HAMMETT, Pa. - Points championships were decided at Eriez Speedway Sunday night as the 2012 season came to an end.
Mike Knight drove to his second points title for the Jay's Auto Wrecking Super Late Models and Max Blair captured his first-ever Eriez Speedway championship, taking the honors in the Dan's Route 8 Boardwalk Bar & Grill FASTRAK Late Models.
After a disaster on the final night of 2011, Joel Watson came back stronger than ever in 2012, taking the Plyler Overhead Door E-Mod championship by a mere 17 points over Rich Michael. Steve Kania capped off a career year, sealing his second championship in as many nights in the Conway & O'Malley Limited Late Models with his second feature win of the season. Kania drove to Victory Lane six times at Eriez.
Pat McGuire repeated his 2011 Bonnell Collision Center Street Stock Championship. Wade Watson won 10 of the 13 Gannon University Sportsmen features contested throughout the year.
The closest point's battle of the year was in the Kandy's Gentleman's Club Challengers where Kasey Hammond used six feature wins, including five in a row, to catch Wes Stull on the final night and win the championship by only 14 points.
The feature race action saw Dave Hess capture his fourth win of the season and get a top five points finish despite a late start to defend his 2011 title due to physical problems. Chad Wright won his first Eriez Speedway feature in an edge-of-the-seat performance over Max Blair, the season champion. Rich Michael got his second feature win in the Plyler Overhead Door E-Mod season finale in an admirable attempt to catch champion Joel Watson.
Second-generation driver Steve Kania capped off his championship year by winning the Conway & O'Malley Limited Late Model feature to cap off his season. Former Champion Chris Withers sat out part of the season, but capped off his season with two wins in a row, making his total three for the season.
Wade Watson finished his season exactly like he started it - by winning the Gannon University Sportsmen feature. Kasey Hammond put together a string of five feature wins at the mid-point of the season then capped off the year by winning the season-ender and winning the championship as well.
The Patriot Sprint Tour made its only appearance of the 2012 season with 21 cars starting the 25-lap feature. Tim Kelly and Jamie Collard led the field to the green with Kelly taking the lead and Scott Kreutter taking second from his fourth place starting berth on turn two of lap one, then taking the lead before the end of lap one with Kelly dropping to third behind Collard on lap two. By lap six, after a caution at lap one, Kreutter had caught in lapped traffic, but caution for a spin again slowed the pack.
At the restart, points leader Bryan Howland came to a halt at the pit entrance and was pushed to the pits with terminal damage. At halfway Kreutter was again in lapped traffic with Collard still second and defending champion Jared Zimbardi third. Jamie Bodo took over third just past halfway. Kreutter went on to the win, and the championship, over Collard, Bodo, Kelly, and Zimbardi.
Skip Moore and Shawn Fleeger were on the front row for the 35-lap BRP Modified feature with Moore grabbing the lead from the start and Chris Haines coming to second. Fourteen laps of green flag racing ensued before the first caution slowed the event when Fleeger spun in turn three after contact with another car. Jeremiah Shingledecker came to third at halfway and began closing the gap on Haines, but Moore was opening his lead. Shingledecker caught Haines with three laps remaining and was alongside with two to go as the yellow flag again flew when Rick Richner slowed on the back straight.
BRP Modified Tour rules call for double-file restarts throughout the event so Moore and Haines were side by side, but Haines faltered allowing Shingledecker to get by for the runner-up finish. Moore took the win over Shingledecker, Haines, Rex King Jr. and Brian Weaver.
