1999 OVDCA/Ohio Caverns Touring Series Results
Saturday, July 24, 1999
Shady Bowl Speedway
DeGraff, Ohio
Shady Bowl Feature Goes to Bernard
by Shawn Sell
July 24-Mark Bernard of Marysville, Ohio, picked up the first feature win of his career in an exciting Ohio Valley Dwarf Car Association/Ohio Caverns Touring Series event at Shady Bowl Speedway. Bernard�s victory was far from easy though, as he had to contend with a strong run from Mike Sell in the #5J Mid-Ohio Harley Davidson-sponsored car, in one of the season�s most exciting features to date.
The night�s festivities took an interesting turn during the first hot lap session when OVDCA regular and 1998 points champion Wayne Fitzpatrick suffered a broken valve spring in his motor, forcing him to the pits and ending his night earlier than expected. Among participants for the evening�s race were the Marvin Sweazy owned Pro Bandit car, usually driven by Greg Watson, instead piloted by Bob Miller, filling in for the vacationing Watson. Also in the field for the evening�s event were Scott Riddle out for the first time in the �99 season; Gary Denis making his first Shady Bowl appearance of the year; and rookie Larry Hubbard debuting in the #2 Dwarf Car Company Ford Sedan previously owned by Fitzpatrick.
Miller and current points leader Jason Eddy brought the field to the green with Miller jumping to the early lead. The first yellow flag of the evening waved on lap 2, as Denis in the Chuck Engler-owned #5C car spun in turn 4. On the restart, Eddy fell to the back of the pack with engine trouble, pulling into the infield before another lap could be completed.
As racing resumed, Miller once again took the lead despite the pressure being applied by Sell. On lap 5, Miller, Sell and Bernard went into turn number 1 three-wide with Sell emerging in the lead. Bernard found his way past Miller on the next lap and began his chase of Sell. The leaders battled side by side and bumper to bumper for the next ten laps with Sell continuing to hold the lead. Further back in the pack, Mike Weisberg was on the move from his outside row 4 starting position. Weisberg picked off Keith Bailey for fourth on lap 6 and held the position until lap 14 when Bailey regained the spot. The battle ended abruptly just a lap later, as Bailey and Weisberg got together in turn 4, sending Weisberg hard into the front chute wall, bringing out the second caution of the night and ending the evening early for the Cleveland-area driver.
On the restart following a brief red-flag period, Bernard got the jump on Sell and was able to hold the lead for the final five laps to pick up the win. Sell held on for a season-best finish in second, followed by Miller in his best run of the year, West Liberty�s Bill Hostetler and Bailey. Filling out the top 10 were Max Evans in one of his best finishes of the year, Hubbard coming home 7th in his debut, Jerry Davis in 8th place, Weisberg and Denis.
Heat race action earlier in the evening saw Bernard and Eddy take the checkered flags. In heat number one, Bernard got the jump from his outside pole starting spot, leading all eight laps and taking the win ahead of Bailey and Miller. Heat number two saw Hostetler and Sell bring the field to the green with Hostetler taking the early lead. Eddy worked his way through the pack to take the lead on lap 4, holding off Hostetler and Sell for the win.
The events of the evening tightened up the race in the OVDCA point standings. Despite his misfortune, Eddy still holds a commanding lead over Fitzpatrick, now just three points ahead of Watson based on his hard luck. A strong run by Hostetler and the win by Bernard brought them to within five and twelve points, respectively, of Watson. Evans continues to hold down the sixth position followed by Sell, who passed Bailey and holds down seventh place. The dwarfs return to action on August 6-7 for the season�s first two-show weekend of the season. Friday the sixth will see the dwarfs back on the dirt at Limaland, with a return to Shady Bowl set for the next night.
Heat 1: Bernard, Bailey, Miller, Davis, Denis, Riddle.
Heat 2: Eddy, Hostetler, Sell, Weisberg, Evans, Hubbard.
Feature: Bernard, Sell, Miller, Hostetler, Bailey, Evans, Hubbard, Davis, Weisberg, Denis, Riddle, Eddy.