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WHAT A NIGHT AT CENTRAL PA SPEEDWAY!!!

SMITH WINS AS ALL-STAR SPRINTS INVADE CENTRAL PA SPEEDWAY, SMEAL TAKES SHOOTOUT EVENT

By Terry Whetstone June 15, 2008  

CLEARFIELD, PA – The O’Reilly All-Star Circuit of Champion Sprint cars played before a full house at Tim Bainey’s Central PA Speedway on Sunday night with Mark Smith picking up the victory at The Big Bear. The Rex Energy Street Stock feature went to Ramey’s Dan Smeal.

By virtue of time trials, three heat races and a fast dash, Mark Smith and Paul McMahon led the 18 car sprint field to the green flag with McMahon taking the early lead before Morrisdale driver Jimmer Seger flipped in the first turn to halt the race. Seger exited the heavily damaged number 72 uninjured but he was out for the night.

The race restarted with McMahon still in the lead and Smith in second with Greg Hodnett sitting third. McMahon pulled away until a caution slowed the race on the fourth lap. This regrouped the filed and allowed Smith the get past McMahon on the restart but McMahon fought back and chased Smith while Hodnett continued to ride in third while Randy Hannagan and Lance Dewease battled for fourth.

On the 18^th lap McMahon was able to get the lead back when Smith went high in the first and second turns and off the track, he also lost second to Hodnett and nearly fell to fourth, but he battled back when the yellow flew of a stopped McMahon, who suffered mechanical problems.

On the lap 21 restart Hodnett had secured the lead with Smith on his tail once again, but Hodnett would relinquish the lead to Smith on lap 23 and Smith would not look back, as he went on to win the inaugural All-Star event at Central PA Speedway. Hodnett held on for second with Dale Blaney third, Hannagan fourth and Stevie Smith fifth. Heat wins went to Paul McMahon, Fred Rhamer and Brian Ellenberger.

The Rex Energy Street Stock feature Mike Desch and Bob Rosman lead the field to the start with Desch taking the lead and Chad O’Brien second.  The race saw some hard crashes take their toll, with the Lee Hummel slamming into the back stretch wall on lap three. He was not hurt but was out for the night.

Desch continued to set the pace as Dan Smeal, who started sixth, was trying to work his way to the front. Jamie Barber was second and after passing O’Brien on lap four. A pair of red flags waved on laps five and seven. Lap five was for Khi Swanger who threw the drive shaft and needed medical attention. The lap seven red was for Craig Bainey who slammed into the fourth turn wall and required transport to Clearfield Hospital for neck injuries.

Desch continued to lead the race with Barber pressuring him for position, and Smeal continuing to work towards the front. As the race continued Barber, Tim Krape and O’Brien jockeyed for the second through four positions with Smeal riding in fifth. O’Brien then gave up fourth to Steve Cook with Smeal still in fifth.

The battle tightened up as cars started pitting and falling back, eventually giving  Smeal second. On a lap 10 Restart Smeal was able to get by Desch on lap 11 then Bill Henney and Rick Hemphill entered the race and began to close on Smeal, but they ran out of time as Smeal picked up his second win of the season at The Big Track. Henney, Hemphill, Desch and Jeff Mease completed the top five. Gary Little, Steve Cook and Dan Smeal won the heats.

BEAR TRACKS: There were 44 teams in the pits, including 18 All-Star Sprints and 26 Street Stocks…This was the first time in more than 30 years 410 sprints have raced at the speedway…It was the first time in the tracks history the All-Star Sprints were in action…The official track record was established with a time 13.698 seconds around the 3/8^th mile track set by Paul McMahon…Coming up next at The Big Bear is the 34^th Annual Yankee Doodle with sanctioning from the UFO Late Model Series. The third leg of the $20,000 street stock shoot out will also be run. It was also announced that Chub Frank will be in attendance to not only race but sign autographs. More details will be posted at www.thebigtrack.com.

Summary:

All-Star Sprints:

Time trials –

1.  0 - Paul Mcmahan               13.698
2. 1x - Randy Hannagan         13.750
3. 22 - Greg Hodnett              13.793
4. 30c - Lance Dewease          13.837
5. 7m - Mark Smith                 13.844
6. 35 - Alan Cole                     13.844
7. 2 - Dale Blaney                   13.942
8. 19 - Stevie Smith                13.946
9. 4 - Rod George                   14.040
10. w20 - Greg Wilson            14.075
11. 51 - Fred Rahmer              14.075
12. 11e - Mike Erdley             14.095
13. 20e - Brian Ellenberger     14.109
14. 11m - Brandon Martin      14.309
15. 72 - Jimmy Seger              14.393
16. 16 - Lee Stark                   14.604
17. 56r - Ryan Myers              14.678
18. 17 - Mike Deener              15.710

A-main: 1. Mark Smith, 2. Greg Hodnett, 3. Dale Blaney, 4. Randy Hannagan, 5. Stevie Smith, 6. Brian Ellenberger, 7. Lance Dewease, 8. Brandon Martin, 9. Rod George, 10. Greg Wilson, 11. Mike Erdley, 12. Lee Stark, 13. Ryan Myers, 14. Paul McMahan, 15. Alan Cole, 16. Mike Deener, 17. Fred Rahmer, 18. Jimmy Seger  

Rex Energy Street Stocks: 1. Dan Smeal, 2. Bill Henney, 3. Rick Hemphill, 4. Mike Desch, 5. Jeff Mease, 6. Chad O’Brien, 7. Neil Wilson, 8. Tim Krpae, 9. Gary Little, 10. Steve Cook, 11. Adam Sheets, 12. Ray Billotte, 13. Richard Homan, 14. Jamie Barber, 15. Bob Rosman, 16. Eric Baun, 17. Scott Winslow, 18. Joe Kot, 19. Denny Curry, 20. Emory Rinehart Jr., 21. Khi Swanger, 22. Tom Homan, 23. Lee Hummel, 24. Craig Bainey.

Did Not Start: Ken Taylor and Fuzzy Fields