Pat Kelly Gets Sweet Redemption At Linda’s Speedway On Labor Day Weekend

Story By: KASEY KREIDER / LINDA’S SPEEDWAY – JONESTOWN, PA – Last October, Fowlerville, NY’s Pat Kelly had a golden opportunity to win the biggest race of his life stripped away from him after being involved in a lapped traffic crash while leading the 33rd Linda’s Speedway National Open.

With less than 50 days remaining until chapter 34 of the biggest 270 Micro Sprint race in the world, Kelly made a statement in bold-faced text on Friday night, one that could potentially springboard toward a storybook ending on the third weekend of October.

Kelly thoroughly dominated all night long in the Mt. Gretna Roller Rink 270 Micro Sprint division, winning his heat race in commanding fashion before picking the pole in the redraw and leading all 25 laps virtually untouched en route to the feature win. As one of the many New York drivers who annually kick off their Labor Day weekend at Linda’s before heading to Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway on Saturday and Sunday, Kelly got the busy weekend started in the best way possible.

Brandon Heist came home in the second position after an early-race battle with fellow championship contender Brayden Spencer, who finished one spot behind in third. That one spot – and one point – is the difference between the two in the championship battle, which concludes next Friday night.

Two-time Stolz Stove Sales Winged 600 Micro Sprint champion Jesse Maurer made his return to Linda’s Speedway in style, as “The Mount Joy Outlaw” stole the win away from points leader Jason Sechrist in the late laps as the drivers picked through lapped traffic.

The Bernheisel Race Components Chargers saw another familiar face find victory lane for the first time in 2023. With a “never give up” attitude in mind, Chucky Kimmel finally took the checkered flag first near the end of a season plagued with bad luck. Kimmel led his teammate Ed Hollenbach across the line, as Hollenbach took over the points lead with the result.

The Gene Latta Ford Central PA Legends returned for their second of three appearances at the speedway in 2023. After being involved in an early-race incident and being sent to the tail of the field, the young phenom Tanner Jones drove all the way back to the front without the aid of a caution and continued his record-breaking campaign with his 14th Central PA Legends win of the season.

In the J&J Auto Body Junior Slingshots, Chase Schott found victory lane again for the fourth time in 2023, padding his points lead in the process.

Linda’s Speedway returns to action on Friday, September 8th with Mental Health Awareness Night presented by No Way Out Ministries. The first two of eight track champions will be crowned, as the final points races of the year will take place for both the Mt. Gretna Roller Rink 270 Micro Sprints and the Appalachian Auto Front Wheel Drive division. Joining them on the docket will be the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Wingless 600 Micro Sprints, the Mike’s Towing & Recovery 600 Modifieds, and the Hoffer Paving All Star Slingshots.

RESULTS-

Mt. Gretna Roller Rink 270 Micro Sprints 27 Entries

A-Main 25 Laps

1. 00-Pat Kelly[1]; 2. 12R-Brandon Heist Sr[7]; 3. 27-Brayden Spencer[3]; 4. 4-Ross Perchak[8]; 5. 41-Mike Boyer[9]; 6. 23K-Courtney Kupp[2]; 7. 77S-Ben Stolz[14]; 8. 8-Scott Gingrich[12]; 9. 11-Brian Heist[10]; 10. 71-Scott Zimmerman[15]; 11. 08-Jason Paisley[5]; 12. 2-Jesse Snyder[11]; 13. 24M-Andrea Matter Martin[20]; 14. 27O-Billy Logeman[4]; 15. 52-Makayla Fullerton[23]; 16. 14C-Carter Weiant[24]; 17. 19-Matt Fernsler[16]; 18. 8B-Braeden Locascio[19]; 19. 5W-Darren Miller[6]; 20. 88-Nolan Higgins[13]; 21. 56-Bryan Earnst[22]; 22. 6-Danial Boyer[17]; 23. 44K-Patrick Locascio[21]; 24. (DNS) 34-Christi Sweigart

Heat 1 8 Laps

1. 08-Jason Paisley[3]; 2. 41-Mike Boyer[1]; 3. 27-Brayden Spencer[2]; 4. 23K-Courtney Kupp[6]; 5. 88-Nolan Higgins[4]; 6. 19-Matt Fernsler[9]; 7. 8B-Braeden Locascio[5]; 8. 44K-Patrick Locascio[7]; 9. 52-Makayla Fullerton[8]

Heat 2 8 Laps

1. 00-Pat Kelly[1]; 2. 27O-Billy Logeman[2]; 3. 12R-Brandon Heist Sr[3]; 4. 8-Scott Gingrich[5]; 5. 77S-Ben Stolz[8]; 6. 6-Danial Boyer[9]; 7. (DNF) 42-Bob Sawdey[7]; 8. (DNF) 2T-Troy Groft[4]; 9. (DNF) 14C-Carter Weiant[6]

Heat 3 8 Laps

1. 5W-Darren Miller[3]; 2. 4-Ross Perchak[4]; 3. 2-Jesse Snyder[1]; 4. 11-Brian Heist[7]; 5. 71-Scott Zimmerman[5]; 6. 34-Christi Sweigart[2]; 7. 24M-Andrea Matter Martin[8]; 8. 56-Bryan Earnst[9]; 9. (DNS) 82-John Maurer

