By Shawn Brouse
Port Royal – Thousands of people flocked to Port Royal Speedway on Saturday night to see national sprint car stars battle for bragging rights in the 10th running of the All Star Circuit of Champions Bob Weikert Memorial and at the finish it was Pennsylvania Posse star Doug Esh of Lancaster taking home a payday worth over $12,000.
Esh bested NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, California, in a Kasey Kahne Racing mount and three-time All Stars Champion Dale Blaney of Hartford, Ohio, for the prestigious victory.
In the pro stock feature Tim Krape pocketed his second win of the season while Jason Davis picked up the enduro dash.
Qualifications for the Weikert Memorial saw five drivers bust the one lap track record set earlier this season by Mike Erdley. Prior to Erdley’s new benchmark, the record had stood since 2002.
Logan Schuchart, piloting a replica Weikert’s Livestock No. 29 sprinter, ended up setting fast time and earning $200 for the effort with a lap of 15.376 seconds.
The other four drivers under Erdley’s previous one-lap mark of 15.634 were Danny Holtgraver, Brad Sweet, Tim Shaffer and Doug Esh.
“Sweet Sensation” Brad Sweet earned the pole for the 30-lap All Stars Weikert main event and he was flanked by four time and defending All Stars titlist Tim Shaffer for the start while Cap Henry and Esh lined up in row two.
When the green flag dropped on the star-studded field, Sweet took the lead over Shaffer and Esh.
Shaffer, of Aliquippa, kept pace with Sweet until lap six when he drove into the lead, surprising many who had watched earlier as Sweet set a blistering pace in the dash.
After running the bottom early, Sweet had changed lanes abruptly to the cushion to try to stay ahead of Shaffer but ended up bobbling in the top groove instead of pulling away, allowing Shaffer to pass by before he could settle into the line.
Shaffer entered the backmarkers on the seventh circuit just after taking control while Sweet stayed close and Esh made it a three-car battle for the lead.
Esh, aboard the No. 98 sprinter, was high-flying around the top of the speedway and made impressive passes of both Sweet and Shaffer within the same lap on the ninth tour to take command.
Sweet drove by Shaffer for second a lap later and shortly after the races first yellow flag appeared for a lapped Ryan Taylor on the backstretch who had looped his car and in the process forced Tim Shaffer to spin out of third in an effort to avoid heavy contact.
The spin by Shaffer then advanced Dale Blaney to third for the restart however that was quickly called back when California’s Tim Kaeding rolled to a stop on the front chute.
Only one more lap could be completed before a yellow for defending event winner Greg Hodnett stopped the field for refueling.
At the stoppage, national pavement and dirt driving sensation Kyle Larson was already up to ninth after starting 22nd in the field.
Larson blasted by Lance Dewease and Mike Wagner when action resumed and was up to seventh and challenging Steve Buckwalter for sixth on the 16th lap when he looped the car in the fourth turn after having a piece of debris lodge in his brakes, rendering them inoperable.
Esh took off when action resumed with Sweet and Blaney in tow while Danny Lasoski drove by Cap Henry for fourth.
Esh entered traffic again with seven laps to go, allowing Sweet to begin closing in during the late stages.
In fact, Sweet really closed in during the last two laps when Esh slipped up over the cushion, first in the second corner and then again in turn four but time ran out for Sweet when the checkers unfurled over the field and a raucous crowd.
Esh took over $12,200 in total including lap money, which was posted at $100 each.
Sweet ended the night second, pleased with his run after never seeing the facility before the night’s racing. He took $500 in lap money.
Blaney raced to the line third followed by Lasoski and Henry.
Mike Wagner finished sixth followed by Lance Dewease, Jac Haudenschild, Steve Buckwalter and Blane Heimbach.
Tim Shaffer rebounded for 16th and also took home $300 in lap money.
Larson finished 17th.
Heats for the 39-car field worth $100 each in memory of Jere Reigle were taken by Buckwalter, Hodnett, Dewease and Dylan Cisney.
The $100 feature hard charger award courtesy of CRANKWERKZ went to Chad Layton who advanced a total of 11 spots to finish 13th.
Rick Lafferty took home $100 from CRANKWERKZ as the highest driver in Port Royal points who failed to qualify.
Sweet took the dash and Danny Holtgraver took the B Main.
Kyle Rapp led the first three laps of the 15-lap pro stock main before Tim Krape took over on a restart and sped to the win.
It was Krape’s second win of the season at the track.
Scott Landis took second from Rapp later in the race while Rapp ended up third.
Andrew Shoop and Keith Garman rounded out the top five.
Heats went to Krape and Garman.
