Post by purplerose22603 on May 9, 2011 9:36:14 GMT -5
D&D Auto Recycling Steel Block Bandits
Round 3
The Rock/Allegany County Speedway
Cumberland, MD
In 2010 rain stayed away from the Steel Block Bandits series, the story of 2011 has been how rain has affected the early season events. Round three would take the touring series to the Rick Jones promoted The Rock/Allegany County Speedway for the first of two visits this season, and once again weather was a prominent factor. The radar had multiple shades of green and the Cumberland, MD facility was not immune though this event would face a small shower and a few sprinkles, and the Bandits would be able to avoid the troubles with mother nature.
21 cars signed into the pits, 15 of which were Steel Block Bandits members. Under cloudy skies three heat events were run off with only one of the three going to a pole sitter. Bo Feathers would take heat one passing Rick Singleton late after starting seventh and last in the heat. Walker Arthur would take the second heat with a daring slide job on Matt Cosner late in his event to win. And Kyle Merkel would win his heat race from the pole. With no B-Main the Bandits prepped for the 30 lap feature that would take the green at a quarter past nine in the evening.
Starting on the front row for the event were Bo Feathers of Winchester, VA and defending Steel Block Bandits champion Walker Arthur of Forest, VA making an all Old Dominion state front row. At the green flag it was Walker Arthur blazing to the early lead while Rick Singleton of Hesston, PA would quickly move up into second. Early on Walker Arthur’s speed was evident as he pulled away from the Singleton machine. DJ Troutman of Hyndman, PA passed Bo Feathers early and settled into the third spot. After two quick early cautions the field settled in order and Bo Feathers would move past DJ Troutman and into the third spot trailing the fleet pair of Arthur and Singleton. As Walker Arthur caught up to heavy lapped traffic that could have affected his lead, Kristian Looney of Bridgewater, VA would lose a tire on the frontstretch in front of the leader. No other cars were involved as the third caution fell shortly before the halfway point.
At the restart things got hectic as Arthur and Singleton got together coming to the green flag, Feathers would go to the high side and Singleton and Feathers would make contact bending the side sheetmetal on the Feathers machine and allowing DJ Troutman to move back into third as the lead duo again pulled away. The final of the five cautions came for Rick Hulson who spun on his own with five to go. The final restart followed the same formula as once again Walker Arthur pulled away with his lead over Singleton. Meanwhile Matt Sponaugle began to battle his way up to the top five as he bypassed a battle betweek Kyle Merkel and Feathers and proceeded to take the fourth position.
At the checkered it was Walker Arthur taking the win, his fifth career and first win of 2011 on the Bandits tour and would allow him to break a tie in points between him and Bo Feathers. Rick Singleton ran second race long and took a hard earned second. DJ Troutman at his home track would take third. Matt Sponaugle would be the highest finishing non-Bandit member in fourth, with Kyle Merkel successfully procuring the fifth spot from Bo Feathers. From seventh to tenth were Matt Cosner, Sean Merkel, Booper Bare, and Matt Howsare.
Post race awards went to Matt Sponaugle who earned the Lazer Chassis Move of the Race award. Booper Bare’s run from the tail of the field to ninth earned him the Muddslinger Web Services Hard Charger award. RJ Custom Homes Top Crew award was taken by the Rick Singleton team, while the Glory Days Grill Young Bandit award went to Kyle Merkel. Two drivers would have to use their Platinum Membership hardship points, Bruce Kane and Billy Beachler.
D&D Auto Recycling Steel Block Bandits
The Rock/Allegany County Speedway
May 7, 2011 – Round 3
OFFICIAL RESULTS
1. 87 Walker Arthur
2. 99* Rick Singleton(RJ Custom Homes Top Crew)
3. 7 D.J. Troutman
4. 8 Matt Sponaugle(Lazer Chassis Move of the Race: Lap 18)
5. 117 Kyle Merkel(Glory Days Grill Young Bandit)
6. 00 Bo Feathers
7. 66c Matt Cosner
8. 118 Sean Merkel
9. 83 Booper Bare(Muddslinger Web Services Hard Charger)
10. 5H Matt Howsare
11. 8L Joey Leavell
12. 85 Matthew Emerick
13. 5 Wes Bonebrake
14. 10 Corey Weaver
15. 18H Rick Hulson
16. 87X Eric Irvin
17. 9Q Kristian Looney
18. 88 Barry Miller
19. 10C Ryan Christoff
DNS: Trever Feathers 27, Chris Harr WILD1
Cautions: 5
Lap Leaders: WALKER ARTHUR 1 – 30
Heat 1: BO FEATHERS, Rick Singleon, Sean Merkel, Barry Miller, Matthew Emerick, Matt Howsare DNS: Chris Harr
Heat 2: WALKER ARTHUR, Matt Cosner, Rick Hulson, Corey Weaver, Eric Irvin, Wes Bonebrake, Booper Bare
Heat 3: KYLE MERKEL, D.J. Troutman, Matt Sponaugle, Trever Feathers, Kristian Looney, Joe Leavell, Ryan Christoff
...........................................
Special thanks to the following: Market America, D&D Auto Recycling, Ernie D’s Enterprises, Glory Days Grill, Cecil B. Arthur General Contractors, Bernheisel Race Components & Lazer Chassis, WRT & Cliff Dove Motorsports Photography, Revolution Band, Muddslinger Web Services, Walrus Signs & Embroidery, Hoosier Tires, Advanced Race Wear, Crims Trailer Sales, Area Auto Racing News, In the Pits Radio 106.7 The Fan, Go Fast Be Safe, Handy Dans Landscaping, Cline Construction, All About Doors, Merkel Rebar, ARC Race Cars, Cecil B. Arthur Bucking Bulls & Beef Farm and Omps Garage.
