ARDC12
09-14-2008, 05:58 AM
Steve Buckwalter Keeps it "In the Family" in Susky ARDC
By Mark Kielblock
Newberrytown, Pa. - Bruce Buckwalter owned just about all of Saturday night's 20-lap ARDC feature at Susquehanna Speedway Park. All but the last two turns, that is. That's when cousin Steve made a bonzai dive inside of Bruce to take the lead in turn 3 of a last lap shoot out to snatch the victory away.
Carey Becker and Donnie Trent in Lou Zrinski's no. 10 brought the 26 car field to the green flag. The yellow winked on at the conclusion of lap one for a spinning Greg Robinson. During that first lap, Bruce Buckwalter served notice that he would be the driver that every one would have to deal with as he shot from his 5th starting spot up to second.
When they got back to racing, Donnie Trent and Bruce Buckwalter would battle for the lead, as polesitter Carey Becker dropped back. Buckwalter would grab the lead from Trent on the inside groove of turn 3 on lap 3. Steve Buckwalter would then make his presence known as he amazingly showed up in the top 5 on lap 7, coming out of the 19th starting spot. He would slide into the third spot on lap 9 as he continued his assault on the front runners.
Other movers through the field were Frank Polimeda who moved out of the 10th starting spot into 4th on lap 12, bringing 13th place starter Andy Martin along with him as Martin moved into 5th. Steve Buckwalter would move into second on lap 13. Then the fun began as Bruce Buckwalter got into lapped traffic and Steve desperately tried to close the gap.
While this was going on, Andy Martin moved into third on lap 15. Almost lost in all this action were two drivers turning in outstanding drives. The first being Shane Penny who hung in the top five all race long, and PJ Gargiulo who started 21st and drove all the way up to 7th.
The last handful of laps saw all eyes riveted on the leader Bruce Buckwalter and cousin Steve trying to move in for the kill. As they rounded turn two on the last lap, it appeared that Bruce might have had just enough of a gap to hold off the speeding Steve. Then the fateful final caution winked on for a disabled car, and Bruce Buckwalter lost his chance to run away with the win.
The final restart for the last lap shoot out was thrilling as Bruce barreled into turn one and slid up high, seeming to hold off Steve for the moment. "I fought brake troubles all night," Bruce explained in victory lane. "I had no brakes at all on that last restart." Bruce carried the lead down the backstretch and still had hopes of holding on until Steve made his patented low dive in turn 3 to take the lead and beat Bruce to the line in a drag race to the finish.
"I hated to take it from my cousin, but that's racing," Steve said in victory lane. " I don't know if I could've gotten him if that caution hadn't come out."
A visibly frustrated and disappointed Bruce Buckwalter summed up his feelings, "I really wish Selinsgrove hadn't rained out. If they hadn't I think we'd be eating a hoagie in victory lane," he said. The younger Buckwalter was referring to the fact that Steve Buckwalter didn't have the ARDC race on his schedule as he was to run a sprinter at Selinsgrove. Steve Buckwalter showed up late at Susky which put him in the B-main and led to his back of the pack starting spot.
Martin ended up third, Penny fourth and Polimeda rounded out the top-5.
31 ARDC Midgets signed in for competition. Heat races were won by AJ Ernesto, Donnie Trent and Drew Heistand. The B-main went to Steve Buckwalter.
Pit Patter: The Susky show marked the opening of fan voting for the PPG Best Appearing Car Award for ARDC. Ballots were drawn before the feature and four ARDC driver T-Shirts were given away. Glenda Jones of Mechanicsburg Pa also won a unique ARDC prize; the hood from Greg Robinson's no.00 that was signed by ARDC drivers as well as young fans during the Castrol Oil "Camera and Autograph" Session. The session was held on the frontstrech, opening the track to fans to meet with drivers and teams.
20-Lap ARDC Feature: 1) 0-Steve Buckwalter 2) 83-Bruce Buckwalter 3) 21-Andy Martin 4) 34-Shane Penny 5) 44-Frank Polimeda 6) 10-Donnie Trent 7) 51-PJ Gargiulo 8) 2-Tracy Readinger 9) 20-Carey Becker 10) 14-AJ Ernesto 11) 78 Nick Wean 12) 55-Steve Craig 13) 26-Stephanie Stevens 14) 12-Drew Heistand 15) 9-Steve Lenig 16) 27-Randy Monroe, Jr 17) 29-Zack Martini 18) 99-Scott Zipp 19) 16-Dave Shirk 20) 38-Bobby Goerner 21) 64-Brett Conkling 22) 84-Jimmy Commock 23) 46-Brett Arndt 24) 11-Eric Heydenreich 25) 00-Greg Robinson 26) 42-Jack Spence
By Mark Kielblock
Newberrytown, Pa. - Bruce Buckwalter owned just about all of Saturday night's 20-lap ARDC feature at Susquehanna Speedway Park. All but the last two turns, that is. That's when cousin Steve made a bonzai dive inside of Bruce to take the lead in turn 3 of a last lap shoot out to snatch the victory away.
