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STEVE BUCKWALTER BACK IN ARDC VICTORY
LANE
After a rough start to the twenty-five lap main event, the
midgets of ARDC got down to business and put on a show that lived up to the
reputation of the wingless warriors of the American Racing Driver's Club.
Rookies, Brian Gilmore and Brett Wanner paced the
twenty-five car field to the green flag. Gilmore took the lead at the start but
was immediately challenged. As the field headed into turn one, Dusty Heistand
made his move to the inside while Wanner ran the high outside line in search of
the lead. Unfortunately, Gilmore lost the handle on his mount as the field
entered turn two. With everyone on the throttle for the first lap of the race,
there was little time or room to avoid the lead car as fifteen of the starters
were involved in the melee in turn two.
Steven Drevicki and Alex Bright both ended up getting upside
down with Bright's Lightcap Electric #77 being the most heavily damaged. It was
not the race that Bright had hoped for as he prepared to head to Speedcar
competition in Australia the very next day. Everyone emerged from the incident
without injuries with only the four cars of Bright, Drevicki, Bruce Buckwalter,
Jr. and Gilmore sidelined from the event.
Wanner quickly grabbed the lead on the restart but was
challenged by current ARDC point leader, Tim Buckwalter on the second circuit
with Tim Buckwalter scored as the leader on lap two. The caution was thrown on
lap three for a spun Joe Butera in turn two but green flag conditions returned
quickly as Tim Buckwalter was now challenged by Steve Buckwalter for the lead.
Steve Buckwalter was the race leader as the field completed lap four.
Steve Buckwalter moved out to a comfortable lead over Tim
Buckwalter as Kobylarz was on the move. Kobylarz took over the third spot from
Dusty Heistand on lap eight and then battled with Drew Heistand to maintain his
position just a few laps later.
Following a caution flag when PJ Gargiulo ran into problems
in turn four, Steve Buckwalter had a new challenger as Kobylarz moved into
second and took a look to the inside of Buckwalter. Kobylarz actually pulled
ahead of Buckwalter on more than one occasion but never had quite enough to
clear the #0 car. Buckwalter regained sole possession of the lead and then
pulled ahead by several car lengths.
As the laps counted down, it was Ryan Watt driving the RAACE
Foundation #16 for Dave Shirk that was on the move. Watt started twenty-second
in the original lineup. By lap fifteen, Watt was challenging for a spot in the
top five. With the five to go sign, Watt ran in fourth and was looking for
more.
Drew Heistand's strong run ended with twenty-one complete as
he slowed to a stop in turn four. When the green flag waved, the battle was on
for third as Watt ran the inside line to take the spot from Tim Buckwalter.
Kobylarz switched from offense to defense as Watt now challenged for the second
position.
The cars would realign nose to tail for a one lap shoot-out
following a caution for Austin Burke on the homestretch. Steve Buckwalter raced
to his third checkered flag of the season as Kobylarz and Watt followed in
second and third. Tim Buckwalter finished fourth while Wean completed the top
five.
ARDC completes their 2012 season with the Candy Bowl at
Susquehanna Speedway Park on October 27th.
Race Notes
Brett Arndt of Topton, PA was unable to start the twenty-five
lap feature when motor problems were discovered during warm-ups. Arndt was
fifth in points entering Saturday night's event. Austin Burke had a strong run
in the Burke Trucking #54 that ended just one lap short of the finish when the
sixteen year old driver got into the homestretch wall. Burke is a second
generation midget driver who was making just his second start in ARDC
competition.
Feature Results (25 laps)
1-Steve Buckwalter #0 2-Trevor Kobylarz #49 3-Ryan Watt #16
4-Tim Buckwalter #52 5-Nick Wean #78 6-Dusty Heistand #6 7-Brett Wanner #44
8-Jimmy Glenn #07 9-Carey Becker #14 10-Steven Bull #01 11-Joe Butera #3
12-Randy Reid #53 13-Bill Courtwright #75 14-Eric Heydenreich #11 15-Austin
Burke #54 16-Drew Heistand #1 17-PJ Gargiulo #5 18-Brenden Bright #88 19-Steve
Craig #55 20-Mark Gilmore #10 21-Ryan Greth #34 22-Brian Gilmore #13 23-Bruce
Buckwalter, Jr. #83 24-Steven Drevicki #19 25-Alex Bright #77 DNS-Brett Arndt
#46
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