Duane Howard (Sunoco Modified) & Amanda Whaley (Super Late Model) Lead Georgetown Speedway Winners Friday Night
GEORGETOWN, DE – Duane Howard and Amanda Whaley shared the spotlight before a packed house on Friday night at Georgetown Speedway.
Howard, of Oley, Pa., drove to his first win of the season at the Sussex County half-mile oval in the 30-lap Sunoco Modified feature, while First State native Whaley found Super Late Model Victory Lane in the 25-lap main. Both drivers earned $3,250 for their efforts.
The night’s events were presented by Blue Hen Dispose-All of Millsboro, Del. The spacious Georgetown facility was stretched to its limits with a standing-room-only crowd and 106 race cars in the pits.
Howard, in the Norm Hansell-owned No. 357 started fifth in the Sunoco Modified event. At the wave of Warren Alston’s green flag, it was Jordan Watson getting the best of his brother Joseph to take command on lap one.
Howard was a quick mover. By lap two, he had arrived in second.
“We had a good car right from the start,” Howard said. “Gaining those positions on the first few laps set us up. Our car could go anywhere, top, bottom, I could even roll the middle.”
Jordan Watson’s No. 1J was hooked up on the outside lane of the speedway and he held the advantage over Howard in the race’s caution-free first 15 laps.
A yellow on lap 17 ultimately changed the race’s complexion.
Howard was able to edge a nose ahead of Watson entering turn one off the double-file restart. Off of the second turn, Howard edged ahead to take over the lead.
The last caution of the race flew on lap 22. During the final green-flag run, Watson reeled Howard back in and looked to the inside coming to the checkered.
Howard picked up the win by less than a car-length, while Watson, of Milford, Del., earned a $2,000 runner-up finish, his best of the season at Georgetown.
David Van Horn of Harmony, N.J., authored another steady drive to fill out the podium in Fred Vahlsing’s No. 323ov. From 16th on the grid, veteran Jimmy Horton of Neshanic Station, N.J., sliced through the field to finish fourth in the Halmar International No. 43. Modified upstart Matt Stangle, also out of Neshanic, N.J., completed the front five in a solid effort.
Sunoco Modified heat winners were Jordan Watson, Rick Laubach and Frank Cozze.
Millsboro, Del.’s Whaley has been red-hot in the area’s Super Late Model ranks and she continued her success Friday night with a dominant and popular victory.
Whaley started the main from fourth position. Pennsylvania invader Jason Covert picked the pole via the pre-feature redraw and shot into the lead at the outset of the main.
Covert paced the first four laps before Whaley, who was throttling the topside, swept into a lead she would never relinquish.
Prior to the final yellow of the event on the 21st lap, Whaley had opened up a lead of more than a straightaway.
“We’re on a roll right now,” Whaley said after climbing to the roof of her family owned Richard D. Whaley Concrete No. 4. “All this winning is good for Dad’s bank account.”
In addition to her $3,250 top prize, Whaley received a $1,000 guaranteed starting spot in the Keystone Cup event at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway on Sept. 28-29.
Covert, of York Haven, Pa., finished second in a rare Delaware appearance. Covert said he wanted laps on the speedway prior to the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series ‘Fulton Bank 40’ on Aug. 16.
Austin Hubbard found the outside lane late in the race and finished third, followed by Donald Lingo Jr. and Nick Davis.
Whaley and Kevin Scott were Super Late Model heat winners.
Morgantown, Pa., driver Connor King authored back-to-back triumphs in the L&J Sheet Metal Crate 602 Sportsman 20-lap feature over a tough 22-car field. King received $1,250 for his efforts.
King started the feature from ninth position. Hotshoe Scott Hitchens fired off the outside pole at the start. Hitchens led the first 11 laps of the main before his car dropped off the pace on the backstretch. He headed to the pit area and turned over the lead to King, who had driven to second.
Making his first start of the year at Georgetown, Greg Humlhanz started seventh and made a late rally to finish the runner-up. Jason Rush had his best outing of 2018, placing third, ahead of Steven Kemery (up from 10th) and Ryan Riddle, who started 12th.
Crate 602 heats went to Rush, King and Hitchens.
Ross Robinson of Georgetown, Del., continued his stronghold on Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Car Club Victory Lane. Robinson exchanged mid-race slide jobs with C.J. Schirmer before prevailing with the lead. Schirmer was second, followed by Charlie Moore, Jamie Eicholz (Sportsman winner) and Robert Paczkowski.
The 12-lap Little Lincoln feature was a thriller. Landy Adams of Seaford, Del., fought tooth-and-nail with Kirk Lawson. Adams and Lawson raced back-and-forth using the entire speedway. On the final lap, Lawson drove hard into turn three and over the embankment.
Adams, who got a late start to the season, got the win over Tracy, Jordan Herbert, Matt White and Ryan Walsen.
When Robert Smith’s engine exploded with two laps remaining in the Delaware Super Truck 12-lap main, Dale Elliott took over the lead and drove on to Victory Lane over David Smith, Jerry Hill, Kirk Miller Sr. and Mike Kennedy.
