Scott Geesey, Dan Zechman, Ryan Smith, and Steven Dove Win Williams Grove Speedway Saturday Night Races

Mechanicsburg, PA., June 14, 2015

“My car was stuck and that is 90 percent of the game,” Scott Geesey said following his Williams Grove Speedway Saturday Night Series Super Sportsman victory.  “What I love the most is passing.  Win, lose or draw, at the end of the night if we pass race cars, I am a happy camper.”

The 20-lap Blazer’s Body Shop feature went under immediate caution due to a false start.  Before the restart, pole sitter Devin Beidel dropped out of the event due to mechanical issues.  Steve Fannasy moved to the pole and sprinted into the lead. Tom Wyckoff, Chad Trout and Doug Dodson trailed Fannasy.  Scott Geesey, the eighth-place starter, slipped into fifth.

Geesey, from Wellsville, went to the outside lane and began systematically eliminating the competition.  By the completion of lap four Geesey had his No. 41 in second position.

Steve Fannasy held a ten-length advantage.  Within two laps Scott Geesey narrowed the gap to three lengths.  In the seventh circuit Geesey used the top lane in turns three and four to sweep by Fannasy.  Two laps later Geesey held a commanding 15-length edge.

Chad Criswell was on the move.  The West Virginia driver captured second place by the midway point of the show.  With each passing lap Criswell crept closer to leader Geesey.  As Scott Geesey encountered slower traffic, Chad Criswell was 1.7 seconds behind.

Scott Geesey slithered his way through traffic.  Geesey crossed the finish line ten-lengths ahead of Chad Criswell.  The victory is Geesey’s 13th career Saturday Night Series triumph placing him second on the all-time feature winner’s list.  Steve Fannasy was third with Doug Dodson in fourth and Chad Trout was fifth.

Qualifying wins for the 27 entries went to Geesey, Trout and Dodson.  The consolation victory goes to Rich Eichelberger.  Chad Criswell received the Sprint Aces Hard Charger award.

Dan Zechman started second at the beginning of the 20-lap Credit Connection Auto Sales 358 Late Model feature.  Sam Rial, Alan Sagi, Dave Latsha, and Scott Richwine were in pursuit. A third-lap caution came when Rial spun collecting Richwine.

Dave Latsha used the restart to wrestle second from Alan Sagi. Leader Dan Zechman gained a comfortable 12-length edge.  Zechman increased his lead as Dave Latsha, Alan Sagi, Billy Wampler, Wes Alleman, Gene Knaub, and Travis Mease had an intense battle for second.

Zechman’s 4.1 second lead disappeared due to a lap 14 caution.  The Hanover driver held an eight-length lead when the final caution came in the 17th circuit.  Dan Zechman had no competition and he won his second of the year, the third of his career, by 12 lengths over Dave Latsha, Billy Wampler, Alan Sagi, and Gene Knaub.

Alleman and Shaun Jones won the preliminaries for the 20 entries.  Billy Wampler won the Artwerks Hard Charger award.

The Aquafun Pools Street Stocks competed in two 15-lap features. Wayne Dutterer led the first four laps of the first feature.  Point leader Jeff Haag used a third-lap restart to pass Dutterer at the exit of turn two.

Jeff Haag gained an eighth-mile advantage.  Wayne Dutterer and pole sitter Ryan Smith fought for second.  Walt Lemmon and Craig Morgan joined the battle for the runner-up spot.  Ryan Smith gained possession of second during the 12th lap.

The race had a drastic change with two-lap remaining.  Jeff Haag’s victory hopes disappeared when the engine expired in his Camaro.  The restart resulted in a massive pile up in turn one; Scott Strickler’s car rolled over in the melee.  Strickler walked away from the wreck.

Ryan Smith led the remaining two laps.  He won his first Saturday Night Series feature by six lengths over Craig Morgan.  Smith becomes the 31st career Saturday Night Series Street Stock winner. Wayne Dutterer was third with Steven Dove in fourth and Jasen Geesaman was fifth.

Steven Dove and Wayne Dutterer were in the front row for the beginning of the second Street Stock feature.  The race developed into a five-car fight for first between Dutterer, Dove, Ryan Smith, Jasen Geesaman, and Craig Morgan. 

