2000 Ohio Valley Dwarf Car Association Results
Saturday, July 22, 2000
Shady Bowl Speedway
DeGraff, Ohio
Pendleton Prevails in Return to Dwarfs
by Shawn Sell
In his first dwarf car race since August 1998, Chad Pendleton proved he could still make a dwarf go by holding off Bill Hostetler for the win in the fourth Ohio Valley Dwarf Car Association event of 2000. Pendleton took the checkered in the Pro Chassis truck owned by Hostetler and skipped all celebration, as he immediately had to jump into his late model for yet another feature. Pendleton made the evening doubly exciting as he won his first feature of 2000 in the late model division.
The evening's feature was brought to the green by current OVDCA points leader Hostetler and the rapidly improving Brad Coons. Hostetler jumped into the early lead with Coons and Pendleton right behind. At the back of the pack, Tennessee's Josh Adams, the winner of the dwarfs' last trip to Shady Bowl was forced up the hill on just the second lap with engine trouble. Another former Shady Bowl winner, Mark Bernard, followed Adams up the hill just a lap later after difficulty with his water pump.
Up front, Pendleton was working his way to the front, taking second from Coons on lap four. The evening's first and only caution flew on lap six as Max Evans slowed with a broken axle. Also forced to the hill was Mark Jamison due to an oil leak. As action resumed, Hostetler continued to lead trailed by Pendleton, Coons, Wayne Fitzpatrick and Mike Rector. The next car to drop off the pace was Cleveland's Mike Weisberg, as he headed up the hill on lap eight after ignition problems.
On the track, Pendleton was finally able to take the lead for good on lap 11 but not without constant pressure from Hostetler. Bob Miller was finally able to crack the top five on lap 12 as he wrestled fifth away from Rector. Yet another driver fell victim to engine trouble as Mike Sell was forced off the track on lap 13. As the laps clicked away, Miller had to deal with rookie Gordon Schwarz in his best run of the season. Miller was able to hold off the Temperance, Michigan driver until the last lap, when Schwarz made his move coming to the checkered to take his first career top five finish.
At the conclusion, Pendleton prevailed as the winner ahead of Hostetler and Coons. Rounding out the top five were the 1998 champion Fitzpatrick and Schwarz. Chasing the top five were Miller in sixth place and Toledo's Jerry Davis as the last car on the lead lap. Falling one lap down but still in the top ten were Rector in eighth position and another impressive rookie, 16-year old Josh Sell. Todd Holcomb rounded out the top ten in his first ever appearance at Shady Bowl.
Prior to the evening's feature event, fireworks flew in both hotlaps and the heats, leaving two drivers shaken. In the second practice of the night, Steve Carter, subbing for an injured Keith Bailey, rolled his car on its roof after spinning on the backstretch. The first heat race of the evening produced some unneeded excitement on the first lap. Mike Sell tried to split the cars of Holcomb and Evans and wound up launching the left side of his car off the ground from the right side of the Holcomb machine. After order was restored, Miller took the lead and was on pace for his second heat win of 2000. However, on lap five Miller lost a fuel line, dropping off the pace and handing the lead to Schwarz. The excited rookie knew what to do from there, holding on for his first career heat win ahead of Rector and Mike Sell. Heat two produced a great three-car battle between Hostetler, Coons and Pendleton. Coons led early before losing the lead to Hostetler on lap three. Hostetler had his sights set on victory until being passed on the last lap by Pendleton. The dwarfs return to action at Shady Bowl on August 5.
Heat 1: 1. Schwarz 2. Rector 3.Sell 4.Holcom 5.Miller 6.Jamison 7.Adams 8.Evans
Heat 2: 1.Pendleton 2.Hostetler 3.Coons 4.Fitzpatrick 5.Weisberg 6.Davis 7.J. Sell 8.King
Feature: 1.Pendleton 2.Hostetler 3.Coons 4.Fitzpatrick 5.Schwarz 6.Miller 7.Davis 8.Rector 9.J. Sell 10.Holcomb 11.King 12.M. Sell 13.Weisberg 14.Jamison 15.Evans 16.Bernard 17.Adams