TIM BUCKWALTER WITHSTANDS THE STORM PICKING UP ARDC FEATURE WIN AT GRANDVIEW History repeated itself when Douglassville, PA driver, Tim Buckwalter drove his Buckwalter Motorsports #52 into Grandviews Victory lane after a twenty-five lap win in the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) feature event when ARDC joined USAC for the first Eastern Storm event on Tuesday night. The event survived the weather - waiting out two periods of rain but the entire show was completed in a timely manner. Buckwalter, who became a regular in Saturday night action in Grandviews tough 358 Small Block Modified ranks last season, earned his first midget victory of the season in his first race of the year with ARDC. Buckwalter had planned to make several other starts but those events fell victim to Mother Nature. While Buckwalter is still seeking his first stock car victory at Grandview, his win on Tuesday night made it two in a row of the 2012 ARDC Champion in Eastern Storm competition. Buckwalter had this to say about his first outing. We rebuilt the car and pretty much put everything back to where it was before. Buckwalter added, I will tell you one difference thought - I ran my own shocks on all four corners of the car! That was one thing that was different. Buckwalter has built a reputation around the micro sprint, midget and even stock car competition for his knowledge with shocks. Tims Shock Lab (TSL) can be found on many of the ARDC midgets on race night. Alex Bright was scheduled to start on the pole for the feature event but developed motor issues and pulled into the pits while the field was still forming. Brights departure moved rookie driver, Austin Burke to the pole for the start of the race with 2013 ARDC Champion, Trevor Kobylarz to his outside. Kobylarz took the lead at the start but the caution came out at the end of one lap when Ryan Watt and Eric Heydenreich tangled on the homestretch. Koybylarz retook the lead on the restart as Bruce Buckwalter Jr. looked to the inside to take over second. It was Tim Buckwalter who made the move, passing his cousin and then Burke to move into second. Buckwalter overtook Kobylarz for the lead on lap five before the red was displayed when James Morris and Clayton Glassman came together on the backstretch. Both drivers escaped injury in the incident and the field was realigned for a single file restart. Tim Buckwalter had the race in hand as the battle for second on back allowed the former champion to drive away from the field. Bruce Buckwalter took over third from Burke on lap seven and then raced Kobylarz for second for several laps. Kobylarz lost the handle in turn three as the field was coming to the half way mark as Danny Stratton and Tony DiMattia were collected in the incident. After getting upside down, Strattons night came to an end but Kobylarz and DiMattia restarted the feature. Tim Buckwalter restarted the race and pulled away from Bruce Buckwalter Jr. and Brett Arndt as a side by side battle was waged for fourth between Steve Buckwalter and Billy Pauch Jr. Arndt took second on lap sixteen with Pauch moving up to third on the next go round. A move to the inside down the backstretch took Pauch to second. With five to go, Tim Buckwalter held a sizeable lead over Pauch, Arndt, Steve and Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. Current point leader, Steven Drevicki broke into the top five in the final laps, gaining several positions in the late stages of the race. Tim Buckwalter sailed to the win with a healthy lead over Pauch, Steve Buckwalter, Arndt and Drevicki. Heats were won by Kobylarz, Ryan Greth and Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. with Danny Stratton winning the consolation event. Its on to the New Egypt Speedway for race #2 in the Eastern Storm on Thursday night. RACE NOTES Billy Pauch Jr. drove Carey Beckers #20 for the first time - finishing second after starting 11th. Four of the top five cars - both Buckwalters, Pauch and Drevicki were Steve Buckwalters Elite chassis design. It was season best performances for Tim Bucwalter, Pauch, Steve Buckwalter and Arndt. Micro sprint driver, James Morris made his ARDC debut as the driver of the Steward #34 while Danny Stratton returned to midget competition driving Stewards #33. FEATURE RESULTS (25 LAPS) 1. Tim Buckwalter 2. Billy Pauch Jr. 3. Steve Buckwalter 4. Brett Arndt 5. Steven Drevicki 6. PJ Gargiulo 7. Brenden Bright 8. Ryan Greth 9. Kyle Lick 10. Tony DiMattia 11. Austin Burke 12. Trevor Kobylarz 13. Brian Gilmore 14. Tommy Kunsman Jr. 15. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. 16. Ryan Watt 17. John Barnett 18. Brett Wanner 19. Danny Stratton 20. Eric Heydenreich 21. Clayton Glassman 22. James Morris 23. Jim Radney (DNS - Alex Bright)
Posted on: Wed, 04 Jun 2014 15:21:01 +0000
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