HOFFNER, SHANNON, AND HENRY RETURN TO VICTORY LANE; FIRST EVER FOR BISH AND MYERS AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN SPEEDWAY ON FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT
August 22, 2008
Knoxdale, PA
With beautiful summer weather finally making its return, the season point battles also heated up on Fan Appreciation Night at Thunder Mountain Speedway. Feature winners on the 3/8 mile oval were Luke Hoffner (Steel Block Late Models), Tim Bish (Super Stocks), Kyle Shannon (Pure Stocks), Chris Myers (Enduros), and Don Henry (RWD 4 Cylinders). Rusty Martz defeated Dan Smeal in the 5 lap Super Stock King of the Hill Shootout.
After having engine issues in his heat race, Luke Hoffner regrouped at intermission and captured his division high 5th Steel Block Late Model feature win. “I want to apologize to the fans. I wanted to come out for autographs, but we had to fix the motor problems we had in the heat. I had a lot of help, thanks to them all” stated Hoffner. “I heard someone back there at the end, I hoped he didn’t get under me because I couldn’t go any faster”.
After taking 3 attempts to get the caution plagued race started, pole sitter Cory Wilson lead Ed Connor to get lap 1 in the books before an ugly turn 1 crash brought out the red. Larry Wingard, Bob Smith, and Rodney Phillips were involved as Phillips’ car went hard into the turn 1 barrier. All drivers were ok, but Phillips was done for the night. Wilson led the ensuing restart, but spun in turn 4 bringing out a yellow and handing the lead to Connor. Connor lost the lead to 3rd starter Hoffner on the next restart before spinning his car in turn 2 a lap later.
With Hoffner now in front for a lap 4 restart, 13th starter Dwayne Tanneyhill took 2nd from Chuck Kennedy. Kennedy’s slide continued ad he fell to 5th allowing Jerry Redden and point leader Matt Gaston by. At the halfway mark, Hoffner was in lapped traffic as Tanneyhill began to close on the leader before a trio of Josh Watt spins slowed the pace. A final caution for John Chesnalavich on lap 22 gave Tanneyhill one more chance to start from Hoffner’s rear bumper.
Hoffner was too strong on the restart and opened some breathing room between himself and Tanneyhill. Gaston and Redden were in a battle for 3rd as the 2 to go flags were displayed. Hoffner charged through the final two laps and held off Tanneyhill at the line. Gaston won the 3rd place battle over Redden, Kennedy held on to 5th with Connor, Dan Stormer, Wingard, Chesnalavich, and Wilson rounding out the top 10. 17 cars signed in as Gaston and Connor won heat events.
After arguable dominating the Enduro division before making the jump to Super Stocks late last season, Tim Bish has been steadily improving to become a contender in the division. Finally, the “Ringold Rocket” picked up his first ever Super Stock win after losing then retaking the lead from Fuzzy Fields. “This is a real special win. I’ve been running better, finally able to try for a win. I’m almost speechless. Thanks a lot to my dad and crew, my sponsors too. This was the best race I was ever in” stated the Ringold, PA driver.
After the front row of Jim Handyside and Rusty Martz spun on the initial start, Bish found his #1B Faster Chassis on the front row for the second attempt to take the green. Bish took the lead as Fields moved to 2nd before a lap 3 caution for Mike Dempsey put Fields behind Bish for a restart. Bish was up to the challenge as he maintained his lead despite the pressure from Fields. Fields finally took the lead on lap 8. Bish settled into 2nd and followed Fields as he chose his line to try to retake the lead. Bish started his charge at the halfway mark and made the pass for the point on lap 12 and started to pull away from Fields.
Bish lead with 2 to go as he was in lapped traffic with Fields in pursuit. Fields pulled off on the white flag lap with more engine woes as Bish flew to his initial win. Skip Lindemuth held off Chad Obrien for 2nd as Jamie Barber and Eric Baun were 4th and 4th. Dempsey, Dale Yeaney, Tom Greeley, Fields, and Johnny Lindenpitz completed the top 10. With 18 cars in the pits, Barber and Fields picked up heat wins.
Kyle Shannon snagged his 4th Pure Stock feature win after a strong charge through the field from 10th. Front row starter Mike Donahue took the lead at the drop of the green and lead until lap 3 when 4th starter Dan Kennedy grabbed the top spot. Shannon was up to 2nd at the halfway point and closed on Kennedy. Donahue was in a battle for 4th with last week’s winner Bruce Hartzfeld before the pair spun in turn 2, bringing out a yellow.
Back under green, Shannon was unchallenged as he went on to win over Donahue, Brian Rhed, Alan Trunzo, and Kennedy who was off the pace the final lap. Completing the top 10 were Steve Barnes, Guy Coder, Adam Brink, Tony DeBoey, and Nathan Yeaney. Trunzo and Rhed won heats over the 12 car field.
