Racing Roundup: Kyle Moore wins at Hilltop and Wayne County Speedway
It was a winning weekend for stock car driver Kyle Moore, who tasted victory twice in one night at Hilltop Speedway on Friday, Aug. 4, winning both the late model and street stock feature events. Moore, the second-generation driver from Mansfield, used his driving skills and talent to conquer the dirt track in Millersburg.
Driving the #1 Platinum Designs sponsored late model, Moore took the “high groove” around the 1/3 mile oval, racing hard and fast as he made his way to the front of the feature event from his sixth starting spot. Todd Brennan (20) took the race lead at the start of the late model feature, but soon felt pressure from Wooster’s Larry Bellman. Brennan and Bellman raced side-by-side for several laps before Bellman dashed past Brennan on the backstretch and into the lead.
Behind the leaders, Wooster driver Doug Drown (12), Ashland’s Ryan Markham (5m) and Vic Hottinger (4H) were racing three-wide in an exciting, fast paced competition. Back up front, race leader Larry Bellman was feeling the presence of Brennan on his rear deck lid. Brennan tried a powerful move on Bellman as the two raced out of turn three. Things didn’t go as planned for Brennan, who was relegated to the tail of the field after making contact with Bellman, causing the race leader to spin. When the race resumed, Moore was running in second place behind Bellman.
At the halfway point of the 20-lap feature, Moore shorted the gap between him and Bellman as the two raced nose-to-tail and side by side for five laps till Moore slip past Bellman in turn four, taking over the race lead. From that point on, Moore developed a sizeable lead of the rest of the field, leading all remaining laps.
With the checkered flag in the air, Kyle Moore waved to the crowd as he crossed the finish line, adding another victory to his racing career. In his post-race interview, Kyle stated “the racing is really great here (at Hilltop), fast racing surface, I’m thankful to be here. Larry Bellman finished the race in second position, followed by Vic Hottinger, Doug Dodd and Todd Brennan.
Moore’s “need for speed” continued as he climbed into the McKenzie Concrete, Joyride Transport sponsored #21D street stock, owed by Bob Daugherty. Earlier, the track announced a “bounty” had been placed on three-time winner Gary Hensel (28H) of Wooster. The $400.00 bounty money would be paid to the driver who scores the feature win over Hansel. Drivers from all over the area answered the call, setting their eyes set on stopping Hensel and taking home the bounty winnings. With Hensel and Moore on the starting row of the feature, fans were preparing for a fierce battle between these two talented drivers.
With the green flag waving, Hensel jumped into the lead, with Moore hot on his tail in the second running spot. The two raced nose-to-tail for several laps till Moore made an aggressive move on Hensel, power sliding the 21D machine into the race lead, sending Hensel to the runner up position. But Hensel wasn’t giving up as he chased Moore lap after lap in an effort to regain the race lead, determined to score his fourth consecutive victory. On the final lap, Hensel pulled alongside Moore out of turn four, in a last-ditch effort to reclaim the lead as the two raced towards the finish line. But Hensel couldn’t get up the momentum to move ahead of Moore, who finished the race seconds ahead of Hensel.
"The car ran good, the track was great, this is awesome, just amazing, two feature wins in one night,” Moore said.
Tyler Nicely, Kevin Potts and Trae Schonauer rounded out the top five finishers in the street stock division.
In Modified racing action, Zanesville driver Jesse Wisecarver (101) jumped into the lead from his front row starting position. Past feature winner Colton Shaw (01) continued to challenge Wisecarver for the race but couldn’t muster up the power to overtake the leader. Plenty of fast action could be witnessed throughout the pack as Robin Duston made a power move on Jess Hartman, taking over the third running position. As the race progressed, it was Wisecarver with the lead, with Shaw and Duston in hot pursuit.
Further back in the racing pack, Jimmy Humphrey and Chris Basich would be seem battling for position, as the two raced wheel-to-wheel in the closing laps of the feature. On the final lap, it was Jesse Wisecarver picking up the feature win, after leading the entire race. Colton Shaw was scored in second place, followed by Robin Duston, Jess Hartman and Jimmy Humphrey.
As the Mini Stocks took to the racing surface, Kevin Markey and Brock Searls brought the field down the front stretch to the green flag. Searls, driving his #97s mini stock quickly lunged into the lead, ahead of Markey and 3rd place runner Tim Workman. Further back in the field was last week’s feature winner Billy Dawson, could be seen dicing his way thru traffic, moving towards the front. Cory Brown (#8) and Cody Ratcliff (96) made contact the front stretch, causing Brown’s mini stock to flip onto its side, bring the action to a halt.
