Myers Wins First Full-Sized Sprint Car Race At The Bird
For Immediate Release
Saturday, August 5th, 2023
By: Steven Curry - Race Reporter
Reynoldsville- After last week's rainout, racing returned to Hummingbird Speedway Saturday night with the running of Ina's Memorial Shootout. The race is run every year to honor and remember the life of track co-founder and Louie's wife, Ina Caltagarone, who passed away back in 2011. A season-high 105 cars packed the pits for this special evening of racing. This year's running of the race was even more special than normal as the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Cars made their Inaugural visit to the Bird to mark the first-ever full-sized Sprint Car race at the track. The #43JR of 19-year-old Blaze Myers led all but three laps in a 21-lap feature (race went into overtime) on his way to putting his name in the Hummingbird Speedway history books as being the first full-sized Sprint Car winner. Co-headlining the night was a 25-lap, $1,500/win Ina's Memorial Shootout for the Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks. After a fierce 10 lap or so battle with regional racing icon Benny Gordon in the #66, the #55 of Brandon Connor took the lead on lap 11 and led the rest of the way to take the checkers and collect the $1,500 payday. Other feature winners on the night included the #3xAA of Doug Surra in the Dan Joiner Heating & A/C Semi Late Models, #36 of Paul Kot in the Srock Contracting Super Late Models, #50 of Bob McMillen in the Andy Man's Car Care Economods, #46 of Dustin Challingsworth in the Brian Savino Motorsports Pure Stocks, and #14 of Luke Hoffner in the Brooks Services Four-Cylinders. The win for Hoffner was his 200th career feature win. He also notched his 100th feature win at the Bird as well. The Semi Late Model make-up feature from 7/15 was run at the end of the night with the #5X of Nick Erskine picking up the win.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Cars took to the track first for the first full-sized Sprint Car race at the Bird. Brian Hartzell and Blaze Myers led the field of 18 to the green flag for their 20-lap feature. Hartzell edged out to the lead on the start, but was quickly overtaken by Myers down the backstretch to lead lap 1 over Hartzell and Chad Ruhlman. On lap 3, Chad Ruhlman made the pass on Hartzell for the second position. Then, on lap 4, Gale Ruth Jr. made his way past Hartzell for third. A caution for a stopped car in the infield of turns 1 and 2 set up the first restart of the race. On the restart, Myers was challenged for the top spot by Chad Ruhlman. On lap 5, Chad Ruhlman completed the pass for the lead. A few laps later, on lap 8, Myers was able to retake the top spot from Chad Ruhlman with Ruth Jr. following behind in third. At the halfway point on lap 10, it was Myers continuing to lead the way over Chad Ruhlman and Ruth Jr.. The race stayed green all the way until the last lap when the caution flag was displayed for a spin coming off of turn 4. The caution sent the race into a green-white-checkered finish which pushed the race to 21 laps instead of the scheduled 20. Chad Ruhlman gave Myers all he could handle on that final restart, but it was to avail as Myers fended off the challenge and became the first full-size Sprint Car race winner at Hummingbird Speedway in the Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series Event. Chad Ruhlman, Ruth Jr., Brian Cressley, and Jeff Metsger rounded out the top 5. Hartzell, Myers, and Chad Ruhlman won the heat races.
Next to the track was the 25-lap, $1,500/win Ina's Memorial Shootout feature for the Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks. Brandon Connor and Fuzzy Fields made up the front row. Connor jumped out to the lead quickly on the start, but a wreck in turns 1 and 2 involving Fields and others brought about what was ultimately the only caution of the race. The race had to be red-flagged for a time because Fields was in considerable neck pain following some of the hits he took in the wreck. Fields was transported to the hospital where it was determined that he has some torn ligaments in his neck. Fields was released from the hospital early Sunday and is at home recovering. The wreck moved Benny Gordon to the outside of the front row for the restart. Connor got the advantage on the restart, but quickly felt the pressure from Benny Gordon on the highside. Connor led the first lap by about half of a car length over Benny Gordon with Josh Seippel following behind them in third. Benny Gordon was able to use the momentum on the high line to edge ahead of Connor for the lead on lap 2. The two continued to battle side-by-side with Benny Gordon edging ahead of Connor to lead the next several laps. On lap 11, Connor was able to complete the pass and regain the top spot. At the halfway mark on lap 13, it was Connor out front over Benny Gordon and Seippel. Connor began to extend his lead over the field as the laps continued to click off. On lap 18, Seippel made the pass on Benny Gordon to move into the runner-up position. Then, on lap 20, Tim Bish worked his way past Benny Gordon to move into third behind the leaders. Connor went unchallenged the rest of the way enroute to capturing his first career Ina's Memorial Shootout checkered flag and earning the $1,500 payday. Seippel, Bish, Tyler Dietz, and Andrew Gordon completed the top 5. Connor, Fields, and Bish won the heat races.
