Duke wins at Clinton County
Ken Duke Jr. emerged from an intense, nearly race-long, three-car battle to win the 25-lap RaceSaver/IMCA Sprint Series race, co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Sprint Series and Laurel Highlands Sprint Series, Friday night at Clinton County Motor Speedway.
The Selinsgrove racer, who has led the national RaceSaver/IMCA points for much of the year and remains in contention for the national crown, took his sixth PASS event of the season and third at Clinton County in the Fairfield Chevrolet/Apache Tree Service/sprintcarunlimited #67.
Most of the race was a dogfight between Duke, pole-sitter John Walp (Wapwallopen; GMS Piling Products/La Napoli II Pizza/Dotzel Trucking #5) and outside front-row starter Dylan Proctor (Lock Haven; Randy Sterling Trucking/M. Teats Transport/Sprint Fleet Services #92), with Proctor leading the most laps but all three drivers taking turns at the front. After Duke, who had started third, grabbed the lead for the final time, Walp spun and had to restart in the rear.
That enabled sixth-starting Jack Frye (Lewisberry; Shope’s Landscape Maintenance/McCarthy Tire & Auto/RS Mechanical Services #56) to move into third, but he was unable to challenge for the lead. Scott Ellerman (Landisburg; Gary’s Professional Floor Maintenance/American Legion/Farmer’s Choice Tire #8D) finished fourth, and Scott Lutz (Jonestown; Fredericksburg Eagle Hotel/Speedway Mart & Car Wash/Adams Auto Sales #33) finished fifth, moving up smartly from 11th, where he had started by virtue of his win the last time the 305s were at Clinton County.
Rounding out the Top 10 were Reed Thompson (Petersburg; Mac Tools/State College Motors/Cock Heads BBQ Service #R6), Dakota Schweikart (Linden; Photos by Kelly/The Autobarn #78C), Jeffrey Weaver (Lock Haven; Weaver Radiator & Auto Repair #52), Dale Schweikart (Linden; The Autobarn/Photos by Kelly/Devlin’s Auto Glass #78) and Tylor Cochran (Williamsport; Mid-State Occupational Health/Valvoline/Miller’s Seamless G #19).
Heat races for the 15-car field were won by Ian Cumens (Downingtown; Out wash LLC/Able Brothers Truck Towing/Keystone Tree & Turf #79) and Lutz, who also was the night’s big mover, advancing from 11th starting position to fifth.
Results from Clinton County Motor Speedway, July 26, 2019
HEAT 1 – 1. 79-Ian Cumens; 2. 67-Ken Duke Jr.; 3. 5-John Walp; 4. 78-Dale Schweikart; 5. 78C-Dakota Schweikart; 6. 52-Jeffrey Weaver; 7. 131-Josh Fox; 8. 19-Tylor Cochran.
HEAT 2 – 1. 33-Scott Lutz; 2. 56-Jake Frye; 3. 92 Dylan Proctor; 4. 8D-Scott Ellerman; 5. R6-Reed Thompson; 6. 72-Dave Guss; 7. 22-Mike Murphy.
FEATURE – 1. 67-Ken Duke Jr.; 2. 92-Dylan Proctor; 3. 56-Jake Frye; 4. 8D-Scott Ellerman; 5. 33-Scott Lutz; 6. R6-Reed Thompson; 7. 78C-Dakota Schweikart; 8. 52-Jeffrey Weaver; 9. 78-Dale Schweikart; 10. 9-Tylor Cochran; 11. 131-Josh Fox; 12. 5-John Walp; 13. 79-Ian Cumens; 14. 22-Mike Murphy; 15. 72-Dave Guss.