By Paul Harkenrider
(Ransomville, NY) Chuck Hebing made it look easy Friday night at the Ransomville Speedway scoring his first Patriot Sprint Tour win of the 2017 season over Ryan Susice and Kyle Drum.
Coming off his first ever win last week at Orange County Fair Speedway, Jordan Thomas would bring the field to the green along side Hebing. However, Hebing fired before Thomas in the starters box drawing a yellow and would subsequently be penalized two spots.
Thomas would take the lead on the first two laps and despite being docked two positions, Hebing wasted no time pressuring him for the race lead. On lap three, Hebing would take the high side and power around Thomas to take the lead.
Also wasting no time getting to the front was Kyle Drum, who started seventh and was up to third by lap three. Drum would battle Thomas for the runner up spot for next six laps prior to a caution that involved Josh Azzi spinning on the top of turn three on lap eight.
Hebing would lead Thomas, Drum, Ryan Susice, and Scott Just to the green on the ensuing restart. On lap 11, Drum was finally able to get by Thomas to take the runner up spot, and Susice was able get by Thomas to grab third.
A strong battle for the fifth spot continued between point Leader, Jared Zimbardi, Steve Collins and Darryl Ruggles. Unfortunately for Ruggles, his night would end early on lap 14 due to a mechanical failure pulling into the infield.
With Hebing continuing to pull away, a very tight contest inside the top five continued between both Drum and Susice with Jared Zimbardi not too far behind. Susice would grab second but the battle between Zimbardi and Drum went to the final turn with Drum just barely holding off his brother in law securing the final podium spot.
No driver had anything for the Cobra and he was able to pick up first PST win of the season over Susice, Drum, Zimbardi and Jordan Thomas the top five.
Steve Collins would start third but would continue to fall back in position throughout the 25 lap A-Main going home with a seventh-place finish. Josh Azzi took home his first Evingham Site Excavation Dash win of the season.
Sammy Reakes IV had a very slow start to the night sustaining heavy front end damage during his qualifying heat, he would come home with a sixth-place run and earn him the Casey’s Truck Salvage ‘Salvage of the Night’ award. Derek Jonathan would take the Prestige Pool & Spa final finisher award and Pete Richardson would take the Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing 11th place bonus.
The Patriots make up an event at the Mercer Raceway Park tonight part Bonnell’s Collison Center Western Weekend which pays $4,000 to win and $325 to start. Be sure to visit www.patriotsprinttour.com and to like ‘Patriot Sprint Tour’ on facebook and follow @PatriotSprints at twitter and Instagram.
The Patriot Sprint Tour recognizes the following marketing partners for the 2017 season: A-Verdi Storage Containers, Hoosier Racing Tires, Prestige Pool & Spa, Einstein Construction Group, Bonnell’s Auto Group, Evingham Site Excavation, Fine Touch Collision, Mike Emhof Motorsports Inc., Super Gen Products with Champion Power Equipment, Patriot Tank Lines, Danny Willmes Enterprises, Casey’s Truck Salvage, Just Signs & Designs, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Sunoco Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing, ASI Racewear, Curtis Berleue Photography.
Patriot Sprint Tour Quick Results- Ransomville Speedway
A Main: 1) 45-CHUCK HEBING (1) 2) 18- Ryan Susice 3) 47-Kyle Drum 4) 35-Jared Zimbardi 5) 79-Jordan Thomas 6) 17-Sammy Reakes IV 7) 67-Steve Collins 8) 3-Denny Peebles 9) 54j-Scott Just 10) X-Dan Bennett 11) 67r-Pete Richardson 12) 17z-Josh Azzi 13) 25g-Tyler Graves 14) 81-Derek Jonathan 15) 48jr-Darryl Ruggles 16) 2-Steven Hutchinson Jr (DNS)
Heat 1: 1) 47-Kyle Drum 2) 67-Steve Collins 3) 18- Ryan Susice 4) 79-Jordan Thomas 5) 67r-Pete Richardson 6) 81-Derek Jonathan 7) X-Dan Bennett 8) 25g- Tyler Graves
Heat2: 1) 45-Chuck Hebing 2) 54J-Scott Just 3) 48jr-Darryl Ruggles 4) 35-Jared Zimbardi 5) 17z-Josh Azzi 6) 3-Denny Peebles 7) 2-Steven Hutchinson Jr 8) 17-Sammy Reakes IV
Evingham Site Excavation Dash: 1) 17z-Josh Azzi 2) 3-Denny Peebles 3) X-Dan Bennett 4) 67r-Pete Richardson 5) 81-Derek Jonathan
PST American Tour Standings: 1) 35- Jared Zimbardi (2030) 2) 67-Steve Collins (1995) 3) 47-Kyle Drum (1955) 4) 79-Jordan Thomas (1806) 5) 81-Derek Jonathan (1648) 6) 17z-Josh Azzi (1635) 7) 48jr-Darryl Ruggles (1337) 8) 98- Joe Trenca (1235) 9) X-Dan Bennett (1216) 10) 54J-David Just (1102) 11) 2-Steven Hutchinson Jr (980) 12) 25g-Tyler Graves (877)