Jason Davis took the lead from Bill Powell on lap 10 of the 20-lap enduro dash.
Davis had to hold off Jared Fulkroad to the finish after Fulkroad took second spot with seven laps to go.
Devin Hart finished third after starting 11th followed by Rick Adair and Austin Johnson.
2013 Bob Weikert Memorial Sponsors: Weikert’s Livestock, Fairfield, PA; TBK Installations, Fairfield, PA; Cin-Tash Properties LLC., Fairfield, PA; 21 Feeders, Allen, KS.; Holtapp Trucking, Pomeroy, IA.; DF Bryant Trucking, Fairfield, PA.; Heritage Cattle Inc., Garden City, KS.; Seth Snyder – Stone Ridge Manor, Gettysburg, PA; Flying W Express Inc., Fairfield, PA.; Nicholas Meats, Loganton, PA; Bill & Bonnie McLeod – Antelope Springs Ranch, Blackwell, TX; Puckett Livestock, Brookneal, VA.; JAB Livestock, Jersey Shore, PA.; Scott’s Body Shop, Gettysburg, PA.; Jason Roth Cattle Co., Fresno, CA.; Dennis & Teresa Roth – Roth Motorsports, Fresno, CA.; Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC., Montezuma, KS.; Minnix Cattle Company LLC., Buchanan, VA.; Folkens Brothers Hauling, Lester, IA; Steven K Bierly Trucking, Mill Hall, PA; Virginia Cattle Co. – Gary Vance, Moorefield, WV; South Branch Valley Livestock – Gary Vance, Moorefield, WV; Greencastle Livestock Market Inc., Greencastle, PA; Miller & Associates Real Estate, LLC. – Marty Miller, Gettysburg, PA; Upper Marsh Creek Farm, Orrtanna, PA; Virginia Livestock, Front Royal, VA; JW Treuth & Sons, Baltimore, MD.; Roadcap Livestock, Quicksburg, VA; S & G Express, Herndon, PA.; Wayne F. Craig & Sons Livestock, Shippensburg, PA.; Richard Grim Trucking, Gettysburg, PA; Mik Vis, Valley Springs, SD; Gary Dennis, Biglerville, PA; S & B Livestock Dealer Inc., Herndon, PA., Omaha Commodities, Omaha, NE.
April 27, 2013 finishes:
410 sprints, 39 entries:
Qualifying – Kistler Engines
1. 29-Logan Schuchart, 15.376; 2. 45-Danny Holtgraver, 15.516; 3. 49-Brad Sweet, 15.548; 4. 83-Tim Shaffer, 15.564; 5. 98-Doug Esh, 15.620; 6. 2-Dale Blaney, 15.645; 7. 83K-Tim Kaeding, 15.651; 8. 54-Cap Henry, 15.667; 9. 17B-Steve Buckwalter, 15.687; 10. 55-Mike Wagner, 15.733; 11. 11-Mike Erdley, 15.761; 12. 1Z-Danny Lasoski, 15.779; 13. 747-Davey Sammons, 15.815; 14. 13-Jason Leffler, 15.826; 15. 27-Lance Dewease, 15.875; 16. 75-Nicole Bower, 15.898; 17. 59-Jac Haudenschild, 15.901; 18. 39-Greg Hodnett, 15.914; 19. 12-Blane Heimbach, 15.917; 20. O7 i-Cliff Brian, 15.923; 21. O-Justin Henderson, 15.929; 22. 56-Nate Snyder, 15.971; 23. 20-Ryan Taylor, 15.984; 24. 5-Dylan Cisney, 15.985; 25. 1K-Kyle Larson, 15.987; 26. 18-Ryan Bohlke, 16.006; 27. O7-Mark Coldren, 16.022; 28. 44-Joey Hershey, 16.054; 29. 7K-Dan Shetler, 16.113; 30. 40-Caleb Helms, 16.123; 31. 3-Pat Cannon, 16.146; 32. 8H-Keith Kauffman, 16.154; 33. 7-Chad Layton, 16.170; 34. OL-Rick Lafferty, 16.234; 35. 52-Jim Shuster, 16.247; 36. 33-Curt Stroup, 16.255; 37. 80-Trey Gustin, 16.258; 38. 48-Danny Dietrich, 16.350; 39. 8R-Mike Ruttkamp, 17.772
