NEWS FROM THE KUTZTOWN FAIR SPEEDWAY

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News from the Kutztown Fair Speedway...Providing Your Midweek Motorsports Adrenaline Rush!

Race organizers Kerry Meitzler (610-683-8234) & Janelle Stump (racektown@aol.com).
Media Contact: Barry Angstadt, Media Information Director/Announcer...484-256-4429 or email: bwa39@comcast.net.



Next Event: Wednesday, May 18 @ 7 p.m. - Racers Roundtable.com Night. Qualifying heats, consolations, and 20-lap feature races for the wingless 600cc; winged 270cc; All Star Slingshots; and Xcel Sportsman/Stage One Modifieds.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Warm-ups at 6:30. Adult General Admission is $8.00, Students (ages 10 - 17)/Seniors, Kutztown residents with I.D. admitted for just $5.00. Children under the age of 10 are free, and parking is always free at the fairgrounds!


MICHALSKI, KOBYLARZ, EGAN, AND J. SMITH KICK OFF NEW SEASON AT KUTZTOWN FAIR SPEEDWAY


Kutztown, Pa. - May 11 - With 117 racecars stuffed into the Kutztown Fair Speedway's pit area on Wednesday, the 2011 racing season at the Berks County oval got underway in nearly perfect weather conditions.

Four drivers certainly enjoyed the weather and their trips to the winner's circle during the season opening Goldie Meitzler Memorial, run each year in memory of the matriarch of the Meitzler family.

Brett Michalski (wingless 600cc Micro-Sprints), Trevor Kobylarz (winged 270cc Micros), Simon Egan (All Star Slingshots), and Joel Smith (Xcel Sportsman/Stage One Modifieds) were victorious in their respective 20-lap main events, run in front of a nice crowd that assembled in the fairgrounds' grandstand.
Michalski, from Penndel, Pa., started third but jumped into the lead on lap one of the wingless 600cc feature race, sneaking under Brett Schoenly and polesitter Joseph Smith to snare the top spot.

Seventh-starting Ryan Smith blasted by J. Smith to grab the second position on the third trip around the fifth-mile of clay. While R. Smith closed in on Michalski on a couple of late race restarts, he could not find the muscle to get by the leader. Michalski roared under the checkered flag to win by three-tenths of a second over R. Smith. Luke Thomas, Brett Smith, and J. Smith completed the top five.

When the 270cc main event went green, strong running Jonathan Pepe bolted into the lead from his outside front row starting spot. Pepe remained in front until lap seven, when Trevor Kobylarz slipped by to take command.

Despite some late race caution periods that slowed his pace, Kobylarz maintained his hold on the point while the drivers behind him jockeyed furiously for positions two through five. Ryan Smith started tenth, charged into third in the first ten laps of the race, then faded a bit during the second half of the 20-lapper before finishing fifth.

Trailing Kobylarz to the checkered were J. Pepe, a fast closing Richie Hartman, Josh Pepe, and R. Smith.

The All Star Slingshot feature was a dandy, with Gary Hieber and Simon Egan trading the top spot on several occasions.

Hieber took the green from the pole position, and immediately jumped away on top. Egan, who started fifth, began weaving his way toward the head of the pack during the early laps, finally passing Brett Bieber for the runner-up position just before lap ten was scored.

In lapped traffic, off turn two, Hieber became hung up behind a slower car. Egan took full advantage of the situation, blasting around Hieber to snatch the lead away from the Scrappy's Auto Service No. 56. The pass occurred with eight circuits complete, but Hieber wasn't finished...

Hieber returned the favor just a few laps later, slicing back into the lead when Egan became trapped behind a lapped car.

When several cars scrambled in front of the leaders with just four laps remaining, Egan pounced again, gassing his S&S Speedways No. 55 past Hieber as they exited turn four.

A final restart with only two tours remaining did not alter the outcome; Egan held on to score the victory over Hieber. Brett Bieber finished third, with Mike Glass and Joe Nemeth rounding out the top five.

Ryan Suchon and Ryan Kunkle brought the field of Xcel Sportsman/Stage One Modifieds to the green as the final feature of the evening got underway.

Suchon paced the early laps as Joel Smith navigated his way from sixth on the starting grid to run second in just five revolutions. J. Smith raced up to the leader's rear bumper, waiting for his opportunity to make a move. He didn't need to wait very long...

As the leaders made slight contact in turn four, Suchon spun and J. Smith, who was running inches behind him, had to stand on his brakes to avoid hard contact. Ryan Kunkle shot to the outside to get by, with J. Smith recovering quickly to cross the liine in second.

On the restart, and for the next several laps, J. Smith applied heavy pressure to Kunkle's machine, hoping to force the Fleetwood, Pa. chauffeur into a mistake. Smith's efforts finally paid off as he drew even with Kunkle down the backstretch, then edged in front as they worked through the corner. Smith's pass for the lead took place with only five laps left to run.

Joel Smith, the hotshoe from Borger's Speedway, flew to the checkered flag, winning by 1.362 seconds over Ryan Kunkle. The driver to watch at the end was fifteen-year-old Anthony Schlosser-White, who found something on the high side of the speedway. Schlosser-White charged into the top five, running as high as third a few times. On the last restart, with three to go, the young lion steered his mount around Andy Ressler, and he very nearly caught Doug Borger for third.
Borger held on to claim third, with Schlosser-White finishing fourth and Ressler cashing in for fifth.

