Three State Flyers
Hesston Speedway
May 26, 2013
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Pettyjohn and Miller Split UFo Wins at "Mega-Blitz Mach3" at Hesston



MARS, PA (May 26) - Mark Pettyjohn of Milton, DE raced his way into the winner's circle at his first visit to Hesston Speedway, while Jeremy Miller of Littlestown, PA returned to winning form. The two drivers split exciting UFo/3 State Flyer Super Late Model wins and $8,088 in "Mega-Blitz Mach3" at Hesston Sunday night.

Four heat races for the strong 35-car field were won by Tim Wilson, Jason Covert, Derek Byler and Andy Haus. Two consolations won by Jeff Rine and Scott LeBarron set the 27-car field grid for the two 38 lap UFo/3SF championship features. After a redraw of the top 12 qualifiers, Mark Pettyjohn and Byler lead the field to the start.

At the drop of the green flag, Byler and Mark Pettyjohn began a furious duel, swapping the lead 5 times in the first 9 laps.   Byler lead the first three laps, while Mark Pettyjohn lead lap four.   Byler then nosed ahead on lap five with Pettyjohn leading the next two circuits. Byler regained the lead one last time on lap eight before Mark Pettyjohn took over on lap nine.

With M Pettyjohn showing the way, the action was intense behind him. Matt Lux worked his way up from seventh into third, but brought out the first caution of the race on lap 15 when contact with a lapped car sent him into the inside retaining tires.

On the restart, Covert and Wilson hooked together in the first turn bringing out the second caution of the race.

When the race resumed, Mark Pettyjohn kept control with Byler in chase. On the following lap, ninth starting Nick Dickson took second from Byler and set his sights on Mark Pettyjohn. Meanwhile, 13th starting 2011 UFo champion Devin Friese passed his way into the fourth position on lap 20 and began to battle with Byler for the next spot. The next caution appeared on lap 24 when defending UFo champion Keith Barbara slowed on the back straight.

The field once again took the green with a double file restart on lap 24. One lap later, Dickson's strong run ended when contact sent him spinning in turn two. This set up the final restart of the race, where Friese surged into second. On lap 28, third starting Jim Yoder raced his way back to the third position, passing Byler. 16th starting Jeremy Miller was gaining momentum, moving into fourth on lap 30 then taking third on lap 34.



At the checker flag, Mark Pettyjohn claimed his first Hesston and UFo win followed by Friese, Miller, Jim Yoder and 10th starting Dylan Yoder. Rance Garlock advanced from 20th on the grid to finish sixth, followed by Haus, Kenny Pettyjohn, Rine and Byler.

An inversion of 9 set the lineup for the second 38-lap race. However, on the short trip from victory lane to the pits, Mark Pettyjohn broke a timing chain relegating him to a backup car and the tail of the 27-car grid. The inversion put Rine and Kenny Pettyjohn on the front row. Kenny Pettyjohn, also in his first Hesston appearance, took control at the drop of the green, with Rine and Garlock in pursuit.

The first caution of the race appeared on lap eight, and on the double file restart, an amazing four car battle for the lead began between Pettyjohn, Rine, Friese and Jim Yoder.   The four drivers used all lanes of the race track, running two by two and side by side for the next nine laps. Rine took control on lap 13, but Kenny Pettyjohn returned to the lead on lap 16.

Two restarts on laps 16 and 17 allowed seventh starting Miller to show his strength. With Kenny Pettyjohn leading, Miller moved into third on lap 17 and then passed Rine for second on lap 22.   At this point Miller was the fastest car on the track as he chased down Kenny Pettyjohn under the green flag and took the lead on lap 27 after the two battled for several laps.

It appeared the rest of the race would run green, but a caution for a stopped car on lap 37 put the race into overtime. With UFo rules mandating a green-white-checker finish, the race was extended to 39 laps. Another caution on lap 38 with multiple cars involved forced a 40 lap feature.   Miller remained in control to take another Hesston win and the $4,044 prize.



Kenny Pettyjohn claimed second with Friese in third.  13th starting Jamie Lathroum moved through the field to claim fourth in the final laps followed by 15th starting Covert.   Rine, Garlock, 20th starting Trever Feathers, Jerry Bard and Mike Walls rounded out the top 10.

