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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, July 27: Wingless 600cc and Winged 270cc Micro-Sprints, All Star Slingshots, & Xcel Sportsman Modifieds. Gates open at 4 p.m. Warm-ups at 6:30; first heat race takes the green at 7:00.
Coming Events...Wednesday, August 3rd at 7 p.m. - NAPA Auto Parts Dutch Classic for the All Star Slingshots. The NAPA Dutch Classic is also a Mid-Atlantic Silver Region Tour Race, and it will award National Tour points as well as points toward the Slingshot Speedweek Series title. The Wingless 600cc and Winged 270cc Micro-Sprints will join the All Star Slingshots, along with the Xcel Sportsman Modifieds. Gates open at 4:00; warm-ups at 6:30.
Lewis & R. Hartman Best in Kutztown Micro-Sprints; Hieber and Gruber Also Victorious on July 20
July 20 - Kutztown, Pa. - As July's temperatures soar into triple-digits, Shane Lewis gets better...and the results prove it.
Lewis won the big money at Lanco's Micromania on July 2nd, then recorded a pair of runner-up finishes and a third-place effort on the weekend of July 15-17. He strolled into the Kutztown Fair Speedway last Wednesday as the 600 Pro Series point leader, then extended that lead by winning the 20-lap feature for the Wingless 600cc Micro-Sprints at the track that resides across the street from Kutztown University.
Joining Lewis for victory photos at the end of a sweltering night at the fairgrounds were: Richie Hartman (270cc Micro-Sprints); Gary Hieber (All Star Slingshots); and Kevin Gruber (Xcel Sportsman Modifieds).
Racing returns to Kutztown this Wednesday, July 27, as the Wingless 600cc and Winged 270cc Micro-Sprints, All Star Slingshots, and Xcel Sportsman Modifieds battle in qualifying heats, consolations, and 20-lap main events. This will be the final tune-up for the Slingshots before the August 3rd NAPA Auto Parts Dutch Classic on the one-fifth mile fairgrounds oval. NAPA's Dutch Classic will award points toward the Slingshots Mid-Atlantic Silver Region and National Tours, along with its status as a Slinger Speedweeks event. Both classes of Micro-Sprints and the Xcel Sportsman Mods will also be on the August 3rd menu. Gates open at 4 p.m. each week at Kutztown, with warm-ups at 6:30 and racing at 7:00.
Lewis started seventh in the Wingless 600cc feature, then methodically worked his way to the front as Brett Arndt set the pace in the early going.
Picking off Ryan Greth and Rhett Long, Lewis found himself sitting in third by the time the caution lights blinked on with four laps complete. The Honeybrook Hustler ducked to the inside of Luke Thomas to grab second on the sixth trip around the clay. Lewis then stalked Arndt for the next six circuits, waiting for his opportunity to strike.
His chance to pounce occurred on lap 12, as Arndt left just enough room for Lewis to squeeze under him in turn two. Lewis charged into the lead as they blasted down the backstretch, then cruised to his second triumph of the season at Kutztown by a margin of 2.66 seconds over Arndt.
Thomas, Brett Schoenly, and Tyler DeVault made up the top five as the checkered flag waved over the field.
While Lewis' performance was impressive, Richie Hartman may have been even better in the main event for the 270cc Micros.
The current point leader in this class, Hartman took the green from the inside of row six in the RTS Chassis No. 2. He swiftly carved a path through the pack, rumbling into third position when the yellow flew with eight laps recorded.
Hartman, from Shoemakersville, dashed past Jonathan Pepe to claim the runner-up spot at the halfway mark, then set his sights on race leader Jarid Kunkle, who was flying out front, leading since the outset from his pole position.
Hartman quickly caught Kunkle, but Kunkle's No. 75 was up to the challenge, and a wild contest for the number one slot took shape as Hartman made repeated dives under the leader, with Kunkle forging back in front as they hit the straightaways.
With five to go, as Hartman once again attempted to dive under him, Kunkle's car gave out, forcing him to retire with mechanical issues. Hartman inherited the lead and went on to win by a large margin over Pepe, Trevor Kobylarz, Tom Schearer, and Brad Tabertshofer.
Gary Hieber, Langhorne, won his first All Star Slingshot main of the season (at Kutztown) by leading every one of the 20 trips around the Berks County clay oval. He couldn't shake A.J. Gerhart, however, until a wild scramble ensued as the leaders accelerated towards the white flag.
Hieber dashed to the inside of C.R. Hill in an attempt to lap Hill, and the two made contact in turn four. While Hieber was able to pull away unscathed, Hill turned sideways in front of Gerhart, who turned hard left and shot to the infield to avoid Hill's No. 5s. Gerhart's journey through the infield cost him two positions, but amazingly, he kept his car and free of major damage, and recovered to finish fourth.