The event’s only caution came in the fourth circuit.  Following the restart the five-car competition continued.  Steven Dove became the new leader in the ninth pass of the oval. Dutterer, fighting a flat left front tire and exposed sheet metal, dropped off the pace before exiting the event.

The trio of Steven Dove, Ryan Smith and Craig Morgan were dueling for the lead.  Morgan slipped into second with a lap remaining.  On the final lap, in the third and fourth turns, Morgan went to the outside of Dove and Smith.  Steven Dove, from Lebanon, crossed the finish line three feet ahead of Craig Morgan.  Ryan Smith was a close third with Todd Bowersox in fourth and Kory Sites was fifth.

Doug Bennett, Kevin Sigler and Geesaman won the heats for the 31 entries with the consolation going to Sean Dawson.  Danny Farlling and Craig Morgan won Artwerks Hard Charger awards. Walt Lemmon received the Hard Luck award.

The Saturday Night Series returns to action this week featuring the Blazer’s Body Shop Super Sportsman, Credit Connection Auto Sales 358 Late Models and Aquafun Pools Street Stocks.  Also taking part in the evening’s festivities will be the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing photo shoot featuring several restored race cars.  Racing action begins at 7 PM.  Adult admission is six dollars with children 12 and under free. For more information please go to www.williamsgrove.com or the speedway’s Facebook page.

 

Super Sportsman results:

1. Scott Geesey, 2. Chad Criswell, 3. Steve Fannasy, 4. Doug Dodson, 5. Chad Trout, 6. Scott Dellinger, 7. Russ Mitten, 8. Frankie Herr, 9. Teddy Thomas, 10. Rich Eichelberger. 11. Davey Walsh, 12. Tony Jackson, 13. Bobby Hockenberry, 14. Kenny Edkins, 15. Timmie Barrick, 16. Jay Fannasy, 17. Stan Wanner, 18. Dave Conrad Jr., 19. Tom Wyckoff, 20. Steve Wilbur, 21. Mike Enders, 22. Todd Leonard, 23. Justin Foster, 24. Devin Beidel DNS: Chad Smith DNQ: Lanny Hake, Nate Young

358 Late Model results:

1. Dan Zechman, 2. Dave Latsha, 3. Billy Wampler, 4. Alan Sagi, 5. Gene Knaub, 6. Shaun Jones, 7. Wes Alleman, 8. Travis Mease, 9. Matt Murphy, 10. Devin Fry, 11. Scott Richwine, 12. Pat Beard, 13. Jed Latshaw, 14. Al Cheney, 15. Daulton Bigler, 16. Cam Zeigler, 17. Tim Murphy, 18. Matt Adams, 19. Sam Rial DNS: Ron Kline

Street Stock feature 1 results:

1. Ryan Smith, 2. Craig Morgan, 3. Wayne Dutterer, 4. Steven Dove, 5. Jasen Geesaman, 6. Eric Tripp, 7. Todd Bowersox, 8. Mike Buckley, 9. Kory Sites, 10. Sean Dawson, 11. Walt Lemmon, 12. Kevin Sigler, 13. Brett Pickell, 14. Doug Bennett, 15. Doug Hoffman, 16. Dalton Frey, 17. Chris Heller, 18. Scott Strickler, 19. Jimmy Combs, 20. Jeff Haag, 21. Danny Farlling, 22. Randy Zechman, 23. Cory Phillipps, 24. Eric Johnson

Street Stock feature 2 results:

1. Steven Dove, 2. Craig Morgan, 3. Ryan Smith, 4. Todd Bowersox, 5. Kory Sites, 6. Sean Dawson, 7. Kevin Sigler, 8. Mike Buckely, 9. Danny Farlling, 10. Eric Tripp, 11. Randy Zechman, 12. Doug Hoffman, 13. Sean Todd, 14. Dalton Frey, 15. Cory Phillipps, 16. Wayne Dutterer, 17. Eric Johnson, 18. Calvin Redding, 19. Jasen Geesaman, 20. Jimmy Combs, 21. Walt Lemmon, 22. Doug Bennett DNQ: Dave Bowermaster, Ed Halter, Bob Scott, Dustin Hollinger, Lee Lingle