By Kasey Kreider
Labor Day Weekend annually brings about the biggest racing weekend of the year at Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. And with 149 entries signed in across the four divisions of Saturday’s opening night of the Labor Day Shootout, it became abundantly clear that the action would live up to the hype. The night would start with a wild and dramatic 270 feature, and when the dust settled, it would be Nick Skias driving from 22nd to take the lead with three laps remaining to take the night’s first checkered flag. T. J. Greve would then double down on Labor Day Shootout wins, as he dominated the 125/4 Stroke feature, and turned in a similar performance in the Hyper Racing 600s, holding off Jason Swavely in lapped traffic to make it two wins in as many races. The night’s final feature would see a first-time Lanco winner on one of the biggest stages, as Brandon Heist led from lap 5 to the finish to win the Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman A-Main, allowing him to finally get elusive win number one at the Clyde.
With time trials as part of the format for all four classes this year, it would be Nick Skias turning the overall quick time of the 46 270 entries. But drama would strike for Skias in his heat race, as he would slap the guardrail and cut down a right rear tire, forcing him to come through the B-Main in order to transfer. The five heats would be won by T. J. Greve, Jason Swavely, Pete Skias, Lee Reinhardt, and Bradley Brown. The redraw would put the elder Skias on pole for the 30-lap main event, with Heath Hehnly to his outside. Meanwhile, Nick Skias would be able to transfer through the second of two B-Mains and would start the feature from the outside of row 11.
Pete Skias would lead the race’s first two laps, and do so running up near the outside wall. But Reinhardt would make quick time on the bottom hugging the infield tires, and would take over the lead on the third lap. A caution would slow the race for the first time on lap 4, giving an opportunity for the field to regroup, with Alex Swift and Brent Shearer both moving their way up to the second row for the restart. The next green flag run would see Brown begin to work his way into the picture, as he would bypass Swift, Shearer, and Hehnly to move from sixth to third over the span of a few laps. But Nick Skias would become the driver to watch, as he had picked up 13 spots in the race’s first six laps before the event was slowed for another caution, setting up a restart that would be one of the defining moments of the race.
As Reinhardt and Pete Skias would break away one-two, Brown, Shearer, and Swift would all jockey for the third spot coming out of turn 2. Close-quarters racing saw contact made, sending Swift’s car sideways in front of the field. With nowhere for most of the rest of the field to go as the cars funneled off the corner, several drivers would pile into the side of Swift’s No. 18, while others would get damage trying to take evasive action. Roughly ten cars would be collected in the pileup, and the accident would eliminate several contenders including, Swift, Greve, Swavely, and Hehnly. The incident, while unfortunate for those drivers, would allow Nick Skias to inherit a spot in the top five, with other hard-charging drivers Pat Bealer and Matt Hoffman moving up several spots as well.
A few more laps and restarts would follow before another defining moment in the race, which came on lap 10. After Brown was able to bypass Pete Skias for the runner-up spot, the No. 3 would have to hold off a hard-charging Shearer on the restart. As the two drivers raced nose-to-tail down the backstretch, Shearer, likely trying to set up an inside move into turn 3, hooked bumpers with Skias, turning him around and sending the car into a wild sequence of flips at the entrance of the corner. Skias would be okay, but the car would be toast, and Shearer would have to go to the tail for his role in the incident.
After several early cautions, the race would finally get into a groove after that incident, and it would become a three-car race for the win between Reinhardt, Brown, and Nick Skias. Reinhardt would stay committed to the bottom line, while Brown and Skias would both try to close in running nose-to-tail on the top. Both drivers seemed to be closing in the waning laps, but with nine laps to go, Brown’s car would suddenly break just a few car lengths behind the leader, as he would pull to the infield and get out of harm’s way. The duel would be between Reinhardt and Skias, with lapped traffic also being a factor. But Skias would reel in the No. 4R and with three laps to go, make his move to the front. The fastest car on the evening had been able to make up 21 spots in 27 laps, and the Wernersville, PA driver would hang on to pick up the first Labor Day Shootout win of the night, 0.714 seconds in front of Reinhardt. Mike Skias would rally to finish third after being involved in the lap 7 pileup, with Randy West and Corey Schmuck, Jr. completing the top five. Brown would turn the race’s fastest lap of 10.980 seconds, but would be credited with a 14th-place result after dropping out.
