Path Valley Speedway report 2001-09-28

Spring Run, PA_ Harry Garber of Barto won his tenth Path Valley Speedway Park Legends Cars feature and unofficially the national INEX Legends Cars championship Friday night, and rookie Mike Beidel of Fayetteville won his first feature ever after finishing the 2001 season second in points.

Garber, unofficially the national points champion in the Master’s class of Legends racing, said he is retiring after next Saturday’s Legends Day and Flea Market at Path Valley. Beidel started on the pole and led all the way with as John Fraker and Terry Smith swapped back and forth for second place.

Dave Socks of Hagerstown made his first visit of the season for the final Friday night race and won in the 270cc Sprints. Socks was the 1993 champion.

Gary Dehart Jr. of Mercersburg won his second feature of the season in the mini stocks and Tim Fedder of Newburg won his seventh of the season in the V-8 Street Stocks. The guest class wins went to Dave Wilson of Laurel MD in the Cyclones and Mike Hay of Somerset in the Dwarf cars. Both said they have more than 10 wins this season and Wilson had won 13 straight at one point.

While Friday night racing is finished this season at Path Valley, next Saturday’s Legends Day will follow the same format as last year with practice rides by pre-arrangement and displays and exhibitions by the Legends drivers. The flea market costs $5 for vendors with unlimited space available. No food sales are permitted and the pit gates open for vendors at 7 a.m. Race cars and racing parts and equipment are a highlight of the Second Annual Path Valley Flea Market.

Admission to the flea market is free, but a pit pass is required to enter the Legends pits because of insurance restrictions. Path Valley’s general track sponsors will be exhibiting and selling their wares. The flea market and pits close at 4 p.m.

The following Saturday, Oct. 13, Path Valley hosts the bikers of the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) with motorcycle and quad racing in up to 19 divisions for riders from age four to forty-plus. Grandstand admission is free and AMA membership applications will be available for those interested in flat track motorcycle racing.

Racing for the 2001 season concludes Oct. 20 with the season’s final Junk Car Race and rules for this growing trend toward minimum budget racing are available at the track and on the website at www.pathvalley.com. That growing fun class races junk cars in four-cylinder, six cylinder and V-8 categories.

The Second Annual Path Valley Speedway Park Combined Awards Banquet will be Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Pleasant Hall Fire Co. with doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 and limited to 400 and available from the track on a first-come first-sold basis.“ Dodies” will cater the meal and the entertainment will include DJ Phantom Shadow and awards to the top drivers in every class.

The Path Valley Speedway Park is located in Spring Run PA a mile north on PA Route 641 from the intersection with PA Route 75, halfway between Port Royal and Hagerstown. It is five miles east from the Willow Hill Exit 14 of the PA Turnpike off Route 75.

FINISH ORDER–

Legends Cars of Central PA– Harry Garber, Brian Levan, Ray Swank, Donnie Potts, Kip Erb, Bob Murray, Denny Rothermal, Randy Fetterolf, Darryl Bloom, Nathan Fisher, Clint Penkauskas, Greg Burd, Bill Harris, Allen Felix, Paul Fisher, Jason Ewing, Jim Black, Butch Brough. Heats– Brian Levan, Harry Garber.

270cc Sprints– Dave Socks, Dave Shirk, Rodney Glass, Jim Callahan Jr., Dusty Shatzer, Butch Harrington, Danny Crum, Randy Baughman, Randy Pitt, Rick Miller, Bill Laughman, Joe Trone, Glenn Kendall. Heats– Callahan, Harrington.

Four-cylinder thunder car– Mike Beidel, John Fraker, Terry Smith, Adam Miler, Melvin Bigler, Keith Armolt, Jeremy Ott, Marteena Starr, Brenda McCartney, Michael Harlow, Bill Erwin, Steve McCartney, Derrick Casner, Dave Ricker, John Rasp III. Heats– Fraker, Ricker.

Mini Stock– Gary Dehart Jr., Ed Kirby, Mark Whitsel, Jerry Bard, Randy Wible, Rick Bookwalter, Kyle Wiser. Heat– Kirby.

V-8 Street Stock– Tim Fedder, Terry Deshong, James Andrews Jr., Jeff Johnson, Bill Beck, Doug Hoffman. Heat– Hoffman.

Dwarfs– Michael Hay, Josh Sigmon, Lynn Knepper, Eric Hay, Ron Nestor, Frankie Dunkle, Ed Benedict, Greg Johnson, Brian Peach, Wes Funck, Gary Funck, Ron Zimmerman, James Marshall, Donnie Farlling, Frank Dunkle. Heats– Knepper, Sigman.

Cyclones– James Wilson, Dusty Foust, Kyle Martel, Sharkey Morgan, Todd Rahley, Brandon Little, DQ Tyler Armstrong. Heat– Armstrong.

-PVS-