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Steve Buckwalter Steals Susky Non-Stop ARDC Feature
By Mark Kielblock

Newberrytown, Pa. - Susquehanna Speedway Park promoter Todd Fisher and the entire SSP staff were hustling through Thursday night's program as quickly as they could with rain in the area. They needed all the help they could get from the ARDC drivers and the ARDC pilots delivered with 20-lap feature that ran caution free. Caution free features are great for promoters and fans, but for front running drivers who are handicapped to the middle of the pack -- like eventual winner Steve Buckwalter -- they make the job that much more challenging. Buckwalter started 10th, picked his way through the field and dove under Randy Monroe, Jr. on the white flag lap to steal the win.

"To be honest, in the beginning I really didn't think I was going to be able to get up there," Buckwalter shared after the race. "I was getting frustrated because I kept getting boxed in, then I started over-driving the car. When PJ (Gargiulo) got by me, I had to slow down in one corner and the car actually went quicker. Then I remembered the old saying, 'slow down to go fast,"  Buckwalter explained.

Randy Monroe Jr. and Scott Zipp brought the 26 car field to the green flag. Monroe showed his power as he immediately began to open a gap. Frank Polimeda showed early strength jumping from fourth starting spot to second. Scott Zipp faltered losing several spots in the early laps, but then began to recover by going to the high groove and re-passing several cars to get back to second spot. Polimeda began to struggle and started to go in the opposite direction, dropping through the pack where he would eventually finish 11th.

While all this shuffling was going on up front, fifth row starters Gargiulo and Buckwalter were making some noise of their own, with Gargiulo showing in the top five by lap 8 and Steve Buckwalter sweeping by on lap 9 to become the 5th place runner. From there Buckwalter began a quick but methodical climb to 4th on lap 11 and 3rd on lap 12. On lap 13, PJ Gargiulo slipped into fourth, and at the five lap to go sign Buckwalter moved into second.

Buckwalter now had a huge task ahead of him as Monroe had built a sizable lead and Buckwalter only had five laps to slice into it. The driver known as the "Royersford Rocket" did just that, as each lap the gap became noticeably smaller. Going into turns 3 and 4 with the white flag in the air Buckwalter dove to the extreme inside and got his car between the rail and Monroe's no. 27. When told that that move didn't exactly look like 'slow down to go fast,' Buckwalter responded matter of factly. "I knew I had to get by him in the corner, because his motor is so strong on the straightaway," Buckwalter remembered. "So I made sure I got alongside him, then used the brakes." Buckwalter completed the pass at the white flag and went on to take his 16th career ARDC win and third of the 2008 season.

Monroe was visibly disappointed at leading every lap and losing it on the last lap, but still showed toughness doing a victory lane interview. "Yeah it sucks leading every lap and losing it at the end," he said honestly. "I put that on myself slipping up a little bit on that corner. But I've still got to thank H&B Railroad, WO Grubb and Bryan Kobylarz for doing a great job for me. It was still a good night and a good points night," Monroe said. Monroe went into the night with a 3 point lead on Polimeda and stretched it with Polimeda finishing 11th.

33 ARDC Midgets signed in for competition. Heat races were won by Frank Polimeda, Drew Heistand and Randy Monroe Jr.

1) 0-Steve Buckwalter 2) 27-Randy Monroe Jr. 3) 99-Scott Zipp 4) 51-PJ Gargiulo 5) 77-Nick Wean 6) 9-Steve Lenig 7) 83-Bruce Buckwalter 8) 29-Zack Martini 9) 21-Andy Martin 10) 86-Tracy Readinger 11) 44-Frank Polimeda 12) 14-AJ Ernesto 13) 11-Eric Heydenreich 14) 00-Greg Robinson 15) 12-Drew Heistand 16) 75-Ryan Watt 17) 54-Ryan Smith 18) 55-Steve Craig 19) 4-Michelle Miller 20) 84-Jimmy Commock 21) 3-Tracy Miller 22) 34-Shane Penny 23) 25-Chris Zrinski 24) 20-Carey Becker 25) 16-Dave Shirk 26) 46-Brett Arndt

ARDC Summer Heat; Susky and Winchester this Weekend
By Mark Kielblock

Felton, DE - The battle for the 2008 ARDC Championship is beginning to heat up, just in time for the "Dog Days" of summer. Appropriately enough, going into this weekend's races -- Thursday, July 3 at Susquehanna Speedway Park and Saturday, July 5 at Winchester, Va. Speedway -- the point race is being led by "Two Dogs Racing" team driver, Randy Monroe, Jr. of Hampton, Va. Hotter than the July sun on his tail is versatile veteran, Frank Polimeda of Ft. Lee NJ. The driver of the Neptune Research Spike/Mopar sits just 3 points behind Monroe.

