Post by meg on May 1, 2011 16:08:33 GMT -5
Hamlin, PA - Hamlin Speedway Showcases Seven Feature Opener With Ryan Smith Capturing A Double On S&S Speedways Night
By: Steve Pados, GA Motorsports Media
The twice cancelled Hamlin Speedway season opener was finally given the green light last evening by the powers above us and allowed Promoters Randy and Denise Smith to usher in an opening night of spectacular racing action at the Hamlin Speedway last evening when they welcomed in 138 talented racers from the surrounding five-state area to their premier short track facility located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. The great opening night crowd was treated to an all-out display of high-flying action on the new higher banked 1/5 mile racing facility and the new banking allowed for the daredevil talent to use all of the speed lanes and present a great evening of racing entertainment. The racing action was completed at 10:45 and when was all said and done six happy winners found there way into victory circle and Kunketown driving ace "Flyin" Ryan Smith performed the magic twice. After the long delay in the crazy weather pattern, the Smith Family enters the 2011 racing season in their sixth season in control of the Hamlin facility they painstakingly resurrected in 2006 after the speedway abruptly closed in the middle of the 2005 racing season. The great racing action and the tremendous support from the racing community has earmarked just how popular the small car racing divisons have become in recent seasons and lends credence to the fact the Hamlin Speedway has become the place to be on Saturday nights to witness side by side racing the way it is meant to be. With the great opening night event the 2011 racing season has all indications for being another superlative season for the Smith Family.
The hot-lap sessions allowed the drivers their first opportunity to test the new racing surface and immediately the great field of cars on hand never skipped a beat as they dug their right rear wheels into the rich Pocono clay. The evening had special meaning for everyone on the speedway grounds as injured Hamlin driving star "Sparkman" Mark Berkenstock was in attendance for the opening night event. The sizzling heat race action set the tone for the seven feature events that would follow. The starting field of 11 Junior Slingshots began the seven feature assault with "Thrillin" Dylan Martin utilizing a heavy right foot to power away at the start of the feature to lead the twenty lap event all of the way in a wire to wire triumph. "The Little Tornado" Zack Weisenfluh provided a challenge once he broke into the clear but settled for the runner-up role. Jacob Dunn was third with Kyle Gruber, Thomas Strupp and "The Midget" Chris Kurtz completing the top six finishers.
Rookie feature events followed and the Wingless 600 rookies kicked off the action. Tim Howell took the lead at the opening bell and led through the first six laps of the event. Charging back from an early spin, Blairstown, New Jersey speedster Jacob Hendershot dove to the bottom of turn three to take over the point from Howell. Once in front Hendershot drove away from the 18-car starting field. Former Slingshot talent Steve Van Valkenburg was the runner-up in his first ride in the 600's and New York talent Danielle dickinson was third. Justin Brewster was fourth and Riley Moczulski completed the top five finishers.
Slatington's Cheyenne Schaffer wasted no time in showing off her driving ability as she took the lead at the start of the event and easily distanced herself from rest of the field to win the rookie 270 Micro encounter. Another lady racer, Makenzie Harper race hard to finish in the runner-up role to make a 1-2 sweep for the ladies. Ron Pierson raced to third, Grady Johnston was fourth and "T-Jet" TJ Lilly completed the top five.
The regular Wingless 600 Micro main was a tornado warning from the initial start. "The Tornado" Jordan Tittle grabbed the lead at the start and the "Topton Tornado" Brett Arndt seized the runner-up position and began applying pressure to Tittle. From ninth starting spot and using the top shelf of the raceway to navigate his way forward, Ryan Smith was on a mission. The event quickly became a three way battle as Smith and Arndt battled for second place for many laps and not allowing Tittle to get gain any real estate advantage as they hustled around the speedway. Smith stayed topside and then swung low to move past Arndt in turn three and Smith then set sail for Tittle with Arndt glued right to their tailtanks. Smith made the pass for the lead on a couple of occasions but caution flags allowed him to practice the pass all over again. Finally on lap-18, Smith used relentless pressure to make the winning move and remained in front for good and Arndt was able to dispose of Tittle. The event has to go down in the annals of the history of the speedway as a must show on the highlight reels as Ryan Smith claimed the win with Brett Arndt, Jordan Tittle, Shelby Harper and Austin Ely making up the top five. Bobby Butler, Stan Tykarski, Brett Schoenly, Bill Clark and Kyle Lick completed the top ten with Schoenly doing great to recover from an early spin and Tykarski coming out of the B-main qualifier in an excellent drive to the front.
