Monthly Archives: July 2015

     Brenden Bright returned to racing action with the American Racing Drivers Club Saturday night at the Path Valley Speedway Park and came away with his first win of the season.

     Bright, who has been plagued with mechanical issues since the first race of the 2015 season, made his first ARDC appearance since the end of May and won both his qualifying heat and feature event before the night was over.

     Hackettstown, NJ driver, Brian Gilmore took the lead at the start of the twenty-five lap feature event and led for the first two circuits around the Path Valley track.  Bright was challenging by the end of lap two and the two drivers raced for the lead with Bright going to the outside in turn two and then ducking to the inside as the leaders raced down the backstretch.  Bright had his Presidential HVAC No. 92 out to front to complete lap three. 

     Bright led Gilmore, Jim Radney, Austin Burke and Ryan Greth through lap five.

     Radney closed the gap on Gilmore and made his bid for the runner-up spot with an inside move in turn two on lap seven.  Greth moved in on Burke on lap nine and began to pressure the 2014 ARDC Rookie of the Year for position.  Gilmore, who was running in third at the time and ahead of the Burke/Greth battle, ran into problems in turn one as his car stalled when he hit the brakes .  Gilmore got sideways in front of the competition but managed to save it and continue on.  Burke and Greth moved to third and fourth and Gilmore continued in the fifth spot. 

     Bright continued to stretch his lead as he ran the outside of the track.  He met the challenge of lapped traffic as he approached the five to go mark.  Radney continued to chase the leader from second as Burke held off the challenges of three time winner, Greth.  Gilmore was feeling some pressure from 2014 ARDC Champion, Steve Drevicki  as the laps counted down. 

     Bright sailed to the checkered flag for the win with Radney finishing second.  Burke picked  up his first ever ARDC podium finish with third followed by Greth in fourth.  Brian Gilmore put in a best ever ARDC effort with a fifth place finish.  Drevicki, Shawn Jackson, PJ Gargiulo, Justin Grosz and Brett Arndt rounded out the top ten.  It was Grosz’ first ARDC start of the season after driving from his new home in Charlotte, NC on Saturday morning to race at one of his favorite tracks. 

     Heat races were won by Jim Radney and Brenden Bright.

     Next on the 2015 ARDC schedule is the three race, co-sanctioned USAC/ARDC events coming up on August 18, 19 and 20 at Path Valley, Lincoln and Susquehanna Speedways.  The big names in USAC Midget racing are headed to Pennsylvania for three days of competition and will include 2015 Chili Bowl Champion, Rico Abreu, Tracy Hines, Zach Daum, Christopher Bell, Bryan Clauson and many more! 

FINISH (25 LAPS)

1. Brenden Bright, 2. Jim Radney, 3. Austin Burke, 4. Ryan Greth, 5. Brian Gilmore, 6. Steve Drevicki, 7. Shawn Jackson, 8. PJ Gargiulo, 9. Justin Grosz, 10. Brett Arndt, 11. Trevor Kobylarz, 12. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. DNS – Troy Betts

Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. & Ryan Greth Are Big Winners on July 4th Weekend

BUCKWALTER PICKS UP THE WIN IN “NO BULL 25”

     Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. dominated the 2015 season opener of the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) at Linda’s Speedway before mechanical failure had him headed to the pits midway through the feature event.

     He returned to Linda’s on Friday night and earned his first win of the 2015 season as Linda’s Speedway and ARDC honored six time ARDC Champion, Ray Bull with the running of the “No Bull 25”.  Bull and his family were on hand for the event, visiting with many of his former competitors, both in the midget in micro sprint divisions.

     The twenty-five lap main event was action packed from the green flag as three different drivers led before Buckwalter took over on lap fifteen.  Brett Wanner jumped out in front at the start and led the first six circuits as fourth place starter, Brett Arndt moved up to second.  Arndt had to fend off the challenges of Tony DiMattia as Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. and Trevor Kobylarz completed the top five in the running order with five laps scored.

     Arndt challenged Wanner for the lead on laps five and six and then slid out in front to be scored the leader on lap seven.  Arndt had the Schneider Recylcing/Sills Campground #46 on a rail as he sailed around Linda’s Speedway.  The caution waved for Alex Bright with fourteen laps scored as Bright tangled with a lapped car.

