Ruhlman Captures IRS 50 At Stateline
By Glenn Slocum
BUSTI - Chad Ruhlman and Robbie Blair battled the entire 50 laps of the Independent Racing Series feature with Ruhlman winning by a nose over the IRS point leader at Stateline Speedway on Saturday night.
A light shower at start time delayed the start of the Neil's Propane-sponsored events, but a short hot lap session for the E-Mods was followed by their make-up feature from last week which was handily won by Al Cresley.
A short hot-lap session followed for the IRS Super Late Models. Tyler Green inherited the lead from Zachary Downes then controlled the remaining laps of the Spectator make-up feature for his second win of the season.
Rich Michael Jr. won his first E-Mod feature of the season. Time trials were dropped because of the early rain so a pill draw aligned the Super Late Models for the four IRS heat races where the top four would qualify for the 40-lap feature.
John Boardman won his fourth Super Challenger feature passing early leader Ben Burgess. Robbie Blair won the IRS four-lap dash to earn the pole position in the main event. Dutch Davies was second with brother Ron third and Wally Fox fourth.
Jason Dupont won the first IRS Consolation event and John Lobb won the second to set the starting field.
Mike Moon won the second Spectator feature for his first of the second. and John Swabik won the third Spectator feature.
Glen Slaney won his second Outlaw Cadet feature in a caution-filled event.Stephanie Hilyer won her second Lady Challenger feature. Kyle Jackson lost the first Super Challenger race at the finish line to Rick Karash and Steve Keith Jr. returned to victory lane in the second Super Challenger feature.
Blair, Dutch Davies, Ron Davies, Wally Fox and David Scott were the top five for the Neil's Propane 50. Twenty-eight cars were on the starting grid and after touring four wide they prepared for the start. Randy Lobb spun to a stop in turn one on the initial start causing a complete restart of the event. Dutch Davies just barley led the first circuit.
Merle Terry had problems with two laps complete for the second caution in as many laps. Dutch Davies, Blair, Ruhlman, Ron Davies and Scott were the leaders. A quick yellow for John Lobb happened on the restart. Bumping and banging on the restart caught up Doug Eck and Dick Barton sending them to the tail of the field. Eck remained for the restart while Barton went to the pits. Dutch Davies remained in the top spot with Blair constantly along side and Ruhlman a close third. Scott was fourth several car lengths behind Ruhlman. Blair led lap eight by the slimmest margin then once in front pulled away from Dutch Davies who then lost second to Ruhlman on lap 10.
It took Ruhlman just two laps to catch Blair and take the top spot away. Ruhlman slowed on the exit of turn two on lap 14 and Blair regained the top spot only to lose it again to Ruhlman one lap later. Ruhlman was in heavy lap traffic nearing the half way mark and pulling away from Blair. Dutch Davies was a distant third.
Andy Kania brought out the next yellow with 23 laps complete allowing the field to close with Ruhlman. Twenty-four of the starters remained.
Ruhlman returned to the top on the restart while Blair used the bottom. Chris Hackett was fourth just four laps after the restart pressing Scott for the third spot. Ruhlman had clear sailing for several laps finally catching the back markers on lap 23 to once again fight through the lap traffic.
The next 10 laps were all Ruhlman and lap traffic until the yellow flew for a slowing Eck with 41 of the 50 laps complete.
The single-file restart took up half the speedway. Blair was alongside Ruhlman on laps 42 and three but Ruhlman was able to finally get t three car length advantage with five laps remaining. Fox and Jason Dupont tangled in turn three setting up a five-lap dash for the win.
Ruhlman, Blair, Hackett, David Scott, Rich Gardner, Chad Valone, Ron Davies, Mike Knight, Ryan Scott and Dutch Davies were the top 10 for the lap-46 restart. Ruhlman nearly gave Blair the lead with two remaining, but hung on. Then on the final lap they exited turn four nearly even with Ruhlman winning by a nose.