Hieber ran an uneventful final lap to register the victory, with the Bieber brothers, Travis and Brett, finishing second and third, respectively. Gerhart wound up fourth in front of his uncle and two-time winner, Mike Glass.
How good was the Xcel Sportsman Modified feature? Consider that most of the second half of the 20-lapper was highlighted by a side-by-side fight for the lead between Kevin Gruber and Andy Ressler.
With Ressler planted in the bottom groove and Gruber content to run a higher line, the two wheel-twisters ran door to door around the entire track for several laps, with Ressler sticking his nose in front in the corners and Gruber edging ahead on the straights.
Gruber's high-side momentum carried him to his second consecutive Kutztown victory, as he crossed the stripe by a scant .031 seconds over Ressler - a matter of inches - to notch the win.
Ryan Suchon, Ryan Kunkle, and Mark Howanitz completed the top five at the finish.
Fairgrounds Fodder...
Jeff Hartman, a three-time winner in this season's Wingless 600cc competition and the current point leader, was the victim of a pile up on the initial start of Wednesday's 20-lap main. Hartman flipped wildly on the homestretch, but was uninjured. His car was done for the night, however.
Wednesday's Car Count: Wingless 600cc = 24; Winged 270cc = 26; All Star Slingshots = 20; Xcel Sportsman Mods = 14. The grand total was 84 cars entered for the evening of competition.
Heat race winners included: Jeff Hartman, Rick Perone, and Brett Schoenly for the Wingless 600's; Josh Pepe, Richie Hartman, and Matt McAnally in the 270 Micros; A.J. Gerhart and Gary Hieber won Slingshot heats; and Xcel Sportsman Modified heats went to Matt Carman and Andy Ressler. Only one consolation was needed, for the 270cc Micros, and Alex Reinsmith was the winner.
Associate sponsorships are still available for the Dutch Classic on August 3rd and the Fair Week Nationals on August 16, 17, and 18. For sponsorship details, contact race organizers Kerry Meitzler (610-683-8234) or Janelle Stump (racektown@aol.com).
RESULTS:
Wingless 600cc Micro-Sprints: 1.Shane Lewis, 2.Brett Arndt, 3.Luke Thomas, 4.Brett Schoenly, 5.Tyler DeVault, 6.Joe Kay, 7.Carey Becker, 8.Ryan Smith, 9.Doug Snyder, 10.Jesse Hartman, 11.Tyler Esh, 12.Blaine Emery, 13.Dave Dimaio, 14.Rick Perone, 15.Rob Adams, 16.Bob Goerner, 17.Rhett Long, 18.Jay Hartman, 19.Ryan Greth, 20.Devin Beidel, 21.Roy Miller, 22.Tim Buckwalter, 23.Jeff Hartman, 24.Jonathan Hull.
Winged 270cc Micro-Sprints: 1.Richie Hartman, 2.Jonathan Pepe, 3.Trevor Kobylarz, 4.Tom Schearer, 5.Brad Tabertshofer, 6.Alex Reinsmith, 7.Jesse Maurer, 8.Steve Walters, 9.Kurt Bettler, 10.Tommy Kunsman Jr., 11.Steve Lipina, 12.Ross Perchak, 13.Mike Glass, 14.Ronald Helmick, 15.Harlee Schaffer, 16.Megan Kay, 17.Clint Miller, 18.Jessica Miller, 19.Jarid Kunkle, 20.Matt McAnally, 21.Josh Pepe, 22.Zack Bealer, 23.Darin Bartholomew, 24.Andrew Dietrich.
All Star Slingshots: 1.Gary Hieber, 2.Travis Bieber, 3.Brett Bieber, 4.A.J. Gerhart, 5.Mike Glass, 6.Matt Miller, 7.Matt Massone, 8.Ryan Raidline, 9.Taylor Schoenly, 10.J.R. Fulper, 11.Shannon Smith, 12.Joe Nemeth, 13.Simon Egan, 14.Mark Sensenig, 15.Taylor Troxel, 16.William Mohring, 17.Jake Reinsmith, 18.Ben Rabenold, 19.Bob Hentschel, 20.C.R. Hill.
Xcel Sportsman Modifieds: 1.Kevin Gruber, 2.Andy Ressler, 3.Ryan Suchon, 4.Ryan Kunkle, 5.Mark Howanitz, 6.Mark Schaffer, 7.Ray Horning, 8.Chad Mullen, 9.Shawn Horning, 10.Matt Carman, 11.Doug Borger, 12.Scott Washburn, 13.Rick Bates, 14.Jason Hehnly.
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