After a run of second-place finishes, Geoff Carey prevailed in the 12-lap Delmarva Charger feature. Carey stretched out his edge in the final laps over Chris “Tippy” Martinez, Mod Lite star James Hill (in the Jerry Barker No. 21), Robert Paczkowski and Ashley Merritt.
Racing resumes at the speedway on Thursday, August 16 with the ‘Fulton Bank 40’ for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series paying $10,000 to win plus Little Lincolns, Delaware Super Trucks and Delmarva Chargers.
Georgetown Speedway, originally constructed by Melvin L. Joseph in 1949, is located at the intersection of Route 113 and Speedway Road in Georgetown, Del., just miles from the Delaware beaches and less than a 40-minute drive from Ocean City, Md.
A website is live for the speedway at www.thegeorgetownspeedway.com. Like Georgetown Speedway on Facebook, follow @thegtownspdwy on Twitter, e-mail georgetownspeedway@gmail.com or by contacting the speedway hotline at 302.563.GTWN (4896).
FRIDAY NIGHT FODDER: The pit area was active on Friday night with 27 Sunoco Modifieds, 16 Super Late Models, 22 L&J Sheet Metal Crate 602 Sportsman, 13 Vintage Cars, nine Little Lincolns, 11 Delaware Super Trucks and eight Delmarva Chargers, a total of 106….
Ricky Elliott made his debut in a new No. 58 Modified in addition to his Super Late Model. Elliott wasn’t able to start the Modified main and had issues in the Late Model main….
The Modified winner received a $250 cash bonus from Stockley Tavern. The Super Late Model event started at $2,500 to win. The County Seat Cruisers group added $300 and JD Shuckers Georgetown added another $450 for a total of $3,250. Ad-Art Sign Company put an extra $250 on the Crate 602 Sportsman winner's share for a healthy $1,250....
Ron Roberts rode out a nasty flip in Sunoco Modified qualifying when he clipped a spinning Brandon Grosso. Undeterred, the 68-year-old Roberts started the main in a back-up car….
Ross Robinson fought apparent fuel issues throughout the night. Despite his No. 7 Super Late Model skipping, he drove from last to sixth….
An electrical issue kept Craig Von Dohren from starting his Sunoco Modified heat race. Von Dohren tagged the back of the feature in 24th and despite dropping off the track in turn three finished eighth….
BLUE HEN DISPOSE-ALL NIGHT RACE SUMMARY – GEORGETOWN SPEEDWAY JULY 20, 2018
Sunoco Modified Feature Finish (30 laps): DUANE HOWARD, Jordan Watson, David Van Horn Jr., Jimmy Horton, Matt Stangle, Joseph Watson, Frank Cozze, Craig Von Dohren, Ryan Watt, Richie Pratt Jr., Ryan Krachun, H.J. Bunting, Jeremy Harrington, Jordn Justice, Kevin Sockriter, Michael White, Robert Dutton, Ron Roberts, Carson Wright, Rick Laubach, Roger Manning, Shawn Ward, Don Hallowell, Kevin Gardner.
Did Not Start: Danny Bouc, Brandon Grosso, Ricky Elliott.
Super Late Model Feature Finish (25 laps): AMANDA WHALEY, Jason Covert, Austin Hubbard, Donald Lingo Jr., Nick Davis, Ross Robinson, Kyle Lear, Matt Murphy, John McLanigan, Rob Schirmer, Kevin Scott Jr., David Dill, Geoff Carey, Billy Thompson, Ricky Elliott, Bob Geiger.
L&J Sheet Metal Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): CONNOR KING, Greg Humlhanz, Jason Rush, Steve Kemery, Ryan Riddle, Brad Roberts, Joe Toth, Rodney Cordrey, Sammy Martz Jr., Mike Hough, Trent Van Vorst, Sean Metz, David Jenkins, Joseph Tracy, Freddy Massey, Scott Hitchens, Adam White, Tom Moore Jr., Tyler White, William Adams, Trevor Van Vorst, Justin Riley.
Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Car Feature Finish (20 laps): ROSS ROBINSON, C.J. Schirmer, Charlie Moore, Jamie Eicholz (Sportsman winner), Robert Paczkowski, David Parsons, Robert Blann, Jamie Schirmer, David Schamp, Don Davidson, L.J. Walbert, David Tucker II, John Burton.
Little Lincoln Feature Finish (20 laps): LANDY ADAMS, Joseph Tracy, Jordan Herbert, Matt White, Ryan Walsen, Bunky White, Kirk Lawson, Sean Smith, Wayne Seaton.
Delaware Super Truck Feature Finish (12 laps): DALE ELLIOTT, David Smith, Jerry Hill, Kirk Miller Sr., Mike Kennedy, Dick Beauchamp, Brian Meisenholder, Robert Smith, Michelle Jackson, Bill Dean, Thomas Jackson.
Delmarva Charger Feature Finish (12 laps): GEOFF CAREY, Chris Martinez, James Hill, Robert Paczkowski, Ashley Merritt, Derek Swafford, Randy Merritt, Jarett Chandler.