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Chuck Hebing Wins for Fourth Consecutive Year at Penn Can
Rich Vleck, SUSQUEHANNA, Pa (August 17, 2007)- He had his unbeaten streak at Penn Can snapped on Friday Night, but Chuck Hebing was still able to walk away with another win and some fine hardware.
Chuck Hebing was the dominant force of the second ASCS North/South Shootout Feature as the Mid-Atlantic and Patriot Regions squared off at the Penn Can Speedway. While the race would get in, it would be an interesting night to say the least.
After the completion of the first heat race, the skies opened up over Susquehanna, Pa and put the sprints on the brink of yet another postponement. After more than two hours to wait out the precipitation and work it back in, and following a 15-minute delay for heavy fog, the feature was run off with few issues, completing just after 1:30 A.M.
As the final checkered flag fell on the night, the track was still tacky and fast, just was “Cobra” was hoping for.
“This is the way I like this track,” said a tired Hebing in Victory Lane. “I just couldn’t get a hold of the track in the first feature but we were going real good tonight.”
Hebing spanked the field in National Parts Peddler Heat No. 3, laying down the only laps in the 14-second bracket of the night. Despite starting in sixth in the Rob’s Market Dash, “Cobra” finished in third, giving him a solid starting spot for the 25-lap, $1,500-to-win feature.
By the second lap of the A-main, the current ASCS Patriot point leader had slung around Ray Preston, reminiscent to a move he made on the No. 22 in last year’s ASCS event. As Hebing checked out from the field he seemed untouchable, but there were a few hurdles that the all-time winningest ASCS Patriot Driver had to clear before he could once again grace Victory Lane.
On lap eight, as he was attempting to lap Howard Singer, John Smith made a move toward the pit entrance, stacking up the field, and cause Hebing to come into contact with Smith. The result was a damaged nose-wing, which would bring the other top-runners back in.
“I was trying to take it easy in the lapped traffic but then I got into that mess in turn one and that messed up the front end,” commented the Ontario, NY driver in Victory Lane. “The car had a push the rest of the night but we were still pretty strong.”
It was not surprising that Hebing was reeled back in with this damage, what was unexpected was who was nipping at “Cobra”: Jared Fink.
Fink reeled in the race leader just before the first caution of the 25-lap A-Main on lap 12 when Geoff Quackenbush spun around. Hebing would pull away on the restarts but Fink would close back in by using the bottom lane.
“On that final restart (on lap 19), I saw somebody get their nose under me so I figure I’d go down the to bottom, I didn’t know who it was,” said Hebing after the event.
Even though “Cobra” went on the defensive, Fink was still able to pull even with the defending ASCS Patriot Champion, including drawing even on the final lap coming out of turn two. Hebing would stay strong in turn three and four and pick up the win.
It was the 23rd career win under ASCS Patriot Sanctioning, strengthening his position as the all-time winningest Patriot. A big part of those wins have been the four consecutive years he has now won at Penn Can.
In only his sixth sprint car start, and just hours after his first career top-10, Jared Fink was the highlight of the event, proving his worth with arguably his first full functioning No. 21a J&J Chassis.
“We took the car down (To New Jersey) to work on our steering issue we’ve had,” said Fink of his recent struggles. “They found the problem and I think it showed tonight.”
While Hebing picked up the Lion’s share, with contributions from Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing and Red Bear Hand Cleaner, Fink would pick up the Mangus Pumped Up Award and Red Bear Hand Cleaner Clean Finish, Clean Hands Prize.
While the top-two were concentrating on one another, Blake Breen crept into the mix, as the Savannah, NY driver was within two car lengths of the leaders as they came back to the checkered flag. It was the best finish of the year for the driver of the No. 8, ironically at a speedway that has always plagued the youngster. Breen also won National Parts Peddler Heat No. 1 before the rain hit.
Ray Preston won the Rob’s Market Dash, earning the Engler Machine & Tool Pole. After leading the first lap, he slipped back but remained stout, racing with Breen for the balance of the feature for third. This is the second-straight year Preston finished fourth at Penn Can.
George Suprick had to sit out the first feature of the night, but he got on top of the wheel in the second 25-lap event, charging up from his 10th place starting spot to round out the top-five in front of the local fans.
Suprick would finish just in front of another local, his teammate Coleman Gulick, who helped his position in the ASCS Mid-Atlantic Point Standings.
Jared Zimbardi scored his fifth top-10 in as many races at Penn Can, coming home in seventh. Scott Kreutter had his worst finish in ten races, as he finished in eighth. Bobby Breen finished in spot No. 9 in car No. 9, with Don Adamczyk rounding out the top-10.
Of note, Tim Hogue had trouble in his heat but was able to run up to finish 11th in the feature, giving him the point lead in heading into the final Mid-Atlantic Regional event of the year in a few weeks at Susquehanna Speedway Park.
