SILVER SPRING SPEEDWAY
Speedway/Promoter 717-766-7215
Media Relations 570-523-8420
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 26 June 1999
Steve Inch
STEHMAN WINS SECOND SPORTSMAN MAIN;
WITMER BECOMES 12th LATE MODEL WINNER
MECHANICSBURG, PA - John Stehman of McSherrystown drove to his second Super Sportsman win of the season in Saturday night’s 25-lap main event at Silver Spring Speedway.
For Stehman, at the wheel of the Lisi Texacao/Treyco Contracting No. 23, the win marked the second of his career at the Cumberland County motorsports facility.
Bud Witmer of Dover became the 12th different Late Model winner in as many races this season at the track in the division’s 20-lap feature. The win also marked the second of Witmer’s career.
George Eash of Dillsburg powered to his first Sutliff Automotive Group 20-lap Street Stock feature of the season.
Silver Spring Speedway will be in operation twice this coming week, beginning with the track’s edition of the Keystone Pretzels PA Speedweek for Sprint Cars event on Wednesday, June 30, beginning at 7:30. Track gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Fred Rahmer of Salfordville is the defending winner of the race.
The speedway will swing back into action on Saturday, July 3 with the 11th Annual Firecracker 40 for Super Sportsman plus Late Models and Street Stocks beginning at 7 p.m. George Group of Marysville is the defending Firecracker 40 winner. Also on Saturday’s program will be a professional fireworks display.
Polesitter Chris Reed led the first lap of the Super Sportsman feature. On the second circuit, third-place starter Donnie Beaver took the lead with an outside pass on the backstretch.
In the first five laps, Beaver and sixth-place starter Ken Carberry broke away from the pack until the event’s first caution on lap eight regrouped the field. While pacing under caution, however, Beaver, whose car was smoking for several laps, pulled off of the race track.
At this point, Carberry inherited the lead, only to have mechanical problems cause him to spin in turn four on the restart. For another restart attempt, Reed was back in the lead and led the event for four more laps.
Paul Troutman, who started fourth, began to show a lot of speed the second half of the event and moved into the lead on lap 13. Then seventh-place starter John Stehman moved into second and began to reel in the leader.
Laps 15 and 16 proved to be the most exciting as Troutman and Stehman see-sawed for the lead spot. On the 17th circuit, Stehman secured the lead with on outside pass on the frontstretch.
Once in front, Stehman was able to pull away and post a straightaway win over Troutman, 10th-place starter Russ Mitten, eighth-place starter JR Fry and fifth-place starter Jim Shuttlesworth.
Pat Cannon, who started 20th and finished seventh, was named the Timber Wolf Racing Hard Charger for advancing 13 positions.
Outside front row starter Harold Beinhower took the lead at the start of the Late Model feature. Beinhower was chased by fourth-place Bud Witmer for the first two laps before Witmer made the winning pass using the inside lane coming off turn two on the third circuit.
At the midway point, 12th-place starter Ron Little advanced to second and set his sites on the leader. Little moved within striking distance on several occasions in lapped traffic but could not make a complete pass by the leader.
At the finish, Witmer recorded his second career win ahead of Little, 10th-place starter Gene Wrightstone, seventh-place starter Dave MaGilton and 13th-place starter Mark Billet (racing Scott Richwine’s back up car).
Polesitter Bill Deardorff powered into the lead at the start of the Street Stock feature. On the second circuit, second-place starter Greg Foster took command of the field.
Eventual winner George Eash started the event in the sixth position and by lap five was racing second. On the eighth circuit, Eash powered into the lead. At the midway point, Eash’s most serious challenger, 11th-place starter Dene Light, moved right behind the leader.
Light raced in Eash’s shadow for the entire second half of the event. At the checkered flag, Eash was victorious by the slimmest of margins over Light, current point leader Kirby Sites, Todd Bowersox and Joe Whitely.
SILVER SPRING SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY - 26 June 1999
Super Sportsman - 52 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 23 John Stehman 2) 16 Paul Troutman 3) 7 Russ Mitten 4) 42 JR Fry 5) 41 Jim Shuttlesworth 6) 1 Bob Fannasy 7) 93 Pat Cannon 8) 2A Carmen Perigo 9) 28 Keith Prutzman 10) 4 John Stoner 11) 63 George Group 12) 12 Howie Locke 13) 8 Rich Eichelberger 14) 22 Mark Smith 15) 99 Scott Grace 16) 14 Chris Reed 17) 66 Leroy Martin 18) 2M Matt Ondek 19) 55H Tom Haxall 20) 340 Smokey Snellbaker 21) 21 Dave Neuman (Car Was Light) 22) 3 Frankie Herr 23) 5G Danny Hager 24) 25S Joe Reneker 25) 10 Donnie Beaver 26) 47 Ken Carberry
Heat Winners: John Stehman, Keith Prutzman, JR Fry, Ken Carberry, Bob Fannasy
Consolation Winners: Howie Locke and Danny Hagar
Late Models - 29 Entries
20-Lap A-Main: 1) 55 Bud Witmer 2) 43 Ron Little 3) 10 Gene Wrightstone 4) 2M Dave MaGilton 5) 2B Mark Billet 6) 91 Jeff Leiphart 7) 12 Sterling Kinard 8) 2 Scott Richwine 9) 116 Charlie Kope 10) 15 Jason Covert 11) 75 Scott McCann 12) F1 Jim Shuttlesworth 13) 41H Gary Potts 14) 33 Harold Beinhower 15) 51 Dave Graber 16) 17K Brad Kling 17) 4 Kenny Riland 18) 29 Ed Jones 19) 11 Dave Sokoloski 20) 41G Eric Gable 21) 9 Carl Graves 22) 21 Butch Campion
Heat Winners: Sterling Kinard, Dave MaGilton, Dave Sokoloski
Consolation Winner: Jason Covert
Street Stocks - 33 Entries
20-Lap A-Main: 1) 69 George Eash 2) 111 Dene Light 3) 95 Kirby Sites 4) 0 Todd Bowersox 5) 33 Joe Whitely 6) 8 Sam Leonard 7) 40 Ron Yonkoskie 8) 16 Gerry Stutting 9) 29 Greg Foster 10) 31 Bob Dellinger 11) 11 Craig Morgan 12) 07 Mike Breneman 13) 34 Tim Fedder 14) 12 Bill Deardorff 15) 32 Scott Dellinger 16) 32X Tim Sharp 17) 27 Doug Hoffman 18) 72 Mike Zeigler 19) 64 Stan Wanner 20) 1 Eric Hurst 21) 4A Randy Askey 22) 88B Jamie Barker 23) 175 Dave Snow 24) 7 Mike Leonard
Heat Winners: Dene Light, David Snow, Gerry Stutting
Consolation Winner: Ron Yoncoskie