Weigt & Griffith Get First Ever Waynesfield Wins
9 min readJuly 29, 2017
WAYNESFIELD, Ohio (7/29/17) – After two weeks of silence, the sound of race cars once again echoed through the corn fields of Waynesfield Raceway Park in Waynesfield, Ohio. Between the five classes on-hand, 110+ cars signed in to compete, some for the final time before the running on the Jack Hewitt Classic next weekend. Drivers of the Block Insurance Tough Trucks took center stage running for a $400 to win payday. The Performance Powder Coating AMSA Mini Sprints shared the spotlight running wingless.
The Quest Federal Credit Union Non Wing Sprint Cars took the track as a final testing session for the $3000 to win Jack Hewitt Classic event next weekend. The field was led to the opening green flag by Matt Westfall and Drew Rader. Westfall took the lead at the drop of the green flag and led the opening lap. The opening laps were good for Kyle Simon as he moved his 23S into the third spot will just six laps in the books. Simon started on the outside of row four on the initial start. USAC driver Kody Swanson started to make a run on the lead pack securing fourth as the field approached the halfway point. Swanson was not done yet as he began to close in on Kyle Simon in the runner-up spot. Simon and Swanson began to battle late in the race. Swanson through everything he had at Simon as laps began to wind down. Coming to the white flag, Swanson pushed his 21K hard into turn one giving him just enough momentum to take the second spot half of track away from the checkered flag. Mat Westfall took home the victory. Swanson finished in second with Simon third. Swanson and Luke Hall claimed the heat race wins.
The Performance Powder Coating AMSA wingless A-main was quite a show for race fans. The field of 22 was led to green by the 88 of Tayte Williamson and the 81H of Anthony Haas. Chris Bounds got an excellent start and claimed the lead and the opening lap. Bounds held the lead through the opening three circuits until the 22 of Kobe Allison began to make a run. Allison managed to find a way around Bounds moving him back to second. Something broke on Allison’s 22 forcing the car pit side and giving the lead back to Bounds just under the halfway point in the main. A yellow would restack the field for a restart. On that restart, Korbyn Hayslett was all over Bounds’ back end. As the field got the five to go signal, Hayslett claimed the leading pushing Bounds back to second. On the same lap a red flag would fly for a total of five cars getting together with two flipping down the front stretch and almost making contact with the flag stand. All drivers involved climbed out under their own power. On the restart, Bounds could not get his car to jump into gear waving off the start. Bounds’ night came to an end as the car went into the infield. Ty Tilton, like Bounds, made a late race run but mechanical trouble forced his 42 machine into the infield. In the end, 14-year-old Korbyn Hayslett came away with the victory. Anthony Haas finished in second. Brad Strunk finished in third. Chris Bounds, Anthony Haas, and Tayte Williamson picked up the heat race wins.
The Satellite Connections UMP Modifieds continued with their streak of high car counts. The 20-car feature was brought to green by the K9 of Scott Gerdeman and the 4G of Bill Griffith. Half a lap would be completed before the first yellow flew for Curtis Deisenroth and Mike Hohlbein going into the infield stuck together. Both managed to avoid all other competitors as their machine slid down the banking. Back under green, Gerdeman took the early lead. The green run would be short as a second caution came with three in the books for debris. On the restart, Troy Cattarene moved into the third spot. Two laps later, Griffith claimed the lead and started to pull away. Lima’s Jeff Koz followed a play out of Griffith’s playbook to move into the third spot just under the halfway point. Lap traffic began to build forcing the leaders out of their normal racing grooves. Griffith rolled with the punches weaving in and out of traffic as it became heavier and heavier. Griffith got some relief from lap traffic as a late race caution flew. Griffith went on to win his first ever Waynesfield A-main. Koz used the last restart to his advantage to finish in second with Zach Schroeder finishing in third. Darryl Banks, Jerry Bowersock, Chris Ullery, and Bill Keeler took victories in the heat races. Tim Cornett and Terry Grilliot picked up the B-main wins.
The headlining Block Insurance Tough Truck A-main began with a four-wide salute to the fans. Over 22 of the finest trucks in the Midwest signed in to compete for a $400 to win payday. Gabe Twining and Frankie Weigt led the field of competitors to the opening green flag. The drag race into turn one put Weigt into the lead on the opening lap. Weigt’s truck was the definition of “hooked up and flying” as the 24F pulled away quickly from the rest of the field. Weigt pulled away so quickly that lap traffic began to build very early in the A-main. Lap traffic began to mix with battles, including one for the lead with Twining and Weigt. Twining and Weigt went three-wide with lap traffic sandwiched in the middle. The contact between Twining and the lap car sent both of them towards the infield stuck together. The race was brought to a stop when the 82 of Kevin Knittle and the 22B of Gaige Slaven got together. The contact sent Slaven upside down. Slaven and Knittle climbed out under their own power. Back under green, Devon Helmig began to battle with Twining for second. Helmig eventually took the spot with just two laps remaining in the A-main. Frankie Weigt took the checkered flag and his first ever trip to victory lane. Devon Helmig finished in second with Gabe Twining taking home third. Chris Hicks, Mike Hicks, and Devon Helmig picked up the heat race wins. Chris Hicks set a new track record in group qualifying with a time of 16.371 seconds. Two other drivers were also under the old 2011 track record.
