Three Familiar Faces, Two New Faces in Victory Lane at Hummingbird Speedway

Chris Rossetti

Chris Rossetti

Published July 19, 2017 4:18 am
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REYNOLDSVILLE, Pa. — Three familiar faces returned to victory lane while two drivers picked up their first wins of 2017 on Saturday night at Hummingbird Speedway in Reynoldsville.

(Photo: Tim Steis’ No. 45 car ended up in victory lane Saturday at Hummingbird. Submitted photo)

John Lee of Mahaffey, Chris Farrell of Clearfield, and Tim Steis of St. Marys each claimed victory for the third time this year, while Bruce Hartzfeld of Rockton and Randy Albert of Morrisdale made their first appearance in victory lane in 2017.

The Swanson Heavy Duty Truck Repair Semi-Late Models were the first to hit the track for the evening.

Lee got a quick jump on the field to begin the race.

Nick Erskine, also of Mahaffey, provided an early challenge to Lee with a few looks to the inside in the early stages of the 20-lap feature event.

There were several early battles throughout the field, and Erskine kept his sights on Lee until a caution flag flew on lap eight.

Lee chose the outside line on each double-file restart, and his groove allowed him to put a five-car-length lead on Erskine as the crossed flags came out, signaling halfway.

After starting in the 13th position, Doug Surra of Kersey quietly moved up into fourth place after the halfway mark.

A late restart allowed Nick Loffredo of Avis to get a run on Erskine and take away the second spot. Surra also worked his way by Erskine and challenged Loffredo for second. Loffredo managed to hold his ground and fend off a hard-charging Surra, but Lee walked away with his third win of the season, followed by Loffredo, Surra, Erskine and Matt Howell. Heat winners were Surra, Erskine and Todd English.

Hartzfeld grabbed the early lead in the Street Stock division, but Rich Howell of Clearfield quickly utilized the inside lane to take it away in the opening laps.

Hartzfeld kept his machine well within striking distance trying to reclaim the lead with Brandon Connor looking to get in on the action from the third spot.

A couple of early yellow flags worked to the advantage of last week’s double-feature winner, Fuzzy Fields, as he worked his way by his teammate, Brian Rhed, to move into fourth by lap five.

Connor looked high and low to get by Hartzfeld and was unsuccessful.

Fields began to challenge the top three cars and managed to pull alongside Connor and eventually made the pass for third.

Hartzfeld managed to reel Howell back in with some help from lapped traffic, but Fields had pulled alongside him to set up a side-by-side battle for second.

Hartzfeld managed to fend off Fields and also capture the lead from Howell.

Fields didn’t let up as he also got by Howell, and a late-race caution reset the field with two laps remaining.

On the final restart, Fields immediately made a move on the leader, and the two battled door-to-door for the final two circuits.

It looked like Fields had the advantage coming down the back straightaway, but Hartzfeld had all of the momentum coming out of turn four and was able to hold a car-length advantage over Fields to claim his first feature win of the season. Howell, Connor and Rhed rounded out the top five. Hartzfeld, Howell, and Fields also won their heats.

Bernie Whiteford of Hastings and Jason Witherite of Luthersburg led the BWP Bat Late Models onto the track for the night’s third feature event.

Derek Rodkey and Farrell got the early advantage on the start with Rodkey taking the early lead.

Farrell found an opening on the inside of Rodkey and was able to find enough traction to move into the lead by lap three. A mishap involving several cars led to a lengthy caution flag and a single-file restart. After the restart, Steve Scaife challenged Rodkey for second and Scott Alvetro of Reynoldsville also joined the party in a three-way battle for the second position. Farrell pulled away from the pack, while Scaife and Rodkey also pulled away from Alvetro at the halfway mark.

Scaife and Rodkey raced door-to-door for several laps.

Rodkey was running mostly on the outside but eventually captured second using the inner groove.

