Pauch Jr., Bright, Bieber claim wins
KUTZTOWN » Milford, N.J.’s Billy Pauch Jr. registered his 13th career victory in the USAC SpeedSTR division on Monday night at Championship Energy Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairgrounds. With his victory in the 30-lap Weaknecht Archery Memorial Day Showdown, Pauch Jr. breaks a tie (with Tim Buckwalter) for first place on the all-time SpeedSTR winner’s list at the Berks County oval.
“Really cool to win on Memorial Day in front of this big crowd, with my car owner (Mike Heffner) here, and on my sponsor’s night, too,” said Pauch in victory lane. “Before the races, I said I was going to get this one for Weaknecht Archery.”
Tim Buckwalter finished third with Hartman and Steve Drevicki rounding out the top five. Buckwalter said he lost his power steering near the end of the 30-lapper, while Drevicki rebounded from an early race tangle to finish fifth.
A fantastic Hyper racing 600 Sprint feature saw Phoenixville’s Alex Bright emerge with the victory, but only after he swapped the top spot a few times with race long leader Nash Ely.
Travis Bieber, from Oley, captured his third career All Star Slingshot win at Action Track USA, and his first since 2016.
Big Diamond
Racing phenom Alex Yankowski continues to dazzle the field in the USS Achey Sportsman division at Big Diamond Speedway by winning his second feature of the young season. The 13-year-old Yankowski battled last week’s winner Shawn Light in a one-lap shootout to win the 20-lap feature event.
Tyler Reber brought the field to green to lead lap one. Veterans Doug Hendricks and Wayne Witmer were on the move early and quickly joined the action up front along with Kevin Brady. A terrific battle ensued up front between Hendricks, Witmer, Brady with Yankowski joining in the fray as early leader Reber begins to fade.
It took two attempts to restart the race after a lap 10 caution with contender Hendricks being involved in the second yellow ending his bid for victory. Once the race resumed it was Witmer out front with Yankowski following closely behind as Craig Whitmoyer and Shawn Light both throw their helmets into the mix for the top spot. Following a caution on lap 15, Yankowski was able to grab the lead from Witmer with Light and Whitmoyer also getting by Witmer to move into second and third. Witmer’s strong run comes to end with apparent engine problems. The yellow light comes back on as the field takes the one to go sign setting up the last lap shootout between Yankowski and Light. Yankowksi performing like a veteran makes no mistakes on the restart and motors on to the win.
Following Yankowski across the line were Light, Michael Burrows, Craig Whitmoyer and Dave Dissinger. Finishing sixth through tenth were Ed Mrochko, Matt Clay, Kevin Brady and Nate Klinger.
The Central PA Legends made their first visit to the speedway in 2018 and provided the fans with some terrific racing. Mason Chaney takes the lead early on, but Bob Stough grabs the lead on a lap five restart. Stough’s lead didn’t last long as Scott Houdeschell was able to get to the point with a good restart after a lap eight yellow. A terrific four car battle took place the remainder of the race between Houdeschell, Stough, Chaney and a hard charging Trent Yoder. With two to go it was a side by side battle for the lead between Chaney and Houdeschell. The pair swapped the lead back and forth with Chaney coming up victorious in the end. Following Chaney and Houdeschell across the line were Trent Yoder, Bob Stough and Jeremy Ott.
The Savage 61 Road Runners put on yet another terrific main event at the speedway with Kris Ney winning the main event after a great race with Terry Kramer. Mike Reichert, Chris Holland and Jim Kost completed the top five.
Kody Sites was the winner of the 20-lap feature event in the No Sweat Service Group Street Stock Division. Sites. Chris Heller, and Joey Brennan fought tooth and nail in the mid portion of the race with Sites eventually taking the lead to go on to the victory. Brennan ended up second with Heller, Kyle Saylor and Dean Hine the top five.
The Blast from the Past Vintage cars were also on hand Friday night with the Vintage division race won by Wyatt Jacobus Sr, followed by Curt Neiman and Rick Mutter. In the Modified division it was Andy Cassel followed by Doug Stepanchuk and Brett Peters.
The 50-lap endure race was won by Scott Riggleman over Chris Graver and Chris Reichert.
Georgetown Speedway
Craig Von Dohren put on a show under the ‘Friday Night Lights’ at Georgetown Speedway in Georgetown, Del.
Von Dohren, after starting ninth in the 30-lap Sunoco big-block/small-block Modified feature, roared to Victory Lane, pocketing $3,000 for his efforts. A heavy track surface from recent rainfall didn’t deter the Oley driver, who rode the rim of the half-mile oval in Dick Biever’s No. 14s.
“With all the rain, it (the track) was fast and choppy in spots tonight,” noted Von Dohren, who was nearly a straightaway behind the leaders at one point during the main. “When I got to fourth, I couldn’t see anyone. Then little by little, I could see Watty (Ryan Watt). I knew I was catching them, but it’s a tenth at a time.”
Von Dohren thanked his crew and team for their support after his second Georgetown victory of 2018. His first came on March 16 in a small-block-only event.
“This is a three-and-ahalf-hour ride on a work night for us,” he said. “I’ve got to thank all my guys for coming down tonight. We’ve got a great team here.”
Duane Howard launched off the outside pole to take the lead at the start of the main with Norm Hansell’s No. 357. Howard, a past feature winner at Georgetown, led the opening 11 laps before turning over the top spot to David Van Horn in Fred Vahlsing’s Vahlco Wheels No. 323ov.
Van Horn appeared to have the race in hand, pulling away with ease until a yellow flew on lap 20. That changed the race’s complexion. Not only did it erase Van Horn’s advantage; it also brought Von Dohren into contention with the leaders.
Howard reclaimed the lead off a restart on lap 22 and Van Horn’s ride slowed in turn four with rear-end issues.
It was now Von Dohren – who had been picking off cars throughout the race’s first two-thirds – on Howard’s tail.
The two Berks County drivers put on a show, swapping lanes and the lead, sparking rubrails at times.
Howard led lap 23, but it was Von Dohren out front on laps 24 and 25.
A yellow with five laps remaining led to a single-file restart with Von Dohren out front. Despite a bobble in turn three on the 28th lap, he held on for the win.
“The yellow on lap 20 made the race for me,” he said. “I found the top groove and knew we had a fast car, but I didn’t know if I had time to get there under green.”
Howard, like Von Dohren from Oley, earned a $2,000 runner-up finish. Billy Pauch Jr. of Milford, N.J., placed third in the Daniel Sommeling No. 51, with Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa., who started 12th, and Jimmy Horton of Neshanic Station, N.J., completing the front five.
Grandview
With nine Saturday nights of NASCAR stock car racing scheduled at Grandview Speedway so far this season and only four being presented it is clear that, at present, Ma Nature is winning the rainout battle.
Saturday night’s tripleheader card of NASCAR stock car racing featuring the T.P.Trailers 358 Modifieds, Sportsman and Late Models fell victim to Ma Nature’s weather wrath for the fifth time this season. Track management and racers made every effort to get the races run but after more than one hour in delays the events were canceled.
Grandview Speedway management will try again on Saturday, June 9th, when they present K&N Filters Night.