Josh Richards wins Red Miley Rumble, Mike Johnson wins rescheduled PENNational in doubleheader at PPMS!
(by Rich Berry)
Imperial, PA (August 28) On Saturday night there was a doubleheader at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. The regularly scheduled 44-lap Red Miley Rumble was won by Josh Richards from Shinnston, WV, earning him in excess of $4,000 as numerous individual sponsorships increased every position in the race. Also on tap in the co-sanctioned show between the UFo Race Championship and ULMS Racing Series was a makeup race from the PENNational event on July 24, when the second of the two events that night was canceled by rain. That gave the fans an added bonus of the 28-lap make-up race from that night. Current PPMS point leader Mike Johnson cruised to victory in this event, earning the $2,000 top prize.
A field of 45 cars turned out under brilliant sunny skies for the Red Miley Rumble. The field was divided into five qualifying heats of ten laps each. Josh Richards was the winner of Heat 1, from sixth starting position. Bart Hartman took the win in Heat 2, after starting eighth. Jared Miley won Heat 3, from fifth spot. Heat 4 went to Brandon Burgooon from third on the grid. Keith Barbara came from sixth to win the fifth heat. After Steve Baker and Ben Miley won the two B-Mains, 32 cars were set for the feature grid.
The top ten drivers redrew for their starting spots for the Red Miley Rumble. Jason Covert and Davey Johnson led the thunderous roar of 32 cars at the drop of the green flag, with Johnson leading the opening lap over Boom Briggs, sixth starting Josh Richards, Covert, and Jared Miley. Richards advanced from third to second on lap 2, as he was quickly on the move. Covert settled into third, ahead of Miley and seventh starting Bart Hartman by lap 5. The leaders were setting a scorching pace, as they reached race traffic by lap 6 as the battle for the lead between Johnson and Richards was on. With a turn three pass in race traffic, Richards made the pass to become the new leader on lap 10.
Green flag racing continued as the field raced from top to bottom on the ultra-wide PPMS oval. Richards had a good lead built up when the first yellow flag of the event waved with 15 laps complete. Fifth running Hartman exited the event with a broken driveshaft at this point. One more lap was run before the caution appeared again. Richards continued to lead until lap 20, when the race was slowed again when second in UFo points John Mollick lost power in turn two. The fourth caution period of the race came when a turn one incident on this attempted restart involved six cars.
Racing resumed with Richards choosing the outside lane for the double file restart, and he again nosed ahead to lead the race over Johnson, Covert, Miley, and Briggs. Briggs passed Miley for fourth on lap 23. The final caution of the event was on lap 29, when Miley slowed in turn two. Richards continued to show the way, as 19th starting Dave Hess, Jr. used the inside lane to pass Mike Johnson for fifth. Hess gained another spot the next time by, passing Briggs for fourth.
Josh Richards would race away unchallenged to the checkered flag, taking the win over Davey Johnson and Jason Covert. Dave Hess, Jr.cam from 19th to finish fourth. Boom Briggs was fifth, as Mike Johnson, Tommy Beck, Keith Barbara, Lynn Geisler, and Gregg Satterlee rounded out the top ten.
In the PENNational make-up race, all 29 cars that were on hand for the original event were given starting spots in the main if they returned for the event. 26 of the 29 returned, but two drivers were unable to start, leaving 24 cars to battle in the main. John Flinner won the first of the two scheduled PENNational events, and drew a 12 for the invert for this race. That put Dennis Lunger and Brandon Wearing on the front row for the 28-lap event. Lunger led the first lap over Boom Briggs, Keith Barbara, Steve Baker, and Wearing.
The marathon that was lap 2 was scored with Briggs leading Barbara, Lunger, Baker, and Mike Johnson. When the yellow waved for a spin by UFo point leader Chad McClellan, it set off a chain of dominoes that saw all four caution periods of the event take place on this lap. The worst incident of the race was the third caution period, triggered when leader Briggs lost power on the restart, causing a big tangle on the homestretch damaging several cars.
Once lap 2 was finally in the books, the race thankfully ran through without further incident to the checkered flag. Barbara and Mike Johnson crossed the line side-by-side at lap 3, with the computerized scoring showing Johnson leading by .002 seconds. Lunger, Baker, and Wearing kept up the chase. Johnson nosed ahead into the lead, Baker took third from Lunger on lap 4, with Lynn Geisler moving to fifth. Geisler took fourth from Lunger on lap 6, as Johnson pulled away in the lead. Geisler passed Baker for third on lap 8, and closed on Barbara for second. Johnson had a big lead, and he was fortunate that he did, as he found his path blocked by race traffic.
