The lead on most race results is usually first time winners, outstanding performances, or someone setting some sort of record. The most important lead to this week's story, is a reminder that The Hill will be closed on this coming Friday, July 31, and will reopen on August 7. Hoping all of our loyal fans and competitors have a great break, and we will see you next week!
D and L Disposal of Monroeton joined the wonderful group of marketing partners at the Speedway, and they were treated to a great night of racing. Larry Colton returned to Victory Lane in the Rear Wheel Drive Four Cylinder division, Dalton Maynard topped the leader board in the Snell Metalfab Crate Sportsman, and Doug Stack Jr. didn't let a twelfth place starting spot keep him from taking the win in the Street Stock class. Matt Browning continued his winning ways in the Rear Wheel Drive Four Cylinders, Mike Morse kept his season perfect in the Pure Stocks, Keith Jack Lamphere doubled up in the IMCA Style Modifieds, and Chad Homan added to his win total in the Crate Late Models.
Veteran racer Larry Colton has battled mechanical gremlins and bad luck off and on this season, but has still managed to stay competitive and near the top of the points standings. Friday night he returned to Victory Lane in the Rear Wheel Drive Four Cylinder class, leading the twenty lap feature from green to checker. Randy Mathews Jr. and Brett Gleason stayed close for the opening laps, with A.J. Lane and Anton Smith making it a foursome for second place by the third circuit. Lane and Mathews swapped the runnerup position until Lane finally gained the upper hand on lap twelve. Lane drew alongside Colton numerous times through the closing laps, but had to settle for second at the finish. Gleason succumbed to mechanical failure, leaving Mathews solidly third, with Anton Smith a few car lengthsback in fourth. Zach Bruce rounded out the top five.
FEATURE FINISH: Larry Colton, A.J. Lane, Randy Mathews Jr., Anton Smith, Zach Bruce, Trevor Belcher, Brett Neally, Eric Ellsworth, Andrew Collins, Brett Gleason., Mike Navone, Scott Bump.
Heat wins: Randy Mathews Jr., Larry Colton.
Rich Powell powered to the lead in the Snell Metalfab Crate Sportsman feature, and led the first three laps, but from the fourth lap to the checkered flag it was the Dalton Maynard show. Powell, Rich Talada, and Tony Harris stayed inches off the leader's bumper, taking turns at trying to wrestle the lead away, but in the end their debate was for second place. With two laps to go, Harris overpowered Talada for the runnerup spot. Talada settled for third, with Powell fourth. Kinser Hill shook off his string of bad luck to finish with a solid fifth place.
FEATURE FINISH: Dalton Maynard, Tony Harris, Rich Talada, Rich Powell, Kinser Hill, Geoff Powell, Jason Benjamin, Braden Buchanan, Paul Gurastella, Quinten Buchanan .
Heat wins: Dalton Maynard, Rich Powell.
Mike Koser and Jakub Ingham set the pace for the first three laps of the Street Stock feature, with 2019 Champ Earl Zimmer locking onto the second spot trying to put a move on Koser for the lead. Doug Stack Jr. was into third by the sixth lap and overpowered both Zimmer and Koser to take the lead at the halfway point, with Zimmer moving Koser back to third. Doug Stack Sr. joined the lead group and joined Lou Sharpsteen to pressure Koser for the third spot. Stack Jr. and Zimmer crossed the finish line one and two, and Doug Stack Sr. knocked down the third position. Koser held on for fourth, with Sharpsteen recording fifth.
FEATURE FINISH: Doug Stack Jr., Earl Zimmer, Doug Stack Sr. Mike Koser, Lou Sharpsteen, Dan Force, Tyler Belcher, Bill Tice, John McAdam, Dave Roberts, Howard Bailey, Thomas Moon, Dustin Maynard, Dylon Hinckley, Jakub Ingham, Bobby Maynard, Abe Romanick. Eddie McKernan (DNS)
Heat wins: Earl Zimmer, Mike Koser
Mike Wilcox led lap one of the Front Wheel Drive Four Cylinder feature, with Josh Bailey taking over for the next three circuits. Greg McKernan took over at the front to lead lap five, but by the next lap, multi time feature winner Matt Browning had taken command and would lead the way to the checkered flag. McKernan would keep the pressure on, joined by Adam Delgrosso and Bailey as that trio hotly debated second. Wilcox, Greg Slater, and Dakota Decker worked in a second group racing for fifth. Mckernan followed Browning across the line to get second with Degrosso alongside for third. Bailey hung on for fourth, withWicox topping second group and recording fifth.
