Eck, Steis Get Big Wins On Grady's Decision Night At The Bird 
For Immediate Release
Saturday, July 31st, 2021
By: Steven Curry - Race Reporter
 
Reynoldsville- It was a very special night of racing on Saturday night as Hummingbird Speedway hosted Grady's Decision Night. Grady's Decision is a locally-based non-profit organization that assists families experiencing premature births as well those families with children needing specialized medical attention. Grady's Decision strives to meet the needs of families whether they be financial, emotional, or spiritual. We also held specials for the Carns Equipment Super Late Models racing for $2,500/win and the Sunny 106.5 FM Pure Stocks racing for $500/win. Doug Eck led all 30 laps of the Super Late special on his way to earning the $2,500 payday. Tim Steis led 19 of 20 laps in the Pure Stock special enroute to picking up the $500 payday. Other feature winners on the night included: Nick Erskine in the Swanson Heavy Truck Repair Semi Late Models, Andrew Gordon in the Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks, Blake Joiner in the Andy Man's Car Care Four-Cylinders, and Andy Buckley in the Close Racing Supply Economods. The third race of the PAGO PowderPuff Series was run at the end of the night with Stephanie Mayes picking up the win.
 
First on the track at feature time were the Carns Equipment Super Late Models for their 30-lap, $2,500/win special. Doug Eck and Jeremy Ohl led the field of 18 to the opening green flag. Eck got the lead on the start and came around to lead lap 1 over Ohl and Kyle Knapp. The first seven laps or so were completed before a caution for a spin in turns 3 and 4 set up the first restart of the race. Eck jumped out to the lead on the restart as Ohl and Knapp battled for the second spot. Knapp completed the pass on Ohl to move into second on lap 11 just before a caution for a spin in turn 2 brought about another restart. On the ensuing restart, Knapp challenged Eck for the lead on the lowside. At the halfway mark on lap 15, Eck edged out Knapp as they crossed the line side-by-side. A number of caution flags following the halfway signal kept the field close with only three laps getting completed. Michael Lake was able to get past Ohl on one of the restarts to move into the third position behind Eck and Knapp. After another caution flag with 10 to go, the battle heated up for second between Knapp and Lake. On lap 21, Lake made the pass on the highside to move into second behind Eck. The race stayed green for another lap before another caution came out just as Lake started to challenge Eck for the top spot. That caution set up an 8 lap race to the finish. On the final restart, Eck pulled out to the lead over Lake and Knapp. On lap 24, both Knapp and Paul Kot were able to work their way past Lake to move into second and third respectively. Knapp gave it his all in the final laps to try and run down Eck but it was to no avail as Eck held on to pick up the win and the $2,500 payout. Knapp, Kot, Lake, and Kenny Schaffer rounded out the top 5. Ohl, Knapp, and Eck won the heat races. Sikora set overall fast time in time trials.
 
Jenna Pfaff and Josh Fields led the Sunny 106.5 FM Pure Stocks trackside for their 20-lap, $500/win feature event. Fields jumped out to the lead on the start as Tim Steis made the pass on Pfaff for second. On lap 2, Steis made the pass on Fields to take the lead. On lap 3, Andrew Gordon challenged Pfaff for the third spot and completed the pass to move into third behind Steis and Fields. The race stayed green until lap 4 when a caution for Steis and Fields getting together set up the first restart. The caution forced Fields to restart in the back which moved Gordon and Pfaff into second and third. On the restart, Steis pulled out to the lead as Lester Hudson battled Pfaff for the third position. On lap 5, Hudson made the pass on Pfaff to move into third just before a caution for a spin in turns 3 and 4 brought about another restart. Steis got the advantage on the restart over Gordon and Hudson. The race remained under green flag conditions until lap 8 when a caution for Hudson set up another restart. The caution moved Dennis Harrison Jr. into third for the restart. At the halfway point on lap 10, Steis continued to lead the way over Gordon and Harrison Jr.. After another caution flag, the race made it to lap 14 with Steis maintaining the top spot over Gordon and Harrison Jr.. A caution for a wreck in turn 2 brought about the final restart of the race. On the final restart, Steis had Gordon in hot pursuit as the laps waned. On lap 17, Fields, who was recovering from the earlier incident, passed Harrison Jr. on the bottom of the track to move into third. Gordon gave it his all in the final few laps but it was not enough as Steis held on to capture the $500 payday. Gordon, Fields, Andy Frey, and Harrison Jr. rounded out the top 5. Fields, Steis, and Pfaff won the heat races. Pfaff's heat race win was the first of her young career.
 
