Mumaw, Gentry, Dawson earn last-lap victories: Moore and Goff also fast at Wayne County

Written By: Randy Worrell (Ranger)

ORRVILLE – Many things make dirt track racing irresistible; fulfilling an adrenaline rush and unpredictability are two of the many and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway delivered both on Saturday night. Three last-lap winners highlighted the speedway’s fifth consecutive Fast Five Series program on the ultra-fast 3-8-mile oval near Orrville. Former track champion Danny Mumaw returned to victory circle after a nearly five-year drought by leading the 25th and final lap of the not-for-the-faint-hearted Pine Tree Towing and Recovery Sprint Car main event while JR Gentry continued his remarkable early season run by duplicating the feat in the Malcuit Tavern Super Late Model feature. Chaz Dawson made it a three-peat in claiming the 12-lap JoyRide Mini Stock nightcapper in a run from seventh to first. Zanesville’s Brad Goff made a rare WCS appearance and sped to his second win of the weekend by besting the 20-lap Flynn’s Tire and Service Center Modifieds main while Kyle Moore returned to his familiar surroundings in victory lane by topping the McKenzie Concrete Super Stock 15-lapper. Goff, fresh off a victory on Friday at Hilltop Speedway, kickstarted his night by setting fast time and scoring a heat race win before completing the clean sweep in a talent-laden field of Modifieds. Goff started just behind pole-sitter Nate Young, with a second and third to his credit this season, with invaders Chris Basich, DJ Cline, Tristen Bickford, and two-time 2023 winner Colton Shaw in tow. Shaw dropped from the battle on lap three, as Goff and Young swapped the point early on until Goff captured the lead for good on lap six. Goff kept his white No. 41 narrowly ahead of Young for the remainder of the event with a fast-closing Bickford finishing third. Basich also suffered mechanical problems on lap seven, as Caden Alexander rallied from the tail to finish fourth and Dwayne Powell fifth. “We haven’t raced much since Florida over the winter, and didn’t race at all last season, so this is a lot of fun right now,” Goff said. “My guys had the car working really well, and the track was just awesome. I think there’s a good chance we’ll be back up here this summer.” The sprint cars hit the ultra-fast “Orrville’s Historic Oval” next with the on-track action outdueling the mid-summer-like afternoon heat. Pole sitter Trey Jacobs, one of the fastest competitors in the division over the course of the last few seasons but also one of the most snake-bitten, and Tyler Gunn, a two-time 2023 winner and one of the region’s fastest overall, set sail early on in a torrid cushion-pounding exhibition. Jacobs held the point through lap 12 until the “Machine Gunn” ultimately caught and passed the leader with his high-flying Eikleberry-Sipe 91 glued to the rail. Tyler Street, equally as fast this season, moved into second on lap 18 as Jacobs retired to the Gentry Dumpster Service Hot Pit area with mechanical woes, with young hotshoe Leyton Wagner, who led over 20 laps of last week’s main also going pit side. Mumaw moved into third a few laps later with Jason Dolick and Henry Malcuit not far behind. Disaster struck Gunn during a lap 18 caution, however, with a flat left rear that gave the lead to Street and relegating Gunn to the tail. The “Machine Gunn” then gave the WCS faithful the price of admission over the next six laps. Gunn threw caution to the wind by picking off cars lap after lap before moving into second with Street a straightaway ahead with three laps remaining. Gunn momentarily took the lead, before Street bobbled on the treacherous turn 1 and 2 cushion after taking the white flag with a full speed Gunn on his bumper. Hard contact resulted with Gunn flipping his mount and Street’s Integrity Auto and Truck Sales No. 4 also sustaining heavy damage. Although both walked to the ambulance, Street was later transported to a local care center with a possible lower back injury. Mumaw, with four top-10 finishes this season, kept his familiar black and green 16 out front following a green-white-checker finish for a very popular win, his first since 2018. “We’ll take it as it’s been a long, long time since we’ve been here (in victory lane)”, said Mumaw. “Those guys were so fast out front and it’s a shame what happened. I’m getting more comfortable but not quite comfortable enough to be consistently up front. We want to get one of these on our soon.” The late models hit the track next, with Gentry grabbing the early lead from the pole ahead of Brad Malcuit and Clint Coffman. Gentry went to the tail on lap two, however, with a flat tire and rejoined the 18-car field from the tail. Malcuit then led until lap 10 as Moore, in just his second appearance in his own Rocket-chassied 1*machine, rode the top side to the lead while building a sizable advantage before a lap 14 yellow. Gentry moved into second from the back two laps later and set sail for Moore. Although Gentry closed the gap, victory seemed inevitable for Moore before a flat sent the “Mansfield Madman” limping home with a lap remaining. Gentry then cruised to victory ahead of Moore, Malcuit, Cody Scott, and Ryan Markham. “This might be the best start we’ve ever had in my career,” said Gentry of his second victory to go along with three seconds and a third in 2023. “This is the best equipment I’ve ever had, and it’s always special to win here at home. I knew it wouldn’t be long before Kyle would be up front and he’s going to be a handful. It’s getting tougher to win these races.” Moore, who has raced the Bob Daugherty 21D to a pair of runner-up finishes at Eldora Speedway and a win at Limaland in recent weeks, returned home and ultimately to victory lane in the super stock division. Moore trailed Don Baney, Braden Tucke, and Larry Kugel through lap seven, though, before grabbing the point on a lap nine restart from Tucke and sped to victory for his third WCS win and fourth overall ahead of Tucke, Baney, Kugel, and Jim Ramsey. “We have a blast in this thing, and it feels good to be in victory lane,” Moore said. “We havent been quite as good here lately, but once l found my rhythm on the cushion we started going. It’s a disappointment we couldn’t finish off the late model feature, but we’re headed in the right direction. I’m hoping we can come up with a trailer and get (T.A. Perrine’s modified) back out here too and go for a triple crown here soon.” The mini stocks capped the evening, and it was a carbon copy of recent weeks’ drama-filled main events. Johnny Bruce Sr. shot from fifth to first in the opening lap with polesitter Travis Hutton in second and ninth starting Doug Hensel, Robert Searls, and seventh starting Chaz Dawson trailing. Cautions on lap nine, 10, and 11 wiped out Bruce’s nearly insurmountable lead as Dawson used the inside lane on the last restart to nose ahead of Bruce as the white waved with Searls, Hensel, and Jordan Twinem not far behind. Dawson led the remaining lap with Bruce crossing the stripe a half second behind for his first win of the season. “We stayed patient as long as we could, and that last yellow gave me one last chance,” said Dawson. “The track was spot-on, and l could run the cushion as well as the bottom. It’s not getting any easier to win these races and we couldn’t be happier to do it with all my friends and family here.” The speedway will sit idle next Saturday with the All Star Circuit of Champions annual Speedweek series set to visit on both Sunday and Monday evenings June 11 and 12. The open 305 sprints join the card on Sunday before the $10,000-to-win Duffy Smith Memorial on Monday.

