Lunger Jr. Wins Economod Special At Hummingbird
For Immediate Release
Saturday, June 17th, 2023
By: Steven Curry - Race Reporter
Reynoldsville- The Andy Man's Car Care Economods took center stage with a $1,000/win special Saturday night at Hummingbird Speedway. The special at Hummingbird was the 2nd race of a three-race, three-track "Economod Mania Weekend''. A mini point fund was set up for drivers that attended all three events as an added incentive to run all the races. The first race of the weekend was at Raceway 7 in Conneaut, OH on Friday, then to Hummingbird on Saturday, and concluding at Eriez Speedway in Erie, PA on Sunday. After winning the first race of the weekend at Raceway 7, the #71L of Dennis Lunger Jr. made it two-for-two by taking the checkers at the Bird. In other action, the #88 of Josh Fields picked up his second win of the season in the Brian Savino Motorsports Pure Stocks. The #20 of Doug Eck became the fourth different winner already in the Srock Contracting Super Late Models. In the newly-sponsored Dan Joiner Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Semi Late Model division, the #9N of Nick Loffredo took his second trip to Carns Powersports Victory Lane this season. The #101 of Bruce Hartzfeld continued his perfect streak at the Bird with his third win in his third appearance at the track in the Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks. The #3H of Shawn Hadden wrapped up the racing action with his second win of the season in the Brooks Services Four-Cylinders.
The first feature to the track was the Brian Savino Motorsports Pure Stocks with Dustin Challingsworth and Jenna Pfaff leading the field to green for their 15-lap race. Challingsworth jumped out to the lead on the start and led lap 1 as Tim Steis and Dalton Gustafson both made their way past Pfaff to move into second and third respectively. The first 5 laps of the race were completed before the first caution flag of the race was displayed for a wreck in turn 2. On the restart, it was Challingsworth out to the lead over Steis and Gustafson. On lap 6, Josh Fields made the pass on Gustafson to move into the third spot behind the leaders. A couple of laps later, Steis used the momentum on the highside to edge ahead of Challingsworth for the lead at the halfway mark. A blanket could have been thrown over the top four (which included Mike Anderson) as there were a number of laps of good, hard, clean racing among all of them. On lap 9, Anderson edged ahead of Fields to move into the third position. On a lap 10 restart after a couple of more caution flags, it was Steis out front over Challingsworth and Anderson. On lap 11, Fields used the highline to get an advantage on Anderson for third. Anderson was able to retake third the following lap. With two laps remaining on lap 13, both Fields and Anderson were able to make the pass on Challingsworth to move into second and third behind Steis just before the final caution of the race. On the final restart, Fields took a look to the inside of Steis as they went side-by-side down the backstretch. Steis went wide in turns 3 and 4, which allowed Fields to easily take the top spot as the white flag was in the air. Fields went on to take the checkers for the second time this season as Anderson made a last-lap pass on Steis to finish second. Anderson, Steis, Challingsworth, and Gustafson rounded out the top 5. Fields, Steis, and Anderson won the heat races.
