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UFo Media
MIDDLEBOURNE, W.V. (July 3) - Jared Hawkins from Fairmont, WV was the winner of the 51-lap Earl Hill Championship at Tyler County Speedway on Saturday night for the UFo Race Championship.
The 22 entries were divided into three qualifying heats of 12 laps in distance. Jacob Hawkins won the first heat from the pole position. The second heat went to Steve Weigle, from fourth starting position. Robbie Scott won the third heat after charging from the last starting spot, and with all cars starting the main the field was set.
In the redraw for the top 12 starting positions, first heat winner Jacob Hawkins drew for all drivers. After pulling a 5 for himself, the coveted first row starting spots fell well through the drawing order. The tenth driver in line, Paul Wilmoth, got the 2, with the next in line, D.J. Cline, getting the pole position.
With Wilmoth and Cline leading the 51-lap Earl Hill Championship to the green flag, Wilmoth blasted into the early lead on the freshly manicured surface with drivers racing from top to bottom and everywhere in between. Jacob Hawkins was on the move early from his fifth starting spot, taking second on the third lap. Hawkins quickly closed on Wilmoth, sticking a nose inside with seven laps in. Hawkins moved to the high side in race traffic working lap 8, and made the pass in turn four to take the lead on lap 9. By this time, Jacob's older brother Jared Hawkins had advanced from eighth starting spot to take third, and he started to close on the leaders in the extended period of green flag racing. Butch McGill and Keith Barbara were left to battle for fourth.
On lap 16, Jared Hawkins passed Wilmoth for second and the Hawkins brothers were leading the field. The first caution period of the event appeared with 19 laps complete for a Richard Frazier spin. With lane choice for the double file restart, Jacob chose inside putting Jared to his outside. Jared used this to his advantage by making the outside pass to take the lead on lap 20, before the caution waved again for a Steve Weigle spin.
Since the outside worked for him on the last restart, Jared chose the outside for this restart and once again regained control of the event. 12th starting Robbie Scott had worked his way to third at this point, over Wilmoth and Barbara. The third caution period of the event came with 24 laps complete for a John Mollick spin. Jared again chose outside on this restart, and again resumed in the lead when the green waved.
At halfway, it was Jared and Jacob Hawkins leading Scott, Barbara, and McGill. Jacob and Scott locked in a battle for second, with Scott making the pass with 31 laps complete. The long segment of green flag racing continued with Scott trying to gain ground on Jared Hawkins, as the leaders worked race traffic. Barbara took third from a fading Jacob on lap 43, and Wilmoth passed him for fourth on lap 45.
Just when it appeared that the race would race to its conclusion under the green, McGill spun in turn four to bring out the fourth and final caution period of the race with 47 laps complete. Jared Hawkins and Robbie Scott would line up side-by-side on the restart to settle who would win the race for the $5,000 to prize.
Jared Hawkins' lane choice for this final restart was crucial, and based on his previous success, he again chose the outside. He made the right choice, as he pulled ahead of Robbie Scott and won the race to the line for the winner's share. Scott was a couple car lengths behind in settling for second, a good run from 12th. Keith Barbara had a solid run, as he made a late charge to finish third. Paul Wilmoth was fourth after leading in the early laps. Tied with John Mollick for the UFo point lead entering the race, Chad McClellan marched forward from 18th starting spot to finish fifth, taking the Series point lead. In advancing 13 positions, he earned the Pass-Maximum award, presented by Bernheisel Race Components and Lazer Chassis. Jacob Hawkins came home sixth, with D.J. Cline, Chuck Harper, Greg Baumberger, and John Mollick filling the top ten.
As mentioned, John Mollick and Chad McClellan came into the race tied for the UFo point lead. The heat races were eventful for both drivers. Mollick was leading Heat 2 before spinning from the lead on lap 5, then later clipped the outside wall doing major cosmetic damage to the rear of his car. His crew worked hard to get him out for the feature, and if fact one could not notice any damage. McClellan's night was also an adventure. In the two weeks leading up to the event, he had sent his engine back to its builder to get it refreshed for the remaining events on the schedule. However, the engine didn't get back in time for this event, forcing him to borrow an engine. In a case of "beggars can't be choosers," the Ford campaigner's borrowed engine was a Chevy. In the heat, the air cleaner stud broke off, forcing him to shut it down quickly. His crew also worked hard to effect repairs to the car for the feature.
Both drivers worked hard in the feature, with McClellan's run earning him the point lead, by five points over Mollick. Keith Barbara remains third, 22.5 points behind Mollick. Tommy Beck is fourth, with Danny Mitchell fifth. Jim Kutas is sixth, with Paul Wilmoth and Robbie Scott tied for seventh. Jared Hawkins is ninth, with Chuck Harper and Doug Horton tied for tenth.