Fast 5 Regular Show 06-03-2023
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Sprint Cars – Pine Tree Towing & Recovery

Qualifying
1.91-Tyler Gunn, 15.051; 2.38K-Chris Myers, 15.373; 3.9-Trey Jacobs, 15.375; 4.70-Henry Malcuit, 15.397; 5.4*-Tyler Street, 15.401; 6.38-Leyton Wagner, 15.501; 7.D12-Jason Dolick, 15.834; 8.7DK-Dylan Kingan, 15.913; 9.7-Troy Kingan, 16.004; 10.16-Danny Mumaw, 16.072; 11.6J-Jonah Aumend, 16.191; 12.187-Tyler Wiles, 16.457; 13.2-Joe Adorjan, 16.518; 14.23-Ron Hamlin, 17.167; 15.18-Todd Hinton, 20.515;

Heat 1 –  (8 Laps)
1. 4*-Tyler Street[2] ; 2. 91-Tyler Gunn[4] ; 3. 9-Trey Jacobs[3] ; 4. D12-Jason Dolick[1] ; 5. 7-Troy Kingan[5] ; 6. 2-Joe Adorjan[7] ; 7. 6J-Jonah Aumend[6] ; 8. 18-Todd Hinton[8]

Heat 2 –  (8 Laps)
1. 38-Leyton Wagner[2] ; 2. 38K-Chris Myers[4] ; 3. 16-Danny Mumaw[5] ; 4. 70-Henry Malcuit[3] ; 5. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[1] ; 6. 187-Tyler Wiles[6] ; 7. 23-Ron Hamlin[7]

A-Main –  (25 Laps)
1. 16-Danny Mumaw[8] ; 2. D12-Jason Dolick[5] ; 3. 7-Troy Kingan[9] ; 4. 38K-Chris Myers[3] ; 5. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[10] ; 6. 4*-Tyler Street[7] ; 7. 91-Tyler Gunn[2] ; 8. 6J-Jonah Aumend[13] ; 9. 187-Tyler Wiles[12] ; 10. 9-Trey Jacobs[1] ; 11. 38-Leyton Wagner[4] ; 12. 70-Henry Malcuit[6] ; 13. 2-Joe Adorjan[11] ; 14. 18-Todd Hinton[15] ; 15. 23-Ron Hamlin[14]