Points-leader Denny Fenton had worked his way into the top-five and had just gotten by Alvetro but a mechanical failure forced him to the pit area ending his night.

Jeremy Ohl also worked his way by Alvetro and overcame Rodkey for the second position.

Farrell held onto a comfortable lead as he went onto win his third of the year, with Ohl, Rodkey, Alvetro and Witherite rounding out the top five. Scaife, Farrell, Rodkey, and Witherite picked up the heat wins.

Eric Lucas of Phillipsburg and Zach Gustafson of Weedville led the Sunny 106.5 Pure Stocks onto the racing surface for the fourth feature event of the evening.

As usual, the competitors of the aforementioned division broke out into a fierce battle for position right at the drop of flagman Bob Connor’s green flag.

An early three-wide battle for the lead ensued and Steis eventually came out of the melee with the lead.

Last week’s winner, Josh Fields of Brockport, started 13th but navigated his machine into fifth coming up the halfway point of the race.

However, he pulled his car to the infield with a mechanical failure ending his run and also retiring him for the evening.

While Steis continued to lead the way, Dustin Challingsworth of St. Marys and newcomer, Kevin Van Amburg, battled side-by-side for a number of laps. The competitors came out of turn four and the two ended up making contact forcing Van Amburg into the front-stretch wall and forcing him to retire for the evening.

Lucas and Gustafson found themselves battling for the second spot while Steis enjoyed a comfortable lead in the closing laps. Steis went onto win with Gustafson taking back second, followed by Lucas, Challinsworth and Al Rishel rounding out the top five. Heat race winners on the evening were Steis and Fields.

The Aaron’s of DuBois Four Cylinders were the fifth and final event of the evening.

Jimmy Ogden and Eric Luzier, both of Clearfield, made up the front row to take the green flag.

Aaron Luzier of Olanta quickly got by Ogden to join Eric Luzier and challenge him for the lead.

A couple of early cautions kept the field bunched up and the Luziers continued to wage a continuous battle for first.

A three-wide battle for third broke out with Jim Fye of Reynoldsville making his case and working his way into the top three.

After a rough start to the evening, Albert managed to pick apart the field of cars and work his way into the top five at the halfway mark.

The Luziers continued to lead the way with Albert looking to find some traction on the outside of Fye.

Albert got the run he needed to take the third spot away, and a a caution reset the field and set up a single-file restart.

Albert looked to the outside lane once again to make a move on Eric Luzier for second with just two circuits remaining.

Aaron Luzier was leading the field around for the checkered flag but a fire under the hood of Mike Mayhew forced the race under a red flag before the checkered flag could be brought out. While the cars were preparing to take the green for the one-lap shootout, Aaron Luzier’s car was unable to restart forcing him to the pits and gifting Albert with the lead on the final restart.

Albert held onto the lead into the final circuit and was followed to the line by Fye, Ogden, Eric Luzier and Daniel Clark. Eric and Aaron Luzier were the heat race winners.

Five-division racing will return to action Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with gates opening at 4:30 p.m..

Results:

Swanson Heavy Duty Truck Repair Semi-Lates:

1st) #5L Jon Lee, Mahaffey
2nd) #9N Nick Loffredo, Avis
3rd) #3xAA Doug Surra, Kersey
4th) #5x Nick Erskine, Mahaffey
5th) #8 Matt Howell, Wallaceton
6th) #1 B.J. Hudson, Clearfield
7th) #7 Neil Wilson Jr, Clearfield
8th) #28 Joe Leighey, Clearfield
9th) #7L Curtis Lias, Dayton
10th) #92 Josh Henry, Clearfield
11th) #22 Coary Folmer, Marion Center
12th) #15W Casey Wolfe, Penfield
13th) #44 Jim Challingsworth, St. Marys
14th) #7-11 Todd “Turtle” English
15th) #39 Steve Dickson, West Decatur
16th) #68 Don Henry, Falls Creek
DNS) #77k Kip Charles, Clearfield

