Path Valley results 2004-10-16

Path Valley 50 Lap Wins to Keller, Kress and Ginther

Spring Run, PA_ After 50 laps Brad Kress of Hanover won his first Path Valley Strictly Stock feature in the six-cylinders while Rob Keller of Shippensburg won his third V-8 feature and Bruce Ginther Jr. of Lebanon won for the fifth time.

With the big race behind them, the Strictly Stock drivers look forward to on final Saturday night race on Oct. 30 to conclude the season. The top three in each class who attend will be honored at the annual Awards Banquet Nov. 20, but all are welcome to attend Sr. Race Director John Winsett told them.

Winsett also told them that next year the rules will be revised to clarify tire sizes allowed and that while four-point roll bars will be permitted, full roll cages will not be allowed. "We do not want enduro or hobby stocks racing against these pure stock cars," he said.

Brad Kress took the lead from David Ramsey on the first lap and in 14 laps began to put the rearmost six-cylinders a lap down before the first caution on the soft, tacky Path Valley clay. Ricky Rosenberry, the most frequent track winner, started sixth and caught up to Kress amid lapped cars by lap 41 but even after a final lap restart for a spun car could not pass Kress. The front five finishers were Kress, Rosenberry, Josh Walstrum, Jason Ege and Randy Wenger and Richard Krause and Jeff Dicken won the heat races.

The races were conducted just like the regular Friday night stock car races, so Krause drew a pill that inverted the front eight heat race finishers. Kress said he owed the win to the pill draw inversion and the soft smooth track that gave him all the control he wanted.

In sharp contrast to the first feature, Rob Keller started twelfth in the full field of 24 V-8 cars and worked into second on lap 34. Veteran Jerry Fleming took the lead from Dave Kitzmiller on lap nine and weaved among lapped cars all the way to lap 41 when Keller caught and briefly passed him at the line. Fleming went to the high outside and passed Keller back but on lap 47 Fleming came out of turn four into a clump of three cars that had slowed as Danny Burdge in #7 spun and lost several spots as Keller and Tom Brady passed the melee high to the outside.

After thanking the Lord for a safe race and his crew and sponsors for getting him into the winner's circle, Keller thanked the Two Wheel Promotions management for racing a class that working guys like him could afford. The front five were Keller, Brady, Fleming, Kitzmiller and Jim DeArmitt and the heats went to Joe Daywalt, Brady and DeArmitt.

On lap 45 Barron Taylor who had led every lap of the four-cylinder feature to that point left the track, handing the lead to Ginther who had held second since lap three. Taylor went off without drawing a caution flag and five laps later amid lapped cars Ginther took the checkers, followed by Denny Schofield, Mark Cekovich, Jeremy Mumma and Taylor scored fifth. Schofield and Mike Beers won the heats. Ginther thanked his Jesusraceteam.com helpers and said 50 laps is hard work.

Next Saturday night the Strictly Stocks are off as Path Valley hosts the annual Go-kart Finale, the season's only night race for karters on the softer evening clay. Friday night races for sprints and stock cars continue as rain makeup points races through Oct. 29.

The Path Valley Speedway Park is located in Spring Run PA a mile north on PA Route 641 from the intersection with PA Route 75, halfway between Port Royal and Hagerstown. It is five miles east from the Willow Hill Exit 14 of the PA Turnpike. The new phone number at the track is 717-349-7111.

For information on the 2004 schedule and rules, race teams and fans can consult the track's website at www.pathvalley.com or they can email Two Wheel Promotions at twp@pathvalley.com.

FINISH ORDER:

Strictly Stock 8 Cyl. -- Rob Keller (started 12), Tom Brady, Jerry Fleming, David Kitzmiller, Jim DeArmitt, Shane Ege, Dustin Pietrak, Joe Daywalt, Josh Berrier, Randy Hockenberry, Danny Burdge, Jacob Cottle, Dustin Brown, Randy Mills, Dave Dunkle, Joey Burdge, Scott Deaner, Tony Verno, Chuck Arentz, Dan Gelwicks, Jake Richcreek, Dale Byers, DQ Robert Naugle, Eugene Naugle. Heats to Daywalt, Brady, DeArmitt.

Six-Cylinder -- Brad Kress (2), Ricky Rosenberry, Josh Walstrum, Jason Ege, Randy Wenger, Matt Krause, Carlos Morgan, Eric Grubb, Bob Elbin, Jeff Dicken, Joe Daywalt, Todd Price, David Ramsey, Richard Krause, Terry Golden. Heats to Krause, Dicken.

Four-Cylinder -- Bruce Ginther Jr. (3), Denny Schofield, Mark Cekovich, Jeremy Mumma, Barron Taylor, Wayne Kopp, Dan Richcreek, Johnny Runk, Steve Frazier, Mike Beers, Dave Strait, Dakota Hutchinson, Mel DeArmitt. Heats to Schofield, Beers.

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