CORNING – More than 100 cars and 3,000 fans joined the Adams County Speedway Saturday to partake in KSIB Fan Appreciation Night/Hampel Memorial Night. The fans who chose to attend the free admission night got an entertaining show, as each class put on an exciting feature with a couple of them coming right down to the wire.
Many fans also purchased retro souvenirs courtesy of the Hampel Family. Fans who spent more than $5 on retro items also received a free ticket to the Adams County Speedway that can be used during the month of July.
Intermission saw the crowning of the 2017 Adams County Fair Queen. That honor went to Kennedy Moore. Madi Ballard was named runner-up, while Kylie McBride was named second runner-up.
The feature action started with the Chat Mobility Hobby Stocks. Bedford native Luke Ramsey came into the night looking for his 20th career win, which would make him the winningest driver in class history. A familiar face returned to ACS for the first time in a long time, as former Stock Car champion Chuck Hulett made his first appearance at ACS since 2010. Hulett donned Ramsey’s back up car and finished the night in seventh place.
Chris Bates led the early stages of the race, but Ramsey was able to find grip on the high side to get around him. Jerid Lund attempted to reel in Ramsey and was given a break when a caution came out with four to go. However, Ramsey hit his marks on the final restart and managed to pull away for his 20th feature win, passing Jeremy Purdy for most career wins. Jerid Lund finished in second, followed by David Weeda in third, Tom Myers in fourth and Chris Bates rounded out the top five.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Models might have put on the best show Saturday night. Fifteen late models hit the dirt vying for weekly points as well as points in the Gail’s Gold Rush Points Series. 21-year-old Avoca native Daulton Maasen started the race on the pole and led the early stages of the race while points leader Jason O’Brien found himself in trouble early on, spinning and bringing out the caution.
It looked as if Maasen was running the race of his life and would pick up his first ever win at Adams County Speedway. The youngster held off repeated charges from Tad Pospisil and Corey Zeitner.
Maasen took the white flag a few car lengths ahead of Pospisil, but came into the entry of turn two a little too hot, sending his No. 8 car off the track, dashing his dreams of picking up his first ever feature win.
Maasen’s bobble opened up the door for both Pospisil and Zeitner to battle it out for the win. Zeitner found momentum on the high side coming off of four and notched his second win of the season. The win allowed Zeitner to take control of the points lead in both the weekly standings and in the Gails Gold Rush standings. Pospisil came home in the runner-up spot. Bill Leighton Jr. came home in third, Jason O’Brien rebounded from his early race struggles to finish in fourth and Daulton Maasen was relegated to a fifth place finish.
Dustin Thompson wasn’t sure he’d be racing in the Tri-State Ford Compacts Saturday night. A vicious wreck at the I-80 Speedway Friday night left Thompson without his primary car. Thompson’s team worked relentlessly Friday night to get a car ready for him to race. Thompson’s team's hard work would pay off.
It looked as if youngster Logan Richards' hard work would pay off. The Creston native led the early part of the race. Richards was pursuing his first career win and looked like he might get it, but a caution came out after the No. 12 machine of Sterling Weirich went for a wild ride. Weirich was OK.
Following the restart, Thompson was able to find his way around Richards and picked up his third win of the season. Logan Richards came home with a career best second-place finish. Last week’s feature winner Bryan Vannausdle finished in third, his brother Tyler Housley came home with a career best fourth-place finish and Andrew Cuva rounded out the top five. Points leader Evan Hrabik struggled, finishing 16th, surrendering his points lead to Thompson.
Josh Sink might be the points leader in the Stalker Chevrolet B-Modifieds if not for a blown motor earlier in the season. The Red Oak native came into Saturday night with one win and 49 points behind current leader Jerod Weston. He chipped into that lead Saturday by picking up his second win.
Sink started in the second row, behind last week’s runner-up Cody Werner, but Sink wasted no time getting around Werner and checking out. Sink appeared to have the race in the bag multiple times. It took three green-white checkered restarts before the race would finally go clean to the finish, meaning that Sink had to hold off a handful of late charges from contenders Jerod Weston and David Schwartz, but it was Sink taking the checkers when the dust settled. Werner came home with his second straight runner-up finish, followed by David Schwartz in third, Jerod Weston in fourth and Daniel Baudler picked up his first ever top five finish.
Tony Hardisty has been plagued by bad luck in the Northland Oil Stock Cars in the past few weeks. That changed Saturday night as the wily veteran picked up his second win of the season.
Hardisty started on the front row alongside Clay Mercer, but wasted no time jumping out to the lead. Hardisty, however, would have to hold off several charges from contenders such as Buck Schafroth, Brad Derry and Cody Clark.
Clark, who came into Saturday night still looking for his first ever win looked as if he might have the fastest car in the closing laps. Clark tried relentlessly to lure in Hardisty and made one last shot at the win on the final lap but couldn’t make his desperation move stick, allowing Hardisty to pick up the win. Brad Derry managed to nudge Clark at the line for second, Buck Schafroth finished in fourth and Clay Mercer rounded out the top five.
“The Candy Man” Jeff Wiggins had not seen victory lane since July 11, 2015. The Greenfield native had battled inconsistency and motor issues all season, but he changed that Saturday night, picking up his first win in almost two years.
Wiggins started on the pole alongside T.J. Patterson and wasted no time jumping out to the lead. Lurking behind “The Candy Man” were last week's winner Ryan Jenkins and former track champion Jesse Dennis. Jenkins repeatedly showed Wiggins his nose, but Wiggins maintained his preferred line, never bobbled and picked up the win.
Jenkins came home with a runner-up finish, followed by Jesse Dennis in third, Jeff James in fourth and Jacob Hobscheidt in fifth.
This week at Adams County Speedway features Tri-State Ford Compact night for the first ever Compact King of the Hills. It will also be pink-out night. Any ladies wearing pink will get a special on drinks.
Hot laps will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by racing at 7 p.m.