By Mike Leone
(Strongstown, PA)…One week ago 23 Sprint Cars had gathered at Dog Hollow Speedway for the second annual “Connor Bobik Memorial” presented by Townsend Gas & Oil only to see rain hit an hour an half before race time postponing the event. Much better weather greeted racers and fans alike on Sunday for the rescheduled event as a record 29 Sprint Cars filled the pits along with a full card of the ULMS Super Late Models and FASTRAK Late Models.
While Danny Dietrich has stole the headlines for much of 2012 in central Pennsylvania winning World of Outlaw and All Star Sprint events as well as leading the Lincoln Speedway points, on Sunday night it was brother Billy putting on a dominating performance leading wire-to-wire in the 25-lap $3,000 to-win “410” feature.
The former “358” Sprint Car star has bounced back and forth between the divisions throughout his racing career, but switched back to the “410s” full-time in 2012. On April 28, Billy picked up his first career “410” feature win on a rainy Saturday night at Lincoln. Fast forward about three months and Dietrich was back in victory lane, only this time on the other side of the state for his second career “410” win.
“This is a change of pace for us,” acknowledged the Aspers, Pa. racer. “This is a pretty neat place. It’s great to see the grandstands full. I want to thank Jim (Michny) for putting this show on. The key was starting up front. I’m not sure if I could have won from mid-pack. I have to thank all of my guys for helping out. We go race-to-race so hopefully we can come back in August.”
After charging from sixth to finish second in his heat race to Danny Holtgraver, Dietrich redraw the number one starting spot and took off in the lead. Kevin Schaeffer had a great start using the outside to power by central Pa. racers Bob Howard and Daryl Stimeling for second on the opening lap.
Dietrich began to pull away, while the battle was on for second. On lap six, Stimeling pulled alongside Schaeffer, but couldn’t make the pass. Dietrich caught lapped traffic on lap eight, but a caution for a spin by Brent Matus gave Dietrich a clear track for the restart. It was a tough break for Stimeling, who had just got under Schaeffer to try to take second away.
Dan Kuriger was on the move using the outside to make his way forward from the 12th starting spot. When racing resumed, Kuriger stayed on the outside and drove around both Johnny Mackison, Jr. and Howard to grab fourth on lap 11. Three cautions slowed action between laps 11 and 12 including a red flag for Steve Kenawell, who got upside down in turn four. He was okay.
When green replaced yellow, Dietrich took off and extended his lead on the long green flag run as Schaeffer and Stimeling continued to go at it for second. Meanwhile, Kuriger had his hands full trying to hold off Mackison and 16th starting Carl Bowser. On lap 18, Stimeling was all over Schaeffer, and appeared to have the pass made on lap 19, but once again a caution foiled his attempt. Scott Lutz had spun into the infield and was too close to the speedway necessitating the event’s final caution.
The last six laps went caution-free as Dietrich went unchallenged to the victory in the family-owned Racers New and Used Auto Parts Warehouse-sponsored, Hoosier Tire-shod #8. For the second straight year, Schaeffer scored a podium finish; this time beating last year’s third place with a runner-up worth $1,800 in his family-owned #9. Schaeffer and Stimeling had battled it out for the entire 25-lap duration renewing their battles from days gone by at The Challenger Raceway and Port Royal Speedway.
“We went with the Goodyear-spec tire,” explained Schaeffer of Kittanning, Pa. “It was a lot of fun to race with Daryl.”
Stimeling earned $1,400 for finishing third and joined Dietrich and Schaffer in victory lane on the frontstretch. “This is the first time I’ve ever been here,” stated the Lewistown, Pa. driver. “It’s a racey little place and I had a lot of fun racing with Kevin. You know you can race him clean and run as hard as you can without having to worry about anything.”
Kuriger improved on his 10th place effort from one year ago with a solid fourth for $1,100 holding off “PA Posse” veteran Johnny Mackison, who earned $1,000. After slipping back early on, Holtgraver came on at the end to claim sixth after passing Bowser for the spot on lap 20 to beat last year’s disappointing seventh. Holtgraver was fresh off a stellar performance on Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway’s Don Martin Memorial “Silver Cup”, where he charged from 19th to finish second in feature one against the World of Outlaws and 19th to 10th in the second feature.
