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Havoc on the Hilltop October 28, 2007
Millersburg Ohio – Hilltop Speedway ended a second season of dirt track racing on a chilly October evening
The best part of traveling to different race tracks is to see your favorite drivers in action, even better when they visit your home track. Rohn Moon pilots the black # 56 and had a fantastic night in his first ever visit to the Hilltop by winning a heat and finishing sixth in the feature. Moon is a former World Karting Association star and holds numerous titles, including a prestigious “ WKA Triple Crown”. Len Dobrosielski carries the nickname “Captain Kamikaze” and hails from McKees Rocks near Pittsburgh and is one of Western Pennsylvania's toughest competitors. Zach Dohm just missed the feature field but I promise you this is one young talent to watch in years to come. Freddie Carpenter comes out of the Ohio Valley region and has made a few starts at Hilltop this year and inches closer to scoring a win, tonight charging from fifteenth to third. Jason Montgomery was behind the wheel of a Jeff Gress owned #113 and just missed having a top ten finish while Andy Bond made the feature but struggled with rough track conditions while driving John Cornell's awesome #62 dirt car this weekend. Other travelers included Stateline – Eriez tough guy Rich Gardner, Joe Ramey of Ironton Ohio, Bob Crum in the B 52, and Attica Raceway hot shoe Larry Kingseed. Hilltop Speedway has attracted a wealth of talent from across a wide region during the past two years and I can give you one good reason why. What we consider “Local Talent” just happens to be some of the best dirt track racers you will find anywhere. Race fans and drivers travel miles to see and compete against George Lee, Ryan Markham, Doug Drown, Eric Myers, Dave Hornikel, Rick Bond, Jeff Esbenshade, and all the rest that race every week at Hilltop Speedway. Northeast Ohio's ONLY place for dirt Late Model action !
Hard rains and low temperatures caused great concern about the heavy racing surface and track crews made several attempts to keep up with conditions but attrition was still high as many cars fell out of competition during the night, however many charged on for great results. George Lee shattered the previous track record of 13.858 seconds set earlier this year by Corey Conley with a time if 13.533 seconds around the high banked 1/3 mile. Lee went on to win the fast dash to earn the pole starting position in the feature. Unfortunately this is where the story gets ugly for the 2007 Hilltop Speedway track champion with seven feature wins on the year. Lee powered high into turn three while leading when the right rear wheel dug into the soft clay sending the car flipping violently airborne and into the highest part of the catch fence before crashing down on top of the guardrail. The car a total loss, safety workers credited a well designed racing seat and harness with preventing great harm to the driver who walked away very sore but ready to race again another day. The intensity was extremely high and building just before the red lights for this crash came on with action everywhere as Clint Coffman got the jump on Zach Dohm, Rick Aukland, Andy Bond, Rohn Moon, and Len Dobrosielski were four wide in turn two and Rich Gardner and Dave Hornikel went full throttle slugging it out down the backstretch. After a lengthy cleanup the cars were realigned and turned loose once again, this time with Eric "Spud" Myers battling door to door with Ryan Markham for several laps followed by Clint Coffman, Zach Dohm, Rohn Moon, and Rick Aukland. With about a dozen laps in track conditions began to take a toll and competitors began to fall, including the front running Markham. With Markham out of the way Myers soon opened a healty lead over the field and Coffman running smooth and steady, the C4 machine of Freddie Carpenter had worked his way past Corey Conley, Jason Montgomery, Rich Gardner, then Dave Hornikel to join the top five and a three way batle with Moon and Aukland before claiming the third spot for keeps. A caution flag brought the field back together that allowed Carpenter to get a nose past second running Coffman just as Corey Conley slowed on the race track and another yellow waved for the final time. Back to green and the race nearing the end Aukland picks up the pace and clears "Fast Freddie" for third and Coffman pulls alongside Myers in an attempt for the lead but even the slightest slip in turn two was all it took for Myers to pull away and Aukland to capitalize on the mistake and move into second with Carpenter also right there to take advantage and reclaim third. Rich Gardner was smooth as silk all evening to complete the top five followed by Rohn Moon and Zach Dohm under pressure by Jeff Esbenshade at the checkers. Corey Conley and Mark Gardiner struggled to complete the race and made the top ten. This was Myers third win at Hilltop Speedway on the year and he proudly carries sponsorship from CRM Colored Mulch, Advance Cylinder of Ashland, Malcuit Racing Engines, Cyco Custom Products, and Base Racing Fuels.
