Zimmerman, Watson, Haefke, Bates & Easler Collect Opening Night Wins

Conneaut, OH (May 6, 2016): The 2016 racing season finally got underway at Raceway 7 with all five classes competing in regular length features. Winners included Kyle Zimmerman in the Evergreen Lake Park Campground CARS Crate Late Models, , a former track champion, Joel Watson in the Bonnell Collision Center E-Mods, a multiple former track champion, Steve Haefke in the Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economods, Rob Bates in the Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stocks, and Jason Easler in the McDonald’s Sand and Gravel Mini Stocks.

During intermission drivers passed their helmets through the grandstands, collectIng $833 for the family of Charlie Floyd, who passed away April 19 after a crash at Southern Ohio Speedway on April 15th.

The Campbell Mini Storage Street Stocks were first on the track with Rob Bates and Jimmy Kennerknecht leading the slim three-car field to Roger Osburn’s green flag. Six cars had signed in and run the heat but David Snyder, Gary Miller, and John Bailey all experienced problems and were unable to start the feature. With the feature length reduced to only six laps Bates led the way with Brandon Groters quickly coming to second. Bates went on to the win, his second feature win at Raceway 7 with Groters winding up second and Kennerknecht third.

Steve Haefke started the Bonnell Auto Sales Economod feature from the pole with Dan McEwen alongside after scheduled outside pole sitter Jeff Coon opted to fall to the rear. The field only made it to turn one when Eric Reinwald and Brian Toto came together after Buzz Seitz slowed causing a chain reaction. The second attempt at getting the race underway also only made it to turn one when Chuck Steinle Sr looped his mount. Haefke led lap one on the next attempt with Josh Mueller coming from sixth at the green to second. On lap four defending Rick Prosser was challenging for second when Ashley Rogers spun in turn four, bringing caution again over the field. Haefke brought the field back to green with Mueller and Prosser side by side right behind. By the end of five Prosser was second. Toto then looped it in turn one, again bringing caution over the event. On the first lap under green Dan McEwen slowed suddenly in turn three and was hit hard by Buzz Seitz, slowing the field for the fourth time in the first five laps. Caution number five occurred when Kevin Sergeff spun in turn one with the top five now being Haefke, Prosser, Mueller, Eric Reinwald, and Mike Harmon. At halfway Reinwald had moved to third but Haefke and Prosser were opening a lead. With five to go Dennis Dellinger moved into the top five. Brian Toto then came to a halt in turn four, bringing caution number six. Only nine of the twenty starters were still running at the lap ten restart. With two laps remaining Kyle Fellows came to fifth. The finishing order was Haefke, Prosser, Reinwald, Mueller, and Fellows.

After a tribute to deceased racer Charlie Floyd the Evergreen Lake Park Campground CARS Crate Late Models paced the track in the “Missing Man” formation with the pole position left open in tribute to a fallen comrade. After the tribute pole-sitter Kyle Zimmerman with Breyton Santee on the outside led the fifteen competitors to green. Former champion Zimmerman got sideways in turn one with the resulting pileup seeing Dennis Lunger, Dave Airgood, Brandon Porter, and William Pinckney coming to a halt while Zimmerman was able to right his mount and keep going and not getting charged with the caution and keeping his spot for the restart. For the restart Zimmerman led but Porter spun in turn one, again slowing the field. For the third time Zimmerman and Santee brought the field to green, this time with the race getting going. At the end of three Darrell Bossard was battling for second with Dave Lyon fourth and Dennis Lunger fifth. Wendell Pinckney then spun in turn one. One more lap was green before Brandon Porter and Ed Bolyard spun in turn four. At six laps complete the top five were now Zimmerman, Bossard, Lunger, Santee, and Matt Latta. The order was the same at halfway. Over the remaining distance Zimmerman increased his lead, winning his ninth career Raceway 7 feature by half a straight over Bossard. Lunger, Santee, and Latta filled out the top five.

John Woodward and Joel Watson brought the Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mods to green with Watson, a multiple time champion leading after one lap when yellow flew after Jacob Eucker and Chuck Steinle Jr came together hard at the end of the lap. Eucker had to be towed from the track. Steinle was able to exit the track under power but was unable to rejoin the field. Rookie Josh Ferry got by Woodward for second at the end of two laps with Mike Potosky running fourth and Dan McDonald fifth after four laps complete. By the time of the next caution Watson had a half straight lead when Dennis Lunger spun in turn one. On green Woodward got back by Ferry for second. At halfway the order was Watson, Woodward, Ferry, Troy Johnson (from twelfth), and Mike Potosky. Dan McDonald spun in turn two at thirteen complete for the next caution. Ferry got back to second on green but Watson was cruising to his first win of the new season. At the checkers Watson had a near half straight lead over Ferry with Johnson coming to third with three laps remaining. Woodward wound up fourth with ninth starting Dennis Lunger rounding out the top five.

