JARED ZIONKOWSKI COLLECTS FIRST PATH VALLEY WIN IN P.A.S.S. 305 SPRINT DIVISION
By Judy McGee Timmons
Zach Rhodes & Hunter McFadden were on the frontline for
the P.A.S.S 305 Sprint starting line-up, with Rhodes taking the
lead for two laps till 4th place starter, Jared Zionkowski pulled
by the frontrunner to take the lead. John Walp pulled into third
position, as Hunter McFadden & Andrew Boyer brought their
racers to the top five spots for 6 laps before Doug Dodson took
over fifth place, & the leader caught up to the back of the field.
Zionkowski did not appear to be phased by slower traffic, as he
gained a quarter lap lead on his competitors. Rhodes maintained
his second place spot till Walp moved his racer by him, with less
than 10 laps on the board. Kruz Kepner came from eighth to pass
Dodson, placing him in fourth, where they remained as Zionkowski
was the first to see the checkered flag wave. Walp, Rhodes, Kepner,
& Dodson followed the leader for the top five finishers. Zionkowski
had the best lap with a speed of 76.602 MPH & in 11.749 seconds.
The Metzler Auto, Truck & Trailers Wingless Super Sportsman feature was brought to action with Sam Leonard & Rohan Beasley pacing the front of the 19 car line-up, with Leonard taking the lead on the wave of green. Beasley had issues with his racer, bringing out the first caution, & retiring his ride to the pits with 2 laps logged. Leonard was followed by Transtan Stoner, Luke Lenker, Steve Wilbur, & Eric Walker, for the top five, till lap 6, when Dexter Ehrenzeller passed Walker, then moved forward to take fourth place, which was occupied by Wilbur. Ehrenzeller continued to the front, but third place runner, Luke Lenker, had other thoughts, as he held on to third after wheel to wheel competition with Ehrenzeller. A yellow flag was waved on lap 12, resulting in Joey Hershey & Donnie Farlling, leaving the oval, while Leonard prepared to lead the restart, with Stoner, Lenker, Ehrenzeller & Wilbur in the top spots. Eric Walker, & Trent Yoder pulled into the action after midrace, getting by Wilbur to claim fifth & Sixth positions.; Walker then pulled by Ehrenzeller, claiming fourth as the racers entered into the last 5 five laps.
Chris Henry brought out a caution with 4 laps remaining, when he had problems between turns 3 & 4, putting his ride to the rear of the pack. The laps were counting down & the competition became more intense, as the top runners continued their battle to advance in position. A caution for Michael Smith, who had to be towed from turn 4, put the top five inches apart, as they waited for the final green. Leonard led them to the checkered, with Stoner, Lenker, Walker & Ehrenzeller closing in the top five. Transtan Stoner had the best lap, traveling 70.077 MPH in 12.843 seconds.
The Cisney’s Auto Parts 4 Cylinder Thunder Car division had an unbelievable first half of their 20 lap feature event, beginning with a turn 4 problem for Hector Maldonad, putting the line-up into an original restart as Maldonad’s racer was towed to the pits. Robert McQuade had pulled to the lead on the original green, but following the caution, Kenny Hill made the pass to the lead as Aaron Updegraff, Roger Traxler & Jackson Eutzy lined for the top 5. Charlie Stallman got into the turn 4 infield with 2 laps recorded, putting him to the rear. On green, Updegraff pulled to the lead & Jackson Eutzy passed McQuade to take third, while Traxler took claim to the top 5 spot. Shaun Linn left the oval with 3 completed laps, & was followed by Michael Danner, who brought out a caution after problems on the backstretch, from where he was towed. On the next lap, Dustin Moore & Tara Sales had contact, spinning Sales in turn 2, with both going to the rear, while Rhyann Arcq’s racer stopped on the track & was pushed to the pits after 7 laps. Charlie Stallman revisited the turn 4 infield at midrace, rejoining the line at the rear, as Updegraff, Hill, Jackson Eutzy, Doug Sales & McQuade prepared for the restart. Updegraff held a strong lead, with door to door action going on behind him as Jackson Eutzy & Hill battled for second, with Hill holding the position, as Updegraff passed the checkered flag, with Hill, Eutzy, Doug Sales, & Brock Foster finishing out the top 5. Updegraff had the best lap traveling a speed of 62.150 MPH in 11.576 seconds.
