Rusty Schlenk Makes First Trek To “Bullring” A Victorious One
6 min read
Zach Yost Photo
(Middlebourne, WV) While the temps were a little on the cool side, Saturday Night’s 48th Annual Season Opener at Tyler County Speedway was sizzling with typical ‘Bullring’ side by side racing action from start to finish. Some 110 eager racers would converge on the historic ¼ mile speedway in Middlebourne with Rusty Schlenk, Chad Smith, Michael Duritsky, Steven Dotson, Brian Probst, Jacob McDaniel, Cruz Thomas and Peyton Baker snaring feature wins.
In the Super Late Model main event it was first time visitor Rusty Schlenk parking his throwback CJ Rayburn 1CJ late model into the West Virginia University of Parkersburg Victory Lane. Former track champion Kyle Thomas would vault from his 7th starting spot and pass early leader Schlenk and stretch out a lead and look poised to start his 2022 season in fine fashion. Early season gremlins would sideline Thomas as the venerable racer would pull up lame in turn 4 and turning the lead back over to the ‘Stronger than Dirt’ 1CJ. With laps ticking away, Schlenk of McClure, Ohio and multi time UMP National Champion would roll around ‘America’s Baddest Bullring’s’ topside to near perfection and pick up the win in fine fashion. Following Schlenk across the stripe was an impressive run from crate racing standout Braeden Dillinger making his first start in a Super Late Model. Finishing third was fast qualifier Brian Baumberger who rallied from a bad start with Tyler Evans and Steve Weigle rounding out the top five in a very competitive field. Schlenk would pilot the Domination Chassis/ Mullins Race Engines/ Velocita/ Dominator Race Products/ Willy’s Carb machine to the victory.
Featuring one of the more popular trips to victory lane in sometime, the Jenkins Auto Parts UMP Modified division would see Chad Smith park his 10s machine on the frontstretch. Racing with a heavy heart, as Smith’s mother continues to fight the race of her life and when given strict instructions by ‘mom’ to get to the track, a determined Smith would leave little argument this one was for ‘mom’. Smith would vault from the front row and never look back on his way to the emotional win. The Sardis, Ohio wheelman would pilot the Litman Excavating/ Dennis Miller Garage Doors/Windows/ Quinet’s Court Restaurant/ PMSI Longhorn Chassis to the West Virginia University of Parkersburg Victory Lane in front of a very appreciate crowd. Trailing Smith across the line was Coleman Evans, Kurt Rogers, Danny Thomas and Mark Dickson.
Masontown, PA hotshoe Michael Duritsky Jr. coming off a recent win at Georgetown, Delaware would remain hot in grabbing the first ever RUSH Late Model race in West Virginia. A hotly contested McClinton Chevrolet Mitsubishi RUSH Late Model field would see Duritsky aboard the Mike’s Auto Repair owned/ Economy Furnace/ NAPA/ Valvoline/ Peck’s Auto Repair/ Kelly Construction/ Rocket XR 1 claim the win. It would not be easy however as Duritsky would feverishly be forced to run around lap traffic during the 20 lap main event with a charging Garrett Paugh nipping on his heels. When the West Virginia University of Parkersburg Checkered Flag fell it was Duritsky besting Paugh, Pennsylvania invader Joe Martin, the ‘waterboy’ Luke Hyre and AJ Spagnuola in a great McClinton Chevrolet Mitsubishi RUSH Late Model main event.
Defending track champion Steven Dotson would match his performance from a year ago and go green to checkered on opening night to pick up the Middlebourne Galaxy Food Center Sportmod feature event. Once in front Dotson set sail and looks poised for another big season at the ‘Bullring’ aboard the Nicholson Auto Inc./ Thomas & A.J. Loggers/ Slick’s Custom/ Spud Light machine. Following Dotson across the line was Ryan Payne, Sonny Leek, 2020 track champion Kendall Hodge and Nic Green.
New Martinsville, WV’s Brian Probst would start the season off with a bang in the EDGE Hotmod division. The likeable second generation racer would have to hold off a persistent Daniel Muldrew through lap traffic to secure the win. A great three horse race throughout between Probst, Muldrew and defending track champion Jeff Gorrell would ensue but when the checkers dropped it was Probst, followed by Muldrew, Gorrell, a game Kip Swiger and newcomer Daniel Helmick with an impressive top five run. Probst pilots the Jim Dudley owned Dudley Motorsports/ Letter RIP Vinyl Graphics/ Hardrock Powder Coating/ J&T Paving/ Lightning Chassis.
