Gamblers Raceway Park Opens 2003

Bill Walker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gamblers Raceway Park opened the 2003 campaign under sunny skies with the first of five Sunday dates to start the season. With a nice crowd of fans and racecars the event was sure to be a memorable one.

The Vocelli Pizza Street Stocks were first on the racing surface with Dan Smeal and Trent Ogden leading the field of eleven cars to starter Mike Frisco’s green flag. Smeal grabbed the early lead set sail. On lap two Joe Kelley lost the handle and spun out. With the field bunched up and the green flag waving Smeal opened up a sizeable lead while Trent Ogden, Frank McVay and Jeff Sweeney battled behind him. The pace slowed two more times on laps nine and eleven and allowed Ogden to close up and make a race of it. At the checkers it was Smeal followed by Ogden, Kelley, McVay and Sweeney rounding out the top 5. Smeal and Ogden coped the heats.

The Budweiser Late Models were next to take to the track and Rob Blair and Steve Everhart were on the front row. At the waving of the green Blair jumped to the point with Everhart in tow. Third place starter Sammy Stile quickly slipped by Everhart and began to hound Blair for the top spot. Meanwhile back in the pack, Selinsgrove’s Jim Yoder from his ninth place starting position was beginning to slice and dice his way through the field. As the battle heated up for the third through tenth positions Blair and Stile drove away and started to work lapped traffic. With the checked flag insight Stile had one last chance in traffic to get around for the win but wasn’t able to take advantage. Following Blair across the line were Stiles, Yoder, Everhart and Rod Phillips for the top 5. Blair, Everhart and Stile grabbed heat race victories.

Lyle Sherwood and Bob Garvey led the Sid’s Subs Modifieds to the green with Sherwood getting a great start and moving out front early. By lap five Garvey was able to make a move on Sherwood for the top spot and never looked back. Garvey’s win however, was not an easy one as Sherwood applied plenty of pressure till Smithmill’s Mike Stine got by Sherwood and rode the nerf bar of Garvey the rest of the way. At the line the top five consisted of Garvey, Stine, Sherwood, Mike Butterworth and Jimmy Holden. Picking up heat wins were Sherwood and Garvey.

The final event of the afternoon was for the Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stocks. On the pole was Lester Hudson and flanked to his right Sheddy Graham III. Graham took the lead away from Hudson down the backstretch and held off stiff challenges from first Hudson then Gary Little to lead the entire distance. A great battle ensued for third through sixth positions between Hudson, Frank Little, Jeff Peffer and Fuzzy Fields. With two to go a fierce, grinding battle between Hudson and Fields nearly wrecking both cars settled the third position. In line behind Graham at the finish were Gary Little, Hudson, Fields and Frank Little for a top five finish. Only one caution on lap nine slowed the field. Heats victories were picked up by Hudson and Graham.

Around the Bull Ring: Fifty Seven cars filled the pits with twelve Vocelli Pizza Street Stocks, twenty two Budweiser Late Models, eleven Sid’s Subs Modifieds and twelve Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stocks.

Next week will be the inaugural Bob Welch memorial with trophies being presented by Little’s 322 Drive in Auto Sales. Gates open at Noon with hot laps at 1:30 and racing at 2:00 .

Hope to see you all at, “The Biggest Little Racetrack in America ”

Vocelli Pizza Street Stocks:

Feature: 1. Dan Smeal, Ramey 2. Trent Ogden, Clearfield 3. Joe Kelley, Mt. Pleasant 4. Frank McVay, Boalsburg 5. Jeff Sweeney, Marion Center 6. Ray Billotte, Mineral Springs 7. Tom Williams, Tyrone 8. Tom Homan, Port Matilda 9. Mike Hummel, Clearfield 10. Rich Howell, Clearfield 11. John Emigh, Wallaceton DNS: John Weaver, Commodore

Heat 1: Smeal, McVay, Sweeney

Heat 2: Ogden, Kelley, Howell

Budweiser Late models:

Feature: 1.Rob Blair, Titusville 2.Sam Stile, Dunlevy 3.Jim Yoder, Selinsgrove 4.Steve Everhart, Canoe Creek 5.Rod Phillips, Punxsy 6.Dave Satterlee, Rochester Mills 7.Bob Close, Eldred 8.Bobby Stokes, Milton 9.Matt Gaston, Rochester Mills 10.Cody Schultz, Clearfield 11.Darrell Bossard, Centerville 12.Bill Davis, Dubois 13.Rick Lias, Smicksburg 14.Larry Hollenbaugh, Punxsy 15.Mark Welker, Munson 16.Chris Farrell, Clearfield 17.Jason Witherite, Luthersburg 18.Loren Sallack, Johnsonburg 19.Bill Dimmig, Lewistown 20.Rod Kosecki, Leechburg DNS: Luke Hoffner, Turbotville Greg Kunes, Beech Creek

Heat 1: Blair, Phillips, Witherite

Heat 2: Everhart, Hollenbaugh, Sallack

Heat 3: Stile, Close, Yoder

Sid’s Subs Small Block Modifieds:

Feature: 1.Bob Garvey, Allport 2.Mike Stine, Smithmill 3.Lyle Sherwood, Ulysses 4.Mike Butterworth, Osceola Mills 5.Bill Krause, Houtzdale 6.Jimmy Holden, Tiona 7.Fay Lumadue, Spring Valley 8.Ron Butterworth, Osceola Mills 9.Steve Williams, West Decatur 10.Tom Holden, Sheffield DNS: Mark Frankhouser, Philipsburg

Heat 1: Sherwood, M. Butterworth, J. Holden

Heat 2: Garvey, Stine, Lumadue

Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stocks:

Feature: 1.Sheddy Graham III, Clearfield 2.Gary Little, Woodland 3.Lester Hudson, Clearfield 4.Fuzzy Fields, Brockport 5.Frank Little, Woodland 6.Jeff Peffer, Houtzdale 7.Shawn Lamoreau, Grampian 8.Bob Alcorn, Hummelton 9.Dale Schindler, Houtzdale 10.Garret Reems 11.Todd Bainey, Philipsburg 12.Rick Hemphill, Osceola Mills DNS: Craig Bainey

Heat 1: Hudson , F. Little, Fields

Heat 2: Graham, G. Little, Peffer