Redline Raceway, Granville, Pa., by E. Schrader

Redline Raceway played host to another full night of exciting stock car racing action on Friday evening August 18. The weather was perfect and the huge crowd on hand was once again treated to good hard racing throughout the night.

The qualifying heats as usual were the first order of business. The Nationally Sanctioned I.M.C.A. Sunoco Modifieds were first to qualify for their feature. Rich Talada and Josh Sawyer both took their heat wins. The Street Stock heats victories went to Al Silvernail and Joe Reeves. The Pure Stock qualifying heat wins went to Bobby Maynard and Ernie Martin. Larry Colton , A.J. Potrzebowski, and Doug Colton took wins in the Mini Stock qualifying heats. Last but not least were the Modified qualifying heats. Shawn Reimert, George Kostelansky, and Mike Schane all took heat wins.

After a short intermission it was time for the Nationally Sanctioned Sunoco Modifieds to make their way to the staging area. Andrew Rhoads from Beaver Dams, NY., and Josh Sawyer, of Lindley, NY., led the Nationally Sanctioned I.M.C.A. Modified feature onto the raceway. The first green flag of the night waved and the I.M.C.A. Modifieds streaked into turn one. Josh Sawyer in turn one lost the handle and collected the 411 of Rhoads. The field was led to the green restart by Ty Hurlbut and Mark Griffin, Griffin edges ahead of Hurlbut off turn two and leads the first lap around the 3/8 red clay racing oval. Larry Robbins who started 6th, was working on taking over 2nd spot by lap 2. Robbins moved to second off turn 3 and set his sights on the 11k of Griffin. Scott Bennett moved up through the field quickly and ran with Hurlbut door to door for 2 consecutive laps. Bennett moved low off turn 2 and took away the 3rd position. Laps 6 and 7 saw a great duel between Griffin and Robbins, then caution for the Josh Sawyer machine flew as Sawyer took a hard right turn into the front stretch wall and came to a rest. Griffin electing to restart on the outside led the field to the green. Caution waved again for Tony Kelly and Don Buchanan who tangled in turn 3. Sean Lias who had made his way up to the lead pack from the 10th starting position along with Larry Robbins led the field to the green once again. Meanwhile back a little further in the field Mike Smith looked inside Rich Talada for 4th spot, but that was short lived as Smith was now doing battle with Scott Bennett and both spun in turn 3 on lap 18. Lias in command went on to take the victory and Robbins came home in second with Mark Griffin rounding out the top three.

The Street Stocks were next to do battle in their feature. Elmira's Al Silvernail and Steve Sharpsteen from Waverly, NY., led the Street Stock feature field down to the green. Silvernail led the Street Stocks into turn 1, and held on to lead the first lap around. The yellow waved early as the Steve Sharpsteen machine came to a stop in turn 4. The restart saw the Silvernail machine lead the field to the green with Joe Reeves to his outside. Reeves ran to the outside of Silvernail off corner 2 and took the top spot away. Eddie Sites who started deep in the field was battling with Oliver Gage, Sites and Gage went side by side for laps 4 and 5, Gage held the spot for the moment but Sites was not finished just yet. Gage and Silvernail went door to door on lap 7 as they both entered turn 2, Silvernail and Gage slipped up the banking just a bit and allowed Sites to rocket by them both. The yellow flew again this time for Ed McKernan who spun in turns 1 and 2. The ensuing restart saw the Reeves machine have problems at the drop of the green and Sites and Gage both could not stop and piled up behind the leader Reeves. Gage suffered right front damage to his car and Sites also made a trip pit side. Reeves still the leader led the field to the restart with Eric Matthews now running in second spot. Matt Jilson brought out yet another caution on lap 13 as he lost the handle in turn 2. The green dropped again with Reeves still the leader, further back in the pack the action was heating up a bit. Ed Sites and Dale Baldwin ran door to door off turn 4 for the 5th running position, for laps 15 and 16. Baldwin held onto 5th spot as Sites settled back in 6th. Yellow slowed the Street Stock feature field down for a spin by Al Silvernail in turn 2, this also collected the 15 of Sites. With just 3 laps remaining Reeves led the field to the green off turn 4, Matthews trying to make a run at the leader could not catch Reeves. Reeves went on to victory lane with Matthews crossing the stripe second and Ed McKernan recovering from his spin comes home in third. The Reeves machine after post race inspection by the officials was found to have illegal heads on his engine and was disqualified. Matthews then inherited the win making it 3 wins in a row for the 11 machine, Mckernan took second and Dale Baldwin inherited the third place finish.

Next to invade the racing clay oval were the Pure Stocks. Mike Chilson of Towanda, Pa., and Shannon Oswald from Mt. Lake, Pa., led the Pure Stocks to the green. Yellow plagued the Pure Stock feature field early as Chilson spins in turn 1, collecting Brad Butcher and Bobby Maynard. With no laps complete Ernie Martin inherits the lead with Oswald restarting to the outside . Martin gets a good jump at the drop of the green and led the first lap around. Behind the leader Martin , a dog fight was brewing between Oswald, Nick Robinson, and Terry Potrzebowski, as they were battling for second spot. The battle for second postion did not cool down much, lap 8 Robinson pulled even with Oswald, and Potrzebowski spectating right behind. This war went on for another lap as Oswald on the inside and Robinson still on the outside ran dead even on lap 9, Robinson now moved to the inside of Oswald in turn 3, Oswald in turn 4 loses the handle and spins bringing out the yellow. Potrzebowski now in third slides to the inside groove under Robinson in turn 3, they ran even for laps 11 and 12. Potrzebowski entering turn 2 got real loose but is able to hold on and continue, but loses ground to the leader Martin. Ernie Martin with a straight away advantage easily takes the win with Potrzebowski taking second spot and Josh Parker who started last in the field comes home in third.

