Familiar names park in victory lane May 21 at Hilltop Speedway
A perfect evening on Friday, May 21 greeted drivers and fans on The Hill at Hilltop Speedway, where some familiar names zipped through traffic to pick up checkered flags.
With a full field of cars, the Holmes Tire late models were the first to hit the track. Setting fast time was George “The General” Lee with a 14.523 while Cody Endlich and Vic Hottinger each picked up a heat race win.
With the field set and dash winner Doug Dodd on the pole, the green was out for their 25-lap feature event. Taking the early lead was Ryan Markham, who would put nearly a straight-away lead over second-place Dodd with six laps down. By lap eight Markham would begin to navigate his way through lap traffic. Caution with 12 down would bunch the field back up to the green. Markham would again take the top spot with Dodd looking in. Meanwhile, Dave Hornikel would challenge Dodd for second, ultimately securing it. With two laps to go, caution would again come out. Single file back to the green, Hornikel would look to challenge Markham for the lead.
However, he would be unable to capitalize as “Flyin” Ryan Markham would lead every lap, green to checker, to park it in victory lane. Third went to Endlich after a last lap pass of Dodd, and fifth went to Shane McLoughlin.
Kyle Moore would sweep the Bugs-R-Gone modified division, setting fast time at 15.746, picking up the dash win and leading every lap green to checker to claim yet another feature win on the season. DJ Cline would secure second as a battle for third ensued between Chris Basich and heat race winner Jess Hartman. Basich ultimately claimed the position. Jimmy Smith would round out the top five.
The CPR mini stocks were the next to hit the track with Steven Lester, Ed Geary and Nova Martin each picking up a heat race win. After the redraw, the field was set with Robert Aronhalt and Martin on the front row.
With the drop of the green, Martin would take the early lead as last week’s feature winner, Billy Parsons, drove his way around Aronhalt for second. Caution two laps down would double file the field back to the green. Parsons would look to pressure Martin for the lead, securing down the backstretch with three laps in. With Parsons out front, the battle would ensue for second through sixth.
Geary, Lester, Martin, Doug Hensel and Tyler Parsons would challenge one another lap after lap. However, Parsons would defend his position and pick up back-to-back feature wins. Ed Geary, Steven Lester, Tyler Parsons and Nova Martin would round out the top five.
With the field set for the Evan’s Elite Paving street stock feature, heat race winners Kyle Moore and Bob Daugherty would bring the field to the green. Daugherty would take the early lead with Moore pressuring. Moore looked to the inside off of turn two as caution would come out four laps down. Single file to the green, Daugherty would again jump out front.
However, Moore would challenge back, sliding Daugherty off four to secure the lead. As the laps dwindled, Jeff Lanham and Jimmy Humphrey also would drive their way around Daugherty to claim second and third. Nevertheless, it was Kyle Moore parking it in victory lane. Justin Lorentz would finish fifth.
Tim Callahan, Chris Robinson and Blake Morris would each pick up a heat race win in the Snyder Hot Shot Truck and Trailer Repair modlite division. Setting the pace to the green, outside pole sitter Robinson would take the early advantage over the field. After cautions on lap four and nine, the field was back under green. Robinson went to the front as fifth-place starter Tanner McLoughlin looked to the inside of Callahan for second.
Meanwhile, Reece Bollinger, up from eight, would challenge Darrick Hubbard, Jr. for fourth. However, caution with 11 laps down would single the field once more. Back under green, Robinson would maintain his position at the front of the field, picking up the feature win. Callahan would finish second, followed by McLoughlin, Hubbard, Jr. and Cody Stillion, who would crack into the top five with a last lap pass off four.
Heat race winners Rolly Heyder and Andy King would set the front row for the night’s Newfast Motorsports truck feature. However, troubles for Heyder would send him to the infield before the green. With the field lined back up, Dwayne Powell now sitting on the pole, the green was out. Powell would take the early lead with Blake Heyder challenging. Lap after lap Heyder would pressure the bumper of Powell. However, lap traffic and a trip through the infield would aid Powell in advancing his lead over the field, going on to pick up the feature win. Second went to Heyder, third to the 19, fourth Darek Cordia and fifth Joe Bell.