Carey Becker and Donnie Trent in Lou Zrinski's no. 10 brought the 26 car field to the green flag. The yellow winked on at the conclusion of lap one for a spinning Greg Robinson. During that first lap, Bruce Buckwalter served notice that he would be the driver that every one would have to deal with as he shot from his 5th starting spot up to second.
When they got back to racing, Donnie Trent and Bruce Buckwalter would battle for the lead, as polesitter Carey Becker dropped back. Buckwalter would grab the lead from Trent on the inside groove of turn 3 on lap 3. Steve Buckwalter would then make his presence known as he amazingly showed up in the top 5 on lap 7, coming out of the 19th starting spot. He would slide into the third spot on lap 9 as he continued his assault on the front runners.
Other movers through the field were Frank Polimeda who moved out of the 10th starting spot into 4th on lap 12, bringing 13th place starter Andy Martin along with him as Martin moved into 5th. Steve Buckwalter would move into second on lap 13. Then the fun began as Bruce Buckwalter got into lapped traffic and Steve desperately tried to close the gap.
While this was going on, Andy Martin moved into third on lap 15. Almost lost in all this action were two drivers turning in outstanding drives. The first being Shane Penny who hung in the top five all race long, and PJ Gargiulo who started 21st and drove all the way up to 7th.
The last handful of laps saw all eyes riveted on the leader Bruce Buckwalter and cousin Steve trying to move in for the kill. As they rounded turn two on the last lap, it appeared that Bruce might have had just enough of a gap to hold off the speeding Steve. Then the fateful final caution winked on for a disabled car, and Bruce Buckwalter lost his chance to run away with the win.
The final restart for the last lap shoot out was thrilling as Bruce barreled into turn one and slid up high, seeming to hold off Steve for the moment. "I fought brake troubles all night," Bruce explained in victory lane. "I had no brakes at all on that last restart." Bruce carried the lead down the backstretch and still had hopes of holding on until Steve made his patented low dive in turn 3 to take the lead and beat Bruce to the line in a drag race to the finish.
"I hated to take it from my cousin, but that's racing," Steve said in victory lane. " I don't know if I could've gotten him if that caution hadn't come out."
A visibly frustrated and disappointed Bruce Buckwalter summed up his feelings, "I really wish Selinsgrove hadn't rained out. If they hadn't I think we'd be eating a hoagie in victory lane," he said. The younger Buckwalter was referring to the fact that Steve Buckwalter didn't have the ARDC race on his schedule as he was to run a sprinter at Selinsgrove. Steve Buckwalter showed up late at Susky which put him in the B-main and led to his back of the pack starting spot.
Martin ended up third, Penny fourth and Polimeda rounded out the top-5.
31 ARDC Midgets signed in for competition. Heat races were won by AJ Ernesto, Donnie Trent and Drew Heistand. The B-main went to Steve Buckwalter.
Pit Patter: The Susky show marked the opening of fan voting for the PPG Best Appearing Car Award for ARDC. Ballots were drawn before the feature and four ARDC driver T-Shirts were given away. Glenda Jones of Mechanicsburg Pa also won a unique ARDC prize; the hood from Greg Robinson's no.00 that was signed by ARDC drivers as well as young fans during the Castrol Oil "Camera and Autograph" Session. The session was held on the frontstrech, opening the track to fans to meet with drivers and teams.
20-Lap ARDC Feature: 1) 0-Steve Buckwalter 2) 83-Bruce Buckwalter 3) 21-Andy Martin 4) 34-Shane Penny 5) 44-Frank Polimeda 6) 10-Donnie Trent 7) 51-PJ Gargiulo 8) 2-Tracy Readinger 9) 20-Carey Becker 10) 14-AJ Ernesto 11) 78 Nick Wean 12) 55-Steve Craig 13) 26-Stephanie Stevens 14) 12-Drew Heistand 15) 9-Steve Lenig 16) 27-Randy Monroe, Jr 17) 29-Zack Martini 18) 99-Scott Zipp 19) 16-Dave Shirk 20) 38-Bobby Goerner 21) 64-Brett Conkling 22) 84-Jimmy Commock 23) 46-Brett Arndt 24) 11-Eric Heydenreich 25) 00-Greg Robinson 26) 42-Jack Spence