Hagerstown Speedway
June 9, 2012
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JOE LEAVELL’S BONEBRAKE TRIBUTE ADDS TO HAGERSTOWNS’S STEEL BLOCK BANDIT DOUBLETO BREAK WIN RECORD

Hagerstown, Md. –  Mother Nature will do as she pleases, but it was not an issue to Joe “The Hammer” Leavell after having to wait from April 28 until Saturday night to complete the Steel Block Bandits 17th Annual Richard “Boney” Bonebrake Tribute 30-lap event.

Leavell, of Waynesboro, VA stood in victory lane for the first ever time at Hagerstown Speedway after a dominating display of driving which was a record third consecutive SBB win in the four years of the series. He then set fast time, won his heat and later beat his own record with a fourth consecutive win in the second 25-lap feature that had been added to the program. The career fifth SBB win tied Walker Arthur on the all-time win list. In both features Justin Weaver was the second place finisher, first finishing 5.561 seconds behind and 2.121 seconds behind in the second feature.  

“This car drives awesome,” Leavell said following his second win. “It just drives in the corner, go in real hard and it tracks good, it goes anywhere I want to go. I kept thinking.(about the restarts)  ‘Nail the lift point in turn one, don’t over drive it or under drive it because I knew he’d (Weaver) be there.”

The Tribute also was on Dukes Family Night sponsored by Buchanan Auto Stores where general admission was only $5.00 and all the fans were treated to a visit by “Cooter” Davenport from the Dukes of Hazzard TV show plus the Dukes #01 Dodge Charger was on display/. Cooter signed autographs for close to four hours.

Showers erased the initially scheduled program before a second B Main could be completed therefore the event was postponed plus the additional SBB event was included. 

Darrin Younker of Berkley Springs, WV led all the way in the non-stop Ernie D’s pure stock feature in his third start this season while 16-year old Lane Hessong of Hagerstown recorded his career first D&D Auto Recycling hobby stock feature.

Glenn Elliott jumped out to lead the Bonebrake Tribute from the pole after a heads up start with series point leader Andy Fries taking second from pole sitter Rick Hulson after starting fourth. Fries passed Elliott following a third lap caution to lead the fourth lap while Leavell, who started fifth, moved into third and on the eighth lap, got past both Elliott and Fries to take command.

Leavell was out front more than two seconds by a 12th lap caution and on the restart, again began to stretch his distance on Elliott who held to second until Fries drove past on the 18th. Leavell was still pulling away and more than five seconds ahead by the last caution on lap 22.  

On the restart, he immediately dashed away from Fries and more than three seconds ahead with five to go when ninth starting Justin Weaver took over the runner up spot. Weaver never got close as Leavell was still hammer down and took the checkered 5.561 seconds ahead.

“The track was really good tonight,” Leavell said. “We got going early. This thing can get in the corner so good, and it makes it easy to drive. I can’t say enough about the Barry Wright chassis. Every time I call down there and talk to him, he tells me what to do to make it right. I do it and it makes it right every time.” 

Fries, Elliott and Walker Arthur  were next to the line Tyler Armstrong came from 23rd to claim sixth with Bruce Kane in seventh, Brent Smith in eighth after starting 17th, Chaz Walls from 11th and Wes Bonebrake from 21st to complete the top ten.

Elliott, Hulson, Arthur and Friese were the heat winners with Smith and Kyle Lear winning the B mains.

In the second SBB event, Leavell started on the outside pole and beat Weaver around the first corners and again began to show his strength by pulling away to three seconds by a lap six caution.

The race remained under green on the restart and went to the 19th as Leavell was four seconds ahead when he began through the rear of the field on lap 15. On the next circuit, he had three racers between himself and Weaver when Weaver started passing.  

The 19th lap caution gave Leavell open track ahead of him but Weaver on his bumper but Leavell pulled away so quickly, Weaver didn’t have a chance to mount a challenge then or following another restart on the 23rd lap when Leavell pulled away to score the double by 2.121 seconds ahead of Weaver.

Elliott was third with Armstrong and Wayne Walls Jr. completing the top five.

Kyle Lear ended sixth as Arthur came from 14th to finish seventh while Denny Bonebrake, Fries and Nick Pappas completed the top ten.

Leavell, Weaver, Lear and Bonebrake won the heats as Bruce Kane and Walter Crouch were the B Main winners.

Younker started from the pure stock pole and pulled to the front over outside pole sitter Chris Ebersole while Tony Catlett moved into third. Ebersole made a few challenges, but as the race remained green, Younger began to edge away and scored the win my 1.207 seconds ahead. Catlett remained third with previous week’s winner Brian Miller next with Wayne Hawbaker completing the top five. Ebersole and Dave Stouffer Jr. were the heat winners.

