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August 20
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gardner Rockets to 1st UFo Championshipo Win at Statline!
By Jay Pees
The UFo Championship Challenge blasted off into it’s fall schedule at a new venue. When the check fell on the 50 lap feature at “Jim & Jean’s Sweetheart 50th Bash†at Stateline Speedway, Rich Gardner of Waterford, PA claimed a very popular $5,000 win.at the track where he has turned many laps.
The UFo Championship Challenge started the 50-lap “Sweetheart Special†for the Plyler Overhead Door Super Late Model drivers with 25-cars led by Rich Gardner and Doug Eck on the front row with Matt Lux and John Lacki in row two. Eck led to turn one but seven racers failed to make it through turn two, including Chris Hackett, Dutch Davies, Darrell Bossard, Kirk Bradley, Jake Finnerty, Dylan Yoder, and David Scott.
Eck led Gardner by 0.095 at the end of one lap and pulled ahead at two but Gardner powered back to the lead at the end of three then began opening a lead. At five laps complete Matt Lux edged ahead of Eck at the line with Max Blair challenging him for third a lap later. At nine laps in Gardner had caught the rear of the field then at ten complete Greg Oakes slowed on the front straight, forcing caution over the field.
Under the caution Eck also had mechanical issues and pulled pitside from third spot. At green Dave Hess Jr was up to fourth from eighteenth on the grid. At lap thirteen Brent Rhebergen looped his mount in turn three, again slowing the race. One lap after green Gardner led Lux with Hess coming to third. On lap sixteen Blair was back to third when Steve Kania Spun coming out of turn two, slowing the race for the third time.
Again Gardner was leading after one lap of green with Hess working the extreme outside trying for second. On lap twenty second was a three way race down the back straight among Lux, Hess, and Max Blair with Hess second when caution flew at lap 21. With Gardner now joined by Hess at the front for this restart and the two 111s on row two green again was flying with Gardner again in control at the end of one lap. At 23 complete Blair was alongside Hess for second and a length ahead of him at 24. At halfway it was Gardner, Max Blair, Hess, Lux, and Rob Blair.
At 29 laps Rob Blair was alongside Lux but Lux again had sole possession of the spot a lap later. At 32 complete Max Blair was challenging for the lead but Gardner was still the leader as they approached lapped traffic. Gardner opened a six length lead in lapped traffic. With five to go Gardner still had six lengths over Blair. On the final lap Blair closed to within five lengths at the checkers but for Gardner it was his first-ever UFo Championship win and his 3rd win of the season at Stateline. Max Blair, Hess, Lux and Rob Blair followed with 14th starting Bump Hedman, 16th starting Darrell Bossard, who also came back from the rear, 20th starting Mike Pegher, Jr., and 15th starting David Scott rounding out the top ten.
Heat race wins went to John Lobb, Jake Finnerty, John Lacki and Eck. Joel Watson and Hess split the consolation wins.
The next event for the UFo Championship Challenge is the Diehl Automotive “Red Miley Rumble†at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway. This event will pay $3,053 to win and $300 to start fo the 35 lap championship. The current top 15 drivers in the UFo Championship Challenge point standings will receive a $200 bonus on top of their winnings if they attend the event and it is completed.
UFo Championship Point Fund Sponsors
Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic of Finksburg MD, Sarver PA and Bedford, PA http://www.hoosiermidatlantic.com
American Racer Tires of Indiana, PA http://www.americanraceronline.com
Townsend Gas & Oil/VP Fuel-Shell-Pennzoil-Quaker State Products Distributor of Homer City, PA
Lias Tire of Indiana, PA and Coshocton, OH http://www.liastirespeed.com
Precise Racing Products of Pittsburgh PA, Baltimore MD, Wichita KS and Omaha NE http://www.preciseracing.com
Ritchey Sandblasting of Woodbury, PA 814-766-3659
Complete information on the UFo Race Championship may be found at http://www.ufochampionship.com. Facebook members can keep up to date with the tour by going to http://www.facebook.com/ufochampionship and clicking the “LIKE†button. Fans and race teams may follow the UFo Championship on Twitter at https://twitter.com/UFoChampionship.
