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HILLTOP FINALE TO AUKLAND
by Ken Cunningham

MILLERSBURG OH - Oct. 29 - Rick Aukland of Zanesville Ohio has enjoyed a very successful season at Hilltop Speedway during this inaugural year, along with tonights $3,000 "Halloween Havoc" Late Model feature win Aukland has found himself in victory lane a total of eight times in 2006. In Modified action Norm Aronhalt was thrilled to have captured at least one win this year by beating Mark Gardiner and Sam Lovejoy to the finish line before seasons end. The last time "Stormin Norman" raced at Hilltop Speedway was in 1972 behind the wheel of a '65 Mustang. The father - son team of Dave Haven Jr. and Sr. teamed up to dominate tonights Pure Stock action by finishing one - two in that order during both their heat and the feature event. Andy Parks put an exclamation point on his championship season by scoring the Mini Stock win over Jerry Adkins. The final race of the season went to Brandon Craver, this is his first Hilltop Speedway feature win in the Mini Truck division.

Tonights race was dedicated to the memory of Joel Myers who was not only a family member and an important part of Hilltop Speedway, but a friend to many. Joel was tragically taken from us too soon. A Sportsmanship Award has been established in his honor and was presented to Ty Myers for his willingness to help others throughout the season. Thomas Baker made the presentation and was also given an award for being a good friend to Joel and his family.

 

Late Models were tonights main attraction and fast time was set by current track record holder George Lee. Lee bested a field of 27 Late Models by turning a lap of 14.540 seconds leaving his record of 14.005 stand until next season. Scotty Peltz scored the first heat win behind the wheel of a Drown Motorsports #8, with track champion Ryan Markham taking the second heat. Doing double duty between Lates and Modifieds Norm Aronhalt won the third. Kenny Johnson was flat out flying and came from the back row to win the fast dash over Doug Drown. The consolation race went to J. R. Gentry from fifth. With the feature line up decided Kenny Johnson brought the field to green then left them all far behind. Doug Drown, Eric Myers, Corey Conley, and George Lee were engaged in a close race while Jason Montgomery began his advance with a three wide battle with Trevor Phillips and D. J. Cline. From his tenth starting position Rick Aukland closed in on Freddie Carpenter, Markham, then Lee to join the top five when Johnson made contact with a lapped car to bring out the first caution and ultimately end a spectacular run. This handed the lead to Drown who continued to fight off the advances of Eric Myers as Aukland continued his march to the front by picking off Conley, then Myers for second. A hard charging J. R. Gentry was up from his sixteenth starting position and now challenging Conley for fourth with Jason Montgomery also in the mix up from fourteenth. With Markham, Aronhalt, and Lee staying close as laps wound down this race could have gone to anyone in the top ten but the wily Aukland completed an outside line pass on Drown and held on for the win. Corey Conley had a late race showdown with Eric Myers for third while Montgomery nipped Gentry on the last lap for a top five.


 

Norm Aronhalt set the stage for the modifieds by setting fast time and a strong charge from last to second behind Kevin Morehouse in the fast dash. Aronhalt wasted no time passing Morehouse to finish the job as the green waved on the feature field to become the only driver to win feature events in both eras of Hilltop Speedway. Congratulations to Mini Stock champ Andy Parks for making the jump to Modifieds and into the fast dash, along with Charlie Duncan from Late Models and winning the heat. Dave Haven Sr. has had the honor of starting feature events alongside both his daughter and his son at Hilltop Speedway this year and all three have claimed victory in the Pure Stocks. Dave Sr. has one feature win on the year while Donna has claimed three, tonight Dave Jr. added his name to the 2006 winners list. Andy Parks battled Jerry Adkins down to the wire and won his eighth Mini Stock feature win on the year. Brandon Craver held off the advances of Jeff Funk and Chaz ODell to win his first Hilltop Speedway Mini truck win.
 

 

LATE MODELS

Fast Time - George Lee - 14.540
1st Heat - Scott Peltz, Rick Aukland, Blaine Aber
2nd Heat - Ryan Markham, D. J. Cline, Jason Montgomery
3rd Heat - Norm Aronhalt, Trevor Phillips, Jeremy Canada
Dash - Kenny Johnson, Doug Drown, Eric Myers, Corey Conley, Freddie Carpenter, George Lee
Feature - Aukland, Drown, Conley, Eric Myers, Montgomery, J. R. Gentry, Aronhalt, Lee, Peltz, Cline, Markham, Aber, Ty Myers, Phillips, Canada, Chester Elliott, Carpenter, Johnston

MODIFIEDS

Fast Time - Norm Aronhalt - 15.858
Heat 1 - Charlie Duncan, Allan Baker, Sam Lovejoy
Dash - Kevin Morehouse, Norm Aronhalt, Mark Gardiner, Darren Clover, Rory Reed, Andy Parks
Feature - Aronhalt, Gardiner, Lovejoy, Morehouse, Clover, Reed, Kevin Potts, Parks, Bruce Takache, Denny Benjamin, Chris Asbury, Rod Arnold, Charlie Duncan, Allan Baker

PURE STOCKS

Heat 1 - Dave Haven Jr., Dave Haven Sr., Fred Snyder
Feature - Haven Jr., Haven Sr., Tim Myers, Fred Snyder, Ron Hixenbaugh, Gary Rose, D. J. House, Mike Hensel, Brett Burgess

MINI STOCKS

Heat 1 - Jerry Adkins, Dustin Hostetler, Bobby Collins
Heat 2 - Andy Parks, Jeff Jackson, Brett Adkins
Feature - Parks, Jerry Adkins, J. R. Cagle, Hostetler, Brett Adkins, Collins, Fitch, Jeremy Lucas, Rick Maffett, Dee Adkins, Jeff Rankin, Roy Halsey, Jeff Blanton, Doug Kenworthy, Lewis McConnell, Carlos Aponte, Paul Allison, Mitchell Randolph, Don Lehman.

MINI TRUCKS

Heat 1 - Chaz ODell, Jeff Funk, Brandon Craver
Feature - Craver, ODell, Bill Kutz, Funk, Gail Wallace, Dale Mong, Ben Brannon, Keith Pavlich