Smith restarted from the front row with Rick Sibila. Smith retook the lead and went on to his second straight victory to start the season. Following the Canton Auto Salvage/Canton Auto Sales #1 were McMillen, who finished runner-up for the second straight week, Sibila, last year’s champion, Rich Dessecker, who claimed his first top five of the season, and top qualifier Alex Rosenberry. The rest of the top ten were Bob Schneider, Jr., Bubba Smith, Larry Baker, Tedesco, and Miller. McMillen, Bryant Smith, and Baker won the heats.
Mike Bowers and Bill Westlake brought an impressive 21-car Summit Racing Economy Modified field to the green for the 25-lap main. When the field crossed the line at the end of the first pace, it was Steubenville, Ohio’s Westlake leading the way. During the early stages, the race was slowed by a handful of cautions but Westlake retained the lead. However, a restart on lap nine was the one that cost him a chance at his first career feature win. Last week’s second fast qualifier, Mike Green, had solid bite, while Westlake spun his tires a bit. Green, also looking for his first feature victory, pulled ahead and assumed the point. The race’s final caution waved on lap 16 and gave Westlake one last chance to get back around Green. Once back up to speed, though, Green forged ahead, while Westlake settled into third behind Scott Archer, the top qualifier. Archer followed in Green’s tracks over the final laps but the second year Modified driver never gave an opening. At the checkered, Green’s Bob’s Auto Sales/McIntosh Oil Company #36 was followed by Archer, Westlake, Kevin McClintock, and Randy Smart. Westlake, in excitement after his third place finish, forgot to stop at the tech line and was removed from the rundown. Rookie Tim Westerfield, Jr. inherited the top five run. Top ten’s were credited to Lee McCreery, Bowers, Tad Grove, Justin Courtney, and Lucas Ripley. Ripley, Westlake, and Joe Ujcich won the heats.
For the second week in a row, the Pure Stocks had a slow start when it came to completing laps. However, just like opening night, the second half of the race went rather smoothly. Don Boron, Sr. led the first pace, while Kyle Anders got by to lead lap two. Lap three saw the third different leader, as defending three time point champion Teddy Oliver snuck by. Oliver’s lead was also short lived as top qualifier, Don Boron, Jr. made quick work of his competition. The teenage driver from East Sparta, Ohio took over on lap five and was never seriously challenged, though veteran Rich Schweitzer gave it a college try. At the checkered, the Deville Apartments/Bowling’s Used Cars #82 was followed across the stripe by Schweitzer, Bill Shimko, Oliver, and Nick Harmon. Boron, Sr., Waylon Orr, Robbie Patterson, Anders, and Mike Martin were in the top ten. Shimko and Patterson won the heats.
The Midvale Speedway Compact car count and competitiveness is as good as it has been in recent memory. With another sizable field of around 25 pitside, two features were again run. In the fast feature, Jason Shaw and Tim Frederick brought the field to the green flag. Jason Shaw, a former Compact division champion, made his return after a long hiatus from racing at the speedplant. He was trying to continue his success from one night earlier, where he claimed the feature win with the same car, at the Wayne County dirt track. Shaw did claim a heat race win earlier in the night in his first race back, however, while running up front in the feature, he broke out of his qualifying time and was sent pitside. With Shaw out of the picture, Bob Schneider, Jr. became the man to beat. The Late Model veteran at the track is doing double duty this year, running the Barrett Racing Compact as well. Schneider took over on lap three and led teammates Clayton Oliver and Jesse Patterson down the stretch. Schneider, who now calls Dennison, Ohio home, raced to the checkered first, claiming the win for the East High Arby’s/Ron Myer’s Heating & Cooling #157. Patterson finished a strong second, while Jeffrey Orr, Frederick, and Jake Albright claimed top fives. Albright is filling in for defending point champion Braden Swaney, who is mending his broken hand from an opening night mishap. Mike Swaney, Steven Feister, Oliver, Allen Clark, and Bill Jane finished in the top ten.
Josh Roberts led the first couple of laps in the second Compact feature. Roberts, a rookie in the division, was overtaken on lap three by last week’s second feature winner, Donnie Leggett, III. Leggett, in his second year of racing, again pulled out to a sizable lead. One caution on lap five bunched the field and allowed Leggett’s competition get close but no one was able to challenge. The Scio, Ohio driver went on to a second straight victory. The Ritzan Concrete/Leggett’s Tire #111 was followed 6.5 seconds behind by Ryan Shreffler, Kyle Finlayson, Laney Striejewski, and Larry Ennis.
Compact preliminaries were claimed by Feister, Shaw, and Leeza Moore. Albright set fast time in qualifications.
It was a small gathering of Midvale new Mini-Truck class to start the night and it got smaller as things progressed. First, last week’s winner, Vince Martin, had a failure in practice that caused a crash and eliminated him from the evening’s races. In the heat, Troy Campbell’s truck had mechanical issues finishing his night early. That left just a few to battle it out in the feature. Fortunately, the three that battled it out were extremely competitive with one another. Cody Collmar led for a while before his truck got free and left the door open for Justin Badgett. Badgett held off Collmar and top qualifier Dennis Garrett, III down the stretch to claim the victory. C&D Towing and Holub Recycling sponsor the #22 that claimed its first feature win.
