HUMMINGBIRD CELEBRATES TRACK OWNER LOUIE CALTAGARONE’S 96TH BIRTHDAY WITH UEMS AND RUSH SPRINT SPECIALS JOINING THE REGULAR RACING PROGRAM
By: Dave Resinger

 

It was a hot July night and the track’s founder and owner was recognized at intermission, followed by intense racing action with John Mollick, Ty Rhoades, Doug Surra, Ken Schaffer, Josh Fields, Bruce Hartzfeld, and Camden Frantz doing some celebrating of their own in Victory Lane.
It was 1964 when Louie Caltagarone first opened Hummingbird Speedway. Now, 60 years later and at the age of 96, Louie still oversees all the activity at the track and is there each and every Saturday night. Fans and racers paid tribute to him and wished him a happy birthday while cupcakes and door prizes were given away before the night’s feature action began.

 
Rush Sprints were the first to take to the track. Billy Myers and Blaze Myers made up the front row and led the twelve-car field to the green flag. But it was John Mollick who made a move to the inside from his third starting spot and took the lead on the first lap. After an early caution for debris, it was Mollick, Blaze Myers, and Joe Buccola showing the way. As the field began to spread out most of the lead pack was running high and at the halfway point the top three remained the same, followed by Gale Ruth Jr. and Luke Mulichak. Late in the event Mollick began to pull away and the real battle was for second, a three-wide race with Ruth coming out on top. As the checkered flag flew, it was Mollick winning, and behind him was Ruth, Myers, Buccola, and Mulichak. Heat winners were Mollick and Blaze Myers.

 
Next up was the Elite Motorsports United E-Mod Series A-Main. Twenty cars took to the track for the 20-lap feature, led by Ty Rhoades and Nolan Dalton on the front row. Rhoades got the early lead and several early cautions slowed the pace. Restarts were then single-file and Rhoades held the lead near the halfway point with Wyatt Scott challenging Zach Johnson for second. Johnson held him off but Scott finally made the pass on lap 16. Rhoades was stretching out his lead but now had to contend with lapped traffic. Scott couldn’t reel him in and at the finish it was Rhoades, Scott, Johnson, Dustin DeMattia, and Troy Loomis. Johnson, Dalton, and Scott took the heat race wins.

 
B. J. Hudson and Kyle Knapp (subbing for Ben Ecelberger) led the Away From Home Pet Resort Semi-Late Models onto the racing surface for their feature. Hudson jumped out to an early lead, with Shawn Hadden trying to get by Knapp for second. After a caution on lap 8, the Delaware restart put Hudson out front with Knapp choosing the outside and Doug Surra to his inside. They ran side-by-side for several laps until Surran eventually prevailed and then set his sights on the leader. Hudson stayed to the inside so Surra moved to the outside and was able to power by Hudson for the lead on lap 15. In the post-race interview Surra said his tires “came in” and that brought him the speed to run the outside line. Following Surra across the line were Hudson, Knapp, Nick Loffredo, and Dan Smeal. Preliminary events were won by Ed Connor and Surra.

 
Srock Contracting Super Late Model action was next. Darrell Bossard and Ken Schaffer were on the front row. At the drop of flagman Earl Jackson’s green flag, it was Bossard showing the way. An early caution bunched the field back up and, after the restart, Paul Kot was able to work by Schaffer for the second spot. Mid way through the event Kot suffered a mechanical failure and was forced to retire for the evening. At that point it was still Schaffer showing the way, followed by Clay Ruffo, Schaffer, Douglas Eck, and Garrett Mott. With ten to go the field was again brought back together by a caution, and Andrew Gordon had made his way into the top five. Schaffer moved to the outside, raced side-by-side with Bossard for several laps, and was finally able to get by him for the lead on lap 19. Just as the crowd thought the race would end, and the field was coming out of turn four for the checkered, there was a spin right in front of the leaders, forcing a green-white-checkered finish. In the two lap “dash for the cash” Schaffer was able to hold off Bossard. They were followed by Ruffo, Eck, and Gordon. Heat race winners were Kot and Bossard.

 
Scaife Automotive Pure Stocks were led onto the racing surface by Dustin Challingsworth and Mitch Stiles. Seventeen cars took the green and Challingsworth showed the way early. By lap six you could have put a blanket over the top four of Challingsworth, Josh Fields, Stiles, and Jenna Pfaff. A number of cautions and delays slowed the pace in the mid stages, but there was still close racing throughout the remainder with Fields taking the win. Behind him were Challingsworth, Stiles, Pfaff, and Jake Foradori. Three heat races saw Cody Cassler, Foradori, and Fields as the winners.
Newcomer Tanner Ramsey started on the pole of the Virgile Iron & Steel Pro Stock feature. To his outside was Bruce Hartzfeld. They ran side-by-side for the lead with Hartzfeld high and Ramsey low. Behind them were Jim Bloom, Gary Miller, and Fuzzy Fields. At the halfway point Hartzfeld continued to lead, with Bloom running second and Ramsey, Andrew Hammond, and Brent Marotto keeping pace. Several more cautions kept things close, but Hartzfeld was not to be denied. With only a handful of laps remaining and Hartzfeld still using the high line, Bloom tried to get by him running low. But Hartzfeld slammed the door shut on the wily veteran and moved to the bottom himself to go on and take the win. Bloom, Ramsey, Hammond, and Marotto made up the top five. Ramsey and Hartzfeld copped the heats.

 
The final event of the evening was the Brooks Services Four-Cylinder class. Greg Snell and Hunter Flook brought the field to green. There was three-wide racing throughout the pack, including the top three. Flook came out on top of that battle and led in the early stages. The battle up front between Flook, Devin Haley, Camden Frantz, Greg Kiehl, and Ben Lehane continued. With five laps to go, the top three began to pull away and it was Flook, Frantz, and Haley. Frantz was able to get the lead on lap 12 and took the win, followed by Flook, Haley, Kiehl, and Chaz Smith. Heat race wins went to Frantz, Haley, and Justin Forsythe.

