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Hagerstown Speedway
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (June 29) - Losing out to the weather on Saturday night, Hagerstown Speedway used it's scheduled rain date on Sunday evening and got the show in…. just barely, with Andy Anderson coming away with his first ever victory in the prestigious 43rd Annual Johnny Roberts Memorial 50 lap event for the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass late models.
Starting sixth, Anderson, of Martinsburg, WV took the lead from J.T. Spence on the 13th circuit and held a six eight length lead until arriving at the back of the field when Spence closed the gap and gave Anderson a real workout the final ten laps. Anderson won by .72 seconds to become the ninth different winner this season.
"I was better than him there in the beginning when I got by him," Anderson said. "The longer we went, the top started going away on me, I guess. I couldn't get through one and two that good. I knew he was on the bottom and my guys were telling me to run low. We got into lapped traffic and I tried to box him in but he must have got through there pretty fast."
The victory was also sweet for Anderson in a new deal he just put together in the past several weeks.
"This is my own car. I've won in everything I've been in. I was just hoping I'd get one in my own car," he said.
Rain fell just north of the speedway during the program and within 15 minutes of completion of the fireworks display, another rain shower arrived at the track.
In other racing, Hagerstown's Mike Warrenfeltz took the victory in the Ernie's Auto Enterprises pure stocks with a half length win over Darrin Younker.
Spence started third and stuck his car along the inside to snatch the lead away from pole setter Steve Gibney and immediately begin to stretch out his lead over the field. Anderson passed Frankie Plessinger for second just before the caution flag waved on lap seven and erasing Spence's nearly six second lead.
Darryl Hills took over the third spot following the restart while 11th starter Roy Deese Jr. advanced into fourth but was overtaken by six time event winner and 12th starter, Gary Stuhler on the 16th circuit.
Anderson continued to hold the edge on Spence with a caution on lap 23 when Paul Crowl spun with a flat left rear. Just before the caution, Stuhler slowed and was retiring to the pits and overheating engine from a small hole in the radiator.
Following the restart, Anderson again took off with Spence trailing by several lengths as Anderson moved into lapped traffic on the 37th lap with Spence closing. Behind them, Billy Wampler had passed Deese and Hills and was also closing on the front runners.
Spence was on Anderson's bumper by the 45th lap and began his assault which ended on the 47th when Wampler's engine erupted on the front stretch.
Anderson was pedal down the final three circuits to score the win over Spence and Deese.
"I wasn't even going to come back tonight," Anderson said. "I could hardly sleep thinking about all I had to change on this thing and then we came back. They all made fun of me at the restaurant last night calling me 'Slow Ride', so I changed it all around today and it worked out."
Ninth starter, Jim Yoder ended fourth and Hills completed the top five. Alan Sagi came from the 15th spot to finish sixth while David Williams, Ronnie DeHaven Jr., from 17th, Les Hare, from 19th and Jamie Lathroum, from 22nd rounded out the top ten. Lathroum picked up the Ernie's Auto Enterprises hard charger award.
Wampler, Plessinger, Deese Jr. and Anderson were the heat winners for the 35 entries with D.J. Myers topping the B main.
The pure stocks took off with three and four wide racing during the first several laps with Brian Swigert leading the first two until Wayne Hawbaker got past. Warrenfeltz advanced from ninth and took over second on lap four. He challenged Hawbaker until getting past on the eighth round while Darrin Younker was using the top line to come from 11th. He moved into second on lap 11 but his rhythm ended on lap 13 with a yellow flag.
On the restart, Warrenfeltz opened a several car cushion which Younker cut into on the final lap but ended a half length short. Previous week's winner and point leader, Dale Hollidge ended third with Hans Stamberg and Steve Lowery completing the front five.
Heats went to Stamberg, Bobby Taylor and Swigert while Dave Stouffer Jr. was the B main winner.
The speedway returns to action with a special Wednesday program, the fourth night of the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek 2008 events along with a special exhibition show featuring the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing vintage racers.
Pit gates open at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5 p.m and warm ups begin at 7:00 p.m. Check the speedway website for any changes in weather at: www.hagerstownspeedway.com or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.
Hagerstown Speedway Results
43rd Annual Johnny Roberts Memorial: Cindy Rowe Auto Glass Late Models, 50 laps, 35 entries, (Lap Leaders - J.T. Spence 1-12, Andy Anderson 13-50) 1.Andy Anderson; 2.J.T. Spence; 3.Roy Deese Jr.; 4.Jim Yoder; 5.Darryl Hills; 6.Alan Sagi; 7.David Williams; 8.Ronnie DeHaven Jr.; 9.Les Hare; 10.Jamie Lathroum (Ernie's Auto Enterprises Hard Charger); 11.Frankie Plessinger; 12.Kirk Ryan; 13.D.J. Myers; 14.Scott LeBarron; 15.Paul Crowl; 16.Scott Cross; 17.Billy Wampler; 18.Tyler Hershey; 19.Brent Smith; 20.Devin Friese; 21.Nathan Durboraw; 22.Andy Fries; 23.Steve Gibney; 24.Marvin Winters; 25.Gary Stuhler; 26.D.J.Troutman; DNQ: Ray Kable Jr.; Terry Lescalleet; Larry Baker III; Larry Baer; Mike Lupfer; Jeff Johnson; Bill Palmer; Mike Atherton; Doug Stine
Ernie's Auto Enterprises Pure Stocks, 15 laps, 30 entries (Lap Leaders - Brian Swigert 1-2; Wayne Hawbaker 3-7; Mike Warrenfeltz; 8-15: 1.Mike Warrenfeltz; 2.Darrin Younker (J & M Sportsworld Hard Charger); 3.Dale Hollidge; 4.Hans Stamberg; 5.Steve Lowery; 6.Kevin Keefer; 7.Bobby Taylor; 8.Lin Sutphin; 9.Dave Mikolajski; 10.Brian Swigert; 11.Kenny Dillon; 12.Drew Fitzsimmons; 13.Danny Beavers; 14.Frank Dibella; 15.Bill Reitober; 16.Mike Sanders; 17.Charles Rupert; 18.Wayne Hawbaker; 19.Randy Kline; 20.Justin Snodderly; 21.Kevin Dayhoff; 22.Dave Stouffer; 23.Tony Catlett; 24.Kevin Boyer; DNQ- Danny Main; Bill Ecton; Dale Knight Jr.; Kevin Koontz; DNS Billy Ecton Jr.; Jim Snyder
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