After starting 22nd, Nick Skias was able to get past Lee Reinhardt with three laps to go to take the win in the Labor Day Shootout in the 270 class. (Photo Courtesy of Brandon Worthington/Mike Knappenberger Photos)
The 125/4 Strokes would be next, and it would be Charles Hellinger and T. J. Greve starting on the front row for this 30-lapper. Justin Harrington and overall quick-timer Chase Layser would start on row two, with the three heat race winners, Kenny Bushey, Dylan Holmes, and Riley Simmons all directly behind.
Hellinger would lead the race’s early circuits, keeping Greve and Harrington, both in unfamiliar but fast cars, at bay. But when the race’s first caution flew on lap 7, trouble would strike for the driver out in front, as Hellinger’s car would slow to a stop under the caution flag and drop out of the race. That would allow Greve to inherit the lead with Harrington on his outside, and despite Harrington’s best efforts, Greve would withstand the challenge over the next green flag run. Another restart would be set up on lap 15, and it would see a good night go awry for Simmons, who had worked her way up to third, but would spin after clipping an infield tire while trying to poke a nose in on Harrington on the restart.
Over the race’s second half, two new players would try to work their way into the equation, as Holden Eckman and John Maurer would move past Harrington and into positions two and three. The two drivers would start directly behind Greve on what would turn out to be the race’s final restart with 13 laps to go. But despite their attempts to keep close, Greve would simply be too strong for their challenges. A week that featured Hurricane Ida would see a different kind of hurricane in victory lane on this night, as the Hartly, DE driver brought the No. 1st under the checkered flag first, 1.785 seconds in front of Eckman. Maurer, Harrington, and Chris Dolan, who started 17th, would complete the top five. The fastest lap of the race would belong to Layser with a time of 11.727 seconds, but the overall quick-timer would finish 14th, one lap down, after fighting several issues during the course of the race.
T. J. Greve inherited the lead when Charles Hellinger broke under a lap 7 caution and led the rest of the way to win the Labor Day Shootout in the 125/4 Stroke division. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons/Mike Knappenberger Photos)
Heat race winner Brian Kramer and fast-timer in warmups T. J. Greve would start from the front row for the Hyper Racing 600 A-Main, with Greve trying to pick up two wins in the span of a few minutes. Jarid Kunkle won a heat and would start third, with fellow heat race winners Cameron Bellinger, Patrick Kelly, and Tyler Ulrich starting in positions eight through ten. The overall quick-timer in time trials was Steven Snyder, Jr., but he would start shotgun on the field in 27th after cutting down a tire following wall contact in both his heat race and in the B-Main, forcing him to rely on a provisional for being the fastest timer to not qualify.
Kramer would bust away to the lead and keep it through a few early cautions in the race’s opening laps. Kunkle would battle Greve for the runner-up spot on each start and restart, but once Greve got away, he would set his sights toward taking the lead. And as fate would have it, the method to the madness would be nearly a carbon copy of what happened the weekend prior. Greve, known for running the top, would make his best time down next to the infield tires in the corners. And when Kramer jumped the “cushion” in turn four and scraped against the outside guardrail coming to complete lap 8, that gave Greve all the opportunity he needed to complete the pass for the lead. Greve would open up a large gap as he worked through lapped traffic, with the lead being up over three seconds as the race wound past the halfway mark.
