Fan Notes from the OVSCA race at Wayne County Speedway

Dean Jacobs (Tom Myers) Orrville, Ohio- Hello readers! It’s been awhile! It’s good to be back at the races and I hope that wherever you are, you can now get out to the racetrack, like some of us here in Ohio are now able to do.

A huge crowd and a large field of race cars showed up Saturday June 13th for the first full racing program of the year here at Orrville, Ohio’s Wayne County Speedway. The racetrack welcomed 40 sprint cars, racing tonight under the OVSCA sanction. Also on hand were late models, super stocks and mini-stocks.

After the long period of time on lockdown, it was obvious that racers and fans were happy to finally get some racing action going. The weather was cool with a steady wind blowing into the stands from the northeast. In spite of overnight showers and lots of watering, the constant winds kept the racing surface dry and dusty. The cool temperatures combined with the wind and dust and a new racing surface with only one race on it made for a challenging evening…..but everyone stuck it out and the racing didn’t disappoint.

TJ Michael There was a lot going on at Wayne County Speedway tonight. Before the racing started, we witnessed a wedding on the front straight. After that, someone, probably a farmer with his family or friends, drove a front loader into a freshly cultivated field just off the backstretch. People were sitting in the front bucket that was raised in the air, high enough to get a good view I am sure. There were dogs in the stands…..one dog even had a bowl of food and water setting there for it. There was a very large and new American Flag, high up on the light pole in the middle of the infield. There was a prayer given along with the singing of the National anthem. There were longer than usual lines at the concession stands, beer vendor stand and at the bathrooms. There were cars parked up and down the road outside the main track entrance. There was an Australian pursuit race. And a super stock did barrel rolls down the front straight!

Lots of nice new paint schemes on the cars. Folks in the pits were happy to see you and chat a moment. Cap Henry, the winner of the previous evening’s feature at Attica was in the pits. Tim Shaffer was here, along with Max Stambaugh, Cole Macedo, Dean Jacobs, D.J. Foos, T.J. Michael, Brandon Spithaler, Nate Dussel and Jack Sodeman Jr., to name a few. Chase Baker, after being sidelined all of last year, was back racing his family 23 car with his brother Trevor wrenching. The always fast Danny Mumaw, Jordan Harble, Jordan Ryan and Trey Jacobs were on hand as well. Missing was former track champion and All Star competitor Andrew Paulker. If you will remember, while leading the final race here last year, his car caught fire and Andrew suffered some severe burns. I saw Andrew this past winter and he looked really good and was recovering nicely. Hopefully, we will see him back again soon this season.

Cole Macedo The OVSCA doesn’t run time trials, they determine the heat lineups by a drawing. There were 4 heats with the top 4 transferring to the A main, where they will again draw for position. The first heat winner was Dean Jacobs followed by Jordan Harble, Max Stambaugh and Jamie Myers. The second heat winner was Cole Macedo, Nate Dussel, Tim Shaffer and Trey Jacobs. Shaffer was comfortably in 2nd but lost a spot on the last restart. The 3rd heat was exciting. Cap Henry started dead last. He drove aggressively and weaved in and out, high and low and with the help of 2 cautions and the use of a lot of skill, he would forge to the lead and win the heat going away….much to the approval and applause of the crowd. Cap took a cool down lap and as he idled down the front stretch he signaled the fans with the “hang loose” or “hang ten” sign. Ha Ha, that was cool. The 4th heat winner was D.J. Foos, followed by Brandon Spithaler, Jordan Ryan and Ricky Peterson.

There were 2 B-mains with the top 4 in each transferring to the tail of the A-main. In the first race, Clay Riney came home first followed by Nate Reeser, Landon LaLonde, and Mark Imler. In the second B-main, the finish was Jason Dolick, John Ivy, Danny Mumaw, Chad Wilson. John Ivy, who has most recently and for many years now competed in 305 sprints, was back in a 410 tonight.

Cap Henry won the OVSCA race at Wayne County Saturday The feature redraw was good for some, not so good for others. Jordan Harble was on the pole with Dussel outside of him. Row 2 was Henry and McPeak. Row 3 was Macedo and Dean Jacobs. Row 4 was Foos and Spithaler followed by Stambaugh and Shaffer in row 5 and Michael and Ryan in row 6.

At the start McPeak flipped and Dean Jacobs was damaged in the accident and he had to go to the tail for the restart, McPeak was done for the evening. On the restart, Dussel grabs the lead with Harble following. Henry, who won the All Star race here last September, blasts around the top and goes around Harble on lap 3 and then gets by Dussel on lap 9 and then runs away for the win and the $3,000. Behind Henry a great battle for the next 5 spots ensues as Harble and Dussel and Macedo and Spithaler and Shaffer battle. At the finish it was Henry at the front followed by Harble, Macedo, Dussel, Spithaler, Trey Jacobs, Foos, Shaffer, Stambaugh, Ryan, Michael, Sodeman Jr., Dean Jacobs, Jamie Myers, Reeser, Riney, Peterson, Ivy, Dolick, and McPeek.

Thank you Wayne County Speedway and thank you racers and thank you OVSCA for sanctioning this event. See you again next time!