Gordon Wins The Gateway Special At Hummingbird

By Steve Caltagarone

Reynoldsville – Andrew Gordon of DuBois swept the Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Street Stocks Saturday night, leading from start to finish in The Gateway Special make-up feature, claiming well over $2000 in prize money, lap money, and contingency prizes. Gordon made a second trip to victory lane later in the evening, with combined winnings just under $3000. Bryce Swauger picked up his first ever victory in the Sunny106.5 Pure Stocks, Paul Kot continued his dominance over the BWP Bat Late Models, Doug Surra returned to Victory lane in the Swanson Heavy Truck Repair Semi-Lates, and Keegan Bell edged out Wayne Truitt to take checkers in the Lockwood Processing 4-Cylinders. Fan Appreciation Night was also held, as was Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night. An extended intermission was taken, allowing fans down onto the track to meet and greet with their favorite drivers. Several drivers handed out candy and souvenirs, and several items were donated by drivers to be given away to several lucky fans, including two bicycles from Truitt Farms, and ten meat packages from Lockwood Processing of Brookville.

After a round of Pure Stock heat races, the night started out with the conclusion of The Gateway Special, a special race held in the memory of the late Tommy Scott. The race picked up on lap 3 and 28-to-go, with two laps being held last Saturday before an isolated thunderstorm postponed the remainder of the event. Andrew Gordon led the field of sixteen cars around to start the race. Gordon grabbed the early lead, with Fuzzy Fields and Tim Bish, who set fastest time in qualifying, battling for second. A couple of early cautions would keep the field in check, with Bish holding on to second. Gordon started to extend his lead, and Fields was able to work his way around Bish by lap 8. Bish wasn’t about to go away, and was able to work his way under Fields, back into second, by lap 12. Bish set his sights on Gordon, and Fields attempted to catch them both, but a spin on lap 17 would force Fields to the rear. The next few laps would see a couple of wrecks that would force a few cars to the pits for the remainder of the race. Gordon was still riding a strong lead, followed by Bish, Zack Gustafsson, Joey Zambotti, and Bob Rosman. Gordon would weather a couple more restarts, holding on to win the first ever Gateway Special at Hummingbird Speedway. Multiple local sponsors participated in raising the purse and contributing lap money for our beloved friend, driver, owner, mentor, enthusiast, and icon, Tommy Scott.

Mike Anderson of DuBois grabbed the early lead in the 15-lap Sunny106.5 Pure Stock Feature. Bryce Swauger and Justin Watt dueled for second, with Swauger coming out ahead and challenging Anderson by lap 4. Swauger pulled to the inside of Anderson, and the two batlled side-by-side for the next few laps, with Watt holding on to third. Anderson broke at the halfway mark, ceding the lead to Swauger, followed by Watt, Andy Frey, Greg Blystone, and Jenna Pfaff. Swauger and Watt pulled away from the field after the restart, and would cruise his way to his first career victory. Watt, Blystone, Frey, and Stephen Hazlett rounded out the top five.

Paul Kot of Brockway and Michael lake of Uniontown would lead the BWP Bat Late Models on to the track for the next feature event. Kot and Lake battled for the lead early on, with Jerry Redden in third. Redden headed to the pits early on as Kot and Lake continued to swap positions for the lead. Kot took to the low side to get by Lake, but would only muster a 1.5 second lead at the halfway mark. Lake wasn’t giving up on Kot, and was able to reel him in even closer by lap 20, but Kot was just too strong for Lake on the slick racing surface. Kot would go on to win his fourth feature of the season.

Joe Anthony and Randy Albert sat on the front row at the start of the Lockwood Processing 4-Cylinder feature. Randy jumped out to the early lead, but Wayne Truitt was able to overtake Anthony and Albert, and took over the lead on lap 2. Truitt enjoyed the lead for several laps, but Keegan Bell quietly made his way up through the pack, settling into second place by the halfway mark. Bell began to challenge Truitt for the lead, looking both to make a pass on the inside and outside of Truitt. Truitt was cruising on his line, holding off Bell, but appeared to start to lose air in his right front tire. Truitt struggled to hold the car in the corners, and Bell was able to overtake the lead with just three laps to go. Bell would go on to take the win, and his second of the season at The Bird.

