Familiar Faces In Hilltop Victory Lane For Opening Night
6 min readAfter a brief shower during hot laps, opening night for Hilltop Speedway was finally underway with 104 drivers set to battle it out in all divisions.
Running a feature only, the truck division was the first to hit the track. Darek Cordia and Dwayne Powell would set front row and with the drop of the green battle for the top spot. Five laps down, Cordia would take the lead as Powell would fall to third. Unfortunately, troubles for Cordia as he would pull into the infield following the restart. Back under green, front runner Rolly Heyder would be challenged by Powell for the lead. Lap for lap, Powell would pressure Heyder, however unable to surpass as Heyder would go on to pick up his first feature win of the season.
The Holmes Tire late models were the next to see action, with dash winner, Tyler Carpenter, and Brian Baumberger setting the pace to the green. Carpenter would take the early lead as Todd Brennan drove his way around Baumberger for second. After an early caution, Carpenter would retain the lead as Drake Troutman worked his way around Brennan to claim second, challenging for the lead. Six laps down, Carpenter would begin to work his way through lap traffic with Troutman still in pursuit. Unfortunately, troubles for Carpenter, nine laps down would end his night early. Back under green, Troutman to the lead would work to fend off challenger Brennan. Hard racing and contact between the two front runners, would bring out the caution eleven laps down, sending Brennan to the tail. Back under green, Troutman trying to maintain the top spot as Corey Conley would make his move going into one. With the runoff of two, Conley would secure the lead as Baumberger would also surpass Troutman for second with twelve laps down. Conley, no stranger to the front at Hilltop Speedway, would begin to work his way through lap traffic as Baumberger applied the pressure. Baumberger to the inside of Conley. However, he would be unable to capitalize as ‘The Flying Ace’ Corey Conley would park it in victory lane for his first win of the season in addition to his heat race win earlier in the night. Fast qualifier, Todd Brennan, heat race two winner, Dave Hornikel and Ryan Keckley would round out the top five
With a twenty-car field in the Bugs-R-Gone modified division, heat race winners Kyle Moore and Jesse Wisecarver would set the front row. With the drop of the green, Wisecarver would find his way out front as Drake Troutman and Moore would battle it out for second. Lap for lap, the two would dice it out with Troutman ultimately claiming second as Moore would pull to the infield. Meanwhile, working his way through lap traffic, securing his lead over the field, ‘The Outlaw’ Jesse Wisecarver would lead green to checker, picking up the opening night win for the modified division. Heat race three winner, Troutman, would claim second followed by Robin Duston, Troy Johnson, and Tony Anderson.
A field of twenty-seven for the Snyder Hot Shot Truck and Trailer modlite division, where Blake Morris, Darrell Hoon and Darrick Hubbard Jr. would each pick up a heat race win. Morris and Hoon would bring the field to the green for their fifteen-lap feature event. Morris taking the early lead would work to fend off challenger Hoon. However, troubles for Hoon as he would fall back in the field, leaving the door open for Hubbard Jr. to work Morris for the lead. Late race cautions would bunch the field up to the restart with four to go. Morris again out front as Hubbard Jr. would look to the inside. White flag, Hubbard Jr. would make his move off turn two and down the backstretch to claim the lead and ultimately pick up his first feature win of the season. After a close battle Braxton Wilson would take third over Tanner McLoughlin and Clint Snyder would finish fifth.
Kyle Moore and Jimmy Humphrey would set pole positions after their heat race wins in the Evans Elite Paving street stock division. With the drop of the green, Moore would take the lead over the field as the battle for position would ensue behind him. With the top five up for grabs and laps dwindling, Mark Baier and David Potts would work their way around Humphrey to secure second and third. Nevertheless, fending off competition, it was Kyle Moore picking up the feature win. Fifth would go to Took Wiles.
Rounding out the night were the CPR mini stocks with heat race winners Billy Parsons and Doug Hensel sitting front row. With the green out, Hensel would claim lap one followed by a caution. Back under green, Hensel would again retain the top spot as Parsons would challenge for position. Side by side, Hensel would maintain the advantage. Ten laps down, the front runners would begin to navigate their way through lap traffic, Parsons attempting to use them to close in on Hensel. However, Parsons would be unable to surpass Hensel as he would pick up the mini stock feature for opening night. Tyler Parsons, Colton St. John, and Dakota Graciani would round out the top five.