After claiming 4 feature wins at Mercer Raceway Park, Knox, PA’s Chris Myers began making the tow to Thunder Mountain and was fast from the get go. Coming close in his first visit, Myers picked up where he left off by taking his first Enduro win at the speedway. Myers started on the pole and had a race long battle with Brett Fields for the lead. After frantic action early in the race, 12th starter Jason Joiner was 3rd after one lap as the top 3 cars battled for the lead. Joiner left the track on a lap 7 caution but returned on the lead lap. This left Myers and Fields in a 2 car fight for the lead.
Fields took the lead on lap 8 as Jamey Lee moved up to join the battle with Myers. Myers got under Fields with 2 to go as Devin Dempsey slowed in turn 2. Fields made contact with Dempsey and came to a stop on the back stretch, ending his night. Myers held off Jamey Lee at the finish with Brent Lee, Chad Greeley, and Aaron Hill making up the front 5. 6th through 10th went to Barry Myers, Bryan Warren, Steve Cook, Roswell Babcock, and Randy Holliday. Jamey lee, Fields, and Joiner won heat races over the 26 car field.
Don Henry lead from flag to flag in a nonstop RWD 4 Cylinder feature event. After taking the lead from Tim Bailey into turn 1, Henry survived a last lap charge from Orin Taylor to hold on to the win. Taylor was 2nd ahead of Bailey, Joe Malobicky Jr, and point leader Bill McMillen. Paul Metz Jr, Cooter Wolfe, Aaron Henry, Jason Young, and Brandon Weidow rounded out the 10 car field. Heats went to Taylor and Malobicky.
Next on the Thunder Mountain Speedway schedule is a regular 5 division show of Steel Block Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Enduros, and RWD 4 Cylinders. Also on the car will be Powder Puff races for the Enduro and Pure Stock divisions. Any lady competing should sign up at the pit gate upon buying a pit pass for the event. Gates open at 5:00 with the first green flag waving at 7:30. General admission is $10 and pit passes will remain $20. For the latest information, visit the tracks web site at www.thundermountainspeedway.net.
COMPLETE RESULTS:
STEEL BLOCK LATE MODELS: (17 Cars)
1. LUKE HOFFNER, 2. Dwayne Tanneyhill, 3. Matt Gaston, 4. Jerry Redden, 5. Chuck Kennedy, 6. Ed Connor, 7. Dan Stormer, 8. Larry Wingard, 9. John Chesnalavich Jr, 10. Cory Wilson, 11. Bob Smith, 12. Bill Davis -DNF, 13. Josh Watt -DNF, 14. Rick Maxim, 15. Mike Steck -DNF, 16. Rodney Phillips -DNF, 17. Brian Smith -DNF.
HEAT WINNERS: Gaston, Connor.
SUPER STOCKS: (18 Cars)
1. TIM BISH, 2. Skip Lindemuth, 3. Chad Obrien, 4. Jamie Barber, 5. Eric Baun, 6. Mike Dempsey, 7. Dale Yeaney, 8. Tom Greeley, 9. Fuzzy Fields -DNF, 10. Johnny Lindenpitz, 11. Jim Handyside Jr, 12. Rusty Martz, 13. Phil Uplinger -DNF, 14. Dan Smeal -DNF, 15. Chad Rougeux -DNF, 16. Mike Desch -DNF, 17. Brandon Connor -DNS, 18. Steve Cook -DNS.
HEAT WINNERS: Barber, Fields.
PURE STOCKS: (12 Cars)
1. KYLE SHANNON, 2. Mike Donahue, 3. Brian Rhed, 4. Alan Trunzo, 5. Dan Kennedy, 6. Steve Barnes, 7. Guy Coder, 8. Adam Brink, 9. Tony DeBoey, 10. Nathan Yeaney -DNF, 11. Bruce Hartzfeld -DNF, 12. Jim Gullace Jr -DNF.
HEAT WINNERS: Trunzo, Rhed.
ENDUROS: (26 Cars)
1. CHRIS MYERS, 2. Jamey Lee, 3. Brent Lee, 4. Chad Greeley, 5. Aaron Hill, 6. Barry Myers, 7. Bryan Warren, 8. Steve Cook, 9. Roswell Babcock, 10. Randy Holliday, 11. Cory Silvis, 12. John Miller, 13. Richie Snell, 14. Shawn Dinger, 15. Michael Fields, 16. Jason Joiner, 17. Wayne Terwillinger, 18. Rusty Murray, 19. Devin Dempsey -DNF, 20. Brett Fields -DNF, 21. Jacob Kline, 22. Ryan Kemmer -DNF, 23. Shawn Lindemuth -DNF, 24. Randy Rickard -DNF, 25. Rich Draa -DNF, 26. Sam Orf Jr -DNF.
HEAT WINNERS: J. Lee, Fields, Joiner.
RWD 4 Cylinders: (10 Cars)
1. DON HENRY, 2. Orin Taylor, 3. Tim Bailey, 4. Joe Malobicky Jr, 5. Bill McMillen, 6. Paul Metz Jr, 7. Cooter Wolfe, 8. Aaron Henry, 9. Jason Young, 10. Brandon Weidow -DNF.
HEAT WINNERS: Taylor, Malobicky.
