Story By: DINO OBERTO / BLOOMSBURG FAIR RACEWAY – BLOOMSBURG, PA – The Bloomsburg Fair Raceway had busy and competitive evening of racing that started off with pair of make-up features from June 8 for the All-Pro SpeedSTRs and 602 Create Sportsman Modifieds and then followed with a complete regular show for those divisions plus the FWD 4-Cylinder Stocks and Slingshots and when all was said and done four first time winners emerged.
It was Mike Bednar in the SpeedSTRs, Joe Toth with the Modifieds, Tim Campbell, 4-Cylinder Stocks and Patrick Weiss in the Slingshots. Meanwhile top point men in the SpeedSTRs and Modified respectively, Briggs Danner and Paulie Hartwig III, collected their third wins each on the season.
In the SpeedSTR make-up race Danner and Bednar shared the front row and as soon the action got underway the pair ran side-by-side heading into Turn 1. And, running the cushion Bednar was able to get the better of Danner as they exited the second corner and then take command of the early lead.
There was no looking back from then on for Bednar as he stayed in front over the distance. However, you could not deny the fact that Danner was making it tough as he was continuously fashioning thrusts at the leader in an effort to get by.
But no matter how hard he tried, which included an all-out effort on the final lap in which Danner snuck the nose to the inside, Bednar stood his ground and would win for the first time at Bloomsburg.
“I knew the start was going to be everything with the track locked down and no heats run and a ton of moisture in so it was just hammer down and not make many mistakes. I was fortunate to get a good start and had Briggs been out front it would have been tough to get by him,” Bednar said.
“I saw his nose on the inside the last five, six laps so I just ran the bottom a little bit more knowing that he really couldn’t go around me on the top.”
In the regular feature the front row was again the same only this time Danner wasn’t about to deal with a repeat on the start. As the race commenced he was quick to grab the lead and then stay there for keeps.
The only chance Bednar had on Danner came during a lap six restart. But just as he did at the outset Danner again hustled ahead on Bednar and then cruised away to his third win in starts.
“That first feature was rough for us and I felt we had the better car and did everything but run him over. It was just too early on in the night to try and make the pass and get him and we just lost it in Turn 1 on the first lap and I didn’t want to make that mistake twice and we’re really happy to pick this one up,” said Danner.
“The track was awesome for us and we were able to get all the way up top and then drive back down. It’s wide enough to make that happen and Mike tried that on the restart and he tried his best but we drove away from him and that was it.”
In the make-up 20-lap Sportsman feature Mike Loney wasted little time form his outside front row starting spot to get around pole sitter Logan Starr and then lead the early going.
It didn’t take seventh starting Toth long to move into contention either as he powered his way to second just prior to halfway. He then used a lap nine restart to unseat Lonely for the lead which he would not relinquish.
Toth would have no problem in bettering Lonely for his first ever Bloomsburg win. Lonely had to out-duel Brandon Edgar for his best finish to date.
“We were set up pretty good and we wanted to be here because we have a big race coming up with the Short Track Super Series in a couple weeks here and this was like a test and tune for us for that,” said Toth.
“The track was good and has a lot more banking which allows you to move around more now than when I was here two years ago. It’s cool to be able to knock off wins at different tracks.”
For the regular Sportsman feature Craig Whitmoyer jumped out to the opening lap lead over Tyler Peet and Hartwig.
Whitmoyer’s stay at the front would then be short lived as Hartwig assumed the top spot following a lap one restart. For a while he and Toth would stay close to Hartwig but as the pursuit went on it was evident that it would become a race for second.
Hartwig proved no match as he gradually pulled away and on to win number three on the season.
“This car was really on rails. The feature was a little tight so we made a change and it worked and I can’t thank my guys enough for how hard they work to give me such a great ride time and time again,” said the point leader.
“The track got better and a little slicker which is how I like it. It’s pretty amazing to beat guys like Joe Toth who is always fast and also Brandon Edgar. This is a really racy track and we love coming here.”
While Hartwig was well on his way to victory, Toth, Edgar and Whitmoyer where locked in a torrid battle. Toth would have to work hard to fend off Edgar. At the same time Edgar had to do the same in securing third over Whitmoyer.
The 4-Cylinder Stocks continue to be an ultra-competitive each time they hit the track as close and thrilling racy has become the norm and extra money on the line to win the night’s feature the action was turned up even more.
Adam Campbell was able to lead a good portion of the event but did so under extreme pressure from Kevin Doud while at the same time Tim Campbell and Tim Raup where hovered right behind.
A. Campbell was looking to become the first driver to repeat as a winner in class and had been fighting tooth and nail in keeping Doud and the others behind him. Then his hopes got foiled four laps from the finish when he came off Turn 4 and hit the wall, apparently suffering a broken front axle.
On the restart Doud was placed at the top of the running order but when the field came around to complete the first lap back under green it would be T. Campbell grabbing the lead and staying there over the remaining three circuits and collect the $500 top prize that was up for grabs.
There is yet to be a repeat winner with the division since first coming to Bloomsburg last season.
In the Slingshots Patrick Weiss got the jump on three-time winner and point leader Andrew Turpin at the start and then proceeded to solid win, which was his career first.
Make-up SpeedSTR feature from 6/8 (15 laps): 1. Mike Bednar, 2. Brigg Danner, 3. Dustin Morris, 4. Tim Buckwalter, 5. JR Booth, 6. Doug Snyder, 7. Cale Zangli
Regular SpeedSTR feature (25 laps): 1. Danner, 2. Bednar, 3. Morris, 4. Zangli, 5. Booth, Buckwalter DNS: Snyder
Make-up 602 Sportsman feature from 6/8 (20 laps): 1. Joe Toth, 2. Mike Loney, 3. Brandon Edgar, 4. Paulie Hartwig III, 5. Craig Whitmoyer, 6. Logan Starr, 7. Brandon Oleski, 8. Tyler Peet, 9. Ralph Mele, 10. Matt Yoder, 11. Mia Guy, 12. Brennan Chapman DNS: Mike Schane, Joe Wilgus, Brady Shea, Owen Clark
Regular 602 Sportsman feature (20 laps): 1. Hartwig, 2. Toth, 3. Edgar, 4. Whitmoyer, 5. Tom Sherby, 6. Brad Grim, 7. Briggs Danner, 8. Loney, 9. Peet, 10. Allen Kellog, 11. Yoder, 12. Starr, 13. Chapman, 14. Jamie Shae, 15. Jax Yohn, 16. Tyler Vidal, 17. Oleski, 18. AJ Costley DNS: Guy
4-Cylinder Stock feature finish (20 laps): 1. Tim Campbell, 2. Kevin Doud, 3. Tim Raup, 4. Kyler Stahl, 5. Hunter Flook, 6. Luke Hoffner, 7. Virgil Meyer, 8. Ernie Shilko, 9. Adam Campbell, 10. Ridge Cobb, 11. Tony Hilliard, 12. Zakery Kline, 13. Johnny Stringfellow DNS: Nick Brown
Slingshot feature finish (15 laps): 1. Patrick Weiss, 2. Andrew Turpin, 3. Briana Snyder DNS: Dylan Starr