Down-to-the-wire action at Hilltop Speedway
On the warmest night of the season, a strong field of cars took to the well-groomed racing surface of Hilltop Speedway on Snyder Brothers Sales & Service night.Wayne Maffett Jr. slipped past fellow Mansfielder Dave Hornikel on the last lap of the dash to start the Super Late Model feature on the pole. The Adco Truck & Trailer Refinishing, Tire Trax, and Wright Choice Auto Sales No. 40 of Maffett Jr. would lead all the way for his first win at Hilltop. Hornikel, last week’s winner, kept the pressure on by staying within two car lengths all through the race. The fans kept their eyes on the race for third as George Lee, Rick Conley Jr. and first heat winner, Ty Myers, were changing positions on almost every lap and in the end, Myers grabbed third, with Lee and Conley Jr. following. Tyler Carpenter topped the other heat race
Almost following in Maffett’s tire tracks, Norm Aronhalt powered past Josh Morrow with two laps to go in the Snyder Brothers Tri-State Modified dash to be the pole sitter for their feature. With the help of four caution flags in the first 11 laps, Morrow hung with Aronhalt, but as the last nine laps went nonstop, the Wyler Enterprises and Crazy Acres No. 309 of Aronhalt sped away and the Warsaw driver scored his second win of the year. Robin Dustin out-dueled Mark Gardiner for third, and Ryan West captured fifth. Hometown driver Josh Pyers won the last chance race, and heat wins went to Gardiner, Matt Samples and West.
Wooster’s Donna Canode held off the guys to post her first win in the Street Stock main as the Tom’s Salvage, Santmyer Oil, and Howard Hanna-Smythe Cramer No. D7 held off John Wilson early in the race, then points leader Todd Swim tried his luck with no success, and then following a lap 11 caution, Justin Patterson gave it his best shot in the last four circuits but Canode held them all off. Swim and Wilson finished third and fourth with Kevin Sharier taking fifth. Canode and Swim collected the heat wins.
Heat winners Blain Markey and Mitch Ling started on the front row of the Holmes Tire Mini Stock main with Markey setting the pace for the opening two laps, but then it was Loudonville’s Jordan James taking over and he put the Winkler Ag Service, Thompson Memorials and First Choice Stump Grinding No. 83 into victory circle for the third time this season. Ling held off Mike Rose for second. Brett Adkins and Chris Priebe filled out the top five.
Dakota Wyer was in a class by himself as he blasted past the Mini Wedge field for his second straight win. Brother Dyland Wyer was a distant second with Brady Reed, Cole Lillibridge and Lane Johnson rounding out the top five. Dakota Wyer and Brady Reed posted heat wins.
Hilltop Speedway was right back in action on Tuesday, June 22, for the Ohio Outlaw Sprint Speedweek with the O’Reilly All Star Sprints in town for a $5,000 to win show with the Modifieds on the racing card. Regular action continues for all six classes on Saturday, June 26. Both shows with a 7:30 p.m. start time.