The next event for the UFO Race Championship will be on Sunday, July 11. The Series will make their first-ever visit to Dog Hollow Speedway in Strongstown, PA for the running of Revolution 2010. The main event will run a distance of 44 laps, with $5,000 going to the winner.
UFo Race Championship race results for Saturday, July 3, 2010, Tyler County Speedway, Middlebourne, WV
Car Count - 22.
Lap leaders:
1-8 - Paul Wilmoth
9-19 - Jacob Hawkins
20-51 - Jared Hawkins
Finish, Start, Car, Driver, Hometown
1, 8, 37, Jared Hawkins, Fairmont, WV
2, 12, 18, Robbie Scott, Shinnston, WV
3, 4, 17, Keith Barbara, South Park, PA
4, 2, B1, Paul Wilmoth, Clarksburg, WV
5, 18, 119, Chad McClellan, Stoystown, PA
6, 5, 20H, Jacob Hawkins, Fairmont, WV
7, 1, 4, D.J. Cline, St. Clairsville, OH
8, 13, 00H, Chuck Harper, Beverly, WV
9, 14, 32, Greg Baumberger, Jacobsburg, OH
10, 20, 4J, John Mollick, Toronto, OH
11, 6, 18C, Rick Conley, Jr., Wellsburg, WV
12, 9, 75, Steve Weigle, Middlebourne, WV
13, 7, 25, Mike Benedum, Salem, WV
14, 3, 1MC, Butch McGill, West Union, WV
15, 11, 91, Tommy Beck, Murrysville, PA
16, 19, 18D, Danny Mitchell, Clarksburg, WV
17, 16, 0, Richard Frazier, Mt. Clare, WV
18, 15, 54, Billy Brown, Clarksburg, WV
19, 10, 13, Steve Wilmoth, Clarksburg, WV
20, 17, 5, Bobby Hill, Greenwood, WV
Did not start, 3, Scott Irvin, Jacksonburg, WV
Did not start, 60, Dwight Henry, Marietta, OH
Heat 1 - 1, 20H, Jacob Hawkins. 2, 17, Keith Barbara. 3, 1MC, Butch McGill. 4, B1, Paul Wilmoth. 5, 00H, Chuck Harper. 6, 0, Richard Frazier. 7, 18D, Danny Mitchell. 8, 3, Scott Irvin.
Heat 2 - 1, 75, Steve Weigle. 2, 13, Steve Wilmoth. 3, 25, Mike Benedum. 4, 4, D.J. Cline. 5, 32, Greg Baumberger. 6, 5, Bobby Hill. 7, 4J, John Mollick.
Heat 3 - 1, 18, Robbie Scott. 2, 37, Jared Hawkins. 3, 91, Tommy Beck. 4, 18C, Rick Conley, Jr. 5, 54, Billy Brown. 6, 119, Chad McClellan. Did not start, 60, Dwight Henry.
Updated UFo Race Championship point standings:
1, 504.5, 119, Chad McClellan, Stoystown, PA
2, 499.5, 4J, John Mollick, Toronto, OH
3, 476, 17, Keith Barbara, South Park, PA
4, 407.5, 91, Tommy Beck, Murrysville, PA
5, 388, 18D, Danny Mitchell, Clarksburg, WV
6, 243, S1, Jim Kutas, Elizabeth, PA
7 tie, 192, B1, Paul Wilmoth, Clarksburg, WV;
18, Robbie Scott, Shinnston, WV
9, 190, 37, Jared Hawkins, Fairmont, WV
10 tie, 184, 00H, Chuck Harper, Beverly, WV;
46, Doug Horton, Bruceton Mills, WV
12, 174, H1, Jared Miley, South Park, PA
13, 172, 14, Gary Dalton, Morgantown, WV
14, 171, 75, Steve Weigle, Middlebourne, WV
15, 168.5, 21, Tony Musolino, Scott Twp., PA
16, 168, 32, Greg Baumberger, Jacobsburg, OH
17, 165, 56, Denton Boyer, Punxsutawney, PA
18, 164, 03, Doug Eck, Corry, PA
19 tie, 160, 0, Richard Frazier, Mt. Clare, WV;
22, Greg Oakes, Franklinville, NY
21, 159, 48, John Flinner, Zelienople, PA
22, 158, J4, John Garvin, Sarver, PA
23, 156.5, 16*, Dereck Frank, Jamestown, NY
24, 156, no7, Jason DuPont, Cyclone, PA
25, 154, 17L, Dennis Lunger, Albion, PA
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