What was now a battle for second between Barbara and Geisler had them quickly closing on the leader, before Johnson finally threaded his way through the traffic. Though Geisler nosed ahead of Barbara near halfway, Barbara eventually regained the spot and held the runner-up spot comfortably. Baker caught and passed Geisler to regain third with 21 laps complete. Also on lap 21, Brandon Burgoon, from 22nd starting spot, passed Lunger to take fifth.
Mike Johnson had no problems over the remaining distance, as he went on to score his first UFo Series victory after starting ninth. Sixth starting Keith Barbara came home second, as the third place driver in UFo points gained a lot of ground on the point leaders. Steve Baker was third from tenth, and Geisler was fourth after starting 12th. Brandon Burgoon came from 22nd to fifth. Filling the top ten were Dennis Lunger, Brandon Wearing, John Flinner, Jim Stephans, and Tommy Beck.
Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Imperial, PA
Red Miley Rumble, Car Count – 45.
Lap leaders:
1-9 Davey Johnson
10-44 Josh Richards
Finish, Start, Car, Driver, Hometown
1, 6, 25, Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV
2, 2, 1J, Davey Johnson, Imperial, PA
3, 1, 43A, Jason Covert, York Haven, PA
4, 19, 44, Dave Hess, Jr., Waterford, PA
5, 4, 99B, Boom Briggs, Bear Lake
6, 8, 2J, Mike Johnson, Imperial, PA
7, 11, 91, Tommy Beck, Murrysville, PA
8, 10, 17, Keith Barbara, South Park, PA
9, 16, 1C, Lynn Geisler, Cranberry Twp., PA
10, 17, 22, Gregg Satterlee, Rochester Mills, PA
11, 22, 99, Ben Miley, Venetia, PA
12, 14, 71D, Ron Davies, Warren, PA
13, 21, 0, Steve Baker, Morgantown, WV
14, 12, 38, Jim Stephans, Baldwin, PA
15, 3, H1, Jared Miley, South Park, PA
16, 20, 6, Jim Lepro, Midway, PA
17, 18, 37, Jared Hawkins, Fairmont, WV
18, 30, B22, Bump Hedman, Sugar Grove, PA
19, 23, 1J, Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock, PA
20, 5, 29K, Garrett Krummert, New Castle, PA
21, 29, 119, Chad McClellan, Stoystown, PA
22, 31, 17L, Dennis Lunger, Albion, PA
23, 27, 27C, Daryl Charlier, Midway, PA
24, 13, 48, John Flinner, Zelienople, PA
25, 9, 17B, Brandon Burgoon, McDonald, PA
26, 24, 21, Matt Lux, Franklin, PA
27, 28, 76R, Jason Rider, Clinton, PA
28, 15, 4J, John Mollick, Toronto, OH
29, 32, 18D, Danny Mitchell, Clarksburg, WV
30, 26, 12, Doug Dodd, Cambridge, OH
31, 7, 75, Bart Hartman, Zanesville, OH
32, 25, T8, Mark Banal, St. Clairsville, OH
Heat 1 – (top four transfer from each heat) 1, 25, Josh Richards. 2, 2J, Mike Johnson. 3, 91, Tommy Beck. 4, 1C, Lynn Geisler. 5, 0, Steve Baker. 6, B22, Bump Hedman. 7, 12, Doug Dodd. 8, 76W, Dave Wade. 9, 4, Alex Ferree.
Heat 2 – 1, 75, Bart Hartman. 2, 99B, Boom Briggs. 3, 38, Jim Stephans. 4, 22, Greg Satterlee. 5, T8, Mark Banal. 6, 8L, Scott LeBarron. 7, 72, Mike Norris. 8, 76R, Jason Rider. 9, 18D, Danny Mitchell.
Heat 3 – 1, H1, Jared Miley. 2, 29K, Garrett Krummert. 3, 48, John Flinner. 4, 37, Jared Hawkins. 5, 21, Matt Lux. 6, 119, Chad McClellan. 7, 16*, Derek Frank. 8, 25, Len Dobrosielski. 9, 20H, Jacob Hawkins.