Many familiar faces along with a few surprises completed a stellar field of 30 Modifieds who wanted one last chance at victory lane but the class of the field turned out to be Hilltops inaugural champion Kevin Morehouse who came from the second row to win the dash and set up a green to checkers main event run for the money. Although no stranger to victory lane in the region this year, tonight was only the second win at Hilltop Speedway for the Rice Excavating / Valley ATV sponsored Bob Pierce number 28 Modified. Larry Holbrook recorded fast time of the night at 15. 809 seconds, one of only three to crack the fifteen second bracket and heats went to Jack Young, Kris McCombs, and Sam Lovejoy. The feature got off to a slow start but once racing stayed green the action became intense throughout the field. Tom Conley caught Robert Garnes and the two began picking cars off one by one, first Charlie Duncan then Norm Aronhalt, but when they caught the brand new machine driven by Kris McCombs they found a real battle and only Garnes would slip by. Blaine Aber would work his way from fourteenth and into a top ten finish driving McCombs backup car. With laps winding down, Sam Lovejoy and Jack Young had worked themselves from mid pack and were now fighting for the runner up position, finally secured by Lovejoy. The Phantom 309 driven by this years track champion, Norm Aronhalt, had a very busy night as I swear he did battle with every car on the track at one time or another before ending the night in seventh. Young, McCombs, and Lovejoy scored heats while Denny Benjamin scored the checkers in the consy. I have to add, it was especially entertaining to see Aronhalt and the EZ1 machine of Andy Parks pounding the corners side by side during hot laps. Dirt tack racing has a very bright future as long as veteran drivers like Norm Aronhalt and George Lee continue to help young talent such as Andy Parks and Trevor Phillips.
An impressive field of 30 Pure Stocks were on hand and judging from the smile on the face of Frank Oriti before hot laps I had a sneaking suspicion the Mars Trucking, Bel Gard Walls and Floors # 72 Monte Carlo was fully prepared to take on the best and the only way to broaden that smile was to park that hot rod in victory lane at the end of the evening. Scoring the first heat win set up a premium starting spot and Oriti quickly disposed of Bill Goerz, Fred Snyder, and a very strong running Mitchell Lam to lead green to checkers for a second career Hilltop Speedway Pure Stock Feature Win. Goerz kept the pursuit close but it was all he could do to keep Lam at bay and finish second. Brandon Gardner wasn't on the map all day but when it became money time he stormed from tenth and after a classic battle with Fred Snyder ended the race in fourth ahead of Wolf Pack ace Scott Wolford, then two time Hilltop champ Fred Snyder in sixth. To complete the top ten, Kevin Sharier stayed consistent and away from trouble in seventh, followed by the late season return of Jeff Facemire and Roger Drouhard, two strong competitors to watch next season! Dave Haven Sr. only had a tenth place finish to show on the night but I swear he gave everyone on the track a hard race at one time or another during the night and had the Mopar fans cheering all night. A special salute to Jason Kodek and Joe Anthony, first ever visits to Hilltop with awesome machinery along with several others. I have to give JC Campbell a hand while I'm at it as he never gets much attention. Without any help and an old wore out race car JC hung right in there and just had a great time at the Halloween Havoc, and I think that is exactly what this weekend was all about.
The Adkins family returned to Hilltop and while some did better than others, Jerry, Mark and Terry all made the show and that plain white #49 Honda of Terrys was untouchable all night long. Winning his heat and starting on the pole for the feature Terry led every lap to the checkers and drove right past victory lane and straight to the payout window. There is no other way to put it, that car is bad ass fast! Mark won a heat race but fell apart in the feature and Jerry finished sixth in the main event to end the season with strong family tradition. Andy Parks also brought along his championship winning EZ1 Diamond Star Motorsports mini stock but could only shadow Adkins in both the heat race and main. The real race followed and filled the top five. Jeremy Hudson was on a tear but it took everything he had to hold off a hard charging Jordan James and Jeremey Lucas. With Jerry Adkins in sixth, Mike Linn came from near the tail to record a seventh place finish in his first visit to Hilltop, followed by Ernest Fortune who has enjoyed a great overall season this year, and finally Jeff Rankin and Randy Nisley. A hit and miss year at Hilltop, Brandon Craver mixed it up with Chaz Odell before pulling into victory lane for the fourth time this year. Sponsored by CNC Tire, Massillon Transmission, A & T Towing, and Wengerd Enterprises, Brandon was presented a commemorative plaque to remember this win by the Twin State Auto Racing Club. Not for lack of trying, the newly crowned track champion for 2007, Chaz Odell settled for second place on this night. Tom Garlick turned the tables on Bill Kutz, after finishing second to Kutz in the heat the hard charging blue #77 completed the main event one spot ahead of Kutz in the main with Wally Wallace capturing a top five.
The 2007 edition of "Halloween Havoc" completes this years racing season and very special thanks must go to Dutch Country Stone, Rod Eddleblutes Garage and Roadside Service, American Payroll Advance, Holmes Tire LLC, and Troyers Trail Bologna for sponsoring our 5 Star Racing Program, in addition we thank Cowen Truck Lines as they always go above and beyond with their support. Emmanuel Miller Construction, Gross Lumber and Holmes Lumber for their assistance in the construction of the new grandstands and all that helped with assembling the new structures. We hope the racing community will take the time to patronize and thank all the sponsors that have made Hilltop Speedway the most talked about race track in Ohio. Trust me when I tell you 2008 will be better than ever as we strive to bring race fans in Northeast Ohio the absolute best dirt track racing possible and continue to improve this former scrap yard into a premier racing facility. We already have the finest competiton and the best race fans anywhere. The rest is up to us and you bet its going to happen!
Fast Time and New Track Record – George Lee @ 13.533 seconds |
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