Wright, Double, Fawcett, Blackshear & Downes Win At Raceway 7

Conneaut, OH (May 12 2017): With 102 racers signed into the pits, Raceway 7 began the 2017 season with all five classes in action. After a session of hot laps for each class the Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stocks opened the season with former champion Shawn Fawcett leading flag to flag for the first heat race checkers of the season. In the feature for the class Fawcett made it look easy, cruising to Victory Lane for the first time this season. Brandon Blackshear took over at the front on lap four of the Bonnell’s Auto Group Economod finale, then drove to the Winner’s Circle. Chad Wright, also a former class champion, led the distance to pick up his first Evergreen Lake Park Campground CARS Crate Late Model feature win of the season. Jeremy Double parlayed his front row start to his first-ever Bonnell’s Collision Service E-Mod feature win. Zack Downes dominated the Sunnyside Farm Transit Mini Stock night-capper after taking the lead from defending champion Jason Easler on lap four after a restart.

Shawn Fawcett and Chris McGuire started the Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stock feature from the front row after five cars were unable to make the start due to devastating wrecks in heat race action. Fawcett led the first three laps before caution was shown for the car of Garrett Calvert, slowing to a crawl on the racing surface. Fawcett, the reigning champion, continued to lead when green was again in the air, and never looked back. At halfway the order was Fawcett, Chris McGuire, Don McGuire, Anthony Maratto, and Jamie Duncan. At ten laps complete lapped traffic played a role when Don McGuire and Maratto were lapping Richard Chess Sr, McGuire making contact with the right side of the Chess machine and spinning into the outside wall in turn one. For the final five laps Fawcett continued his dominance with Maratto coming to second over Chris McGuire. Jamie Duncan and Pat Fielding filled out the top five.

The Bonnell Collision Service E-Mod feature started with Jeff Johnson and Jeremy Double on the front row with Double grabbing the lead at the start. Only one lap was complete when Ken Zimmer spun in turn four, slowing the field under yellow. One more lap was compete when four cars piled up in turn four, again interrupting the action. Ken Zimmer and Mike Potosky retired pit side under the yellow but Zimmer rejoined the field before green was again displayed. Double again led after green with Johnson second. Ninth starting Joel Watson, the defending champion, came to third on lap five. At halfway Double led Jeff Johnson, Joel Watson, Troy Johnson, and Mike Kinney. Double began lapping back-markers by the halfway point. With eight laps remaining Watson was beginning to battle Johnson for the runner-up position. In lapped traffic Johnson was able to close the gap on Double but the lead opened again when the track was open. Double was able to take the win, his first-ever in an E-Mod since moving into the class three years ago, by 1.927 seconds over Jeff Johnson, Joel Watson, Troy Johnson, and Mike Kinney.

Former champion Chad Wright started from the pole position in the Evergreen Lake Park Campground CARS Crate Late Model feature with former Street Stock champion Chris Withers to his right. In turn four of lap two Chad Sines and Kohle Wanzer spun, slowing the event under caution. On the restart the field only made it to the back straight when Dave Airgood spun into the outside wall, again slowing the race. Wright and Dennis Lunger, the defending class champion, brought the field back to green and led the way with another former champion, Kyle Zimmerman, coming to third. The top five at halfway were Wright, Lunger, Zimmerman, Eric Wilson, and Wendall Pinckney. Chad Sine, Ed Bolyard, Dylan Goodman, and Kevin Santee all got together in turn one with twelve complete, bunching the field with yet another caution. On green Alex Anderson and Chris Nicholson spun in turn one, negating the start. Zimmerman challenged Lunger for the runner-up spot but was never able to complete the pass as the laps wound down. Yellow flew as the cars were coming to the checkers for Josh Stoica, spun into the turn one wall, setting up a one lap dash to the checkers with Wright winning over Lunger, Zimmerman, Wendell Pinckney and Wilson.

Geoff Conn and Tyler Frankenberry brought the Bonnell’s Auto Group Economods to green with Frankenberry assuming the immediate lead. Conn ran second at the end of one lap with fifth starting Brandon Blackshear coming to third and then second at the end of three laps. Mike Harmon Sr spun in turn two, collecting Eric Reinwald in the process. At green Frankenberry led Blackshear for most of the lap but Blackshear was ahead by .012 second at the line. Caution flew before another lap was in the books for Harmon Sr, spun in turn one. At halfway it was Blackshear leading Frankenberry, Conn, Mitch Wright, and Steve Haefke. Blackshear had a near quarter lap lead with two laps to go and maintained that lead to the checkers, winning over Frankenberry, Conn, Heafke, and Wright.

Defending champion Jason Easler and Corey Wick started at the front of the Sunnyside Farm Transit Inc Mini Stock feature with Easler leading the first two laps before Zach Downes came to the lead after starting tenth. At four laps into the race Zoey Gill and Pat Drennan spun in turn four, slowing the race under caution. Downes immediately reassumed the lead at green with Easler second and Wick third. Gary Drake Jr stopped on the front straight at lap five, again slowing the field. At the white flag Downes had a half straight lead, winning by that margin over Easler with Bill Fuchs third, Corey Wick fourth, and Logan Keney fifth.