Twenty-four cars signed into the pits for the program that was originally scheduled for August. Justin Barger was again strong, winning Heat No. 2 but fell out with just six laps remaining with a damaged motor while running in the top-five.
Only four cautions would wave in this program, with only two coming in the A-Main, both for single car incidents.
For more information, visit www.ASCSracing.com or www.ASCSpatriotsprints.com.
ASCS Patriots Results: 8/17/07, Penn Can Speedway, Susquehanna, Pa. Race 2
A-Main (25 Laps)- 1. Chuck Hebing (45), 2. Jared Fink (21a), 3. Blake Breen (8), 4. Ray Preston (22), 5. George Suprick (87), 6. Coleman Gulick (14), 7. Jared Zimbardi (35), 8. Scott Kreutter (52), 9. Bobby Breen (9), 10. Don Adamczyk (21), 11. Tim Hogue (39), 12. Geoff Quackenbush (25), 13. Chris Muhleisen (10M), 14. John Karklin (69), 15. Ken Pann (33), 16. Roger Fickett (66), 17. Derek Jonathan (81), 18. Gary Troutman (44), 19. Adam Gordon (18), 20. Dave Wickham (80), 21. Justin Barger (32), 22. John Smith (53), 23. Howard Singer (26), DNS. Jimmy Stitzel (12).
Lap Leaders- Preston 1, Hebing 2-25.
Rob’s Market Pole Dash (4 Laps)- 1. Ray Preston (22), 2. Jared Fink (21a), 3. Chuck Hebing (22), 4. Justin Barger (32), 5. Blake Breen (8), 6. Geoff Quackenbush (25).
National Parts Peddler Heats (8 Laps Each)-
Race 1: 1. Blake Breen (8), 2. Geoff Quackenbush (25), 3. Jared Fink (21a), 4. Scott Kreutter (52), 5. Gary Troutman (44), 6. Howard Singer (26), 7. Tim Hogue (39), 8. Jimmy Stizel (12).
Race 2: 1. Justin Barger (32), 2. Coleman Gulick (14), 3. Jared Zimbardi (35), 4. Ken Pann (33), 5. Bobby Breen (9), 6. John Karklin (69), 7. Dave Wickham (80), 8. Chris Muhleisen (10M).
Race 3: 1. Chuck Hebing (45), 2. Ray Preston (22), 3. Don Adamczyk (21), 4. George Suprick (87), 5. Roger Fickett (66), 6. Adam Gordon (18), 7. John Smith (53), 8. Derek Jonathan (81).
Contingency Awards-
Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing Sealing the Deal Award- Hebing
Red Bear Hand Cleaner Clean Finish, Clean Hands Award- Fink
Mangus Precision Pumps Pumped Up Award- Fink
Saldana Racing Products Half Way Leader- Hebing
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger of the Night- Muhleisen (+9)
ASI Sportswear Sharpest Move of the Race- Suprick
Engler Machine and Tool Pole Award- Preston
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Passing Points Award- Bl. Breen
Kinser Air Filters Hard Luck Award- Barger
ISC Racer’s Tape Keeping Things Rolling Award- Troutman, Muhleisen, Wickham
DMI Rear End Award- Singer
M&W Aluminum Products Top-5 Award- Fink
Big Toob Bleeders Lucky 7th Award- Zimbardi
Pancho’s Racing Products J&J of the Race- Fink
Rod End Supply 19th Anniversary Award- Gordon
Ultra-Shield Race Products Top-10 Award- Gulick
Leaf Racewear 11th Place Award- Hogue
Dri Wash ‘n’ Guard Waterless Car Best Appearing Car Award- Gulick
Pro-Syn Oil Technology/ Mother’s Car Wash Clean Race Award- Kreutter
Tully’s Good Times Restaurants Good Time of the Night- Zimbardi 15.09 seconds.
Gater Racing News Hard Charger of the Season Award presented by Red Bear Hand Cleaner (Top-5)- 1. Chuck Hebing 36, 2. Ray Preston 29, T-3. Bryan Howland 25, T-3. Coleman Gulick 25, 5. Jared Zimbardi 24.
Current ASCS Mid-Atlantic Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Tim Hogue 1,074, 2. Coleman Gulick 1,062, 3. George Suprick 1,042, 4. Chuck Hebing 811, 5. Geoff Quackenbush 802, 6. Justin Barger 753, 7. Bryan Howland 686, 8. Jimmy Stitzel 520, 9. Jared Zimbardi 495, 10. Scott Kreutter 491.
Current ASCS Patriot Points (Top Ten): 1. Chuck Hebing 2,210, 2. Jared Zimbardi 2,178, 3. Ray Preston 2,050, 4. Don Adamczyk 1,996, 5. Scott Kreutter 1,830, 6. Blake Breen 1,686, 7. Bobby Breen 1,500, 8. Chris Muhleisen 1,420, 9. Dave Wickham 1,330, 10. Bryan Howland 1,328.
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