“Not again” had to be going through Tim Buckwalter’s mind during the early laps of the Ace Overhead Door Company 600 Micro Sprint feature at the Spirit Speedway on Sunday. Buckwalter and car owners, Barry and Cheryl Greth have been battling a issue with the No. 71 through a good part of the 2018 season. Buckwalter could be heard revving the engine during an early race caution. But the talented driver was able to shut the car off and restart it under a caution and the problem cleared on its own.
Polesitter, PJ Williams looked like the early race favorite has he took the lead and raced ahead of Kyle Lick and then Buckwalter during the first ten laps. There was quite a battle in the top five between Buckwalter, Lick, BJ Antonio and Bobby Butler before Buckwalter secured the position before ten laps were scored.
Williams led through lap nineteen before Buckwalter slid by with five to go. The two drivers battled back and forth before Buckwalter began to pull away in the final laps. Buckwalter earned an Ace for his Poker Series hand while the King went to Williams. Lick finished third with Lamar Schaeffer’s No. 91s with Antonio taking fourth. Brian Carber raced from his 20th place start to finish fifth.
Pat Bealer took the lead at the start of the Ace Overhead Door Company 270 Micro Sprint feature event. Bealer led through the first seven laps, holding off the challenge of Lee Reinhardt. Reinhardt took the lead on lap eight, just before Bealer slowed and headed to the pits.
Reinhardt ran away from the competition as the race was on for a top five spot. Nick Skias raced in second throughout the event with Alex Swift finishing third. Jacob Hendershot rebounded for a fourth place finish after an early race incident with Andrew Locuson rounding out the top five.
It was Reinhardt’s first ever Poker Series win, giving him an Ace for his hand.
Jared Silfee was the class of the field in the Championship Energy Action Track USA Slingshot competition, leading every lap to capture his second Poker Series win. Brett Bieber finished second followed by Danny Buccafusca. Travis Bieber finished fourth with McCullough completing the top five.
Richie Hitzler picked up the win in the Xcel 600 Modified feature event after leading all twenty laps and holding off the challenges of Josh Pepe. Hunter Diehl finished third.
CHAMPIONSHIP ENERGY ACTION TRACK USA SLINGSHOTS (20 LAPS)
1– Jared Silfee, 2 – Brett Bieber, 3 – Danny Buccafusca, 4 – Travis Bieber, 5 – Dave McCullough, 6 – Dave Morrell,
7 – Thomas Mowery, 8 – Ashley Therien, 9 – Robin McTighe, 10 – Rich Afflerback
1– Jared Silfee, 2 – Brett Bieber, 3 – Danny Buccafusca, 4 – Travis Bieber, 5 – Dave McCullough, 6 – Dave Morrell,
7 – Thomas Mowery, 8 – Ashley Therien, 9 – Robin McTighe, 10 – Rich Afflerback
ACE OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY 600 MICRO SPRINTS (25 LAPS)
1 – Tim Buckwalter, 2 – PJ Williams, 3 – Kyle Lick, 4 – BJ Antonio, 5 – Brian Carber, 6 – Tommy Kunsman,
7 – Luke Thomas, 8 – Mike Rutherford, 9 – Bobby Butler, 10 – Mike Thompson, 11 – Jim Tippin, 12 – Jon Keller,
13 – Nick Sapp, 14 – Kyle Spence, 15 – Jay Hartman, 16 – Wayne Scott, 17 – Andrew Layser, 18 – Gary Bozowski,
19 – Alex Bright, 20 – Matt Smith, 21 – Carl Locuson, 22 – Billy Calvert, 23 – Travis Hill, 24 – Mike Linderman,