Evergreen Lake Park Campground CARS Crate Late Models:
Heat 1: Alan Dellinger, Chris Withers, Chad Wright, Eric Wilson, Kohle Wanzer, Alex Anderson, Kevin Santee
Heat 2: Kyle Zimmerman, Darrell Bossard, Chad Sines, Hunter Hulley, Brandon Porter, Bo Walters, Chris Nicholson
Heat 3: Dave Airgood, Dennis Lunger, Wendell Pinckney, Josh Stoica, Ed Bolyard, Dylan Goodman, William Pinckney
Feature: Chad Wright, Dennis Lunger, Kyle Zimmerman, Wendell Pinckney, Eric Wilson, Darrell Bussard, William Pinckney, Kohle Wanzer, Kevin Santee, Josh Stoica, Hunter Hulley, Dylan Goodman, Chris Withers, Chris Nicholson, Alex Anderson, Bo Walters, Chad Sines, Ed Bolyard, Alan Dellinger, Brandon Porter, Dave Airgood

Bonnell Collision Service E-Mods:
Heat 1: Jeremy Double, Jeff Johnson, Dan McDonald, Brent Rhebergen, Chuck Steinle Jr, Mike Potosky, Percy McDonald
Heat 2: Cale Crocker, Troy Johnson, Mike Kinney, Gary Eicher, Bud Watson, Billy Henry, Jakob Eucker
Heat 3: Joel Watson, Josh Ferry, Ken Zimmer, Josh McDonald, Bill Taylor, Rick Pratschler, Dan Sasso
Feature: Jeremy Double, Jeff Johnson, Joel Watson, Troy Johnson, Mike Kinney, Josh Ferry, Dan McDonald, Brent Rhebergen, Gary Eicher, Cale Crocker, Bill Henry, Ken Zimmer, Bud Watson, Josh McDonald, Bill Taylor, Rick Pratschler, Percy McDonald, Chuck Steinle Jr, Mike Potosky, Dan Sasso (DNS), Jake Eucker (DNS)

Bonnell’s Auto Group Economods:
Heat 1: Brandon Blackshear, Tyler Frankenberry, Chuck Steinle Sr, Buzz Seitz, Juston Sax, Matt Alexander, Jace Ferringer
Heat 2: Mitchell Wright, Steve Haefke, Gary Olson, Ashley Rogers, Gary Murphy, Dan McEwen, Casey Harmon
Heat 3: Eric Reinwald, Geoff Conn, Mike Harmon, Mark Titus, Cale Sousa, Dennis Dellinger (DNS)
Feature: Brandon Blackshear, Tyler Frankenberry, Geoff Conn, Steve Haefke, Mitchell Wright, Jace Ferringer, Chuck Steinle Sr, Mike Titus, Gary Murphy, Mike Harmon, Cale Sousa, Buzz Seitz, Ashley Rogers, Eric Reinwald, Gary Olson, Casey Harmon, Dan McEwen

Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stocks:
Heat 1: Shaun Fawcett, Anthony Maratto, Don McGuire, Jamie Duncan, Art Edwards, Richard Chess Sr, Tony Bruno, Garrett Calvert
Heat 2: Pat Fielding, Troy Dezarn, Chris McGuire, Ron Boardman, David Baker, David Snyder, Mike Horton, Gary Fisher (DNS)
Feature: Shawn Fawcett, Anthony Maratto, Chris McGuire, Jamie Duncan, Pat Fielding, Art Edwards, Tony Bruno, Tony Dezarn, Richard Chess Sr, Don McGuire, Garrett Calvert, Gary Fisher (DNS), Mike Horton (DNS), David Snyder (DNS), David Baker (DNS)

Sunnyside Farm Transit Inc Mini Stocks:
Heat 1: Kyle Adkins, Bill Fuchs, Wes Stull, Zoey Gill, Pat Drennan, Shawn McBride, Mary Forbes (DNS), Nick Steiger (DNS)
Heat 2: Jason Easler, Logan Keney, Brad Cole, Scott Gill, Jim Jones, Tyler Barr, Jessica Harvey, Gunner Schwartz
Heat 3: Zach Downes, J R Shaner, Corey Wick, Mike Barr, Derrick Tuttle, Gary Drake Jr, 40C, Justin Bailey
Feature: Zach Downes, Jason Easler, Bill Fuchs, Corey Wick, Logan Keney, Brad Cole, Jim Jones, Shawn McBride, Wes Stull, Derrick Tuttle, Pat Drennan, Mike Barr, J R Shaner, Justin Bailey, Alex Forbes, Gunner Schwartz, Jessica Harvey, Tyler Barr, Kyle Adkins, Gary Drake Jr, Joe Campbell, Zoey Gill, Scott Gill, Nate Steiger (DNS)