May 16th

Age : 17 Joined : 01 Apr 2008 Posts : 10

SORRY TOOK SO LONG TO GET ON HERE!

It was a beautiful Friday night, cloudy skies and cooler temperatures made for some great side by side racing action at Hilltop Speedway. A total of 94 cars were on hand to do battle on the very fast 1/3 mile, high banked oval dirt track located in the heart of Amish Country.

The Dutch County Stone sponsored Modifieds put on one heck of a show from three wide racing to heart pounding racing action during an action packed feature event. Mark Gardiner jumped into the lead from his outside pole position at the drop of the green. On lap two, the battle was for second place was heating up between Rob Stambaugh, Blaine Aber, and Jesse Wardell, while Gardner was opening up quite a gap between himself and the second place runner Jesse Wardell. Wardell was wheeling in on Garnder at the half way point, till lap 10, when a caution out for Norm Aronhalt, Mitch Lam and Matt Aber who tangled in turn four. On the restart, it was a three-way- battle for the lead between Gardner, Stambaugh, and Aber. Intense racing action continued as Aber nosed his way around Gardiner on lap 15 to take over the lead. As the white flag waved, the last lap battle between Aber, Gardiner and Nick Smith intensified as all three drivers had their eye on the win. With the checkered flag in the air, it was a three-way battle off turn four as hard chargers Aber, Gardiner and Smith gave it all they had for the win. Fans witnessed a heart stopping finish, as Mark Gardiner collided with veteran driver Blaine Aber at the start/finish line, sending both power machines on a wild ride down the frontstretch, coming to rest in turn one. Blaine Aber was declared the winner, ahead of Mark Gardiner; Nick Smith, Rob Stambaugh and Larry Kaugal. The heat race wins went to Nick Smith, Rob Stambaugh and Derrick Hubbard. The Dash winner was Jesse Wardell and Brandon Marrow won the Consi. Blaine Aber set fast time with a time of 16.471.

In the Rod Eddleblute Garage sponsored Late Model division, George Lee was fast qualifier with a time of 15.185. In feature event, pole sitter George Lee brought the field green flag alongside Chet Alexander. Lee jumped into the lead on lap one and maintained his top running spot throughout most of the race while holding off the challenges of his fellow competitors. Fan witnessed Mansfield driver Rick Bond, driving Rod Eddleblute Garage sponsored # 007 machine slice and dice his way through the field from his sixth starting position. By the halfway point, Bond was engaged in a three-way battle was for second place with Flory and Chance. Lee was pulling away from the pack when the caution came out for Ryan Bradshaw’s spin on the backstretch. On Lap 13, fifth place runner Chester Elliott hit a lap car and went airborne, bringing out the second caution. When racing action resumed, Bond and Chance found themselves in a heated battle for second place, racing side by side, lap after laps as the laps were winding down. Bond finally claimed the second running spot and set his eyes on reeling in one front runner George Lee. As Lee and Bond were battling for the top spot, Lee lifted and Bond managed to get around him on the backstretch with four laps remaining. Bond went on to win his first feature of the 2008 season. Following Bond across the finish line was George Lee, Jason Flory, Dave Hornikel and Jeremy Canada. Heat race wins went to George Lee, and Chet Alexander.

The American Payroll Advance sponsored Pure stock feature action saw the second generation driver Brandon Gardner, in his #27G, on the pole alongside outside pole sitter Kevin Sharier, As the front row drivers brought the pack down the frontstretch, green flag waves and Sharier didn’t waste any time getting jumping into the lead ahead of Gardner. Gardner battled Sharier for the lead for the next couple laps but Sharier managed to stay ahead of the pack. Hot racing action could be witnessed throughout the pack as Denny Shear and Kenny Daughtery were locked in side-by-side and nose-to-tail battle till Daughtery went low and into a retaining tire in turn four, bringing out a caution. At the restart it was Sharier and Gardner side by side till Sharier gets a flat, ending his racing for the night. That put Gardner in the top running spot in front of Fred Snyder in second and Bryan Galaque in third. Gardner was able to maintain the lead and went on to claim his second feature of the 2008 racing season. Fred Snyder, Kevin Fallmire, Kenny Shear and John Stream followed him across the finish line. Heat race winners where Brandon Gardner and Kevin Sharier.