Last year’s winner, Rod George, made a great effort just to compete on Sunday. George bent his frame in an accident Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park. George borrowed Steve Lucas’ #99x “305” Sprint and put his “410” under the hood to finish seventh. Andy McKisson came from 13th to finish eighth. New Jersey racer Davey Sammons was ninth after starting 15th in his first ever appearance. Bowser lost four spots following the final restart to finish 10th, but still earned $500.
Hunter and Johnny Mackison along with Kuriger and Holtgraver picked up the four heat race victories, while Brent Matus captured the B main. Logan Schuchart, Marty Perovich, and Jack Sodeman, Jr. were unable to return this week meaning 32 different Sprints were on hand between the two nights. Schuchart was competing with the World of Outlaws, while the Australian Perovich went on the road with the All Stars. Sodeman suffered engine woes the night before at Mercer and is just recently a new father.
Sammy Stile won his career first ULMS event worth $4,000 in the Super Late Models, while Mike Laughard won his fourth of the season in the FASTRAK Late Models and picked up $1,000 in companion action Sunday night.
“410” Sprint Car Feature (25 laps): 1. BILLY DIETRICH (8) $3,000 2. Kevin Schaeffer (9) $1,800 3. Daryl Stimeling (30) $1,400 4. Dan Kuriger (08) $1,100 5. Johnny Mackison, Jr. (65) $1,000 6. Danny Holtgraver (D4) $900 7. Rod George (Lucas 99x) $800 8. Andy McKisson (0) $700 9. Davey Sammons (Chemidlin 747) $600 10. Carl Bowser (10) $500 11. Bob Howard (49) $400 12. Pete Miller III (3) $375 13. Brandon Spithaler (22) $350 14. Brandon Matus (13) $340 15. Hunter Mackison (95) $335 16. Russ Sansosti (23s) $330 17. Bill Jones, Jr. (12J) $325 18. Ryan Lynn (26) $320 19. Brent Matus (33) $315 20. Scott Lutz (McGuire 33) $300 21. Steve Kenawell (17K) $300 22. Brian Walker (38s) $300 23. Dan Shetler (7K) $300 24. Joe Zap (3z) $300.
B Main (8 laps/4 transfer): 1. Brent Matus 2. Dan Shetler 3. Steve Kenawell 4. Justin Zap 5. Bob McMillin (5) $100 6. Billy Eash (3E) $100 7. Francis Sesco (2s) $100 8. Jim Kennedy (7) $100 DNS: Jimmy Seger (25) $100.
Heat 1 (8 laps/5 transfer): 1. Hunter Mackison 2. Kevin Schaeffer 3. Daryl Stimeling 4. Andy McKisson 5. Scott Lutz 6. Jimmy Seger 7. Steve Kenawell 8. Jim Kennedy.
Heat 2 (8 laps/5 transfer): 1. Johnny Mackison, Jr. 2. Rod George 3. Pete Miller III 4. Brian Walker 5. Ryan Lynn 6. Bob McMillin 7. Francis Sesco.
Heat 3 (8 laps/5 transfer): 1. Dan Kuriger 2. Russ Sansosti 3. Bob Howard 4. Davey Sammons 5. Brandon Matus 6. Brent Matus 7. Dan Shetler.
Heat 4 (8 laps/5 transfer): 1. Danny Holtgraver 2. Billy Dietrich 3. Brandon Spithaler 4. Carl Bowser 5. Bill Jones, Jr. 6. Billy Eash 7. Justin Zap.
The “410” Sprint Cars will return on Sunday, August 19 for their second and final appearance of the season at Dog Hollow in another $3,000 to-win event.
Dog Hollow Speedway is a 4/10-mile dirt track located 3.5 miles north of Route 422 in Strongstown, PA at 76 Hamill Road, Northern Cambria, PA 15714. For more information on Dog Hollow, check out their website at www.dog-hollow.net or call 814-948-4252 814-948-4252 . The track number on race day is 814-948-6812 814-948-6812 .
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