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ERNIE’S FALL BASH TUNE UP GOES TO COVERT

by Bob Vores
HAGERSTOWN, MD (October 18) - Starting sixth in Hagerstown Speedway/Dirt Capitol’s Late Model tune up for next week’s final season program, the Ernie’s D’s Fall Bash, Jason Covert posted his second win and ninth overall triumph of the season. Covert grabbed the lead from Glenn Elliott on lap 15 and later held off Jason Miller by .900 seconds.

“The plans are to come back next week for the $8,000 and hopefully we’ll be standing here too but it’s a different night and we might be on the truck,” Covert said. “There’s a lot of good cars around here and when you win at Hagerstown, you’ve accomplished something.”

Other Saturday evening winners included Scott Palmer in the Late Model Sportsman, Mike Corbin in the Pure Stocks, Dylan Rutherford in the Hobby Stocks, Kevin Thomas, the Four Cylinders and a first for a long time to lady drivers, 13-year-old Haley Kaiser in the Rookie Cars and in the first ever appearance of the E-Modifieds, Deana Groves.

With co-promoter Ernie Davis making it a 28-car starting field for the 40 Late Model entries and starting heads up, Glenn Elliott wasted no time going from fourth starting spot into the lead on the opening lap and checking out from pole sitter Brad Ritter and sixth starting Covert.

Elliott had more than a three second lead when Covert got under Ritter on the fifth lap and began to shrink Elliott’s lead.
When Elliott arrived at the back of the field on the 11th lap, Covert closed quickly and was on Elliott’s bumper in another two laps. In another two, Covert emerged the leader and also diced past some rear cars until a 19th lap caution when Ritter rolled to a stop.

On the restart, third starting Gary Stuhler spewed liquid on the track entering the first turn and pulled high to get away from oncoming traffic while Elliott took a wild slide to stop and then tag the rear for the subsequent restart.

Covert took off as Jason Miller quickly charged into the runner up over Rick Eckert as Covert went on to claim the win by .900 seconds over Miller, Eckert, Jerry Bard and J.T. Spence while Keith Jackson came from 19th to end sixth. Jamie Lathroum was seventh after starting 13th with Kenny Moreland, Dan Stone and D. J. Troutman completing the top ten. Heats went to Ritter, Bard, Stuhler and Elliott while Jackson and Nick Dickson were consy winners.

“Being buried in our heat race and being able to get up through there probably made the feature a little bit easier,” Covert said. “The car was fantastic. I couldn’t ask for a better team.”

Scott Palmer pulled to the front of the Late Model Sportsman field over Mike Walls and Paul Cursey as Palmer caught the rear of the field by the seventh lap with Chaz Walls moving into third on the eighth. Cursey did a complete spin in the second turn on a tenth lap restart with nobody making contact as he had to restart from the rear.

Palmer again led over Walls with Chad Myers, James Lichliter, Bruce Kane and Kyle Lee battling for the next positions while a lap 17 caution set up a three lap shootout. Palmer was steadfast as he pulled ahead to win over Lichliter who snatched the runner up spot from Walls on the restart. Walls finished third over Lee and Myers with Kane ending sixth. Derek Quade came from 12th for seventh while Justin Weaver (14th), Todd Snook and Ralph Morgan (15th) ended the top ten. Palmer, Cursey and Walls were the heat winners.

With all line ups going heads up, Mike Corbin was on the outside pole to beat Jamie Zentmyer on the Pure Stock start and stretch out a straightaway lead by the halfway mark when a caution regrouped the field on lap eight. Corbin again led until a lap 12 yellow set up a three lap sprint with a chain reaction incident on the 12th lap taking out some of the top five runners.

Corbin led the final three laps as Brian Miller missed the earlier incident and charged past Grady Michael with one to go to claim second. Zentmyer was fourth with Josh Wilkins finishing fifth.

With three successive cautions, Dylan Rutherford finally put the Hobby Stocks in motion over Tom Caravello and Gary Proctor. With three wide racing at times, Rutherford continued to hold the lead while Proctor was able to get past Caravello on the eighth lap but came across the line on Rutherford’s bumper. Caravello was t hired with Brian Neff and Jamie Mills next.

Matt Williams took the early lead of the Four Cylinders over Kevin Thomas as Thomas drove of the low side of turn four to go ahead on the fifth lap. Thomas went on to win by five lengths.

