Tim Buckwalter Wins Meitzler Memorial At Action Track USA

Story By: BARRY ANGSTADT / ACTION TRACK USA – KUTZTOWN, PA – Three nights after a disappointing DNF in the season opener, Tim Buckwalter rebounded in a big way on Wednesday, winning the Goldie & Elton Meitzler Memorial presented by Hoosier Racing Tires for the USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs at Kutztown’s JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA.

Joining Buckwalter in Weaknecht Archery Victory Lane on Wednesday were Jim Radney (Hyper Racing Wingless 600 Sprints) and Marc Daniels (All Star Slingshots). Shillington’s Seth Spayd won the Slingshot feature that was postponed on Sunday and served as Wednesday evening’s first main event.

Polesitter Andy Haus and Tom Mayberry battled for the lead in the early stages of the 30-lap USAC All Pro SpeedSTR feature. Mayberry took command but caution periods allowed Haus, Tim and Steve Buckwalter, and Matt Janisch multiple opportunities to challenge the leader and they did just that, producing some entertaining two and three-wide racing for the top spots.

On a restart with 12 circuits complete, Pottstown’s Tim Buckwalter threaded the needle, darting between Mayberry and Haus on the homestretch to claim the lead. A couple tours later, Steve Buckwalter snared the runner-up position and a yellow flag with ten to go put the Buckwalter cousins side by side on the front row for the double file restart.

Driving Paul Lotier’s Bagel Rack No. 7, Tim Buckwalter maintained his grip on the top spot, with cousin Steve chasing him around the progressively banked oval. Janisch and Haus had plenty of company in their tussle for third, as Sunday winner Billy Pauch Jr. and Ohio’s Matt Westfall, along with Steve Drevicki and Jason Miller, made it a six-car battle royale for third through eighth positions.

Tim Buckwalter charged to the victory, zipping under the checkered flag by just more than a half-second over his cousin Steve. Janisch scored an impressive third place finish, with Pauch Jr. and Westfall rounding out the top five.

Kutztown’s Dan Schumaker set the early pace in the Hyper Racing Wingless 600 Sprint main with Doug Snyder hounding him during the first few revolutions of the 25-lap feature.

The inside groove appeared to be the quickest as the laps clicked off, as Jim Radney steered his Hyper X7 Chassis forward from sixth on the starting grid. Radney, from Lemoyne, PA, utilized the low lane to pass Schumaker for the top spot on lap nine, then took off, opening a comfortable lead by the halfway point.

Two-time track champion Jay Hartman took note of Radney’s success on the bottom, and he used the same route to move into second at the midway point of the race. A yellow flag with ten to go wiped out Radney’s huge lead, and now there was a third driver in the mix for the win as Eddie Strada entered the top three. Strada made the high line work to his advantage, blasting by Hartman for the runner-up position as the race headed into its final stage.

Unfortunately for the defending Action Track 600 Sprint point champion (Strada), his night ended with two to go when his No. 36D slowed and coasted to a halt in turn four, handing second place back to Jay Hartman.

The final two trips around the clay belonged to Radney, as he held off Hartman to capture his first Action Track USA victory. Hartman, Jesse Maurer (started 11th), James Morris (started 12th), and Schumaker wound up third, fourth, and fifth.

It was an emotional victory lane for Bethlehem’s Marc “the Iceman” Daniels, who became a cancer survivor late last summer and decided to go racing once again in 2017. In just his second event since winning his battle against the dreaded disease, Daniels drove to the All Star Slingshot triumph in Wednesday’s Meitzler Memorial nightcap.

“I didn’t think I’d ever be in victory lane again,” stated a choked-up Daniels. “We won our battle over cancer last year, and we won tonight; definitely my two biggest victories ever. Thanks to everyone who supported me over the past couple years and to the Hoch Motorsports family for helping to put me back in a racecar.”

