Hagerstown Speedway
August 3, 2013
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GENE KNAUB RALLIES TO SCORE HAGERSTOWN’S BONEBRAKE TRIBUTE, DILLON AND SARVER ALSO POST WINS

HAGERSTOWN, MD –  Dover, PA’s Gene Knaub saved his best for the end, powering under Joey Leavell on a restart with four laps remaining in the 30-lap 18th Annual Richard “Boney” Bonebrake Tribute at Hagerstown Speedway. The move resulted in a 1.19 second triumph over Andy Anderson for his fourth consecutive Steel Block Bandit Series victory.

“You’re always looking for another shot if you’re not leading but if you’re leading, having a caution, that’s the worst thing,” Knaub said. “I’ve lost races like that. I feel bad for him.”

Kenny Dillon from Hanover led all the way to wrap up his season first Ernie D’s pure stock win while Hagerstown’s Jason Sarver was successful in racing to his career first victory in the D & D Auto Recycling hobby stocks.

Besides being Knaub’s fourth consecutive with the SBB series in its 50th overall feature event since its inception five years ago, it was also his first at Hagerstown, his overall 12th of the season and his sixth with the series which ties him in wins with Leavell and Walker Arthur. 

Weather conditions promoted a super fast track and allowed four different drivers to turn their time trial lap in the 18 second bracket with Ryan Hackett’s 18.641 second establishing a new record under Steel Block competition. Knaub’s time was 18.745 followed by Paul Cursey with 18.837 and Leavell with an 18.955.  

Following qualifying, Knaub and Leavell were on the front row with Denny Bonebrake and son, Wes, leading the four wide salute to the fans before the green flag put the field into action.

Leavell, the defending race winner, got the jump and raced around the top to head off turn two with the lead over Knaub and Cursey. Only one lap was scored before the first yellow of the night came out when Mike Goodwin’s motor detonated on the back stretch.

Andy Anderson, who won the earlier season SBB event, grabbed third from Cursey on the restart with Denny Bonebrake and Cursey battling for fourth as Leavell and Knaub took control out front. When the yellow waved on lap six for Mike Walls coasting to a stop, Ryan Hackett also slowed on the front stretch and was pushed to the infield.

After Leavell entered the rear of the field on the 14th lap, he kept Knaub at a comfortable distance until the 19th lap when Dominic Defino stopped in turn two. Leavell again slowly edged ahead until the final yellow waved on the 26th when Sam Gallagher rolled to a stop.

Going for the gusto, Knaub quickly squeezed under Leavell in turns one and two to race side by side down the back stretch and then hug the inside through three and four to come off with the lead.

While Knaub pulled away, Leavell overdrove and slid high as Anderson, Cursey and 10th starter Justin Weaver took advantage of the miscue. Knaub rode the rail over the final laps for the 1.19 second victory over Anderson.

“I was pretty good on the bottom in one and two and actually in three and four, really good,” Knaub said. “The way the Bandit’s motor package is, I think is great. We were just a little out motored and I timed that last restart just right and allowed me to sneak underneath him and obviously that was the winning pass. This is a new Rocket race car. We hardly did any tweaking on it, some minor changes and the car worked awesome.  I love this track surface as it fits my driving style. This was just another great night.”
Denny Bonebrake, who will complete his 45th and final year of racing ended sixth.

“I’m real pleased with where I finished,” Bonebrake said. “We worked on the motor all night. We kept having water pump problems and had to change that twice. This guy here, Gene, is tough. We’ve been racing with him the past couple weeks up at Hill Valley, Path Valley and Susquehanna. He’s got his act together. He did a real good job tonight. This is where I started. I won my first race here. Maybe I can win my last race here in the big show at the end of the year. It’s been a great run for me. This is still one of the best tracks to run on the east coast, at least I think. The only problem I have is “the older I get, the faster I was.”

Scott Palmer was seventh with Rick Hulson, Bruce Kane and Kris Eaton completing the top ten. Series point leader Andy Fries came from 21st to finish 11th and be the Hard Charger. Heats went to Anderson, Knaub, Cursey and Leavell with Mike Walls and Tyler Armstrong winning the B mains.   

With various issues plaguing him in earlier races, Kenny Dillon started from the pole with Drew Fitzsimmons alongside as Dillon quickly had the lead with sixth starting Darrin Younker into third on the opening lap. Dillon had stretched his lead to more than two seconds when Younker took second on lap six. A single caution regrouped the field on lap six but Dillon held steady while Younker ended .972 seconds behind at the checkered. Fitzsimmons was third with Charlie Pensinger and Kevin Boyer next.

The hobby stocks went all the way under the green as Jason Sarver was there to take the lead on lap three when Justin Hansberger slipped too high in the fourth turn. Hansberger rebounded to stay ahead of Tom Caravello and went on to trail Sarver by three lengths at the finish. Dylan Welsh and William Crook rounded the top five.    

The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can be on the speedway’s website:  www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook. Also check the website for any changes in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.

Hagerstown Speedway Results:

18th Annual Richard “Boney” Bonebrake Tribute Steel Block Bandits Series - Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Late Model Sportsman: 30 Lap, 34 Entries (Lap Leaders: Joey Leavell 1-26, Gene Knaub 27-30 ) – 1.Gene Knaub, 2.Andy Anderson, 3.Paul Cursey, 4.Justin Weaver, 5.Joe Leavell, 6.Denny Bonebrake, 7.Scott Palmer, 8.Rick Hulson, 9.Bruce Kane, 10.Kris Eaton, 11.Andy Fries (Hard Charger from 21st),  12.Tyler Armstrong, 13.Kyle Lear, 14.Matt Nailor, 15.Courtney Shreiner, 16.Sam Gallagher, 17.James Lichliter. 18.Chaz Walls, 19.Dominic Defino, 20.Wes Bonebrake, 21.Ryan Hackett, 22.Mike Walls, 23.Robbie Emory, 24.Mike Goodwin, DNQ-Will Rowe, Ronnie Dennis, Kyle Lee, Cole Amsden, Billy Farmer, Ray Ciccarelli, John Baker, Elwood Sord, DNS – Bobby Beard, Todd Snook

Ernie D’s Pure Stock Special: 15 Laps, 19 Entries, (Lap Leaders: Kenny Dillon 1-15) -- 1.Kenny Dillon, 2.Darrin Younker, 3.Drew Fitzsimmons, 4.Charlie Pensinger, 5.Kevin Boyer, 6.Mike Warrenfeltz, 7.Tony Catlett, 8.Wayne Hawbaker, 9.Lane Hessong, 10.Brian Miller (Bill Ecton and Son Hard Charger), 11.Chris Ebersole, 12.Tony Stoneberger, 13.Dave Stouffer Jr., 14.Nick Dibella, 15.Brandon Churchey, 16.Kenny Day, 17.Steve Lowery, 18.Rick Stouffer, DNS – Frank Dibella

D & D Auto Recycling Hobby Stocks, 15 Laps, 9 Entries, Lap Leaders Justin Hansberger 1-2, Jason Sarver 3-15) -- 1.Jason Sarver, 2.Justin Hansberger (Kline’s Auto Body and Towing Lucky Seven), 3.Tom Caravello, 4.Dylan Welsh, 5.William Crook, 6.Joe Rodgers, 7.Gary Proctor, 8.Kenny Thomas, 9.Bill Ecton Sr.