Hilltop Speedway Results
April 9, 2021
Trucks
Feature- Rolly Heyder, Dwayne Powell, Danny Robar, Darek Cordia, Carl Smith
Holmes Tire Late Models
Fast Qualifier- Todd Brennan 14.040
Heat- C. Conley, B. Francis, DJ Cline, C. Black, D. Sprouse, V. Hottinger
Heat- D. Hornikel, D. Smith, M. Basich, R. Keckley, N. Cox, J. Wages
Heat- T. Carpenter, B. Baumberger, T. Brennan, D. Troutman, JR Gentry, J. Chance
Feature- Corey Conley, Brian Baumberger, Todd Brennan, Dave Hornikel, Ryan Keckley, Caiden Black, Drake Troutman, Jeff Wages, JR Gentry, DJ Cline, Mike Basich, Tyler Carpenter, Vic Hottinger, Brandon Francis, Dustin Sprouse, Dustin Smith, Justin Chance DNS- Nick Cox
Bugs-R-Gone Modifieds
Heat- K. Moore, T. Anderson, C. Shaw, J. Brennan, B. Gressman, B. Keckler, CJ Kinneer
Heat- J. Wisecarver, R. Duston, T. Bickford, J. Hartman, L. Wetzel, A. Seelig, J. King
Heat- D. Troutman, T. Johnson, C. Basich, DJ Cline, J. Smith, R. Grogg
Feature- Jesse Wisecarver, Drake Troutman, Robin Duston, Troy Johnson, Tony Anderson, Colton Shaw, Chris Basich, Tristan Bickford, Jimmy Smith, CJ Kinneer, Brandon Gressman, Richard Grogg, DJ Cline, Jason King, Kyle Moore, Jess Hartman, Leighton Wetzel, Brad Keckler, Jason Brennan, Austin Seelig
Snyder Hot Shot Truck and Trailer Repair Modlites
Heat- B. Morris, T. Purtee, D. Kolanski, C. Snyder, A. Heskett, J. Preston, J. McClelland, C. Hubbard, J. Burkhead
Heat- D. Hoon, R. Bollinger, T. McLoughlin, B. Wilson, C. Robinson, L. Lewis, S. Nairn, T. Morris, K. Brooks
Heat- D. Hubbard Jr., T. Myers, D. Mayer, J. Adkins, L. Bowen, C. Dyer, J. Duncil, C. Bishop, T. Callahan
Feature- Darrick Hubbard Jr., Blake Morris, Braxton Wilson, Tanner McLoughlin, Clint Snyder, Reece Bollinger, Ty Myers, Jon Preston, Chris Robinson, Levi Bowen, Logan Lewis, Darrell Hoon, Shawn Nairn, Chris Dyer, Jim McClelland, Andrew Heskett, Ken Brooks, Carson Hubbard, Darrell Mayer, Chad Bishop, Dustin Kolanski, Tim Morris, Jerry Adkins, Titus Purtee DNS-Jason Duncil, Joe Burkhead, Tim Callahan
Evans Elite Paving Street Stocks
Heat- K. Moore, T. Wiles, J. Lanham, M. Baier, S. Dickerson, C. Lehman, A. Bright
Heat- J. Humphrey, T. Wiles, D. Potts, K. Potts, T. Nicely, D. Shear
Feature- Kyle Moore, Mark Baier, David Potts, Jimmy Humphrey, Took Wiles, Jeff Lanham, Tyler Wiles, Tyler Nicely, Kevin Potts, Colton Lehman, Seth Dickerson DNS- Denny Shear, Austin Bright
CPR Mini Stocks
Heat- B. Parsons, T. Parsons, R. Carter, D. Graciani, B. Berger, J. Mercer, A. McMahan, C. Dewitt, B. Andrus, T. Mendiola, J. James
Heat- D. Hensel, C. St. John, M. Willison, R. Aronhalt, T. Gamble, A. Parsons, E. Geary, J. Wheeler, T. Dockery, TJ Wells
Feature- Doug Hensel, Billy Parsons, Tyler Parsons, Colton St. John, Dakota Graciani, Ed Geary, Andrew McMahan, Kevin Markey, Mick Willison, Roy Aronhalt, Brice Berger, Andy Parsons, Chase Dewitt, Blake Andrus, Timmy Dockery, TJ Wells, Thomas Mendiola, Ryan Carter, Travis Gamble, John Wheeler