SPIRIT AUTO CENTER SPEEDWAY NEWS
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Spirit Speedway
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FIRST POKER SERIES EVENT ON THE BOOKS FOR SPIRIT AUTO CENTER SPEEDWAY
The Spirit Auto Center Speedway ran its first Poker Series event under the Spirit Auto Center banner to kick off the start of the 2016 series.
Sunday May 15 - Kyle Lick was the winner in a wild wingless 600cc Micro Sprint feature event in LaMar Schaeffer's No. 91s in a race that saw the top spots change right down to the checkered flag.
Polesitter, Doug Snyder outgunned Lick at the start of the twenty-five lap feature as the eventual feature winner struggled in the race's early laps. Lick fell back in the early going as Snyder took the lead with Grady Johnston and Tommy Kunsman trailing the leader. Johnston took the lead as the third lap was completed with a three wide race for the top spot. Several early caution kept the field tight as Johnson led Kunsman, Tim Buckwalter, Lick and Jermaine Godshall at the race's midpoint.
Lick found the fast way around the track as the laps counted down, running on the outer rim of the quarter mile track. Lick was up to second and challenging Johnson for the lead when the final caution waved with five laps to go. While Johnson and Lick raced for the lead, Kunsman snuck by to take the lead with as the field came around for the white flag. It was a three way race on the final lap, with Lick and Kunsman making contact in turn four. Lick drove to the checkered for the win followed by Buckwalter, Johnson, Godshall and Eddie Strada.
"I thought I had him cleared," the winner stated as he apologized to Kunsman from Victory Lane. "It's not the way I wanted to win." Lick collected his first Spirit Auto Center Speedway win and an Ace for the start of the 2016 Poker Series.
Pat Bealer had never won at the Logan Township speedway before opening night of this season but he came back to win the twenty-five lap main event for the 270cc Micro Sprints and collect an Ace for the 2016 Poker Series. Bealer took the lead from Brandon Edgar following a red flag with seven laps scored.
Bealer led the rest of the way to collect the win over Edgar, Bealer's team mate, Jacob Hendershot, Robbie Watson and Tyler Reinhardt.
Chris Kurtz became the third first time winner at Spirit Speedway when he raced to the win in the twenty lap Slingshot feature for his Poker Series Ace.
Travis Bieber led the race's first five laps after starting on the pole with taking the lead on a lap six restart when Bieber elected to restart from the outside. Bieber led the remaining laps without a serious challenge as he led Dylan Hoch to the finish line. Cody Kline, Bieber and Joe Toth rounded out the top five at the checkered flag.
Aaron Bowes and Kory Inglin led the field of Xcel 600 Modifieds to the start of their twenty lap main event. Bowes told the lead at the green flag and led for the first four circuits before Inglin took the top spot away. Inglin then led the way to the checkered flag. Travis Rigante, Rob Vivona, Jeff Metsger and Kyle Inglin trailed the race winner to the checkered flag.
SUMMARY
WINGLESS 600cc MICRO SPRINTS (25 laps): 1. Kyle Lick, 2. Tim Buckwalter, 3. Grady Johnston, 4. Jermain Godshall, 5. Eddie Strada, 6. Austin Quick, 7. Jim Tippin, 8. Kenny Miller, 9. Jay Hartman, 10. Wayne Scott, 11. Jon Keller, 12. Austin Bishop, 13. Jarad Kunkle, 14. Zach Bealer, 15. Doug Snyder, 16. Rich Mellor, 17. Ernie MIles, Jr., 18. Tyler DeVault, 19. B.J. Antonio, 20. Travis Hill, 21. Mike Fillbrunn, 22. Tommy Kunsman, 23. Josh Conover, 24. Nick Havens, 25. Mike Butler, 26. James Morris, DNQ - Tyler Tank, Gary Bozowski, Mike Linderman, Matt Smith, Greg Stevens, Chris Locuson, Luke Thomas, Ed Barber, III, Sal Tossona, William Butler, Joe Plunkett, Josh Martin, Scott Rupp, Pat Bealer, Jake Fox, Jacob Severn, Bobby Butler, Rebecca LaMothe, Jack Conover
270cc MICRO SPRINTS (25 laps): 1. Pat Bealer, 2. Brandon Edgar, 3. Jacob Hendershot, 4. Robbie Wetson, 5. Tyler Reinhardt, 6. Kyle Weiss, 7. Mike Rutherford, 8. Glenn Macomber, 9. Billy Gray, 10. Colin Bustard, 11. Alex Swift, 12. Sean Huesser, 13. Luke Kroboth, 14. Brandon Pavel, 15. Ryan Wozunk, 16. Joe Bednarik, 17. John Blanda, 18. Ken Miller, 19. Shawn Ratchford, 20. Tommy Kunsman, 21. Kenny Miller, 22. Rich Keller, 23. Luke Fogg, 24. Chuck Palmucci, DNS - Ryan Heim, Decker Morrow, Steve Coslop, Mark Landwher, Tyler Grau, Nick Walton, Chris Locuson
SLINGSHOTS (20 laps): 1. Chris Kurtz, 2. Dylan Hoch, 3. Cody Kline, 4. Travis Beiber, 5. Joe Toth, 6. Austin Stufflet, 7. Richard Partite, 8. Eric Jones, 9. Jordan Knepp, 10. Steve Svanda, 11. Dave McCullough, 12. Mike Toth, 13. Dave Morrell, 14. Casey Borrer, 15. Amber Oraschin, 16. Steve Schenker, 17. Louie Partite, 18. Hunter Metzger, 19. Natasha Henn, 20. David Bell
Upcoming events
Friday, May 20 - OPEN MODIFIEDS - 270 & 600 Micro Sprints & ServPro 4-Cylinder Enduros, racing at 8pm
Friday, May 27 - 270 & 600 Micro Sprints, ServPro 4-Cylinder Enduros & Speedway All-Star Bagel Slingshots, racing at 8pm
Sunday, June 5 - POKER SERIES #2 - 270 & 600 Micro Sprints, Xcel 600 Modifieds, Slingshots & Stage-1 Mods, racing at 5:30pm
Friday, June 10 - 270 & 600 Micro Sprints, ServPro 4-Cylinder & 8-Cylinder Enduros - racing at 8pm
Saturday June 18 - PACK THE HOUSE - FREE GRANDSTAND ADMISSION - Crate/Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks, Rookies and TSRS Sprint Cars on 5/8th mile with 270cc, 600cc, 4 & 8 Cylinder Enduros and Slingshots on the Spirit Auto Center quarter mile - racing at 7pm