2016 UFo Championship Challenge
Saturday, August 20 / Stateline Speedway / Jim & Jeans 50th Anniversary Bash
Super Late Models / 50 laps / $5,000 – Rich Gardner
Saturday, August 27 / Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway / Red Miley 53
Super Late Models / 35 laps / $3,053
Saturday, September 3 / Port Royal Speedway / Butch Renninger 33
Super Late Models / 33 laps / $3,300
Sunday, September 4 / Dog Hollow Speedway / Connor Bobik Make-A-Wish 126
Super Late Models / 41 laps / $4,000
Friday, September 9 / New Stateline Speedway / Stateline ShootOut – Battle on the Border
Super Late Models / 38 laps / $2,500
Saturday, September 10 / New Stateline Speedway / Stateline ShootOut – Penn/Yorker
Super Late Models / 55 laps / $5,000
Friday, September 23 / Dog Hollow Speedway / ThunderDog Showdown – Flying Floyd Kline Klassic
Super Late Models / 38 laps / $2,000
Saturday, September 24 / Dog Hollow Speedway / ThunderDog Showdown – ThunderDog 56
Super Late Models / 56 laps / $6,000
Jim & Jean's Sweetheart 50th Bash
Stateline Speedway
*August 20, 2016
UFo Super Late Models
Car Count = 32
Lead Changes = 1
Lap Leaders
Eck 1-2
Gardner 3-50
Heat Winners - Lobb, Finnerty, Lacki, Eck
Consolation Winners - Watson, Hess
Pass-Maximum Bonus Points Driver - Hess (15 positions)
Finish. ( Feature Start) Car Number / Driver / Hometown / Payoff
1. (1) 1 / Rich Gardner / Waterford, PA / $5,000
2. (6) 111 / Max Blair / Centerville, PA / $2,000
3. (18) 44s / Dave Hess Jr / Waterford, PA / $1,400
4. (3) 111 / Matt Lux / Franklin, PA / $1,200
5. (8) won11 / Rob Blair / Centerville, PA / $1,000
6. (14) b22 / Bump Hedman / Sugar Grove, PA / $800
#N/A
8. (16) 22b / Darrell Bossard / Centerville, PA / $650
9. (20) 1c / Mike Pegher JR / Cranberry, PA / $625
10. (15) 3 / David Scott / Garland, PA / $600
11. (12) 40 / Dutch Davies / Warren, PA / $550
12. (11) 24 / Dylan Yoder / Selinsgrove, PA / $500 +$200
13. (9) 1j / Jake Finnerty / Panama, NY / $475
14. (7) 33 / Chris Hackett / Jamestown, NY / $460
15. (24) 07r / Brett Rhebergen / Clymer, NY / $450
16. (21) 22jr / Damien Bidwell / Eldred, PA / $440
17. (22) 99* / Rick Singleton / Huntingdon, PA / $425
18. (17) 9 / Joel Watson / Conneaut, OH / $425
19. (23) m1 / Mike Mort / Lewistown, PA / $425 + $200
20. (19) 76 / Steve Kania / Erie, PA / $425
21. (5) 2v / Chad Valone / Jamestown, NY / $400
22. (10) 28 / John Lobb / Frewsburg, NY / $400
23. (2) 20 / Doug Eck / Corry, PA / $400
24. (25) 22 / Greg Oakes / Franklinville, NY / $400
25. (13) 5b / Kirk Bradley / Great Valley, NY / $400
DNQ () 21a / Pete Alspaugh / Russell, PA / $200
DNQ () 53 / John Volpe / Lakewood, NY / $200
DNQ () b1d / Damien Bidwell / Eldred, PA / $200
DNQ () 19 / Bob Dorman / Stockton, NY / $200
DNQ () 1u / Matt Urban / Northeast, PA / $200
DNQ () 72 / Ward Schell / Warren, PA / $200
DNQ () n07 / Jason DuPont / Cyclone, PA / $200
2016 UFo Championship Challenge Super Late Model Points
1. 1 / Rich Gardner / Waterford, PA / 100
2. 44s / Dave Hess Jr / Waterford, PA / 99
3. 111 / Max Blair / Centerville, PA / 98
4. 111 / Matt Lux / Franklin, PA / 96
5. won11 / Rob Blair / Centerville, PA / 95
6. b22 / Bump Hedman / Sugar Grove, PA / 94
7. 7 / John Lacki / Sinclairville, NY / 93
8. 22b / Darrell Bossard / Centerville, PA / 92
9. 1c / Mike Pegher Jr / Cranberry, PA / 91
10. 3 / David Scott / Garland, PA / 90
11. 40 / Dutch Davies / Warren, PA / 89
12. 24 / Dylan Yoder / Selinsgrove, PA / 88
13. 1j / Jake Finnerty / Panama, NY / 87
14 33 / Chris Hackett / Jamestown, NY / 86
15. 07r / Brett Rhebergen / Clymer, NY / 85