     Arndt went back to work as the race returned to green flag conditions but a part failure felled Arndt as he entered turn three before the lap could be completed.  Arndt’s stellar run came to an end as second place runner, Danny Stratton, the winner of the opening day event, led the field on the restart.

    The lead was just not the place to be as Stratton slowed on the restart on the again the yellow flag waved.  Bruce Buckwalter, Jr.  became the race leader on the restart and picked up where he left off back in April.

     Buckwalter led the way for the final ten laps to pick up his first ever win at Linda’s Speedway.  Trevor Kobylarz trailed Buckwalter at the line to finish second.  Bright rebounded from his mid-race spin to cross the line in third but was penalized for a restart infraction and placed ninth in the final finish.  Current point leader, Steve Drevicki finished third followed by  Nick Wean and Tony DiMattia.

     A special $100 Hard Charger Award was offered by the Bull Family.  Ryan Greth was the race’s Hard Charger, advancing from his twentieth place start to finish sixth at the end of the No Bull 25.

     The three qualifying heats were won by Arndt, Wanner and Shawn Jackson.  Joining ARDC’s biggest field of the season was AARN’s Miss Motorsports, Shelby Harper who made her first ever start in a midget for the No Bull 25.

NO BULL 25 ARDC FEATURE EVENT FINISH (25 LAPS)

1. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr., 2. Trevor Kobylarz, 3. Steve Drevicki, 4. Nick Wean, 5. Tony DiMattia, 6. Ryan Greth, 7. Jim Radney, 8. Troy Betts, 9. Alex Bright, 10. PJ Gargiulo, 11. Brian Gilmore, 12. Tommy Kunsman, 13. PJ Pavlich, 14. Shawn Jackson, 15. Brett Wanner, 16. Danny Stratton, 17. Brett Arndt, 18. Jason Rice, 19. Shelby Harper, 20. Eric Heydenreich, 21. Bryan Kobylarz, 22. Mark Gilmore

RYAN GRETH MAKES HISTORY WITH FIRST EVER MIDGET WIN AT LANCO

     Ryan Greth put Wayne Lesher’s Hyper Midget in Victory Lane for the second time in the 2015 season as he led a stout field of ARDC Midgets in their first ever appearance at Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway for the Hyper Racing sponsored Star Spangled Havoc.   

     The banked fifth mile track offered plenty of side by side racing and slide jobs during the thirty laps of main event.

     Brett Wanner and Eric Heydenreich brought the starting field to the green flag with Wanner, a former regular in Lanco micro competition, taking the lead.  Jim Radney quickly moved up to second but was overtaken by his Hyper Racing team mate, Ryan Greth as the leaders exited turn two.  Greth tried Wanner for the lead as they came through turns three and four but Wanner held on to lead lap one by a small margin.  Greth took the lead as he and Wanner raced out of turn two the second time around.  

     Greth set sail, leaving the action in his tracks.  By lap seven, Greth had caught the tail end of the field.

     With ten laps complete, Greth led Wanner, Radney, Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. and Tony DiMattia.  

     The first caution of the race waved when several cars made contact in turns three and four with only Eric Heydenreich heading to the pits.

     On the restart, Danny Stratton put his Hyper midget on the bottom of the track and advanced his position.  At half way, Greth led Radney, Stratton, Trevor Kobylarz and Nick Wean.  After a torrid battle for second, Stratton took the position and Radney now had his hands full with Kobylarz.  

     As they battled for third, Radney got into the turn four fence and upside down, bringing out the red with eighteen laps complete.  Radney exited unscathed but the 1-2-3 race of the Hyper midgets came to an end.

     Greth now had Stratton on his bumper for the restart but was able to pull away handily.  Greth ran to the checkered flag for the win followed by Stratton, Kobylarz, DiMattia and Bruce Buckwalter, Jr.  

     Weiser’s Markets sponsored several special awards for the ARDC midget action.  Greth received a $100 bonus from Weiser’s for the win.  Danny Stratton was the recipient of the $50 Hard Charger Award for passing the most cars in his heat and feature.  PJ Gargiulo was the $50 Hard Luck winner after Gargiulo was forced to scratch from the start of the feature with mechanical issues.