When the race resumed, Markey still held the race lead, ahead of Workman and Ed Geary. But it wasn’t long before Dawson was behind the trio, awaiting any opportunity afforded to him to move forward. As the laps ticked away, Workman pulled alongside Markey as the duo raced side-by-side for the race lead, ahead of Geary and Dawson. Workman got the advantage over Markey, taking the top running spot. By now, Dawson had advanced to second place, behind Workman, but a spin in turn four brought out a caution, slowing the field once again.
On the restart, Dawson quickly flew by Workman as the pair headed towards turn one, handing the race lead over the Dawson, who managed to hang onto the lead for the remaining laps, claiming another mini stock victory at Hilltop Speedway. Following Dawson across the finish line was Tim Workman, John Wheeler, Brock Searls and Ed Geary.
When it was feature time for the Mod-Lites, pole sitter Tanner McLaughlin (59m) took the lead at the drop of the green, ahead of Logan Lewis past week’s feature winner Jimmy Smith. Just as they do every week, the Mod-Lite drivers put on a good, clean racing show for fans. Drivers like Clint Snyder, Ryan Dodd, Jaya Bowman, Dalton Wisecarver and other talented drivers raced around the dirt track oval, each with one goal in mind: scoring a feature win.
A spinning mod-lite in turn two slowed the field but when the race resumed, Tanner McLaughlin began feeling pressure from 2nd place runner Logan Lewis. Behind Lewis was the hot-shot Jimmy Smith, ready to make his bid for another chance at victory. And it wasn’t long before Smith made his way to the front of the field; and the rest is history. Smith maintained the lead the balance of the race, claiming back-to-back feature wins. Tanner McLaughlin was scored in the runner up spot, Jala Bowman, Clint Snyder and Titus Purtee rounded out the top five finishers in the Mod-Lite division.
— Diane Bail-Bemiller
Wayne County Speedway
The “dog days of summer” tend to be the hottest of the season. With just a pair of events remaining prior to Season Championship night, it also means the wick burned a little brighter on the O’Reilly Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway’s Fast Five series event Saturday evening.
Danny Mumaw, the 2016 Pine Tree Towing and Recovery Sprint Car champion, continued his full circle resurgence by winning his second 25-lap main event of 2023 following a nearly five-year victory lane drought in highlighting action at “Orrville’s Historic Oval”.
While Mumaw was assuming command of the season-long points lead in the process, 2020 champion JR Gentry increased his current lead in the race for the Malcuit Tavern Super Late Model championship with his fifth overall victory of the season and first WCS checkered since June 17. Gentry’s near-flawless performance was made a little sweeter, too, by scoring the first of three Best Western Plus of Wooster Inn and Conference Center’s King of the County series and $2,000 top prize.
Flynn’s Tire & Service Center Modified ace Colton Shaw returned to his winning ways by scoring his ninth win of the season, and first at WCS since June 17 as well, with a 20-lap score that further cemented the General Lee 01’s top spot in the point standings. Defending track champion Kyle Moore had endured an even longer winless spell (June 3) in the McKenzie Concrete Super Stock division but served notice that the combination of the “Mansfield Madman” and Bob Daugherty's 21D will be among the favorites in next week’s Danny Gardner Memorial race with a dominating effort in the 15-lap victory.
Although Billy Dawson hasn’t been a weekly visitor to WCS this season, his victory on Saturday in the JoyRide Transport Mini Stock main was his second of the season at the 3-8-mile and region’s-leading ninth overall of 2023. Dawson’s half-car length victory over 2015, 2020, and 2022 track champion Doug Hensel further increased Hensel’s drive for a fourth title heading into the stretch drive.
Although Mumaw has returned to top form, Trey Jacobs’ snake-bitten streak of misfortune continued Saturday. Jacobs, arguably among the fastest at the speedway in recent seasons, shot to the point and was long gone in the main event in lapping well into the top 10 before tangling with Western PA. hotshoe Leyton Wagner, who had jumped the cushion in turn 2 on lap 13. Jacobs suffered a flat right rear in attempting to avoid contact and was forced to the tail of the lead lap cars on the restart.
Last week’s winner Henry Malcuit inherited the lead, and was fending off the charging Mumaw until Tyler Gunn, the point leader heading into the event, flipped his Eikelberry-Sipes 91 out of the park at the entrance of turn 4. The “Machine Gunn” escaped injury in the lap 19 wild ride.
