Ohio's Fun Place to Race!!
2024 Race Season |
 | April 18, 2015 |
 Al Roker could not have asked for better weather for The McIntosh Oil Company Season Opener to jump start the 2015 campaign. Seventy plus race cars and trucks made the tow into Midvale Speedway under partly cloudy skies and 75 degrees, which was absolutely perfect for the wonderful crowd that packed the grandstands. The racing action was especially kind to the second generation. Of the 5 opening night features, 4 of them were won by “Jr.’s”.
The first feature of the 2015 season was 20 Laps for the Canton Auto Salvage Compact’s. The #101 of Daniel Risley and Laney Striejewske in the #17 brought the field down to the Green Flag. As the lead duo raced off into turn one side by side, the #150 of Joe Oliver stuck his car in the outside lane and made it three wide down the back stretch into turn three. His attempt was unsuccessful but Clayton Oliver made his move work for the race lead in the #19, bringing the #169 of Alan Clark with him. Zack Cogar blew a power steering line in his #7 car, bringing out the first caution on lap #2. On the restart, Joe Oliver tried another three wide move, this time on the bottom lane into turn one. Joe Oliver couldn’t get the #150 slowed up in time and got into the #19, who in turn got into the #169, cutting Clark’s left front tire. Joe Oliver was sent to the tail and Clark was towed to the pits. Clayton was doing a nice job of holding onto the top spot after the next restart until he was black flagged for turning two consecutive laps under his qualifying time, handing the lead over to Jim Keller Jr. in the #28, who hasn’t competed for 11 years. Gage Jaberg in his new black #21 took a couple shots at Keller, as did fastest qualifier Justin Renicker in the #175. Those three put on a good 3-way battle through the middle stages of the event until Jaberg was spun out by the #24 of Brent Shreffler and was collected by the #38 of Brandon France on lap sixteen. On the final restart, Joe Oliver clawed his way back up into the top 4 and had a great battle with Renicker for second as Keller Pulled away for his first feature victory since 2003. Following the Minerva, OH Driver in the Minerva Kick It (For Childhood Cancer), Stark County Walk 4 Autism Speaks #28 was Renicker, Joe Oliver, Last Season’s Champion Dan Buckey who had a spirited march through the field after starting near 20th and Kyle Finlayson finishing out the top 5.
Next to take to the 3/10 mile oval was the McIntosh Oil Company Late Models for their 30 lapper. The #53 of Mike Miller and the #12 of Bubba Smith brought the field to Chief Starter Terry Colletti’s Green Flag. Bubba made the move of the race at the first hit of the throttle, blasting off turn #4 like he was shot from a cannon and clearing Miller into turn one. Bubba and Miller would run nose to tail until the 1st and only caution waved on lap #5 when Rick Sibla got loose off turn four and collected the #42 of Tom Stankiewicz. After the restart, Bryant Smith in the Green and Black #1 was able to get around Miller in the bottom lane and brought the #2 of Alex Rosenberry and fastest qualifier Ryan Tedesco in the #70 along with him. As the laps clicked away, Bubba was able to maintain a 2 – 3 car length advantage over his younger brother, even in lapped traffic. When the checkered flag flew, The North Canton, OH Driver picked up his 3rd straight victory dating back to last season. Following the Finish Line Motors, Finish Line Designs, Smith’s Auto Sales and Freedom Auto Finance sponsored #12 was Brother Bryant, Rosenberry, Tedesco and Miller. After the race, Rosenberry failed to go to the back straightaway for tech inspection, so he was disqualified. That moved Johnny Hughes into the top 5. For those of you that don’t know, Bubba’s given name is Randy Smith Jr. and at this point the “Jr.’s” were 2 for 2.