The Swanson Heavy Truck Repair Semi-Lates were next up, with Nick Loffredo and Doug Surra on the front row. Surra jumped to the early lead on the outside, with Loffredo, Denny Curry, Ed Connor, and Nick Erskine in tow. Surra extended his lead early on, with Connor getting around Curry for third. A couple of spins kept the field honest, and Erskine was able to pick off Curry and challenge Connor for third by lap 12. Surra tried to stretch out his lead, but a few late cautions would reset the field, allowing Erskine to gain valuable ground on the leaders. Erskine was able to muster his way up to second, but Surra would hold on to make his third trip to victory lane this season. Erskine, Connor, Loffredo, and Cheyenne Reed rounded out the top five.

Fuzzy Fields and Joey Zambotti paced the field Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Street Stocks as they made their way out for their second feature event of the evening. Bish was able to get by Fields, and Andrew Gordon worked his way into the top three, and eventually landed in second by the feature’s first caution. Bruce Hartzfeld and Dale Yeaney battled for fourth on lap 7, and Gordon found himself catching lapped traffic by lap 10. The race stayed green for several laps, with a few cars retiring for mechanical issues, but Gordon would go unchallenged and he enjoyed a seven-second lead as he took the checkered flags for the second time on the evening.

Hummingbird Speedway will return to action on Saturday, August 3rd, with a regularly-scheduled five division program on the card, as well as the final two make-up features from The Gateway Special. The Pure Stocks and 4-Cylinders will run their make-up features at the beginning of the evening. It will also be Kids’ Banner Night, with prizes being awarded to all kids that creates a banner of their favorite driver(s) to display for the evening. Gates will open at 4:00 with racing to begin at 7:00. Please visit hummingbirdspeedway.com for more info.

Results:

The Gateway Special $2000+/win Street Stocks:
1. 25G Andrew Gordon
2. 11B Tim Bish
3. 983 Zach Gustafson
4. 37A Jim Bloom
5. 11y Dale Yeaney
6. 19 Mike Van Zandt
7. 48R Bob Rosman
8. 2 Cregen Brady
9. 948 Joey Zambotti
10. 1B Jamie Barber
11. 30 Bob Egley
12. 28 Fuzzy Fields
13. 95 Mike Dempsey
14. 12m Trevor McCann
15. 16m Rusty Martz
16. 101 Bruce Hartzfeld
17. T3 Brandon Connor
18. 4* Douglas Eck
19. 64 Allen English

Sunny 106.5 Pure Stocks:
1. 28 Bryce Swauger
2. 00 Justin Watt
3. 6-29 Greg Blystone
4. 55x Andy Frey
5. 969 Stephen Hazlett
6. 79 Tyler Blystone
7. 01P Makinna Pearce
8. 75 Wayne Garvey
9. 87 Jacob Weyer
10. 33 Jenna Pfaff
11. 516 Rich Anderson
12. 76 Mike Anderson
13. 3 T.J. Powell
14. 88 Josh Fields
15. 45 Tim Steis DNS
16. 483 Dalton Gustaffson DNS
17. 81 Steven Brugmann DNS
18. 113 Ben Ecelberger DQ

BWP Bat Late Models:

1. 36 Paul Kot
2. 27 Michael Lake
3. 75 Bo Dobbie
4. 96 Tom Jobe
5. 5R Jerry Redden

Lockwood Processing 4-Cylinders:
1. 16 Keegan Bell
2. 54 Wayne Truitt
3. 36 Zach Frantz
4. 17 Randy Albert
5. 55 Joe Anthony
6. 910 Travis Timko
7. 11 Jim Boyer
8. 516 Zach Lennox
9. 39 Tim Maines Jr.
10. 1 Ben Lehane
11. 154 Ricky Nelson

Swanson Heavy Truck Repair Semi-Lates:
1. 3xAA Doug Surra
2. 5x Nick Erskine
3. 27c Ed Connor
4. 9N Nick Loffredo
5. 12 Cheyenne Reed
6. 75 Denny Curry
7. 44 Jim Challingsworth
8. 10R Raven Fuller
9. 50 Bob McMillen
10. 46 Dustin Challingsworth
11. 7J Jake Cunliffe

Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Street Stocks:
1. 25G Andrew Gordon
2. 11B Tim Bish
3. 948 Joey Zambotti
4. 11Y Dale Yeaney
5. 28 Fuzzy Fields
6. 95 Mike Dempsey
7. 2 Cregen Brady
8. 19 Mike VanZandt
9. 37A Jim Bloom
10. 48R Bob Rosman
11. 12m Trevor McCann
12. 101 Bruce Hartzfeld
13. 30 Bob Egley DNS
14. 983 Zack Gustafsson DNS
15. 1B Jamie Barber DNS