Gamblers Raceway Park

Roars Past Mother Nature

May 27, 2003

Bill walker

With Mother Nature picking up two wins in a row and threatening to take a third, Gamblers Raceway Park stormed through and came out on top by completing all five scheduled features and crowning a 2003 Budweiser King of the Hill champion.

The first order of business was to complete the make up feature for the Sid’s Subs Small Block Modifieds. With Bloomsburg’s Brent Boyer on the pole alongside youngster Jimmy Holden, starter Mike Frisco waved the green flag. By the end of the first lap Holden had taken command and looked as if he would run away and hide from the rest of the field. Boyer began to backslide while Bob Garvey and Mike Stine moved their way up through the field. A caution on lap fourteen for a stalled Jimmer Luzier bunched the field up, but Holden was able to hold off all challenges for his first victory of the season. Garvey and Stine grabbed heat wins.

Next up was the Budweiser Late Model King of the Hill Challenge. Starting with sixteen of the fastest dirt Late Models the area has to offer, Butler’s Jeff Henry and Canoe Creeks Steve Everhart cruised through the preliminaries landing in the final. At the drop of Mike Frisco’s green flag Henry jumped to the point and looked to be in good shape holding the low line. Before a lap of racing could be completed, Everhart put a big slide job on Henry going into three for the lead and never looked back. Henry tried as hard as he could but was unable to muster enough to regain the top spot. In picking up the King of the Hill victory Everhart had completed the first round of the Triple Threat Challenge.

Ready to roll off next was the Vocelli Pizza Street Stock main event for the evening. Trent Ogden grabbed the lead at the onset and had to fend off challenges from first Jeff Sweeney and Eric Lingenfelter as he began working towards his first victory of 2003. On lap nine a terrifying wreck between Kip Charles and Rich Howell brought out the red flag. The Sweeney machine broke and when Charles checked up he got turned sideways towards the front stretch and was T-Boned by Howell who had nowhere to go. The Charles car began to roll over and the Howell machine launched over top. Charles came to rest on his wheels atop the guardrail and Howell ended up on his roof. Amazingly both drivers were able to emerge from the wreckage unhurt and waved to the crowd. With the carnage cleared Ogden had to sit through five more cautions and a battle with Butch Welch to pick up his first win of the season. Heats were copped by Ogden and Sweeney.

By virtue of winning the Budweiser Late Model King of the Hill Challenge, Canoe Creeks Steve Everhart earned the right to sit on the pole for the main event. With only seventeen late models in attendance the third leg of the challenge would not be in effect. Everhart jumped to the lead and began to open up quite lead over the rest of the field. By the midway point Jeff Henry moved into the second position and began to run Everhart down, a caution on lap 21 for a spinning George Fultz set up a four lap dash to the finish. At the drop of the green for the final time Everhart was able to hold off Henry for his second win of the season and picking up the second leg of the Triple Threat Challenge. Following Everhart at the line was Henry, Dale Zimmerman and Luke Hoffner. Heats were won by Hoffner and Henry.

The Sid’s Subs Small Block Modifieds were on the surface for their second feature event of the evening. Bob Garvey and Scott Smith started on the front row and lead the field to starter Mike Frisco’s green flag. Garvey pulled out front and led the entire way but had to first fend of challenges first from Smith and Brent Boyer. In the closing laps Fay Lumadue moved into second and began to track down the leader Garvey. As the checkers flew Lumadue had simply run out of time and Garvey picked up his second win of the season. Garvey and Smith picked up heat race victories.

Newcomer John Eckenrod and reigning point champion Sheddy Graham III led the Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stocks onto the track for the final event of the evening. Graham led from green to checkers but had to hold off a strong challenge from Eckenrod until lap ten when his machine slowed to a stop. Graham then went the final two laps uncontested to the finish to grab his fourth win in five try’s this season.