     Another big weekend on tap for ARDC as they return to the Bedford Speedway on Friday night, July 10th to complete the rained out feature from June 19th as well as a second twenty lap feature event.  The wingless midgets then move on to Mercer Raceway Park for a full show on Saturday, July 11th.

STAR SPANGLED HAVOC ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (30 LAPS)

1. Ryan Greth, 2. Danny Stratton, 3. Trevor Kobylarz, 4. Tony DiMattia, 5. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr., 6. Brett Wanner, 7. Steve Drevicki, 8. Alex Bright, 9. Nick Wean, 10. Brett Arndt, 11. Shawn Jackson, 12. Troy Betts, 13. Brian Gilmore, 14. Jim Radney, 15. Eric Heydenreich, 16. Mark Gilmore   DNS – PJ Gargiulo

    The Fourth of July weekend  is certainly one of the highlights on the 2015 schedule for the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC).

     On Friday evening, July 3rd, the wingless midgets make their second appearance of the 2015 season at Linda’s Speedway in Jonestown, PA.   Linda’s Speedway hosted the 2015 season opener as well as the first race of the short track series back in April.

     This time, ARDC will be competing in a special event – the “No Bull 25” – a race honoring six time ARDC Champion, Ray Bull.  Bull reigned as the ARDC Champion for six consecutive seasons from 2000 – 2005 and collected fifty ARDC feature wins during his years of competition.  Bull will be on hand Friday night as he is honored by Linda’s Speedway and ARDC.

     Bull had a lot of success while racing Micro Sprints at Linda’s, including a win in the National Open.  He is 13th on the all time Winners List in the 270cc Micros.

     Bull achieved considerable success during his racing career, competing in several A Mains at the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, OK.  as well competing in the Silver Crown series.

     The Bull Family is offering an additional $100 award to the Hard Charger in the “No Bull 25” as well as a special commemorative checkered flag.  One flag will be presented to ARDC and a second to Linda’s Speedway for this special event.

     On Saturday night, the Fourth of July, ARDC will make their first ever appearance at Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway in Newmanstown, PA.  The event is billed as “Star Spangled Havoc” and promises to be an exciting evening of racing for the wingless midgets on Lanco’s fifth mile track.

     Several ARDC competitors took part in an early season practice session at the track and have indicated that they are looking forward to this first event.  Ryan Greth, Jim Radney, Trevor Kobylarz, Steven Drevicki, Brett Wanner, Danny Stratton and Jared Esh participated in the practice session and have promised that the midgets will put on a show this Saturday night.  It is a return to their roots for several drivers like Drevicki, Wanner and Greth who have raced at Lanco in the past while competing in Micro Sprint competition.  Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. and PJ Gargiulo have also turned some laps at Lanco.

     Tim Weiser of Weiser’s Market of 680 Furnace Hills Pike, Lititz, PA and 805 Main Street, Akron, PA will be sponsoring several special awards for this inaugural event.  The feature winner of Star Spangled Havoc will receive a $100 bonus from Weiser’s Markets.  Weiser’s will also present a $50 award to the Hard Charger and another $50 award to the Hard Luck competitor in the feature event.  (www.weisersmarket.com)

     It is hoped that both of these events will be continued on the schedule of future ARDC seasons.

      Danny Stratton was the feature winner on opening night at Linda’s but in the six races that have been completed since then, only Tim Buckwalter has been able to repeat in the Winner’s Circle.  Ryan Greth, Brett Wanner, Steve Buckwalter and most recently, PJ Gargiulo have picked up ARDC single feature wins so far this season.  Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. dominated the season opener, setting fast time, winning his heat race and then leading the feature until the half way mark when mechanical woes took him out of the running.  Alex Bright returns to the Mike Heffner owned #27 for this weekend’s events.  Brett Arndt had a strong run a week ago and looks to build some momentum on his 2015 season.  2013 ARDC Champion, Trevor Kobylarz & 2014 ARDC Champion, Steven Drevicki are both looking for their first wins of the 2015 season.

     It’s been an exciting season so far and this weekend promises to put an exclamation point on ARDC’s mantra – “where Three Wide and Side by Side is standard.”

     Make sure that these events are part of your Fourth of July holiday weekend!

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