By Gerry Keysor,Jan Dunlap photo
August 27, 2011
With great weather in the area, and a great field of cars, Waynesfield Raceway Park was back in action for the next to last night of the season. The competition level was high with points chases coming down to the wire, and teams looking to make a statement at the end of the season.
Racing legend Jack Hewitt was on hand with his 2 seat sprint car, and his son Cody was entered into competition in the Kent Wolters owned #1 Non Wing Sprint Car. Cody had not been in a race since an accident left him without his right arm. Cody proved his mettle, staying out of trouble and finishing the feature, hopefully earning a future chance at a weekly ride.
Kicking off feature action were the Performance Powder Coating 1000cc Mini Sprints. Nick Daugherty made it 2 in row in the PPC sponsored #7R. #4L Jeff Long and Daugherty led the field to green, but it was #7 Drew Pollack shooting out to the lead from his 4th starting spot at the start of the race. Pollack immediately pulled out to a sizeable lead over Daugherty, but would be slowed by caution on lap 3 for the spinning #63 machine of Dallas Hunt. On the restart, it looked like Pollack would set sail again, but the motor would expire on lap #4, dropping oil and parts, bringing out the caution once again. Daugherty would inherit the lead and appeared to be on an easy run to a 2nd straight win, but #55 Rob Winks began closing in after a lap 8 red flag for #47 Garry Loney and #74 Drew Rader, who both got upside down in turn 4. On lap 13, Winks made his move, but contact with the #7R would send him spinning, and to the tail as the caution waved a final time. In the end, it was Daugherty winning over #24L Lee Underwood, #23 Devon Dobie, #22b Brad Racer, and #328 Becca Stiefel.
Next up were the Post AgriService UMP Modifieds. Matt Westfall picked up his first Waynesfield UMP Modified victory of 2011, and his 2nd overall win after picking up a win at Millstream Speedway in Findlay Ohio earlier in the season. Matt was dominant early, but several cautions allowed the field to close in on multiple occasions, but no one could do anything with Matt on the restarts, as the Pleasant Hill, Ohio native would win over #5x Jerry Bowersock, #45P Brian Post, #52 Weasel Phlipot, and #67 Eddie Shaner.
Up third on the racing program were the Dave’s Reliable Motors Tough Trucks. #1w Matt Twining used his starting spot inside row 2 to his advantage, getting out front early and picking up another win for the Weasel Racing team. The racing was hot and heavy throughout the race from 2nd to 8th, and as it finally shook out, it was #25G Gabe Twining finishing 2nd, with #71 Chris Hicks 3rd, #1x Jerry Butler 4th, and points leader #33 Mike Hicks completing the top 5.
The S&H Nerfs Non Wing Sprint Cars would take to the highbanked 1/3 mile clay oval next. Ione, California’s Justin Grant picked up the win in exciting fashion in the Mark Hery owned #40. Cody Hewitt was on the pole for the 20 lap A Main, and would bring the field down for a great looking 4 abreast parade lap before the feature got started. Justin Grant took off from outside the front row and led the first 18 laps without incident, making great moves in lapped traffic, but Matt Westfall was closing the gap in the Simon Racing #22s. Caution would wave just as the battle for the lead started to catch fire, giving the fans a chance to catch their breath and get ready for a 2 lap dash to the finish. As the race resumed, Westfall got a great run on Grant through turns 1 and 2 and set on the backstretch to throw a huge turn 3 and 4 slide job, but Grant was not fazed at all, crossing over and taking the lead back at the white flag. Westfall tried to gather the momentum to try again in the final 2 corners, but Grant had enough of an advantage to thwart Matt’s charge, and win the $1000 winners prize, sponsored by Lima Auto Mall. Westfall came home 2nd, officially clinching the 2011 S&H Nerfs Non Wing Sprint Car Championship. #5J Joss Moffatt was 3rd, #2H Dallas Hewitt finished 4th, and Dustin Smith completed the top 5 in the Lee’s Hydraulics #37k.
