RACE RECAP (8/20/2022): Spence, Miller, Ruppert, Schmuck, Jr., and Skias Claim Meaningful Victories in the Mike Trout Memorial

By Kasey Kreider

A muggy, late-August Saturday night at the Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway provided the setting for one of the biggest and most meaningful tribute races in recent memory at the speedway. The Mike Trout Memorial provided an opportunity for family, friends, fans, and competitors alike to all come together in honor and remembrance of the longtime competitor and former track champion who passed away over the past offseason. Several touching tributes to Mike punctuated the evening, and exciting racing proved to be the norm through all five divisions as drivers raced for added purse and bonus money.

In the Hyper Racing Winged 600s, Kyle Spence avoided chaos and disaster a couple of times to take home the night’s first victory. The 125/4 Strokes saw Mike Miller grab the victory in the class that Mike Trout used to compete in. Alex Ruppert fended off Steven Snyder, Jr. to pick up his first Lanco win in the Hyper Racing Wingless 600s, doing so as Bradley Brown officially locked up the first point championship for the wingless class at the Clyde. Corey Schmuck, Jr. made his sixth trip to the winner’s circle in the Skeet Craft Collision Sportsmans, holding off Toby Blumenshine in the Mike Trout tribute No. 44 for the win. And the evening finished with Pete Skias scoring his second win in two nights, picking up the 270 nightcap win.

Kyle Spence led a full field of Hyper Racing Winged 600s to the green for the first feature of the night, breaking away on the start as two-and-three-wide racing took place all throughout the field behind him. But Spence had plenty of company at the front in the form of second-place runner Nick Skias, and the charging vehicles of Cody West and points leader Jason Swavely. Swavely, who was hunting for his third straight victory in the class, seemed to have the quickest car over the first few laps, but fell back after contact with Skias while racing for second. As Spence hit lapped cars around halfway, the battle for the lead began.

Skias closed in with a big run out of turn 4, pulling to bottom and trying to execute a slide-job pass for the lead into turn 1. As he did that though, a few of the lapped cars racing in front got together and slid sideways, leaving nowhere for Skias or the quickly-arriving West to go. As they slid into the pileup, Spence somehow found a way to squeeze past, and re-inherited the top spot.

As Spence led Swavely off the restart, he began to stretch his legs once more in front before hitting lapped traffic with roughly six laps to go. The traffic gave Swavely a chance to close in, but Spence kept his nose clean and kept the lead in hand, seemingly well on his way to victory as the final lap began.

But as Spence lapped past Brian Kramer entering turn 1, Kramer’s car appeared to blow up, leaving a trail of fluid and nearly wiping out Spence as he slid up the speedway. The top two were able to slide by, but third-place runner Jesse Maurer was not as lucky, as he collected the spinning No. 71.

A one-lap dash was set to decide the winner, and Spence got a perfect restart to stave off any challenge. But the story was behind him, as Swavely appeared to have a flat tire, and tried desperately to limp around on the final lap and salvage as many points as he could.

As the dust settled on a chaotic race, Spence picked up the victory, leading Holden Eckman and Billy Logeman to the line to make up the podium. Hard charger Christian Bruno and Chris Gerhart completed the top five, while Swavely, with his final lap issue, held on for an 11th-place result. With Bradley Brown coming home in sixth, the point lead for the Fleetwood, PA driver narrowed down to 22, with now just three points races left in the 2022 season.

Heat races were won by Skias, West, and Mike Rutherford.

Kyle Spence picked up the first win on Mike Trout Memorial Night in the Hyper Racing Winged 600s. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons Photos)

Prior to the start of the 125/4 Stroke feature, Mike Trout’s daughter, Kimmie, came out behind the wheel of the tribute No. 44 car to pace the field in remembrance of the 2003 4 Stroke champion. It was a full-circle moment for Kimmie, who used to compete alongside her father, and it set the stage for the special feature that was about to take place.