Doug Surra and Nick Loffredo headed a field of 14 Dan Joiner Heating & A/C Semi Late Models for their 20-lap feature. Nick Loffredo jumped out to the early lead on the start and led the opening lap over Surra and Nick Erskine. The first five laps of the race were completed before a caution for a wreck in turns 3 and 4 set up the first restart of the race. On the restart, it was Nick Loffredo still leading the way over Surra and Erskine. At halfway on lap 10, Nick Loffredo still paced the field with Surra and Erskine following behind. Surra began to close in and put the pressure on Nick Loffredo on the inside line for the lead over the next handful of laps. Surra got enough of a run on the inside on lap 15 to get a nose ahead of Nick Loffredo to grab the top spot just before a caution for Erskine spinning out of third place on the frontstretch. The caution moved Kyle Shannon into third for what was ultimately the final restart of the race. Surra pulled out to the lead on the final restart and never looked back in the final 5 laps on his way to collecting his second win of 2023 by 2.5 seconds over Nick Loffredo. Shannon, Joe Loffredo, and Dan Smeal rounded out the top 5. Erskine and Nick Loffredo won the heat races.
The Srock Contracting Super Late Models were trackside next with division points leader Paul Kot and Doug Eck leading the field to green for their 25-lap feature event. Kot got out to the lead on the initial start and led lap 1 over Eck and Dwayne Brooks. The following lap, Kot and Eck got together in turns 3 and 4, bringing out the first caution flag of the race. Eck was charged with the caution which moved Brooks into second and Bill Davis to third for the restart. Three caution flags followed with just one additional lap getting completed. The last of those cautions was a wreck on a restart that involved Brooks, Davis, and others. Davis was charged with rough driving for causing the wreck and he was DQed from the event. With all of that, Kot still led the way at the lap 2 restart with Brooks back in second and now Rich Runyan Jr. in third. Kot jumped out to the lead on the restart with Brooks and Runyan Jr. in second and third respectively. As the race neared halfway, it was Kot with a comfortable lead over Brooks and Runyan Jr.. At the cross flags on lap 13, it was still Kot out front over Brooks and Runyan Jr.. A couple of laps later, on lap 15, Derek Rodkey made the pass on Runyan Jr. to move into the third position behind Kot and Brooks. The final caution flag of the race came out on lap 17 for a spin in turns 1 and 2. On the final restart, it was Kot at the point over Brooks and Rodkey. Kot checked out on the field as Rodkey challenged Brooks for the second position with just a handful of laps remaining. Rodkey was finally able to complete the pass for second as the field came to get the white flag. No one had anything for Kot though as he went on to notch his division-leading fourth win of the season by more than 4 seconds over the rest of the field. Rodkey, Brooks, Runyan Jr., and Eck completed the top 5. Brooks and Eck won the heat races.
Points leader Bob McMillen and Orin Taylor led the Andy Man's Car Care Economods to the track for their 15-lap feature race. McMillen got the lead on the start and led the opening lap over Taylor and Nate Fleck. McMillen maintained a decent-sized lead over Taylor, Fleck, and the rest of the field as the race neared halfway. At the halfway point on lap 8, it continued to be McMillen leading the way over Taylor and Fleck. On lap 12, Ed Vogel was able to make the pass on Fleck for third as Fleck's car billowed smoke, forcing him to retire from the race. Taylor gave it all he had trying to close in on McMillen and challenge him for the lead, but it was to no avail as McMillen held on for his second trip to Carns Powersports Victory Lane this season in a caution-free feature. Taylor, Vogel, Blake Joiner, Fleck, and Johnny Lindenpitz rounded out the field. Taylor won the lone heat race.
The Brian Savino Motorsports Pure Stocks were next to do battle on the 1/3-mile bullring for their 15-lap race. 15-year-old Tyler Rougeux and Tim Steis led the field to the green flag. Steis jumped out to the lead on the start and led lap 1 over Rougeux and Mike Anderson. Following a lap 1 caution for a wreck in turns 1 and 2, Anderson was able to pass Rougeux for second on the restart as the 2nd lap was completed. A few more quick caution flags came out, with only one additional lap getting completed. On the restart following the cautions, it was Steis leading the way over Anderson and Rougeux. On lap 4, Dustin Challingsworth made the pass on Rougeux for third. Another lap was completed before the caution flag was displayed again for a spin involving Anderson. That moved Challingsworth and Rougeux into second and third for the restart behind Steis. Another caution or two came out with just one more lap getting completed. Because of all the caution flags, the race was shortened to 12 laps instead of 15. Steis continued to lead the way over Challingsworth and Rougeux through some more caution flags. Challingsworth looked to the inside of Steis on lap 11 and made the pass to take the race lead with just one lap remaining. The caution flag was displayed one final time on the final lap for a spin in turn 4. On the final restart, Challingsworth pulled out to the lead and never looked back on his way to his third straight victory. Steis, Rougeux, Andy Frey, and Jenna Pfaff completed the top 5. Challingsworth, Anderson, and Steis won the heat races.