The Mighty Mini Stocks were on deck next. Stan Matthews of Gillette, Pa., and Travis Parks, from Troy, Pa., led the mighty Minis to the start. Matthews led the first circuit as the P2 of Parks ran in second. Caution came out as Jim Vannoy with apparent mechanical problems slowed and went to the pits. Matthews with a good restart held on to the top position as Clyde Gardner ran to the inside of Natasha Robinson off corner 2 for 3rd. Larry Colton coming from the 9th starting position ran down Gardner in corner 2 on lap 6 for the third spot. Yellow came out again as a result of a spin in corner 4. Doug Colton and A. J. Potrzebowski got together both continued on but in the round out positions. Matthews still in the lead position had his hands full with the hard charging Colton machine. Larry Colton looked to the inside of Matthews several times but could not quite make the pass. David Kinner brought out a yellow as he slowed in turn 4 on lap 13. Matthews getting ready for a restart suddenly had mechanical problems and did not continue. Colton inherits the lead as Travis Parks and Potrzebowski battle for second. Colton goes on to take the win, Potrzebowski moves to the outside of Parks on the final lap to take away second spot, and Travis Parks with a good run comes home rounding out the top three.

The Big Block Small Block Modifieds were last to take to the clay for the evening. Chuck Kennison who has been racing for over 50 years, from Watkins Glen, NY., and Shawn Reimert from Oley, Pa., led the full Modified feature field down to the green. Reimert jumped out in front in turn 1 but yellow came early as Mike Jackson, Bob Silvernail, Dan West, Stacy Jackson, and Larry Doolittle all tangle in turn one. Reimert led the field to the green again and led the first of 25 laps. Yellow flew again as Tony Harris and Doolittle came together in turn 1. Green waved again but only for one lap as the Mike Jackson machine and Tim Guild tangle in corner two on lap 2. During the caution Reimert retired to the pits and did not return. Don Silvernail inherits the lead with Kennsion and Dale Welty in tow. Welty works to the outside of Kennison off the first turn for second position on lap 5. Brent Boyer from Bloomsburg, Pa., went inside of Kennison on lap 6 to take over 3rd spot, but that was short lived as Mike Schane starting 12th worked over Boyer on the inside off turn 2 by lap number 8 and moved the M16 into 3rd position. Schane on a rocket sled quickly moved up to challenge Welty by lap 11 for second and Welty settled back in third. Kennison slow down the front straight suffered a flat tire brought out the yellow . Don Silvernail who had a sizable advantage over Schane saw that dissolve as the yellow allowed Schane to close up on the back bumper of Silvernail. Schane on lap 14 ran door to door with Silvernail, into turn 1, Schane then rockets ahead taking over the top spot. With Schane in the lead and Boyer running second Brian Malcolm was making some noise moving up through the field and challenges Silvernail for second spot on lap 19. Yellow came out as a result of a multicar pile up in turn 3. Dale Welty, Don Silvernail, and Stacy Jackson all get together in corner 3. Mike Schane survived the one lap shoot out to the checkers followed by Brent Boyer and Brian Malcolm.

This Friday will be thingy Huslander Memorial Night. Redline will play host to the same exciting 5 classes of stock cars. The season is winding down to a close and the point battles are heating up. Gates open at 5 racing warm ups at 7 and the qualifying heat action starts at 8 . www.redlineraceway,net 570-673-3176 570-364-8384.

Nationally Sanctioned I.M.C.A. Sunoco Modifieds:

1. 37 Sean Lias

2. X Larry Robbins

3..11K Mark Griffin

4. 08 Rich Talada

5. C4 Ty Hurlbut

6. 44 Don Cole

7. 411 Andrew Rhoads

8. 11x Don Buchanan

9. 18s Scott Bennett

10. 36 Jay Shrout

Street Stocks:

1. 11 Eric Matthews

2. 83two Eddie McKernan

3. 97 Dale Baldwin

4. 5 Al Silvernail

5. 15 Eddie Sites

6. 13 Wayne Baldwin

7. 17 Matt Jilson

8. 8 Steve Sharpsteen

9. 0J Oliver Gage

10. 00jr.Joe Reeves

Pure Stocks:

1. M13 Ernie Martin

2. 72 Terry Potrzebowski

3. 4g Josh Parker

4. 83 Nick Robinson

5. 3 Shannon Oswald

6. 33 Ed Huslander

7. 55 Dennis Beardslee

8. 36 Bud Carnes

9. 13 Gary Ritz

10. 29 Bobby Maynard

Mini Stocks:

1. 36 Larry Colton

2. 72 A.J. Potrzebowski

3. P2 Travis Parks

4. 16 Jay Cummings

5. 47 Clyde Gardner

6. 95 Mike Navone

7. 34 Natasha Robinson

8. 43 Jason Shaw

9. 23D David Kinner

10.143 Schane Hickok

Big Block Small Block Modifieds:

1. M16 Mike Schane

2. 19 Brent Boyer

3. 119 Brian Malcolm

4. 21k George Kostelansky

5. 9cat Tony Harris

6. 29 Mike Jackson

7. 55 Bob Silvernail

8. 81x George Suprick

9. 83two J. T. McKernan

10. 81 Don Silvernail.