4.23.17 Port Royal Speedway Results
Port Royal – Rick Eckert of York bested the stars and cars of the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series at Port Royal Speedway on Sunday night, earning $10,000 for his fourth career at the track in the 50-lap main event.
In the Mason Dixon Shootout Series for limited late models, it was Three Springs driver Matt Parks making a rare limited start to pick up the win worth $1,000.
Eckert’s victory in the Lucas Oil event was a special one as it marked the first-ever visit by the illustrious late model circuit and stars to the central Pennsylvania region and the thousands of fans in attendance were not disappointed by the show that was long- awaited on and clamored for by so many.
Rochester Mills’ driver Gregg Satterlee and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Illinois, started on the front row of the Lucas Oil feature with Satterlee taking the immediate lead and Tim McCreadie racing in third.
Sheppard and McCreadie dueled for the second spot briefly before McCreadie secured the spot on the third circuit.
With McCreadie in tow, Satterlee entered the backmarkers on the 12th tour around the big half mile and that was just about the time that McCreadie starting steadily closing the rather large gap that Satterlee had over the rest of the field.
McCreadie was just beginning to challenge for the lead when the races first caution flag unfurled on the 20th lap for a stopped Colton Flinner.
The restart found Eckert sitting seventh after starting fifth in the field.
Sheppard reclaimed second from McCreadie on the restart only to again loose the spot on lap 29, just before another yellow flag period, this time for a slowing Boom Briggs.
Still seventh for the restart, Eckert made up some ground when the green reappeared, getting by Josh Richards, Mason Zeigler and Don O’Neal to move into fourth.
Eckert used the middle and bottom of the track to mow down Sheappard for third with 17 laps left and then began working on McCreadie, who was again working on Satterlee before another yellow with 14 laps to go again bunched the field.
The lap 36 caution was for a stopped Lucas Oil point leader in the form of Scott Bloomquist.
Eckert and Zeigler relegated both McCreadie and Sheppard backwards when action resumed, taking over second and third and from that point on Eckert began stalking Satterlee for the win.
With Satterlee moving all around the speedway in the lead, Eckert simply went where Satterlee wasn’t and on the 39th tour he used the bottom line off of the fourth corner to nose into the lead at the line with Satterlee directily along side as the pair crossed the stripe.
Satterlee blasted back into control using the high lane through the second corner on the ensuing lap but Eckert stuck fast to the bottom as the pair hit the backstretch and took the top spot back.
A final yellow flag with four laps to go failed to produce a challenge for Eckert who got away during the final laps to take the win by 1.510 seconds at the finish.
Satterlee rode home second followed by Zeigler of Chalk Hill; Josh Richards, Shinnston, Wv.; and McCreadie, Watertown, Ny.
Sixth through 10th went to Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.; Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill.; Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.; Earl Person Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.; and Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
Heats for the 41 super late models went to Satterlee, Sheppard, McCreadie and O’Neal with twin consolations going to Coleby Frye and Steve Francis.
Fast time was set by Erb Jr. with a lap of 18.492 seconds.
Matt Parks started on the pole of the 20-lap limited late model main and wired the field for the victory.
His pace in the race was slowed only once with seven laps completed.
His car owner, Ralph Morgan Jr. raced second the entire distance and finished with the spot.
Andrew Yoder finished third after starting eighth in the field.
Yoder used the lonely top groove to perfection during the event to consistently move by car after car to reach third.
Eric Irvan and Dillan Stake completed the top five finishers.
Heats for the 38 limited late models went to Stake, Irvin, Morgan Jr., and Yoder.
Twin consolations went to Tim Krape and Dave Latsha
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Feature Finishes
4/23/17
Late Models, 50 laps: 1. Rick Eckert, 2. Gregg Satterlee, 3. Mason Zeigler, 4. Josh Richards, 5. Tim McCreadie, 6. Don O’Neal, 7. Dennis Erb, 8. Jimmy Owens, 9. Earl Person, 10. Darrell Lanigan, 11. Scott Bloomquist, 12. Brandon Sheppard, 13. Hudson O’Neal, 14. Matthew Cosner, 15. Austin Hubbard, 16. Gary Stuhler, 17. Coleby Frye, 18. Steve Francis, 19. Boom Briggs, 20. Chad Hollenbeck, 21. Trent Brenneman, 22. Mike Lupfer, 23. Kyle Lee, 24. Colton Flinner, 25. Nick Dickson
DNQ: Tim Wilson, Dave Brouse Jr., Jim Yoder, Hayes Mattern, Patrick Bryner, Pancho Lawler, Larry Baer, Kenny Moreland, Tim Smith, Chad Myers, Steve Campbell, Chad Myers, Andy Haus, Jason Covert, Dan Stone, Jeff Rine
Limited Late Models, 25 laps: 1. Matt Parks, 2. Ralph Morgan, Jr., 3. Andrew Yoder, 4. Eric Irvan, 5. Dillan Stake, 6. Shaun Jones, 7. Chase Billett, 8. Tim Fedder, 9. Brian Shoey, 10. Tim Krape, 11. Rance Garlock, 12. Derrick Quade, 13. Mike Walls, 14. Jared Fulkroad, 15. JR Toner, 16. Devin Frey, 17. Davis Latsha, 18. Rick Lias, 19. Donnie Farling, 20. Chase Bowsman, 21. Kadden Smith, 22. Ryan Walls, 23. Matt Murphy, 24. Robbie Black, 25. Devin Hart, 26. Todd Snook
DNQ: Jeremy Ohl, Kenny Yoder, Bryan Sipe, DJ Groft, Garrett Gray, Mike Mort, Devin Weyandt, Larry Neiderer, Taylor Farling, Justin Weaver, Matt Nailor, Shaun Miller