Rick’s Racing Roundup: Cranberry’s Ritchey Scores Win at PA Motor Speedway

| May 8, 2018


It was another weekend of fighting Mother Nature for area tracks and drivers with rain hanging around Western Pennsylvania all weekend.

(Photo: Aaron Reutzel of Texas scored his first career All-Star win Saturday at Sharon Speedway. Photo by Rick Rarer)

Local racer Brandon Ritchey of Cranberry did score an impressive win Saturday at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. He visited victory lane in the RUSH sportsman modified season opener. He bested a field of 23 cars, a new record high for the class at the monster half mile.

The weekend got started with a pair of rainouts as Thunder Mountain Speedway and Lernerville Speedway both lost their racing programs to rain. Both tracks will try again this Friday. At Thunder Mountain, all mothers will receive $2 off general admission. At Lernerville the late models will highlight this week’s Fab 4 racing program.

The late models will be racing for $2,525 to win in the first Frank Choura Memorial. The sprint cars, big block modifieds, and stock cars will all be in action also.

On Wednesday, May 16, Lernerville will present the first “Can’t Wait for the Weekend Mayhem Series” event presented by RK Virgile. The new RUSH sprint cars will highlight the once a month Wednesday series as they look to complete their first race of 2018 after a pair of rainouts. Four-cylinder stocks and UTVs will round out the mid-week card.

After being rained out on Friday The All-Star Circuit of Champions were at Sharon Speedway, 43 cars strong. When the dust settled it was Aaron Reutzel of Texas with a dominating performance to collect his first career All-Star win. Carson Macedo of California finished a distant second while the always exciting Jac Haudenschild charged from 16th to finish third. Josh Ferry won the e-mod feature but was later disqualified handing the win to Brad Blackshear.

Sprint cars will return to Sharon Speedway this Saturday as the F.A.S.T. Series invades for the first time ever. Many of the top competitors from Attica Raceway and Fremont Speedway will invade the Hartford oval to do battle with the Western Pa regulars with $3,000 going to the winner. Joining the sprint cars will be the stock cars, RUSH sportsman modifieds, and the econo mods with racing slated for 7 p.m.

Hummingbird Speedway was able to dodge the raindrops and complete their 2018 season opener Saturday.

Zach Myers opened the season with a win at Hummingbird Speedway. Photo by Penny Kay

Zach Myers opened the season with a win at Hummingbird Speedway. Photo by Penny Kay

Zach Myers led all 20 laps in his semi-late to win the first feature of the season at The Bird. Other opening night winners included; Bruce Hartzfeld in the street stocks, Chris Farrell in the late models, Raven Fuller in the pure stocks, and Zach Lennox in the four cylinders. Hummingbird will resume racing this Saturday with another five-division show scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m.

The third time was a charm for Tri-City Raceway Sunday as they were finally able to get their season opener in the books. Fans were treated to some exciting racing at the Venango County oval. After pitting early and going to the tail, Mike Maresca came from the tail to score his first career late model win in the ULMS sanctioned event. The “Seneca Slider” Bobby Whitling brought the crowd to their feet with a last lap pass of Jackson Humanic to win the stock car feature. Joel Watson closed out the evening of action by winning the e-mod feature.

The Seneca Slider Bobby Whitling won a thriller at Tri-City Sunday. Photo by Zack Anthony Photo

The Seneca Slider Bobby Whitling won a thriller at Tri-City Sunday. Photo by Zack Anthony Photo

Tri-City will return to action this Sunday Night as the big block modifieds make their only visit of the season for the “Modified Mania on Mother’s Day” event. Joining the big blocks will be the e-mods, RUSH modifieds, elite Econo mods, and the vintage mods. Racing is scheduled to get underway at 6 p.m., and the race carries a May 20 rain date.

Rick’s Racing Roundup is brought to you by:

Redbank Chevrolet
Zacherl Motors
Red Bandana Winery
Allegheny Grille
Bauer Truck Repair
Dagny Design Group

About Rick

Rick Rarer, a Franklin resident, is the owner of Racestud.com and SprintCarNews.com. He has been covering racing for 18 years, taking racing photos for 13 years, and has covered races at over 100 tracks in 15 states. Most recently, Rick won the Bill Steinbach Media Award at the Lernerville Speedway Annual Awards Banquet.


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