The Indian Lake Outfitter Compacts had one of their roughest events this season. The race was brought to green by the 1H of Jeff Zwiebel and the XS of Austin Scott. Scott won the drag race into turn one and lead the opening lap. Scott’s car was extremely smooth on the 1/3rd mile as he began to build up a lead over the rest of the field. The field was brought to a stop for the only red flag of the race. The 2Z of Matt McKinnon took a wild ride entering turn three resulting in his machine ending up on top of the outside retaining wall. McKinnon collected portions of the catch fence as well as a track safety light. Despite the damage to the catch fence and racecar, McKinnon climbed out unharmed from the accident. The red flag lasted for a decent amount of time as officials removed the car from the scene and worked on the mangled catch fence. Back under green, Justin Durflinger began to make a run on Austin Scott. As the cross flags were displayed, Durflinger was able to cross Scott over for the lead. Durflinger would go on to claim win number two on the season. Austin Scott came home second. Devon Hower finished in third. Jeff Wintrow and current point leader Brandon McDaries picked up the heat race victories.
The race that put Waynesfield Raceway Park on the map takes place next Saturday night. The annual running of the Jack Hewitt Classic will feature the three classes Jack Hewitt ran to be the only driver in history to win all three Triple Crown races. The Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series will headline the event running for $3000 to win. The Satellite Connections UMP Modifieds are also on the program running for $1000 to win. The Performance Powder Coating AMSA Mini Sprints will round out the night of racing running without wings for the second weekend in a row. Pitside gates will open at 4PM with racing action getting underway at 7PM.
Get the latest Waynesfield Raceway Park news and information online at www.waynesfieldracewaypark.net, on Facebook by liking Waynesfield Raceway Park or by following @OfficialWRP on Twitter.
RACE RESULTS
Non Wings – Quest Federal Credit Union
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 9N-Luke Hall[3] ; 2. 74-Drew Rader[2] ; 3. 39-Matt Goodnight[1] ; 4. 2DI-Dustin Ingle[6] ; 5. 14-Cooper Clouse[4] ; 6. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh[8] ; 7. 48-Mike Burkin[9] ; 8. 32M-Derek Hasting[7] ; 9. 42-Ty Tilton[5]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 21K-Kody Swanson[4] ; 2. 54-Matt Westfall[2] ; 3. e99-Gage Etgen[3] ; 4. 23S-Kyle Simon[6] ; 5. 18-Todd Keen[8] ; 6. 21-Travis Hery[9] ; 7. 59J-Kirk Jeffries[1] ; 8. 5A-Toby Alfrey[5] ; 9. 69R-Dallas Hewitt[7]
A-Main 1 – (25 Laps)
1. 54-Matt Westfall[1] ; 2. 21K-Kody Swanson[3] ; 3. 23S-Kyle Simon[8] ; 4. 9N-Luke Hall[4] ; 5. 74-Drew Rader[2] ; 6. 14-Cooper Clouse[9] ; 7. 69R-Dallas Hewitt[18] ; 8. 18-Todd Keen[10] ; 9. 21-Travis Hery[12] ; 10. 2DI-Dustin Ingle[7] ; 11. 48-Mike Burkin[13] ; 12. 59J-Kirk Jeffries[14] ; 13. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh[11] ; 14. 39-Matt Goodnight[5] ; 15. 42-Ty Tilton[17] ; 16. 5A-Toby Alfrey[16] ; 17. 32M-Derek Hasting[15] ; 18. e99-Gage Etgen[6]