Having won at Winchester earlier this season, Haley Kaiser took the Rookie Car lead on the fifth lap and charged ahead of Robert Wilson to win by 5.273 seconds for her second season win.

Following a first lap caution for the E-Mods and subsequent restart incident involving the first two cars of Steve Erwin and Steve Dixon who got together along with multiple others spinning that were able to rejoin the field on the rear, fourth starter Dean Groves was the leader over Dennis Perigo.

Groves continued to show the way and had a comfortable lead over Perigo while Erwin came through the field to third by the ninth lap but could get any further. Groves took the win over Perigo, Erwin, Vic Vandergrift and Jonathan Taylor.

Hagerstown Speedway/Dirt Capitol Results

Late Models, 25 Laps: 1. Jason Covert, 2. Jason Miller, 3. Rick Eckert, 4. Jerry Bard, 5. J.T. Spence, 6. Keith Jackson, 7. Jamie Lathroum, 8. Kenny Moreland, 9. Dan Stone, 10. D.J. Troutman, 11.Kyle Hardy, 12.Brian Tavenner, 13.Allen Brannon, 14.Mike Lupfer, 15.Barry Miller, 16.Nick Dickson, 17.Jim Yoder, 18.Glenn Elliott, 19.Matt Parks, 20.Gary Stuhler, 21.Brad Ritter, 22.Kyle Lear, 23.Gene Knaub, 24.Roy Deese Jr., 25.Marvin Winters, 26.Andy Anderson, 27.Dylan Yoder, 28.Matt Cosner, DNQ – Tim Wilson, Jimmy Jesmer, Rick Hulson, Dan Angelicchio, Cole Amsen, Ronnie DeHaven Jr., Bob Gordon, Pancho Lawler, James Ohara, Mike Altobelli Jr., Mark Pettyjohn, Matt Sponaugle

Late Model Sportsman, 20 Laps: 1.Scott Palmer, 2.James Lichliter, 3.Mike Walls, 4.Kyle Lee, 5.Chad Myers, 6.Bruce Kane, 7.Derek Quade, 8.Justin Weaver, 9.Todd Snook, 10.Ralph Morgan,, 11.Chaz Walls, 12.Travis Stickley, 13.Steve Lower, 14.Tyler, Emory, 15.Paul Cursey, 16.Kevin Deremer, 17.Paul Guideo, 18.Garrett Walls, 19.Brayden Anderson, 20.Kurt Zimmerman, 21.Charlie Schaffer, 22.Brad Kling, 23.Mike Lauffer, 24.Gino Comi

Pure Stocks, 15 Laps: 1.Mike Corbin, 2.Brian Miller, 3.Michael Grady, 4.Jamie Zentmyer, 5.Josh Wilkins, 6.Mike Walls, 7.Chuck Bowie, 8.Brandon Churchey, 9/Brian Swiger, 10.Kenny Dillon, 11.Keith Koontz, 12.Nick Dibella, 13.Sean Dawson

Hobby Stocks, 15 Laps 1.Dylan Rutherford, 2.Gary Proctor, 3.Tom Caravello, 4.Brian Neff, 5.James Mills, 6.Dwayne Snyder, 7.Danny Holmes, 8.Rodney Miner, 9.Stephen Rock, 10.Jeff Dillon, 11.Jason Sarver

Four Cylinders, 10 Laps: 1.Kevin Thomas, 2.Matt Williamson, 3.Michael Warrenfeltz, 4.Madeline Miller, 5.Adam Lyman

Rookie Cars, 10 Laps: 1.Haley Kaiser, 2.Robert Wilson, 3.Jeff Wilkins, 4.Johnson, Bailey

E-Modifieds, 20 Laps: 1.Deana Groves, 2.Dennis Perigo, 3.Russell Erwin, 4.Vic Vandergrift, 5.Jonathan Taylor, 6.Tony Daniels, 7.Stephen Quade, 8.Mike Reynolds, 9.Gary Long, 10.Joey Polevoy, 11.Carl McKinney, 12.Brandon LaSalle, 13.William Mongold, 14.Ryan Toole, 15.Alan Shives, 16.Alyssa Rowe, 17.Rusty Pennington, 18.Derek Deusenberry, 19.Jeff Treece, 20.Tim Schulte, 21.Steve Dixon, 22.Ryne Pennington, 23.Dan Davies

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

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