Wayne County Speedway
Tucke / Street / Drown / Moore / Hensel all victorious at WCS!
Written By: Randy Worrell (Ranger)
ORRVILLE – On so many occasions in his brief career, Braden Tucke found himself so close yet so far away from the elusive top step of the podium at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway.
What seemed just out of reach finally came into his grasp with his first-ever feature victory in the McKenzie Concrete Super Stock main event to highlight Saturday’s Fast Five racing program at the 3-8-mile oval near Orrville.
Tucke joined WCS regulars Doug Drown (Malcuit Tavern Super Late Models), Kyle Moore (Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service Modifieds), and Doug Hensel (JoyRide Mini Stocks) in Summit Racing’s Victory Lane, while Tyler Street capped an impressive year-long run of top ten finishes by besting the 30-lap, 28-car field of Pine Tree Towing and Recovering Sprint Cars in Aaron Fry’s FAST Series’ second appearance of the season at the ultra-fast “Orrville’s Historic Oval”.
Street’s $3,000 victory also kicked-off the first of the speedway’s three-race “King of the County” series presented by Jeff and Shannon Andrews’ Integrity Auto and Truck Sales.
The night, however, belonged to Tucke and his family-owned No. 18 machine. Tucke grabbed the top spot from his front row starting slot and then held off WCS favorites Larry Kugel, Rob Melzer, and multi-time winner Moore in racing to the 15-lap victory.
“I tell ya, this thing was running hot and I was not sure if l was going to make it to the end or not,” said Tucke in his inaugural visit to the WCS victory lane. “I have been close so many times and l wasn’t going to back off tonight. Hopefully, we can get a few more wins, but it is not easy outrunning Kyle and the rest of these guys. We’ll be back next week to try it again.”
Street, meanwhile, despite being amid an improbable streak of top-10 finishes, and the majority of which were top-five’s, put his family-owned No. 4 in victory lane for the first time this season and second time in as many years.
Although Street started on the pole, it was anything but easy. Street survived four complete restarts at the onset of the main event, then withstood an early furious charge from Brandon Spithaler, one of the region’s hottest drivers, with FAST point leader Ricky Peterson and a fast-closing Trey Jacobs and 2-time 2022 winner Chris Myers in tow. Peterson and Jacobs’ runs came to a halt on the 10th circuit, however, as inadvertent contact in turn 2 sent the duo to the rear. Spithaler then set sail for Street, but his bid for another 2023 victory ended on lap 22 with a flat front tire that put Jordan Ryan, another WCS former winner, in the runner-up slot.
Street held off the challenges from Ryan, a hard-charging Tyler Gunn from sixth, Justin Clark from 16th, and Peterson, who rallied from the tail to ride home fifth.
“It feels great to get this first win early in the season,” said Street. “At the end of last year, l was so mad at myself for not getting to victory lane more than we did with all those top ten finishes.
“It’s not getting any easier being a family-owned team out here, and not sure how many more years we can keep doing it, but we are going to be here every Saturday and run for both the track championship and the KIng of the County series. The next big step for us, though, will be trying to put this thing in the show (High Limit Series race on Tuesday at WCS) against the top sprint cars in the world.”
Drown recorded his third win in as many starts this season, and although Saturday’s victory came from the pole, it was far from a joy ride against some the top super late model teams in the region.
Drown outraced fellow WCS stalwart JR Gentry, Atiica regulars Ryan Missler and Devin Shiels, Hilltop Speedway owner Tyler Evans, Australian Kye Blight, and speedway regular Larry Bellman in seventh.
“We are running well right now, and it’s always nice to win in front of the hometown fans, which we really appreciate,” said Drown. “Jason (track promoter Jason Flory) is giving us a great racing surface every week, and even though we jump around a little, we’ll be here on a lot of weekends this summer.”
A week removed from his epic top spot battle with Painesville invader Nate Young, Moore took to the WCS oval on Saturday locking horns with former NASCAR star David Stremme in the 20-lap modified main. Stremme, making his first-ever start at WCS, grabbed the point from the pole and led Jimmy Humphrey, Moore, and last week’s victor Colton Shaw, who was forced pit side in the opening laps.
Stremme and Moore swapped the lead early on before Stremme’s Lethal Chassis No. 35 suffered mechanical woes on lap 11. Moore led the remaining nine circuits in his familiar white No. 1 to pick up his second win of 2023.