UFo/3 State Flyer Super Late Models
Car Count = 35
Heat Winners - Wilson, Covert, Byler, Haus

A-Main #1
1. (1) 8 / Mark Pettyjohn / Milton, DE / $4,044
2. (13) 12 / Devin Friese / Chambersburg, PA / $1.500
3. (16) 1m / Jeremy Miller / Littlestown, PA / $1,000
4. (3) 27 / Jim Yoder / Selinsgrove, PA / $700
5. (10) 24 / Dylan Yoder / Selinsgrove, PA / $600
6. (20) 19 / Rance Garlock / Three Springs, PA / $550
7. (4) 76 / Andy Haus / Easton, PA / $525
8. (6) 38 / Kenny Pettyjohn / Millsboro, DE / $500
9. (17) 92 / Jeff Rine / Danville, PA / $450
10. (2) 5* / Derek Byler / Alexandria, PA / $400
11. (22) 2 / Steve Campbell / Danville, PA / $350
12. (24) 26 / Jerry Bard / Shippensburg, PA / $325
13. (23) 1w / Mike Walls / Hanover, PA / $300
14. (21) 06 / Mike Lupfer / Shermansdale, PA / $288
15. (11) 6 / Jamie Lathroum / Mechanicsville, MD / $275
16. (18) 8L / Scott LeBarron / Dillsburg, PA / $270
17. (12) 43a / Jason Covert / York Haven, PA / $263
18. (26) 43 / Tom Decker Jr / Tyrone, PA / $263
19. (19) 15 / Matt Parks / Three Springs, PA / $263
20. (14) 27 / Trever Feathers / Winchester, VA / $263
21. (9) 17 / Nick Dickson / Lewistown, PA / $250
22. (5) 4ds / Chad Hollenbeck / Montrose, PA / $250
23. (15) 66 / Justin Kann / Hesston, PA / $250
24. (25) 17 / Keith Barbara / South Park, PA / $250
25. (8) 3 / Tim Wilson / McClure, PA / $200
26 (7) 21 / Matt Lux / Franklin, PA / $200
27 (27) 32 / Lindsay Barton / Mifflintown, PA / $200

A-Main #2
1. (7) 1m / Jeremy Miller / Littlestown, PA / $4,044
2. (2) 38 / Kenny Pettyjohn / Millsboro, DE / $1.500
3. (8) 12 / Devin Friese / Chambersburg, PA / $1,000
4. (13) 6 / Jamie Lathroum / Mechanicsville, MD / $700
5. (15) 43a / Jason Covert / York Haven, PA / $600
6. (1) 92 / Jeff Rine / Danville, PA / $550
7. (4) 19 / Rance Garlock / Three Springs, PA / $525
8. (20) 27 / Trever Feathers / Winchester, VA / $500
9. (12) 26 / Jerry Bard / Shippensburg, PA / $450
10. (11) 1w / Mike Walls / Hanover, PA / $400
11. (5) 24 / Dylan Yoder / Selinsgrove, PA / $350
12. (27) 17j / Mark Pettyjohn / Milton, DE / $325
13. (22) 4ds / Chad Hollenbeck / Montrose, PA / $300
14. (3) 76 / Andy Haus / Easton, PA / $288
15. (21) 3 / Tim Wilson / McClure, PA / $275
16. (5) 27 / Jim Yoder / Selinsgrove, PA / $270
17. (14) 06 / Mike Lupfer / Shermansdale, PA / $263
18. (9) 2 / Steve Campbell / Danville, PA / $263
19. (23) 17 / Keith Barbara / South Park, PA / $263
20. (19) 66 / Justin Kann / Hesston, PA / $263
21. (18) 43 / Tom Decker Jr / Tyrone, PA / $250
22. (10) 5* / Derek Byler / Alexandria, PA / $250
23. (24) 21 / Matt Lux / Franklin, PA / $250
24. (16) 8L / Scott LeBarron / Dillsburg, PA / $250
25. (17) 15 / Matt Parks / Three Springs, PA / $200
26 (25) 32 / Lindsay Barton / Mifflintown, PA / $200
27 (26) 17 / Nick Dickson / Lewistown, PA / $200


Did Not Qualify/Start
DNS 11 / Austin Hubbard / Seaford, DE / $175
DNS 81 / Dwayne Tanneyhill / Bellwood, PA / $175
DNS 17j / Wayne Johnson / Hancock, MD / $175
DNS 43 / Tom Decker III / Tyrone, PA / $175
DNS D1 / Bo Feathers / Winchester, VA / $175
DNS 31j / Kyle Merkel / Gilbertsville, PA / $175
#N/A
DNS 79 / Mike Altobelli Jr / Saxon, PA / $175


Event Photos courtesy of Barry Lenhart