Last but not least, the Funpact division put on an interesting show for the fans in the stands. The Funpact class, a spinoff of last year’s Stock Compacts, will run a number of different tracks this season. On opening night, the class ran the small oval. Last week’s winner, Chris Bloom, pulled the “Large Road Course” pill for week two. In qualifying, Blaine Salsberry had the field covered, beating them comfortably for fast time. In the heat, the gap started to close, as Salsberry was just able to edge Gary Gibson at the line for the win by mere inches. In the feature, Salsberry was able to take the lead during the early paces, however, Dan Buckey was no slouch and stayed within striking distance for a large portion of the event. Eventually, the philchalmers.com/M&D Design #29 was able to pull away to for his first feature victory in 2013. Buckey, Kohlten Bryan, Howard Bartholow, and Chris Paul completed the top five.
All-in-all, it was another thrilling night at the 3/10-mile asphalt oval. Week #3 is scheduled for action this coming Saturday, May 11 with a full six division show plus a Midvale Karting Series race at intermission.
Pit gates will open at 2:30, hotlaps and grandstands at 3:00, qualifying will start at 4:45, and racing will take the green at 6:30. Grandstand admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 62+, $8 for kids 6-15, and children five and under are free. Pit admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. A pit membership cost $35.
For more info, visit midvalespeedway.com.
Results For Midvale Speedway
McIntosh Oil Company Late Models
Top Qualifier – Alex Rosenberry 13.965
Heat #1 – Doug McMillen, Rich Dessecker, Tom Stankiewicz, Ryan Tedesco, Bubba Smith
Heat #2 – Bryant Smith, Mike Miller, Bob Schneider, Jr., Rick Sibila, Jonathan Reitter
Heat #3 – Larry Baker, Bob Eichel, Darrel Dexter, Joe Fewkes
Feature – Bryant Smith, Doug McMillen, Rick Sibila, Rich Dessecker, Alex Rosenberry, Bob Schneider, Jr., Bubba Smith, Larry Baker, Ryan Tedesco, Mike Miller, Matthew Mills, Jonathan Reitter, Tom Stankiewicz, Dave Martin, Bob Eichel, Joe Fewkes
Summit Racing Economy Modifieds
Top Qualifier – Scott Archer 14.776
Heat #1 – Lucas Ripley, Randy Smart, Kevin McClintock, Scott Archer, Tad Grove
Heat #2 – Bill Westlake, Todd Ripley, Mike Green, Mike Bowers, Neil Rolli
Heat #3 – Joe Ujcich, Jason Grewell, Tom Ertle, Brock Burcher, Greg Hole
Feature – Mike Green, Scott Archer, Kevin McClintock, Randy Smart, Tim Westerfield, Jr., Lee McCreery, Mike Bowers, Tad Grove, Justin Courtney, Lucas Ripley, Todd Ripley, Neil Rolli, Greg Hole, Josh Anders, Jason Grewell, Joe Ujcich, Jeremy Sloan, Jesse Adams, Brock Burcher, Tom Ertle
Midvale Speedway Pure Stocks
Top Qualifier – Don Boron, Jr. 16.292
Heat #1 – Bill Shimko, Don Boron, Jr., Rich Schweitzer, Teddy Oliver, Mike Martin
Heat #2 – Robbie Patterson, Don Boron, Sr., Gary Hoopingarner, Josh Moss, Waylon Orr
Feature – Don Boron, Jr., Rich Schweitzer, Bill Shimko, Teddy Oliver, Nick Harmon, Don Boron, Sr., Waylon Orr, Robbie Patterson, Kyle Anders, Mike Martin, Gary Hoopingarner, Austin Harvey, Josh Moss, Vince Martin
Midvale Speedway Mini Trucks
Top Qualifier – Dennis Garrett, III 18.095
Heat – Justin Badgett, Troy Campbell
Feature – Justin Badgett, Cody Collmar, Dennis Garrett, III
Midvale Speedway Compacts
Top Qualifier – Jake Albright 18.462
Heat #1 – Steven Feister, Mike Swaney, Jeffrey Orr, Jake Albright, Anthony Vasilliu
Heat #2 – Jason Shaw, Tim Frederick, Donnie Leggett, III, Bob Schneider, Jr., Larry Ennis
Heat #3 – Leeza Moore, Kyle Finlayson, Laney Striejewske, Mitchell Ujcich, Josh Roberts
Feature #1 – Bob Schneider, Jr., Jesse Patterson, Jeffrey Orr, Tim Frederick, Jake Albright, Mike Swaney, Steven Feister, Clayton Oliver, Allen Clark, Bill Jane, Anthony Vasilliu, Jason Shaw
Feature #2 – Donnie Leggett, III, Ryan Shreffler, Kyle Finlayson, Laney Striejewske, Larry Ennis, Josh Roberts, Derek Johns, Mitchell Ujcich, Jason Yohn
Midvale Speedway Funpacts (Big Road Course)
Top Qualifier – Blaine Salsberry 25.297
Heat – Blaine Salsberry, Gary Gibson, Chris Bloom, Kohlten Bryan, Dan Buckey
Feature – Blaine Salsberry, Dan Buckey, Kohlten Bryan, Howard Bartholow, Chris Paul, Chris Bloom, Gary Gibson, Cameron Walker