“Last week we had a great race, and tonight’s was going to be a heckuva finish too, but not sure what happened to (Stremme) there when he dropped out,” said Moore, who revealed that he would be competing in three divisions on May 27 at WCS with the debut of his super late model. “I love the challenge of competing against these top guys, and although Braden kicked our butts in the super stock tonight, me and (car owner Bob Daugherty) will take the 21D car to Eldora next Saturday, but we’ll be back with all three cars in two weeks.”
Hensel earned his second win of the 2023 season in the always exciting mini stock night capper. Hensel maneuvered to the front on lap 5 from his inside third row starting spot, then withstood the challenges from a host of contenders during the 12-lapper which included fourth-starting Billy Dawson, front-row starter Jordan Twinem, Kyle Petit from third, and 14th-starting Justin Cranmore that rounded out the top five.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time now, and l have learned to be smarter about taking advantages of opportunities early in the race,” said Hensel. “Everyone is so fast in this division that there is 12-15 guys who can win these races from anywhere.
“The cushion tonight was super tough, and these things are a handful when it’s like that. I was trying to save my car a little bit, but it’s tough to do with so many fast cars.”
WCS returns to action with Sheldon Haudenschild’s Buckeye Brawl High Limit Series event on Tuesday followed by another edition of the Fast Five program on Saturday May 20.
FAST Sprints + Regular Show 05-13-2023
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Sprint Cars – Pine Tree Towing & Recovery
Qualifying
1.24D-Danny Sams III, 14.798; 2.70-Henry Malcuit, 14.816; 3.2P-Ricky Peterson, 14.891; 4.22-Brandon Spithaler, 14.964; 5.4*-Tyler Street, 14.969; 6.25R-Jordan Ryan, 15.029; 7.9-Trey Jacobs, 15.063; 8.19-Sean Rayhall, 15.131; 9.12-Kasey Jedrzejek, 15.249; 10.91-Tyler Gunn, 15.264; 11.15-Mitch Harble, 15.276; 12.55-Jake Swanson, 15.365; 13.38-Leyton Wagner, 15.440; 14.78-Justin Clark, 15.445; 15.5-Jeremy Weaver, 15.497; 16.38K-Chris Myers, 15.510; 17.7-Troy Kingan, 15.524; 18.D12-Jason Dolick, 15.552; 19.25-Jamie Myers, 15.575; 20.23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr., 15.582; 21.16-Danny Mumaw, 15.597; 22.7DK-Dylan Kingan, 15.754; 23.10-Justin Adams, 15.823; 24.6J-Jonah Aumend, 15.859; 25.2-Joe Adorjan, 15.978; 26.20-Danial Burkhart, 16.116; 27.187-Tyler Wiles, 16.879; 28.57N-Tyler Newhart, 99.000;
Heat 1, Group A – (8 Laps)
1. 91-Tyler Gunn[1] ; 2. 25R-Jordan Ryan[3] ; 3. 16-Danny Mumaw[7] ; 4. 38-Leyton Wagner[5] ; 5. 22-Brandon Spithaler[4] ; 6. 78-Justin Clark[6] ; 7. 12-Kasey Jedrzejek[2] ; 8. 2-Joe Adorjan[9] ; 9. 6J-Jonah Aumend[8] ; 10. 187-Tyler Wiles[10]
Heat 2, Group B – (8 Laps)