Sprints
Heat 1: 76 Jamie Bodo, 75 Tommy Wickham, 35 Jared Zimbardi, 7x Jamie Collard, 16 Craig Daniels, 81 Derek Jonathan, 57 Doug Bowman
Heat 2: 80 Dave Wickham, 12 Tim Kelly, 51 Bryan Howland, 67 Steve Collins, 94 Stan Zanchin, 2 Steve Hutchinson, 10B Brandon Warner
Heat 3: 49 Scott Kreutter, 87 George Suprick, 31B Bruce Dewick, 3 Clint Ide, 25 Jay Groves, 5B Adam Anderson, 23 Dalton Daniels
Dash: 51 Bryan Howland, 35 Jared Zimbardi, 31B Bruce Dewick, 25 Jay Groves, 16 Craig Daniels, 3 Clint Idle
Feature: 49 Scott Kreutter, 17x Jamie Collard, 76 Jamie Bodo, 12 Tim Kelly, 35 Jared Zimbardi, 87 George Suprick, 80 Dave Wickham, 75 Tommy Wickham, 31B Bruce Dewick, 2 Steve Hutchinson, 3 Clint Ide, 10B Brandon Warner, 5B Adam Anderson, 81 Derek Jonathan, 25 Jay Groves, 94 Stan Zanchin, 57 Doug Bowman, 23 Dalton Daniels, 16 Craig Daniels, 51 Bryan Howland, 67 Steve Collins
BRP Modified Tour
Heat 1: 11R Brad Rapp, 17H Kevin Hoffman, 45 Steve Feder, 35H Chris Haines, 3e Eric Gabeny, 03 Mark Frankhauser
Heat 2: c 26 Rick Richner, 65 Rex King, 96 Mike Turner, 165 Rex King Jr, 6 Carl Murdick
Heat 3: 17M Skip Moore, 37MD Jeremiah Shingledecker, 1A Brian Weaver, 88 Shawn Fleeger, 189 Rick Ryder, 19 Joe Kubinec (DNS)
Feature: 17M Skip Moore, 37MD Jeremiah Shingledecker, 35H Chris Haines, 165 Rex King Jr, 1A Brian Weaver, 3e Eric Gabeny, 17H Kevin Hoffman, 11R Brad Rapp, 65 Rex King, 96 Mike Turner, 03 Mark Frankhauser, 45 Steve Feder, 6 Carl Murdick, 88 Shawn Fleeger, 26 Rick Richner, 19 Joe Kubinec, 61 Dave Murdick, 189 Rick Ryder,
Super Late Models
Heat 1: 44H Dave Hess, 12B Andy Boozel, 29 Garrett Krummert, 9K Mike Knight, 22B Darrell Bossard, 8 Jason Morell, 72 Chuck Parker, 55H Dave Lyon
Heat 2: W11 Rob Blair, 33 Chris Hackett, 56 Russell King, 22x Greg Oakes, 9 Scott Gurdak, 1G Rich Gardner, 57 Bo Lockwood, 33C Damon Haught
Burger King of the Hill: W11 Rob Blair, 9 Mike Knight
Feature: 44H Dave Hess, 9K Mike Knight, W11 Rob Blair, 12B Andy Boozel, 56 Russell King, Chris Hackett, 22x Greg Oakes, 22B Darrell Bossard, 1G Rich Gardner, 9 Scott Gurdak, 8 Jason Morell, 57 Bo Lockwood, 33C Damon Haught, 72 Chuck Parker, 55H Dave Lyon, 29 Garrett Krummert,
FASTRAK Late Models
Heat 1: 111 Max Blair, 20 Wayne Robertson, 71L Dennis Lunger, 43x Garrett Mott, z17 Kyle Zimmerman, 11 Bobby Rohrer, 22x Alex Anderson, 01 Khole Wanzer
Heat 2: 38 Josh Double, 0 Ryan Scott, 6 Chad Wright, 135 Jamie Brown, 3 Bruce Hordusky, 11K Wendell Pinckney, 47 Russ Dunn, 07 Kevin Decker
Feature: 6 Chad Wright, 111 Max Blair, z17 Kyle Zimmerman, 3 Bruce Hordusky, 71L Dennis Lunger, 135 Jamie Brown, 0 Ryan Scott, 43x Garrett Mott, 11K Wendell Pinckney, 11 Bobby Rohrer, 22x Alex Anderson, 07 Kevin Decker, 47 Russ Dunn, 01 Khole Wanzer, 20 Wayne Robertson, 38 Josh Double
