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Re(3): Hy-Miler History Book (Part 3 of 4) IP: 104.129.194.86 Posted on July 26, 2017 at 08:32:14 PM by JeffL
2015…Clyde Booth (#61) picked up his second consecutive Hy-Miler victory as car owner (third overall), but this year, Chelmsford, Massachusetts’ Jon McKennedy was at the helm. Tim Ice (#65) picked off the lead at the green flag, and the first caution of the event fell for the Mike Lichty (Reed’s Salvage #84) who had come to a stop in turn 3 on the 5th circuit. 10 laps later, Alison Cumens (#39) spun in turn 2. A long green span elapsed with Ice still out front, McKennedy in second up from his starting position of fourth. Yellow flew again on lap 39 when Ryan Coniam (#46) came to a stop on the backstretch. Tim Ice caused his own yellow and reluctantly gave up the lead on lap 43 when a front crank bolt broke, ending his night. After inheriting the lead, McKennedy took off past halfway. The entire complexion of the race changed on lap 52, with Danny Shirey (ACME Racing #49) coming to a stop with engine woes. At this juncture, the heavily favored Dave Shullick Jr. (Jim Bodnar #95) surprised the crowd when he exited into the pits off of turn 1. The infamous “red to refuel” occurred on lap 64. The racing that ensued after was hot and heavy between McKennedy and local favorites Kyle Edwards (#1, renumbed from #11), and Mike McVetta (#22), as these two dogged the leader McKennedy but could never squeak by. The final yellow fell on lap 96 for Friday night’s winner, Trent Stephens (ACME Racing #19), who had spun on the backstretch. McKennedy flew under the checkers and was followed by Kyle Edwards, Mike McVetta, Eddie Witkum (#21) - who had passed nearly every car there except the top 3, and Tim Jedrzejek (Howie Lane #97) rounding out the top 5. Friday’s Fast Forty was won off the pole by local favorite Trent Stephens. Friday’s top 5 were Stephens, Jeff Locke (#37), Mike McVetta (#22), Ben Seitz (#17), and McKennedy.
2016…Dave Shullick Jr. (Jim Bodnar #95), starting tenth on the grid, picked up his second Hy-Miler victory in one of the best Hy-Miler finishes to date, dueling back and forth throughout the race with late race leader Mike Lichty (Reed’s Salvage #84). Eddie Witkum (P&L Vinal #21) and Mike Ordway Jr. (Clyde Booth #61) brought the field to the green, with Ordway Jr. jumping to the early race lead. The race stayed green for the first 36 laps, with caution falling for a spin in turn 4 for a car about to go down a lap, collecting leader Ordway Jr. in the process. Ohio’s Mike McVetta (#22), whose team thrashed through the night to get the #22 back into contention after a Friday night mishap, inherited the lead, but only for one lap, as he was sidelined on lap 37 with a broken panhard bar bolt. On the previous lap 36 restart, Shullick Jr. was able to get by Lichty for second, so Shullick Jr. inherited the lead on lap 37 with McVetta retiring for the night. Over the next 50 laps, there were several single-car cautions. On lap 80, Shullick Jr. was pinned high behind a lapped car as Lichty and Trent Stephens (ACME Racing #19) got by for the lead. Stephens stuck right to Lichty but despite every attempt, Stephens could not complete a successful pass for the lead. A precautionary yellow came out on lap 89 for a slowing AJ Lesiecki (May Motorsports #77). As the field took the white for the lap 89 restart, Trent Stephens’ second place ride came to a stop, out of fuel, causing the yellow to remain out; subsequently a red to refuel ensued when the #19 did not opt to go pitside. For prolonging the yellow flag condition, the #19 was required to go tail per ISMA rule. Top five at this point were Lichty, Shullick Jr., Mark Sammut (#78), Tim Jedrzejek (Lane #97), and Otto Sitterly (Jim Bodnar #96). As the race resumed on lap 89, all eyes were on the duo of Lichty and Shullick Jr. out front. Over the next 3-4 laps, Shullick Jr. kept trying to get by Lichty on the outside, and finally was able to make it stick. This marked the fourth time in the race that Shullick Jr. and Lichty had swapped positions. With 2 to go, the Lichty #84 seemed to be out of rubber, as Sammut got by for second. In the final lap, Lichty fell back to fifth, as Shullick Jr. claimed the checkers. Top five were Shullick Jr., Sammut, Jedrzejek, Sitterly, and Lichty. Friday night’s Fast Forty was also claimed by Shullick Jr., who after starting sixth, put on a clinic lapping all but the top ten, the finish being Shullick Jr., Moe Lilje (Jim Bodnar Jr. #76), Danny Shirey (ACME Racing #49), Mike Lichty (#84), and Dave McKnight (Gary Morton #70) rounding out the top five. 2016 marked the sixth time that the weekend was swept, with Shullick Jr. joining Russ Wood (Dunigan #29) in 1995 and 1997, Mike Ordway Sr. (Clyde Booth #61) in 2004, and Chris Perley (Vic Miller #11) in 2006 and 2007.