The Macri Concrete 600 sprints had Mike Rankin & Travis Keiser at the top of the line when the green flag waved, with Shawn Rumbaugh bringing out the first pre-lap caution on the frontstretch, where he was towed. The reline put Rankin, Chase Robinson, Keiser, & Jason Sechrist sitting in the high five, till cautions for Bob Rankin, who went to the rear after issues in turn 2, followed by contact between Sechrist & Robinson on the frontstretch, that resulted in Robinson pitting, & Sechrist going to the rear. Bob Rankins hardship continued when his racer rolled on it’s side in the fourth turn infield, retiring his ride for the evening, in addition to Darren Kauffman, who also entered the pits. Travis Keiser was now at the bow, followed by Brandon Shearer, Randy Kunkle Jr., Mike Rankin, & Cory Schmuck Jr, on green. Jim Young piloted his ride into the top five spot with Ben Freels & Rick McMichael joining the top racers. Cole Armstrong left the oval with 7 laps recorded, & Sechrist went to the back after a caution on the frontstretch. The final 12 laps were non-stop as Keiser, Shearer, Kunkle, Schmuck, and Jim Young ushered the racers to the checkered flag lap. Travis Keiser had the best lap with a speed of 79.024 MPH in 11.389 seconds.
The T.A.Ward Construction 270 Micro Sprints were brought to the green by Jason Houtz & Dakota Yeingst, who were joined by Bradyn Kuhn , Bret Kauffman, & Matt Dixson Jr. at the top. Kuhn passed Yeingst on lap 4 to take 2nd, as Houtz brought the competition to meet the back of the pack by lap 8, running non-stop for 12 laps, till a caution was waved for a collision out of turn two involving Dixson & Kauffman, who were running fourth & fifth, & also Jordan Knable & Jamie Connelly, with all four leaving the track. Houtz, Kuhn, Yeingst, Sara Borror, & Stephanie Welk were in the top five reline, until Cameron McClure passed Welk, taking the fifth-place spot, where they remained for 8 laps, with Houtz taking the win. Houtz had the best lap, traveling 74.479 MPH in 12.084 seconds.
The Strictly Stock division entered the oval with a complete 24 car roster, with Rusty Garlock & Jesse Matney in the pole positions, with Garlock taking the lead. Josh Norton & Corbin Rosenberry had immediate problems, with Rosenberry losing fluids going into turn one, joining Norton in the pits. Garlock, Matney, Tiana Anderson, Jason Goss & Justin Williamson were at the top of the reline, running 2 laps before second place competitor, Jesse Matney, brought out a caution, resulting in his racer being pushed to the pits, being followed by Tiana Anderson, who also left the track. Leader Garlock, brought the racers back to green, completing 6 laps before Jimmy Moyer & Jason Goss had issues, which put both racecars out of commission for the evening. Garlock, Williamson, Kala Varner, Malachi Doyle, & Steven Jacobs were the top five on the restart, where they remained for four laps before Tyler Stine brought his racer by Jacobs to take fifth on lap 11, where they remained for the final 14 laps. Garlock had the best lap traveling 62.906 MPH in 14.307 seconds.
Path Valley Returns October 25th & 26th for the BULLRING NATIONALS.
T.A.Ward Construction 270 Micro Sprints (T.A. Ward Sponsored $1000.00 to Win!)
Macri Concrete 600 Sprints, Cisney’s Auto Parts 4 Cylinder Thunder Cars, Strictly Stock Division, Kathy Baker Coldwell Banker Reality Modifieds, and Cordell Construction Late Models
ALL DIVISIONS BOTH NIGHTS!!! YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THESE ACTION-PACKED NIGHTS OF RACING & THE LAST RACE OF THE 2024 SEASON.
Special Thanks to T.A. Ward Construction for the Spectacular Fireworks 10/19.