AMSA Mini Sprints – Performance Powder Coating
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 65-Chris Bounds[2] ; 2. 22A-Kobe Allison[1] ; 3. 1H-Korbyn Hayslett[6] ; 4. 23S-Brad Strunk[5] ; 5. 21B-Ryan Barr[4] ; 6. 11-Corey Bedwell[3] ; 7. 28K-Ron Kimmel[7] ; 8. 33-Andrew Heitkamp[8]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 81H-Anthony Haas[2] ; 2. 44-Ron Coleman[1] ; 3. 11G-Cory Guingrich[7] ; 4. 11L-Aaron Leffel[6] ; 5. 4-Mike Burkin[4] ; 6. 71-Zane Briggs[3] ; 7. 17-Dustin Downard[5]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps)
1. 88-Tayte Williamson[3] ; 2. 22B-Brad Racer[2] ; 3. 44W-Chris Whipple[6] ; 4. 14D-Nick Daugherty [7] ; 5. 7X-Taylor Cox[5] ; 6. 7M-Mike Hessel[1] ; 7. 42-Ty Tilton[4]
A-Main 1 – (20 Laps)
1. 1H-Korbyn Hayslett[7] ; 2. 81H-Anthony Haas[2] ; 3. 23S-Brad Strunk[10] ; 4. 22B-Brad Racer[6] ; 5. 44W-Chris Whipple[9] ; 6. 11L-Aaron Leffel[11] ; 7. 11G-Cory Guingrich[8] ; 8. 44-Ron Coleman[5] ; 9. 71-Zane Briggs[17] ; 10. 4-Mike Burkin[14] ; 11. 21B-Ryan Barr[13] ; 12. 42-Ty Tilton[21] ; 13. 65-Chris Bounds[3] ; 14. 7X-Taylor Cox[15] ; 15. 14D-Nick Daugherty [12] ; 16. 11-Corey Bedwell[16] ; 17. 28K-Ron Kimmel[19] ; 18. 33-Andrew Heitkamp[22] ; 19. 17-Dustin Downard[20] ; 20. 22A-Kobe Allison[4] ; 21. 7M-Mike Hessel[18]
UMP Modifieds – Satellite Connections
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 2B-Darryl Banks[1] ; 2. 55S-Zach Schroeder[2] ; 3. 16-Jeff Koz[3] ; 4. 52-Weasel Phlipot[6] ; 5. 25-Nick Bowers[7] ; 6. 97A-Reed Hurst[4] ; 7. 17R-Nick Rosselit[8] ; 8. 21T-Tom Treon[5]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 95J-Jerry Bowersock[1] ; 2. 9C-Troy Cattarene[4] ; 3. 21JR-Tom Conrad[8] ; 4. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[7] ; 5. 24-Terry Grilliot[6] ; 6. 44-JD Lease[3] ; 7. 39-Cole Roberson[2] ; 8. 5T-Duane Treon[5]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps)
1. 112-Chris Ullery[2] ; 2. 4G-Bill Griffith[1] ; 3. 34X-Shane O’Conner[4] ; 4. ZERO-Brent Hole[7] ; 5. 35-Tim Cornett[5] ; 6. 55D-Brandon Dailey[8] ; 7. 9PG-Percy Gendran[3] ; 8. 67M-Dan Morgan[6]
Heat 4 – (8 Laps)
1. 20K-Bill Keeler[1] ; 2. K9-Scott Gerdeman[3] ; 3. 58P-Jim Post[4] ; 4. 11H-Mike Hohlbein[5] ; 5. 4J-David Treon, Jr.[7] ; 6. 6-BJ Gregory[6] ; 7. 5H-Brian Hogan[2] ; 8. 1X-JJ Butler[8]
B-Main 1 – (10 Laps)
1. 35-Tim Cornett[2] ; 2. 25-Nick Bowers[1] ; 3. 55D-Brandon Dailey[4] ; 4. 67M-Dan Morgan[8] ; 5. 9PG-Percy Gendran[6] ; 6. 97A-Reed Hurst[3] ; 7. 17R-Nick Rosselit[5]
B-Main 2 – (10 Laps)
1. 24-Terry Grilliot[1] ; 2. 4J-David Treon, Jr.[2] ; 3. 6-BJ Gregory[4] ; 4. 44-JD Lease[3] ; 5. 39-Cole Roberson[5] ; 6. 5H-Brian Hogan[6] ; 7. 5T-Duane Treon[7] ; 8. 1X-JJ Butler[8]
A-Main 1 – (20 Laps)
1. 4G-Bill Griffith[2] ; 2. 16-Jeff Koz[9] ; 3. 55S-Zach Schroeder[4] ; 4. K9-Scott Gerdeman[1] ; 5. 95J-Jerry Bowersock[7] ; 6. 2B-Darryl Banks[8] ; 7. 52-Weasel Phlipot[13] ; 8. 9C-Troy Cattarene[3] ; 9. ZERO-Brent Hole[15] ; 10. 58P-Jim Post[12] ; 11. 20K-Bill Keeler[5] ; 12. 4J-David Treon, Jr.[20] ; 13. 34X-Shane O’Conner[11] ; 14. 35-Tim Cornett[17] ; 15. 21JR-Tom Conrad[10] ; 16. 25-Nick Bowers[19] ; 17. 11H-Mike Hohlbein[16] ; 18. 24-Terry Grilliot[18] ; 19. 112-Chris Ullery[6] ; 20. 2D-Curtis Deisenroth[14]