“This is only the third time in the car,” Younker said. “This is great. We don’t have the bugs worked out yet. It’s not quite perfect but it’s a pretty good ride.”

Hessong started third in hobby stock feature and charged to the front as two time winner Kenny Thomas pulled to second. Mark Vegh passed him on the ninth and then was on Hessong’s bumper for an 11th lap  restart, but Hessong kept a steady line while Dave Stouffer Jr. took second the next lap but Hessong continued to keep pace until the finish and .820 seconds ahead. Vegh, Thomas and Nick Dibella completed the top five. Vegh and Hessong were the heat winners. 

“This is the first time ever and is a great feeling,” Hessong said. “I wasn’t nervous. I just wanted to stick to my line and go.” 

The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can be on the speedway’s website:  www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook. Also check the website for any changes in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.

Hagerstown Speedway Results

Steel Block Bandits 17th Annual Richard “Boney” Bonebrake Tribute (Postponed from April 28): 30 Laps, 42 entries (Lap Leaders: Glenn Elliott 1-3, Andy Fries 4-8, Joe Leavell 9-30) 1.Joe Leavell, 2.Justin Weaver, 3.Andy Fries, 4.Glenn Elliott, 5.Walker Arthur, 6.Tyler Armstrong, 7.Bruce Kane, 8.Brent Smith, 9.Chaz Walls, 10.Wes Bonebrake, 11.Cory Houck, 12.Ryan Hackett, 13.Kyle Lear, 14.Nick Pappas, 15.Mike Walls, 16.Paul Cursey, 17.Couirney Shreiner, 18.Scott Palmer, 19.Billy Beacher, 20.Matt Howsare, 21.J.T. Spence, 22.Denny Bonebrake, 23.Rick Hulson, 24.Pete Weaver DNQ- Matt Quade Larry Ramsey, Chad Myers, Wayne Walls Jr., Cody Lear, Chris Eaton, Kevin Palmer, Keith Walls, Jimmy Richards, Tyler Horst, Walter Crouch, DNS – Billy Wampler, Randy Burkholder, Sean Merkel, Donnie Farlling, Travis Beaver, Jonathan DeHaven, Kyle Merkel

Steel Block Bandits, 25 Laps, 39 Entries (Lap Leaders: Joe Leavell 1-25) 1.Joe Leavell, 2.Justin Weaver, 3.Glenn Elliott, 4.Tyler Armstrong, 5.Wayne Walls Jr., 6.Kyle Lear, 7.Walker Arthur, 8.Denny Bonebake, 9.Andy Fries, 10.Nick Pappas, 11.Sammy Schaffer, 12.Will Rowe, 13.Scott Palmer, 14.Chaz Walls, 15.Scott Palmer, 16.Cory Houck, 17.Paul Cursey, 18.Scott Cross, 19.Billy Beacher, 20.Chad Myers, 21.Brent Smith, 22.Bruce Kane, 23.Rick Hulson, 24.Randy Burkholder, DNQ – Matt Howsare, Kevin Palmer, Steve Axtell, Fred Harden, Jimmy Combs, Cory Houck, Courtney Shreiner, Daniel Sneed, DNS-Mike Walls, Ryan Hackett, J.T. Spence, Pete Weaver, Cody Lear, Wes Bonebrake, Matt Quade

Ernie D’s Pure Stocks, 15 Laps, 19 Entries (Lap Leaders Darrin Younker 1-15) 1.Darrin Younker, 2.Chris Ebersole, 3.Tony Catlett, 4.Brian Miller, 5.Wayne Hawbaker, 6.Steve Lowery, 7.Kevin Boyer (Ecton and Son Repair and Service), 8.Bruce Leibowitz, 9.Danny Beavers, 10.Dave Stouffer Jr., 11.Drew Fitzsimmons, 12.Brandon Churchey, 13.Kevin Koontz, 14.Keith Koontz, 15.Brian Swigert, 16.Kenny Day, 17.Dave Borning, 18.Lloyd Kane, DNS – Dave Morris

D&D Auto Recycling Hobby Stocks, 15 Laps, 13 Entries, (Lap Leaders Lane Hessong 1-15) 1.Lane Hessong, 2.GaryProctor, 3.Mark Vegh, 4.Kenny Thomas, 5.Nick Dibella, 6.Joe Rodgers, 7.Tom Carravello (Lucky Seven by Bob Davis Home Improvement), 8.Gary Cekovich, 9.William Crook, 10.Kyle Durboraw, 11.Charlie Stambaugh, 12.Kelly Williams, 13.Dave Shatto