By Kasey Kreider
(Thumbnail Photo Courtesy of Ryan Snyder/ReflexX Photography)
With the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series unable to make the trek to Pennsylvania due to Hurricane Debby, the Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway called an audible in order to still give fans an exciting and worthwhile card of racing on what turned out to be a beautiful Saturday night. For the first time in the track’s history, all four classes ran wingless events on the same night, and the result was jaw-dropping action and entertainment. Toby Blumenshine swept the Border Magic Wingless 270 and Skeet Craft Collision Wingless Sportsman races, Christian Bruno picked up the $1,000 payday for winning in the Hyper Racing Wingless 600s, and John Maurer turned in one of the most dominant performances in a long time to claim victory in the Offroad Motorsports Wingless 125/4 Strokes.
Skeet Craft Collision Wingless Sportsman
After breaking through for his first win of the season in the Clyde Martin Memorial race two weeks prior, Toby Blumenshine made it back-to-back victories in Skeet Craft Collision Sportsman competition, as the Reinholds native made the race-winning pass on Brandon Heist with four laps to go.
Blumenshine – who had won the inaugural Wingless Sportsman race back in 2022 – started the 20-lap A-Main from the fifth spot. In a race that was only slowed by one caution flag, Blumenshine swiftly moved up to second, and was left to battle with a familiar foe in Heist for the victory.
After Heist had run the top groove early in the race, he moved down to the bottom once Blumenshine got a little closer, and it appeared as if he may be able to keep the No. 21 at bay. But with four laps to go, Heist barely clipped one of the infield tires through turns 1 and 2, giving Blumenshine enough momentum to get inside of the No. 99 car, and ultimately complete the pass for the win.
Toby Blumenshine (No. 21) came out on top over Brandon Heist (No. 99) in the battle for the Skeet Craft Collision Wingless Sportsman victory. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photos)
“Man, that was a really fun race.” Blumenshine said. “Hats off to Brandon, he ran a really good race. He screwed up a little bit coming out of [turn] 2 there, and I was able to capitalize. But other than that, I think we were about the same speed.”
Heist finished in second, while Ryan Heckman – racing in honor of Pete Skias – brought home his first Lanco podium with a third-place finish. Kyle Lindsey and Dan Lane, Jr. made up the rest of the top five.
Results:
1. 21-Toby Blumenshine[5]; 2. 99-Brandon Heist Sr[1]; 3. 30-Ryan Heckman[2]; 4. 28-Kyle Lindsey[4]; 5. 25X-Daniel Lane Jr[7]; 6. 94-Dallas Sanders[3]; 7. 2T-Doug Pearson[8]; 8. 1J-Chris Dolan[6]; 9. 22J-Charles Hellinger[9]
Toby Blumenshine grabbed his second win in three Wingless Sportsman races that have been held at the Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photos)
Hyper Racing Wingless 600
After being denied of a Clyde Martin Memorial race triumph two weeks ago, Deptford, NJ’s Christian Bruno came back with a vengeance on Saturday night and claimed the $1,000-to-win Hyper Racing Wingless 600 feature.
Bradley Brown got to the lead early from the outside pole, while Bruno fell in behind him in second, and Briggs Danner quickly climbed from eighth to third.
Following a lap 7 restart, those three drivers all put on a thrilling show for the fans as they fought for the lead. Danner rolled the bottom, while Brown and Bruno traded sliders and threaded some needles trying to stay at the front. After a couple of laps, Bruno eventually broke free with the top spot. Being just a tick faster – particularly early on in green-flag runs – proved to be the key as Bruno was able to pull away with the victory.
Christian Bruno (No. 5) battled for the win with Bradley Brown (No. 23) and Briggs Danner (No. 99) in Saturday night’s Hyper Racing Wingless 600 A-Main. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photos)
“I knew it was gonna be pretty choppy [up on the top], so I kinda just set my car up for that high-to-middle line there, and I really dialed it in,” Bruno said. “Me, [Bradley], and Briggs went three-wide for a few laps there. But yeah, it’s so cool to get this win.”
Brown and Danner made up the remainder of the podium, while Jace Marshall turned in a strong performance and came home fourth. Jesse Maurer came from 11th to fifth over the course of the 30-lapper to round out the top five.
Results:
1. 5-Christian Bruno[3]; 2. 23-Bradley Brown[2]; 3. 99-Briggs Danner[8]; 4. 2J-Jace Marshall[9]; 5. 3-Jesse Maurer[11]; 6. 03-Ryan Groff[19]; 7. 17-Cole Perez[14]; 8. 16-Marty Brian[21]; 9. 38S-Angelo Kouroupis[15]; 10. 5R-Alex Ruppert[18]; 11. 46-BJ Antonio[6]; 12. 98-Matthew Warner[13]; 13. 88-Justin Yohn[23]; 14. 1F-James Fries[17]; 15. 33-John Barnett Jr[7]; 16. 22H-Fred Heinly[12]; 17. 11H-Holden Eckman[22]; 18. 66A-Marvin Albright[20]; 19. 3L-Nolen Layser[16]; 20. 5X-Chase Rodgers[24]; 21. 29-Brent Shearer[1]; 22. 11Z-Kyle Lick[10]; 23. $30-Dominic Foster[5]; 24. 15D-Matthew Donley[4]
DNQ: 9-Joe Kepple; 99X-Brandon Heist Sr; 3Y-Zachary Young; 11-Connor Fetrow; 33C-Matthew Chowns; 72D-Damian Bower; 2K-Nathan Miller; 21X-Jason Kulp
Christian Bruno (center) followed up last year’s Xtreme Outlaw Midget companion race win with the $1,000 Wingless Mania triumph Saturday night at the Clyde. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photos)
Border Magic Wingless 270
Toby Blumenshine decided that winning was so nice, he’d do it twice – with the same car, no less – on Saturday night. Blumenshine and Brandon Heist once again rose to the top of the Border Magic Wingless 270 feature, and the No. 21 machine made its second trip of the evening to Brubacher Victory Lane.
