0
0
By DINO OBERTO
(Lehighton, PA 6-17-23) The youth was prevalent during the 602 Crate Modified feature on Saturday night at Mahoning Valley Speedway but when it was all said and done the young lions got schooled by one of the masters as Bobby Jones took home the checkers for his first win of 2023.
Jones jumped out front at the drop of the green and then had point leader Nick Baer heavy on his tail end. They raced closely until lap 11 when Baer, who was in the midst of a tight pack, spun and was forced to the rear.
From then on it would be Brody George, Greyson Ahner and Zach Lenardo all under a blanket and giving Jones everything he could handle.
“I tried to pinch it off on the bottom once I got the lead and then I had a flame under the dash and I started worrying about that not knowing if I was going to quit or what and I was super tight to boot so I just stayed to the bottom as much as I could and that only shoved the nose really bad so it was even worse that way,” said Jones.
“Then I couldn’t get back out to run that outer line and I felt I’d have been much faster that way. It wasn’t pretty but we got it done.”
Get it done he did. Jones kept his car planted on the bottom lane while George tried continuously to take him from the outside.
“I knew he (George) was there and he’s hungry now that he knows how to win after last week at Evergreen. I figured he was giving everything he had and it was taking every bit I had without really running (in) to him and he kept staying there and fighting it,” noted Jones.
“I had a ball leading and winning but I guarantee you Brody had more fun tonight running me on that outside because that’s always fun when you get up there and you know you have that car to beat and you dig and you keep going for it and that’s what’s fun.”
At the same time Ahner and Lenardo went two-by-two while right in the pathway of Jones which only peaked the excitement level.
“This is such a really good class and I can’t believe we don’t have more cars and I just don’t get where they are or why they don’t want to run,” explained Jones, who won for the 58th time in his career.
“I guarantee you that most of the guys in this field tonight have used tires on and we’re all still racing hard and battling for the lead and winning,” he continued.
“The last run we had before this I ran three races on the same set of tires and how can you beat that. I just can’t believe more people don’t want to do this.”
Mark Hudson has been coming to Mahoning Valley Speedway that past few years, making an exhausting haul from Norton, MA which is a five-and-a-half hour ride one way. And more times than not the rides back home where tough, especially last year when he finished runner-up to champion Nick Ross, four times matter of fact.
However, the day before his trek to Pennsylvania Hudson made a stop at the cemetery for a visit to his dad and pay his respects during this Father’s Day weekend. The close moment meant something too as the personable Hudson went out and dusted the field for his first ever Mahoning win.
“My father did this for us today. He passed away three years ago and I went to see him Friday and this one is for him,” an emotional Hudson said from Victory Lane.
“He would have loved this place. He never got to come down with us but we always showed him videos of the races and he really enjoyed them.”
Hudson would lead every lap and early on had to fend off Brian Sones but once he got cleared he was able to hold down a solid lead, although his thoughts quickly turned to Ross.
“I knew what it was like last year and I was looking for him (Ross). I didn’t see him and I knew at some point he’d be there,” said Hudson.
“I can’t thank enough my wife and mother for being here and especially RB Performance and owner Mark Brackett from Maine. No way could I have done this without them.”
As Hudson was cruising to the memorable win. Brain Romig Jr., and Ross battled right back and forth for second. Romig did a great job of holding on for the spot.
In the Street Stocks Cody Geist showed his resilience by winning his first feature of the season.
It was only two weeks ago when his No. 40 lost a transmission while leading with four laps to go.
At that point a frustrated Geist was ready to throw in throw the towel on his season. Coming to his rescue though was his brother, Shayne, who offered him the seat in his car and he rewarded him with a big win.
Geist and Kyle Strohl traded the lead a few times through the first 14 laps. Afterwards Geist took charge and was never headed as he claimed the win over Todd Ahner and Rick Reichenbach.
In the Harry’s-U-Pull-It Hobby Stocks Maggie Yeakel had an all-out thrilling late race duel with point leader Cody Boehm. The pair raced side-by-side in the final few laps but Yeakel, who held the inside line, was no to be denied of her first division win as she eked out the verdict by the slimmest of margins.
Arland Moyer Jr., picked up his career first win, taking the checkers in a close one with the Futures.
Moyer took the lead from the outset and was then in a race long battle at first with Adam Heckman and then down to the wire against Rodney Breiner and Adam Steigerwalt.
602 Crate Modified feature finish (25 laps): 1. Bobby Jones, 2. Brody George, 3. Greyson Ahner, 4. Zach Lenardo, 5. Nick Baer, 6. Deegen Underwood, 7. Jaden Brown
Late Model feature finish (25 laps): 1. Mark Hudson, 2. Brian Romig Jr., 3. Nick Ross, 4. Brian Sones, 5. Geno Steigerwalt, 6. Rick Giannino, 7. Seth VanFossen, 8. Frank Del Nero Jr., 9. Brooks Smith
Street Stock feature finish (30 laps): 1. Cody Geist, 2. Todd Ahner, 3. Rick Reichenbach, 4. Jacob Boehm, 5. Jon Moser, 6. Jamie Smith, 7. Geary Rinehimer Jr., 8. Jillian Snyder, 9. Kyle Strohl, 10. Austin Santee, 11. Rich Moser, 12. Jeremy Scheckler, 13. Josh Kuronya DNS: Eric Kocher
Hobby Stock feature finish (25 laps): 1. Maggie Yeakel, 2. Cody Boehm, 3. Jared Frye, 4. Shayne Geist, 5. BJ Wambold, 6. Travis Solomon, 7. Jacob Boehm. 8. James Tout, 9. Nicholas Kerstetter, 10. Jake Kibler, 11. Lyndsay Buss, 12. Dave Kerr, 13. Michael Wambold, 14. Parker Ahner, 15. Don Bauder
Futures feature finish (15 laps): 1. Arland Moyer Jr., 2. Adam Steigerwalt, 3. Rodney Breiner, 4. Russ Breiner, 5. Adam Heckman, 6. Michael Klotz, 7. Chaz Takacs, 8. Al Gildner, 9. Gabrielle Steigerwalt
