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Tom Kohler Takes Second Of Season; Mike Gular Grandview Mod Shootout Winner
KUTZTOWN, PA - What’s the most effective way to accumulate points?
Get to Victory Lane.
That’s exactly what 600cc Micro-Sprint championship leader Tom Kohler did on Wednesday night at The Fairgrounds at Kutztown Speedway.
Kohler, of Leesport, Pa., took his second victory of 2008 in the division’s 20-lap feature. Starting his ascent from seventh, Kohler reached the lead in a wild exchange on the 12th lap.
Exiting turn two, Kohler shot to the inside of race-long leader Brett Michalski, while Alex Bright charged to the outside. Entering turn three, Bright’s No. 86 got sideways and a multi-car tangle ensued.
Kohler’s Gary Spotts-owned No. 5 inherited the top spot for the restart and paced the remainder of the distance. Ryan Smith, who started 12th, chased Kohler to the checkered. Jarrett Seng, up from 10th, was third, ahead of Shane Lewis and Doug Manmiller, driving a team car to Kohler.
In 600cc qualifying, Kohler, Alex Bright and Joe Kay were heat winners, while Zach Shuman annexed the consolation.
Mike Gular raced to victory in the 15-lap Grandview Speedway Modified Shootout, which featured top competitors from the one-third-mile oval’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series 358-Modified division in XCel 600 Modifieds.
Gular, of Green Lane, Pa., outgunned Duane Howard on the start and survived several restarts in a race that drew a loud reaction from the crowd.
“I had a lot of fun,” acknowledged Gular, 25, who was making his first visit to the one-fifth-mile clay oval.
Brad Brightbill, Manmiller, Howard and Kurt Spotts completed the front five.
Jeremy Guistwite registered his first XCel 600 Modified Series victory in a wire-to-wire run. Following a final-lap, turn-four scramble, Kevin Gruber placed second, over Jon Landis, former Legends Car racer Mark Schaeffer and Cody Coons.
XCel heat winners were Butch Getz, Kevin Pritchard and Nick Mady.
Marco Michetti scored a green-to-checkered victory in the 20-lap 270cc Micro-Sprint feature. Ryan Smith, rebounding from a 270cc DNQ the prior week, took over second on lap 11, but couldn’t unseat Michetti out front.
Ninth-starter Ross Perchak, Mike Esposito and a returning Jesse Hartman, who started 20th, completed the front five.
Taking 270cc heat wins were Marty Gorr, Ed Kenderdine, Eddie Wagner and Esposito. Terry Schaeffer and Matt Janisch split the consolations.
In a one-two sweep by the Dennis “Moose” Eisenhard team, Jordan Henn led Pete Knappenberger across the stripe in the 20-lap Slingshot feature. Henn, who started on the pole, lost the lead to Bill Weaver on lap 12. However, Weaver’s car faltered four laps later and the Kutztown, Pa., native took a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
Henn is the grandson of “Moose” Eisenhard, a well-known Modified owner from the area.
Jim Housworth and Rob Marino split the Slingshot qualifiers.
The Fairgrounds at Kutztown Speedway takes two weeks off - June 25 and July 2 - for the Kutztown Folk Festival before returning to action on July 9 with Twin 15s for the 600cc Micro-Sprints sponsored by RTS Chassis, along with 270cc Micro-Sprints and Slingshots. Gates open at 4 p.m., with warm-ups at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. Fore further information, contact Kerry Meitzler by phone at: (610)-683-8234 or via e-mail: racektown@aol.com.
FAIRGROUNDS FODDER: The largest crowd of the season turned out for the special Grandview Speedway Modified Shootout. The 358-Modifieds of Mike Gular, Kurt Spotts and Jason Smythe were on display behind the grandstands, along with the Big Diamond (Pa.) Raceway pace truck....
Car counts remained strong at 27 600cc Micro-Sprints, 39 270cc Micro-Sprints, 23 Slingshots and 25 XCel 600 Modifieds....
Outstanding night for Ryan Smith, who posted second-place efforts in both the 600cc and 270cc features....
Track management extends a thank you to the XCel 600 Modified competitors who provided their cars for the Grandview Modified Shootout....
Former NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Rookie of the Year Tyler Haydt drove a second Butch Getz-owned XCel 600 Modified. It was his first-ever race on a dirt surface....
RACE SUMMARY
600cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: TOM KOHLER, Ryan Smith, Jarrett Seng, Shane Lewis, Doug Manmiller, Brock Bilger, Brenden Bright, Brett Smith, Tyler Devault, Brian Carber, Brent Marks, Charles Cooley, Zach Shuman, Doug Snyder, Brad Cox, Joe Kay, Brett Michalski, Jason Van Doren, Alex Bright, Gary Berkenstock, Dave DiMaio, Mike Dransfield, John Wilbert IV, Don Colaluce.
Did Not Qualify: Carl Lieber, Troy Anderson, Mike Freed.
Grandview Speedway Modified Driver Shootout: MIKE GULAR, Brad Brightbill, Doug Manmiller, Duane Howard, Kurt Spotts, Troy Wink, Marc Fehr, Jeff Strunk, Ryan Grim.
XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish: JEREMY GUISTWITE, Kevin Gruber, Jon Landis, Mark Schaeffer, Cody Coons, Nick Mady, Tyler Haydt, Ken Coux, Ian Detweiler, Curt Amey, Eric Whitby, Butch Getz, Aaron Bowes, Kevin Pritchard, Brian Horning, Brian Kelly, Nathan Dibble, Ryan Suchon, Rob Vivona, Tyler Bartik, Rental Driver, Junior, Ryan Kunkle, Chuck Miller.
270cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: MARCO MICHETTI, Ryan Smith, Ross Perchak, Mike Esposito, Jesse Hartman, Ed Kenderdine, Darin Bartholomew, Charles Stone Jr., Cameron Merriman, Billy Murphy, David Ravel, Josh Pepe, Matt McAnally, Andrew Dietrich, Jim Skias, Terry Schaeffer, Eddie Wagner Jr., Jay Horvath, Justin Stillwaggon, J.T. Brotosky, Marty Gorr, Trevor Kobylarz, Aaron Rinehimer, Matt Janisch, Scott Fick.
Did Not Qualify: Chad Owens, John Hagen, Blaine Schlosser, Jonathan Pepe, Tommy Kunsman Jr., Jeremy Raifsnider, Tom Tanner, Mark Janisch, Kevin Snyder, Kurt Bettler, Devin Harron, Tim Quinter, Scott Washburn.
Slingshot Feature Finish: JORDAN HENN, Pete Knappenberger, Mike Sabo, Michael Glass, Nate Christman, Jim Housworth, Tiffany Wambold, Rob Marino, Jesse Hartman, Kurt Bettler, Shannon Smith, Paul Ennes, Joe Bodenschatz, Travis Bieber, Damian Bower, Bill Clark, Brad Arnold, John Benson, Eric Snyder, Matt Miller, Simon Egan, Bill Weaver, Brett Bieber.
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