The final feature of the 2016 season opener was the McDonald Sand and Gravel Mini Stocks with Alex Forbes and Brian McGarvie leading the way. On green fourth starting Hoyt Mihalak came to the lead but caution flew when Alex Forbes spun in turn three. The restart had McGarvie and Joe Keney on the front row and Mihalak and defending champion Brad Cole in row two. This time Cole jumped to the immediate lead with Mihalak second. In turn four of lap two Shawn McBride struck one of the infield marking tractor tires and rolled side for side, bringing a red flag condition over the raceway. Cole grabbed the lead again when the racing resumed with Casey Harmon second, and Hoyt Mihalak alongside at lap six, the halfway point. At seven complete Easler came to second after clipping one of the infield marking tires and nearly flipping in turn four on an earlier restart. With two laps left Easler was leading and on his way to his first victory of the season at Raceway 7 with Cole, Harmon, Casey Burch and Scott Gill filling out the top five.

Evergreen Lake Park Campground CARS Crate Late Models:

Heat 1: David Lyon, Matt Latta, Dennis Lunger, Breyton Santee, Chris Withers, Dave Airgood, Ed Bolyard, William Pinckney

Heat 2: Darrell Bossard, Wendell Pinckney, Kyle Zimmerman, Travis Martineau, Khole Wanzer, Alex Anderson, Brandon Porter

Feature: Kyle Zimmerman, Darrell Bossard, Dennis Lunger, Breyton Santee, Matt Latta, Wendell Pinckney, Travis Martineau, Chris Withers, Khole Wanzer, William Pinckney, Dave Airgood, Dave Lyon, Brandon Porter, Ed Bolyard, Alex Anderson

Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mods:

Heat 1: Billy Henry, Jake Eucher, John Woodward, Josh Ferry, Dennis Lunger, Chuck Steinle Jr, Bill Taylor

Heat 2: Joel Watson, Mike Potosky, Dan McDonald, Josh McDonald, Percy McDonald , Troy Johnson

Feature: Joel Watson, Josh Ferry, Troy Johnson, John Woodward, Dennis Lunger, Billy Henry, Percy McDonald, Dan McDonald, Josh McDonald, Bill Taylor, Mike Potosky, Jacob Eucker, Chuck Steinle Jr

Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stocks:

Heat: Brandon Groters, Rob Bates, Jimmy Kennerknecht, David Snyder, John Bailey, Gary Miller

Feature: Rob Bates, Brandon Groters, Jimmy Kennerknecht, David Snyder (DNS), Gary Miller (DNS), John Bailey (DNS)

Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economods:

Heat 1: Josh Mueller, Mitch Wright, Brian Toto, Dennis Dellinger, Brian Lacey, Kyle Fellows, Kevin Sergeff

Heat 2: Rick Prosser, Eric Reinwald, Jim Muma, Gary Murphy, Jeff Coon, Jace Ferringer, Mike Harmon

Heat 3: Steve Haefke, Buzz Seitz, Chuck Steinle Sr, Dan McEwen, Ashley Rogers, Tom Perkins

Feature: Steve Haefke, Rick Prosser, Eric Reinwald, Josh Mueller, Kyle Fellows, Gary Murphy, Kevin Sergeff, Jim Muma, Mike Harmon, Dennis Dellinger, Brian Toto, Dan McEwen, Buzz Seitz, Chuck Steinle Sr, Ashley Rogers, Mitch Wright, Brian Lacey, Jeff Coon, Jace Ferringer (DNS), Tom Perkins (DNS)

McDonald’s Sand and Gravel Mini Stocks:

Heat 1: Casey Harmon, Derrick Tuttle, Brian McGarvie, Alex Forbes, Jessica Harvey, Mitch Stokes, Casey Burch

Heat 2: Kyle Adkins, Hoyt Mihalak, Justin Boardman, Bud Sergeff, Chris Horton, Zoey Gill, Emily Stoyer

Heat 3: Jason Easler, Scott Gill, Brad Cole, Joe Keney, Mike Barr, Shawn McBride

Feature: Jason Easler, Brad Cole, Casey Harmon, Casey Burch, Scott Gill, Joe Keney, Hoyt Mihalak, Brian McGarvie, Zoey Gill, Chris Horton, Bud Sergeff, Jessica Harvey, Emily Stoyer, Derek Tuttle, Justin Boardman, Mike Barr, Alex Forbes, Shawn McBride, Kyle Adkins, Mitch Stokes