E-Mods
Heat 1: 0 Russ Dunn, 4 Shane Crotty, 39 Dan McDonald, 92 Joel Watson, 79 John Boardman, 62 Ken Zimmer, 45 Clint Haskins, 28 Brian Fardink
Heat 2: 1 John Boyd, 17x Rich Michael, 38 Percy McDonald, 1s Steve Simon, 16jr Steve Sornberger, 55S Butch Southwell, 222 Mike Knight
Feature: 17x Rich Michael, 1 John Boyd, 0 Russ Dunn, 92 Joel Watson, 4 Shane Crotty, 222 Mike Knight, 55S Butch Southwell, 79 John Boardman, 38 Percy McDonald, 1s Steve Simon, 28 Brian Fardink, 45 Clint Haskins, 16jr Steve Sornberger, 39 Dan McDonald, 62 Ken Zimmer
Limited Late Models
Heat 1: 76 Steve Kania, 32 Mike Lozowski, 00 Dan Maxim, 3E Dustin Eckman, 07 John Cline, 28c Chad Schauers, 83K Joe Harvey, 7 Mike Moon
Heat 2: 1J Jake Finnerty, 0 Ryan Scott, 30 Tyler Green, 24c Brian Crandall, 69 Bryan Johnson, 01 Ken Wanzer, 23 Stan Davis, 63 Chris McGuire
Feature: 76 Steve Kania, 0 Ryan Scott, 32 Mike Lozowski, 30 Tyler Green, 3E Dustin Eckman, 1J Jake Finnerty, 00 Dan Maxim, 63 Chris McGuire, 24c Brian Crandall, 07 John Cline, 28c Chad Schauers, 69 Bryan Johnson, 7 Mike Moon, 01 Ken Wanzer, 23 Stan Davis, 83K Joe Harvey,
Super Sportsman
Heat: 72 Wade Watson, 63 Don McGuire, 73 Brent Crandall, 3 Mike Murray, 09 Clint Haskins, 2 Chris Market, 37 Carl Cart, 14 Jake Eller, 5 Tim Card, 69 Jonathan Baker (DNS)
Feature: 72 Wade Watson, 5 Tim Card, 63 Don McGuire, 09 Clint Haskins, 14 Jake Eller, 3 Mike Murray, 2 Chris Market, 2 Chris Market, 37 Carl Cart, 73 Brent Crandall, 69 Jonathan Baker
Street Stocks
Heat 1: 26jr Ken Lamp, 21w Chris Withers, 3T Mark Thompson, 18K Jimmy Kennerknecht, RT8 Joe Rohrer, 62 Andy Faulhaber, 98 Kevin Hill, 57 Art Edwards
Heat 2: 17 John Phelps, 63 Pat McGuire, 43 Ron Johnson, 5T Tim Thompson, 72 Eric Reinwald, 15H Josh Hebner, 7 Jason Martin, 28 Michael Heman
Feature: 21w Chris Withers, 17 John Phelps, 63 Pat McGuire, 43 Ron Johnson, 26jr Ken Lamp, 18K Jimmy Kennerknecht, RT8 Joe Rohrer, 3T Mark Thompson, 5T Tim Thompson, 62 Andy Faulhaber, 57 Art Edwards, 98 Kevin Hill, 24s Brad Strickland, 15H Josh Hebner, 72 Eric Reinwald, 7 Jason Martin, 28 Michael Heman
Super Challengers
Heat 1: 46 Joe Beach, 25 Mike Pohl, 1 Kasey Hammond, 64 Tim Fisher, 10 Jeff Nunemaker, 31 Stephen Enlow, 16 Jason Brightman, 98 Tom Cupp, 04 Kelsey Parker, 61 Matt Tuzynski
Heat 2: 12 Andy Melice, 28 Gary Olson, 63 Wes Stull, 18 Geoff Maloney, 23 Lee Strain, 5 Ryan White, 86 Kayla Beach, 20 Bill Baker, 88 Matt Wolf, 17 Mary Hammond
Feature: 1 Kasey Hammond, 46 Joe Beach, 63 Wes Stull, 31 Stephen Enlow, 10 Jeff Nunemaker, 64 Tim Fisher, 28 Gary Olson, 98 Tom Cupp, 12 Andy Melice, 86 Kayla Beach, 17 Mary Hammond, 61 Matt Tuzynski, 16 Jason Brightman, 04 Kelsey Parker, 5 Ryan White, 18 Geoff Maloney, 23 Lee Strain, 20 Bill Baker, 25 Mike Pohl (DNS), 88 Matt Wolf (DNS)