From Williams Grove Speedway
Mechanicsburg, PA — (July 10, 2011) — Travis Mease, from Harrisburg, Pa., picked the right night to win the biggest race of his career. Driving the family-owned No. 116 Mease won the first running of the Superior Homes – Palmer Automotive Topless 30 for the 358 Late Models. In one of the best 358 Late Model races to be held at Williams Grove Speedway, Mease withstood the constant challenges of veterans Gene Knaub and Bobby Beard.
Chase Billet took over the lead at the start of the 30-lap 358 Late Model feature. Travis Mease, the fourth place starter, was in the runner-up position by the end of lap two. On the next circuit of the Williams Grove Speedway half-mile, Mease passed Billet at the exit of turn two.
Following a lap six restart, Mease had 358 Late Model Tattooed Mom’s point leader Gene Knaub in second place. While the duo of Mease and Knaub drove away from the field, Bobby Beard, the eighth place starter, captured third.
Mease and Knaub began a relentless side-by-side battle for the lead. Knaub was running the very bottom of the speedway while Mease was running mid-track. While Mease and Knaub were in their battle for the lead, Bobby Beard quickly caught the leaders. The race became a three-car fight for first. Beard and Knaub swapped second place several times with Mease just one-length in front.
Caution flags on lap 28 and 29 set up a final lap charge for the win. Knaub dove inside Mease in turns one and two. Mease held a slight edge on the backstretch. In the final turns, Knaub drove under the leader. Mease won the race to the finish line and was victorious by two-lengths over Knaub. The win was worth $1,200 for Mease. Bobby Beard finished a close third. A post-race inspection found illegal fuel in the Beard entry and his third place finish was taken away. Charlie Schaffer finished in third with D.J. Mease in fourth and Jared Miller taking fifth.
Gene Knaub had fast time in time trials with a time of 21.748. He won $200 from Miller’s Racing Parts for his fast time. The heat wins for the 30-car field went to Travis Mease, Wes Alleman and D.J. Mease. Pat Beard won the consolation race.
Steve Clabaugh won the $250 Hard Charger Award from H&H Racing Equipment. Travis McClelland received a new Hoosier tire from HTMA while Steve Clabaugh collected a new American Racer tire from American Racer. Steve Billet won the $200 Hard Luck Award from J&T Fabrication. Derrike Zirkle received a new transmission courtesy of Bert Racing Transmissions. Race winner Travis Mease earned a $200 certificate from Speedwrapz Custom Decals and Apparel.
The 25-lap Blazer’s Body Shop Super Sportsman feature was less dramatic. John Garman started on the pole and took over the lead. While Garman stretched his lead to 12-lengths, Eric Walker, Russ Mitten and John Wolfe were having a battle for second. Frankie Herr, the seventh place starter, joined the fight for second. On the seventh lap, Herr captured second place.
Within two laps, Garmen’s big lead went from 12-lengths to just four. On lap ten Herr went to the outside lanes in turns one and two. The Carlisle driver passed Garmen as they raced down the backstretch.
The only caution flag of the race was on lap 19. Following the restart Russ Mitten captured second place. Mitten kept Herr within striking range but could not catch the fast-running lead car. Herr won the feature by five-lengths over Mitten, Carmen Perigo Jr., John Garmen and Rich Eichelberger. Scott Dellinger, the eighth place finisher, won the Hard Charger money from Anchor Industrial Supply.
John Garmen, Jay Fannasy and Eric Walker won the heat races for the 30-car field. The consolation went to Scott Dellinger.
David Walsh won his first 2011 Newville Construction Services Street Stock feature. Walsh took over the lead at the start. The top five of Walsh, Greg Diehl, Pat McNeal, Sam Rial and John Greider were racing in a tight pack. That fight for the lead came to a halt on lap 12 due to a fire in the Bob Gutshall entry. Gutshall was not hurt.
After the restart, Sam Rial captured second place. With two laps remaining Rial was even with the leader. Walsh had a slight edge on the final lap. David Walsh had a strong run off turn four and won by two lengths over Rial. Greg Diehl, John Greider and Dustin Hollinger trailed the lead duo. Sam Rial won the hard charger money from Anchor Industrial Supply.
Paul Morgan and Doug Hoffman won the qualifying races for the 20-car Street Stock field.
358 Late Model results:
1. Travis Mease, 2. Gene Knaub, 3. Charlie Schaffer, 4. DJ Mease, 5. Jared Miller, 6. Jake Jones, 7. Matt Nailor, 8. Steve Clabaugh, 9. Bernie Beard, 10. Carl Graves, 11. Charles Potts, 12. Pat Beard, 13. Pancho Lawler, 14. Todd Leonard, 15. John Ebersole, 16. Derrike Zirkle, 17. Ralph Morgan Jr., 18. Wes Alleman, 19. Chase Billet, 20. Roy Miller, 21. Travis McClelland, 22. Randy Croop, 23. Grant Adams, 24. Rodney Walls, DQ Bobby Beard DNQ: Jason Rochelle, Tommy Blackwell, Steve Billet, Kevin Cooke, Rance Garlock
Super Sportsman results:
1. Frankie Herr, 2. Russ Mitten, 3. Carmen Perigo Jr., 4. John Garman, 5. Rich Eichelberger, 6. Bobby Hockenberry, 7. Eric Walker, 8. Scott Dellinger, 9. John Wolfe, 10. Cody Fairchok, 11. Dave Socks III, 12. Mike Enders, 13. Scott Geesey, 14. Gary Johnston II, 15. Nat Tuckey, 16. Jim Shuster, 17. Steve Wilbur, 18. Jared Miller, 19. Duaine Smith, 20. Tom Wyckoff, 21. Jay Fannasy, 22. LeRoy Martin, 23. John Stoner, 24. Jason Fry DNQ: Dave Berkheimer, Rick Barr, Chris Meleason, Lanny Hake, Daryl Sheaffer, Paul Miller
Street Stocks results:
1. David Walsh, 2. Sam Rial, 3. Greg Diehl, 4. John Greider, 5. Dustin Hollinger, 6. Pat McNeal, 7. Doug Hoffman, 8. Craig Morgan, 9. Paul Morgan, 10. Kevin Wirt, 11. Walt Lemmon, 12. Charles Rupert, 13. Lori Croop, 14. Bob Gutshall, 15. Kevin Sigler, 16. Jim Gross, 17. Chris Heller, 18. Carl Biddle, 19. Adam Gutshall DNS: Ed Halter