The Super Slinger feature had Charlie Shaver grabbing the lead from his pole start with Wes Hearn in tow. Dale Kober was knocking at the door and seized the runner-up spot from Hearn. The battle raged on into the middle laps as Kober threw everything he had at the hard-driving Shaver. Kober was able to make the winning pass on lap-16 and drove away to a opening night victory. Shaver did a great job to finish second with Hearn in third, Jimmy Johnston in fourth and Tom Arntz completing the top five.
Jordan Tittle gunned into the lead at the start of the 270 Micro main event. Fourth place starting Ryan Smith took the show to the second floor once he raced into the runner-up slot and began to figure out his way around the talented Tittle. Smith saw the opportunity on lap ten with a high low move off of turn two to take over the lead and drive away for his impressive seconfd triumph of the evening. Jordan Tittle hung tough in the runner-up role with Joe Smith driving one of the Warko Group mounts to third place. The "Cadillac Man" Kurt Bettler was fourth in a great drive from 12th and Tommy Kunsman Jr completed the top five. Hardluck competitor in 2010 Larry Hoagland got his season off to a great start with a sixth place finish and CJ Heinig, Trevor Dunn, Harlee Schaffer and Matt Mountz completed the top ten finishers.
The Slingshot main event saw Simon Egan explode a motor at the drop of the green flag. The restart had former track champion "The Factoryville Flyer" Bill Clark showing the hot hand as he took off with Mack Brink in pursuit. "The Dream" Billy Weaver, from fourth starting position, disposed of Brink and the "Rockaway Rocket" Danny Buccafusca was on the move from his eighth place start. Buccafusca, a 22-time feature event winner last season in the Junior Slingshot division racing, was making his first start as a regular and the eleven year old was up to task as he moved into third place with some off of the bottom groove expertise. Cody Kline moved into fourth place and the the field stayed close throughout the running of the event. Bill Clark would not be denied on this evening as he sped to the opening night win with Weaver in second, Buccafusca in third, Kline in fourth and Mack Brink with a strong perfromance completing the top five. The second five consisted of Charlie Shaver, Eddie Strada who was also making his initial start, Jess Benke, Shannon Smith and John Bockhorn.
By: Steve Pados, GA Motorsports Media
The twice cancelled Hamlin Speedway season opener was finally given the green light last evening by the powers above us and allowed Promoters Randy and Denise Smith to usher in an opening night of spectacular racing action at the Hamlin Speedway last evening when they welcomed in 138 talented racers from the surrounding five-state area to their premier short track facility located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. The great opening night crowd was treated to an all-out display of high-flying action on the new higher banked 1/5 mile racing facility and the new banking allowed for the daredevil talent to use all of the speed lanes and present a great evening of racing entertainment. The racing action was completed at 10:45 and when was all said and done six happy winners found there way into victory circle and Kunketown driving ace "Flyin" Ryan Smith performed the magic twice. After the long delay in the crazy weather pattern, the Smith Family enters the 2011 racing season in their sixth season in control of the Hamlin facility they painstakingly resurrected in 2006 after the speedway abruptly closed in the middle of the 2005 racing season. The great racing action and the tremendous support from the racing community has earmarked just how popular the small car racing divisons have become in recent seasons and lends credence to the fact the Hamlin Speedway has become the place to be on Saturday nights to witness side by side racing the way it is meant to be. With the great opening night event the 2011 racing season has all indications for being another superlative season for the Smith Family.
The hot-lap sessions allowed the drivers their first opportunity to test the new racing surface and immediately the great field of cars on hand never skipped a beat as they dug their right rear wheels into the rich Pocono clay. The evening had special meaning for everyone on the speedway grounds as injured Hamlin driving star "Sparkman" Mark Berkenstock was in attendance for the opening night event. The sizzling heat race action set the tone for the seven feature events that would follow. The starting field of 11 Junior Slingshots began the seven feature assault with "Thrillin" Dylan Martin utilizing a heavy right foot to power away at the start of the feature to lead the twenty lap event all of the way in a wire to wire triumph. "The Little Tornado" Zack Weisenfluh provided a challenge once he broke into the clear but settled for the runner-up role. Jacob Dunn was third with Kyle Gruber, Thomas Strupp and "The Midget" Chris Kurtz completing the top six finishers.