Next up was the 20 lap J.D. Byrider Street Stock feature. This season, it is apparent that this Division is wide open and may be the most competitive. The #80 of Robbie Patterson and the #03 of Chase Hughes brought the field down for the start. Patterson raced into the top spot with Hughes, Tom Powell in the #79, last Season’s Division Champion Dennis Wood in the #22 he will share with his daughter Kylee this season and Bob Passwaters Sr. in the #75. Wood looked good early and worked his way up to the second spot by lap five when TJ Barker in the #11 got low thru turns 3 and 4 tearing up his machine and bringing out the first caution. While the field circulated, Track Officials had to send the #22 pit side for a flat right rear tire, ending his hopes to pick up another win. After the restart, Patterson continued to lead but all eyes were on Passwaters Sr, the #68 of Gary Hoopingarner and fastest qualifier Kyle Grove in the #3. The threesome were all over the track and all over each other. After a spin by Brian Lewis Sr, the trio was able to dispose of Patterson, continuing to put on a show at the front. Passwaters Sr. was working both sides of the street to keep Hoopy and Grove at bay. Lap after Lap Hoopy and Grove swapped the second position until the 2 made contact on lap #14 going down the front stretch and into turn #1. It was determined that Hoopingarner was at fault and he was sent to the rear, later pulling off because of a slow leak in a tire. That put the #74 of Bob Passwaters Jr. into the mix along with Bill Shimko, who was substituting for Bill Aubihl in the #31. After a lap 15 restart, Shimko shot to the middle of Grove and Passwaters Sr. in turn three, traded some paint with the #3, kicking him out of the groove and back quite a few spots. In the next corner the #31 slipped himself coming off turn two and lost a few spots of his own. While that was going on, the Passwater Jr machine cut to the bottom off turn four, taking over the point after his Dad left the door open on lap #17. 14 year old rookie competitor Colton Ritchey turned a few heads after making an inside pass of Passwaters Sr off turn two to pick the second spot in the #21 in his first ever Street Stock Race on lap #18. At the finish line, Bob Passwaters Jr. picked up his first career feature victory and shared a great father – son podium. Following the Waynesburg, OH Driver in the Downtown Auto, Passwaters Racing, The Sanctuary Church of God Sponsored #74 was Ritchey, Passwaters Sr., Powell and Barker. That is now 3 for 3.
The 25 Lap Summit Racing Economy Modified feature was another competitive race with plenty of comers and goers. The #1 of Don Boron Jr. and Doug McMillen in the #54 brought the field to the stripe. Boron was able to clear Big Mac after one circuit as the #54 slotted into second. After an early caution, Chris Piehl was able to use the chrome horn of his #88 to move McMillen up the hill in turn one, taking over the second position as Tad Grove in the #3 and Adam Stewart in the #11 started picking their way forward. The duo tangled with McMillen on lap #7, bringing out another early caution and sendingStewart to the tail. After 4 green flag laps, Piehl tried to use his chrome horn again, this time it was enough to send the #1 of Boron around and sending the #88 to the tail. After the restart on lap #11, Bob Sibla Jr. in his #82 had worked his way up to the second position after starting in the back half of the top 10. Sibla started to reel in the Boron machine and it looked as though we were in for a heck of a finish. Then on lap sixteen, something went awry on the #1 while leading coming off turn four, the car twitched and shut off, coming to a stop a few yards before the start / finish line. Sibla was then under fire from fastest qualifier Mike Green in the #36 on the next to last restart, but Stewart, who moved back up thru the field, made contact several times with the rear of the Green machine, finally finishing him off in turn #4. That sent Green off on the hook and Stewart to his trailer with the black flag. Over the final 5 circuits, the Massillon, OH Driver set sail towards another visit to Midvale Speedway Victory Lane. Following The Bullet Fabricating sponsored #82 was Grove, 2-time defending Champion Kevin McClintock, Phillip Cox and McMillen. So, that makes it 4 for 4
Unfortunately, there was not a “Jr.”in the field for the Finish Line Motors Mini Truck 12 Lap Feature. Cody Jaberg in the #22 and Keith Anderson in the #32 started on the front row. Jaberg battled hard on the inside of the #32 on the first lap, even trading some paint, but experience paid off and Anderson took the early lead. Fastest qualifier Derek Cordia in the #72 truck worked to the outside lane to get around the Jaberg Truck when the two made contact in turns one and two, sending Cordia spinning and Jaberg to the pits with a flat right front tire. The final 11 laps went without a hiccup as Anderson was able to hold off Cordia, who tried multiple lines to make up time and get around Anderson, but ran out of time. Dusty Nicholas had a nice, consistent run to finish 3rd. The Barnhill, OH Driver picked up his second feature victory in the Truck Division in the Dog Gone Trucking, M&D Designs sponsored #32.
Please join us next week as Spectator Drags will join our regular 5 Divisions on Saturday Night April 25 for Pepsi / Bloom’s Printing Night. Pit gates open at 2:30, Grandstands and Hot Laps at 3, Qualifying at 4:45 with Green Flag Racing Action beginning at 6:30.
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McIntosh Oil Co. Late Models
Fast Time – Ryan Tedesco: 13.979
Heat 1 – Mike Miller, Bryant Smith, Bubba Smith, Rick Sibla, Alex Rosenberry, Tom Stankiewicz Ryan Tedesco.
Heat 2 – Johnny Hughes, Dave Martin, John Sandquist, Bob Eichel, Jeff Taylor.
Feature – Bubba Smith, Bryant Smith, Tedesco, Miller, Hughes, Bob Schneider Jr., Sandquist, Martin, Taylor, Eichel, Stankiewicz, Sibla.
