Conneaut, OH (May 17, 2019): Raceway 7 got the 2019 season underway with 101 cars signed into the pits over the five classes. The featured event for opening night was the $400 to win special for the Sunnyside Farm Transit Mini Stocks, presented by The Home Tavern. On lap six of the second heat race, Kyle Miller set a new track record for the Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economods with a lap of 19.591, eclipsing the record set on May 15, 2015.
In the featured Sunnyside Farm Transit Mini Stock Special Presented by the Home Tavern, Pete Blaczak and Todd Hanlon swapped the lead four times with Blaczak leading the final two circuits for the win. Matt Latta took over at the front on lap three of the Evergreen Lake Park Campground RUSH Late Model feature, going on to start his season with the win. Mike Kinney led from just past the halfway point to score his first Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mod win of the season at Raceway 7. Kyle Miller brought home the checkers in the Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economod finale. Wesley McCray scored his first-ever Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stock feature win, a great way to start his season.
The first feature of 2019 was for the Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stocks with Brian Lacey and Joe Stajnragh bringing the field to green. Wesley McCray came from third on the grid to the lead and built a big lead over Joe Stajnragh by the time of the first caution, for Garrett Calvert, spun in turn three. After green Pat Fielding came to second with Paul Schreckengost third. At halfway it as McCray, Fielding, Schreckengost, Stajnragh, and Darr Diegelman the top five. Fielding stayed with the leader and was closing the gap at the white flag but McCray went on to the win with the top five remaining the same to the finish. It was McCray’s first feature win since running Bandoleros several years ago.
Nate Young and Mike Harmon brought the Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economod feature to green with Young grabbing the immediate lead and eighth starting Kyle Miller coming from eighth to second in two laps. At five laps the front five were Young, Miller, Alexander, Mitch Wright, and Dustin DeMattia, Judson Fell pulled to the infield close to the racing surface and Mike Harmon spun in turn two. At the restart Young again led with Miller and Alexander fighting over second. At halfway it was Young, Miller, Alexander, DeMattia, and Wright. One lap later Miller was leading and pulling away. Alexander took over second at ten laps complete. With three to go Derek Connors spun in turn two, slowing the race again and erasing Miller’s lead. Miller took off with the lead again but with Alexander staying closer this time. With the white flag flying Will Pinckney spun in turn four for yet another caution. Alexander pulled alongside Miller in turn one after green but Miller pulled away on the back straight, going on to his first win of the season at Raceway 7. It was Miller’s third win overall in three starts, having also won at Eriez and at Sharon.
Cory Wick and Jason Pavlick brought the $400 to win, 15-lap Sunnyside Farm Transit Mini Stock Special Presented by the Home Tavern. Pavlick took the immediate lead with Jessica Harvey second and Pat Hanlon third. Zoey Gill spun in turn two before lap two was compete, slowing the race under caution. Pavlick brought the event back to green. At the end of two complete Hanlon was leading with Casey Burch second. Pete Blaczak was second at the end of three with Burch third. Joe Campbell was fourth at five laps. Blazak took over the top spot at six complete. Dillon Speer was fourth at eight laps then Hanlon came back to the lead with six laps to go, only to have Blaczak again lead at ten laps into the race. Speer had a narrow advantage for third at three laps left. At the checkers it was Blaczak, Hanlon, Speer, Burch, and Campbell.
Dennis Lunger and Dan McDonald were the front row for the Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mod feature. Jeff Johnson stalled on the start, negating the green flag. Lunger led from the green with Mike Kinney coming to second from third on the grid. Hunter Hulley spun in turn four, collecting Bill Taylor and slowing the race after one lap of green. Again Lunger led from the green but again in turn four Hulley spun, again collecting Taylor, and also Alan Atkinson. Lunger again led after green. On lap six Casey Bowers and Kinney were side by side for second but Bowers experienced rear axel issues on seven, ending his run. At the halfway point Lunger had half a straight lead when yellow flew for defending champion Troy Johnson, stopped in turn two. For the restart Lunger led Kinney, Mike Potosky, Gary Eicher, and Josh McDonald back to green. At this green Kinney took over the front spot on the back straight with Eicher coming to third. On lap thirteen Lunger experienced problems and headed pitside. On lap fourteen Brandon Grossman spun in turn two. Eicher was second at fourteen compete but Kinney was strong and maintained his lead with Eicher starting to narrow the gap when the next yellow flew with two laps left when Jesse Gould spun in turn three. Fourth running Percy McDonald slowed to a halt on the pace laps. At the finish it was Kinney, Eicher, Mike Potosky, Troy Johnson, and Dan McDonald.
Defending class champion Darrell Bossard and Dave Airgood brought the Evergreen Lake Park Campground RUSH Late Models to green with Bossard leading and Bruce Hordusky second at the end of one lap. Dave Airgood was second at the end of two laps with Breyton Santee fourth and Airgood back to fifth. Jacob Peterson spun sideways in turn four, bringing yellow over the event. Coming out of turn two just as yellow flew Airgood got into the wall, coming to a stop after riding the fence for much of the straight. Peterson was able to continue but Airgood needed towed from the scene. Matt Latta had taken over the lead just before yellow so brought the race back to green. In turn one after green, John Stockdale spun, negating the start. With seven laps in the books, Joe Howell spun in turn two. The top five drivers at this point were Latta, Bossard, Hordusky, Santee, and Kyle Zimmerman. Josh Backstrom spun in turn one on this green, again negating the start. Yet again the field didn’t clear turn two when Joe Howell spun in turn two. At the halfway point it was Latta leading Bossard, Hordusky, Santee, and Zimmerman. Latta started opening his lead but yellow again was in the air as Cory Sines pulled to the infield and Branden Porter rolled to a halt in turn two with seven laps remaining. The top five remained the same through to the checkers.
