Mahaney Is Flyin’ Farmer; Severn & Swinehart Win Career 1st At Kutztown’s Action Track USA on June 3rd
(Photo Courtesy of Rick’s Racing Photos 2015)
Kutztown, PA – It was very appropriate that someone in the farming industry win the $3,000 top prize in Wednesday night’s SpeedSTR race at the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairgrounds. Mike Mahaney was only too happy to oblige.
“Magic Mike”, the farmer from Kings Ferry, NY, captured the Flyin’ Farmer 40 for the USAC All Pro SpeedSTR’s as the Action Track USA paid tribute to the late, great Tommy Hinnershitz from nearby Oley, Pa. on Wednesday night. Throughout his stellar career in Sprint Cars, Midgets, and Indy cars, Hinnershitz was known as “the Flyin’ Farmer”, but it was Mahaney’s turn to fly to victory on a very special night at the Berks County oval.
A standing-room-only crowd was treated to last minute appearances by some of the best USAC Sprint Car drivers in the country, as the non-wing specialists took part in SpeedSTR and Wingless 600cc activity.
Joining Mahaney in the winner’s circle were Jacob Severn (Pioneer Pole Building Wingless 600cc Sprints powered by Engler Injection) and Dylan Swinehart (NAPA Auto Parts All Star Slingshots). Both Severn and Swinehart notched their first career Action Track USA triumphs on Wednesday.
The drama began early in the Flyin’ Farmer 40 for the USAC All Pro SpeedSTR’s as Billy Pauch Jr. streaked into the lead over polesitter Kyle Lick. With Pauch Jr. out front, a hotly contested battle ensued behind him when his dad, Billy Pauch Sr., raced to third from his ninth place starting spot. Pauch Sr., last week’s winner, challenged Tim Buckwalter for the runner-up position just a few car lengths behind the race leader.
When Pauch Jr. suddenly slowed in the fourth turn, Buckwalter and Pauch Sr. tangled and spun as they tried to avoid contact with him. With the top three runners involved in the caution with six laps in the books, Lick inherited the top spot over Earl Paules and Dale Planck.
Lick set the pace but Paules was doing a tap dance on the leader’s rear bumper, doing everything he could think of to find a way by the OMS Racing No. 1L of Lick.
Mahaney, who started 11th, was running fifth or sixth for most of the first half of the 40-lapper. He charged into third on the 19th trip around the clay, then disposed of Paules for second place just past the halfway point. Mahaney then ran down Lick and began his assault, working both high and low in his attempts to get by the leader.
Mahaney had a nose in front as lap 30 was completed, then he slowly and steadily pulled ahead and opened a bit of daylight between himself and Lick, who was now fighting for the runner-up position with 19th-starting Ryan Smith.
A hush fell over the speedway as the red flag was displayed with four to go after Paules climbed the wall on the backstretch and began flipping violently. His No. 8 tumbled out over the turn three wall as he became the first SpeedSTR to “leave the ballpark” in the three-year existence of Action Track USA. Paules emerged from the car under his own power, but was later driven to the hospital for further examination. He spent the night before being released with a concussion on Thursday morning.
Over the final four tours it was all Mahaney as he drove to the $3,000 victory over Lick, who held off Smith for runner-up honors. Kris Graver turned in his best finish in a SpeedSTR with a fourth place effort and Jay Hartman continued his streak of consistency by finishing fifth.
“We travel four hours (one way) to race here,” noted Mahaney in victory lane. “And we love it; it’s a great place to race.” The winner also felt the track came to him as the race evolved after he started “with a car that was really tight. I have to thank Kyle Lick, too…he ran us clean and hard for the lead. That was a lot of fun.”
Jacob Severn, from Hellertown, Pa., took advantage of a slight bobble by Doug Snyder to zip into the top spot on lap five of the main event for the Pioneer Pole Building Wingless 600cc Sprints powered by Engler Injection.
Severn, who’s been plenty fast but unlucky on numerous occasions, then held off Ms. Motorsports Shelby Harper for several laps before Brandon Azzalina, who ran second to Jay Hartman on May 27, took up the chase.