Stolz Stove Sales LLC Winged 600 Micro Sprints 23 Entries

A-Main 25 Laps

1. 3-Jesse Maurer[3]; 2. 5J-Jason Sechrist[2]; 3. 71-Brian Kramer[4]; 4. 00-Pat Kelly[5]; 5. 2D-Cole Dewease[6]; 6. 19-Chase Schott[1]; 7. 77-Ben Stolz[10]; 8. 44S-Steve Whary[9]; 9. 91-Randy Kunkle Jr[11]; 10. 56-Tyler Henry[12]; 11. 11H-Holden Eckman[18]; 12. 45-Aiden Lutz[13]; 13. 24T-Taylor Troxel[16]; 14. 75D-Trevor Dunn[15]; 15. 11K-RJ Kingdollar[17]; 16. 29S-Sophya Papp[19]; 17. 5H-Haylee Papp[23]; 18. 14H-Luke Harding[22]; 19. 74D-Jacob Dunn[7]; 20. 47-Scott Gesford[14]; 21. 31C-Maverick Coffey[21]; 22. 32H-Aidan Goldsmith[20]; 23. 14A-Mike Austin[8]

Heat 1 8 Laps

1. 2D-Cole Dewease[2]; 2. 71-Brian Kramer[4]; 3. 00-Pat Kelly[5]; 4. 5J-Jason Sechrist[7]; 5. 45-Aiden Lutz[8]; 6. 24T-Taylor Troxel[6]; 7. 29S-Sophya Papp[3]; 8. 14H-Luke Harding[1]

Heat 2 8 Laps

1. 77-Ben Stolz[1]; 2. 19-Chase Schott[2]; 3. 91-Randy Kunkle Jr[3]; 4. 14A-Mike Austin[5]; 5. 47-Scott Gesford[6]; 6. 11K-RJ Kingdollar[7]; 7. 32H-Aidan Goldsmith[4]; 8. 5H-Haylee Papp[8]

Heat 3 8 Laps

1. 56-Tyler Henry[1]; 2. 44S-Steve Whary[3]; 3. 3-Jesse Maurer[4]; 4. 74D-Jacob Dunn[2]; 5. 75D-Trevor Dunn[5]; 6. 11H-Holden Eckman[6]; 7. 31C-Maverick Coffey[7]

J&J Auto Body Junior Slingshots 4 Entries

A-Main 15 Laps

1. 10S-Chase Schott[1]; 2. 35A-Aubrey Romig[2]; 3. 77-Daniel Betz[3]; 4. 7S-Javon Garrison[4]

Heat 1 8 Laps

1. 10S-Chase Schott[2]; 2. 35A-Aubrey Romig[1]; 3. 77-Daniel Betz[3]; 4. 7S-Javon Garrison[4]

Bernheisel Race Cars Chargers 14 Entries

A-Main 15 Laps

1. 10-Chucky Kimmel[2]; 2. 00-Ed Hollenbach[6]; 3. 2M-Josh Michael[1]; 4. 24S-Frank Stoner[5]; 5. 711-Eric Hollenbach[8]; 6. 33-Scott Lutz[7]; 7. 100-Ronnie Buck[13]; 8. 21-Ian Herr[9]; 9. 30PK-Chris McCarr[10]; 10. 7-Rob Kreiser[11]; 11. 15-Butch Helsel[3]; 12. 27-Austin Webster[4]; 13. 8-John Hall[12]; 14. (DNS) 53K-Bryan Keller

Heat 1 8 Laps

1. 10-Chucky Kimmel[3]; 2. 15-Butch Helsel[6]; 3. 24S-Frank Stoner[7]; 4. 33-Scott Lutz[4]; 5. 21-Ian Herr[2]; 6. (DNF) 53K-Bryan Keller[1]; 7. (DNF) 100-Ronnie Buck[5]

Heat 2 8 Laps

1. 2M-Josh Michael[1]; 2. 00-Ed Hollenbach[4]; 3. 27-Austin Webster[6]; 4. 711-Eric Hollenbach[5]; 5. 30PK-Chris McCarr[2]; 6. 7-Rob Kreiser[7]; 7. 8-John Hall[3]

Central Pa Legends 17 Entries

A-Main 20 Laps

1. 77-Tanner Jones[8]; 2. 7F-Colton Friese[9]; 3. 17-Cory Phillips[1]; 4. 9-Rick Hartwig[10]; 5. 11R-Scott Musselman[5]; 6. 12-Kelby Friese[14]; 7. 63-Dave Benner[16]; 8. 7H-Hunter McElroy[15]; 9. 21-Devin Friese[6]; 10. 77A-Aaron Updegraff[3]; 11. 13W-Vincent Wenrich[2]; 12. 66-Donald Stoudt[4]; 13. 0-Cody Altland[7]; 14. 25N-Chris Nicoll[12]; 15. 79S-Mike Stoppard Jr[11]; 16. 54-Luke Stiles[13]; 17. 30-Justin Wagaman[17]

Heat 1 8 Laps

1. 77-Tanner Jones[4]; 2. 21-Devin Friese[1]; 3. 66-Donald Stoudt[2]; 4. 13W-Vincent Wenrich[5]; 5. 7F-Colton Friese[6]; 6. 79S-Mike Stoppard Jr[3]; 7. 54-Luke Stiles[7]; 8. 7H-Hunter McElroy[9]; 9. (DNF) 30-Justin Wagaman[8]

Heat 2 8 Laps

1. 0-Cody Altland[1]; 2. 11R-Scott Musselman[2]; 3. 77A-Aaron Updegraff[4]; 4. 17-Cory Phillips[3]; 5. 9-Rick Hartwig[6]; 6. 25N-Chris Nicoll[7]; 7. 12-Kelby Friese[8]; 8. 63-Dave Benner[5]