Street Stocks

1st) #101 Bruce Hartzfeld, Rockton
2nd) #28 Fuzzy Fields, Brockway
3rd) #3 Rich Howell, Clearfield
4th) #T-3 Brandon Connor, Rockton
5th) #69R Brian Rhed, Brockport
6th) #1s Kyle Shannon, Dubois
7th) #M-21 “Couchman” Bill Huntington
8th) #2 Cregen Brady, Hyde
9th) 43b Pernell Beimel, St Marys
10th) 37A Jim “Animal” Bloom, Curwensville
11th) #21 Mark Clark, Lanse
12th) #64 Allen English, Morrisdale
13th) #42 Josh Retorick, Morrisdale
14th) #20 George Bailey, Clearfield
DNS) #22 Sammy Swauger, Reynoldsville
DNS) #43w Kristin Wileman, St Marys
DNS) #50B Ron Boardman, Wattsburg

BWP Bats Late Models:

1st) #53 Chris Farrell, Clearfield
2nd) #5J Jeremy Ohl, Jersey Shore
3rd) #14R Derek Rodkey, Osceola Mills
4th) #64 Scott Alvetro, Reynoldsville
5th) #24M Jason Witherite, Luthersburg
6th) #25, Dylan Fenton, Clearfield
7th) #747 Roswell Babcock, Curwensville
8th) #21 Gary “Bear” Stitt, Marion Center
9th) #55 Denny Fenton, Clearfield
10th) #5R Jerry Redden, Mahaffey
11th) #3H Shawn Hadden, Punxsutawney
12th) #SR1 Tom Shaffer, Punxsutawney
13th) #3H Shawn Hadden, Punxsutawney
14th) #78 Brian Molnar, Falls Creek
15th) #71x Orvis Newcome III, Punxsutawney
16th) #211T Rich Wicker, Mahaffey
17th) #1B Dwayne Brooks, Falls Creek
18th) #36 Paul Kot, Brockway
19th) #44 Dan Smeal, Houtzdale
20th) #33 Bernie Whiteford, Hastings
21st) #02W Josh Whetstone, Sandy Ridge
22nd) #1s Rod Phillips, Punxsutawney
DNS) #13 Jamie Barber, Grampian
DQ) #7s Steve Scaife, Phillipsburg

Sunny 106.5 Pure Stocks

1st) #45 Tim Steis, St Marys
2nd) #93 Zack Gustavson, Weedville
3rd) #8L Eric Lucas, Philipsburg
4th) #46 Dustin Challingsworth, St Marys
5th) #14R Al Rishel, Jersey Shore
6th) #17k Kylee Brown, Eldred
7th) #5B Sam Brink
8th) #8* Kevin Van Amburg, Lock Haven
9th) #78 Josh Fields, Brockport
10th) #516
11th) #81 Steven Brugmann, DuBois
12th) #27 Dennis Hathaway, Portville, NY
13th) #71s Richard Herman, Osceola Mills
DNS) Mike Anderson, Dubois

Aaron’s of Dubois FWD 4-Cylinders

1st) #17 Randy Albert, Morrisdale
2nd) #4F Jim Fye, Reynoldsville
3rd) #21 Jimmy Ogden, Clearfield
4th) #6 Eric Luzier, Clearfield
5th) #7 Daniel Clark, DuBois
6th) #11L Ryan Lippert, Clearfield
7th) #5L Aaron Luzier, Olanta
8th) #92A Anthony Sones, Hyde
9th) #11 Jim Boyer, Penfield
10th) #4 Cody Stover, Lock Haven
11th) #358 Zack Frantz, Luthersburg
12th) #3 Mike “Puppy Hunter” Mayhew
13th) #13 Ryan Miller, Howard
14th) #31 Roy Orndorf, Beech Creek
15th) #420 Jess McClure, Luthersburg
DNS) #326 Dylan Frantz, Luthersburg
DNS) #52

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