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Snelbaker, Billet and Hauenstein Win Rock-It Pizza Subs on Saturday Night at SSP
Newberrytown, PA (May 5, 2007) – On a beautiful Saturday night, the racing action at the Susquehanna Speedway Park found Smokey Snelbaker picking up his first Trail Motors Super Sportsman feature of the year. Carl Billet, Jr. won his third Late Model feature in a row and Brian Hauenstein also picked up his first SSP win of the season in the Street Stock main event.
The night began with the Paul Morgan and Kevin Sigler on the front row for the 20-lap Street Stock feature event. Morgan jumped out to the early lead with lots of side-by side racing throughout the field. This continued until the caution flew on lap three for multiple spinning cars coming out of turn four. All drivers were able to continue the race.
On the restart, Morgan continued to lead. 2006 SSP Track Champion, Brian Hauenstein began to move through the field from his sixth place starting position. On a lap 10 restart, Hauenstein was in second and glued to Morgan’s rear bumper. Sigler followed in third. Another caution on lap 11 for a spinning Scott Thunberg bunched up the field yet again. On lap 12, Hauenstein finally made the pass for the lead over Morgan, but was unable to pull away. Hauenstein stayed on the high side with Morgan down low. In the waning stages of the race, Hauenstein was able to gain a little breathing room to take his first win of the season and collect the famous Rock-It Pizza sub. Morgan finished second with George Eash in third coming all the way from an eighth place starting position. Sigler and Joe Whitely rounded out the top five. Hauenstein, Paul Morgan and Joey Hoffer won their Street Stock heat races.
In the Trail Motors Super Sportsman feature event, Don Biggs and Scott Grace brought the field to the green. Biggs jumped out to the early lead with Smokey Snelbaker following him into second and immediately challenged for the lead. Snelbaker moved into the lead on the second circuit, but a flipping Pat Kelly in turn one brought out the red flag and negated the pass for the lead. Kelly was uninjured. On the restart, the point leader, Russ Mitten spun into the guardrail in turn 3.
When racing action resumed, Snelbaker challenged Biggs again and made the pass for the lead. This time him made it stick but not before a spinning Jamie Rupp brought out the caution flag again on lap four. Snelbaker continued to lead, but a five car battle for second ensued. On lap 7, last week’s winner Steve Wilbur took command of second and set his sights on Snelbaker. The next lap, Nick Bardsley spun and this bunched up the field. Under caution, Wilbur pulled beside Snelbaker to let him know who was behind him. Smoke was not intimidated and continued to lead. A red flag on lap 14 allowed crews to make adjustments for their drivers. The red was flown to allow track crews to clean up the track due to a blown engine from Scott Snyder. A six lap dash to the finish for the six foot Rock It Pizza Sub found the most action on the last lap on the last turn with a blanket being able to be thrown on the top three finishers. When the dust settled, Snelbaker was the winner by a nose, followed by Wilbur and Craig Morrow in a photo finish. New Jersey racers, Dan Biggs and Rich Janney finished out the top five. Snelbaker and Grace won their respective qualifying heat races.
The 20-lap Late Model feature event started with Bud Barton jumping out to the early lead, but Scott Richwine’s mechanical failure on the frontstretch brought out the yellow and made it a complete restart. Once again under green, Barton jumped out to the lead again over Mark Grey and Chuck Yingling. Spins at opposite ends of the track slowed the field under yellow on lap 2.
Caution free racing continued for many laps and the SSP Late Model point leader and 12th place starter, Carl Billet methodically moved his way through the field and into second at the midway point. Billet began to stalk Barton as they entered lapped traffic. With five to go, Billet moved down low and into the lead past Barton. A caution flag for a stopped Mark Grey in turn three allowed Barton to close up on Billet for a three lap chase for “The Sub.” Another caution on lap 18 for a three car spin closed the field yet again.
On the restart, Billet pulled away and won his third straight feature event. Gary Potts got by Barton on the last lap for second. Barton finished third with Sterling Kinard and Jake Jones rounding out the top five. Sam Leonard, Jr., Billet and Barton won the Late Model heat races.
Tomorrow night, Sunday, May 6, it is the Auto Racing Club of Hagerstown (ARCH) Night where all ARCH members will receive $5.00 off the general admission price. Fans will also be treated to the first Great American School Bus race of the season along with the ASCS Sprint Cars in a Mid-Atlantic Regional race paying $1,500.00 to the winner. Joining the ASCS Sprint Cars will be the Xtreme Stock Cars and Classic Cars.
