Snyder Best of 97 Speedweek 600’s; Tim Buckwalter Wins SpeedSTR Thriller at Kutztown’s Action Track USA Scott Neary Records First Slingshot Triumph of 2021

Snyder Best of 97 Speedweek 600’s; Tim Buckwalter Wins SpeedSTR Thriller at Kutztown’s Action Track USA Scott Neary Records First Slingshot Triumph of 2021

Kutztown, PA (July 21)– A disappointing start to Hyper Racing 600 Speedweek, combined with the fact that his three race win streak was halted the week prior, had Steven Snyder Jr. feeling empty. He was hungry to get things turned around at the mid-point of the six race Speedweek series, and hungry to begin another streak of 600 Sprint feature victories at Championship Energy Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairgrounds. With a total of 97 entries in Wednesday’s Rodota Trucking & Excavating 600 Speedweek field, however, the Rising Sun, Maryland hot shoe had his work cut out for him.

But Snyder proved up to the challenge, winning his first-ever Speedweek main event and his fourth of the season at Action Track USA. Joining him in victory lane on Wednesday were Tim Buckwalter, who prevailed in a nail-biting duel with Billy Pauch Jr. in the SpeedSTR main, and Scott Neary, who won his first of the year in the All Star Slingshot 20 lap feature.

The 600 Speedweek qualifying format combines points earned in time trials and heat races, with the top 18 drivers in qualifying points locking into the A-main after the heats. Four B-mains were utilized on Wednesday to determine the final eight qualifiers. With just 26 starting spots up for grabs, a mind boggling 71 drivers, although they tried their best, failed to transfer into the big dance.

Colin White, the current Speedweek point leader, earned the most qualifying points and lined up on the pole for the 35-lapper. Christian Bruno started second, with Alec Quiggle, Billy Pauch Jr., Snyder, and quick timer Briggs Danner made up the first three rows as flagger Mike Fry unfurled his green flag.

White, Bruno, Pauch Jr., and a fast moving Snyder engaged in a furious tussle for the top spot during the early laps of the feature. Pauch and Snyder squeezed Bruno back to fourth and quickly turned the fight for the lead into a three car shootout. They stacked up three deep in corners three and four, with Snyder shooting off the bottom and darting in front on lap six. Pauch Jr. and White continued to scuffle for the runner-up position over the next several circuits as Snyder danced away from his pursuers.

Occasional yellow and (even a couple) red flags wiped out big leads for Snyder, but he maintained his hold on the number one slot as teh race evolved. Oklahoma’s Daison Pursley, in a Keith Kunz-owned Sawyer Chassis, sliced his way forward from 15th on the original starting grid to battle for a top five position. Jason Swavely and Damon Paul, who tangled early and had to charge back through the pack, found themselves battling with Pursley and break into the top five.

Snyder opened a comfortable lead over the final green flag stretch, winning by just more than two seconds over Pauch Jr., White, Bruno, and Swavely.
“It feels good to come back with a win after a disappointing run last night,” said Snyder as he reflected on a promising effort that turned sour at Spirit Auto Speedway in New Jersey on Tuesday. “The bottom was dominant all night and I wasn’t leaving it. Really have to thank all my sponsors and my parents; couldn’t do this without all of them.”

Billy Pauch Jr. was a gracious runner-up. “The kid (Snyder) drove a very good race…he was gone, and there aren’t too many drivers who can leave me in the dust like that.”

James Morris was the Dave Bodine Heating Services Hard Charger of the race, going from 24th to 13th.

Briggs Danner was the overall fast qualifier, earning $100 from Hines Speed Components for his quick lap of 11.614 seconds.

In the 30 lap main for the Speedway Entertainment All Pro SpeedSTRs, presented by VP Racing Fuels, third starting Tim Buckwalter gassed his Earl Fellin/ Bagel Rack No. 52 under early leader Tom Mayberry and high flying Matt Janisch, grabbing the lead from Mayberry on lap five. Buckwalter went to the top once he gained the point while 11th starting Billy Pauch Jr. was threading his way through traffic and marching forward.

With T. Buckwalter out front, Pauch Jr. navigated his way to the runner-up slot by the tenth tour, as his Heffner Motorsports No. 72 was dialed in perfectly in the low groove. Pauch rapidly caught the leader and then, when a caution period allowed Buckwalter to pick the bottom lane for a double file restart on lap 13, Pauch Jr. blasted around Timmy to snatch the lead away from the Douglassville wheel-twister.