Fairgrounds Fodder...An incredible turnout of cars for the opener, with 39 of the wingless 600's, 30 of the winged 270cc Micros, there were 27 Slingshots and 21 of the Xcel Sportsman/Stage One Modifieds in attendance last Wednesday.

Nice gesture by RPM Parts Online to contribute to the Slingshot purse last week. The business' operator, Pete Knappenberger, put up the money needed to allow all 27 Slingers start the feature, and not just the typical 24.

The Kutztown Fair Speedway is a proud member of the 600 Pro Series this year, meaning the drivers at Kutztown can run not just for track points, but for the lucrative 600 Pro Series Championship as well, providing the drivers are Pro Series members. The 39 car field of wingless 600's for the Kutztown opener had many Pro Series members in its ranks on Wednesday.

Heat race winners on Wednesday included Luke Thomas, Michalski, Brett Schoenly, and Joseph Smith, who all copped victories in qualifying action for the wingless 600cc Micro-Sprints. Twin consolations went to Tyler Esh and Jay Hartman.

The 270cc heats were won by Andrew Dietrich, Ross Perchak, and Ryan Smith. Harlee Schaffer won the consolation race.

Slingshot heats went to Mike Glass, Simon Egan, and Joe Bodenschatz.

The two Xcel Sportsman/Stage One Modified heat races were won by Joel Smith and Anthony Schlosser-White.

On Wednesday, May 18, the same four divisions will be in action at Kutztown, with a starting time of 7 p.m. Gates open at 4 p.m., with warm-ups at 6:30. Racers Roundtable is sponsoring the night of racing on May 18 as the speedway goes for two in a row. Adult general admission is $8.00, and Students (ages 10-17)/Seniors, and Kutztown residents with valid I.D. will be admitted for just five dollars.

The Kutztown Fair Speedway provides your Midweek Motorports Adrenaline Rush, so join us for another Wild Wednesday event on May 18, when Racers Roundtable sponsors the action.
RESULTS:
Wingless 600cc Micro-Sprint Feature, 20 laps: 1.Brett Michalski, 2.Ryan Smith, 3.Luke Thomas, 4.Brett Smith, 5.Joe Smith, 6.Ryan Greth, 7.Mike Dicely, 8.Shane Lewis, 9.Tyler Esh, 10.Brett Arndt, 11.Tim Buckwalter, 12.Jeff Hartman, 13.Doug Snyder, 14.Chad Sandt, 15.Jay Hartman, 16.Tyler DeVault, 17.Rhett Long, 18.Rob Adams, 19.Kyle Lick, 20.Bob Goerner, 21.James Morris, 22.Bobby Butler, 23.David Graziano, 24.Brett Schoenly.
DNQ: Tony DiMattia; Steve Kemery; Joe Kay; Rob Vivona; Zachary Fisher; Tex Snyder; Carey Becker; Rick Calvert; Molley Chambers; Brian Carber; Carl Mease; Ryan Wilson; Dave Dimaio; Jesse Hartman; Roy Miller.

Winged 270cc Micro-Sprint Feature, 20 laps: 1.Trevor Kobylarz, 2.Jonathan Pepe, 3.Darin Bartholomew, 4.Richie Hartman, 5.Josh Pepe, 6.Ryan Smith, 7.Tom Schearer, 8.Kurt Bettler, 9.Tyler Reinhardt, 10.Tiffany Wambold, 11.Steve Lipina, 12.Steve Walters, 13.Matt McAnally, 14.Ross Perchak, 15.Harlee Schaffer, 16.J.J. Uliana, 17.Jessica Miller, 18.Brandon Edgar, 19.Andrew Dietrich, 20.Tommy Kunsman Jr., 21.Dan Souder, 22.Jared Kunkle, 23.Alex Reinsmith, 24.Marty Gorr.
DNQ: Paul Richard; Megan Kay; Ronald Helmick; Brad Tabertshofer; Melissa Seip; Chad Owens.

All Star Slingshots Feature, 20 laps: 1.Simon Egan; 2.Gary Hieber, 3.Brett Bieber, 4.Mike Glass, 5.Joe Nemeth, 6.Shannon Smith, 7.Joe Bodenschatz, 8.J.R. Fulper, 9.Pete Knappenberger, 10.Brad Arnold, 11.Matt Miller, 12.Branden Clauss, 13.Taylor Schoenly, 14.Ryan Raidline, 15.Mark Sensenig, 16.Simon Whitnell, 17.Karl Fegley, 18.Kimmie Trout, 19.William Mohring, 20.Romke Bosga, 21.Alison Kaminski, 22.Ben Rabenold, 23.T.J. Lilly, 24.A.J. Gerhart, 25.Travis Bieber, 26.Clint Miller, 27.Lance Hoch.

Xcel Sportsman/Stage One Modified Feature, 20 laps: 1.Joel Smith, 2.Ryan Kunkle, 3.Doug Borger, 4.Anthony Schlosser-White, 5.Andy Ressler, 6.Brett Smith, 7.Kevin Gruber, 8.Ryan Suchon, 9.Scott Washburn, 10.Jeromy Guistwite, 11.Kyle Kocher, 12.Chad Mullen, 13.Ray Horning, 14.Ryan Mohr, 15.Emily Horning, 16.Matt Carman, 17.Mark Schaffer, 18.Kyle Strohl. DQ: Aaron Bowes. DNS: Brad Arnold; Rick Bates.


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