Earns $2,000 URC Sprint Victory; Sunday Rain Date Draws Strong Crowd, Robust Car Count
Story By: BRETT DEYO / GEORGETOWN SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By: DAN DeMARCO / RACERSGUIDE.COM FILE PHOTOS
GEORGETOWN, DE- May 16, 2016- Davie Franek kept his hot streak alive on Sunday evening at Georgetown Speedway.
Franek, the current United Racing Club (URC) 360 Sprint Car point leader, romped to his third victory of the early season, dominating the 25-lap A-Main at the historic half-mile track. The Wantage, N.J., driver earned $2,000 for his efforts at the B&G Auto Body sponsored program.
Racing had been scheduled for Friday night at Georgetown. However, the event was postponed to Sunday due to rain and thunderstorms on the original date. Despite, the late addition of a rain date, a healthy crowd and robust field of competitors migrated to the Sussex County track for the event.
For Franek, the win was emotional. He dedicated the effort to late crew member and friend Guy Howie, who recently passed away. Howie had a long history with URC and most recently supported Franek’s efforts.
“This one is for Guy,” Franek said in Victory Lane.
Robbie Stillwaggon led the potent URC field to green, but it was Franek, who started second after a post-qualifying invert of nine cars, darting into the lead at the outset.
During a stretch of green-flag racing in the event’s first half, Franek and Stillwaggon dashed through slower traffic masterfully.
Franek’s most formidable challenge occurred on a lap-17 restart. Stillwaggon pulled even with the leader, racing side-by-side through turns one and two and down the backstretch. A second caution, however, prompted a single-file restart.
“It was hard racing there with Robbie,” Franek said. “We might have made a little contact out of (turn) two.”
Stillwaggon, of Burlington, N.J., finished second, followed by Central PA invader Jason Shultz, Josh Weller of Mertztown, Pa., up from eighth, and Troy Betts of Newark, Del.
Heat winners for the 22 assembled URC Sprint Cars were Mike Haggenbottom, Weller and Brad Franks.
Donald Lingo won the 8-lap Dash for Super Late Models over Andrew Mullins. Lingo earned a guaranteed starting position in the Ultimate Super Late Model Series ‘First State 40’ on June 2 as a result of the triumph. Seven Super Late Models took practice laps during Sunday’s program.
Milford, Del., driver Jeremy Harrington earned a $600 victory in the 20-lap Crate 602 Sportsman main. Harrington started from the pole via a redraw of top qualifiers and led from start-to-finish, fending off the relentless challenges of Scott Hitchens. Harrington is a winner at N.J.’s Bridgeport Speedway this season.
Hitchens finished second, followed by Westley Smith, 10th-starter Brett Ballard and Jordn Justice, up from 14th on the grid.
In a hotly contested 12-lap Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Car Club main, Freddy Brightbill scored the Modified victory. Dave Schamp, who crossed the line fifth, was recognized as the Sportsman winner.
Billy Cropper survived a last-lap, double-file restart to win the 12-lap Delaware Super Truck main event. Cropper fended off Robert Reed in the dash to the finish. Matt Long, Brian Meisenholder and Robert ‘Pac-Man’ Paczowski completed the front five. Cropper earned $200 for his efforts.
In a thrilling 12-lap Delmarva Charger main, Jerry Barker emerged from a back-and-forth tussle with Geoff Carey to take the win. Barker and Carey swapped the lead on at least a half-dozen occasions before driving to the $200 payday. Tanner Marvel, Scott Calhoun and Bud Sipple finished third through fifth, respectively.
SUNDAY NOTES: The pit area was jammed with 22 URC Sprint Cars, 23 Crate 602 Sportsman, seven Super Late Models (for practice), 12 Southern Delaware Vintage Cars, 18 Delaware Super Trucks and 15 Delmarva Chargers….
With persistent weekend rain for the past month, Sunday’s Georgetown program was the first dirt-track event in the state of Delaware since mid-April….
URC frontrunner Brian Carber had a short night after being collected in an opening-lap skirmish to start his heat race….
Multi-time URC champion Curt Michael, from Ocean View, Del., fought power issues throughout the night….
Racing resumes at Georgetown Speedway on Thursday, June 2 with the Ultimate Super Late Model Series invading the state of Delaware for the first time in history. The ‘First State 40’ presented by Bi-Rite Auto Sales offers $5,000 to win and $400 to start. It serves as the kick-off to the ‘Colonial Clash Championship’ four-night series with a $17,000 point fund. Also on the card are Crate 602 Sportsman, Delmarva Chargers and Super Trucks.
Georgetown Speedway, originally constructed by Melvin L. Joseph in 1950, is located at the intersection of Route 113 and Speedway Road in Georgetown, Del., just miles from the Delaware beaches and less than a 40-minute drive from Ocean City, Md.
A new website is online for the speedway at www.thegeorgetownspeedway.com. Visit Georgetown Speedway on Facebook, follow @thegtownspdwy on Twitter, e-mail georgetownspeedway@gmail.com or contact Brett Deyo at 845.728.2781 during business hours for more information.
GEORGETOWN SPEEDWAY MAY 15, 2016 RACE SUMMARY
United Racing Cub (URC) 360 Sprint Car Feature Finish (25 laps): DAVIE FRANEK, Robbie Stillwaggon, Jason Shultz, Josh Weller, Troy Betts, Curt Michael, Ed Aikin, Kevin Darling, Mike Haggenbottom, Jimmy Stitzel, Brett Michalski, Adam Carberry, Brett Shearer, J.R. Berry, Cody Jourdan, Jason Cherry, Randy West, Ryan Stillwaggon, Brad Franks, Scott Baker.
Did Not Qualify: Brian Carber, David Swanson.
Super Late Model Dash Finish (8 laps): DONALD LINGO, Andrew Mullins, Glenn Elliott, Ricky Elliott, Dylan Evans.
Did Not Start: Ross Robinson, Rob Schirmer.
Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (20 laps): JEREMY HARRINGTON, Scott Hitchens, Westley Smith, Brett Ballard, Jordn Justice, Carson Wright, Dylan Betts, Jason Rush, Duane Rust, Ryan Mortimer, Jeff Marker, Trent Van Vorst, Trevor Collins, Adam White, Pete Visconti, Gary Langenstein, Frank Holmes, Devin Dodson, Kevin Sockriter, Brian Hitz, Matt Smith, Freddy Massey, Dillon Steuer.
Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Car Club Feature Finish (12 laps): FREDDY BRIGHTBILL, Dwayne Heck, C.J. Schirmer, John Burton, Dave Schamp (Sportsman Winner), Mark Williams, Vic Thomas, Todd Miller, Josh Smith, Dalton Strohl, Chris Loveland, Dave Parsons.
Delaware Super Truck Feature Finish (12 laps): BILLY CROPPER, Robert Reed, Matt Long, Brian Meisenholder, Robert Paczowski, Matthew Smith, Noah Vincent, Matt Esham, Jerry Hill, Tim Quay, Kara Klink, Reid Mitchell, Action Jackson, Robert Smith, Luke Weidman, Michelle Jackson, David Smith, Kirk Miles.
Delmarva Charger Feature Finish (12 laps): JERRY BARKER, Geoff Carey, Tanner Marvel, Scott Calhoun, Bud Sipple, Charles Hudson, Chuck Hudson, Tippy Martinez, Bryan Peelman, Derek Swafford, Joe Waters, Josh Weichmann, Ashley Merritt, Randy Merritt.