In Swanson Heavy Truck Repair Semi Late Model action, Doug Surra and Eddie Connor brought the field to the start of their 15-lap main. A caution for Surra spinning in turns 3 and 4 of the opening lap kept a lap from getting completed. On the restart, it was Connor out to the lead over Bob McMillen and Nick Erskine. On lap 2, Erskine made the pass on McMillen on the lowside to move into second behind Connor. The race stayed green for another lap before a caution for a spin on the frontstretch set up what would ultimately be the final restart. On the final restart, Connor got the lead over Erskine and McMillen. On lap 6, Nick Loffredo made the pass on McMillen to move into third behind the leaders. On lap 8, Erskine used the low line to his advantage to work his way past Connor for the race lead. Erskine began to checkout on the field as the laps continued to click away. On lap 11, Nick Loffredo made the pass on Connor to move into the second position behind Erskine. Erskine continued to extend his lead in the final 4 laps on his way to capturing his fifth checkered flag of the season. Nick Loffredo, Connor, Surra, and McMillen rounded out the top 5. Surra won the heat race.
 
The Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks were up next for their feature with Jim Challingsworth and Brandon Connor on the front row for their 20-lap event. Connor got the lead on the start over Challingsworth and Andrew Gordon. On lap 2, Gordon got the lead from Connor on the inside just before a caution for a spin in turn 4 set up the first restart of the race. On the restart, Gordon jumped out to the lead over Connor and Challingsworth. The race stayed green until lap 6 when a caution for a spin on the frontstretch brought about another restart. Gordon pulled out to the lead on the restart over Connor, Challingsworth, and the rest of the field. Gordon began to extend his lead as the race neared the midway point. At the cross flags, it was Gordon out front with a healthy lead over Connor and Challingsworth. The race stayed green until lap 12 when a caution for a spin on the frontstretch brought about the final restart. While under caution, a mechanical issue with Connor's car forced him to retire from the race. That moved Challingsworth to second and Jim Bloom to third for the restart. On lap 13 following the restart, Jay Blum was able to work his way past Bloom for the third spot behind the leaders. On lap 15, Blum continued his late-race charge with a pass around Challingsworth to take the second position behind Gordon. Gordon went unchallenged the rest of the way enroute to winning for the second time in as many weeks at the Bird. Bloom made a last lap pass on Challingsworth to finish in third. Blum, Bloom, Challingsworth, and Brian Fabiano rounded out the top 5. Gordon and Blum won the heat races.
 
Devin Kaufman and Adam Bales headed the field of Andy Man's Car Care Four-Cylinders to flagman Bob Connor's green flag for their 15-lap feature race. Shawn Hadden got a hole-shot on the outside on the start and made a three-wide pass for the lead with Bales and Blake Joiner following behind. On lap 4, Joiner made the pass on Bales to move into second. The battle for the lead began to heat up between Hadden and Joiner as the race neared halfway. On lap 7, Joiner looked to the inside of Hadden for the lead just before a caution for a spin on the frontstretch set up the first restart. On the restart, Hadden jumped out to the lead over Joiner and Bales. At halfway, Joiner was able to make the pass on Hadden to take the top spot with Bales following behind them in third. The race stayed green until lap 11 when another caution flag came out, setting up one final restart. On the final restart, Joiner pulled out to the lead over Hadden and Bales. On lap 12, Cory Price made the pass on Bales to move into third behind the leaders. Joiner extended his lead over the field in the final few laps on his way to capturing his fifth checkered flag of 2021 at Hummingbird. Hadden, Price, Bales, and Kaufman rounded out the top 5. Hadden and Price won the heat races
 
The final race of the night featured the Close Racing Supply Economods for their 15-lap feature. Bob McMillen and Andy Buckley led the field to the start. Buckley got the lead on the start and led lap 1 over McMillen and Dennis Asel. On lap 2, Asel went up the track which allowed Nate Fleck to slip into third behind Buckley and McMillen. The first six laps of the race were completed before a caution for a spin in turns 3 and 4 set up the first restart. On the restart, Buckley jumped out to the lead over McMillen and Fleck. At the halfway mark on lap 8, Buckley continued to lead the way over the field. The race stayed green until a caution for a spin on lap 12 brought about another restart. On the restart, Fleck quickly moved his way into the second spot behind Buckley. Buckley and Fleck swapped the lead back and forth until the final caution flag of the race which involved Fleck and others. That caution sent the race into overtime with Buckley leading over McMillen and Aaron Benjamin. On the final restart, Buckley pulled out to the lead and never looked back as he held on to win in his first race at the Bird this season. McMillen, Benjamin, Gary Miller Jr., and Mike Anderson rounded out the top 5. Buckley and McMillen won the heat races.
 