Rookie feature events followed and the Wingless 600 rookies kicked off the action. Tim Howell took the lead at the opening bell and led through the first six laps of the event. Charging back from an early spin, Blairstown, New Jersey speedster Jacob Hendershot dove to the bottom of turn three to take over the point from Howell. Once in front Hendershot drove away from the 18-car starting field. Former Slingshot talent Steve Van Valkenburg was the runner-up in his first ride in the 600's and New York talent Danielle dickinson was third. Justin Brewster was fourth and Riley Moczulski completed the top five finishers.
Slatington's Cheyenne Schaffer wasted no time in showing off her driving ability as she took the lead at the start of the event and easily distanced herself from rest of the field to win the rookie 270 Micro encounter. Another lady racer, Makenzie Harper race hard to finish in the runner-up role to make a 1-2 sweep for the ladies. Ron Pierson raced to third, Grady Johnston was fourth and "T-Jet" TJ Lilly completed the top five.
The regular Wingless 600 Micro main was a tornado warning from the initial start. "The Tornado" Jordan Tittle grabbed the lead at the start and the "Topton Tornado" Brett Arndt seized the runner-up position and began applying pressure to Tittle. From ninth starting spot and using the top shelf of the raceway to navigate his way forward, Ryan Smith was on a mission. The event quickly became a three way battle as Smith and Arndt battled for second place for many laps and not allowing Tittle to get gain any real estate advantage as they hustled around the speedway. Smith stayed topside and then swung low to move past Arndt in turn three and Smith then set sail for Tittle with Arndt glued right to their tailtanks. Smith made the pass for the lead on a couple of occasions but caution flags allowed him to practice the pass all over again. Finally on lap-18, Smith used relentless pressure to make the winning move and remained in front for good and Arndt was able to dispose of Tittle. The event has to go down in the annals of the history of the speedway as a must show on the highlight reels as Ryan Smith claimed the win with Brett Arndt, Jordan Tittle, Shelby Harper and Austin Ely making up the top five. Bobby Butler, Stan Tykarski, Brett Schoenly, Bill Clark and Kyle Lick completed the top ten with Schoenly doing great to recover from an early spin and Tykarski coming out of the B-main qualifier in an excellent drive to the front.
The Super Slinger feature had Charlie Shaver grabbing the lead from his pole start with Wes Hearn in tow. Dale Kober was knocking at the door and seized the runner-up spot from Hearn. The battle raged on into the middle laps as Kober threw everything he had at the hard-driving Shaver. Kober was able to make the winning pass on lap-16 and drove away to a opening night victory. Shaver did a great job to finish second with Hearn in third, Jimmy Johnston in fourth and Tom Arntz completing the top five.
Jordan Tittle gunned into the lead at the start of the 270 Micro main event. Fourth place starting Ryan Smith took the show to the second floor once he raced into the runner-up slot and began to figure out his way around the talented Tittle. Smith saw the opportunity on lap ten with a high low move off of turn two to take over the lead and drive away for his impressive seconfd triumph of the evening. Jordan Tittle hung tough in the runner-up role with Joe Smith driving one of the Warko Group mounts to third place. The "Cadillac Man" Kurt Bettler was fourth in a great drive from 12th and Tommy Kunsman Jr completed the top five. Hardluck competitor in 2010 Larry Hoagland got his season off to a great start with a sixth place finish and CJ Heinig, Trevor Dunn, Harlee Schaffer and Matt Mountz completed the top ten finishers.
The Slingshot main event saw Simon Egan explode a motor at the drop of the green flag. The restart had former track champion "The Factoryville Flyer" Bill Clark showing the hot hand as he took off with Mack Brink in pursuit. "The Dream" Billy Weaver, from fourth starting position, disposed of Brink and the "Rockaway Rocket" Danny Buccafusca was on the move from his eighth place start. Buccafusca, a 22-time feature event winner last season in the Junior Slingshot division racing, was making his first start as a regular and the eleven year old was up to task as he moved into third place with some off of the bottom groove expertise. Cody Kline moved into fourth place and the the field stayed close throughout the running of the event. Bill Clark would not be denied on this evening as he sped to the opening night win with Weaver in second, Buccafusca in third, Kline in fourth and Mack Brink with a strong perfromance completing the top five. The second five consisted of Charlie Shaver, Eddie Strada who was also making his initial start, Jess Benke, Shannon Smith and John Bockhorn.