Newcomers James Bilger and Hunter Flook led a full-field of Brooks Services Four-Cylinders to the green flag for their 15-lap feature event. A quick lap one caution flag kept the field close. On the restart, Bilger got out to the lead briefly over Flook, but was quickly overtaken by Flook as he led lap 1 over Bilger and Devon Trayer. Another lap was completed before the caution flag was displayed for a wreck in turns 3 and 4. On the ensuing restart, Flook led the way as Trayer and Bradley Brown quickly made their way past Bilger, who did not get a very good restart. Flook continued to lead the way over Trayer and Brown as the race neared its midway point. At halfway on lap 8, Flook paced the field with Trayer and Brown in second and third respectively. The race stayed green for another lap or so when the caution flag was displayed one final time for an issue with Trayer's car. Trayer was forced to retire from the race from the second position. That moved Brown to second and Bilger to third for the final restart. On the final restart, Flook pulled out to the lead as Luke Hoffner worked his way from 4th to 2nd, passing Bilger and Brown. Hoffner began to slowly but surely close in on Flook for the lead as the race neared its final laps. Hoffner pulled to the inside of Flook on the final lap and the two raced side-by-side down the backstretch and through turns 3 and 4. Hoffner edged ahead of Flook coming off of turn 4 and narrowly beat Flook to the line to capture his 200th career feature win at the same track in which he also won his 100th career feature. The margin of victory was a mere 0.029 seconds. Flook, Brown, Bilger, and Isaac Irvin rounded out the top 5. Trayer, Coty Maines, Isaac Irvin, and Adam Pluebell won the heat races.
The 20-lap 7/15 makeup feature for the Dan Joiner Heating & A/C Semi Late Models concluded the evening with Joe Loffredo and Joe Becker leading the field to green. Joe Loffredo jumped out to the lead on the start and led the opening lap. Nick Erskine and Nick Loffredo both made their way past Becker to move into second and third. On lap 4, the regular feature winner from earlier in the night, Doug Surra made the pass to the inside of Nick Loffredo to move into third behind Joe Loffredo and Erskine. One lap later, on lap 5, Erskine worked his way to the inside of Joe Loffredo and completed the pass to take the top spot. A few laps later, on lap 8, Surra worked his way past Joe Loffredo for second. At the cross-flags on lap 10, it was Erskine continuing to lead the way over Surra and Joe Loffredo. With just a couple laps remaining on lap 18, Nick Loffredo completed the pass on his son Joe for the third position behind Erskine and Surra. The lone caution flag of the race came out on the final lap for a spin in turn 4. The caution pushed the race into overtime, now scheduled to go 21 laps instead of 20. Erskine led the way on the restart over Surra and Nick Loffredo. Erskine grew his lead to just over one second through the final couple of laps on his way to capturing his 4th checkered flag of the season at the Bird. Surra, Nick Loffredo, Kyle Shannon, and Joe Loffredo completed the top 5. Erskine and Becker won the heat races back on 7/15.
Speedway Notes: 105 cars packed the pit area for Ina's Memorial Shootout. That breaks down to: 18 RUSH Sprint Cars, 15 Pro Stocks, 14 Semi Late Models, 12 Super Late Models, 6 Economods, 17 Pure Stocks, and 23 Four-Cylinders. We will be back in action this coming Saturday, August 12th, with a visit by the BRP Modified Tour. Nicknamed "The Ground Pounders", the stars of the BRP Modified Tour will converge on the 1/3-mile bullring this coming Saturday night for the next stop on their 2023 tour. We are expecting teams from as far away as Ontario, Canada to join us this weekend for this event. All of our regular divisions will be in action with the exception of the Economods. The 7/15 make-up features for the Pro Stocks and Four-Cylinders will be made up at the end of the night. Looking ahead on our schedule, August 19th will feature a 5-Division Program plus the PA Thunder on the Dirt Vintage Modifieds and Kid's Bike Races. Then, on August 26th, it will be Season Championship Night with double points being awarded in all divisions. The Aquaholics PowderPuff Series will be on-hand for the final time that night as well. Gates open on all of those nights 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:
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Cars
1st) #43JR Blaze Myers
2nd) #68 Chad Ruhlman
3rd) #24 Gale Ruth Jr.