During the red, though, Malcuit developed a flat right rear and went to the work area, handing the lead to Mumaw’s familiar green and black 16 which he didn’t relinquish. Mumaw finished ahead of Tyler Street, who sits just a few points back in the standings, Jacobs, Chris Myers, and his brother Jamie Myers.
“This one feels pretty good,” said Mumaw. “Trey and Henry were really fast, but we’re getting more comfortable. We made some small adjustments this week, just some small changes like seat position and pedal placements and it’s made a big difference. I’m just really appreciative of all the fan support and being able to be standing here in victory lane.”
Gentry’s victory was equally as popular, but didn’t come any easier, either. Kyle Moore, a two-time winner this season and race leader in four other main events, led early but existed the speedway with a broken driveshaft during the opening two laps. “Mr. Consistency” Larry Bellman took command next in his 59, with high-flying Cortland part-time visitor Eric Wilson not far behind. Wilson, however, looped his Autism Awareness-themed 27 in turn 4 that collected tough-luck Thomas Baker in the process.
Gentry took command and then held off an always-charging Ryan Markham by perfectly hitting his marks on the tricky, but nearly flawless racing surface to register the victory. Markham rode home second ahead of 17th-starting Ryan Missler, Bellman, and Hilltop Speedway owner Tyler Evans.
“It’s been awhile since we’ve been in victory lane, but it’s getting tougher and tougher every week with the caliber of cars we have,” said Gentry. “Eric is fast and is going to get one here sooner or later, Kyle has been unreal and showed the traveling guys just how difficult it is here weekly with his big win a few weeks ago, Ryan is as good as ever and l could go on and on. We kind of lost our notebook on how we were doing things but went back to basics this week and we were really good.”
Shaw fell into the runner-up slot early in the 20-lap Modified main from his eighth starting spot, then disposed of early leader and now weekly contender Jimmy Humphrey on lap 6. Shaw led the remaining 14 circuits, but survived a a series of yellows and a low-riding Humphrey to secure the win.
Humphrey rode home a solid second, with Took Wiles third, Markham fourth in the yellow 15, and seventh-starting Ryan Robey fifth.
“Starting eighth isn’t easy, but you have to get as many spots as you can early, and we were able to do that,” said Shaw. “I know the bottom is getting faster, especially in turn four, but l still like the high side on the cushion. To win here, especially with Jimmy running really well, and when guys like (Nate Young, Brad Goff, and when Ryan is racing), it’s tough. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing and hopefully get a few more wins.”
Moore and his 21D were initially set to invade Eldora Speedway on Saturday but made the decision to head east instead and it paid off with his second win in as many nights.
Moore jumped from the pole and led every lap of the 15-lapper in recording his sixth 2023 victory. Codee Schneider, fresh off his second victory of the season last week, kept within striking distance of Moore but settled for the bridesmaid spot ahead of Paul Holmes, Braden Tucke and Rob Melzer. Tucke and Melzer are separated atop the season-long standings by just a handful of markers, with Moore in third.
“Bob has this thing going pretty good right now, and we’ll be ready for next Saturday,” said Moore. “I love running Bob’s car and this takes a little sting off the bad luck during the late model feature. Maybe we can get in victory lane twice next week.”
The Mini Stocks hit the speedway last, but as always gave the crowd another exciting 12-lapper. Eighth-starting Hensel patiently made his way to the front by lap five, then set sail for the second-starting Dawson.
Dawson rode the extreme high line out front, with pole sitter Johnny Bruce Sr., Dustin Bedlion, and sixth-starting Anthony Collins in tow. Hensel narrowed the gap to a car length during laps 9-11 before taking his last shot exiting turn 4 on the final lap. Hensel’s charge came up just shy at the stripe with Bruce, Collins, and Bedlion rounding out the top five.
“I really didn’t look at the scoreboard or see anyone back there, but if l’m leading it really doesn’t matter who’s chasing me,” said Dawson. “Being a rookie in this class, l didn’t really think l’d have the season I'm having but we’ll keep digging and maybe get a few more wins.”
The speedway returns next Saturday with an action-packed night of Fast Five racing that will include a $3,000-to-win sprint car event in addition to the Danny Gardner Memorial for super stocks. It’s also the second of three King of the County races for super stocks presented by Platinum Designs. Brandon Morrow captured the first K of C leg back on May 27. Wooster Quota will present the ever-popular Kids Night prior to racing action that kicks off with hot laps at 6 and racing to follow.
— Randy Worrell
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Racing Roundup: Kyle Moore wins at Hilltop and Wayne County Speedway
