There are several drivers at Path Valley Speedway that compete in more than one class, often running two different cars on the same night. Mike Dicely ran all three Micro Sprint divisions last Friday night, winning two of them.
Tom Crum of Carlisle, PA returned to victory lane in the 4-Cylinder Thunder Car feature for the fifth time this year. Crum was following pole-sitter John Rasp when Rasp went high in turn four allowing Crum to take the lead on lap four. Josh Walstrum moved into second on lap ten, but was unable to pressure Crum after that. Third through fifth went to Justin Rasp, Bill Kennedy, and D.J. Keefer. Walstrum and Keefer won the heat races.
Dave Friedrich started first and led the first thirteen laps of the Mini Stock feature. But on lap fourteen Gary Dehart of Mercersburg, PA used the bottom groove exiting turn four to take the lead. Friedrich stayed right behind Dehart all the way to the finish. It was Dehart’s second win on Friday nights this year. Leroy Long finished third, Kenny Hill fourth, and Keith Walls fifth. Mark Grove was the heat race victor.
Seth Kearchner of Frederick, MD is making the sometimes difficult transition from racing stock cars to sprint cars. He claimed his first win ever in a sprint car Friday night, leading all but one lap of the Sidewinder Sprint feature. Kearchner started first and led the first five laps. Joe Robertson drove by on lap six to take the lead. But on lap seven Robertson spun in turn three. Tim Mertz was not able to avoid him, and both drivers were out of the race. Kearchner held of Alex Schanz to win by half a straightaway. Donnie Hendershot finished in third, ahead of Mark Strickler and Jason Stahl. Heat wins went to Robertson and Schanz.
In one of the closest finishes you will ever see, Lucas Montgomery of York, PA passed Geremey Sheaffer on the final straightaway to win the Legend Car feature by inches. Montgomery started second and led the first thirteen laps. Sheaffer slowly reeled in Montgomery and used the high groove to take the lead on lap fourteen. Montgomery stayed on Sheaffer’s back bumper, drove low exiting turn four on the final lap, and won the drag race to the finish line. Nate Fisher was right behind in third while Scott Gobrecht finished fourth and Scott Houdeshell rebounded from an early spin to finish fifth. Sheaffer and Houdeshell claimed heat race wins.
Ryan McAndrew started on the pole of the 270cc Micro Sprint feature and was leading by over a straightaway when he suffered a mechanical breakdown and came to a stop on lap thirteen. That set up a great battle between Colby Dice and Mike Dicely. Dice was leading on the restart and running the low groove. Dicely, of Etters, PA, was running the high groove and it took Dicely three laps to finally clear Dice and assume the lead. Dicely pulled away the remaining distance to win by several car lengths. Dice held on to second with Tim Mertz running close behind for third. Levi Peck finished fourth and Erich Heath in fifth. Heat race victories went to Peck and McAndrew.
Dicely then went back to work in the 600cc Micro Sprint feature. He immediately went right to the high groove and made his way from starting fifth to taking the lead from Jim Brookens on lap six. Tyler Walton worked past Brookens on lap fifteen to get second. Brookens finished third, holding off Jim Young in the final laps. Jesse Fitz completed the top five. Dicely and Young took heat race wins.
The night’s activities were sponsored by Melvin’s Auto Repair. One of the special events that happen each year on Melvin’s Auto Repair night is the PA State Police Challenge race. This year Officer Nate Swink beat three other state troopers for the win.
Path Valley results for 8/27
4-Cylinder Thunder Car: 1.Tom Crum (Carlisle, PA), 2.Josh Walstrum, 3.Justin Rasp, 4.Bill Kennedy, 5.D.J. Keefer, 6.John Rasp, 7.Korey Washinger, 8.Chip Lawrence, 9.Denny Scofield, 10.Eric Grubb DNS: Nathan Shaw
Lap Leaders: John Rasp (1-3), Tom Crum (4-20)
Heats: Walstrum, Keefer
Mini Stock: 1.Gary Dehart (Mercersburg, PA), 2.Dave Friedrich, 3.Leroy Long, 4.Kenny Hill, 5.Keith Walls, 6.Abe Edwards, 7.Mark Grove DNS: Troy Eckenrode
Lap Leaders: Dave Friedrich (1-13), Gary Dehart (14-20)
Heat: Grove
Sidewinder: 1.Seth Kearchner (Frederick, MD), 2.Alex Schanz, 3.Donnie Hendershot, 4.Mark Strickler, 5.Jason Stahl, 6.Mike Zielonis, 7.Rohan Beasley, 8.Travis Willow, 9.Joe Robertson, 10.Tyler Walton, 11.Tim Mertz
Lap Leaders: Seth Kearchner (1-5, 7-20), Joe Robertson (6)
Heats: Robertson, Schanz
Legend: 1.Lucas Montgomery (York, PA), 2.Geremey Sheaffer, 3.Nate Fisher, 4.Scott Gobrecht, 5.Scott Houdeshell, 6.Bill Diehl, 7.Greg Burd, 8.Andy Lupfer, 9.Rick Miller, 10.Mark Roberts, 11.Ed Trump, 12.Kerry Schanz
Lap Leaders: Lucas Montgomery (1-13, 20), Geremey Sheaffer (14-19)
Heats: Sheaffer, Houdeshell
270cc Micro Sprint: 1.Mike Dicely (Etters, PA), 2.Colby Dice, 3.Tim Mertz, 4.Levi Peck, 5.Eric Heath, 6.Jason Houtz, 7.Alex Spalding, 8.Jacob McConnell, 9.Jacob Schatz, 10.Eric Forsythe, 11.Ryan McAndrew, 12.Pat Donahue, 13.Dalton Deitrich
Lap Leaders: Ryan McAndrew (1-12), Colby Dice (13-14), Mike Dicely (15-20)
Heats: Peck, McAndrew
600cc Micro Sprint: 1.Mike Dicely (Etters, PA), 2.Tyler Walton, 3.Jim Brookens, 4.Jim Young, 5.Jesse Fitz, 6.Zach Newlin, 7.Donnie Hendershot, 8.Ron Crossley, 9.John Baker, 10.Ken Lester, 11.Lance Newlin, 12.Charlie Cobourn, 13.Mark Brown, 14.Chandler Leiby
Lap Leaders: Jim Brookens (1-5), Mike Dicely (6-20)
Heats: Dicely, Young
PA State Trooper Challenge: 1.Nate Swink, 2.Kevin Goss, 3.Mike McCullough, 4.Greg Strayer
