Four Different States Grace Winners Circle On Opening Night At Tyler County Speedway
6 min read
Zach Yost Photo
Tyler County Speedway was finally able to lift the lid on the 2023 season on Saturday Night albeit a tad on the chilly side. A dedicated crowd and a bulging pit area would see over 140 eager participants take to the highbanks making for a fantastic night of short track excitement. Drivers from four different states would kick off the new season in style by parking it on the frontstretch at America’s Baddest Bullring. Picking up wins were Jeff Parsons, Michael Duritsky Jr., Tyler Evans, Brian Probst, TJ Arnold, Jacob McDaniel, Cruz Thomas and Leah Brightwell.
Highlighting the show was the 12th Annual ‘Let It Ride 35’ for the Jenkins Auto Parts UMP Modified division. It would be a tarheel invader by the name of Jeff Parsons who calls Union Grove, North Carolina home bagging his first ever ‘Bullring’ feature win. It would not be easy for the driver of the Leonard B. Harris Fence Company/ BMF Racecars/ Parsons Towing/ Stutts Grading/ Gunter Grading BMF Chassis #44 as a host of hungry racers would chase Parsons for the races duration. Spectacular racing behind the leader and through lap traffic would see the likes of Chad Smith, Jesse Wisecarver, Tyler Evans and Mitch Thomas mixing it up to the delight of the appreciative crowd. However, at the line it was Parsons turning back all challengers to lead the pack to the pay window and pick up the prestigious ‘Let It Ride 35’ followed by a charging Coleman Evans, Mitch Thomas, Chad Smith and Jesse Wisecarver.
In the J&R Excavating RUSH Late Model ‘Deuces Wild 22’ event another out of stater would grace the America’s Baddest Bullring victory lane. Pennsylvania hotshoe, Michael Duritsky Jr. would vault from his 9th starting spot to the runner-up position and begin to pressure early race leader Brandon Weigle. Weigle would appear up to the challenge in turning away Duritsky, but disaster would strike as the driver of the #11 machine would be forced out of the race with mechanical gremlins turning the point over to Duritsky. Once out front, the pilot of the ‘MadDog Motorsports’ NAPA Auto/Valvoline/ Economy Furnace/ Economy Electric/ Mike’s Auto/Palo’s Body & Color/ Garry’s Auto/ Kelly Construction/ Collins Construction/ Jack’s Auto Crushing/ Body’s by Slav/ Peck’s Auto Rocket XR 1 would cruise to the win. Following Duritsky Jr. was a great run for young George Casto III who waged a race long war with Nick Corbitt with Hayden Jacobs and Ryan Hare rounding out the top five.
A strong field of 17 Stutler Motorsports Super Late Models would take flagman Matt Amick’s green flag with Daniel Hill aboard the Dave Groves owned GRS 1 machine vaulting into the early lead. A fierce battle was underway behind the leader among a bevy of wheelmen jockeying for position. But the man on the move was 5th starting Tyler Evans of Mineral Wells, WV as the talented driver would work his way around Hill at the race midpoint. Once at the front it would be all Evans as the chauffer of the Evans Construction & Paving/ Advantage Auto 17T Longhorn Chassis would pick up his first ever Super Late Model feature win at the ‘Bullring’. Rounding out the top five was 7th starting Braeden Dillinger, Daniel Hill, former UMP National Champion Rusty Schlenk and a flyin’ Ryan Payne off the tail.
New Martinsville, WV’s Brian Probst would pick right up where his 2022 season ended by bagging another J&L Collision Center EDGE Hotmod feature win. The 22’ track champion and veteran of the ‘Bullring’ would wheel the Jim Dudley owned Dudley Motorsports/ Jenkins Auto Parts/ LetterRip Graphics/ Miller Equipment & Machine/ Zach Yost/ Hardrock Powder Coating/ The Refuge Church/ Carson Motorsports Lightning Chassis to the victory. Following Probst across the line was a career best run by Paden City’s Mike Harter, Daniel Muldrew, Eddie Probst and Tom Sigler.
A robust field of 28 Sportmods would see a first-time victor as Marietta, Ohio’s TJ Arnold would strike gold and park the T7 machine on the frontstretch. It appeared that Lance Weppler was poised for the early season victory but disaster would strike as the race leader would come up lame on the white flag lap and pull to the infield. This would turn the lead over to Arnold who was more than poised to pose for the ZYRP winners pic aboard the Matt’s Custom Auto/ Boley Enterprises/ CJ Rayburn ride. Following Arnold was Kendall Hodge, Sonny Conley, Sonny Leek and Zack Barr.