Dennis Lunger Jr. and Jacob McConnell led a field of 19 Andy Man's Car Care Economods trackside for their 20-lap, $1,000/win special on Night #2 of the Inaugural Economod Mania Weekend. Lunger Jr. pulled out to the lead on the start and led lap one as Jacob Eucker made the pass on McConnell for the second position. The first caution flag of the race was displayed later that lap for a wreck in turn 2. One more lap was completed on the restart with Lunger Jr. out front as Jeremy Double made the pass on McConnell for third before another caution came out. On the restart, it was Lunger Jr. leading the way over Eucker and Double. On lap 3, Double made the pass to the inside of Eucker to move into the second spot. Then, on lap 4, Eucker was able to retake the second position from Double. A couple of laps later, on lap 6, Double moved back ahead of Eucker to once again move into second. Eucker took the position back from Double once again the following lap. Double took second back on lap 8, just before another caution. After another quick caution flag, it was Lunger Jr. leading the way over Double and Eucker. On lap 9, Garrett Calvert was able to make the pass on Eucker to move into third behind the leaders. Eucker was able to regain the third position from Calvert as the race reached its halfway point on lap 10. Calvert moved back into third on lap 11. The race stayed green until lap 14 when a caution for a spin on the frontstretch brought about another restart. Lunger Jr. jumped out to the lead on the restart over Double and Calvert. On lap 15, Eucker made the pass on Calvert on the highside to move back into the third spot. Following another caution, on lap 17, Eucker moved into second as he made the pass on Double. Double got loose in turn 2 on lap 18, which allowed Calvert to get by to move into third behind Lunger Jr. and Eucker. One final caution flag came out, but it did not phase Lunger Jr. as he went on to pick up the win and the $1,000 payday. The win made Lunger Jr. 2-for-2 so far on the weekend after getting the win Friday night at Raceway 7. Lunger Jr. also extended his Economod Mania Weekend points lead. The top 5 was completed by: Eucker, Calvert, Double, and Bob McMillen. Lunger Jr., McConnell, and Eucker won the heat races.
The Srock Contracting Super Late Models were next to the track for their 25-lap feature event. Doug Eck and Derek Rodkey led the field to the opening green flag. Eck got out to the lead on the start and led the first lap over Rodkey and Clay Ruffo. On lap 3, Ruffo used the momentum on the highside to power past Rodkey to move into the second position behind Eck. The race remained under green flag conditions all the way to lap 11 or so, when a caution for Eck getting tangled up with a lapped car set up the first restart. On the restart, it was Eck out to the lead over Ruffo and Rodkey. On lap 12, the winner of the last three races at the Bird, Paul Kot, made the pass to the inside of Rodkey to move into third. After another quick caution flag later that lap, it was Eck leading the way at halfway on lap 13 over Ruffo and Kot. On lap 14, Ruffo got loose in turn 4 and had to chase the car into the infield as both Kot and Rodkey got by to move into second and third respectively. One more lap was completed before a spin in turns 1 and 2 brought out the last caution flag of the race. Kot gave it all he had on the final restart, but it was not enough as Eck held on throughout the final 10 laps to capture his first checkered flag of the season. Kot, Rodkey, Jeremy Ohl, and Rich Runyan Jr. rounded out the top 5. Rodkey and Kot won the heat races.
Steven Scaife Jr. and Nick Erskine led the Dan Joiner Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling Semi Late Models to the track for their 20-lap feature race. A couple of quick caution flags to start the race kept the field close. On the restart following the cautions, Erskine jumped out to the lead and led the opening lap over Scaife Jr. and Zach Myers. Just one lap was completed before a couple of more cautions occurred with just one additional lap getting completed. Nick Loffredo was able to make the pass on Myers for third on lap 2. On the restart, it was Erskine out front over Scaife Jr. and Nick Loffredo. On lap 3, Nick Loffredo was able to get to the inside of Scaife Jr. and made the pass for the second position. Then, on lap 4, last week's winner Doug Surra made the pass on Scaife Jr. for third as he took his car to the pit area with mechanical issues. Another lap or two was completed before a caution for a stopped car in turns 3 and 4. On the ensuing restart, it was Erskine heading the field over Nick Loffredo and Surra. Nick Loffredo began to close in on and challenge Erskine for the top spot as the race neared halfway. At the cross flags on lap 10, Nick Loffredo had completed the pass on Erskine for the lead with Surra following behind in third. Later that lap, Erskine spun out in turn 2, setting up what was ultimately the final restart. The spin moved Surra to second and Kyle Shannon to third. On the final restart, it was Nick Loffredo out to the lead over Surra and Shannon. Loffredo checked out on the field and never looked back in the second-half of the race enroute to his second win of the season at the Bird. The top 5 was completed by: Surra, Shannon, Erskine, and Dan Stormer. Nick Loffredo and Myers won the heat races.
The Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks were next to the 1/3 mile bullring for their 20-lap feature. Gary Miller Jr. and Josh Seippel led the field to the green flag. After a quick lap 1 caution flag, it was Miller Jr. out to the lead over Seippel and Matt Bernard. On lap 2, Bruce Hartzfeld made the pass on Bernard to move into third behind Miller Jr. and Seippel. Another caution flag came out later that lap for a spin in turn 2. On the restart, it was Miller Jr. leading the way over Seippel and Hartzfeld. On lap 3, both Hartzfeld and last week's winner Jim Bloom made their way past Seippel to move into second and third respectively. Then, on lap 4, Hartzfeld was able to complete the pass on Miller Jr. to take the race lead. A caution for a wreck on the backstretch later that lap set up another restart. After another quick caution flag, it was Hartzfeld out to the lead over Miller Jr. and Bloom. A couple of laps were completed before a caution for Bloom's stopped car on the backstretch. Bloom was forced to retire from the race, which moved Seippel back into third for what would ultimately be the final restart. Hartzfeld jumped out to the lead on the final restart over Miller Jr. and Seippel. At the midway point on lap 10, it was Hartzfeld still leading the way over Miller Jr. and Seippel. On lap 15, Seippel made the pass on Miller Jr. for second. Seippel tried to close in on Hartzfeld in the final handful of laps, but it was to no avail as Hartzfeld cruised to his third win of the season at Hummingbird. Seippel, Miller Jr., Fuzzy Fields, and Jim Challingsworth rounded out the top 5. Bloom and Hartzfeld won the heat races.
Bruce Long and Mark Lawrence led a nearly full field of Brooks Services Four-Cylinders to green for their 15-lap main to conclude the evening. A quick couple of caution flags plagued the early portion of the race with no laps getting completed. On the restart following the cautions, Long got the early advantage over Lawrence and Matt Urey. Lawrence passed Long in turns 3 and 4 of the opening lap to lead lap 1 over Long and Urey. On lap 2, both Shawn Hadden and Urey were able to make the pass on Long to move into second and third behind Lawrence. Another caution flag came out later that lap, setting up another restart. On the ensuing restart, it was Lawrence out to the lead over Hadden and Urey. On lap 3, Hadden made the pass on Lawrence on the highside of turns 1 and 2 to take the race lead. The race stayed green until lap 6 when a stopped car on the backstretch brought out what would ultimately be the final caution flag of the race. On the final restart, Hadden jumped out to the lead over Lawrence and Urey. At halfway on lap 8, it was still Hadden leading the way over Lawrence and Urey. With just a couple of laps remaining on lap 13, last week's feature winner Camden Frantz made his way past Urey for the third position. Hadden would go unchallenged the rest of the race on his way to taking his second trip to Carns Powersports Victory Lane this season. The top 5 was completed by: Lawrence, Frantz, Urey, and Dillon Morrison. Hadden, Devon Trayer, and Ben Lehane won the heat races.
