2001 Ohio Valley Classic Modifieds Results
Saturday, July 28, 2001
Shady Bowl Speedway
DeGraff, Ohio
Hostetler Fights Off Challenges For Win Number Three
by Shawn Sell
2000 Ohio Valley Dwarf Car Association champion Bill Hostetler made the most of his pole position starting spot to take the checkered flag in a rain-shortened event at Shady Bowl Speedway. Hostetler led all 11 laps of the affair, outdistancing Tennessee�s Doug Carrigan for his third feature win of the season.
The winner�s of the evening�s two heats, Hostetler and Carrigan brought the 15-car field down to the green to kick off the seventh event of the 2001 campaign. Hostetler wasted no time taking control, with Carrigan and current points leader Wayne Fitzpatrick right behind. Behind that trio, the threesome of Brad Coons, Mike Weisberg and Mark Bernard settled into a groove.
Throughout the feature event, Hostetler began putting distance between himself and the remainder of the field, as the top six continued to run in the same order. The biggest gainer in the field was West Liberty�s Max Evans. Evans started 12th in the line-up, but gained two spots on the event�s first lap. By lap five, Evans had found his way around 2000 OVDCA rookie of the year Josh Sell, after the latter went high in turn four to take the seventh position.
The end of the event became imminent on lap 12 when 14-year old rookie Brian Rusch, Jr. spun in turn two. During the caution period, oil began to flow onto the track from the #42 car piloted by rookie driver C.E. Daugherty. After the track was cleaned up, racing resumed only to be stopped again before a lap could be completed, as rain began to move into the area. The combination of rain, floor dry on the track and possibly some remaining oil caused Carrigan to spin in turn two. His spin started a chain reaction pile-up that also involved Coons, Bernard and Sell.
After a few moments of red flag conditions to clean up the wreck and see if the rain would taper off, Shady Bowl officials called the race complete, as it was more than half-way in the books. The officials than reverted back to the running order on the last green flag lap, number 11 for the finishing order. Hostetler picked up the win, with second going to Carrigan. Third and fourth went to Fitzpatrick and Coons, who are the only two drivers to finish in the top five in all seven 2001 events. Weisberg finished fifth ahead of Bernard and the hard-charging Evans. Rounding out the top ten were Sell in eighth, Mark Jamison and Gordon Schwarz.
Heat number one featured great battles for the number one and three spots. Fitzpatrick got the jump from the pole at the outset, with Hostetler right behind. The battle for third raged as Mount Vernon�s Mike Rector slipped past Sell for the position. Up front, Hostetler was able to make a move to take the lead and win away from Fitzpatrick. Rector and Sell continued to battle throughout, with Sell finally making the pass coming out of turn four on the last lap. As the two drivers crossed the finish line, contact between the two cars sent Rector spinning. Heat number two was all Carrigan as he passed the front row duo of Mike King and Jamison to take the win. Coons and Weisberg moved up from row three to take second and third, with Bernard grabbing the number four spot.
With the win, Hostetler was able to cut into the 14-point cushion that Fitzpatrick had enjoyed. The 1998 champion still leads Hostetler by nine points. The remainder of the top five remains the same, with Coons, Weisberg and Evans in third through fifth. The second half of the top ten received a shake-up, however. Bernard�s second straight sixth place finish, moves him four points ahead of Rector. Sell has apparently recovered from a tough first half of the season, as he moved up two spots into eighth. Keith Bailey holds down the ninth position, with Michigan driver John Barnard still lingering in the top ten, despite just two starts this season.
The dwarfs are right back in action this Saturday, August 4, for double points night. All six regular Shady Bowl classes will be on hand for the event. The dwarf car feature could figure to be one of the most memorable in recent memory. Expected to joint the battle for the top spot are Carrigan and former OVDCA standout Chad Pendleton in the Hostetler-owned dwarf truck.
Heat 1: Hostetler, Fitzpatrick, Sell, Rector, Schwarz, Rusch, Bailey, Daugherty.
Heat 2: Carrigan, Coons, Weisberg, Bernard, Jamison, Evans, King.
Feature: Hostetler, Carrigan, Fitzpatrick, Coons, Weisberg, Bernard, Evans, Sell, Jamison, Schwarz, Rector, King, Bailey, Rusch, Daugherty.