Round 3
The Rock/Allegany County Speedway
Cumberland, MD
In 2010 rain stayed away from the Steel Block Bandits series, the story of 2011 has been how rain has affected the early season events. Round three would take the touring series to the Rick Jones promoted The Rock/Allegany County Speedway for the first of two visits this season, and once again weather was a prominent factor. The radar had multiple shades of green and the Cumberland, MD facility was not immune though this event would face a small shower and a few sprinkles, and the Bandits would be able to avoid the troubles with mother nature.
21 cars signed into the pits, 15 of which were Steel Block Bandits members. Under cloudy skies three heat events were run off with only one of the three going to a pole sitter. Bo Feathers would take heat one passing Rick Singleton late after starting seventh and last in the heat. Walker Arthur would take the second heat with a daring slide job on Matt Cosner late in his event to win. And Kyle Merkel would win his heat race from the pole. With no B-Main the Bandits prepped for the 30 lap feature that would take the green at a quarter past nine in the evening.
Starting on the front row for the event were Bo Feathers of Winchester, VA and defending Steel Block Bandits champion Walker Arthur of Forest, VA making an all Old Dominion state front row. At the green flag it was Walker Arthur blazing to the early lead while Rick Singleton of Hesston, PA would quickly move up into second. Early on Walker Arthur’s speed was evident as he pulled away from the Singleton machine. DJ Troutman of Hyndman, PA passed Bo Feathers early and settled into the third spot. After two quick early cautions the field settled in order and Bo Feathers would move past DJ Troutman and into the third spot trailing the fleet pair of Arthur and Singleton. As Walker Arthur caught up to heavy lapped traffic that could have affected his lead, Kristian Looney of Bridgewater, VA would lose a tire on the frontstretch in front of the leader. No other cars were involved as the third caution fell shortly before the halfway point.
At the restart things got hectic as Arthur and Singleton got together coming to the green flag, Feathers would go to the high side and Singleton and Feathers would make contact bending the side sheetmetal on the Feathers machine and allowing DJ Troutman to move back into third as the lead duo again pulled away. The final of the five cautions came for Rick Hulson who spun on his own with five to go. The final restart followed the same formula as once again Walker Arthur pulled away with his lead over Singleton. Meanwhile Matt Sponaugle began to battle his way up to the top five as he bypassed a battle betweek Kyle Merkel and Feathers and proceeded to take the fourth position.
At the checkered it was Walker Arthur taking the win, his fifth career and first win of 2011 on the Bandits tour and would allow him to break a tie in points between him and Bo Feathers. Rick Singleton ran second race long and took a hard earned second. DJ Troutman at his home track would take third. Matt Sponaugle would be the highest finishing non-Bandit member in fourth, with Kyle Merkel successfully procuring the fifth spot from Bo Feathers. From seventh to tenth were Matt Cosner, Sean Merkel, Booper Bare, and Matt Howsare.
Post race awards went to Matt Sponaugle who earned the Lazer Chassis Move of the Race award. Booper Bare’s run from the tail of the field to ninth earned him the Muddslinger Web Services Hard Charger award. RJ Custom Homes Top Crew award was taken by the Rick Singleton team, while the Glory Days Grill Young Bandit award went to Kyle Merkel. Two drivers would have to use their Platinum Membership hardship points, Bruce Kane and Billy Beachler.
D&D Auto Recycling Steel Block Bandits
The Rock/Allegany County Speedway
May 7, 2011 – Round 3
OFFICIAL RESULTS
1. 87 Walker Arthur
2. 99* Rick Singleton(RJ Custom Homes Top Crew)
3. 7 D.J. Troutman
4. 8 Matt Sponaugle(Lazer Chassis Move of the Race: Lap 18)
5. 117 Kyle Merkel(Glory Days Grill Young Bandit)
6. 00 Bo Feathers
7. 66c Matt Cosner
8. 118 Sean Merkel
9. 83 Booper Bare(Muddslinger Web Services Hard Charger)
10. 5H Matt Howsare
11. 8L Joey Leavell
12. 85 Matthew Emerick
13. 5 Wes Bonebrake
14. 10 Corey Weaver
15. 18H Rick Hulson
16. 87X Eric Irvin
17. 9Q Kristian Looney
18. 88 Barry Miller
19. 10C Ryan Christoff
DNS: Trever Feathers 27, Chris Harr WILD1
Cautions: 5
Lap Leaders: WALKER ARTHUR 1 – 30
Heat 1: BO FEATHERS, Rick Singleon, Sean Merkel, Barry Miller, Matthew Emerick, Matt Howsare DNS: Chris Harr
Heat 2: WALKER ARTHUR, Matt Cosner, Rick Hulson, Corey Weaver, Eric Irvin, Wes Bonebrake, Booper Bare
Heat 3: KYLE MERKEL, D.J. Troutman, Matt Sponaugle, Trever Feathers, Kristian Looney, Joe Leavell, Ryan Christoff
...........................................
Special thanks to the following: Market America, D&D Auto Recycling, Ernie D’s Enterprises, Glory Days Grill, Cecil B. Arthur General Contractors, Bernheisel Race Components & Lazer Chassis, WRT & Cliff Dove Motorsports Photography, Revolution Band, Muddslinger Web Services, Walrus Signs & Embroidery, Hoosier Tires, Advanced Race Wear, Crims Trailer Sales, Area Auto Racing News, In the Pits Radio 106.7 The Fan, Go Fast Be Safe, Handy Dans Landscaping, Cline Construction, All About Doors, Merkel Rebar, ARC Race Cars, Cecil B. Arthur Bucking Bulls & Beef Farm and Omps Garage.