From Port Royal Speedway
Port Royal, PA — (April 2, 2016) — Steve Buckwalter and Mike Lupfer took wins in the 410 sprint and super late model mains at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday night while rains halted the 305 sprint feature event with just two laps completed.
Buckwalter and Tyler Bear started on the front row of the 410 sprint car main but the first start was called back after a spin by Bear in front of the field sent cars scattering in the fourth turn.
While under the yellow a brief shower halted the event for approximately 20 minutes before action resumed.
With Bear now off of the front row, Logan Wagner started outside Buckwalter and took the lead quickly when the green flag unfurled.
A yellow flag again appeared with two laps recorded for a spin by Mike Wagner II., finding Lucas Wolfe racing third in the field.
Wagner jetted away on the restart and quickly ate up the distance between him and the rear of the field, entering the backmarkers on the seventh tour of the 25-lapper.
Working traffic, Buckwalter was able to close in on the leader enough to have him within striking distance at the halfway point and while Wagner worked to stay in front, Buckwalter got his first real opportunity with just over 10 laps to go.
As the pair of leaders raced off of the fourth corner, Buckwalter was able to get to Wagner’s outside as the leader struggled with a lapped car, and he was scored the leader with 15 laps away.
And just a few seconds later, Wagner suddenly spewed smoke and steam as he flung his mount around the first and second turns in pursuit of Buckwalter, only to see the motor lock up and pitch his car sideways at the top of the backchute, in front of the rest of the field.
Luckily, all others avoided contact with Wagner’s disabled racer but he was out for the night.
This placed Wolfe on Buckwalter’s tail for the new green and although he took a look to Buckwalter’s inside in the first corner, Buckwalter rocketed away from him onto the backstretch.
Wolfe took kept the leader within striking distance over the next several laps to the finish but was unable to mount another bid before the finish, crossing the line .865 seconds behind at the checkers.
The victory was the fifth of Buckwalter’s career at Port Royal.
Mike Wagner Sr. was third followed by Brent Marks and Mark Smith.
Sixth through 10th went to Greg Hodnett, Doug Esh, Ryan Taylor, TJ Stutts and Dylan Cisney.
Heats went to Bear, Wagner Sr. and Cisney.
Mike Lupfer started second in the 22-lap super late model main and led all circuits on his way to his first victory of the 2016 season, in defense of his track title.
Lupfer saw fourth starter Nick Dickson rocket into second on the first lap, getting by polesitter Billy Wampler for the spot.
The pace was then stopped with three laps away for a violent crash at the exit of the second turn between Matt Parks and Dylan Yoder with both drivers retiring for the night.
Lupfer saw Dickson challenge when action resumed but he was able to get away.
However Dickson would prove hard to shake, chasing Lupfer through traffic during the second half of the event.
Dickson was able to pull alongside Lupfer for the lead as the pair reached the six-to-go point but before he could pull off a pass, Dickson bit the outside frontstretch wall and fell backwards, allowing Lupfer to escape for the victory.
This allowed point leader Andy Haus to capitalize as he motored by Dickson for second with two laps to go.
Lupfer ended up taking his ninth career win at the track by 4.343 seconds ahead of Haus, Dickson, Wampler and Waylon Wagner.
Sixth through 10th went to Trent Brenneman, Devin Friese, Chad Hollenbeck, Justin Kaan and Scott Flickinger.
Heats went to Brenneman, Dickson and Friese.
The 18-lap 305 sprint main fell victim to rain on the second lap when a sudden downpour hit the oval, finding the field racing into the third turn as the rain hit.
Cale Reigel flipped outside the fourth turn fence and escaped injury. Earlier in the night in warm ups, contact between Jim Kennedy and Dave Guss Jr. found Guss also flipping outside the track in the third turn.
A make up date for the balance of the 305 sprint main will be announced in the coming weeks.
Stay up to date with all the latest Port Royal news and information by visiting the oval’s official website at www.portroyalspeedway.com or by following the track on Facebook or Twitter.
Port Royal Speedway
Port Royal, PA
Saturday April 2, 2016
Heat Race #1:
1. 25B – Tyler Bear
2. 7W – Logan Wagner
3. 12 – Blane Heimbach
4. 19M – Brent Marks
5. 1M – Mark Smith
6. 7 – Doug Esh
7. 20 – Ryan Taylor
8. 44 – Joey Hershey
Heat Race #2:
1. 55 – Mike Wagner
2. 17B – Steve Buckwalter
3. 36D – Wayne Dadetto
4. 47K – Kody Lehman
5. 73 – Jevon Ahner
6. 91 – Anthony Fiore
7. 55W – Mike Wagner II
Heat Race #3:
1. 5 – Dylan Cisney
2. 1 – Lucas Wolfe
3. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss
4. 27 – Greg Hodnett
5. 23 – TJ Stutts
6. 33 – Curt Stroup
7. 2c – Cory Thornton
Feature:
1. 17B – Steve Buckwalter
2. 1 – Lucas Wolfe
3. 55 – Mike Wagner
4. 19M – Brent Marks
5. 1M – Mark Smith
6. 27 – Greg Hodnett
7. 7 – Doug Esh
8. 20 – Ryan Taylor
9. 23 – TJ Stutts
10. 5 – Dylan Cisney
11. 36D – Wayne Dadetto
12. 12 – Blane Heimbach
13. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss
14. 91 – Anthony Fiore
15. 44 – Joey Hershey
16. 47K – Kody Lehman
17. 73 – Jevon Ahner
18. 2c – Cory Thornton
19. 7W – Logan Wagner
20. 25B – Tyler Bear
21. 33 – Curt Stroup
22. 55W – Mike Wagner II