Prior to the 125/4 Stroke feature, Kimmie Trout paced the field in a replica of the car that her dad, Mike, used to compete with in the 4 Stroke division. The car was raced later in the night by Toby Blumenshine in the Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman class. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons Photos)

Terry Ellex started on pole for the feature, which struggled to get started after several first-lap incidents. With $1,044 going to all the feature winners in honor of Mike, drivers were all looking to find the front in a hurry. Once the first few laps got rolling, it was Ellex who showed the way, with young gun John Maurer trying to set up a way to get past. Maurer got big runs off the top side of each corner, and eventually got an opportunity he couldn’t pass up, as he attempted to make a lunge to the inside. Unfortunately for Maurer, the door began to close, and as he jumped on the brakes to avoid contact, the No. 82 snapped around.

Maurer’s misfortune put Ellex’s fellow veteran teammate Mike Miller alongside him on the front row for a lap 8 restart, and as Miller tucked in line in second, he began searching for a way past. Ellex kept a tidy line for most of the event, and it began to look as if he could hold on for the win. But with under 10 laps to go, Ellex missed the bottom of turns 3 and 4 ever so slightly, and that was all the gap Miller needed to shoot his car under and take away the top spot.

From there, Miller set his sights on the checkered flag, and perhaps it was only fitting for one of Lanco’s most experienced and successful drivers, and someone who raced alongside Mike for many years, to take the win. Miller’s emotional victory was followed by a second-place run by Chase Layser, with Billy Logeman stretching his points lead after another third-place finish. Chris Dolan and Mike Coen completed the top five.

Heat races were won by Ellex, Maurer, and Masen Stapleton, while Jarrid Hellinger took the win in a shortened consi.

Mike Miller celebrated in victory lane with the Trout family after winning the feature in the 125/4 Stroke division. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons Photos)

The Hyper Racing Wingless 600 feature started in a similar manner to the 125/4 Strokes, as several attempts at the start were needed before the first lap could be put onto the board. Once the racing got going though, it was pole sitter Garyt Smith leading the way, with he and Christian Bruno battling hard for the top spot before Bruno’s car broke on an early restart. His issue opened the door for a fast Alex Ruppert, who was making his first start at the Clyde since his near-Speedweek win in July, to go to work for the lead. A slide job that stuck in turn 1 moved the No. 5A to the head of the field. But to take victory on this night, he’d have to fend off a familiar competitor in Steven Snyder, Jr., with last week’s winner Mason Beinhower waiting in the wings as well.

Once Snyder, Jr. got to second, he’d keep pace with Ruppert around the top of the speedway, and began chipping away at the few-car-length-advantage until he got into range to pull a slider. For the entire second half of the race, the two traded the lead back and forth. And each time that it seemed as if Snyder, Jr. would make the pass stick, Ruppert got just enough of a run to answer back and take the preferred line away off the next corner.

A caution with seven to go provided a brief opportunity to regroup, but the battle only resumed after that, as Snyder, Jr. continued to hustle his machine up to Ruppert’s back bumper before pulling out for a move. Ruppert seemed ready each time, as he would turn the car on a dime at the center of the turn and run back down the hill to answer any move that Snyder, Jr. had. With the white flag waving, Snyder, Jr. had one more shot, and got the run he needed off of turn 2 to make one final move for the win. But Ruppert blocked the slider line entering turn 3, leaving no chance for Snyder, Jr. to get around as they charged to the checkered.

Ruppert, who has a good track record in big races, added another one to his resume with his first checkered flag at the Clyde. Snyder, Jr. had to settle for a rare runner-up finish at the Newmanstown bullring, while Marty Brian got past Beinhower on the final run to grab the final podium spot. Beinhower followed up his win with a fourth, and Bradley Brown rebounded from a first-lap incident to complete the top five and subsequently clinch the point championship for the Hyper Racing Wingless 600 division. After coming close before, the clinching signified the first championship at the Clyde for the New Providence, PA native.