Heat 4 – 1, 17B, Brandon Burgoon. 2, 43A, Jason Covert. 3, 71D, Ron Davies. 4, 44, Dave Hess Jr. 5, 99, Ben Miley. 6, B1, Brandon Wearing. 7, 17L, Dennis Lunger. 8, 69, Jon Hodgkiss. 9, no7, Jason DuPont.
Heat 5 – 1, 17, Keith Barbara. 2, 1J, Dave Johnson. 3, 4J, John Mollick. 4, 6, Jim Lepro. 5, 1J, Dave Murdick. 6, 27C, Daryl Charlier. 7, 2M, Chuck Medved. 8, 25, John Cain. 9, 697, Dave Johnson.
B-Main 1 – (top three transfer from each) 1, 0, Steve Baker. 2, 1J, Dave Murdick. 3, T8, Mark Banal. 4, 27C, Daryl Charlier. 5, 4, Alex Ferree. 6, 76W, Dave Wade. 7, B22, Bump Hedman. 8, 17L, Dennis Lunger. 9, 18D, Danny Mitchell. 10, 16*, Derek Frank. 11, B1, Brandon Wearing. Did not start, 20H, Jacob Hawkins, 697, Dave Johnson.
B-Main 2 – 1, 99, Ben Miley. 2, 21, Matt Lux. 3, 12, Doug Dodd. 4, 76R, Jason Rider. 5, 69, Jon Hodgkiss. 6, 8L, Scott LeBarron. 7, 119, Chad McClellan. 8, 2M, Charles Medved. 9, 72, Mike Norris. 10, 25, John Cain. 11, no7, Jason DuPont. Did not start, 25D, Len Dobrosielski.
Did not qualify – 50, , B1, Brandon Wearing, Callery, PA. 2M, Chuck Medved, Imperial, PA. 4, Alex Ferree, Saxonburg, PA. no7, Jason DuPont, Cyclone, PA. 8L, Scott LeBarron, Dover, PA. 16*, Dereck Frank, Jamestown, NY. 20H, Jacob Hawkins, Fairmont, WV. 25, John Cain, Bunola, PA. 25, Len Dobroselski, Kennedy Twp., PA. 69, Jon Hodgkiss, Kennedy Twp., PA. 72, Mike Norris, Sarver, PA. 76W, Dave Wade, Clinton, PA. 697, Dave Johnson, Toronto, OH.
PENNational results, makeup race from July 24.
Lap leaders:
1 Dennis Lunger
2 Boom Briggs
3-28 Mike Johnson
Finish, Start, Car, Driver, Hometown
1, 9, 2J, Mike Johnson, Imperial, PA
2, 6, 17, Keith Barbara, South Park, PA
3, 10, 0, Steve Baker, Morgantown, WV
4, 12, 1C, Lynn Geisler, Cranberry Twp., PA
5, 22, 17B, Brandon Burgoon, McDonald, PA
6, 1, 17L, Dennis Lunger, Albion, PA
7, 2, B1, Brandon Wearing, Callery, PA
8, 11, 48, John Flinner, Zelienople, PA
9, 7, 38, Jim Stephans, Baldwin, PA
10, 16, 91, Tommy Beck, Murrysville, PA
11, 23, 72, Mike Norris, Sarver, PA
12, 19, 4J, John Mollick, Toronto, OH
13, 24, 2M, Chuck Medved, Imperial, PA
14, 13, 119, Chad McClellan, Stoystown, PA
15, 14, B22, Bump Hedman, Sugar Grove, PA
16, 17, 16*, Dereck Frank, Jamestown, NY
17, 8, 4, Alex Ferree, Saxonburg, PA
18, 4, 99, Ben Miley, Venetia, PA
19, 18, 18D, Danny Mitchell, Clarksburg, WV
20, 3, 99B, Boom Briggs, Bear Lake
21, 5, T8, Mark Banal, St. Clairsville, OH
22, 20, H1, Jared Miley, South Park, PA
23, 15, 6, Jim Lepro, Midway, PA
24, 21, 76R, Jason Rider, Clinton, PA
DNS, 07R, Brent Rhebergen, Clymer, NY
DNS, 9K, Mike Knight, Ripley, NY
DNS, 25, Bob Hershman, Swanton, MD
DNS, 27C, Daryl Charlier, Midway, PA
DNS, 76W, Dave Wade, Clinton, PA
