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KEITH JACKSON WINS EMOTIONAL ERNIE JONES 22 AT HAGERSTOWN

by Bob Vores
HAGERSTOWN, MD. (May 23) – In the first of three shows over the Memorial Day holiday weekend at Hagerstown Speedway/Dirt Capitol LLC,, Keith “Action” Jackson recorded his first ever Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Late Model triumph at the facility in the Ernie Jones 22 while Rich Eichelberger dominated the season’s first appearance for the Blazer’s Auto Body Super Sportsman to score that victory after previously winning at the track on September 9, 2010.

For Jackson of Odenton, Md., it was his second win in his second time out this season, having won last Saturday at Winchester. Starting fifth, he took the lead from Devin Friese following a seventh lap restart and relinquished two lengthy leads on Kenny Moreland to win a one lap shootout over Moreland by .703 seconds.

“I can’t believe it,” Jackson said. “This race means way more to me than any win I’ve ever had. Ernie meant a lot to me and I really know he was looking out for us tonight. He was a great friend. When he and Rick gave me the opportunity to drive their car it meant the world to me. I just can’t say enough. It’s two in a row and my first one here.”

Eichelberger, of Dillsburg, Pa., started fourth but slid to the front row when Dave Socks jumped the initial start and was sent to the rear. Eichelberger took command and never looked back. He was into the rear of the field by the eighth lap and by the halfway mark, had more than a seven second lead and six lapped cars separating him from Rick Barr. Cautions on laps 15 and 17 closed the field and he went on to post a 1.16 second lead over Chad Criswell, who won on the previous visit of the Super Sportsman on May 25, 2013.

“I don’t really think about the lead. I just think about going fast,” Eichelberger said. “That was absolutely great. We love coming to Hagerstown. My crew knew we were good tonight. We have this new car figured out now. When it gets dry and slick, I think we have an advantage with it. When it’s wet and heavy, it’s just fair. We’re looking for dry slick race tracks.”

On the Late Model start, Devin Friese and D.J. Myers sat on the front row following first heat winner Kenny Moreland’s spin of the inversion wheel to get a three which is where he started. Friese and Myers made contact in the first turn and Myers retired to the pits when the caution was displayed on the third lap.

Jackson burst past Moreland following the restart and moved in to challenge Friese as they ran side by side until a lap seven caution.

Jackson passed Friese when the green waved as Moreland took second but Jackson was pulling away and had more than a three second lead by a lap 15 caution. He again left Moreland behind and was just over two seconds ahead when the yellow waved again on the 21st lap.

On the restart, Marvin Winters went to the inside of Friese on the backstretch while Trevor Feathers went outside and Friese ended up spinning into the third turn with Rusty Sites and Dylan Yoder becoming involved.

Jackson powered away for the final lap as Moreland, Winters, Feathers and Allen Brannon completed the top five. Roy Deese came from 14th to sixth, followed by 15th starting J.T. Spence, Jerry Bard (11th), Brian Tavenner and Nick Dickson from 16th.

“The leader gets a good start here,” Jackson said.”I was just trying to stay with him (Devin) and alongside so he could see me and I saw him coming up and saw him coming up and thought he was going to stop and I kinda got into his corner panel. I let up and got underneath of him and back on the fuel. He got a little loose and I was able to drive by him.”

Eichelberger was heavy on the throttle from the start and never let up as he stretched his lead to a straightaway in the first five laps and then went out of sight to Russ Mitten and Rick Barr. Entering the rear of the field, Eichelberger leisurely picked his way past each car with ease until the 15th lap caution as the lapped cars tagged the rear of the field and Barr was on his tail for the restart.

Eichelberger had no problem with that restart of pulling away for another two laps while Chris Criswell advanced from sixth in the final circuits to take over the runner up spot from Barr on the final lap but trail by 1.16 seconds at the checkered.

Gregg Foster and Mitten completed the top five while Steve Fannasy, Mike Enders, Scott Geesey, Carmen Perigo Jr. and Steve Wilbur rounded out the top ten.

Kenny Thomas grabbed the Mason Dixon Auto Auction Hobby Stock lead from the fourth spot as Gary Proctor moved in to challenge. The pair ran side by side for several laps until Thomas would have a length or two lead at the flag stand. He went to claim his third of the season over Proctor and Jamie Mills, both with two wins, by two lengths. Dylan Welsh and Brian Neff completed the top five.

The Rookie Cars made their first appearance as Michael Pfaff led all the way in the 12 lap feature and had pulled away by a straightaway over Terry Leach and Brenda Alexander.

Follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook at Dirt Capitol LLC. The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can found be on the speedway’s website: www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Also check the website for any changes in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.

HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY/DIRT CAPITOL LLC RESULTS

Ernie Jones 22, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Late Models, 25 Laps: 1.Keith Jackson, 2.Kenny Moreland, 3.Marvin Winters, 4.Trevor Feathers, 5.Allen Brannon, 6.Roy Deese Jr., 7.J.T. Spence, 8.Jerry Bard, 9.Brian Tavenner, 10.Nick Dickson, 11.Mike Lupfer, 12.Gary Stuhler, 13.Gene Knaub, 14.Dominic Defino, 15.Bryan Bernheisel, 16.Devin Friese, 17.Rusty Sites, 18.Dylan Yoder, 19.C.S. Fitzgerald, 20.Glenn Elliott, 21.Brad Omps, 22.Lindsay Barton, 23.Mike Walls, 24.Steve Axtell, 25.D.J. Myers, 26.Pancho Lawler, DNS – Tyler Castle

Blazer’s Auto Body Super Sportsman, 20 Laps: 1.Rich Eichelberger, 2.Chris Criswell, 3.Rick Barr, 4.Gregg Foster, 5.Russ Mitten, 6.Steve Fannasy, 7.Mike Enders, 8.Scott Geesey, 9.Carmen Perigo Jr., 10.Steve Wilbur, 11.Chad Trout, 12.Scott Dellinger, 13.Frankie Herr, 14.Tom Wyckoff, 15.Stan Wanner, 16.Tony Jackson, 17.Kenny Edkin, 18.Lanny Hake, 19.Todd Leonard, 20.Dave Conrad Jr., 21.Bill Devine, 22.Devin Beidel, 23.Adam Wray, 24.Brian Gontz, 25.Davey Walsh, 26.Geoff Gill, 27.Duane Smith, 28.Dave Socks, DNS – Bobby Hockenberry

Mason Dixon Auto Auction Hobby Stocks, 15 Laps: 1.Kenny Thomas, 2.Gary Proctor, 3.Jamie Mills, 4.Dylan Welsh, 5.Brian Neff, 6.William Crook, 7.Joe Rodgers, 8.Justin Hansberger, 9.John Catlett, 10.Jeff Dylan, 11.Tom Caravello

Rookie Cars, 12 Laps: 1.Michael Pfaff, 2.Terry Leach, 3.Brenda Alexander, 4.Jeff Wilkins, 5.Mike Wilkins

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