Daniels, who started on the pole and led every one of the 20-laps, had to hold off his teammate, Dylan Hoch, at the end. Hoch snatched the runner-up slot from Alex Yankowski with three tours remaining, then closed in on Daniels as they headed for the checkered, but fell a car length short of passing his teammate.

Yankowski, Austin Stufflet, and Justin Mills completed the top five.

In the Slingshot feature that was postponed from Sunday to Wednesday, Seth Spayd notched his first ever Action Track USA victory.

Spayd started seventh and was up to second by the time lap three was scored. Racing off turn four on the fifth circuit, Spayd accelerated past Brett Bieber to grab the lead, with Dylan Hoch also getting by Bieber for the runner-up spot.

Spayd, whose great-grandfather Ernie McCoy had a section of the grandstand named in his memory on Sunday, then fended off several attacks from Hoch to claim the triumph, with Hoch settling for second place money. Kyle Smith passed Bieber for third, and Kyle Herve raced home in fifth.

Action Track Sidebites:

Summer-like temperatures made the Rita’s Italian Ice trailer very popular with the large crowd on hand for Wednesday’s Meitzler Memorial presented by Hoosier Racing Tires.

Another fantastic field of entries included 32 SpeedSTRs, 51 of the Wingless 600 Sprints, and 34 All Star Slingshots.

Mike Bednar and Tim Buckwalter were the two fastest SpeedSTRs in the timed dashes, and they transferred directly to the main event. Heat race winners included Andy Haus, Jay Hartman, and James Morris. Jason Miller won the B-Main.

Robbie Hocker captured the Hyper Racing Wingless 600 Mad Scramble, to qualify for the 25-lap main. Five heats were needed for the 600’s, with victories going to Damon Paul, Dan Schumaker, Bobby Butler, Jay Hartman, and Doug Snyder. Tommy Kunsman and Tyler Ulrich won C-Mains, while Kyle Lick registered the win in a star-studded B-Main.

Slingshot heat race winners were Lee Schantzenbach, Nick Vinciguerra, and Dylan Hoch. Scott Neary won the B-Main.

unday’s Slingshot heats went to Seth Spayd, Travis Bieber, Cole Stangle, and Dave Carraghan. Marc Daniels and Steve Svanda won the two B-Mains.

With the Hoosier Racing Tires Meitzler Memorial now in the books, attention turns to yet another BIG event on Wednesday, May 24, as the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA hosts a Night at the Races with Weaknecht Archery. Highlighting the three division card of high speed adventure is the annual King of No Wing Shootout, a 40-lap affair for the Hyper Racing Wingless 600 Sprints. If a driver takes the Gambler’s Challenge, he or she could go home with $1,000 for winning the King of No Wing Shootout. The USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs and All Star Slingshots are also on the May 24 menu, with warm-ups beginning at 6 p.m.

A Night at the Races with Weaknecht Archery and the King of No Wing Shootout will provide your midweek motorsports adrenaline rush at the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA…where the superstars come to race!

RESULTS from the Goldie & Elton Meitzler Memorial Race presented by Hoosier Tires:

USAC All-Pro SpeedSTRs (30 Laps) – 1. Tim Buckwalter 2. Steve Buckwalter 3. Matt Jansich 4. Billy Pauch Jr. 5. Matt Westfall 6. Steve Drevicki 7. Jason Miller 8. Briggs Danner 9. Tom Mayberry 10. Earl Paules 11. Louden Reimert 12. Steve Mooney 13. Ray Nemeth Jr. 14. Tim Iulg 15. TJ Mayberry 16. James Morris 17. Jeff Hartman 18. Jay Hartman 19. John Bockhorn 20. Joe Vacarro 21. Andy Haus 22. Doug Manmiller 23. Dylan Hoch 24. Kenny Brightbill 25. Brad Brightbill 26. Mike Bednar 27. Ed Kenderdine. DNS: Steve Nederostek

DNQ: Keith Prutzman, Tim Henry, Jason Rochelle, Mike Mahaney.