Heat races were won by Bruno and Danny Lane, Jr.

Alex Ruppert fended off the challenges from Steven Snyder, Jr. to take the victory in the Hyper Racing Wingless 600 class. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons Photos)

With his fifth-place finish in the feature, Bradley Brown mathematically clinched the championship in the Hyper Racing Wingless 600s, his first at the speedway in any class. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons Photos)

Michael Spadafora led the field to green for the Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman feature. After showing speed all throughout the season, Spadafora was hoping to pick a big night to finally break through. But as he was the week before, Corey Schmuck, Jr. was the biggest mover through the field in the opening laps, going from ninth to fourth over the first green-flag run and asserting himself in the conversation for the victory.

From there, it wouldn’t be long before the No. 26 found its familiar perch at the front, as he passed Mike Kreiser, then cousin Tyler Martin, before diving to inside of Spadafora in turn 3 to complete his drive to the front before the halfway mark. Schmuck, Jr. then opened up a lead of more than three seconds over the run before the caution flew with eight laps to go when his championship rival, Bret Cronrath, found trouble in turn 2. With Cronrath restarting at the back, Schmuck, Jr. had a big opportunity to make up some points if he could hold on for the win.

The task wasn’t going to be that easy though, as some familiar colors began to find the front of the field. Toby Blumenshine, driving a replica paint scheme to the No. 44 that Mike Trout used to compete in, was climbing through the running order late in the feature. He got past Spadafora, who got shuffled out on the restart and then suffered an incident of his own to bring out another yellow, and then worked his way around Martin to move to second. But Blumenshine was just a tick slower over the final run to the finish, and ultimately couldn’t get close enough to mount a challenge.

Schmuck, Jr. made it back-to-back Sportsman wins and picked up his sixth total victory of the season, with Blumenshine putting Mike Trout’s colors on the frontstretch in fitting fashion with his runner-up result. Martin finally broke through for an elusive podium by coming home third, and Courtney Kupp led Anthony Yerger across the stripe to round out the top five. Cronrath rallied for 11th, allowing him to hold onto a smaller advantage at the top of the standings over Schmuck, Jr.

Heat races were won by Spadafora, Kupp, and Dave Williams, with the win in the consi belonging to Brett Estep.

Corey Schmuck, Jr. drove through the field in short order to take the Mike Trout Memorial win in the Skeet Craft Collision Sportsmans. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons Photos)

Rounding out the Mike Trout Memorial Night was the 270s, and on the pole would be Pete Skias, who looked to make it two in a row following a Friday night win at Linda’s Speedway. Pete broke away to the lead, but soon had company in the form of his son, Mike Skias, who was looking to take the win and potentially retake the points lead.

Mike would try to keep pace with Pete at the head of the pack, while other drivers tried to pick their way through further back in the field. 125/4 Stroke winner Mike Miller took second away from Mike Skias on a restart and began setting his sights on the lead, while Jason Swavely stormed up to third before breaking from that position at the halfway mark.

Pete Skias had been a little quicker than Miller during the green flag running, and it seemed as if he’d be able to fend off any challenge coming his way. But Bradley Brown entered the picture as the race ran through its second half, as he bypassed Miller and began to reel in Skias as the laps clicked off. Brown ran the high side of the speedway and tried setting up the leader for a move by getting a good enough run off the corner to dive to the inside entering the next turn. As the white flag waved, it seemed like Brown could have been within striking distance to try something in the final set of corners, but the caution flew for a stopped vehicle in turn 2, setting up a one-lap sprint to end the night.

Skias got the restart he needed, and Brown wouldn’t be close enough entering turn 3. Skias made it two wins in two nights, and picked up his first win at Lanco since the Clyde Martin Memorial in 2021. Brown had to settle for second but extended his points lead after Mike Skias got caught up in a late incident. Miller rounded out the podium, with Corey Schmuck, Jr. and Nick Skias bringing home the top five.

