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Russ Mitten Wins Williams Grove Sportsman Feature
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway, Russ Mitten used a late-race pass to win his first Sutliff Auto Group super sportsman main of 2008. Mitten passed Dylan Cisney with three laps remaining to win a crash-marred feature.
The super sportsman feature had five-car pile up on the front stretch as the green flag came out. Front row starter John Stehman went sideways in front of the feature field collecting five other cars.
The second restart found Dylan Cisney charging into the lead with Eric Eckert a close second. Eckert became the new leader on lap four with a turn four pass of Cisney. Eckert’s lead was short as Cisney was back in front on lap five.
Russ Mitten started the feature in eighth and was running third by the end of lap eight. He passed Eckert for second position on lap 14.
With three-laps left in the feature the red flag came out when Steve Fannasy flipped wildly in turn one. Also involved in the crash was the car driven by Jay Fannasy. While Steve Fannasy walked away from his spill, Jay Fannasy was transported to a local hospital for possible neck and back injuries.
The restart brought out another red flag. Eric Eckert had problems in turn four and his slowing car collected the Carmen Perigo Jr. sportsman. Perigo flipped several times. He was not injured in his crash.
Russ Mitten made his winning move when the race was restarted. He went to the outside of leader Cisney in turn one. Mitten had the lead as the field exited turn two. Mitten went on to win by eight lengths over Cisney, John Stoner, Duaine Smith and Mike Enders.
“It’s a long time coming,” said Mitten. “It’s just good to get my first win here. It’s tough competition here.”
Gene Knaub won his second straight in the AJ’s Truck and Trailer Center 358 late model feature. Knaub’s impressive move with five-laps remaining in the 20-lap affair propelled him to his fourth feature win of the year.
Like the super sportsman feature, the 358 late model main started with a first-lap pile up. The restart had Dave Sokoloski moving into the lead from his outside front row starting spot.
Sokoloski and D.J. Mease had a heated fight for the lead over the next eight laps. On the eighth lap the lead duo ran door to door around the Williams Grove half-mile. Joining the fight for first was the Craig Wagaman car.
Wagaman sprinted into the lead on the tenth circuit of the track. As Wagaman gained command of the lead, Gene Knaub moved into third. Knaub had advanced to third from his midfield starting position.
Knaub’s winning move came on lap 15. In the second turn Knaub disposed of second place driver Dave Sokoloski. In the third and fourth turns Knaub became the leader as he drove by Wagaman.
Wagaman made one final attempt to pass Knaub with two laps to go but Knaub turned back the bid. Knaub won by four lengths over Wagaman, Sokoloski, Zach Kauffman and Jared Miller.
Kevin Sigler won his very first 15-lap L.B. Smith Ford street stock feature at Williams Grove. Sigler had to hold off constant pressure from Doug Hoffman and Kory Sites to gain the victory.
Dave Motter set the pace through the first half of the street stock feature. Kevin Sigler started eighth and advanced to second by the completion of the first lap. Sigler dove under Motter in turn four on the seventh lap to take over the lead.
With five laps remaining, Kory Sites and Doug Hoffman, the two leading feature winners in the Williams Grove street stocks, took over the two positions behind Sigler.
It was a three-car run for the win over the final five laps. When Sites slipped in turn four with one lap remaining, Sigler was able to open up a slight lead. Sigler’s Camaro drove under the checkered flag four lengths in front of Hoffman, Sites, Motter and Kevin Wirt.
Dave Leidy won his fourth Credit Connection four-cylinder feature. Leidy led every lap of the 15-lap feature.
Dave Leidy started on the outside of the front row and was in front of the 11-car field by the end of the first lap. John Stoll Jr. moved into second but could not close in on the leader.
Leidy had total command of the race. He went on to win by an eighth-mile over Stoll, Brian Wentzel, Kevin Thomas and Austin Kirby.
The heat races for the 34 Sutliff Auto Group super sportsman went to Eric Eckert, Rich Eichelberger, Russ Mitten. LeRoy Martin won the consolation race.
Dave Shulski, D.J. Mease and Gene Knaub won the AJ’s Truck and Trailer Center 358 late model qualifying heats for the 27 entries. Bernie Beard claimed the consolation.
The two L.B. Smith Ford street stock qualifiers for the 20-car field went to Doug Hoffman and Kevin Sigler.
The Williams Grove Speedway Saturday Night Series returns on September 20. The Sutliff Auto Group super sportsman, the AJ’s Truck and Trailer Center 358 late models, plus the L.B. Smith Ford street stocks and the Credit Connection four-cylinders will be racing. The super sportsman will be racing wingless. Due to the fan support the last two weeks the Williams Grove management announced they would continue their five-dollar admission for this event. All children under 12 will be admitted free. Racing begins at 7 pm.
Super sportsman feature: 1)Russ Mitten; 2) Dylan Cisney; 3) John Stoner; 4) Duaine Smith; 5) Mike Enders; 6) David Socks III; 7) Frankie Herr; 8) Jake Raudabaugh; 9) Doug Hendricks; 10) LeRoy Martin; 11) John Stehman; 12) Stan Wanner; 13) Jason Fry; 14) Ryan Rupp; 15) Aaron Eichelberger; 16) Eric Eckert; 17) Carmen Perigo Jr; 18) Rich Eichelberger; 19) Danny Hager; 20) Steve Fannasy; 21) Scott Dellinger; 22) Jay Fannasy; 23) Bobby Hockenberry; 24) Paul Miller; DNQ: Rob Wilbur, Bob Gutshall; Lyle Stroman; John Garman; Greg Foster; Scott Ellerman; Dave Berkheimer; Gary Johnston; Glenn Keller; Phil Griffith
358 Late model feature: 1) Gene Knaub; 2) Craig Wagaman; 3) Dave Sokoloski; 4) Zach Kauffman; 5) Jared Miller; 6) Derrick Zirkle; 7) Gene Wrightstone; 8) Pat Beard; 9) Jake Lettich; 10) Bernie Beard; 11) Roy Warehime; 12) Dallas Wenrich; 13) Mike Goodwin; 14) Chaz Walls; 15) Dave Shulski; 16) Roy Miller; 17) Cody Fairchok; 18) D.J. Mease; 19) Matt Nailor; 20) Randy Croop; 21) Mike Walls; 22) Chase Billet; 23) Travis Mease; 24) Nat Tuckey; DNQ: Bruce Kane; John Ebersole; Roger Myers
Street stock feature: 1) Kevin Sigler; 2) Doug Hoffman; 3) Kory Sites; 4) Dave Motter; 5) Kevin Wirt; 6) Randy Fenner; 7) Todd Bowersox; 8) Kyle Weiss; 9) Pat McNeal; 10) Gary Welsh; 11) Walt Lemmon; 12) George Danner; 13) Rodney Clouser; 14) Lori Croop; 15) Willie Godfrey; 16) Jason Armolt; 17) Carmen Caltabiano; 18) Dave Radabaugh; 19) Lance Grove: DNS: Jim Gross
Four-cylinder results: 1) Dave Leidy; 2) John Stoll Jr.; 3) Brian Wentzel; 4) Kevin Thomas; 5) Austin Kirby; 6) Eric Hollenbach; 7) Mike Buckley; 8) Ed Hollenbach; 9) Dale Kreiser; 10) John Walsh; 11) Leroy Long |
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