Gamblers Raceway Park will set the tables next week for Pepsi Night. The Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub Micro Sprints will be on the card as well as the Kinetic Kuts Powder Puffs.

Hope to see you all next week at the “Biggest Little Race Track in America”

Summary

Sid’s Subs Small Block Modified (Make Up):
Feature: 1.Jimmy Holden, Tiona 2.Mike Stine, Smithmill 3.Fay Lumadue, Spring Valley 4.Mark Frankhouser, Philipsburg 5.Tom Holden, Sheffield 6.Chris Luzier, Clearfield 7.Steve Williams, West Decatur 8.Ron Butterworth, Osceola Mills 9.Fred Heiss, Tyrone 10.Mike Butterworth, Osceola Mills 11.Brent Boyer, Bloomsburg 12.Bob Garvey, Allport 13.Jimmer Luzier, Clearfield

Heat 1: Garvey, J. Holden
Heat 2: Stine, Williams

Vocelli Pizza Street Stocks:
Feature: 1. Trent Ogden, Clearfield 2.Butch Welch, Irishtown 3.Eric Lingenfelter 4.Harold Seabring, Marion Center 5.Duane Kirk, Hyde 6. Frank McVay, Boalsburg 7.JR Emigh, Wallaceton 8.Jordan Grasmeyer, Cogan Station 9.John Weaver, Commodore 10.Pat Carfley, Curwensville 11.Tom Homan, Port Matilda 12.Denny Curry, Clearfield 13.Jeff Sweeney, Marion Center 14.Kip Charles, Clearfield 15.Tom Williams, Tyrone 16.Rich Howell, Clearfield 17.Andy Mock 18.Jamie Price, Hyde DQ. Ray Billotte, Mineral Springs

Heat 1: Ogden, Weaver
Heat 2: Sweeney, Lingenfelter

Budweiser Late Models:
Feature: 1.Steve Everhart, Canoe Creek 2.Jeff Henry, Butler 3.Dale Zimmerman, Brookville 4.Luke Hoffner, Turbotville 5.Mark Welker, Munson 6.Jason Witherite, Luthersburg 7.Greg Kunes, Beech Creek 8.Chris Knuth, Houtsdale 9.Bob Sheesley, Marion Center 10.Tim Sties, St. Marys 11.George Fultz, Beech Creek 12.Cody Schultz, Hyde 13.Chris Farrell, Clearfield 14.Eric Moore, Frenchville 15.Matt Gaston, Rochester Mills 16.Dean Colbert, Port Matilda

Sid’s Subs Small Block Modifieds:
Feature: 1.Bob Garvey, Allport 2.Fay Lumadue, Spring Valley 3.Mike Stine, Smithmill 4.Brent Boyer, Bloomsburg 5.Steve Williams, West Decatur 6.Chris Luzier, Clearfield 7.Kevin Dickson, West Decatur 8.Chris Luzier, Clearfield 9.Fred Heiss, Tyrone 10.Jimmy Holden, Tiona 11.Mike Butterworth, Osceola Mills 12.Mark Frankhouser, Philipsburg 13.Nick Ritchey, Oil City 14.Craig Casher, Mineral Springs 15.Ron Butterworth, Philipsburg 16.Scott Smith, Woodland 17.Tom Holden

Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stocks:
Feature: 1.Sheddy Graham III, Clearfield 2.John Eckenrod 3.Josh Jacoby, Fernwood 4.Frank Little, Woodland 5.Joe McDermit 6.Jeff Peffer, Houtsdale 7.Jason Bainey, Phillipsburg 8.Scott Wagner, Irvona 7.Rich Homan, PA Furnace 8.Rob Bailey 9.Unknown 10.Missy Eckenrod 11.Matt Howell, Clearfield 12.Larry Brown, Ginter 13.Nathan McClellan III, Clearfield 14.Gary Little, Woodland 15.Jimmy Martell, Clearfield 16.Bob Helsel, Rosebud

---