 
A total of 124 cars were in the pits made up of 12 RUSH Sprints, 25 UEMS e-mods, 11 semi-lates, 16 late models, 18 pure stocks, 16 pro stocks, and 26 four-cylinders. Hummingbird Speedway will take the week of July 20th off due to local fairs, but will return to action on July 20th with “Grady’s Decision Night” showcasing the ULMS late models for a $5000 to win special and the UEM e-mods returning. For more information check out the track’s website at www.hummingbirdspeedway.com.

 

RESULTS

 
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Rush Sprints
1.    4J – John Mollick
2.    24 – Gale Ruth Jr.
3.    41 – Blaze Myers
4.    5B – Joe Buccola
5.    55 – Luke Mulichak
6.    68 – Brent Rhebergen
7.    17 – Trent Marshall
8.    8B – Arie Kent
9.    1T – Ricky Tucker III
10.    5Z – Zack Wilson
11.    54 – Devon Deeter
12.    43SR – Billy Myers
 

Elite Motorsports United E-Mod Series
1.    12R – Ty Rhoades
2.    X3 – Wyatt Scott
3.    105 – Zach Johnson
4.    77D – Dustin DeMattia
5.    11 – Troy Loomis
6.    05 – Greg Johnson
7.    28 – Mason Lobb
8.    1 – Vincent DePizzo
9.    D2 – Nolan Dalton
10.    17b – Brandon Grossman
11.    50 – Bob McMillen
12.    7G – Garrett Calvert
13.    9E – Mike Eschrich
14.    54 – Shawn Lindemuth
15.    83E – Ed Vogel
16.    X1 – Mark Bell
17.    2G – Tim Gould
18.    74 – JJ Bametrieder
19.    92 – Joel Watson
20.    71L – Dennis Lunger Jr.
21.    29x – Kyle Shreckengost
22.    14R – CJ Ramsey
23.    4J – Jim Plance
24.    71 – Al Brewer
25.    0 – Dennis Asel
 

Away From Home Pet Resort Semi-Late Models
1.    3xAA – Doug Surra
2.    23 – B. J. Hudson
3.    113 – Kyle Knapp (subbing for Ben Ecelberger)
4.    9N – Nick Loffredo
5.    44 – Dan Smeal
6.    3H – Shawn Hadden
7.    60 – Jeremy Lippert
8.    X47 – Nathan Brady
9.    7* - Craig Bainey
10.    27C – Ed Connor
11.    (DNS) 47 – Adam Nixon
 

Srock Contracting Super Late Models
1.    13X – Ken Schaffer
2.    22B – Darrell Bossard
3.    14 – Clay Ruffo
4.    4* - Douglas Eck
5.    25 – Andrew Gordon
6.    1B – Dwayne Brooks
7.    43x – Garrett Mott
8.    H22 – Eric Hohol
9.    711 – Todd English
10.    15 – Anthony Marotto
11.    96 – John Brady
12.    66N – Orvis Newcome
13.    67 – Cody Lucas
14.    13 – Brett Bingaman
15.    36 – Paul Kot
16.    (DNS) 20J – Doug Eck
 

Scaife’s Automotive & Repair Pure Stocks
1.    88 – Josh Fields
2.    46 – Dustin Challingsworth
3.    54S – Mitch Stiles
4.    33 – Jenna Pfaff
5.    14 Jake Foradori
6.    14C – Cody Cassler
7.    37B – Bloom Family
8.    54 – Wayne Truitt
9.    50 – Ashley Kilhoffer
10.    55X – Tim Steis (subbing for Andrew Frey)
11.    14M – Paul Metz Jr.
12.    150 – Kurt Corah
13.    4N – Kimberly Nelson
14.    13 – Brady Bingman
15.    211 Casey Wolfe
16.    56K – Renae Meyer
17.    97W – Cody Wolfe
18.    (DNS) 01D – Dominic Marchiori
 

Virgile Iron & Steel Pro Stock
1.    101 – Bruce Hartzfeld
2.    37A – Jim Bloom
3.    14R – Tanner Ramsey
4.    68 – Andrew Hammond
5.    15M – Brent Marotto
6.    513 – Edward Merwick
7.    51L – Brian Lacey
8.    104 – Allen Lamb
9.    28 – Fuzzy Fields
10.    152 – kyle Corah
11.    72 – David Tower
12.    60 – Sheddy Graham
13.    18 – Devin Dickey
14.    22 – Chase Lambert
15.    51 – Mike Miller
16.    (DQ) – 1M – Gary Miller Jr.
 

Brooks Services Four-Cylinders
1.    158 – Camden Frantz
2.    96B – Hunter Flook
3.    02 – Devin Haley
4.    73 – Greg Kiehl
5.    13S – Chaz Smith
6.    916 – Samuel Regitz
7.    3H – Shawn Hadden
8.    44B – Bruce Long
9.    4T1 – Allen Robison
10.    1 – Ben Lehane
11.    15S – Greg Snell
12.    79 – Devon Trayer
13.    850B – Andrew Murray
14.    27 – Natalya Powell
15.    850A – Bryun Hackenberg
16.    22A – Austin Beamer
17.    8F – Sam Fye
18.    21B – Nevaeh Helsel
19.    F6 – Zach Lennox
20.    58R – Ryan Lippert
21.    17 – Randy Albert
22.    6X – Jeff Marlett
23.    18X – Nick Bem
24.    414 – Wade Potts
25.    29L – Josh Lindemuth
26.    (DNS) 36F – Zack Frantz