Heat races were won by Pete Skias, Mike Skias, and Brown.

Pete Skias held off Bradley Brown to win the night’s final feature in the 270 class. (Photo Courtesy of Keegan Simmons Photos)

Next Saturday, August 27th will be Backpack Giveaway Night at the Clyde. With school starting back up, a limited supply of backpacks will be given to kids in attendance throughout the night. Anyone who wishes to donate a backpack to the giveaway can drop them off at the trailers for Nick Skias, Masen Stapleton, or Christi Sweigart. All five divisions will return for a points show as the championship battles continue to heat up. Gates will open at 4:30, with warmups and racing beginning at 6:00. With summer coming to a close, next Saturday is the perfect time to come out and LIVE the excitement that is Lanco!

Unofficial Results:

Hyper Racing Winged 600 A-Main (25 Laps):

1. R7-Kyle Spence[1]; 2. 11H-Holden Eckman[8]; 3. 97-Billy Logeman[4]; 4. 5-Christian Bruno[16]; 5. 51-Chris Gerhart[13]; 6. 23-Bradley Brown[12]; 7. 75K-Jarid Kunkle[15]; 8. 17-Brent Ely[5]; 9. 3-Jesse Maurer[11]; 10. 71-Brian Kramer[2]; 11. 14-Jason Swavely[10]; 12. 1-Will Urkuski[6]; 13. 11Z-Zachary Light[18]; 14. 41-Nicho Flammer[19]; 15. 2K-Nathan Miller[20]; 16. 21H-Ryan Hook[17]; 17. 94-Hayden Wise[21]; 18. 60O-Michael Rutherford[7]; 19. 52T-Thomas Greve Jr[24]; 20. 7-Nick Skias[3]; 21. 117-Cody West[9]; 22. 87C-Cecelia Perrotti[14]; 23. 0K-Pat Kelly[23]; 24. 15P-Christopher Panczner[22]

125/4 Stroke A-Main (25 Laps):

1. 3-Mike Miller[6]; 2. 7L-Chase Layser[8]; 3. 76B-Billy Logeman[14]; 4. 7D-Chris Dolan[11]; 5. 26C-Michael Coen[10]; 6. 5-Terry Ellex[1]; 7. 32-Michael Hoffmaster[9]; 8. 17-Masen Stapleton[7]; 9. 73-Andrew Rothermel[20]; 10. 19-Matt Fernsler[13]; 11. 15-Alyssa Holmes[5]; 12. 82-John Maurer[2]; 13. 81-Dylan Holmes[22]; 14. 14-Seth Gregory[18]; 15. 04-Sam Borger[4]; 16. 67-Cooper Schoenly[23]; 17. 13-Shane Davis[24]; 18. 112-Dylan Yeingst[16]; 19. 16-Steve Simmons[15]; 20. 78C-Toby Blumenshine[21]; 21. 44-Riley Simmons[17]; 22. 20J-Jarrid Hellinger[19]; 23. 6X-Chance Thomas[3]; 24. (DQ) 76-Justin Harrington[12]

Hyper Racing Wingless 600 A-Main (25 Laps):

1. 5A-Alex Ruppert[5]; 2. 21S-Steven Snyder Jr[6]; 3. 16-Marty Brian[9]; 4. 21-Mason Beinhower[13]; 5. 23-Bradley Brown[12]; 6. 96-Zach Jurcik[8]; 7. 71-Brian Kramer[7]; 8. 39-Richie Hartman[11]; 9. 22-Kyler Heiney[20]; 10. 12J-Jacob Homnick[15]; 11. 16X-Noah Smith[16]; 12. 2SX-Garyt Smith[1]; 13. 25X-Dan Lane Jr[4]; 14. 25-Kenneth Beinhower III[18]; 15. $30-Dominic Foster[17]; 16. 2K-Nathan Miller[10]; 17. 1F-James Fries[21]; 18. 15D-Matthew Donley[2]; 19. 73-Andrew Rothermel[19]; 20. 5-Christian Bruno[3]; 21. 94-Hayden Wise[14]

Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman A-Main (25 Laps):

1. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[10]; 2. 44-Toby Blumenshine[8]; 3. 31-Tyler Martin[2]; 4. 23K-Courtney Kupp[4]; 5. 5A-Anthony Yerger[11]; 6. 53S-Shannon Slaughter[6]; 7. 3S-Masen Stapleton[12]; 8. 17-Brett Estep[19]; 9. 15-Robert Shannaman[16]; 10. 21D-Dave Williams[5]; 11. 5-Bret Cronrath[14]; 12. 30-Ryan Heckman[23]; 13. 77-Michael Kreiser[3]; 14. 20-Max Fasnacht[17]; 15. 11-Dustin Geib[15]; 16. 19-Wes Fasnacht[18]; 17. 22-Clinton Hauser[22]; 18. 99-Dallas Sanders[21]; 19. 22S-Bret Sculley[24]; 20. 8-Michael Spadafora[1]; 21. 53-Jared St John[13]; 22. 28-Kyle Lindsey[20]; 23. 9G-Jamie Flickinger[7]; 24. 16P-Patrick Kirn[9]

270 A-Main (25 Laps):

1. 3-Pete Skias[1]; 2. 82-Bradley Brown[6]; 3. 2-Mike Miller[4]; 4. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[8]; 5. 3S-Nick Skias[19]; 6. 19-Matt Fernsler[2]; 7. 88-Richie Hartman[3]; 8. 88D-Andrew Dietrich[14]; 9. 21D-Dave Williams[15]; 10. 27O-Mike Rutherford[17]; 11. 8S-Mike Skias[5]; 12. 34-Christi Sweigart[22]; 13. 15-Alex Swift[12]; 14. 5A-Anthony Yerger[13]; 15. 19H-Jas Hehnly[23]; 16. 4-Dylan Pence[9]; 17. 54-William Mohring[16]; 18. 48-Jonah Meck[11]; 19. 23K-Courtney Kupp[24]; 20. 96W-Chase Walker[7]; 21. 14-Jason Swavely[10]; 22. 28S-Brian Sholley[20]; 23. 91-Jack Redcay[21]; 24. 47X-Ernie Newmaster III[18]

Unofficial Point Standings (3 Races Remaining):

Hyper Racing Winged 600 Point Standings (Top 5):

1. 14-Jason Swavely[974]; 2. 23-Bradley Brown[-22]; 3. 11H-Holden Eckman[-67]; 4. 5-Christian Bruno[-193]; 5. 51-Chris Gerhart[-206]

125/4 Stroke Point Standings (Top 5):

1. 76B-Billy Logeman[1,316]; 2. 19-Matt Fernsler[-133]; 3. 7D-Chris Dolan[-191]; 4. 76-Justin Harrington[-258]; 5. 7L-Chase Layser[-268]

Hyper Racing Wingless 600 Point Standings (Top 5):

1. 23-Bradley Brown[1,085]; 2. 1F-James Fries[-368]; 3. 16-Marty Brian[-438]; 4. 5-Christian Bruno[-444]; 5. 03-Ryan Groff[-555]

Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman Point Standings (Top 5):

1. 5-Bret Cronrath[1,185]; 2. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[-51]; 3. 20-Max Fasnacht[-201]; 4. 53S-Shannon Slaughter[-207]; 5. 44-Toby Blumenshine[-210]

270 Point Standings (Top 5):

1. 82-Bradley Brown[943]; 2. 8S-Mike Skias[-51]; 3. 3S-Nick Skias[-78]; 4. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[-107]; 5. 34-Christi Sweigart[-136]