Tough Trucks – Block Insurance
Qualifying
1.71-Chris Hicks, 16.371; 2.33-Michael Hicks, 16.473; 3.17D-Devon Helmig, 16.508; 4.20K-Bill Keeler, 16.639; 5.17H-Kelcey Helmig, 16.677; 6.2X-Buzz Jacobs, 16.714; 7.RK-1-Gerry Keysor, 16.831; 8.24F-Frankie Weigt, 16.910; 9.77-Derick Smith, 16.992; 10.25G-Gabe Twining, 17.030; 11.82J-Kevin Knittle, 17.032; 12.37J-Roy Miller, 17.110; 13.70-Terry Klopfenstein, 17.217; 14.C4-Chuck Weigt, 17.260; 15.82K-Andy King, 17.534; 16.10-Branden Bollinger, 17.943; 17.0-John Sanford, 18.025; 18.316-Ben Hower, 18.927; 19.28M-Logan Mullenix, 19.280; 20.48-Rex Kanorr, 20.511; 21.22B-Gaige Slaven, 20.688; 22.11-Darin Reed, 22.599;
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 71-Chris Hicks[4] ; 2. 25G-Gabe Twining[1] ; 3. 20K-Bill Keeler[3] ; 4. 70-Terry Klopfenstein[5] ; 5. 10-Branden Bollinger[6] ; 6. 28M-Logan Mullenix[7] ; 7. 11-Darin Reed[8] ; 8. RK-1-Gerry Keysor[2]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 33-Michael Hicks[4] ; 2. 24F-Frankie Weigt[2] ; 3. 17H-Kelcey Helmig[3] ; 4. C4-Chuck Weigt[5] ; 5. 82J-Kevin Knittle[1] ; 6. 48-Rex Kanorr[7] ; 7. 0-John Sanford[6]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps)
1. 17D-Devon Helmig[4] ; 2. 37J-Roy Miller[1] ; 3. 82K-Andy King[5] ; 4. 316-Ben Hower[6] ; 5. 2X-Buzz Jacobs[3] ; 6. 22B-Gaige Slaven[7] ; 7. 77-Derick Smith[2]
A-Main 1 – (20 Laps)
1. 24F-Frankie Weigt[2] ; 2. 17D-Devon Helmig[5] ; 3. 25G-Gabe Twining[1] ; 4. 37J-Roy Miller[6] ; 5. 71-Chris Hicks[3] ; 6. 20K-Bill Keeler[7] ; 7. 70-Terry Klopfenstein[10] ; 8. 82K-Andy King[9] ; 9. 77-Derick Smith[21] ; 10. 10-Branden Bollinger[13] ; 11. C4-Chuck Weigt[11] ; 12. RK-1-Gerry Keysor[22] ; 13. 316-Ben Hower[12] ; 14. 17H-Kelcey Helmig[8] ; 15. 28M-Logan Mullenix[16] ; 16. 48-Rex Kanorr[17] ; 17. 82J-Kevin Knittle[14] ; 18. 0-John Sanford[20] ; 19. 22B-Gaige Slaven[18] ; 20. 2X-Buzz Jacobs[15]
Compacts – Indian Lake Outfitters
Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
1. 5-Jeff Wintrow[1] ; 2. 7-Brandon Weigt[6] ; 3. Lil316-Devon Hower[7] ; 4. XS-Austin Scott[8] ; 5. 85-Nick Glasgow[9] ; 6. 30-Keith Staley[10] ; 7. 1A-Alison Butler[2] ; 8. 96-Ryan O’Kuley[3] ; 9. 69-Makenzie Polling[5] ; 10. 27X-Robbie Tuttle[4]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
1. 92-Brandon McDaries[3] ; 2. 17-Justin Durflinger[2] ; 3. 2z-Matt McKinnon[5] ; 4. 1H-Jeff Zwiebel[7] ; 5. 54C-Chris Crosier[8] ; 6. 96X-Rob Sharpe[9] ; 7. 96H-Tony Heath[1] ; 8. 31-Gabe Twining[6] ; 9. 73JB-Kolby Bidlack[4]
A-Main 1 – (15 Laps)
1. 17-Justin Durflinger[5] ; 2. XS-Austin Scott[2] ; 3. Lil316-Devon Hower[4] ; 4. 92-Brandon McDaries[7] ; 5. 27X-Robbie Tuttle[19] ; 6. 85-Nick Glasgow[9] ; 7. 7-Brandon Weigt[6] ; 8. 96X-Rob Sharpe[12] ; 9. 1H-Jeff Zwiebel[1] ; 10. 30-Keith Staley[11] ; 11. 1A-Alison Butler[13] ; 12. 5-Jeff Wintrow[8] ; 13. 96-Ryan O’Kuley[15] ; 14. 31-Gabe Twining[16] ; 15. 2z-Matt McKinnon[3] ; 16. 54C-Chris Crosier[10] ; 17. 69-Makenzie Polling[17] ; 18. 96H-Tony Heath[14]