Bard’s Scores First Career 410 Sprint Victory on Familiar Turf
Mill Hall, PA – Garrett Bard of Wells Tannery, PA earned his first career 410 Sprint Car victory at a track that he is very familiar. Bard is a two-time track champion at the 1/3 mile oval in the RaceSaver Sprint Car division. He has supported every 410 show held at Clinton, since moving to the premier division, and earned the win over Mark Smith of Sunbury and Chris Frank of Wellsville. Colton Friese of Spring Run won the East Coast Legends and Zak Kline won the 4 Cylinders.
Mark Smith and Garrett Bard led the field of sprint cars to the green flag for the start of the 25 lap feature event. Smith led the first two circuits until Bard powered around the outside to make a pass for lead. By the completion of lap number five, Bard was leading, Smith, Chris Frank, Chad Trout and Josh Beamer. The first caution of the event occurred on lap number eighteen as the leaders had just started racing through lapped traffic. The caution occurred for JT Ferry who stopped on the speedway. Bard held off the challenges of Smith for two more laps, when the caution flag came out again when Dakota Schweikart’s car spun.
Bard once again raced hard into turns one and two with Smith, Frank, Trout and Beamer in the top five. Bard quickly caught the rear of the field once again and began to weave this way through lapped traffic. On lap number 20, Trout and Beamer were in a contested battle for the fourth postion. Beamer managed to secure fourth place on lap number 21.
Bard crossed the line with a margin of victory of 2.4 seconds over Smith, Frank, Beamer, and Trout. Australian Jessie Attard finished sixth followed by Ryan Smith, Dale Blaney, Tyler Rutherford, and Dale Schweikart. Heat races were won by Mark Smith, Bard, Schweikart, and Beamer. Mark Smith set fast time with a lap of 12.631.
Justin Wagaman and Grady McGrew were the front row starters for the East Coast Legends feature event. Fourth place starter, Colton Friese raced his way to the front by the completion of lap number one. McGrew held the second spot and Dalton Friese was running in third. Dalton Friese moved into the runner up postion on lap number four with Scott Houdeshell taking over the third spot. The next lap, Houdeshell took the runner up postion.
On lap number 7 the caution came out for Dalton Friese. With the restart, Colton Friese was again quick on the gas with Houdeshell, Grady McGrew in tow. As the laps winded down, Colton Friese held his postion out in front to lead every lap and earn his second win of the season at the speedway. Houdeshell, McGrew, Justin Wagaman and Scott Spidle rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Dave Benner, Hunter McElroy, Daren Lucas, Dalton Friese and Eric Hurst. Heat races were won by Colton Fries and Dalton Friese
Polesitter, John Stringfellow raced into the early lead of the 4 Cylinder feature event. By the completion of lap number four, Zak Kline raced this way to the front and made a pass for the lead as Coty Maines moved into second place, shuffling Stringfellow back to third place. A three car incident on lap number eight slowed the field, with Kline leading the way for the restart. Kyle Laughbaugh, who started 15th raced his way up to third by lap number ten. Kline held off Maines for the win, over Laughbaugh, Terry Karicher and John Stringfellow. Sixth through tenth were Garrett Lucas, Chase Weaver, Dalton Lucas, Kyle Strouse and Matt Weaver. Heat races were won by Kline and Lucas.
The Clinton County Speedway is off this coming Friday, July 26th as the Clinton County Fair Association prepares for the annual Fair. The speedway will have two events during Fair Week. The first is a Tuesday night special on July 30th featuring the Limited Late Models, Pro Stocks, 270 Micro Sprints and Four Cylinders. Then on Friday, August 2nd, the USCA East Coast Wingless Sprints will be the headline division with the Pro Stocks, Micro Sprints, and Four Cylinders. Gates each night open at 5PM and hot laps begin at 7PM. For the latest speedway information visit the speedways website at clintoncountyspeedway.com
410 Sprint Cars: 1. Garrett Bard 2. Mark Smith 3. Chris Frank 4. Josh Beamer 5. Chad Trout 6. Jessie Attard 7. Ryan Smith 8. Dale Blaney 9. Tyler Rutherford 10. Dale Schweikart 11. Kody Hartlaub 12. Bob Felmlee 13. Aaron Ott 14. Mike Thompson 15. Billy Dietrich 16. JT Ferry 17. Aidan Borden 18. Derek Swartz 19. Dustin Prettyleaf 20. Logan Rumsey 21. Dakota Schweikart 22. Daryl Stimeling 23. Tanner Brown 24. Wyatt Walizer 25. Hayden Miller
DNS: Dustin Baney, Adam Carberry, Will Brunson, Karl Walizer, Chris Smith
East Coast Legends: 1. Colton Friese 2. Scott Houdeshell 3. Grady McGrew 4. Justin Wagaman 5. Scott Spidle 6. Dave Benner 7. Hunter McElroy 8. Darren Lucas 9. Dalton Friese 10. Eric Hurst DNS Tyler Rampmeyer, Moses Goetz
Four Cylinders: 1. Zak Kline 2. Coty Maines 3. Kyle Laughbaugh 4. Terry Karichner 5. John Stringfellow 6. Garrett Lucas 7. Chase Weaver 8. Dalton Lucas 9. Kyle Strouse 10. Matt Weaver 11. Tim Muthler 12. Devin Parks 13. Aleyah Dyarman 14. Brett Shirk 15. Alyssa Snook 16. Kevin Trimpey DNS Tim Teneyck, Dylan Hoover, John Baney.
Four Cylinders: 1. Matt Weaver 2. Zak Kline 3. Coty Maines 4. Jason Koch 5. Hunter Flook 6. Kevin Trimpey 7. Dalton Lucas 8. Brett Shirk 9. Ken Smith