Hyper Racing Wingless 600 Sprints (25 Laps): 1. Jim Radney 2. Jay Hartman 3. Jesse Mauher 4. James Morris 5. Dan Schumaker 6. Brandon Azzalina 7. Robbie Hocker 8. Tim Buckwalter 9. Bobby Butler 10. Billy Pauch Jr. 11. Doug Snyder 12. Pat Bealer 13. Jason Swavely 14. Rob Pajauis 15. Colin White 16. Kyle Lick 17. Danny Buccafusca 18. Damon Paul 19. Matt Roselli 20. Zac Azzalina 21. Jimmy Glenn 22. Eddie Strada 23. Tyler Lindsey 24. Jacob Severn 25. Nick Skias. DNS: Alex Bright.

DNQ: Nate Brinker, Billy Koch, Kameron Morral, Kenny Miller III, Zack Bealer, Tommy Kunsman, Tyler Ulrich, Scott Slater, Mike Rutherford,Tim Bauer, Jackson Ring, Lou Cicconi, Nate Schumaker, Dan Leaper, Eric Ankiewicz, Jake Roberts, Austin Quick, Will Butler, Shelby Harper, Logan Snyder, Jared Lilly, Joe Plunkett, Andrew Layser, Sam Kravitsky, Chris Kurtz.

All Star Slingshots (20 Laps): 1. Mark Daniels 2. Dylan Hoch 3. Alex Yankowksi 4. Austin Stufflett 5. Justin Mills 6. Seth Spayd 7.Taylor Mills 8. Jared Silfee 9. Nick Vinciguerra 10. Scott Neary 11. Brett Bieber 12. Travis Bieber 13. Nick Del Campo 14. Cole Stangle 15. Matt Miller 16. Kyle Herve 17. Austin Daniels 18. Samantha Muller 19. Zac Kistler 20. Steve Svanda 21. Myron Moyer 22. Dave Carraghan 23. Tim Roeder 24. Ashley Rogosich 25. Blaire Schoenly 26. Lee Schantzenbach. DNS: Kyle Smith.

DNQ: Tanner Van Doren, Ryan Conrad, Ryan Davey, Dakota Kohler.

All Star Slingshots Make-Up Feature (20 Laps): 1. Seth Spayd 2. Dylan Hoch 3. Kyle Smith 4. Brett Bieber 5. Kyle Herve 6. Justin Mills 7.Taylor Mills 8. Nick Del Campo 9. Travis Bieber 10. Alex Yankowski 11. Cole Stangle 12. Dave Carraghan 13. Austin Daniels 14. Matt Miller 15. Austin Stufflett 16. Samantha Muller 17. Chris Kurtz 18. Lee Schantzenbach 19. Henry Anderson 20. Blair Schoenly 21. Steve Svanda 22. Mark Daniels 23. Dale Kober 24. Tanner VanDohren 25. Dakota Kohler. DNS: Alan Selemba, Matt Dealaman, Tanner Jones, Matthew Miller.

DNQ: Zac Kistler, Mike Taylor, Gavin Danner, Tim Roeder, Ryan Conrad, Dillon Emmons, Ashley Therine, Corey Fritz, Myron Moyer, Brianna James, Ryan Davey, Tyler Ulsh, Joey Vaccaro.

Wingless 600 Sprint Mad Scramble, 10 laps: 1.Robbie Hocker ($25 Hosensack Poker Club & transfer to feature), 2.Jimmy Glenn (Hoosier RR Tire), 3.Matt Roselli (10 gal. Roadrunner Race Fuel/VP Fuels), 4.Will Butler (RTS Gift Certificate), 5.Doug Snyder (FK Rod Ends), 6.Dan Schumaker (TSL Shocks Gift Certificate), 7.Danny Buccafusca (Saldana Racing Products Gift Certificate), 8.Nate Brinker (Action Track USA Free Registration), 9.Zac Azzalina (Action Track USA Free Registration), 10.Scott Slater (Pyrotect Racing Cells Gift Certificate).