While Azzalina ducked under Severn at both ends of the race track, Tim Buckwalter and Billy Pauch Jr. dueled for third. Severn fought off each attack by Azzalina and Buckwalter, the winner of the King of No Wing Shootout on May 20, remained in front of Pauch as the final laps clicked off in rapid fashion.
At the finish, it was Severn cashing in for his first career victory at the Kutztown Fairgounds oval, with Azzalina settling for runner-up pay for the second consecutive week. Buckwalter wound up third ahead of Pauch Jr. and James Morris, who took the original green in 20th position, rallied to finish fifth.
Dylan Swinehart, from Fleetwood, Pa., seemed to always run second or third when the Junior Slingshots visited the Action Track USA in 2014. Swinehart, whose racing lineage includes Dennis Bailey and Ray Swinehart, finally found his way to the winner’s circle – in an All Star Slinger main – on Wednesday.
Swinehart muscled past Jake Bedell for the lead on the second circuit, then waged a nip and tuck battle with Kassidy Kreitz for several laps. Louden Reimert bolted into the runner-up slot at the crossed flags, dropping Kreitz to third. Reimert shoved the nose of his No. 58 under Swinehart on numerous trips around the progressively banked oval, but Swinehart had the momentum generated by running a higher line and he motored back in front each time they accelerated back onto the straightaway.
Matt Miller staged a late race rally, passing Kreitz then setting his sights on Reimert. On the final tour, Miller throttled to the outside of Reimert off turn four, just nipping the Oley driver for second at the stripe as he and Reimert finished a scant 0.200-seconds behind Swinehart.
Chris Kurtz crossed the line in fourth and Kreitz ended up fifth when the 20-lap feature reached its conclusion.
Action Track Sidebites…
When the USAC Sprint Car event was canceled at another facility in central PA, fans and drivers flocked to Kutztown for the program at the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA.
USAC hotshoes such as the “Macho Man” Brady Bacon, “the People’s Champ” Dave Darland, Chris Windom, CJ Leary, Kevin Thomas Jr., Landon Simon, and Chad Boespflug picked up rides in SpeedSTR’s, Wingless 600 Sprints, or both.
Darland was up to fifth in the Flyin’ Farmer 40 when a coolant hose split with only a few laps remaining. Bacon set fourth quickest time in the time warm-up sessions for the SpeedSTRs, won his heat race, then spun out of contention in the feature after battling for third place early in the fray.
Windom actually had the best finish of the USAC regulars, crossing the stripe in eighth position in the Wingless 600cc main event.
The SRO audience was treated to some intense competition by 38 of the USAC SpeedSTRs; a total of 47 Wingless 600’s; and 34 of the All Star Slingshots. Those numbers add up to a grand total of 119 racecars!
The Hoosier Tire Mad Scramble for the 600cc racers was captured by Nate Brinker, who locked himself into the feature by virtue of his win.
Wingless 600 heat race victories went to Eddie Strada, Brandon Azzalina, Tim Buckwalter, and Jay Hartman. The C-Main was won by Daniel Schumaker and Tony DiMattia won the B-Main.
Billy Pauch Sr. set fast time for the USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs in the timed warm-ups. The Fast Five included Pauch Sr., Mahaney, Tim Buckwalter, Brady Bacon, and Earl Paules. Pauch Sr. and Mahaney were automatically locked in to the Flyin’ Farmer 40 by finishing one-two in the timed hot lap sessions.
SpeedSTR heat race triumphs fell to Buckwalter, Bacon, Dale Planck, and Billy Pauch Jr. The twin B-Main victories were recorded by Ryan Krachun and Brad Brightbill.
With his win in the Flyin’ Farmer 40, Mahaney took over the point lead in the SpeedSTR division. He holds a slim lead over last season’s point champ, Billy Pauch Jr.
Louden Reimert, Dylan Hoch, Dave Carraghan, and Jordan Knepp won heat races for the NAPA Auto Parts All Star Slingshots. Tayllor Schoenly notched the B-Main victory.
Next Wednesday, June 10, is Armed Forces Night at the speedway. Anyone showing a valid and active military I.D. will be admitted free.
The USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs, the Pioneer Pole Building Wingless 600 Sprints powered by Engler Injection, and the NAPA Auto Parts All Star Slingshots will be joined by the Junior Slingshots. The All Star Slingers will be competing in a Mid-Atlantic Silver Tour event.