1. 4*-Tyler Street[2] ; 2. 9-Trey Jacobs[1] ; 3. 24D-Danny Sams III[4] ; 4. 15-Mitch Harble[6] ; 5. 70-Henry Malcuit[3] ; 6. 25-Jamie Myers[8] ; 7. 19-Sean Rayhall[5] ; 8. D12-Jason Dolick[7] ; 9. 10-Justin Adams[9]
Heat 3, Group C – (8 Laps)
1. 38K-Chris Myers[1] ; 2. 5-Jeremy Weaver[2] ; 3. 55-Jake Swanson[3] ; 4. 2P-Ricky Peterson[4] ; 5. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.[6] ; 6. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[7] ; 7. 7-Troy Kingan[5] ; 8. 20-Danial Burkhart[8] ; 9. 57N-Tyler Newhart[9]
B-Main – (10 Laps)
1. 78-Justin Clark[1] ; 2. 19-Sean Rayhall[5] ; 3. D12-Jason Dolick[8] ; 4. 25-Jamie Myers[2] ; 5. 2-Joe Adorjan[7] ; 6. 20-Danial Burkhart[9] ; 7. 12-Kasey Jedrzejek[4] ; 8. 57N-Tyler Newhart[13] ; 9. 10-Justin Adams[11] ; 10. 187-Tyler Wiles[12] ; 11. 6J-Jonah Aumend[10] ; 12. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[3] ; 13. 7-Troy Kingan[6]
A-Main – (30 Laps)
1. 4*-Tyler Street[1] ; 2. 25R-Jordan Ryan[7] ; 3. 91-Tyler Gunn[6] ; 4. 78-Justin Clark[16] ; 5. 2P-Ricky Peterson[4] ; 6. 16-Danny Mumaw[10] ; 7. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.[15] ; 8. D12-Jason Dolick[18] ; 9. 25-Jamie Myers[19] ; 10. 19-Sean Rayhall[17] ; 11. 38K-Chris Myers[2] ; 12. 22-Brandon Spithaler[3] ; 13. 38-Leyton Wagner[12] ; 14. 9-Trey Jacobs[8] ; 15. 70-Henry Malcuit[14] ; 16. 15-Mitch Harble[13] ; 17. 2-Joe Adorjan[20] ; 18. 24D-Danny Sams III[5] ; 19. 5-Jeremy Weaver[9] ; 20. 55-Jake Swanson[11]
Modifieds – Flynn’s Tire
Qualifying
1.35-David Stremme, 19.368; 2.O1-Colton Shaw, 19.768; 3.60-Jimmy Humphrey, 20.117; 4.185-Ron Miller, 20.407; 5.99-Casey Butler, 20.426; 6.187-Took Wiles, 20.523; 7.16-Caden Alexander, 20.707; 8.21-Dwayne Powell, 20.952; 9.69M-Jacob Myers, 23.001; 10.36-Brent Coffman, 27.903; 11.1-Kyle Moore, 29.700;
Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. 35-David Stremme[4] ; 2. 1-Kyle Moore[6] ; 3. 60-Jimmy Humphrey[3] ; 4. 99-Casey Butler[2] ; 5. 16-Caden Alexander[1] ; 6. 69M-Jacob Myers[5]
Heat 2 (8 Laps)
1. 187-Took Wiles[2] ; 2. O1-Colton Shaw[4] ; 3. 185-Ron Miller[3] ; 4. 21-Dwayne Powell[1] ; 5. 36-Brent Coffman[5]
A-Main (20 Laps)
1. 1-Kyle Moore[5] ; 2. 60-Jimmy Humphrey[1] ; 3. 21-Dwayne Powell[3] ; 4. 36-Brent Coffman[10] ; 5. 185-Ron Miller[7] ; 6. 99-Casey Butler[6] ; 7. 35-David Stremme[2] ; 8. 16-Caden Alexander[9] ; 9. 187-Took Wiles[8] ; 10. O1-Colton Shaw[4] ; 11. 69M-Jacob Myers[11]
Super Stocks – McKenzie Concrete
Qualifying
1.14-Codee Schneider, 20.549; 2.18-Braden Tucke, 20.560; 3.77-Rob Melzer, 20.592; 4.O-Larry Kugel, 20.830; 5.21D-Kyle Moore, 21.256; 6.910-Don Rutt, 21.400; 7.O15-Logan Duncan, 21.593; 8.771-Brandon Craver, 21.799; 9.777-Zach Myers, 22.694;
Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. O-Larry Kugel[1] ; 2. 77-Rob Melzer[2] ; 3. 21D-Kyle Moore[5] ; 4. 18-Braden Tucke[3] ; 5. 771-Brandon Craver[8] ; 6. 14-Codee Schneider[4] ; 7. O15-Logan Duncan[7] ; 8. 777-Zach Myers[9] ; 9. 910-Don Rutt[6]
A-Main (15 Laps)
