ARDC Port Royal results 97-08-09

For more information: Linda Mansfield, lindamansfield@CompuServe.com

Stimely Pads ARDC CARQUEST Midget Point Lead With Port Royal Victory

PORT ROYAL, Pa., Aug. 9 - Ed Stimely Jr. padded his point lead in the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) CARQUEST Midget Series by posting his second victory of the season Saturday night as ARDC returned to Port Royal Speedway after a three-year absence.

Stimely won the season opener at Silver Spring (Pa.) Speedway and although he has finished well repeatedly, he hasn't won since April. That made this victory extremely satisfying to the McVeytown, Pa., driver, and he dedicated the triumph to his father, Ed Stimely Sr., who is recovering from recent open-heart surgery. He also thanked the fans for supporting the return of midget racing to Port Royal.

Stimely's crew chief, Bob Baker, said the key to the team's victory was "all the people at Gaerte Motors and Greg Creek, who built our chassis. They gave us a great combination."

Stimely started 14th in the Creek Gaerte owned by Sciota, Pa.'s Harold and Ruthanne Yetter, which is sponsored by Robert Sowden Primevest, Cabinet Connection, Pennzoil and the Main Street Bar. The 1996 winner of the Dutch Schaefer/Jiggs Peters Rookie of the Year Award took the lead from Birdsboro, Pa.'s Bryan Kobylarz on lap 15 and then dashed under the checkered five laps later ahead of Mark Freeland of Ickesburg, Pa., in Roger McKeehan's Exportise Stealth Scat V4.

Walt Stearly of Trappe, Pa., started 24th after fuel feed problems in his heat, but he wowed the crowd in the feature by running the outside groove in spectacular fashion to finish third in his Stearly Motor Freight Hawk Pontiac. Gary Mondschein of Stewartsville, N.J., recorded his best finish of the year with a fourth. Fred Schell of Phoenixville, Pa., rounded out the top five, which was also his best finish.

Fremont Dickerman of Higganum, Conn.; defending champion Phil DiMario of Piermont, N.Y.; Don Trent II of Honeybrook, Pa.; Kobylarz and Lew Blair of Hatboro, Pa., rounded out the top 10.

Randy Mausteller of Bloomsburg, Pa., led the first circuit around the half-mile clay oval before Kobylarz took command on lap two. Kobylarz and Stimely dueled for the lead throughout the race, swapping the point back and fourth before Stimely got it with 14 laps down between turns one and two.

Randy Mausteller and his son Duane suffered mechanical problems at different spots on the track with two laps to go, bringing out a caution. Randy had a problem with his camshaft, while Duane's fuel line broke.

As the field came down for the restart the order was Stimely, Kobylarz, Doug Borger of Kunkletown, Pa., and Freeland. Kobylarz's car had been sputtering for about seven laps, and just as the green flew his car ran out of fuel. Doug Borger hit Kobylarz in the skirmish but kept going, which allowed Freeland to pass him for second. Borger dropped out on the last lap when the coupler broke on his drivetrain, and Stimely was home free with the victory with a surprised Freeland in second.

Young Michael Roselli Jr. of Brodheadsville, Pa., started 15th and was as high as fifth at the half-way point when something broke on his car's left rear wheel under yellow. The wheel went bouncing over a fence and Roselli's night was over.

The 8-lap heats were won by Stimely, Duane Mausteller and Borger. Shannon Mausteller escaped injury in a flip during the first heat which forced that event to be checkered on lap three.

The ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series now travels to Hamburg, N.Y., for one of its biggest shows of the year when it is a featured attraction during the Erie County Fair on Saturday night, Aug. 16. Programs at Lincoln (Pa.) Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 13 are also on the docket.

The special non-point "First Feature," open only to drivers who have never won an ARDC main event, is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 31 at Flemington (N.J.) Speedway.

The summary:

First Heat (8 laps, but checkered on lap 3 due to flip by Shannon Mausteller) - 1. Ed Stimely Jr., 2. Gary Mondschein, 3. Fred Schell, 4. Ray Bull, 5. Phil DiMario, 6. T.J. Halligan, 7. Shannon Mausteller, 8. Brian Suchy, 9. Donnie Trent II.

Second Heat (8 laps) - 1. Duane Mausteller, 2. Bryan Kobylarz, 3. Fremont Dickerman, 4. Lew Blair, 5. Tom Martocci, 6. Mark Wakefoose, 7. Dave Suchy, 8. Walt Stearly.

Third Heat (8 laps) - 1. Doug Borger, 2. Mark Freeland, 3. Michael Roselli Jr., 4. Randy Mausteller, 5. Gary Halteman, 6. Mike Lapp, 7. Scott Jackson, 8. Dennis Schaeffer, 9. Tim Dietz.

Feature (20 laps) - 1. Ed Stimely Jr., 2. Mark Freeland, 3. Walt Stearly, 4. Gary Mondschein, 5. Fred Schell, 6. Fremont Dickerman, 7. Phil DiMario, 8. Don Trent II, 9. Bryan Kobylarz, 10. Lew Blair, 11. Doug Borger, 12. Duane Mausteller, 13. Randy Mausteller, 14. Gary Halteman, 15. Brian Suchy, 16. Mark Wakefoose, 17. Michael Roselli Jr., 18. Tom Martocci, 19. Tim Dietz, 20. Scott Jackson, 21. T.J. Halligan, 22. Ray Bull, 23. Dave Suchy, 24. Mike Lapp, 25. Dennis Schaeffer, 26. Shannon Mausteller (DNS).

Feature Lap Leaders - Lap 1, Randy Mausteller; lap 2-14, Bryan Kobylarz; laps 15-20, Ed Stimely Jr.