FEATURE FINISH: Matt Browning, Greg McKernan, Adam Delgrosso, Josh Bailey, Mike Wilcox, Greg Slater, Dakota Decker, Tim Johnson, John Maynard, Jake Lamphere, Steve Castle, Kenny Benjamin, Gavin Maryott, Ryan Wood, Drayton Smith.
Heat wins: Greg McKernan, Adam Delgrosso,
The Pure Stock feature was slowed by only rwo cautions but the action, in groups, was close throughout the event. Cole Burgess led the opening lap, but Mike Morse was picture perfect, taking the top spot on lap two and going on to keep his win record for the points season perfect. Burgess settled into the second spot, but right behind him the battle for third was intense throughout most of the event. Kevin Garland, Josh Vanderpool, and Zack Kriner kept the result in doubt right up to the last lap. Morse lapped all but the second place car on his way to the win, with Burgess recording second. Garland crossed third, Vanderpool fourth and Kriner fifth.
FEATURE FINISH: Mike Morse, Cole Burgess, Kevin Garland, Josh Vanderpool, Zack Kriner, Brad Chilson, Bobby Maynard, Justin Hall (DNS), Matt Sullivan (DNS), Buck Mills Jr. (DNS)
Victor McNeil led the first lap of the IMCA Style Modified feature giving way to veteran competitor Ray McClure. As Brad Sites moved in and challenged forr the lead, points leader Jake Maynard retired to the pits with mechanical issues. Last week's winner, Keith Jack Lamphere, found a power lane on the outside and on lap six powered into second, and by the eighth lap had taken command. McClure hung onto second, with Sites, Mark Griffin, and Gary Lamphere tight to his bumper. Keith Jack would go on to pick up the win, and with two to go, Sites powered around McClure for second. McClure held on for third, over Griffin,and Keith Lamphere ended in fifth.
FEATURE FINISH: Keith Jack Lamphere, Brad Sites, Ray McClure, Mark Griffin, Keith Lamphere, Gary Lamphere, Harry Ely, Eddie Sites, Victor McNeil, J.W. Lamphere, Doug Lantz, Matt Benjamin, Jake Maynard, A.J. Hunsinger.
Heat wins: Brad Sites, Keith Jack Lamphere.
The final feature of the night was the Crate Late Model. Chad Homan was again the class of the field, but the competition behind him kept the crowd's interest throughout the race. First points leader Darrin Horton provided the pressure, then Steve LaBarron. John Waters rode in second from the mid point on, but no one was able to wrestle the lead away. Homan added to his win total, with Waters second, LaBarron third and Horton fourth. Rookie Mike Epler has been getting smoother and faster every week, and recorded another top five finish in fifth.
FEATURE FINISH: Ghad Homan, John Waters, Steve LaBarron, Darrin Horton, Mike Epler, Ernie Martin, Joe Lane.
Heat win Chad Homan.
As stated earlier, The Hill will be silent July 31, but will be back in action the following Friday with a full schedule for all seven divisions. Pit and spectator gates open at 5pm, with practice at 6:30, and racing scheduled to get the green flag at 7:00.
The Hill Speedway hosts dirt track auto racing from Spring through the end of August. Unique in that it has no grandstands, fan viewing and family grouping is accomplished with blankets and portable chairs on a manicured hillside overlooking the track. Additional viewing is provided from turn four around to turn two with parking spots overlooking the raceway where fans can enjoy their own tailgate parties from there vehicle. Those spots are available on a nightly or seasonal basis for a nominal fee.
The Hill is located just a couple miles from Rt. 414, at the intersection of Dunn Hill Road and Banks Road, in Monroeton, PA.
Check us out on our website or Facebook page, load up your appetite and your lawn chairs, and come get your Thrill on The Hill!