Summit Racing Economy Modifieds
Fast Time – Mike Green: 14.662
Heat 1 – Tad Grove, Phillip Cox, Bob Sibla Jr., Adam Stewart, Mike Green, Bryce Allensworth, Kevin McClintock.
Heat 2 – Shawn Marder, Don Boron Jr., Chris Piehl, Shawn Kaufman, Doug McMillen, Lee McCreery, Keith Krebs, Joe Slentz, Braden Swaney.
Feature – Sibla Jr., T. Grove, McClintock, Cox, McMillen, Marder, Swaney, Piehl, Slentz, Green, Stewart, Boron, Jr., Allensworth, Kaufman, Krebs, McCreery.
J.D. Byrider Street Stocks
Fast Time – Kyle Grove: 16.207
Heat 1–Gary Hoopingarner, Bill Shimko, Kyle Grove, Todd Miller, TJ Barker, Bob Passwaters Jr., Colton Ritchey
Heat 2 – Bob Passwaters Sr., Dennis Wood, Tom Powell, Robbie Patterson, Kelly Wissman, Chase Hughes, Brian Lewis Sr.
Feature – Passwaters Jr., Ritchey, Passwaters Sr., Powell, Barker, Wood, Hughes, Wissman, Miller, Lewis Sr., Shimko, Grove, Hoopingarner, Patterson.
Finish Line Motors Mini Trucks
Fast Time – Derek Cordia: 18.228
Heat – Keith Anderson, Cody Jaberg, Derek Cordia, Dusty Nicholas.
Feature – Anderson, Cordia, Nicholas, Jaberg.
Canton Auto Salvage Compacts
Fast Time – Justin Renicker: 17.772
Heat 1 – Justin Renicker, Jim Keller, Kyle Finlayson, Dillon Brinson, Gage Jaberg, Dan Buckey, Don Boron Sr.
Heat 2 – Allen Clark, Daniel Risley, Brent Shreffler,Christian Bailey, Laney Striejewske, Clayton Oliver, Zack Cogar, Chris Smith
Heat 3 – Colton Cottis, Brandon France, Leeza Moore, Korey Herron, Adam Kern, Seth Gibson, Hunter Corbett.
Feature – Keller, Renicker, Joe Oliver, Buckey, Finlayson, Shreffler, Striejewske, Moore, Corbett, Jaberg, Boron Sr., Risley, France, C. Oliver, Gibson, Herron, Smith, Cottis, Bailey, Cogar.
Written by: Chris Kail |
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04/18/2015 Race
Late Models Listings |
| Finish Pos. | Driver |
| 1. | Smith, Bubba |
| 2. | Smith, Bryant |
| 3. | Tedesco, Ryan |
| 4. | Miller, Mike |
| 5. | Hughes, Johnny |
| 6. | Schneider Jr, Bob |
| 7. | Sandquist, John |
| 8. | Martin, Dave |
| 9. | Taylor, Jeff |
| 10. | Eichel, Bob |
| More |
04/18/2015 Race
Economy Modifieds Listings |
| Finish Pos. | Driver |
| 1. | Sibila Jr, Bob |
| 2. | Grove, Tad |
| 3. | McClintock, Kevin |
| 4. | Cox, Philip |
| 5. | McMillen, Doug |
| 6. | Marder, Shawn |
| 7. | Swaney, Braden |
| 8. | Piehl, Chris |
| 9. | Slentz, Joe |
| 10. | Green, Mike |
| More |
04/18/2015 Race
Street Stocks Listings |
| Finish Pos. | Driver |
| 1. | Passwaters Jr, Bob |
| 2. | Ritchey, Colton |
| 3. | Passwaters Sr, Bob |
| 4. | Powell, Tom |
| 5. | Barker, TJ |
| 6. | Wood, Dennis |
| 7. | Hughes, Chase |
| 8. | Wissman, Kelly |
| 9. | Miller, Todd |
| 10. | Lweis Sr, Brian |
| More |
04/18/2015 Race
Mini Truck Listings |
| Finish Pos. | Driver |
| 1. | Anderson, Keith |
| 2. | Cordia, Derek |
| 3. | Nicholas, Dusty |
| 4. | Jaberg, Cody |
| More |
04/18/2015 Race
Compacts Listings |
| Finish Pos. | Driver |
| 1. | Keller, Jim |
| 2. | Renicker, Justin |
| 3. | Ennis, Wes |
| 4. | Buckey, Dan |
| 5. | Finlayson, Kyle |
| 6. | Shreffler, Brent |
| 7. | Striejewske, Laney |
| 8. | Moore, Leeza |
| 9. | Corbett, Hunter |
| 10. | Jaberg, Gage |
| More |
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