Pauch continued to make his living on the bottom at both ends of the speedway, while T. Buckwalter pounded the high side. Briggs Danner, the previous week’s race winner, steered his No. 78 to third. As the laps clicked off, Pauch and Buckwalter raced side by side with Danner lurking close behind, searching for his opportunity to strike.

Buckwalter rolled the top really well in one and two and consistently pulled alongside the Pauch machine. But Billy edged up the track as they rocketed down the back chute, blocking Buckwalter’s progress by forcing him to lift for a split second. But Tim would not give up – or abandon the high line. Heading for the white flag, he drew alongside Pauch once more in turns one and two. This time, he did not lose ground when they launched off the turn two banking and reclaimed the lead at the end of the backstretch. Danner had thoughts of going three wide in three and four, but the hole in the middle closed and Buckwalter forged ahead as they roared under Fry’s white silk. One revolution later, Tim Buckwalter had his first SpeedSTR triumph of the season, leading Pauch Jr. to the stripe by a half-second and relegating the Jersey chauffeur to his second runner-up finish of the evening. Danner chased them to the checkered with Tom Mayberry and Steve Buckwalter rounding out the top five.

Defending All Star Slingshot World Champion Scott Neary went from third to first in the early stages of the 20 lap Slinger main, then fended off challenges by Kyle Herve. An early restart actually had Herve charge to the lead, but he was penalized two spots under the next caution period for jumping on that ill-fated restart.

Neary then romped to victory over 14th starting Brett Bieber, with Herve finishing a solid third. Shelby McLaughlin was fourth and Aidan Donaldson completed the top five.
Racing returns to Championship Energy Action Track USA on Wednesday, July 28, with competition scheduled for the SpeedSTRs, 600 Sprints, and the All Star Slinghshots. The Junior Slingshots will also be part of the menu of high speed adventure. Coming up on Wednesday, August 4, the Nos Energy Drink USAC National Midget Championship returns to Action Track USA. The mighty midgets will be joined by the Hyper Racing/ EVO Injection 600 Sprints in a terrific doubleheader at the Berks County oval.

RESULTS:
Hyper Racing 600 Speedweek Feature, 35 laps: 1.Steven Snyder Jr., 2.Billy Pauch Jr., 3.Colin White, 4.Christian Bruno, 5.Jason Swavely, 6.Daison Pursley, 7.Damon Paul, 8.Brenden Bright, 9.Michael Nolf, 10.Tim Buckwalter, 11.Gavan Boeschele, 12.Alec Quiggle, 13.James Morris, 14.Jacob Severn, 15.Joe Nemeth, 16.DJ Vanderley, 17.Reese Nowotarski, 18.Nick Skias, 19.Jasper Ziegafuse, 20.Brent Shearer, 21.Billy Koch, 22.Connor Gross, 23.Briggs Danner, 24.Eddie Strada, 25.Heath Hehnly, 26.Logan Rumsey.

All Pro SpeedSTR Feature, 30 laps: 1.Tim Buckwalter, 2.Billy Pauch Jr., 3.Briggs Danner, 4.Tom Mayberry, 5.Steve Buckwalter, 6.Matt Janisch, 7.Andy Haus, 8.Dillon Steuer, 9.Billy Pauch Sr., 10.TJ Mayberry, 11.Dustin Morris, 12.Rich Rutski, 13.Jason Musser, 14.Alex Yankowski, 15.Gary Wagner, 16.Scott Hodeshell, 17.Tim Iulg, 18.Nick Pecko, 19.Louden Reimert, 20.Justin Thompson, 21.Josh Dalrymple, 22.Mike Bednar.

All Star Slingshot Feature, 20 laps: 1.Scott Neary, 2.Brett Bieber, 3.Kyle Herve, 4.Shelby McLaughlin, 5.Aidan Donaldson, 6.Jax Yohn, 7.Faith Turnbaugh, 8.Corbin Carraghan, 9.Amanda Angstadt, 10.Gavin Danner, 11.Slade Darrah, 12.Cooper Schoenly, 13.James Hendricks, 14.Josh Roth, 15.Kyle Freeman, 16.Molly Struss, 17.Nate Freed.

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