5.19.17 Patriot Sprints Results
(Conneaut, OH) | The Patriot Sprint Tour made the first of two 2017 visits to Raceway 7 with 22 of the alcohol-burning winged warriors signing into the pits. With rain getting close to the track and sprinkles starting to fall the Patriot Sprint Tour Sprint feature was moved to the first in the lineup.
Reigning champion Jared Zimbardi started the 25-lap race from the pole position with Cody Bova outside while defending champion of this event Kyle Drum started fifteenth. Zimbardi grabbed the immediate lead with Steve Collins coming to second before the end of lap one. Tyler Graves spun in turn three slowing the race at the end of lap one. Collins stayed with Zimbardi for the first lap under green but then slid wide in turn two, falling back but maintaining the runner-up position.
For the next three laps Zimbardi lengthened his lead but lost it when George Englert slowed in turn three, again slowing the race under caution. Zimbardi pulled away at green with Collins second and Bova still third until lap eleven when caution flew again, this time for Dan Kuhn. Halfway had Zimbardi in a solid lead over Collins, Bova, Justin Barger, and Bryan Howland. At lap fifteen caution fell again for a spin with the top five still the same.
Barber got by Bova for third at lap sixteen. With five laps left Darryl Ruggles came to a halt on the back straight, yet again slowing the race under yellow. Howland came to fourth on the first lap under green and Richardson followed him to fifth before the end of the lap. Pete Richardson and Dan Bennett spun in turn three with two laps left as rain began falling steadily. Richardson was able to continue but Bennett had enough damage to end his night.
Howland used the “slide job” to get to third at the end of the lap then Barger spewed smoke in turn two and came to a halt, bringing another yellow. The ‘one lap shootout’ was all Zimbardi at the front with Collins and Howland side by side for second, Collins holding second by a slim margin. Joe Trenca was fourth with defending race winner Kyle Drum fifth.
Patriot Sprint Tour Presented by Bonnell Collision Center:
Heat 1: Jared Zimbardi, Darryl Ruggles, Justin Barger, Dave Just, Tyler Graves, Kevin Mingus, George Englert, Adam Anderson
Heat 2: Bryan Howland, Joe Trenca, Cody Bova, Jordan Thomas, Kyle Drum, Chris Steele, Josh Azzi
Heat 3: Steve Collins, Steve Hutchinson Jr, Derek Jonathan, Dan Bennett, Landon Lalonde, Pete Richardson, Dan Kuhn
Feature: Jared Zimbardi, Steve Collins, Bryan Howland, Joe Trenca, Kyle Drum, Cody Bova, Chris Steele, Jordan Thomas, Dave Just, Steven Hutchinson Jr, Derek Jonathan, Kevin Mingus, Josh Azzi, Pete Richardson, Justin Barger, Dan Bennett, Darryl Ruggles, Dan Kuhn, Dan Kuhn, Adam Anderson, George Englert, Tyler Graves, Landon Lalonde