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MARKHAM, 32 OTHER DRIVERS TAKE FEATURE WINS AT HILLTOP SPEEDWAY IN 2009 SEASON
Mike Swanger
MILLERSBURG, Ohio (December 30) - Under the direction of Mick Conkle Motorsports, 2009 was an exciting year of racing at the 1/3 mile oval just south of Millersburg as 33 drivers in six class' of cars found victory lane. Rick Bond captured the April 24th opening night win for the S & S Construction Super Late Models for his only win of the year. The only rain out make up race was on Sunday, May 3rd as Wayne Chinn made his only appearance of the year a winner. The next two weeks May 15th & 22nd, saw Mark Gardiner collecting his two wins as the month of May closed out on the 29th with Dave Hornikel's only win. Thanks to rain, only three features were contested in June with Jason Flory taking the checkers on the 5th while Ryan Markham hit victory lane on June 12th & 26th. George Lee picked up his two wins in July as he won the Saturday July 4th special and returned to victory lane on the 24th. Ryan Markham waved the checkered flag for the third time on July 10th. Jason Flory won his second feature in dramatic style as he started 10th and grabbed the win on the last lap on the 31st of July. Markham posted his 4th win on August 7th while Doug Drown scored his only win the next week. Markham ended the season on the 4th of September with his fifth win which led all Late Model drivers
Kevin Morehouse kicked off the Tri-State Modifieds at Hilltop by snaring the first two features of the year with Josh Morrow squeezing in a win before Morehouse chalked up win #3. Darrick Hubbard and Mark Gardiner, who was the only driver to win a feature in both the Late Models and Modifieds, won their only features of the season. Morehouse notched win #4 on June 12. Larry Kugel held off a big field of cars on Tuesday, June 23, the All Star Speedweek Sprint show. Gary Clark captured the mid season championship race for his only victory in '09. Morehouse posted two more wins in July as he topped the 4th of July Special and on the 24th of July while Kugel squeezed in his second win on July 10th. Brandon Morrow found victory lane for the only time on July 31st. Morehouse swept both August races for his Modified best 7th & 8th wins. Norm Aronhalt finished the season strong by winning the last two races of the year, season championship night on September 4th and then came back two nights later during the All Star Sprint show.
The Snyder Brothers Pure Stocks season started off with Brandon Gardner taking the opening three features before Roger Drouhard broke the string with his one and only win. Gardner came back for two more wins before Troy Anderson collected his first of two wins. Gardner then blew the Pure Stocks away with an amazing six wins in a row streak that was stopped on August 14th by Jimmy Smith, his one and only win. Anderson closed out the season with his second win on season championship night. Gardner ended up with 11 wins, the most by any driver in '09 and has 23 victories in the last four years which is the most by any driver in that time span.
Brandon Craver kicked the year off for the Circle Track Mini Trucks with his 1st win then Jerry Gardner put a two win streak together that Craver ended with his second win. Mitch Caskey made his only win a big one as he won the $500 to win race on May 29th. Craver then won two in a row to start on June 5th & 12th as John Large posted his first win on mid-season championship night. Craver would win his fifth and final race on the 4th of July special. Kenny Duncan held on for his only win the next week as Jerry Gardner put back to back wins again for his 3rd & 4th victories. Jesse Combs found victory circle twice in the last three races for his two wins as John Large grabbed his second win in between Combs' wins.
The Holmes Tire Mini Stocks season started with Andy Parks winning the first two nights with Beau Bradley winning his only feature in week three. Parks' #ez1 car would win the next four races with Andy in it for three of the wins, giving him 5 for the year, and Brian Wolford in it for one week, his only win. Zach Foss tasted his only win on mid season championship night. From then on it was Ernest Fortune with two win streaks of three in a row which was interrupted by Jeremy Hudson win. Fortune had six wins to edge out Parks by one for the most wins.
Stevie Smith won the All Star Sprint Speedweek show in June as Tim Shaffer topped the Sunday before Labor Day All Star Sprint show that closed out the Hilltop Speedway season.
Who will be the top drivers in '10? We will have to wait until April to find out. Keep up to date at www.hilltopspeedway.org.
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