Speedway Notes: 88 cars were in attendance for Economod Mania Night. That breaks down to: 17 Pure Stocks, 19 Economods, 11 Super Late Models, 11 Semi Late Models, 10 Pro Stocks, and 20 Four-Cylinders. We will be back in action this coming Saturday, June 24th, for Racing Pioneers Night/Mid-Season Madness. The Dan Joiner Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Semi Late Models will battle for $1,200/win while the Brooks Services Four-Cylinders will vye for $1,000/win presented by Brooks Services. There will be a Fuel Special for the Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks presented by J&N Turner Trucking. Drums of fuel, gift cards, and racing tires are among the prizes that will be distributed to the top 10 finishers in the feature. Also, the PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modifieds will make their first of two scheduled visits to the Bird. The Andy Man's Car Care Economods will have the evening off. Looking ahead on our schedule, there is no racing on Saturday, July 1st, because of the Independence Day holiday. We will get back to racing on Saturday, July 8th, for Mid-Season Championship Night with double points being awarded in all divisions. Gates open at 4:00 with racing beginning at 7:00. The Sub Hub Kids Club gets underway every Saturday night at 6pm by the pit gate entrance. It is a great place to take your kids to do some fun kids club activities as well as meet some drivers prior to racing getting started. For more information, call the track office at (814) 653-8400 or visit the tracks’ website at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com. You can also follow the track on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
Results:
Brian Savino Motorsports Pure Stocks
1st) #88 Josh Fields
2nd) #76 Mike Anderson
3rd) #34 Tim Steis
4th) #46 Dustin Challingsworth
5th) #83 Dalton Gustafson
6th) #33 Jenna Pfaff
7th) #54 Wayne Truitt
8th) #01D Dominic Marchiori
9th) #54S Mitch Stiles
10th) #18 Devin Dickey
11th) #55X Andy Frey
12th) #50 Ashley Kilhoffer
13th) #4 Cliff Easton
14th) #14C Cody Cassler
15th) #37B Caleb Bloom
16th) #121 Jake Valasek
17th) #56K Renae Meyer
Andy Man's Car Care Economods
1st) #71L Dennis Lunger Jr.
2nd) #64 Jacob Eucker
3rd) #12C Garrett Calvert
4th) #83 Jeremy Double
5th) #50 Bob McMillen
6th) #98 Keith Felicetty
7th) #21T Orin Taylor
8th) #20 Alex Siekkinen
9th) #5M Donnie May
10th) #83E Ed Vogel
11th) #29L Johnny Lindenpitz
12th) #13 Coleton Longwell
13th) #47S Gary Sullivan
14th) #71 Nate Fleck
15th) #777 Jacob McConnell
16th) #26X Carter Bidwell
17th) #99E Zack Eller
18th) #2 Branden Porter
19th) #8B Brian Toto
Srock Contracting Super Late Models
1st) #20 Doug Eck
2nd) #36 Paul Kot
3rd) #14R Derek Rodkey
4th) #5J Jeremy Ohl
5th) #18 Rich Runyan Jr.
6th) #1B Dwayne Brooks
7th) #14 Clay Ruffo
8th) #66N Orvis Newcome
9th) #77 Nathan Brady
10th) #24J Jon Rohacevich
11th) #96 John Brady
Dan Joiner Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling Semi Late Models
1st) #9N Nick Loffredo
2nd) #3xAA Doug Surra
3rd) #11 Kyle Shannon
4th) #5X Nick Erskine
5th) #16 Dan Stormer
6th) #2 Cregen Brady
7th) #9J Joe Loffredo
8th) #21M Zach Myers
9th) #17 Deegen Watt
10th) #39B Joe Becker
11th) #7S Steven Scaife
Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks
1st) #101 Bruce Hartzfeld
2nd) #84S Josh Seippel
3rd) #1M Gary Miller Jr.
4th) #28 Fuzzy Fields
5th) #44 Jim Challingsworth
6th) #43 Pernell Beimel
7th) #47 Matt Sturgeon
8th) #37A Jim Bloom
9th) #7B Matt Bernard
10th) #92X Brent Johnson
Brooks Services Four-Cylinders
1st) #3H Shawn Hadden
2nd) #99L Mark Lawrence
3rd) #158 Camden Frantz
4th) #501 Matt Urey
5th) #251 Dillon Morrison
6th) #187 Kevin Wice
7th) #65Y Michael Young
8th) #317 Kevin Piper
9th) #6 Adam Pluebell
10th) #8F Sam Fye
11th) #21B Nevaeh Helsel
12th) #65 Louis Young
13th) #79 Devon Trayer
14th) #56 Justin Finland
15th) #919 Zack Hetrick
16th) #44B Bruce Long
17th) #17X Joe Anthony
18th) #F6 Justin Forsythe
19th) #11 Jim Boyer
20th) #1 Ben Lehane