Heat 1 – Kears Speed Shop (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[4] ; 2. O-Justin Henderson[1] ; 3. 98-Doug Esh[5] ; 4. 747-Davey Sammons[3] ; 5. 7-Chad Layton[9] ; 6. 29-Logan Schuchart[6] ; 7. 80-Trey Gustin[10] ; 8. 1K-Kyle Larson[7] ; 9. 7K-Dan Shetler[8] ; 10. 59-Jac Haudenschild[2]
Heat 2 – All Pro Aluminum Heads (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 39-Greg Hodnett[2] ; 2. 55-Mike Wagner[4] ; 3. 2-Dale Blaney[5] ; 4. 56-Nate Snyder[1] ; 5. 18-Ryan Bohlke[7] ; 6. 48-Danny Dietrich[10] ; 7. 13-Jason Leffler[3] ; 8. OL-Rick Lafferty[9] ; 9. 45-Danny Holtgraver[6] ; 10. 40-Caleb Helms[8]
Heat 3 – Dragon Race Fuel (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 27-Lance Dewease[3] ; 2. 12-Blane Heimbach[2] ; 3. 20-Ryan Taylor[1] ; 4. 49-Brad Sweet[6] ; 5. 83K-Tim Kaeding[5] ; 6. 3-Pat Cannon[8] ; 7. 52-Jim Shuster[9] ; 8. O7-Mark Coldren[7] ; 9. 11-Mike Erdley[4]
Heat 4 – Kinsler Fuel Injection (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 5-Dylan Cisney[1] ; 2. 1Z-Danny Lasoski[4] ; 3. 83-Tim Shaffer[6] ; 4. O7 i-Cliff Brian[2] ; 5. 54-Cap Henry[5] ; 6. 8H-Keith Kauffman[8] ; 7. 33-Curt Stroup[9] ; 8. 44-Joey Hershey[7] ; 9. 75-Nicole Bower[3]
Dash – Outerwears Performance Products (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 6 starting positions of A-feature
1. 49-Brad Sweet[1] ; 2. 83-Tim Shaffer[2] ; 3. 54-Cap Henry[3] ; 4. 98-Doug Esh[5] ; 5. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[6] ; 6. 2-Dale Blaney[4]
B-Main – MSD Ignition (12 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature)
1. 45-Danny Holtgraver[2] ; 2. 29-Logan Schuchart[1] ; 3. 1K-Kyle Larson[7] ; 4. 59-Jac Haudenschild[6] ; 5. 7K-Dan Shetler[10] ; 6. 13-Jason Leffler[4] ; 7. OL-Rick Lafferty[14] ; 8. 40-Caleb Helms[11] ; 9. O7-Mark Coldren[8] ; 10. 75-Nicole Bower[5] ; 11. 52-Jim Shuster[15] ; 12. 33-Curt Stroup[16] ; 13. 80-Trey Gustin[17] ; 14. 8H-Keith Kauffman[13] ; 15. 44-Joey Hershey[9] ; 16. 11-Mike Erdley[3]
A-Main – University of Northwestern Ohio (30 Laps)
1. 98-Doug Esh[4]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 3. 2-Dale Blaney[6]; 4. 1Z-Danny Lasoski[8]; 5. 54-Cap Henry[3]; 6. 55-Mike Wagner[7]; 7. 27-Lance Dewease[10]; 8. 59-Jac Haudenschild[14]; 9. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[5]; 10. 12-Blane Heimbach[16]; 11. O-Justin Henderson[18]; 12. 45-Danny Holtgraver[13]; 13. 7-Chad Layton[24]; 14. 83K-Tim Kaeding[11]; 15. 747-Davey Sammons[9]; 16. 83-Tim Shaffer[2]; 17. 1K-Kyle Larson[22]; 18. 5-Dylan Cisney[21]; 19. O7 i-Cliff Brian[17]; 20. 18-Ryan Bohlke[23]; 21. 56-Nate Snyder[19]; 22. 39-Greg Hodnett[15]; 23. 20-Ryan Taylor[20]; 24. 29-Logan Schuchart[12]
Hard Charger: 7-Chad Layton[+11]
Pro stock feature, 13 entries: 1. Tim Krape, 2. Scott Landis, 3. Kyle Rapp, 4. Andrew Shoop, 5. Keith Garman, 6. Dan Berry, 7. Tim Fedder, 8. Nate Fisher, 9. Dave Berry, 10. Chase Bowsman, 11. Dustin Kirk, 12. Nate Stroup, 13. Dusty Baker
Enduro dash, 14 entries: 1. Jason Davis, 2. Jared Fulkroad, 3. Devin Hart, 4. Rick Adair, 5. Austin Johnson, 6. Devon Henry, 7. Ed Aucker, 8.. Pete Leister, 9. Brady Cauffman, 10. Floyd Sheetz, 11. Bill Powell, 12. Jesse Brown, 13. Tyler Amtower, 14. Mike Goodwin.