But Kunkle’s spin with 12 laps to go would make it a whole new ballgame, and put the prior two winners on the evening, Greve and Nick Skias, on the front row. Jason Swavely and Bradley Brown had methodically worked their way up inside the top four, while defending Labor Day Shootout winner Zack Bealer had driven up to fifth from 15th on the grid. Greve would lead off the restart, while Swavely would pass Skias for second, with the bottom becoming the dominant line to be in. But after the first few laps, Swavely would begin going back to work on the top, knowing that he would need to try something different to run down Greve in front. Greve would lead by more than a second and a half in the closing laps, but the race would be decided in traffic. As Greve caught the back of the field, Swavely would munch into the gap lap after lap, and as Mike Fry waved the white flag, Swavely was knocking at the doorstep with a chance. Swavely would close right to the tail tank of Greve’s car as the leaders entered turn 3 for the final time. Greve would go low and Swavely would go high with traffic dead ahead. But Greve would stay strong on the bottom, getting a good drive off and not giving Swavely a chance to pull alongside and make it back-to-back weeks of photo finishes.
Greve would take the win by 0.197 seconds over Swavely, and ran the race’s fastest lap of 10.462 seconds. Brown would see the finish line of a good run this time, as he would come home third, with the Groff Motorsports cars of Skias and Jesse Maurer completing the top five.
T. J. Greve held off Jason Swavely while working through lapped traffic in the closing laps to win the Labor Day Shootout for the Hyper Racing 600s. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons/Mike Knappenberger Photos)
The Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman drivers would run the evening’s final feature, and it would be the season’s two most dominant drivers starting on the front row. Toby Blumenshine won his heat and drew the pole position, and defending Labor Day Shootout winner Bret Cronrath turned the quickest lap of time trials and would start from the outside pole. Brandon Heist would start third after finishing there one week prior, and heat race winner Brent Shearer would round out the front two rows. The other heat race win went to Jamie Flickinger, and he would roll off eighth.
The race would once again be a story of top versus bottom, and in the early laps, the bottom would again prevail. Blumenshine stayed loyal to the high side, but Heist would roll the bottom better than anyone else, and take over the lead on lap 5. Blumenshine would stick in the second spot, with Shearer running right in his tire tracks in third. That would be the theme of the race for the first half, as Heist would make the bottom work with Blumenshine, Shearer, and Josh Stoyer all trying to make profits up top. After a lap 12 restart, however, the three pursuers would go to work battling amongst each other. Blumenshine and Shearer would trade sliders on each other with Stoyer stalking and waiting to pick up the pieces. After a few laps of great battling, the fight would come to an end as Shearer’s car broke in turn 4, leaving nowhere for Blumenshine to go. Blumenshine would ride over Shearer’s right rear wheel and get some significant air time, while doing a little damage to the car in the process. Miraculously though, Blumenshine would never stop, and would restart third behind Heist and Stoyer on the front row.
Stoyer would keep trying to keep pace with Heist while running up against the wall, but Heist’s car seemed to simply be too strong on the bottom. A restart with seven to go would give Stoyer one more shot, but he wouldn’t be able to capitalize. It would be Heist, who had come close but had never won at Lanco before, taking his first checkered flag at the Clyde in one of the biggest races. By 0.957 seconds, he would beat Stoyer to the stripe, and also ran the race’s fastest lap of 11.271 seconds. Meanwhile, Blumenshine would crash in turn 4 while battling Corey Schmuck, Jr. for third. That incident would allow Charles Hellinger to be the final podium finisher, with Flickinger and Billy Logeman rounding out the top five.
Brandon Heist took his first Lanco win in dominant fashion, leading the final 26 laps of the Labor Day Shootout in the Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman division. (Photo Courtesy of Brandon Worthington/Mike Knappenberger Photos)
Sunday, September 5th, will be the wingless portion of the Labor Day Shootout at the Clyde. The Hyper Racing 600s, 270s, and 125/4 Strokes will all be wingless, and will be joined by the All Star Slingshots as they make their final appearance of the season. Gates will open at 3:00, with warmups kicking off the on-track action at 5:00. If necessary, the rain date for the event will be Monday, September 6th. After an exciting Saturday, you won’t want to miss the epic conclusion of the 2021 Labor Day Shootout, so be sure to come out and LIVE the excitement that is Lanco!
Results:
270 A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 3s-Nick Skias
2. 4R-Lee Reinhardt
3. 8s-Mike Skias
4. 74f-Randy West
5. 26-Corey Schmuck, Jr.