It was business as usual for the defending Dual Threat Sports Cards SCDRA 4 Cylinder champion as Coolville, Ohio’s Jacob McDaniel would etch victory #1 to his win column. McDaniel wheels the McWilson Performance/ Mister Bee/ Kuya Union Coffee/ BJP Racing #22MWP machine and would best Travis Corbin, Joey Price, Robert Frohnapfel and Timothy Harlan Jr.
The Youth League of Auto Racing would kick off the action for the 49th Annual Season Opener with the defending 2022 track champions Cruz Thomas and Leah Brightwell making an early season statement. Cruz Thomas would notch his seasons first in the Hino Motors Manufacturing USA Junior Mini Wedges over a pesky Bryson Long and Josh Baldwin. Leah Brightwell would garner her first win in the Senior Mini Wedge class ahead of Peyton Baker and Bryar Glover.
Be sure to join us next Saturday Night, April 15th as the Tyler County Speedway plays host to the 13th Annual Pat Herrick Memorial for the Steel Block Late Model Series along with a Kids Gold Rush Night courtesy of the Long Reach Federal Credit Union. Always a great event as we pay tribute to Pat Herrick who garnered the speedway’s very first ever feature win in 1974.
Tyler County Speedway Feature Results for Saturday Night, April 8th
Jenkins Auto Parts UMP Modified ‘Let It Ride 35’ Feature: Jeff Parsons, Coleman Evans, Mitch Thomas, Chad Smith, Jesse Wisecarver, Kenny Johnson, Travis Thomas, Jeff Fornash, Rick Aukland, Kurt Rogers, Mitch Ward, Daniel Eddy, James Swenskie, Josh Farmer, Austin Wilson, Cody Henthorn, Danny Thomas, Bud Watson, DNQ; Donnie Dotson, Brandon Grossman, Rob Lemaster, Andy Taylor, Doug Carson, Brandon Patton, Justin Hart, Brian Clegg
J&R Excavating RUSH Late Model ‘Deuces Wild 22’ Feature: Michael Duritsky, George Casto III, Nick Corbitt, Hayden Jacobs, Ryan Hare, Donnie Dotson, John Weaver, Zack Herring, Logan Reed, Luke Hyre, Lane Brock, Brandon Weigle, Allen Clark, Joe Squatriglia, DNS AJ Spagnuola, Dalton Goode, Eddie Starkey
Stutler Motorsports Super Late Model Feature: Tyler Evans, Braeden Dillinger, Daniel Hill, Rusty Schlenk, Ryan Payne, Brian Baumberger, Lucas McDonald, Steve Weigle, Travis Brown, Rick Conley, Jamie Long, Michael Lake, Ryan Saffell, Josh Baldwin, Nick Corbitt, Kyle Thomas, DNS Wyatt Demoss
Sportmod Feature: TJ Arnold, Kendall Hodge, Sonny Conley, Sonny Leek, Zack Barr, Levi Nolan, Tommy Powell, Wayne Francis, Nic Green, Ron Pickens, Jeff Gorrell, Randy Bise, Jimbo Wheeler, Josalyn Hibbard, Dwight Henry, Allen Clark, Lance Weppler, Mike Mason, DNQ Mike Todd, Charles Nixon, Terry Kinsley, Andy Green, Josh Yost, Al Smith, Chris Thomas, Kevin Davis, DNS; Russell Murphy Jr, Tyler Spencer
J&L Collision Center EDGE Hotmod Feature: Brian Probst, Mike Harter, Daniel Muldrew, Eddie Probst, Tom Sigler, Kip Swiger, Lou Ennis, Mackenzie Dotson, Tim Spencer, Carson Thomas, Kenny Isner, Steven Dotson, Crash Craddock, Nik Keller, Kevin Dotson, CJ Dotson, Santino Loretta, Steve Magyar, DNQ Tripp Perine, Edward Ackerman, Natalie Hibbard, Casey Richards, Sam Loveless, Mickey Thorpe Jr.
Dual Threat Sports Cards SCDRA 4 Cylinder Feature: Jacob McDaniel, Travis Corbin, Joey Price, Robert Frohnapfel, Timothy Harlan, Mitch Eddy, Jakob Chipps, DNS Joe Price
Hino Motors Manufacturing USA Junior Mini Wedge Feature: Cruz Thomas, Bryson Long, Josh Baldwin, Rowen Brightwell, Colton Long, Peyton Gibson, Brantley Bowling, Brentley Carson, Aly Leek, Kellen DeMoss, Coen Thomas
Hino Motors Manufacturing USA Senior Mini Wedge Feature: Leah Brightwell, Peyton Baker, Bryar Glover, Kristopher Wyatt, Kyndal Ohlinger, Bryson Roberts, Arianna Henthorn, Kyndi Glover, Jake Casto
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