This time around, Blumenshine started the 30-lap A-Main from the third spot. Kyle Lindsey and William Mohring each took turns briefly leading at the front of the field before Blumenshine motored into the top spot on lap 4.
While Blumenshine pulled away, a great battle roared on for second between Lindsey, Heist, Mike Miller, and Austin Mieczkowski. Mieczkowski had started 17th and eventually grabbed the runner-up position, but his race went awry with four laps to go when he got loose and spun entering turn 3.
Mieczkowski’s spin elevated Heist to second, as he looked to get revenge for his runner-up result to Blumenshine in the Sportsman race. But instead, it was deja vu, as Blumenshine pulled away in the closing laps to complete his victory.
“This car was good this last race here,” Blumenshine said. “Once I got past [the front two] I felt like I was the fastest car out there. I did see the 99 pop up on the second place there [on the scoreboard], so I knew he was there, I just didn’t know how close.”
Heist – also running with the same car as the Sportsman race – finished second, while Miller was the highest-finishing 270 motor and came home third. Brent Shearer charged from last to finish fourth, and Lindsey rounded out the top five.
Results:
1. 21-Toby Blumenshine[3]; 2. 99-Brandon Heist Sr[6]; 3. 2-Mike Miller[5]; 4. 76B-Brent Shearer[21]; 5. 28-Kyle Lindsey[1]; 6. 1L-Dave Labe[7]; 7. 54-William Mohring[2]; 8. 52Z-Chase Zeigenfuss[13]; 9. 2T-Doug Pearson[8]; 10. 39-Austin Mieczkowski[17]; 11. 21J-Josh Weiant[16]; 12. 76H-Bryson Haugh[18]; 13. 46R-James Miller[15]; 14. 94-Dallas Sanders[4]; 15. 11-Chase Roberts[9]; 16. 26-Ryan Heckman[12]; 17. 21H-Matt Hoffman[10]; 18. 82-John Maurer[14]; 19. 67-Cooper Schoenly[19]; 20. 29J-Jacob Neff[20]; 21. 24-Dustin Roberts[11]
Toby Blumenshine parked the No. 21 in Brubacher Victory Lane for the second time on Saturday night after winning the Border Magic Wingless 270 feature. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photos)
Offroad Motorsports Wingless 125/4 Stroke
After coming close on a number of occasions, John Maurer finally broke through for his first Wingless 125/4 Stroke victory at the Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. The Fleetwood native left no doubt whatsoever, as he built a monster lead over the first run of the race and held on through some late-race restarts to secure the win.
Maurer started on pole and quickly set sail out in front of the field. A great battle for second took place throughout most of the race between Easton Miller, Dan Lane, Jr., Ella Rae Nardelli, and Dave Schroeder.
While all of those drivers fought for the runner-up spot, Maurer continued running a torrid pace out in the lead. By the time the race’s first caution flew on lap 19, Maurer’s lead stood at a whopping 8.097 seconds – a margin that equated to nearly two-thirds of the racetrack.
The late-race cautions only prolonged the inevitable, as Maurer was in a league of his own throughout all 30 laps of the feature. Maurer kept the No. 82 nice and tidy over the final green-white-checkered dash to the finish and affirmed his place in Brubacher Victory Lane.
“I had a feeling I was pretty well clear when I could see the people in second and third,” Maurer said. “Obviously this car’s been super quick the past couple weeks, and it’s pretty cool that we finally got the win here.”
Schroeder came out on top of the battle for second to make it a one-two finish for the Mongoose Chassis cars. Chris Dolan climbed from 11th to round out the podium, while Miller and Corey Harting rounded out the top five.
Results:
1. 82-John Maurer[1]; 2. X-Dave Schroeder[6]; 3. 75-Chris Dolan[11]; 4. 17E-Easton Miller[3]; 5. 3H-Corey Harting[8]; 6. 58N-Ella Rae Nardelli[4]; 7. 7X-Michael Rankin[12]; 8. 11X-Josh Anderson[7]; 9. 5-Keegan Stratton[9]; 10. 04-Sam Borger[5]; 11. 112-Dylan Yeingst[13]; 12. 16-Dan Lane Jr[2]; 13. 3-Kiptyn Stratton[10]; 14. 76-Brent Shearer[14]
John Maurer put on a clinic and picked up the win in the Offroad Motorsports Wingless 125/4 Stroke feature. (Photo Courtesy of Ryan Snyder/ReflexX Photography)
The Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway returns to action next Saturday, Aug. 17 with the first of two back-to-back points shows. All five weekly divisions will be back in action as the chase for the championships continue to heat up. For kids in attendance, it will be Back to School Night, and there will be backpack giveaways at the racetrack courtesy of the K.I.D. Club. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m., with warmups and racing beginning at 6 p.m. As the penultimate month of the racing season continues, don’t miss out on another great opportunity to come LIVE the excitement that is Lanco!