Monthly Archives: September 2015

     Brenden Bright returned to the track where he recorded his first win of the 2015 season and picked up win number two as ARDC visited Path Valley for the final time this season. 

     It was exactly one year ago that ARDC returned to race at Path Valley after more than a twenty year absence.  The track received rave reviews from officials and competitors alike during the co-sanctioned USAC/ARDC Eastern Swing events in mid-August and after picking up his second win, Brenden Bright is also a huge fan of the Path Valley facility.

     Polesitter, Jason Rice and Eric Heydenreich lined up side by side for the start of the twenty-five lap feature event with Heydenreich putting his No. 11 out in front.  Heydenreich led the way through lap fourteen when Bright mounted his challenge.  After dropping back several positions on the start, Bright moved up the track and started to pick off positions.  Bright took over the top spot on lap fifteen and never looked back, leading the final ten laps to the checkered flag. 

     Heydenreich finished second for his best outing of the season.  Ryan Greth picked up the final podium finish after  starting 8th.  Brett Wanner and Bruce Buckwalter completed the top five in the running order after running in the top five for most of the race.

     Some very close racing early in the event saw 2013 ARDC Champion, Trevor Kobylarz take a wild ride in turn number two.  The safety equipment did its job as the driver fared better in the damage department than the car. 

     Several drivers made their first ARDC starts of the season as Johnny Heydenreich traveled from his home in Indiana to compete in Saturday night’s events.  Maryland driver, Randy Reid took his first green flag of the season.  Bobby Seymour traveled south from Boston, MA with driver Anthony Nocella to compete in this event.  Nocella had the best results as he finished eighth in the twenty-five lap main event. 

     Heats were won by Kobylarz and Wanner.

     ARDC wraps up the 2015 season on Friday, October 2nd at Linda’s Speedway.

ARDC FEATURE (25 LAPS)

1. Brenden Bright, 2. Eric Heydenreich, 3. Ryan Greth, 4. Brett Wanner, 5. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. 6. Steve Drevicki, 7. Danny Stratton, 8. Anthony Nocella, 9. Shawn Jackson, 10. Jason Rice, 11. Billy Courtwright, 12. John Heydenreich, 13. PJ Gargiulo, 14. Bryan Kobylarz, 15. Trevor Kobylarz, 16. Randy Reid

     For the second time this season, the Royersford Rocket, Steve Buckwalter, climbed behind the wheel of the Mike Heffner owned Lelands.com midget and came away with a feature win.

     Due to mechanical issues, Buckwalter was forced to sit out the 410 Sprint Car portion of the show but came home with the win in the twenty lap American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) feature event.

     Tommy Kunsman and Shawn Jackson swapped the lead during the early laps.  Kunsman took the lead on the initial start as the field was three wide down the backstretch with PJ Gargiulo, Jackson and Jim Radney racing for position.  The action came to an abrupt halt when Radney got a little too high in turns three and four and flipped his Hyper No. 95.  The safety crews were on the scene to declare the driver was okay as the field lined up for a complete restart. 

     Jackson took the lead when the race got underway and led the first five laps as the three wide action continued behind his Elite Chassis No. 7.  Kunsman mounted a challenge for the lead, trying the inside as the leaders raced down the backstretch but it wasn’t until the next time around that Kunsman was able to take the lead as he and Jackson raced off turn two.  Steve Buckwalter advanced to fourth from his 12th place start on the same lap.

     With Kunsman out in front, S Buckwalter  continued to advance as he moved by Gargiulo for third on lap eight.  Gargiulo, the race winner at Williams Grove earlier this season, raced with Jackson for third.

     At half way, Kunsman led Steve Buckwalter, Gargiulo, Jackson and point leader, Steven Drevicki. 

     Steve Buckwalter narrowed the margin as he closed in on Kunsman for the lead.  With a move to the inside off of turn two, Buckwalter became the race leader. 

     With Buckwalter out in front, the race was on for second as Drevicki challenged Kunsman for the lead.  Drevicki treid a slider in turn four but Kunsman fought back.  The two drivers raced side by side down the backstretch with Drevicki taking the spot on lap nineteen.

     Buckwalter drove to his second ARDC win of the season, trailed by Drevicki, Kunsman, Gargiulo and Brenden Bright.  It was Kunsman’s first podium finish in ARDC competition.  

     Heat races were won by Brett Wanner and Brett Arndt. 

ARDC FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)

1. Steve Buckwalter, 2. Steve Drevicki, 3. Tommy Kunsman, 4. PJ Gargiulo, 5. Brenden Bright, 6. Brett Arndt, 7. Ryan Greth, 8. Brett Wanner, 9. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr., 10. Brian Gilmore, 11. Shawn Jackson, 12. Jamie Spears, 13. Jason Rice, 14. Trevor Kobylarz, 15. Danny Stratton, 15. Jim Radney