The evening’s Main Events was the Holmes Tire Mini Stock Madness, $400-T0-Win Mini Stock Feature. Jeremy Hudson, driving his Holmes Tire, Campus Quik Mart sponsored # 19 mini stock, jumped into the lead at the drop of the green and within a few laps, developed had a hefty lead over the rest of the field. Early in the race, Tim Jensen rolled his #3 mini stock on the backstretch, but managed to stay in the game. When racing resumed, Jeremy Hudson was locked in a good battle for the lead with the “magic man” Dusty Lint and Josh Robinson. At the half way point the top five were Jeremy Hudson, Tom Ogel, Josh Robinson Dusty Lint and Justin Brown. As the laps ticked away, front runner Jeremy Hudson felt the pressure of Tom Ogel closing in on him but Hudson was able to hold on for his third feature win of the season. Tom Ogel, finished second ahead of Josh Robinson, Dusty Lint and Tyler Neel. The heat race winners were Jeremy Hudson, Dusty Lint and Tom Ogel; Mitch Rinner won the consi.

In the Troyer’s Trail Bologna sponsored truck division, heat winner Tom Garlick, drove his #77 Patriotic truck into an early lead at the start of the feature event. Looking back through the field, past feature winner Brandon Craver was on the move, skillfully driving his Thrifty Discount Muffler, Dan Auto Body & Massillon Transmission sponsored # 771 Black Truck through the pack and into second spot, behind Barlick. In just a matter of time, Craver maneuvered his truck past Garlick and didn’t look back, claiming his third victory of the year. Finishing behind Craver was Jesse Combs, Tom Garlick, Dave Graugue and Ben Brannon.

Coming up this Friday, May 23, Hilltop Speedway will host the $500-To-Win Pure Stock Showdown. Also on tap will be the Super Late Models, Modifieds, Mini Stocks and Trucks. $12 general admission and $25 for pits. Gates open at 5:00 pm, Hot laps 6:30pm and Racing at 8:00 pm. For division rules and more information, please visit our us on the web at www.hilltopspeedway.net

Late Models:
Heat 1
1. George Lee
2. Chester Elliot
3. Mark Garnder
Heat 2
1. Chet Alexander
2. Justin Chance
3. Rick Bond
Feature:
1. Rick Bond
2. George Lee
3. Jason Flory
4. David Hornikel
5. Jeremy Canada
6. Keith Tish
7. Kristen Flory
8. Chester Elliot
9. Coby Bartram
10. Justin Chance
11. Ryan Bradshaw
12. Thomas Baker
13. Mark Gardner
14. Chet Alexander

Modifieds
Heat 1
1. Nick Smith
2. Matt Aber
3. Charlie Duncan
Heat 2
1. Rob Stambaugh
2. Tom Conley
3. Rick Mardis
Heat 3
1. Derek Hubbard
2. Norm Aronhalt
3. Jess Hartman
Dash
1. Jesse Wardell
2. Mark Gardiner
3. Mitch Lam
Consi
1. Brandon Marrow
2. Chris McCombs
3. Andy Parks
Feature
1. Blaine Aber
2. Mark Gardiner
3. Nick Smith
4. Rob Stambaugh
5. Larry Kaugal
6. Matt Aber
7. Jesse Wardell
8. Chris McCombs
9. Norm Aronhalt
10. Andy Parks
11. Mitch Lam
12. Rick Mardis
13. Jess Hartman
14. Brandon Marrow
15. Derek Hubbard
16. Charlie Duncan
17. Tom Conely
18. Randy Gray

Pure Stock
Heat 1
1. Brandon Gardner
2. Fred Snyder
3. Kenny Daughthery

Heat 2
1. Kevin Sharier
2. Denny Shear
3. Raymond Hixon

Feature
1. Brandon Gardner
2. Fred Snyder
3. Kevin Fallmire
4. Denny Shear
5. John Stream
6. Heath Jessup
7. John Sassom
8. Raymond Hixon
9. Bryan Glague
10. Daniel Hinkens
11. Kevin Sharier
12. Kenny Daughtery
13. Bob Chilcote

Mini Stock
Heat Race 1
1. Jermany Hudson
2. Josh Robinsen
3. Allen Summers
Heat Race 2
1. Dusty Lint
2. Justin Brown
3. Jason Theil
Heat Race 3
1. Tom Ogel
2. Josh Hershberger
3. Tyler Neel
Consi
1. Mitch Rinner
2. Ernest Fortune
3. Jordan James
Feature
1. Jermany Hudson
2. Tom Ogel
3. Josh Robinsen
4. Dusty Lint
5. Tyler Neel
6. Tim Jensen
7. Zack Fosse
8. Jordan James
9. Ernest Fortune
10. Blain Markey
11. Rodney Lint
12. Mitch Rinner
13. Allen Summers
14. Jason Theil
15. Andy Parks
16. Mark Smith
17. Josh Hershberger
18. Justin Brown

Truck
Heat Race
1. Tom Garlick
2 Brandon Craver
3 Dave Graugue
Feature:
1. Brandon Craver
2. Jesse Combs
3. Tom Garlick
4. Dave Graugue
5. Ben Brannon
6. Gale Wallace
7. Jerry Garnder
_________________
~Jess~
Hilltop Speedway Where Action Is The Attraction