Loffredo, Cashier and Hoffner new Hidden Valley Winners
May 31, 2024
Clearfield, PA - Nick Loffredo of Avis topped the Semi Late Model Feature Friday night at Hidden Valley Speedway for his first win of the season, while Shannon Casher of Mineral Springs in the Small Block Modifieds and Luke Hoffner of Turbotville in the Little’s Drive In Four Cylinders also copped their first wins of the season.
Repeat winners included: Brandon Connor of Penfield in the Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks, Tim Steis of St. Mary’s in the Pure Stocks and Heath Walton of Mifflintown on the 600 Micros. It was young Dakota Shugarts of Clearfield winning in the Junior Four Cylinders and Craig Casher of Osceola Mills continues to dial in his Econo Late.
The Semi Late feature saw Jeremy Lippert and Luke Hoffner on the front row, with Hoffner jumping into the lead at the drop of Sam McClellan’s green flag. Lippert ran second with BJ Hudson in this and Nick Loffredo a close fourth. Hudson was able to get by Lippert on lap two and Loffredo moved by a lap later, with Hoffner still setting the pace. As the race entered lap nine the first caution flew with a spin in turn three. Lap 9 became a problem, as two more cautions would wave on that lap including one for second place Hudson, who had to tail the field. The race finally restarted as Hoffner was still leading, but Loffredo was now in second and was finally able to get by the wiry veteran on lap 10 and he began to pull away and open up a couple of car lengths lead, but Hudson was headed to the front from his spin as he picked his way through the field, but when McClellan waved those double checkered flags, it was Loffredo holding on to get his first HVS win in several years. Hoffner held on to second, Hudson worked his way back to third with Lippert and Dan Gill completing the top five. Gill and Hudson were heat winners.
The Small Block Modifieds were on the light side, but the competition was fierce, as Aaron Casher and Hayden Holden led the field to the green with Casher taking the lead. His son, Shannon Casher moved into second and Holden was third and Craig Casher rounded out the field. As the race wore on, Shannon Casher was throwing everything he had at his dad, trying the high side and the low side, but Aaron was holding tough until lap nine, when Shannon was able to safely move by his dad and into the lead. Holden followed into second a lap later and set his sights on S. Cashier, but Shannon was too tough to tame for Holden. At the finish it was Shannon Casher getting his first win of the season. Holden was second over Craig Casher and Aaron Casher. Shannon Casher was the heat winner.
Rich Howell was scheduled to start on the pole for the Penn-Ohio Pro Stock feature, but the #3 would not fire off the line, allowing Jim Bloom to start on the pole with Gary Luzier on the outside. At the drop of McClellan's green flag, Bloom show into the lead and was holding off the advances from Luzier, Fuzzy Fields and Brandon Connor. A caution on laps 4 and six regrouped the field, with Connor now in second on lap seven and he was working on the outside, but Bloom held strong, then he tried the inside before another caution waved on lap 9. On the restart, Connor ran the outside of Bloom the entire lap, before Connor was able to take the lead and hold on for his third win of the season. Bloom held on for a strong second over Luzier, Cregen Brady and Penell Beimel. Heat wins went to Fields and Connor.
The Pure Stock feature saw Caleb Bloom and Mitch Stiles on the front row, as third place Mike Anderson managed to lead the first lap with Tim Steis in second and Bloom in third. On lap three the score sheet showed Steis in the lead and he never looked back, as he won with a commanding victory over Anderson, Stiles, Bloom and Shannon Casher as he was subbing for Eric Lucas. Steis also won the heat
The Little’s Drive In Four Cylinders saw Jimmy Ogden take the lead at the start from front row starters Shawn Hadden and Tim Raup. Ogden only led one lap before Luke Hoffner took the lead. While Hoffner may have led the rest of the feature, his win wasn’t easy as he had to hold off Ogden and Hadden the entire 15 lap distance. At the finish it was Hoffner with his first win of the season over Ogden, Hadden, Ryan Lippert and Skyler Phillps. Heat wins went to Austin Fedder and Hoffner.
It was another third place starter, Heath Walton, taking the lead at the start of the 600 Micro feature and not looking back, as Izzy Landis ran second and Bob Potter was running third. A crash on lap six saw Landis hit the backstretch hard enough to slow the race. On the restart Walton picked up where he left off, soaring around the bullring at high speeds to get his second win of the season. Tanner Laughman, Potter, Caleb Supensky and Landis completed the top five.
Craig Bainey was again the only Econo Late on hand and he ran eight laps and grabbed a win.
The Junior Four Cylinders saw Dakota Shugarts lead from flag-to-flag for his first win of the year over Seth Folmer, Blake Little and Andrew Dysard.
Pit Notes: 512 teams checked in, including: 10 Semi Lates, 4 Small Block Modifieds, 8 Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks, 6 Pure Stocks, 13 Four Cylinders, 4 Junior Four Cylinders and 1 Econo Late…The BJW 50/50 was $610…coming up this Friday is the Marlin & Jean Luzier Memorial for the Littles Drive In Four Cylinders, paying $750 to Win Four Cylinders. There will be regular racing for the Semi Lates, Small Block Modifieds, Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and Four Cylinders, plus the Aquaholic Powderpuff Series…Coming up on June 14 is the Fathers Day Special, Fathers will pay $10 General Admission, plus there is Double points in all divisions and the Semi Lates will run a $1,000 to win special…Watch our Facebook page and our website www.hiddenvalleyspeedway.net for more details.
Summary:
Semi-Lates - 1. Nick Loffredo, Avis; 2. Luke Hoffner, 3. BJ Hudson, 4. Jeremy Lippert, 5. Dan Gill, 6. Ron Laubscher, 7. Justin Owens, 8. Connor Mann, 9. Mark Welker
Did Not Start - Josh Henry
600 Micros - 1. Heath Walton, Mifflintown; 2. Tanner Laughman, 3. Bob Potter, 4. Caleb Supensky, 5. Izzy Landis, 6. Shawn Rumbaugh, 7. Aeydan Koposko
Small Block Modifieds - 1. Shannon Casher, Mineral Springs; 2. Hayden Holden, 3. Craig Casher, 4. Aaron Casher
Econo Lates - 1. Craig Bainey, Osceola Mills
Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks - 1. Brandon Connor, Penfield; 2. Jim Bloom, 3. Gary Luzier, 4. Cregan Brady, 5. Pernell Beimel, 6. Sheddy Graham, III, 7. Fuzzy Fields, 8. Rich Howell
Pure Stocks - 1. Tim Steis, St Mary’s; 2. Mike Anderson, 3. Mitch Stiles, 4. Caleb Bloom, 5. Shannon Casher, 6. Eric Luzier
Little’s Drive-In Four Cylinders - 1. Luke Hoffner, Turbotville; 2. Jimmy Ogden, 3. Shawn Hadden, 4. Ryan Lipper, 5. Skyler Phillips, 6. Allen Robison, 7. Isaac Exley, 8. Shawn Shank, 9. Austin Fedder, 10. Jason Elensky, 11. Dustin Miller, 12. Blake Snyder, 13. Tim Raup