Three New Winners Claim Aces In Spirit Poker Series Competition

Story By: KOLBY RAMEY / SPIRIT AUTO CENTER SPEEDWAY – SWEDESBORO, NJ – It was the second hand of the 2017 Poker Series for the 600 and 270 Micro Sprints and the third hand for the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track Poker Series for the Slingshots and all three divisions were won by drivers making their first trip to Spirit Auto Center Speedway’s Victory Lane.

In just his second season as a regular in quarter mile competition, Travis Hill earned his first win of the 2017 season with a flag to flag win in the twenty-five lap 600 Micro Sprint feature. After a poor draw for his heat race, Hill raced into a redraw position and then drew the pole for the main event.

It all went Hill’s way as he pulled away from the field where second through fifth were being hotly contested, lap after lap among Bobby Bracall, Matt Smith, Tim Buckwalter and Mike Rutherford. Hill had to navigate his way through lapped traffic but his nearest challenger was well behind the leader. After sixteen green flag laps, the yellow flag waved with five laps to go when Jay Hartman came to a stop in turn three. Hill’s lead was erased and Smith, Bracall, Buckwalter and Rutherford were right behind his No. 98H.

“I just kept running same line,” Hill explained. Hill had the assistance of his brother, Jesse who coached from the pits. “My brother signaled me that Matt (Smith) was right there.” Smith was working the bottom of the track and made a race out of it for the final laps.

Hill drove to the checkered for the win and an Ace for the Poker Series followed by Smith, Buckwalter who won the first hand, Rutherford and Tommy Kunsman who broke into the top five in the closing laps when Bracall’s strong effort came to an end with mechanical problems.

Making just his third start at the Spirit Auto Center Speedway, Nick Skias took home the win in the 270 Micro Sprint feature.

Skias won in convincing style driving a second Widdoss entry as a team mate to Jacob Hendershot. Hendershot was the early race leader, taking over on lap two from Glenn Macomber. A mid-race tangle with a lapped car ended Hendershot’s bid for the win as the two cars got upside down between turns one and two, drawing a red flag. Neither driver was injured but it was now up to Skias to bring home the win for the Widdoss team.

Skias dominated the remaining laps, building up quite a lead over second place finisher, Tyler Reinhardt. Alex Swift recovered from an early race incident to charge back to a third place finish. Ken Miller finished fourth with Macomber rounding out the top five.

Fourteen year old Jared Silfee picked up the Ace in the Action Track Slingshot feature, after retaking the lead from Dylan Hoch on lap thirteen. It was Silfee’s second start at the Spirit Auto Center Speedway. “This was the hardest race I’ve ever run,” the young driver stated. Brett Bieber, the winner of the two previous Poker Series events, nipped Hoch at the line to take second. Travis Bieber finished fourth with Joe Toth making some late race moves for a top five finish on his sixteenth birthday.

Brian Carber continued his winning ways as he captured the Xcel 600 Modified feature event over Nate Brinker. Richie Hitzler finished third with Dylan McCrone and Jon Josko rounding out the top ten.

SUMMARY

600CC MICRO SPRINT FEATUE (25 laps): 1. Travis Hill, 2. Matt Smith, 3. Tim Buckwalter, 4. Mike Rutherford, 5. Tommy Kunsman, 6. Bobby Butler, 7. Kyle Spence, 8. Jon Keller, 9. Jermain Godshall, 10. Jimmy Glenn, 11. Nick Havens, 12. Austin Quick, 13. Justin Murphy, 14. Jesse James Bartleson, 15. Brandon Pavel, 16. Jim Tippin, 17. Bill Calvert, 18. Steve Bracall, 19. Shawn Rooney, 20. Jay Hartman, 21. Jim Radney, 22. Nate Brinker, 23. Josh Conover, 24. Gary Bozowski, 25. Jason Swavely, 26. Wayne Scott, DNS – P.J. Williams, Chris Fenimore, Kyle Melvin, Brett Altemose, Joe Plunkett, Mike Linderman, Adam Giovanetti, Joe Bednarek, Rebecca LaMothe

270CC MICRO SPRINT FEATURE (25 laps): 1. Nick Skias, 2. Tyler Reinhardt, 3. Alex Swift, 4. Ken Miller, 5. Glenn Macomber, 6. Kyle Weiss, 7. Toby Blumenshine, 8. Robbie Watson, 9. John Wagner, Jr., 10. Colin Bustard, 11. Dan Lane, 12. Jonathan John, 13. Zach Hollinger, 14. Sean Huesser, 15. John Blanda, 16. Matt Hoffman, 17. Jason Swavely, 18. Jacob Hendershot, 19. Brandon Shipley, 20. Alex Funari, 21. Bradley Brown, 22. Steve Coslop, DNS – Ryan Heim, Ryan Wozunk

JEFFREY HOGUE REALTOR/ACTION TRACK USA/SPEEDWAY ALL-STAR BAGEL STOP SLINGSHOTS (20 laps): 1. Jared Silfee, 2. Brett Bieber, 3. Dylan Hoch, 4. Travis Bieber, 5. Joe Toth, 6. Rich Partite, 7. Kurt Bettler, 8. Dave Morrell, 9. David Bell, 10. Steve Schnecker, 11. Ashley Therien, 12. Lou Partite.

XCEL 600 MODIFIEDS (20 laps): 1. Brian Carber, 2. Nate Brinker, 3. Rich Hitzler, 4. Dylan McCrone, 5. Jon Josko, 6. Aaron Bowes, 7. D.J. Hunt, 8. Cody Manmiller, 9. Josh Pepe, 10. Travis Fichter, 11. Jon Pepe, 12. Bryce Higgs, 13. Jon Keller, 14. Kevin VanValkenburg, 15. Brian Blankenbiller, 16. Luke Harrar, 17. Shawna Schibilia, 18. Jason Dunkleberger, 19. Kory Inglin, 20. Travi Rigante, 21. Corey Anderson, 22. Gaby Meitzle