From Randy Worrell
ORRVILLE, Ohio (August 5, 2023) — The “dog days of summer” tend to be the hottest of the season. With just a pair of events remaining prior to Season Championship night, it also means the wick burned a little brighter on the O’Reilly Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway’s Fast Five series event Saturday evening.
Danny Mumaw, the 2016 Pine Tree Towing and Recovery Sprint Car champion, continued his full circle resurgence by winning his second 25-lap main event of 2023 following a nearly five-year victory lane drought in highlighting action at “Orrville’s Historic Oval”.
While Mumaw was assuming command of the season-long points lead in the process, 2020 champion JR Gentry increased his current lead in the race for the Malcuit Tavern Super Late Model championship with his fifth overall victory of the season and first WCS checkered since June 17. Gentry’s near-flawless performance was made a little sweeter, too, by scoring the first of three Best Western Plus of Wooster Inn and Conference Center’s King of the County series and $2,000 top prize.
Although Mumaw has returned to top form, Trey Jacobs’ snake-bitten streak of misfortune continued Saturday. Jacobs, arguably among the fastest at the speedway in recent seasons, shot to the point and was long gone in the main event in lapping well into the top 10 before tangling with Western PA. hotshoe Leyton Wagner, who had jumped the cushion in turn 2 on lap 13. Jacobs suffered a flat right rear in attempting to avoid contact and was forced to the tail of the lead lap cars on the restart.
Last week’s winner Henry Malcuit inherited the lead, and was fending off the charging Mumaw until Tyler Gunn, the point leader heading into the event, flipped his Eikelberry-Sipes 91 out of the park at the entrance of turn 4. The “Machine Gunn” escaped injury in the lap 19 wild ride.
During the red, though, Malcuit developed a flat right rear and went to the work area, handing the lead to Mumaw’s familiar green and black 16 which he didn’t relinquish. Mumaw finished ahead of Tyler Street, who sits just a few points back in the standings, Jacobs, Chris Myers, and his brother Jamie Myers.
“This one feels pretty good,” said Mumaw. “Trey and Henry were really fast, but we’re getting more comfortable. We made some small adjustments this week, just some small changes like seat position and pedal placements and it’s made a big difference. I’m just really appreciative of all the fan support and being able to be standing here in victory lane.”
The speedway returns next Saturday with an action-packed night of Fast Five racing that will include a $3,000-to-win sprint car event in addition to the Danny Gardner Memorial for super stocks. It’s also the second of three King of the County races for super stocks presented by Platinum Designs. Brandon Morrow captured the first K of C leg back on May 27. Wooster Quota will present the ever-popular Kids Night prior to racing action that kicks off with hot laps at 6 and racing to follow.
Check out www.waynecountyspeedway on the web and on Facebook at wayne county speedway this week for more details.
Wayne County Speedway
Orrville, Ohio
Saturday, August 5, 2023
Feature:
1. 16-Danny Mumaw
2. 4*-Tyler Street
3. 9J-Trey Jacobs
4. 38K-Chris Myers
5. 1-Jamie Myers
6. 70-Henry Malcuit
7. D12-Jason Dolick
8. 7DK-Dylan Kingan
9. 57N-Tyler Newhart
10. 6J-Jonah Aumend
11. 2-Joe Adorjan
12. 187-Tyler Wiles
13. 91-Tyler Gunn
14. 12-Corbin Gurley
15. 38-Leyton Wagner
16. 9W-Matt Warner
17. 7-Troy Kingan