Evergreen Lake Park Campground RUSH Late Models:
Heat 1: Darrell Bossard, Kyle Zimmerman, Dennis Dellinger, Ron Boardman, John Stockdale, Zach Downes, Branden Porter
Heat 2: Matt Latta, Dennis Lunger, Breyton Santee, Cory Sines, John Watson, Josh Backstrom, Joe Watson
Heat 3: Dave Airgood, Bruce Hordusky, Chris Withers, Steve Hollbaugh, Jacob Peterson, Joe Howell, Khole Wanzer
Feature: Matt Latta, Darrell Bossard, Bruce Hordusky, Breyton Santee, Kyle Zimmerman, Chris Withers, Khole Wanzer, John Stockdale, John Watson, Ron Boardman, Steve Hollbaugh, Josh Backstrom, Jacob Peterson, Zach Downes, Branden Porter, Cory Sines, Joe Watson, Joe Howell, Dave Airgood, Dennis Dellinger
Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mods:
Heat 1: Dennis Lunger, Josh McDonald, Chuck Steinle Jr, Tyler Frankenberry, Eric Reinwald, Bill Taylor, Percy McDonald
Heat 2: Casey Bowers, Dan McDonald, Jeff Johnson, Jesse Gould, Josh Ferry, Hunter Hulley, Alan Atkinson
Heat 3: Troy Johnson, Mike Kinney, Mike Potosky, Gary Eicher, Brandon Grossman, Rick Pratschler
Feature: Mike Kinney, Gary Eicher, Mike Potosky, Troy Johnson, Dan McDonald, Rick Pratschler, Jesse Gould, Eric Reinwald, Brandon Grossman, Percy McDonald, Bill Taylor, Josh McDonald, Dennis Lunger, Casey Bowers, Josh Ferry, Tyler Frankenberry, Alan Atkinson, Chuck Steinle Jr, Hunter Hulley, Jeff Johnson
Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stocks:
Heat 1: Paul Schreckengost, Joe Stajnragh, Pat Fielding, Tom Teed, Aaron Smith, Darr Diegelman (DNS)
Heat 2: Wesley McCray, Brian Lacey, Tony Spaghetti, Garrett Calvert, Jesse Brock
Feature: Wesley McCray, Pat Fielding, Paul Schreckengost, Joe Stajnragh, Darr Diegelman, Tony Spaghetti, Brian Lacey, Tom Teed, Garrett Calvert, Jesse Brock, Aaron Smith (DNS)
Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economods:
Heat 1: Nate Young, Mitchell Wright, Casey Harmon, Mike Harmon, Judson Fell. Derek Connors, Allen Philips, Kyle Reinwald
Heat 2: Kyle Miller, Matt Alexander, Dustin DeMattia, Mike Boyd, Ashley Rogers, Kyle Adkins, Jarrett Young, Pat Drennan
Heat 3: Mark Titus, Justin Sax, Gary Murphy, Tyler Davis, Jim Muma, Will Pinckney, Billy Cunningham
Feature: Kyle Miller, Matt Alexander, Dustin DeMattia, Mitchell Wright, Nate Young, Justin Sax, Mike Boyd, Mark Titus, Kyle Reinwald, Gary Murphy, Ashley Rogers, Judson Fell, Jarrett Young, Will Pinckney, Jim Muma, Derek Connors, Allen Phillips, Tyler Davis, Casey Harmon, Kyle Adkins, Mike Harmon, Pat Drennan, Billy Cunningham (DNS)
Sunnyside Farm Transit Mini Stocks Special Presented by the Home Tavern:
Heat 1: Pete Blaczak, Mark Lawrence, Wayne Reinwald, Jason Pavlick, Joe Dewoody, Brad Cole, Jim Haefke, Scott Gill, Alan Souza (DNS)
Heat 2: Casey Burch, Emily Stoyer, Corey Wick, Trisha Jacklett, Dillon Speer, Eric Gruzosky, Mike Barr, Shawn McBride (DNS)
Heat 3: Pat Hanlon, Zoey Gill, Jessica Harvey, Alexis Vogt, Joe Campbell, Joe Romanko, Kevin Watson, Jeremy Start
Feature: Pete Blaczak, Pat Hanlon, Dillon Speer, Casey Burch, Mark Lawrence, Joe Campbell, Brad Cole, Jessica Harvey, Emily Stoyer, Joe Dewoody, Jim Haefke, Cory Wick, Dalton Speer, Alexis Vogt, Joe Romanko, Trisha Jacklett, Wayne Reinwald, Zoey Gill, Jason Pavlick, Mike Barr, Kevin Watson, Jeremy Start, Scott Gill, Eric Gruzosky, Alan Souza (DNS), Shawn McBride (DNS)