Based on average finishes at Susky, both Monroe and Polimeda should head into Thursday's race with confidence. Monroe won the ARDC opener at the Newberrytown oval, and followed that up with a 6th place finish in the Club's return visit there on May 3. He also scored a hard-earned ninth place finish at Susky on June 15th. Monroe had to work for that top-10 by coming from the back of the pack. That starting spot was the result of being in a heat race tangle and missing a transfer spot. Polimeda has also had two good finishes at Susky -- 4th and 3rd -- and one not so good at 17th in the June 15 round at Susky.

Both drivers will eye the July 5 race at Winchester with a little more trepidation. In the two 2007 ARDC appearances at the 3/8 clay oval, only Monroe had one top-5 finish to show. Polimeda encountered problems and finished outside the top ten in both Winchester races.

York, Pa's Drew Heistand is one of ARDC's "Sensational Sophomore" class. In his rookie year he grabbed two feature wins, one each at Susky and Big Diamond en route to a 13th place finish in the 2007 ARDC standings. This season has started out to be one of consistency for Heistand, which ironically has turned out to be both good and bad for the driver of the DonCin Transport no. 12. While every driver strives for consistency, the ARDC handicapping system can make it challenging for those with a good finishing average.

"The point average has been hurting us a little bit. We've been starting from either the back or the middle of the pack in most of the races," Heistand said in a telephone interview. "Going to North Carolina helped us. Not everybody went, so our starting spot in the next race should be a little better. I should be starting no worse than 10th for the first time this year." 

It's been a season of contrasts so far for Heistand. "We've been both lucky and unlucky so far," Heistand explained. "We've been consistent. But sometimes I've gotten a good start in the races, then try too hard and spin out -- I don't know" Heistand lamented. "People tell me I need to slow down, but it's a race car. It's supposed to go fast," Heistand laughed.

And at times Heistand has been fast -- and unlucky. "In my first DNF at Susky I was up to second behind Stevie Buckwalter and the timing gears on the front of the motor broke," Heistand shared. "Then I had a good run going at Five Mile Point, started 16th and got up to fourth when a rock hit one of my spark plugs and broke it," Heistand remembered.

The night before that Five Mile Point frustration, Heistand had authored his best performance of the year at Penn Can. He fought tooth and nail with a determined Scott Zipp who didn't fold to a Heistand white flag slide job. Zipp held on to win and Heistand got a season-best second place finish.

Heistand looks forward to kicking off the weekend at Susky. "It's one of my favorite tracks, it's my home track as well as ARDC's," Heistand said.

2008 ARDC MIDGETS SCHEDULE

Rockford Speedway – Rockford IL

Co-Sanctioned

USAC Mopar National Series

* Saturday, May 24th

Open Practice & Picture Day

All UMARA Divisions

Wednesday, May 28th

Illiana Motor Speedway – Schererville IN

Co-Sanctioned

UMARA/USAC Regional/Ford Focus

Saturday, May 31st

* UMARA 22nd SEASON OPENER!

All UMARA Divisions/INEX

* Saturday, June 7th All UMARA Divisions/INEX

* Saturday, June 14th

Tribute to Mel Kenyon -

50 Lap Feature

Co-Sanctioned

UMARA/USAC Regional/

Ford Focus/Kenyon Cars/INEX

Wednesday, June 18th

Plymouth Speedway – Plymouth IN

Co-Sanctioned

UMARA/USAC Regional/Ford Focus

* Saturday, June 21st

Carter/Anderson Classic – 36

All UMARA Divisions

Sponsored by Hot Rod Barn

* Saturday, June 28th All UMARA Divisions/INEX

* Sunday, July 6th

Afternoon Fair Event

UMARA Sportsman/Ford Focus/

Classic Modified

* Saturday, July 19th All UMARA Divisions/INEX

Saturday, July 26th

Kalamazoo Speedway – Kalamazoo Michigan

Co-Sanctioned

UMARA National/WOMS

* Saturday, August 2nd All UMARA Divisions

Wednesday, August 6th

Illiana Motor Speedway – Schererville IN

Co-Sanctioned

UMARA/USAC Regional/Ford Focus

* Saturday, August 9th

All UMARA Divisions/INEX

* Saturday, August 16th

17th Annual Illinois State

Championship Race

Co-Sanctioned

UMARA/USAC Regional/Ford Focus/

Kenyon Cars/INEX

* Saturday, August 23rd All UMARA Divisions/INEX

* Saturday, August 30th

Bob Lockard Memorial - 69

All UMARA Divisions

Racers Reunion & Season Finale

Saturday, September 27th

Berlin Raceway – Marne MI

Co-Sanctioned

UMARA/WOMS/USAC Regional

2008 Winged Midget Schedule

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