25 – Austin Quick, 26 – Whitey Kidd III, 27 – Damon Paul, 28 – Sam LaMothe DNQ – Mike Butler, Chris Fenimore,
Geordon Marrero, Dom Hinrichsen, Josh Conover, Jeff Hartman, Corey Andersen, Steve Bracall, Jimmy Glenn,
Tyler Lindsay, Ed Barber III, Toby Blumenshine, Tyler Galatro, Nathan Smith, Justin Murphy, Mark Landwher,
Ryan Greth, Joe Bednarik, Nick Havens, Dave Damaio, Alex Funari, Jermain Godshall
1 – Tim Buckwalter, 2 – PJ Williams, 3 – Kyle Lick, 4 – BJ Antonio, 5 – Brian Carber, 6 – Tommy Kunsman,
7 – Luke Thomas, 8 – Mike Rutherford, 9 – Bobby Butler, 10 – Mike Thompson, 11 – Jim Tippin, 12 – Jon Keller,
13 – Nick Sapp, 14 – Kyle Spence, 15 – Jay Hartman, 16 – Wayne Scott, 17 – Andrew Layser, 18 – Gary Bozowski,
19 – Alex Bright, 20 – Matt Smith, 21 – Carl Locuson, 22 – Billy Calvert, 23 – Travis Hill, 24 – Mike Linderman,
25 – Austin Quick, 26 – Whitey Kidd III, 27 – Damon Paul, 28 – Sam LaMothe DNQ – Mike Butler, Chris Fenimore,
Geordon Marrero, Dom Hinrichsen, Josh Conover, Jeff Hartman, Corey Andersen, Steve Bracall, Jimmy Glenn,
Tyler Lindsay, Ed Barber III, Toby Blumenshine, Tyler Galatro, Nathan Smith, Justin Murphy, Mark Landwher,
Ryan Greth, Joe Bednarik, Nick Havens, Dave Damaio, Alex Funari, Jermain Godshall
ACE OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY 270 MICRO SPRINTS (25 LAPS)
1 – Lee Reinhardt, 2 – Nick Skias, 3 – Alex Swift, 4 – Jacob Hendershot, 5 – Andrew Locuson, 6 – Ken Andreas,
7 – Ryan Heim, 8 – Steve Coslop, 9 – Brandon Shipley, 10 – Toby Blumenshine, 11 – Buddy Schweibinz, 12 – Ed Tyres,
13 – Ryan Krushinski, 14 – Sean Huesser, 15 – Ryan Wozunk, 16 – Bill Murphy, 17 – Tom Landwher, 18 – Kyle Weiss,
19 – John Wagner Jr, 20 – Jaden Foster, 21 – Junior Ramer Jr, 22 – Pat Bealer, 23 – Mike Rutherford,
24 – Sami Schenck, 25 – Kristen Landwher
1 – Lee Reinhardt, 2 – Nick Skias, 3 – Alex Swift, 4 – Jacob Hendershot, 5 – Andrew Locuson, 6 – Ken Andreas,
7 – Ryan Heim, 8 – Steve Coslop, 9 – Brandon Shipley, 10 – Toby Blumenshine, 11 – Buddy Schweibinz, 12 – Ed Tyres,
13 – Ryan Krushinski, 14 – Sean Huesser, 15 – Ryan Wozunk, 16 – Bill Murphy, 17 – Tom Landwher, 18 – Kyle Weiss,
19 – John Wagner Jr, 20 – Jaden Foster, 21 – Junior Ramer Jr, 22 – Pat Bealer, 23 – Mike Rutherford,
24 – Sami Schenck, 25 – Kristen Landwher
HOOSIER TIRE XCEL 600 MODIFIEDS (20 LAPS)
1 – Richie Hitzler, 2 – Josh Pepe, 3 – Hunter Diehl, 4 – Travis Fichter, 5 – Brian Blankenbiller, 6 – Gabby Meixell,
7 – Robert Martin, 8 – DJ Hunt, 9 – Korey Inglin, 10 – Keith Inglin, 11 – Cody Roth, 12 – Joe Plunkett,
13 – Brianna James, 14 – Kyle Inglin, 15 – Jessica Michel, 16 – Madyson Pacheco, 17 – Grant Schibilia
1 – Richie Hitzler, 2 – Josh Pepe, 3 – Hunter Diehl, 4 – Travis Fichter, 5 – Brian Blankenbiller, 6 – Gabby Meixell,
7 – Robert Martin, 8 – DJ Hunt, 9 – Korey Inglin, 10 – Keith Inglin, 11 – Cody Roth, 12 – Joe Plunkett,
13 – Brianna James, 14 – Kyle Inglin, 15 – Jessica Michel, 16 – Madyson Pacheco, 17 – Grant Schibilia
Upcoming events
Friday, August 31 – Micro Sprint Championship Night – 600 & 270 Micro Sprints plus 600 Novice, 4 Cylinder Enduros, Slingshots & Mini-Late Models, racing at 8pm
Friday, September 21 – Skyscraper Qualifier for 270 & 600 Micros, Championship Night for 4 & 8 Cylinder Enduros and Slingshots, racing at 8pm
Sunday, September 23 – Poker Series – 600 & 270 Micro Sprints plus Slingshots and Xcel 600s, racing at 6:30