Another first time winner would park his ride in the West Virginia University of Parkersburg Victory Lane as Belpre, Ohio’s Jacob McDaniel would park his SCDRA 4 Cylinder on the frontstretch for the first time. A stout field of SCDRA competitors would roll off with McDaniel aboard the sharp looking McWilson Performance #22 Cavalier leading flag to flag for the win. The win, while super sweet was not without cost as McDaniel would appear to expire an engine on the last lap and have to coast across the stripe just narrowly holding off a charging Jason Frazier for the win. Following McDaniel and Frazier was Pennsylvania newcomer Devin Haley, former track champion Bill Tennant and Joey Price.
The youth league of auto racing, the Mini Wedges would officially kick off the 2022 season in fine fashion. In the Junior division it was 3rd generation and defending track champion Cruz Thomas following up his stellar 2021 season with his first trip to the podium. Following Thomas across the line was Kyndi Glover and Arianna Henthorn. In the Senior division it was Peyton Baker securing the very exciting feature event over Bryson Roberts and Erickson Smith. Thanks to Mitch and Sandy Wilcox for presenting the trophies.
Be sure to join us this upcoming weekend for two nights of exciting racing action. It all kicks off on Friday, April 8th with the rescheduled 2021 53rd Annual Hillbilly 100 paying $30,000 to win and featuring the Lucas Oil Dirt Car Series along with the RUSH Late Models and UMP Modifieds. The action returns on Saturday Night, April 9th for the running of the Steel Block Late Model Series Pat Herrick Memorial and a visit by the RUSH Sprints along with action in all other classes. For more information regarding tickets, news and upcoming schedule visit our website at www.tylercountyspeedwayonline.com.
🏁Tyler County Speedway Feature Results, April 2, 2022:
Super Late Model Feature: Rusty Schlenk, Braeden Dillinger, Brian Baumberger, Tyler Evans, Steve Weigle, Trey Watson, Paul Wilmoth Jr., Zach Hill, Josh Tonkin, Corey Delancey, Ed Shuman, Travis Brown, Troy Frazier, Michael Lake, Chuck Kimble, Kyle Thomas, Cody Rogers, Tommy Powell
McClinton Chevrolet Mitsubishi RUSH Late Model Feature: Michael Duritsky, Garrett Paugh, Joe Martin, Luke Hyre, AJ Spagnuola, Logan Reed, George Casto, Donnie Dotson, Sparky Davisson, Brandon Weigle, Hayden Jacobs, Ryan Hare, Zachary Kane, Lucas McDonald
Jenkins Auto Parts UMP Modified Feature: Chad Smith, Coleman Evans, Kurt Rogers, Danny Thomas, Mark Dickson, Ryan Jones, Sonny Conley, Justin Hart, Doug Carson, Cody Brightwell, Cody Henthorn, Blake Morris, Travis Thomas, DNS: Bobby Bagley, Mike Foggin
EDGE Hotmod Feature: Brian Probst, Daniel Muldrew, Jeff Gorrell, Kip Swiger, Daniel Helmick, Steve Magyar, Kenzie Dotson, Dave Mackey, Crash Craddock, JJ Arnold, Trent Speicher, Eddie Probst, Tim Harlan, Carson Thomas, Roger Hall, Tim Spencer, Allen Clark
Middlebourne Galaxy Food Center Sportmod Feature: Steven Dotson, Ryan Payne, Sonny Leek, Kendall Hodge, Nic Green, Charles Nixon, CJ Dotson, Matt Yost, James Swenskie, Rusty Murphy, Jacob Wheeler, DNS: Randy Bise
Dual Threat Sports Card SCDRA 4 Cylinder Feature: Jacob McDaniel, Jason Frazier, Devin Haley, Bill Tennant, Joey Price, Chuck Davis, Eric Tidd, Tim Coberly, Joe Price, Travis Corbin, Ryan Spencer, Adam Miller, Dalton Goode, Patrick Willbarger, Mike Todd, DNS: Mason Wolfe, Robert Frohnapfel
Senior Mini Wedge Feature: Peyton Baker, Bryson Roberts, Erickson Smith, Ethan McCune, Leah Brightwell, Wyatt Demoss, Jake Casto (Trophy Sponsor: Mitch and Sandy Wilcox)
Junior Mini Wedge Feature: Cruz Thomas, Kyndi Glover, Arianna Henthorn, Jaxon Blatt, Remi Demoss, Eli Smith (Trophy Sponsor: Mitch and Sandy Wilcox)
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