Sprint Champ Crowned at Spartan

By Michelle Sprague

Tom Fedewa made it seven wins in a row on Wingless Sprint Championship Night, Friday, August 19th, sponsored by CARQUEST at the Spartan Speedway. Fedewa swept the division and was named the 2011 Wingless Sprint Champion, after giving up his number one starting position to start eighth on the grid. The finishing order for the 25-lap feature was Fedewa, Jim Heeney, Steve Smith, Gary Sherman and John Boy Hotchkiss. (Supposedly there was a Tony Stewart sighting in Fedewa’s pit as well.)

Chris Hettinger, a competitor in three divisions at the Spartan Speedway, took the 50-lap feature win in the Modified division. Chris Ozanich led through lap 21, with Leroy Ellis breathing down his neck, when caution waved. Ellis took the lead on the restart, but he and Ozanich got together five laps later, turning the lead over to third place, Justin Kazmar. Hettinger had been trying to find a way around Kazmar, and capitalized on the restart after another caution on lap 29. Hettinger put some breathing room between himself and Dan Loughan, who took second away from Kazmar. At the stripe, it was Hettinger, Loughan, Kazmar, Kyle Drake, and Ozanich. Matt Vainner took his first heat win in a modified, while Tracey Hernly and Ozanich also tallied heat wins.

The Lipari Spartan Stocks had their fair share of excitement, duking it out for their share of the Winner’s Circle pie. A frontstretch melee on lap one, as a result of a lost tire, sent four cars (three, after the fact) to the pit, never to return, on lap one of the B Spartan Stock feature. When all was said and done, Rob Newman took the feature win, in only his second week in the car, holding off Tim VanTrease and Ken Dollarhite for the win. Bryan Jenks and Jenn Wilt rounded out the top five. Newman won the four car dash and Scott Rodgers took the heat win.

Marc Long was shown as the early leader of the Spartan Stock A feature, opening a comfortable margin between himself and Jordan Harvey in second. Caution waved as Long was issued a speeding ticket for running consecutive laps under his qualifying time. The lead was handed over to Harvey, but Damon Place took the lead on lap eight, with Josh Trammell moving into the second spot. Trammell tried to reel in Place for the win, but ran out of laps. After 15 laps, it was Place, Trammell, Dane Long, Marc Long and Harvey. Place won the Four Car dash and Marc Long took the A heat win.

The Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stocks B feature saw two speeding tickets issued, sending two leaders to the rear of the field on two separate occasions. Trina Wurmnest held the early lead, with Patrick Denison taking over the reins. Brian Beckner made his charge from the rear of the field count, taking the lead from Denison on lap eight. Two laps later, Beckner received the first speeding ticket. Denison inherited the lead on lap 11 and held on until lap 14 when caution waved. Abby Looman’s car struck the turn four wall, while in mid-air, and was then rear ended after striking the wall. A lengthy red flag resulted, as she was extricated from the car. Moody took the lead on the restart and two laps later received a speeding ticket, sending him a lap down. At the line, it was Denison, RJ Miller, Mike Westphal, Randy Kretzinger Jr. and Trina Wurmnest. Denison and Beckner won their B heats.

Darren Wright flexed his muscle in the opening laps of the Pony Stock A feature, but Tyler Heeney and Todd Metz Jr. proved to be too much to handle, as Wright faded and eventually retired to the pit. Metz tried everything in his power to get around Heeney, but after 20 laps, it was Heeney, Metz Jr., Aaron Taylor, Kyle Crump and Todd Metz Sr. Metz Jr. took the A heat win for the division.