1. 18-Braden Tucke[1] ; 2. O-Larry Kugel[5] ; 3. 77-Rob Melzer[6] ; 4. 21D-Kyle Moore[7] ; 5. 771-Brandon Craver[3] ; 6. 14-Codee Schneider[2] ; 7. 777-Zach Myers[8] ; 8. O15-Logan Duncan[9] ; 9. 910-Don Rutt[4]
Late Models – Malcuit’s Tavern
Qualifying
1.31-Kye Blight, 17.331; 2.51-Devin Shiels, 17.400; 3.12-Doug Drown, 17.409; 4.14JR-JR Gentry, 17.434; 5.50-Ryan Missler, 17.476; 6.59-Larry Bellman, 17.520; 7.10-Nathan Loney, 17.662; 8.19-Cody Scott, 17.681; 9.17-Tyler Evans, 17.708; 10.8B-Brett Bee, 17.770; 11.J28-Jason Henderson, 17.792; 12.5M-Ryan Markham, 17.983; 13.24-Jerry Aber, 18.260; 14.2C-Clint Coffman, 18.384; 15.92B-Austin Bright, 18.425; 16.O6-Jake Rendel, 18.854;
Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. 12-Doug Drown[3] ; 2. 50-Ryan Missler[2] ; 3. 17-Tyler Evans[5] ; 4. 10-Nathan Loney[1] ; 5. 31-Kye Blight[4] ; 6. 24-Jerry Aber[7] ; 7. J28-Jason Henderson[6] ; 8. 92B-Austin Bright[8]
Heat 2 (8 Laps)
1. 14JR-JR Gentry[3] ; 2. 19-Cody Scott[1] ; 3. 59-Larry Bellman[2] ; 4. 51-Devin Shiels[4] ; 5. 2C-Clint Coffman[7] ; 6. 8B-Brett Bee[5] ; 7. O6-Jake Rendel[8] ; 8. 69R-Doug Baird[9] ; 9. 5M-Ryan Markham[6]
A-Main (25 Laps)
1. 12-Doug Drown[1] ; 2. 14JR-JR Gentry[6] ; 3. 50-Ryan Missler[3] ; 4. 51-Devin Shiels[7] ; 5. 17-Tyler Evans[5] ; 6. 31-Kye Blight[9] ; 7. 59-Larry Bellman[8] ; 8. 19-Cody Scott[2] ; 9. 2C-Clint Coffman[10] ; 10. 24-Jerry Aber[11] ; 11. 8B-Brett Bee[12] ; 12. 92B-Austin Bright[15] ; 13. 69R-Doug Baird[16] ; 14. O6-Jake Rendel[14] ; 15. J28-Jason Henderson[13] ; 16. 10-Nathan Loney[4] ; 17. 5M-Ryan Markham[17]
Mini Stocks – Joy Ride Transportation
Heat 1 – (6 Laps)
1. 18-Doug Hensel[4] ; 2. 66-Johnny Bruce Sr.[1] ; 3. 89-Travis Hutton[2] ; 4. 99C-Chris Mullinnex[6] ; 5. 97S-Brock Searls[7] ; 6. 380-Ken Hober[8] ; 7. 11-Trent Bishop[5] ; 8. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[3]
Heat 2 – (6 Laps)
1. 7C-Billy Dawson[3] ; 2. 711-Kenny Long[1] ; 3. 5T-Jordan Twinem[4] ; 4. 7CM-Cody Musselman[7] ; 5. 2-Justin Cranmore[5] ; 6. 31-Valek Menough[6] ; 7. 29-Mitch Reichard[2]
Heat 3 – (6 Laps)
1. 23P-Kyle Petit[2] ; 2. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[1] ; 3. 278-Zach Hershey[6] ; 4. 71-Anthony Collins[3] ; 5. 54c-Clayton Evans[5] ; 6. 9-Dakota Wells[4] ; 7. 13-Eli Vasil[7]
A-Main – (12 Laps)
1. 18-Doug Hensel[5] ; 2. 7C-Billy Dawson[4] ; 3. 5T-Jordan Twinem[1] ; 4. 23P-Kyle Petit[3] ; 5. 2-Justin Cranmore[14] ; 6. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[22] ; 7. 278-Zach Hershey[8] ; 8. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[7] ; 9. 29-Mitch Reichard[20] ; 10. 54c-Clayton Evans[15] ; 11. 99C-Chris Mullinnex[10] ; 12. 66-Johnny Bruce Sr.[2] ; 13. 711-Kenny Long[6] ; 14. 380-Ken Hober[16] ; 15. 9-Dakota Wells[18] ; 16. 71-Anthony Collins[12] ; 17. 7CM-Cody Musselman[11] ; 18. 13-Eli Vasil[21] ; 19. 11-Trent Bishop[19] ; 20. 31-Valek Menough[17] ; 21. 97S-Brock Searls[13] ; 22. 89-Travis Hutton[9]
