Leading off the action was the Pure Stock division and after the 15 lap feature, the pole sitter Rich Schweitzer in the #84 machine was crowned our first point champion in 2009. Congratulations Rich, Job well done. Starting alongside the point champ in the front row was the #21 of Phil Wade. Coming to get the one to go signal from Chief Starter Terry Colletti, problems struck the #21 before the race got underway, relegating him to the infield. That would move the #43 of DJ Hores up to the outside starting position. After a first lap caution Schweitzer was able to race out front with the #43 of Hores and the #14M of Matt Wallick close in tow. As the laps clicked away, Schweitzer was determined to be crowned the champ in victory lane and was able to keep the #43 and the #14M at bay. After a Restart on lap twelve for contact between Ricky Thomas in the #26 and Justin VanFossen in The #61, Schweitzer was able to hold off the challenges from the second and third place cars and pick up another feature win and his first championship on dirt, in style. Following the New Philadelphia Ohio driver in the PringlePhotography.net, CitiLoan sponsored #84 was Hores, Wallick, Mike Powell and Thomas.
Once again we had a small field of cars in the 250 Speedway Late Model Division, but as always, the drivers put on a good show. Bringing the field down for the start was the #42 of Matt Mallett and the # 2 of Kevin Smith. Once we got the race under way, it looked like Mallett would cruise to another victory and when his closest competitor Smith spun in turn two on lap number nine, we were penciling it in the books. But that is why people love racing and you can never assume anything (you know what happens when you assume, right?). On the restart, the race leader Mallett and the second place machine of Jerry Farmer in the #11 made contact in turn two and that allowed the black deuce to sneak past on the outside and inherit the top spot. After a caution on lap #13 for contact again in turn two between the #11 and the #42, sending Mallett home on the hook, Smith was able to fend off Farmer and pick up another feature win. Pleasing the crowd with some spectacular doughnuts in turn four, the Belle Valley Ohio driver in the Whitey’s Wood Service, Oasis Bar & Grill, Smiths Stor-It-All sponsored #2 was followed to the finish by Farmer and Mallett.
The third feature of the evening was the Super Sport 15 Lapper. Bringing the field in for the green flag was point leader Jim Hess in the #11H and his bitter rival Glen Richea in the #77R. Just as the green flag was displayed, the #77R sputtered and crept to a halt on the front straightaway, ending any hope for another showdown between the two. The other twelve drivers behind the front row did a great job to maneuver around the lifeless machine and avoid disaster. That would move the #10 of Tory Gibbs up to the second starting spot. Hess was able to jump out to the early advantage over Gibbs and Sam Clegg during the early laps. On lap four, Clegg, the second place driver in the point standings got loose in turn two and collected the #11TEEN of Mike Phillips Jr. With his closest competition in the points knocked out early, it would turn out to be another great night at the speedway for the #11H team. Although Gibbs battled hard over the last 7 or 8 laps, taking his shots driving deep into the corners, Hess was able to hold on for the victory. Following the Centerville Ohio driver in the Buffalo’s Bar &Grill, Pat’s Reloading, LogoTek Vinyl Graphics, Larry Mason’s Paint, D&K Heating & Cooling and Dad’s Checkbook sponsored #11H was Gibbs, Phillips Jr., Dale Holcomb Jr. and Billy Hilicker rounding out the top 5.
Next up was the TSMA Modified Division with their 20 lap tune-up for next week’s $1,000 to win 30 lap spectacular. We have had some outstanding main events in this division all year, the last two weeks especially. This week would be no different as the #65M of Mike Davis and The Phantom #309 of “Stormin” Norman Aronhault brought the field to the stripe. As the field kicked their machines sideways in turn one, a chain reaction pile-up took place involving 7 cars. Once the smoke had cleared, only the #1KC of Kacy Campbell had to go pit side because of damage. On the second attempt, Davis was able to slither his way out in front of Aronhault and the race ran green until lap #7. This was the pivotal point in the event where the strengths and weakness of the field started to show. Davis was strong on the longer green flag runs and the #28 of Kevin Morehouse showed that he was masterful on restarts. The first restart he was able to slide past “Stormin” Norman and set his sights on the leader. Aronhault would fall into the clutches of “The Batman” Scotty Peltz, his first night out in a Mod this season, and a great battle would ensue. The top four would continue their 2 by 2, side by side battle until the next caution flew on lap #12 when last week’s feature winner Matt Aber in the #70 spun in turn two. Remember what I said about Davis needing the long runs and Morehouse needing restarts? The #28 machine snapped to the bottom of the race track at the hint of the green flag, almost as if he was standing on the starter’s stand with Chief Starter Terry Colletti. The two would race side by side, trading the lead several times each lap until a caution on lap #15 would bunch up the field. Morehouse was merely feet ahead of Davis the last time by the start / finish line and Peltz was finally able to get by the #309 during that run and move into third. Once again we had a restart, and once again Morehouse was money. The #28 was able to pick up three car lengths on Davis by the time they got to turn one and that was all he needed. Davis would have to hold off a late race charge by “The Batman” and watch the black #28 drive off into the sunset. Morehouse was able to pick up his first feature victory on his initial visit to the wide oval, and couldn’t say enough about the track crew and officials saying “I have never been on a track with that much bite”. Mr. Morehouse was tickled and I have a feeling you’ll see him back at “Ohio’s Place To Sling Dirt” in the very near future. Following the Hanover Ohio driver in the #28 Machine was Davis, Peltz, Aronhault and point leader Mitch Basich.
The Final feature of the evening was the 15 lap 4 Cylinder event. Bringing the field in for the green flag was the #EZ1 of Andy Parks and the #88H of Randy Hahn. “Hondo” was able to march out to the early lead until the point leader Rex Frohnaple in the #14F got tangled up with the #845 and #77 cars in turn two. This would be another bad night in a long string of bad luck for the point leader that has seen his one-time 100+ point lead evaporate. On the restart, Hahn was able to keep the top spot until he got crossed up in turn four of lap #4, dropping him to fourth (the rule of four’s applied to “Hondo” tonight, bet you can’t guess where he finished?). That allowed Parks to take over the top spot where he would stay until the final circuit. As the three lead cars of Parks, the #16C of Chris Seifert and the #31 of John Schooler worked thru lapped traffic down the backstretch of the white flag lap, you knew it was going to be a wild finish that the people who left will be kicking themselves for heading out early. The trio made their way thru turns three and four with Schooler dropping back just a bit and Seifert diving to the bottom of the race track. At the line the cameras were ready and the #16C nosed out another trip to victory lane, and the point lead, by about 6”. Following the Cadiz Muffler sponsored #16C from Quaker City Ohio was Parks, Schooler, “Hondo” and Jimmy Orr who battled his way up through the field from the 15th starting position.