Speedway Notes: 87 cars filled the pits for Grady's Decision Night. That breaks down to: 21 Super Late Models, 20 Pure Stocks, 7 Semi Late Models, 12 Pro Stocks, 13 Four-Cylinders, and 14 Economods. Next Saturday will feature Ina's Memorial Shootout for the Homak Penn Ohio Pro Stocks. The race will pay $3,500/win and it will offer 25 bonus points to drivers that are Penn Ohio Series members. The race is a part of the Pro Stock Extreme (PSX) schedule for the Penn Ohio Pro Stock Championship Series. There will be a B-Feature that will also be held if there are 35 or more cars. Also, there will be an increased purse for the Four-Cylinders. All of our other regular divisions will be in action as well. Gates open at 4:00 with racing beginning at 7:00. The Sub Hub Kids Club gets underway every Saturday night at 6 pm by the pit gate entrance. It is a great place to take your kids to do some fun kids club activities 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 and Twitter.
 
 
Results:
 
Carns Equipment Super Late Models
1st) #20 Doug Eck
2nd) #33K Kyle Knapp
3rd) #36 Paul Kot
4th) #27 Michael Lake
5th) #13X Kenny Schaffer
6th) #2T Rich Wicker
7th) #1C Alex Ferree
8th) #64 Scott Alvetro
9th) #00 Eric Moore
10th) #7S Steven Scaife
11th) #1B Dwayne Brooks
12th) #67 Cody Lucas
13th) #5J Jeremy Ohl
14th) #57S Levi Sikora
15th) #43X Mark Schweikart
16th) #18 Mike Wonderling
17th) #3-D Bill Davis
18th) #66N Orvis Newcome lll
19th) #5R Jerry Redden
20th) #34 Joey Malobicky Jr.
21st) #29L Johnny Lindenpitz
 
Sunny 106.5 FM Pure Stocks
1st) #34 Tim Steis
2nd) #54 Andrew Gordon
3rd) #88 Josh Fields
4th) #55X Andy Frey
5th) #42H Dennis Harrison Jr.
6th) #46 Dustin Challingsworth
7th) #14C Cody Cassler
8th) #6/2P Casey Wolfe
9th) #50 Ashley Kilhoffer
10th) #80R Cory Wolfe
11th) #97W Devin Dickey
12th) #33 Jenna Pfaff
13th) #24 Lester Hudson
14th) #31H Bob Holt
15th) #14 Jake Foradori
16th) #29 Kyle Lindemuth
17th) #13 Shawnee Sturgeon
18th) #37B Josh Bloom
19th) #10R Raven Fuller
20th) #113 Ben Ecelberger
 
Swanson Heavy Truck Repair Semi Late Models
1st) #5X Nick Erskine
2nd) #9N Nick Loffredo
3rd) #27C Eddie Connor
4th) #3xAA Doug Surra
5th) #18 Bob McMillen
6th) #17 Deegen Watt
7th) #9J Joe Loffredo
 
Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks
1st) #25 Andrew Gordon
2nd) #51J Jay Blum
3rd) #37A Jim Bloom
4th) #44 Jim Challingsworth
5th) #35 Brian Fabiano
6th) #24W Erik Wise
7th) #55 Brandon Connor
8th) #8 Rich Waltman Jr.
9th) #101 Bruce Hartzfeld
10th) #54J Jamie Colwell
11th) #104 Allen Lamb
12th) #43 Pernell Beimel
 
Andy Man's Car Care Four-Cylinders
1st) #569 Blake Joiner
2nd) #3H Shawn Hadden
3rd) #88 Cory Price
4th) #26B Adam Bales
5th) #25D Devin Kaufman
6th) #76K Carl Killinger
7th) #8K Christina Killinger
8th) #24K Kevin Killinger
9th) #62N Martin Neeper
10th) #65 Louis Young
11th) #43 Shane Wagner
12th) #35 Heidi Miller
13th) #69 Calvin Bowman
 
Close Racing Supply Economods
1st) #965 Andy Buckley
2nd) #50 Bob McMillen
3rd) #5 Aaron Benjamin
4th) #1M Gary Miller Jr.
5th) #76 Mike Anderson
6th) #L5 Lane Reinwald
7th) #0 Dennis Asel
8th) #71 Nate Fleck
9th) #22 Justin Lapcevich
10th) #21ll Judson Fell ll
11th) #C17 Brad Curran Jr.
12th) #122 Mark Bell
13th) #21T Orin Taylor
14th) #47S Gary Sullivan
 
PAGO PowderPuff Series - Race 3 of 4
1st) #25D Stephanie Mayes
2nd) #3H Tessa Spearing
3rd) #88 Penny Price
4th) #8K Tamara Canney
5th) #76K Erika Killinger