“Jonathan DeHaven Ends Winless Drought”
“Andrew Smith Wins SCDRA 5k Event”
By Brent Hottle
Winchester,(VA)-It’s spring time here in the Shenandoah Valley, but the temperatures are still
cool. With that in mind promoter Greg Gunter likes to start a little earlier for the first few weeks of
each season. However, the cool temperatures didn’t deter the racers from coming out for the
five thousand dollar to win SCDRA series event. We would see 67 of these sport compact cars
fill the pit area for their chance at the top prize. The limited late models and Mid-Atlantic
Modified Series cars were also on the schedule for the night's events.
We would start the night off with timed hotlaps for the Limiteds and Modifieds. Along with regular
hotlaps for the SCDRA before going into their time trials.
We would see plenty of tight racing action during the heat races for all three divisions. This
would just be an insight to the great racing action to come later in the night.
Before the feature event would start we would hold our pre race ceremonies. Brent Hottle would
start off by holding a moment of silence for Jimmy Billmeyer, who tragically lost his life at the
speedway just two weeks before. He would then give an invocation, followed by the playing of
our National Anthem. Brent would also go on to read a letter from the Billmeyer family. Typically
we would start our feature events next. However, with the tragic loss of Jimmy the speedway
wanted to try and help out the family. Earlier in the night there was a raffle held. You could buy
tickets and place them into different containers to try and win the item that was associated with
that container. All proceeds were going to the Billmyer family for funeral expenses and funds for
his two sons. We would begin to pull the winning tickets on the front straightaway as drivers took
their helmets through the grandstands and pit area collecting donations for the family. We want
to thank everyone who donated and bought raffle tickets. It is times like these that families need
as much help as they can get, and the racing community has shown time after time that they
come together big in times like these.
It was now time for the Limited Late Models to take center stage on the speedway. Front row
starters Rodney Walls and Sam Archer would charge side by side into turn one at the start of
the race. Archer would carry his momentum on the outside of Walls and take the lead as the
cars headed out of turn two. Jonathan DeHaven would quickly pull alongside Walls and begin to
challenge him for second. On lap four Archer and now second place running Dehaven would
begin to pull away from the field. The race would slow on lap five as smoke and fluid poured out
of the 34c driven by Craig Parrill. After the restart we would see Archer start to defend off
challenges from DeHaven for the lead. DeHaven would make a move around the outside of
Archer and take the lead just before they crossed the finish line for lap eight and just before the
yellow would fly once again for a wreck on the back straightaway. DeHaven would show he had
the car to beat, as he would hold onto his lead and begin to pull away from the field. Another
late race caution on lap seventeen for a slowing Wesley Bonebrake couldn’t stop DeHaven. As
he would pull away from the field again and never look back, ending his winless streak. Sam
Archer would follow in second along with Rodney Walls in third.
Next up we would see the Mid-Atlantic Modifieds pull out onto the speedway. Chris Arnold would
quickly take the lead on lap one, only to have the field slow for a four car pile up in turn one. On
the restart third place starter Michael Altobelli Jr would move into second and set his sights on
the leader. The race would slow again on lap three as Rick Hulson slows and stops in turn four.
What we would see next was some great racing. As Altobelli makes several challenges to take
the lead away from Arnold. Altobelli would try high and low to get around Arnold and eventually
take the lead on lap twelve. However Arnold wasn’t going to give up easily as he kept pace with
Altobelli as they began to navigate lap traffic. Arnold would use the lap traffic to his advantage
and regain the lead on lap sixteen. Arnold would go on to win the twenty five lap event with
Altobelli and sixth place starter Mike Franklin rounding out the top three.
It was now time for the five thousand to win SCDRA event. Andrew Smith would take the lead
from the pole position. The field would quickly slow for a three car wreck on lap three. On the
restart we would see Smith had the car to beat as he quickly started to pull away from the field.
We would see two and three car wide battles back in the pack. As Smith started to navigate lap
traffic the caution would once again come out on lap seventeen as Rusty Garlock slows in turn
one. On this restart we would see Kevin Criswell drive into turn one too hard making contact
with Smith, our leader. This would turn Smith sideways allowing Andrew Hoffner to take the
lead. Smith was able to regain control and start to chase down Hoffner for the lead. Smith would
battle Hoffner for the lead on the nineteenth lap and take the lead away on the twentieth lap.
Smith would once again pull away from the field and navigate lap traffic on his way to victory.
Smith would go on to cross the finish line first followed by Andrew Hoffner and ninth place
starter Case Spears. Smith made a nine hour drive from Gyton, GA to race with us this
weekend.
Cliff Dyer from Zanesville, OH would go on to win the SCDRA non qualifiers feature event.
During this feature we would see three cars battle three wide for the lead for several laps.
We want to once again thank everyone who helped with the collection and donations for the
Billmyer family.
We also want to thank everyone who attended this weekend's event.
On a side note we had drivers from 13 states with us this
weekend.(VA,MD,PA,WV,OH,LA,NY,MN,IN,NC,DE,KY,GA)
Limited Late Model Results
Jonathan DeHaven, Sam Archer, Rodney Walls, Gunnar Walls, Bubby Tharp Jr, Daniel Brown
Jr, Mike Franklin, Gerald Davis, Scott Sweeney, Charles Smith, Wesley Bonebrake, Justin
Fulton, Steven Payne, Craig Parrill, Brad Omps, Eric Cronise
Mid Atlantic Modified Results
Chris Arnold, Michael Altobelli Jr, Mike Franklin, Drake Troutman, Justin Cullum, Donnie
Farlling, Ray Kable, Jeff Solinger, Jimmy Jesmer Jr, Haley Kaiser, Matt Wallace, Travis Clower,
Robert Kramer, Sam Caravello, Ryan Dolan, Nick Dibella, Rick Hulson, Mike Corbin, TJ
DeHaven, Cody Oliver, Gary Warehime
SCDRA Main Feature Results
Andrew Smith, Andrew Hoffner, Case Spears, Kevin McKenzie, Eric Boozel, Brandon Hoffner,
Jeff Huber, Kevin Criswell, Matt Duvall, Justin Bottorf, Josh Frantz, Pat Brehm, Travis Brown,
Javid Fairall, Chad Weaver, Jimmy Waters, Matthew Chronister, Chris Anderson, Ricky Weaver,
Rusty Garlock, David Dooley, Andy Schumaker, Jason Jarvis, Rob Rudisill
SCDRA Non Qualifier Feature Results
Cliff Dyer, Justin Pope, Corey Valade, Anthony Varner, Jason Porter, Terry Hartlaub, Seth Hood,
Matt Popish, Brody Tolstyka, Jeff Foster, Jerry Gibson, Justin Mong, Robbie Carrol, Remaining
DNS