2001 Ohio Valley Classic Modifieds Results
Saturday, April 14, 2001
Shady Bowl Speedway
DeGraff, Ohio
Fitzpatrick and Hostetler Take Shady Bowl Features
by Shawn Sell
Following a rain shower the previous Saturday that wiped out the season opener, the Ohio Valley Dwarf Car Association was finally able to open its season with double feature action at Shady Bowl Speedway. When all the smoke had cleared, two dwarf car veterans had found their way to victory lane. The make-up feature belonged to Marengo's Wayne Fitzpatrick, as the 1998 OVDCA champion picked up the first feature win of his career. Feature number two went to defending OVDCA champ and West Liberty native Bill Hostetler, who recovered from an early spin to pick up the win.
In the make-up feature, it was Fitzpatrick and Hostetler bringing the 12-car field to the green, with Fitzpatrick taking early control. Hostetler ran second early, chased by Michigan's John Barnard, Bellefontaine native Brad Coons and Marysville's Mark Bernard. On the move after starting dead last in the field was Michigan's Rob Roney who moved past Bernard for fifth on lap three.
Hostetler made a move for the lead on lap eight and led until the event's first caution flew on lap 10. Bernard, still running sixth, saw his Kawasaki engine blow up after just two and a half races. By that time, Fitzpatrick had moved back in front but as Bernard headed for the hill, he dropped oil in turn two, which Hostetler got into, spinning out and bringing out the yellow. With Hostetler given his spot back, the field was ready to go green again when the second caution flew before a lap could be completed. A slow restart resulted in a pile-up in turn four with West Liberty's Keith Bailey nearly running over the car of Mount Vernon's Mike Rector. Rector was able to continue, while Bailey was forced to call it an evening.
Following the restart, Roney moved around Coons for the number four spot as Fitzpatrick continued to lead with pressure from Hostetler and Barnard. On lap 14, Hostetler went too hard into turn four and dropped back two positions. The evening's final caution flew two laps later as Cleveland's Mike Weisberg, already several laps down spun on the back chute.
At the checkered, Fitzpatrick was still out in front to pick up the win. Barnard took second, while Roney, who appeared to finish third, was disqualified in a post-race inspection for being too wide. That gave the number three spot to Hostetler, followed by Coons and Rector. Max Evans followed Rector across for sixth, 2000 OVDCA rookie of the year Josh Sell managed a career-best seventh despite electrical problems throughout the second half of the race, Mike King eighth and Weisberg, the last car running in ninth.
In the evening's second feature, the front row again paired Fitzpatrick and Hostetler. On the way to the green for the first lap, Hostetler spun in turn four, collecting the cars of Evans, Rector and Sell, with Evans and Sell both forced to retire early. After order was restored, Fitzpatrick once again took control of the seven-car field at the green, with Hostetler second, Coons third, Barnard fourth and Weisberg fifth.
The running order remained the same until lap eight when Barnard moved past Coons for the third spot. On lap 13, Hostetler finally found his way around Fitzpatrick, inheriting a lead he would not relinquish. Yellow flag number two appeared on lap 18 as Coons and Weisberg, battling for fourth place, got together in turn four.
With such a small field, Weisberg did not lose much ground and came out very aggressive for the remaining two laps. Contact with Barnard on the final lap, brought out the event's third caution, retiring Barnard early. On the restart, Weisberg made another aggressive move to take second from Fitzpatrick at the checkered, behind Hostetler. The remainder of the field showed Coons fourth, Barnard fifth, rookie Max Thomas of West Liberty sixth in his debut, and Rector seventh after pulling off on lap two.
The evening's first heat was paced at the beginning by Weisberg, who led the first three counters before conceding the lead and the win to Fitzpatrick. Evans took second after Weisberg spun on the last lap of the event. Rector finished third, with Sell fourth and Weisberg fifth. Coons jumped into the early lead of the second heat, leading the first four tours before Hostetler overtook him for the lead. Last lap contact between Coons and Barnard, led to the latter spinning on the last lap and Coons taking the number two position. Thomas rounded out the field in fourth.
After two races, Fitzpatrick and Hostetler are in a dead heat in the chase for the first-ever Shady Bowl dwarf car track championship. Barnard sits eight points behind in third, with Coons and Rector rounding out the top five. The dwarfs return to action on April 28, joining a co-sanctioned NAMARS/ARCA Midget show, along with the Kenyon Midgets, Late Models and Flying Stocks.
Make-up feature from 4/7: Fitzpatrick, Barnard, Hostetler, Coons, Rector, Evans, Sell, King, Weisberg, Bernard, Bailey. DQ-Roney.
Heat 1: Fitzpatrick, Evans, Rector, Sell, Weisberg.
Heat 2: Hostetler, Coons, Barnard, Thomas.
Regular Feature: Hostetler, Weisberg, Fitzpatrick, Coons, Barnard, Thomas, Rector. DNS-Bailey, Bernard, Evans, Roney, Sell.