4th) #41 Brian Cressley
5th) #20 Jeff Metsger
6th) #69 Brian Hartzell
7th) #5B Joe Buccola
8th) #5BX Rick Regalski
9th) #68K Kevin Ruhlman
10th) #1T Ricky Tucker Jr.
11th) #43SR Billy Myers
12th) #69X A.J. MacQuarrie
13th) #122 Mark Bell
14th) #23 Charlie Utsinger
15th) #29 Brandon Shughart
16th) #17 Trent Marshall
17th) #54 Devon Deeter
18th) #91 Adam Siegel
Cypress Clock & Gift Shop Pro Stocks
1st) #55 Brandon Connor
2nd) #84S Josh Seippel
3rd) #11B Tim Bish
4th) #00 Tyler Dietz
5th) #25 Andrew Gordon
6th) #66 Benny Gordon
7th) #44 Jim Challingsworth
8th) #27 Amber Brady
9th) #152 Kyle Corah
10th) #47 Shawnee Sturgeon
11th) #43 Pernell Beimel
12th) #28 Fuzzy Fields
13th) #37A Jim Bloom
14th) #101 Bruce Hartzfeld
15th) #88 Josh Fields
Dan Joiner Heating & A/C Semi Late Models
1st) #3xAA Doug Surra
2nd) #9N Nick Loffredo
3rd) #11 Kyle Shannon
4th) #9J Joe Loffredo
5th) #44 Dan Smeal
6th) #69 Gary Little
7th) #47 Adam Nixon
8th) #5X Nick Erskine
9th) #8 Matt Howell
10th) #2 Cregen Brady
11th) #16 Dan Stormer
12th) #39B Joe Becker
13th) #38S Justin Owens
14th) #17 Deegen Watt
Srock Contracting Super Late Models
1st) #36 Paul Kot
2nd) #14R Derek Rodkey
3rd) #1B Dwayne Brooks
4th) #18 Rich Runyan Jr.
5th) #20 Doug Eck
6th) #14 Clay Ruffo
7th) #43X Garrett Mott
8th) #77 Nathan Brady
9th) #15 Luke Hoffner
10th) #75 Dennis Curry
11th) #08 Bob Armagost
12th) #33 Bill Davis
Andy Man's Car Care Economods
1st) #50 Bob McMillen
2nd) #21T Orin Taylor
3rd) #83E Ed Vogel
4th) #569 Blake Joiner
5th) #71 Nate Fleck
6th) #29L Johnny Lindenpitz
Brian Savino Motorsports Pure Stocks
1st) #46 Dustin Challingsworth
2nd) #34 Tim Steis
3rd) #96R Tyler Rougeux
4th) #55X Andy Frey
5th) #33 Jenna Pfaff
6th) #50 Joe Malobicky
7th) #56K Renae Meyer
8th) #54 Wayne Truitt
9th) #37B Noah Bloom
10th) #01D Dominic Marchiori
11th) #77G Eddie Gardner
12th) #97W Cody Wolfe
13th) #76 Mike Anderson
14th) #18 Devin Dickey
15th) #54S Mitch Stiles
16th) #14 Jake Foradori
17th) #14C Cody Cassler
Brooks Services Four-Cylinders
1st) #14 Luke Hoffner
2nd) #8 Hunter Flook
3rd) #11B Bradley Brown
4th) #30 James Bilger
5th) #14I Isaac Irvin
6th) #98E Ernie Irvin
7th) #18J Isaac Exley
8th) #03C Coty Maines
9th) #6 Adam Pluebell
10th) #44B Bruce Long
11th) #73 Matt Weaver
12th) #19G Garrett Lucas
13th) #65 Louis Young
14th) #29L Josh Lindemuth
15th) #21B Nevaeh Helsel
16th) #22A Lance Spencer
17th) #79 Devon Trayer
18th) #21J Jay Blum
19th) #00P Jake Pennington
20th) #919 Zack Hetrick
21st) #4T1 Allen Robison
22nd) #8F Sam Fye
23rd) #65Y Michael Young
Dan Joiner Heating & A/C Semi Late Models (7/15 Make-Up Feature)
1st) #5X Nick Erskine
2nd) #3xAA Doug Surra
3rd) #9N Nick Loffredo
4th) #11 Kyle Shannon
5th) #9J Joe Loffredo
6th) #47 Adam Nixon
7th) #8 Matt Howell
8th) #39B Joe Becker
9th) #21M Zach Myers