Waynesfield Raceway Park will complete its season next Saturday September 3rd with all 6 classes in action. Points chases are still in full force in 5 of the 6 divisions, and it will be all out war to see who can seal the deal and become a champion. Also, the ladies will take part in a “powder puff” race sponsored by Dad’s Complete Car Care. Ladies, if you know someone with a tough truck, let them know you’d like to give it a run next Saturday night in what promises to be a very entertaining night of racing action. We will have lots of giveaways and goodies, so don’t miss out! Pit Gates open at 4PM, Grandstand Gates open at 5PM. Hot laps at 6PM, and Racing at 7PM. See you next Saturday at Ohio’s Home of Weekly Non Wing Racing, Waynesfield Raceway Park!
S&H Nerfs Non Wing Sprints (30 Cars)
[#]-Starting Position
Heat 1 – Heat 1 (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 5J-Joss Moffatt[2] ; 2. 34-Luke Hall[3] ; 3. 40-Justin Grant[10] ; 4. 2H-Dallas Hewitt[6] ; 5. 97-Devon Dobie[4] ; 6. 48-Tommy Kerce[7] ; 7. 3-Mark Irwin[1] ; 8. 21-Travis Hery[8] ; 9. 43G-Rob Guy[9] ; 10. 18B-Jamie Davis[5]
Heat 2 – Heat 2 (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 37K-Dustin Smith[3] ; 2. 14C-Andy Conley[2] ; 3. 1-Cody Hewitt[1] ; 4. 32M-Derek Hastings[7] ; 5. 9N-Jon Nelson[4] ; 6. 23S-Kyle Simon[8] ; 7. 14-Chad Wilson[10] ; 8. 21H-Tyler Hewitt[9] ; 9. 42-Rick Horne[5] ; 10. 7-Tim Calicoat[6]
Heat 3 – Heat 3 (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 31M-Tom Rhoades[1] ; 2. 22S-Matt Westfall[7] ; 3. WEE3-Wesley Gordon[2] ; 4. 24-Landon Simon[6] ; 5. O-Steve Irwin[4] ; 6. 31-Chuck Wilson[5] ; 7. 7R-Nic Rogers[3] ; 8. 82-Mike Miller[9] ; 9. 8C-Lewie Christian[8] ; 10. 37-Brad Powley[10]
B-Main – (10 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 23S-Kyle Simon[2] ; 2. 48-Tommy Kerce[1] ; 3. 14-Chad Wilson[5] ; 4. 31-Chuck Wilson[3] ; 5. 21H-Tyler Hewitt[8] ; 6. 82-Mike Miller[9] ; 7. 7R-Nic Rogers[6] ; 8. 21-Travis Hery[7] ; 9. 8C-Lewie Christian[12] ; 10. 37-Brad Powley[15] ; 11. 42-Rick Horne[11] ; 12. 7-Tim Calicoat[14] ; 13. 43G-Rob Guy[10] ; 14. 3-Mark Irwin[4] ; 15. 18B-Jamie Davis[13]
A-Main – (20 Laps)
1. 40-Justin Grant[2]; 2. 22S-Matt Westfall[3]; 3. 5J-Joss Moffatt[8]; 4. 2H-Dallas Hewitt[10]; 5. 37K-Dustin Smith[7]; 6. 34-Luke Hall[5]; 7. 31M-Tom Rhoades[6]; 8. 32M-Derek Hastings[11]; 9. 97-Devon Dobie[13]; 10. O-Steve Irwin[15]; 11. WEE3-Wesley Gordon[9]; 12. 23S-Kyle Simon[16]; 13. 24-Landon Simon[12]; 14. 9N-Jon Nelson[14]; 15. 14-Chad Wilson[18]; 16. 21H-Tyler Hewitt[20]; 17. 48-Tommy Kerce[17]; 18. 1-Cody Hewitt[1]; 19. 31-Chuck Wilson[19]; 20. 14C-Andy Conley[4]
Hard Charger: 2H-Dallas Hewitt[+6]