Coming up on Wednesday, June 17, is the Ronnie Tobias Memorial. This event is highlighted by Twin 17-lap features for the three weekly divisions…a total of six features in one night!
The Wednesday Night Rumble Series continues at the Kutztown Fairgrounds, so come out and get your Midweek Motorsports Adrenaline Rush at the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA…where the Superstars come to race!
RESULTS:
USAC All Pro SpeedSTR’s Flyin’ Farmer 40: 1.Mike Mahaney, 2.Kyle Lick, 3.Ryan Smith, 4.Kris Graver, 5.Jay Hartman, 6.Billy Pauch Sr., 7.Matt Janisch, 8.Ryan Krachun, 9.Larry Solomon, 10.Brad Brightbill, 11.Frank Yankowski, 12.John Bockhorn, 13.Mike Bednar, 14.Earl Paules, 15.Tim Buckwalter, 16.Dave Darland, 17.Dale Planck, 18.Kevin Graver Jr., 19.Kenny Brightbill, 20.Wayne Weaver, 21.Jason Miller, 22.Nick Baer, 23.Joey Thompson, 24.Steven Nederostek, 25.Doug Manmiller, 26.Billy Pauch Jr., 27.Brady Bacon. DNS: Brandon Grosso.
DNQ: Rick Kirkendall, Joe Vaccaro, Phil Meisner, Carl Bittenbender, Frank Cozze, Mike Vermuelen, Andy Haus, Damon Paul, Jason Esterly, Ray Nemeth.
Pioneer Pole Building Wingless 600cc Sprints, 25 laps: 1.Jacob Severn, 2.Brandon Azzalina, 3.Tim Buckwalter, 4.Billy Pauch Jr., 5.James Morris, 6.Kyle Lick, 7.Sam Kravitsky, 8.Chris Windom, 9.Robbie Hocker, 10.Matt Roselli, 11.Jay Hartman, 12.Tony DiMattia, 13.Shelby Harper, 14.Brady Bacon, 15.Blaine Emery, 16.Nate Brinker, 17.Doug Snyder, 18.Eric Ankiewicz, 19.Austin Quick, 20.Eddie Strada, 21.Jeff Hartman, 22.Danny Buccafusca, 23.Billy Ney, 24.Zach Bealer, 25.Tommy Kunsman Jr., 26.Jarid Kunkle, 27.Jermain Godshall.
DNQ: Molly Chambers, Landon Simon, Dan Schumaker, Skylar Sheriff, Kevin Thomas Jr., Rob Adams, Jordan Mohr, Eric Heydenreich, Tim Bauer, Jason Swavely, CJ Leary, Joe Kay, Joe Plunkett, Shawn Rooney, Chad Boespflug, Joey Jarowicz, Jeff Carman, Will Butler, Steve Bull, Kameron Morral.
NAPA Auto Parts All Star Slingshots, 20 laps: 1.Dylan Swinehart, 2.Matt Miller, 3.Louden Reimert, 4.Chris Kurtz, 5.Kassidy Kreitz, 6.John Gilroy, 7.Dave Carraghan, 8.Andrew Kreis, 9.Anthony Raisner, 10.Brett Bieber, 11.Travis Bieber, 12.Austin Stufflet, 13.Austin Silfee, 14.Jordan Knepp, 15.Tayllor Schoenly, 16.Erik Jones, 17.Tim Roeder, 18.Dave Burns, 19.Jake Bedell, 20.Seth Spayd, 21.Blaire Schoenly, 22.Joe Nemeth, 23.Dave Galloway, 24.Dakota Kohler, 25.Dylan Hoch, 26.Jeff Kemp.
DNQ: Dave Morrell, Tom Quinter, Lee Schantzenbach, William Mohring, Rob Schlenker, Joe Toth, Mark Sensenig, Taylor Santee.
Hoosier Tire Wingless 600 Mad Scramble, 10 laps: 1.Nate Brinker, 2.Matt Roselli, 3.Molly Chambers, 4.Shawn Rooney, 5.Skylar Sheriff, 6.Jordan Mohr, 7.Joe Plunkett.