There will also be complimentary School Bus rides around the track for fans of all ages at 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
General Admission Grandstand ticket prices for Sunday night will be Adults and Teens (13 & older) $13.00; Children (12 & under) are free. Pit pass prices are $22.00 with a reduced price of $20.00 for all pit competitor license holders. The minimum age requirement to purchase a pit pass is 14 years of age with a copy of a birth certificate is required for all ages 14 to 17. Prices will be slightly higher for special events.
The next Saturday night event will be next week, May 12 with Mother’s Appreciation Night featuring the Trail Motors Super Sportsman, Late Models and Street Stocks. All mothers in attendance will receive a special gift that night. There will also be the second of six Young Guns Street Stock 5-lap dash races presented by Clean Technologies will also take place on Saturday night. The dash features all drivers ages 21 and younger.
Then on Sunday night, May 13, it is will again be Mother’s Appreciation Night featuring the ARDC wingless Midgets, Legends Cars, Four Cylinder Stock Cars and Women on Wheels Stock Cars. All mothers in attendance will receive a special gift that night.
The pit gates will open 3:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Grandstand gates will open at 4:00 p.m. Warmups begin at 5:30 p.m. with qualifying races at 6:00 p.m. The national anthem will be at 7:00 p.m. followed by last chance consolation races and feature events.
The Susquehanna Speedway Park is located off I-83 to exit 32, then 1.4 miles NW on SR382 to York Road, then 1.3 miles south. For more information, contact the speedway offices at (717) 292-1696 or visit online at sspracing.net. On raceday, use the track phone at (717) 938-9170 for up-to-date information.
Race Results from Saturday, May 5, 2007
Trail Motors Super Sportsman Series Feature (20 laps): 1. Smokey Snelbaker; 2. Steve Wilbur; 3. Craig Morrow; 4. Dan Biggs; 5. Rich Janney; 6. Scott Grace; 7. Lanny Hake; 8. Dave Martin; 9. Steve Batdorf; 10. Jamie Rupp; 11. Dale Gardner; 12. Scott Snyder; 13. Nick Bardsley; 14. Glenn Sinibaldi; 15. Eric Walker; 16. Russ Mitten; 17. Pat Kelly; DNS – David Finch.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Bigg (1-2); Snelbaker (3-20).
HEAT RACE WINNERS: Snelbaker and Grace
Late Model Feature (20 laps): 1. Carl Billet, Jr.; 2. Gary Potts; 3. Bud Barton; 4. Sterling Kinard; 5. Jake Jones; 6. Justin Erhart; 7. Carl Graves; 8. Bob Scott, Jr.; 9. Travis McClelland; 10. John Baker, Jr.; 11. Charles Potts; 12. Randy Christine, Jr.; 13. Steve Billet; 14. Gene Smith; 15. Chuck Yingling, Jr.; 16. Gerry Stuttings, Jr.; 17. Mark Grey; 18. Josh Knoll; 19. Gene Wrightstone; 20. Sam Leonard, Jr.; 21. Scott Richwine; DNS – Mike Leonard, Jeremy Knoll and Robert Minnich.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Barton (1-15), Billet, Jr. (16-20).
HEAT RACE WINNERS: Leonard Jr., Barton and Billet, Jr.
Street Stock Feature (20 laps): 1. Brian Hauenstein; 2. Paul Morgan; 3. George Eash; 4. Kevin Sigler; 5. Joe Whiteley; 6. Todd Bowersox; 7. Wes Alleman; 8. Sam Leonard Jr; 9. Gary Johnston; 10. Skip Findley; 11. Eric Walker; 12. Joey Hoffer; 13. Jason Failor; 14. Bryon Shue; 15. Chad Smith; 16. Donnie Hughes; 17. Jenn Scott; 18. Tim Drawbaugh; 19. Dave Thompson Jr.; 20. Scott Thunberg; 21. Dustin Hollinger; 22. Craig Morgan; 23. Lance Grove; DNS - Calvin Herman
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Morgan (1-12); Hauenstein (13-20).
HEAT RACE WINNERS: Hauenstein, Morgan and Hoffer
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