Hesston Speedway race report 2002-06-01

Snyder and Garlock win first of season at Hesston.

Hesston, PA -- Four veteran drivers won hard races Saturday at the Hesston Speedway, but the fifth Sleeper Chassis trophy in the Chet Grove's Cars Unlimited Hobby Stock feature went to a first time winner, Keith Russell of Alexandria.

Defending champions Vince Snyder of Lewistown in the Sheehan Motors 305 Sprints and John Bookwalter in the Grubb Lumber Street Stocks each came from the middle of the pack and patiently worked their way to the front.

Rance Garlock of Three Springs started on the pole and stayed ahead of a crashing and spinning field in the Shellbrook Stables Limited Late Models, and Raymond Moore of Defiance took the lead from Kirk Knable after five laps of wheel to wheel action for his fourth overall Goshorn Racing Supply Four-cylinder Pure Stock win in five races.

"The racing gets better and faster every night and those who don't get to watch it don't know what they're missing," said Janet Powell of Sleeper Chassis and the Sleeper Chassis Outlet Store in Huntingdon. Husband John Powell is the famed Sleeper Chassis car builder and the two family businesses also supply everything from parts, fuel and tires to t-shirts and NASCAR collectibles.

In a full night of crashing thrills, JR Guyer of James Creek took an immediate lead in the Cars Unlimited Hobby Stocks and then threw a wheel down the front stretch and into the pits on lap two. Amid the confusion and before the caution Keith Russell of Alexandria wormed past Darin Desch and Robbie Goss for the lead from his fifth place start.

Hesston winners are handicapped to start tenth their next race and Terry Norris charged forward through the first three cautions' restarts to take second while Mike Barto who was racing Norris for second spun coming out of turn four as Russell took the checkers. Desch, Joe DeArmitt and Terry Wagner filled in the front five. Guyer, Desch, Rick Potter and Shane Morgan won the full-count heats and Brian Ayers won a tough race in the 16-car consi.

"We had another great night with more than 100 racecars, a smooth hard track, and what seemed like hundreds of kids on the pit tours," said co-promoter Butch Grubb. "The big four-cylinder feature promises a great race for their special next Saturday."

Moore's win in the four-cylinders was showed Knable strong and fast in the lead for the first third of the race until and then Moore took over and raced away. He overtook the rear of the field on lap 11 and the next time around put two lapped cars between his #48 and the cars chasing him. Rick Bookwalter, Shawn Moore, Gary Garner and Jerry Bard ran in a close pack to complete the top five.

The Goshorn Four-cylinder Pure Stocks take the spotlight for the next race June 8 for 25 laps and a money-added purse. The annual special to highlight the four-cylinders includes 100 "show" points for all the cars that take a green flag. Galloway Machine Shop and Hoover Logging sponsor trophies for the special race.

The defending sprint champion, Vince Snyder, made a wide sweeping outside pass on turn one as leaders Shawn Howe and Jamie Estep rubbed and almost spun in lap eight, and then Snyder paced two more restarts after cautions for his first win of the season. The front five were Snyder, Todd Lynn, Brett Knable, Scott Ellerman and Nathan Gramley all in a close pack with Howe also there in sixth.

The limited lates came to grief on lap two as Garry Beck spun in the #22 and collected most of the field behind him. With five cars gone the field settled down to a close race for the lead between Rance Garlock in #19 and Brian Kling in #11. With only one more caution on lap nine, Garlock led Kling, Waylon Wagner, Rusty Sites, Bill Booher and Herb Taneyhill in a close leading pack around the smooth half mile to the checkers without overtaking or lapping any at the rear.

After four cautions on the first three laps, John Bookwalter who started tenth took the lead in the street stocks and led by up to a turn as Aden Russell and Darin Hoover battled with Tom Gilliland for the number two spot. The front five at the finish were Bookwalter, Hoover, Russell, Bill Heffner and new father Tim Brindle.

The Hesston Speedway is located just north of Route 26 opposite to the Seven Points access to Lake Raystown. It's about five miles south of Route 22 in Huntingdon and 45 miles north on Routes 30W and 26 from the Breezewood Exit 12 of the PA Turnpike. For information call the track at 814-658-2823.

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