Super Late Model
Heat 1: Robbie Blair Titusville , Thomas Baker Massillon Ohio, Rich Gardner Waterford , Chad Valone Warren , Randy Lobb Jamestown
Heat 2: Dutch Davies Warren , Chad Ruhlman Bemus Point , Doug Eck Corry , Darrell Bossard Centerville , Jason Dupont Cyclone
Heat 3: Wally Fox Cooperstown , Rod Maloy Panama , Kirk Bradley Great Valley , Andy Boozel Clymer , Mike Knight Ripley
Heat 4: Ron Davies Warren , Rick Aukland Zannesville Ohio, Bump Hedman Sugar Grove , Dick Barton Ashville , Dave Hess Jr. Waterford
Consolation 1: Jason Dupont Cyclone , Boom Briggs Bear Lake , Randy Lobb Jamestown , Greg Johnson Busti , George LaBarbera Sugar Grove , Dennis Lunger Jr. Corry , Greg Oakes Franklinville , Andy Kania Waterford , Pete Alspaugh Russell
Consolation 2: John Lobb Frewsburg , Dave Hess Jr. Waterford , Merle Terry Erie , Matt Lux Franklin , Scott Gurdak, Mike Knight Ripley , John Volpe Lakewood , David Scott Garland
Dash: Robbie Blair Titusville , Dutch Davies Warren , Ron Davies Warren , Wally Fox Cooperstown
Feature: Chad Ruhlman Bemus Point , Robbie Blair Titusville , Chris Hackett Erie , Rich Gardner Waterford , Thomas Baker Massillon OH, Chad Valone Warren , Mike Knight Ripley , Ron Davies Warren , David Scott Garland , Andy Boozel Clymer , Bump Hedman Sugar Grove , Dutch Davies Warren , Rod Maloy Panama , Kirk Bradley Great Valley , Boom Briggs Bear Lake , Darrell Bossard Centerville , Wally Fox Cooperstown , Merle Terry Erie , Rick Aukland Zannesville OH, Dave Hess Jr. Waterford , Randy Lobb Jamestown , Jason Dupont Cyclone , Doug Eck Corry , John Lobb Frewsburg , Andy Kania Waterford , George LaBarbera Sugar Grove , Greg Johnson Busti, Dick Barton Ashville
E-Mod
First Feature: Al Cresley Warren , Nate Short Niobe , Greg Johnson Busti , Jason Genco Jamestown , Justin Carlson Sherman , Carl McKinney Pittsfield, Jamie Erhard Mayville , Ron Seeley Youngsville , Andy Sweetland Spartansburg , Chris Couchenour Jamestown
Second Feature: Richard Michael Jr. Ischua , Justin Carlson Sherman, Chris Couchenour Jamestown, Greg Johnson Busti , Nate Short Niobe, Tom Hagberg Warren , Andy Sweetland Spartansburg , Cale Crocker Pittsfield , Chuck Frye Ashville , Brett Van guilder Warren
Outlaw Cadet
Feature: Glen Slaney Union City , Paul Norman Jr. Gerry , Mike Moore Russell , Brian Crandall Stockton , Kelly Frederes Jamestown , John Cline Kennedy, Paul Himes Lakewood , John Cline Falconer, Troy Dorman Fredonia , Chet Sheets Warren
Super Sportsman
Feature: John Boardman Jamestown , Ben Burgess Jr. Sherman , Joe Buccola Jr. Falconer , Dan Nocero Jamestown , Steve Kania Waterford , Ben Reed Brocton , Wade Watson Ashville , Hank Francis Edinboro , James Leonard Jamestown , Jake Eller McKean
Spectator
First Feature: Tyler Green Corry , Alex Froman Ashville , David McClenahan Corry , Aron Dascomb Clymer , Brandon Groters Bear Lake , Mike Moon Brocton , Kevin Golden Frewsburg , John Kelsey Jamestown , t Landy Orchard Pk , Stanley Davis Jr. Jamestown
Second Feature: Mike Moon Brocton , Buzz Phearsdorf Little Valley , Kevin Golden Frewsburg , Tyler Green Corry , John Kelsey Jamestown , Aron Dascomb Clymer , Pat Landy Orchard Park , Jay Seekings Jamestown , Gary Fisher North East , Tiny Larson Lakewood
Third Feature: John Swabik Sherman, Joe Rohrer Erie , Matt Harvey Jamestown, Anthony Marotto Ashville, Skip Joslyn Jamestown, Skip Jackson Jamestown, Brian Graham Randolph, Lee Myers Gerry, Shayne Erhard Mayville, Kevin Hill Gowanda
Super Challenger
First Feature: Joe Karash Jamestown, Kyle Jackson Ii Cherry Creek, Casey Burch Randolph, Chris Byrne Jamestown, Richard Langer Sherman, William Pinckney Jamestown, Chuck Rugg Sr. Ashville, Andy Melice Sugar Grove , Kevin Covell Sugar Grove , Tom Ellis Jamestown
Second Feature: Steven Keith Jr. Clymer, Dillon Titus Jamestown, Chris Knisley Jamestown, Aaron Liberati Jamestown, Sam Courson Cassadaga, Jesse Dash Leon, Junior Surrena Jamestown, Paul Campbell Jamestown, John Angelotti Jamestown
Lady Challenger
Feature: Stephanie Hilyer Jamestown, Stephanie Devereaux Lakewood, Elaine Best Jamestown, Amanda Swanson North East , Ginger John Steamburg, Hilary Scott Pittsfield , Paula Mason Ashville, Tawny Crocker Pittsfield , Jessica Hallowell Celoron
