Port Royal race report 2001-06-02

6/2/01, PORT ROYAL, PA -- Mifflintown's Keith Kauffman took advantage of a bobble by his teammate Todd Hestor with 11 laps to go to speed to his third Port Royal Speedway sprint car win of the season on Saturday night in Juniata County. For Kauffman, the win padded his slight point lead over Todd Shaffer and notched him win number 103 on the tracks all time win list. "Anytime I stand up here, its always good," noted the veteran from victory lane. "I got a good hole at the start and there are a lot of good cars here and anytime you get a hole like that, it helps out!"

Elsewhere, in stock car action, Kenny Dickson continued his winning ways in the late models and Tim Krape drove to victory in the pro stock division. Winners of youth racing on the speedways frontstretch at intermission were Dylan Feltman (Big Foots), Patrick Bryner (Big Wheels), Summer Krape (Bicycle's age 3-5), Dakota Hutchinson (Bicycle's age 6-9), and Shane Pecht (Bicycle's age 10-12).

Coming up on June 9 at Port Royal will be the 2nd Annual Pete Swarmer Memorial for sprint cars sponsored by Regester Chevrolet of Thompsontown, along with the late models and the pro stocks, getting underway at 7 p.m. Run in honor of the four-time sprint and two-time late model track champion, the Swarmer Memorial will see Lance Dewease return as the defending champion of the event. Also on hand for June 9 will be the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing/Penn Central Racing Association vintage racecars . An on-track exhibition of the vintage racers is expected.

The second lap of the 25-lap sprint car feature was marred by a four-car flip in the second corner. Polesitter Jay Reichard led the field back to the strip to complete the first circuit ahead of Mike Erdley and third place runner Joe Deihl before Deihl tagged the outside wall and flipped in front of the field, collecting the machines of Brook Weibley, Mark Smith and Christ Strait. Luckily, all drivers escaped serious injury although Strait was transported for observation.

When action resumed, Hagerstown, Maryland driver Reichard continued at the front of the field with a stout running Todd Hestor moving into second on the sixth circuit just before Daryl Stimeling slowed, regrouping the field. Reichard found Hestor, Erdley, Rod Stroup and Mike Wagner trailing for the restart.

Reichard drove away from the competition on the restart but after driving a near flawless ten-laps, Reichard slowed with 15 to go after blowing the motor on his No. 15, handing the lead to Hestor. Hestor's run at the front was short lived however as his teammate, 12th starter Keith Kauffman of Mifflintown moved into second on the restart and then took advantage of a turn one bobble by Hestor with 11 laps to go to drive into the lead. Once at the front, Kauffman tried to hide from the field but was tracked down and hounded over the final laps by 13th starter Lance Dewease. Dewease was able to draw even with the leader with three to go but after seeing the challenger, Kauffman stepped his program up a notch to protect the win, which came by just three car lengths ahead of Fayetteville's Dewease. "I saw Dewease at the end and I had to yank her back and get her going," said Kauffman. "These guys (the crew) work really hard on this car, I don't do any of the work anymore and I try to win every one."

Todd Shaffer took third from Hestor at the line while 16th starter Alan Cole completed the top-five. Sixth through tenth went to Mike Wagner, Mike Erdley, Len Thompson, Shawn Keen and Craig Eshenaur.

Wagner, Hestor and Reichard picked up sprint car qualifying events. Eshenaur, on his first night back behind the wheel after a several year absence, won the consolation.

Mike Hess powered into the lead at the start of the 20-lap late model feature and was immediately pursued by McClure's Tim Wilson as ninth starter and five-time winner Kenny Dickson moved into the top-five by the completion of the first circuit. Dickson was able to maneuver into third after two restarts for minor spins on the second lap.

Hess was opening up a slight lead with four away when Wilson and Dickson began a neck and neck battle for second. The race pace was soon slowed however when fourth place runner Scotty Haus came up with a flat tire. A fantastic three-car race for the lead unfolded on the ensuing restart as Hess, Wilson and Dickson went at it for the win. After circling the clay for a pair of circuits, just inches from one another, McVeytown's Dickson surged into the lead on the eighth go around to assume command of the field as defending champion Chris Shuey, who started 12th, moved into second just before the halfway point.

Although slowed three times more, putting the field on his tail, Dickson proved why he is the tracks all-time leading feature winner by withstanding the pressure and speeding to his 51st career Port win ahead of Wilson, Tony Adams, Mike Atherton and Shuey, who scraped the frontstretch wall with a lap to go.

Sixth through tenth went to Hess, Steve Campbell, Tim Gray, Jere Wierman and Scott Flickinger.

Travis Dillman and Hess won late model heats.

Tim Krape took the lead at the start of the 12-lap pro stock feature to speed to his first win of the year in what was a rain shortened feature with seven laps complete. Jim Palm rode home second followed by Gary Beward, Peanut Heintzelman, Eric Cauffman, Jason Schmidt, Scott Bargo, Glenn Miller, John Heane and Matt Parks.

<pre> RACE SUMMARY Sprint Cars -28 -entries

Heat winners: Mike Wagner, Todd Hestor, Jay Reichard.

Consolation: Craig Eshenaur.

Feature finish: 1. Keith Kauffman , 2. Lance Dewease, 3. Todd Shaffer, 4.Todd Hestor , 5. Alan Cole, 6. Mike Wagner, 7. Mike Erdley, 8. Len Thompson, 9. Shawn Keen, 10. Craig Eshenaur, 11. Mark Smith, 12. Troy Whitesel, 13. Dave Hahn, 14. Von McGee, 15. Kevin Schaeffer, 16. Danny Bolger, 17. Rod Stroup, 18. Ron Rough, 19. Jay Reichard, 20. Daryl Stimeling, 21. Joe Deihl, 22. Brook Weibley, 23. Chris Strait, 24. Ron Kramer.

Late Models -23 - entries

Heat winners: Travis Dillman, Mike Hess.

Feature finish: 1.Ken Dickson , 2. Tim Wilson, 3. Tony Adams, 4. Mike Atherton, 5. Chris Shuey , 6. Mike Hess, 7. Steve Campbell, 8. Tim Gray, 9. Jere Wierman, 10. Scott Flickinger, 11. Eric Kauffman, 12. Bob Dunn, 13. Waylon Wagner, 14. Steve Earnest, 15. Mike Lupfer, 16. Rick Neff, 17. Jim Booher, 18. Rodney Turner, 19. Scott Lupfer, 20. Dave Bowsman, 21. Scott Haus, 22. Travis Dillman, 23. Jim Bernheisel.

Pro Stocks -15 -entries

Heat winners: no heats.

Feature finish: 1. Tim Krape, 2. Jim Palm, 3. Gary Beward, 4. Peanut Heintzelman, 5. Eric Cauffman, 6. Jason Schmidt, 7. Scott Bargo, 8. Glenn Miller, 9. John Heane, 10. Matt Parks, 11. Scott Dorman, 12. Stu Miller, 13. Donnie Hughes, 14. Mark Aucker, 15. Corey Kepner

-Sawn Brouse