6. 27o-Pat Bealer
7. 44x-Tommy Rinck
8. 96w-Chase Walker
9. 16t-Nick Walton
10. 65h-Mackenzie Hixson (-1L)
11. 21h-Matt Hoffman (-1L)
12. 21d-Dave Williams (-1L)
13. 5a-Anthony Yerger (DNF)
14. 23-Bradley Brown (DNF)
15. 76b-Brent Shearer (DNF)
16. 39-Austin Mieczkowski (DNF)
17. 49w-Jonathan West (DNF)
18. 71m-James Cubbage (DNF)
19. 3-Pete Skias (DNF)
20. 77-Mike Kreiser (DNF)
21. 18-Alex Swift (DNF)
22. 82-Heath Hehnly (DNF)
23. 14-Jason Swavely (DNF)
24. 52T-T. J. Greve (DNF)
25. 1L-Dave Labe (DNF)
26. 11g-Brandon Gibble (DNF)
27. 39x-Richie Hartman (DNF)
125/4 Stroke A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 1st-T. J. Greve
2. 11h-Holden Eckman
3. 82-John Maurer
4. 7a-Justin Harrington
5. 7d-Chris Dolan
6. 76-Billy Logeman
7. 26-Tyler Martin
8. 44x-Shannon Slaughter
9. 55c-Ron Crossley
10. 3x-Kenny Bushey
11. 44-Riley Simmons
12. 16c-Don Hess
13. 17-Masen Stapleton (-1L)
14. 7L-Chase Layser (-1L)
15. 15-Quinn Llewellyn (-1L)
16. 112-Dylan Yeingst (DNF)
17. 78-Jarrid Hellinger (DNF)
18. 81-Dylan Holmes (DNF)
19. 19-Matt Fernsler (DNF)
20. 15-Alyssa Holmes (DNF)
21. 6x-Chance Thomas (DNF)
22. 24t-Austin Miller (DNF)
23. 78c-Charles Hellinger (DNF)
DNS: 26c-Mike Coen
DNS: 04-Sam Borger
Hyper Racing 600 A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 24t-T. J. Greve
2. 14-Jason Swavely
3. 23-Bradley Brown
4. 7-Nick Skias
5. 3-Jesse Maurer
6. 3m-Cameron Bellinger
7. 2s-Zack Bealer
8. 21s-Steven Snyder, Jr.
9. 8-Kyle Lick
10. 4b-Bobby Butler
11. 11z-Zach Light
12. 5-Heath Hehnly
13. 117-Cody West
14. 17-Brent Ely
15. 15p-Chris Panczner
16. 42u-Tyler Ulrich
17. 11h-Holden Eckman (-1L)
18. 75-Mark Yoder (-1L)
19. 03-Ryan Groff (-1L)
20. 53-Toby Blumenshine (-1L)
21. 40-Patrick Kelly (-2L)
22. 7b-Mitchell Bard (DNF)
23. 1e-Aaron Espenshade (DNF)
24. 75k-Jarid Kunkle (DNF)
25. 16-Nick Groff (DNF)
26. 71-Brian Kramer (DNF)
27. 41-Logan Rumsey (DNF)
Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 12r-Brandon Heist
2. 3s-Josh Stoyer
3. 13s-Charles Hellinger
4. 9g-Jamie Flickinger
5. 15-Billy Logeman
6. N8-Nate Gibble
7. 69-Dan Visali
8. 77-Mike Kreiser
9. 16p-Patrick Kirn
10. 26b-Tyler Martin
11. 23-Billy Grey
12. 23k-Courtney Kupp
13. 22-Clinton Hauser
14. 30-Ryan Heckman
15. 26-Corey Schmuck, Jr. (DNF)
16. 21-Toby Blumenshine (DNF)
17. 99k-Chad Kreiser (DNF)
18. 3-Ava Bellinger (DNF)
19. 5a-Anthony Yerger (DNF)
20. 75-Brent Shearer (DNF)
21. 53s-Shannon Slaughter (DNF)
22. 53-Jared St. John (DNF)
23. 5-Bret Cronrath (DNF)
24. 28-Kyle Lindsey (DNF)
25. 21d-Dave Williams (DNF)