Kutztown Fair Speedway Results & Story 8/11/10

Brett Arndt Drives To 600cc Micro-Sprint Victory Wednesday At Kutztown; Ryan Smith (270cc), Travis Bieber (Slingshot), T.J. Lilly & A.J. Gerhart (Junior Slingshot) Triumph As Champions Are Crowned



KUTZTOWN, PA - Local favorite Brett Arndt drove the Greth Racing No. 71 to the wingless 600cc Micro-Sprint victory Wednesday night at The Fairgrounds at Kutztown Speedway.



Arndt, a former track champion from Topton, Pa., bested versatile Ryan Smith in the closing circuits to reach Victory Lane on Championship Night at the one-fifth-mile oval located in the shadows of Kutztown University. New Jersey's Jeff Hartman, meanwhile, clinched the 600cc crown with a fourth-place finish.



Arndt started third and darted into the lead on the third circuit of the 20-lap main. Ninth-starter Ryan Smith advanced into second spot on lap seven and worked the outside lane in pursuit of the leader, settling for second spot. Brett Schoenly raced from eighth to place third followed by champion Hartman, who recovered from an early skirmish for fourth. Brett Michalski completed the front five.



The 600Scene.com Hard Charger was Ben Fisher, who placed 11th after starting 23rd.



Ryan Smith of Kunkletown, Pa., made quick work of the 270cc Micro-Sprint field in the 20-lap main. Starting third, Smith took command on the second lap and was never seriously challenged, dicing through heavy lapped traffic in the final circuits.



Ross Perchak entered the night trailing Richie Hartman by eight markers. However, Perchak darted to a second-place effort. Combined with Hartman's fifth-place result, Perchak took the crown by seven points. Brandon Edgar finished third, with Trevor Kobylarz and Hartman completing the front five.



The Bieber family, Travis leading Brett, scored a one-two finish in the 20-lap Slingshot main, a memorable night for the Oley, Pa., duo. Brad Arnold placed third, followed by Matt Miller and 2010 champion Mike Glass, who authored a dramatic charge to fifth after getting spun to the infield on the opening lap. Glass had entered the evening one point ahead of Shannon Smith. Gaining 10 points in qualifying, the Myerstown, Pa., driver marched through traffic to earn his crown.



A.J. Gerhart (regularly-scheduled) and T.J. Lilly (heldover) wired the 20-lap Junior Slingshot mains. Lilly earned the point championship.



Three nights of racing are set for the Fairgrounds at Kutztown Speedway during the Kutztown Fair, with on-track activities planned for Tues.-Thurs. Aug. 17-19. The 600cc wingless Micro-Sprints, 270cc Micro-Sprints and Slingshots will all be featured in marquee events with the 139th edition of the fair serving as the backdrop.



The entire week of racing at Kutztown will be dedicated to the memory of noted racing photographer Bill Hess, who passed away earlier this year.



The wingless 600cc Micro-Sprints and 270cc Micro-Sprints will be in action on the one-fifth-mile clay oval both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Tuesday (Aug. 17) will be reserved for warm-ups, time trials and two sets of heat races for each division. The top-16 drivers will be locked into their respective A-Mains.



On Wednesday night (Aug. 18), there will be warm-ups, last-chance qualifying and the A-Mains.



Both the 270cc and 600cc divisions will be featured in 30-lap main events paying $1,500 to win and $75 to start. Car entry the day of the event will be $45 plus pit pass costs: $30 (one-day) or $45 (two-day pass).



Slingshots will compete in the Dutch Classic, a one-day event set for Thursday (Aug. 19) with time trials, two sets of heats and a 30-lap A-Main paying $1,200 to win and $35 to start. Registration on the day of the event will be $60 plus $25 for the pit pass.



There will be special awards and contingency prizes up for grabs for Micro-Sprint and Slingshot racers during the fair week events.



The Young Gun 390s will run on Wednesday night (Aug. 18), while the Junior Slingshots will be in action Thursday night (Aug. 19). Junior Slingshots will compete for $100 to win with no pre-entry fee. The Atlantic Coast Old Timers are set to be on hand all three nights.



Practice nightly is set for 6:30 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. Grandstand admission is included with fair admittance.



For further information on the Fairgrounds at Kutztown Speedway, contact Kerry Meitzler by phone at 610.683.8234 or Janelle Stump via e-mail at Racektown@aol.com. On the web: http://www.kutztownfairspeedway.com/.



FAIRGROUNDS FODDER: A large field of cars turned out for Championship Night, including 28 600cc Micro-Sprints, 31 270cc Micro-Sprints, 18 Slingshots and eight Junior Slingshots....



Heat winners were Tim Buckwalter, Joe Kay and Brett Michalski (600cc); Steve Lapina, Ryan Smith, Trevor Kobylarz and Louis Horvath (270cc); Kyle Hieber and Mike Glass (Slingshot); and A.J. Gerhart (Jr. Slingshot.) Kyle Reinhardt (600cc) and Tom Schearer (270cc) won the consolations....



Dylan Swinehart, grandson of area racer Ray Swinehart, made his debut in the Junior Slingshots, moving up from Quarter Midget racing....



Wingless 600cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: BRETT ARNDT, Ryan Smith, Brett Schoenly, Jeff Hartman, Brett Michalski, Joe Kepple, Paul Richards, John Wilbert IV, Brenden Bright, Steve Kemery, Ben Fisher, Shannon Smith, Kyle Hieber, Taylor Urban, Patrick Perone, Keith McIntyre, Kyle Lick, Jesse Hartman, Shelby Harper, Joe Kay, Mark Yoder, Tim Buckwalter, Dave DiMaio, Kyle Reinhardt.



Track Champion: Jeff Hartman



Did Not Qualify: Ben Quinones, Rhett Long, Mike Freed, Shane Lewis.



270cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: RYAN SMITH, Ross Perchak, Brandon Edgar, Trevor Kobylarz, Richie Hartman, Kim Glass, Louis Horvath, Jay Hartman, Tom Kunsman Jr., Luke Fogg, Jim Skias, Dan Souder, Steve Lapina, John Pepe, Brad Tabertshofer, Matt McAnally, Charlie Stone, Tiffany Wambold, Andrew Dietrich, Harlee Schaffer, Ronald Helmick, Tom Schearer, Steve Walters, Dan Cogdill.



Track Champion: Ross Perchak



Did Not Start: Billy Murphy



Did Not Qualify: Brendon Poff, Tom Tanner, Darin Bartholomew, Jay Horvath, Josh Pepe, Eric Grzenikowski.



Slingshot Feature Finish: TRAVIS BIEBER, Brett Bieber, Brad Arnold, Matt Miller, Mike Glass, Matt Massone, Shannon Smith, Kyle Hieber, Jordan Henn, Simon Egan, Gary Hieber, Joseph Nemeth, Clint Miller, Duane White, Mark Sensenig, Ben Rabenold, Jan Acker, Pete Knappenberger.



Track Champion: Mike Glass



Junior Slingshot Feature Finish: A.J. GERHART, T.J. Lilly, Louden Reimert, Chris Kurtz, Kyle Gruber, Dylan Martin, Dylan Swinehart, Derek Guest.



Junior Slingshot Heldover Feature From July 21: T.J. LILLY, Chris Kurtz, Louden Reimert, A.J. Gerhart, Dylan Martin, Derek Guest, Dylan Swinehart.



Track Champion: T.J. Lilly