Modifieds – Flynn’s Tire

Qualifying
1.41-Brad Goff, 18.683; 2.71C-Chris Basich, 19.063; 3.42-Nate Young, 19.083; 4.15-Scott Peltz, 19.201; 5.O1-Colton Shaw, 19.215; 6.75-Tristen Bickford, 19.341; 7.16-Caden Alexander, 19.786; 8.185-Ron Miller, 19.849; 9.21-Dwayne Powell, 20.161; 10.36-Brent Coffman, 20.582; 11.69M-Jacob Myers, 20.889; 12.78-Richard Grogg, 21.252;

Heat 1 –  (8 Laps)
1. 41-Brad Goff[4] ; 2. 42-Nate Young[3] ; 3. O1-Colton Shaw[2] ; 4. 16-Caden Alexander[1] ; 5. 21-Dwayne Powell[5] ; 6. 69M-Jacob Myers[6]

Heat 2 –  (8 Laps)
1. 75-Tristen Bickford[2] ; 2. 15-Scott Peltz[3] ; 3. 71C-Chris Basich[4] ; 4. 4-DJ Cline[7] ; 5. 36-Brent Coffman[5] ; 6. 78-Richard Grogg[6] ; 7. 185-Ron Miller[1]

A-Main –  (20 Laps)
1. 41-Brad Goff[3] ; 2. 42-Nate Young[1] ; 3. 75-Tristen Bickford[6] ; 4. 16-Caden Alexander[4] ; 5. 21-Dwayne Powell[9] ; 6. 78-Richard Grogg[12] ; 7. 69M-Jacob Myers[11] ; 8. 185-Ron Miller[13] ; 9. 71C-Chris Basich[2] ; 10. 36-Brent Coffman[10] ; 11. 4-DJ Cline[7] ; 12. O1-Colton Shaw[5] ; 13. 15-Scott Peltz[8]

Super Stocks – McKenzie Concrete

Qualifying
1.21D-Kyle Moore, 20.345; 2.18-Braden Tucke, 20.838; 3.77-Rob Melzer, 20.889; 4.O-Larry Kugel, 21.146; 5.25-Jim Ramsey, 21.216; 6.771-Brandon Craver, 21.219; 7.14-Codee Schneider, 21.334; 8.27B-Don Baney, 21.448; 9.910-Tyler Wiles, 21.453; 10.U4-Paul McVicker, 23.251;

Heat 1 –  (8 Laps)
1. 21D-Kyle Moore[4] ; 2. 910-Tyler Wiles[5] ; 3. 77-Rob Melzer[3] ; 4. 25-Jim Ramsey[2] ; 5. 14-Codee Schneider[1]

Heat 2 –  (8 Laps)
1. 18-Braden Tucke[4] ; 2. 771-Brandon Craver[2] ; 3. O-Larry Kugel[3] ; 4. 27B-Don Baney[1] ; 5. U4-Paul McVicker[5]

A-Main –  (15 Laps)
1. 21D-Kyle Moore[4] ; 2. 18-Braden Tucke[2] ; 3. 27B-Don Baney[1] ; 4. O-Larry Kugel[6] ; 5. 25-Jim Ramsey[8] ; 6. 771-Brandon Craver[3] ; 7. 77-Rob Melzer[5] ; 8. 910-Tyler Wiles[7] ; 9. 14-Codee Schneider[9] ; 10. U4-Paul McVicker[10]

Late Models – Malcuit’s Tavern

Qualifying
1.23-Ryan Shepherd, 17.167; 2.1*-Kyle Moore, 17.330; 3.19-Cody Scott, 17.381; 4.14JR-JR Gentry, 17.445; 5.5M-Ryan Markham, 17.754; 6.2C-Clint Coffman, 17.992; 7.59-Larry Bellman, 18.111; 8.7-Nick Cox, 18.113; 9.11-Ryan Abel, 18.231; 10.79-Brad Malcuit, 18.262; 11.24-Jerry Aber, 18.322; 12.8B-Brett Bee, 18.338; 13.92B-Austin Bright, 18.602; 14.69R-Doug Baird, 19.004; 15.J28-Jason Henderson, 19.009; 16.14G-Brandon Gentry, 19.097; 17.36-Brent Coffman, 19.646; 18.22-Dominic DeNero, 19.942;

Heat 1 –  (8 Laps)
1. 5M-Ryan Markham[3] ; 2. 7-Nick Cox[2] ; 3. 24-Jerry Aber[1] ; 4. 1*-Kyle Moore[4] ; 5. 14G-Brandon Gentry[6] ; 6. 69R-Doug Baird[5]

Heat 2 –  (8 Laps)
1. 8B-Brett Bee[1] ; 2. 19-Cody Scott[4] ; 3. 2C-Clint Coffman[3] ; 4. 11-Ryan Abel[2] ; 5. J28-Jason Henderson[5] ; 6. 36-Brent Coffman[6]

Heat 3 –  (8 Laps)
1. 79-Brad Malcuit[2] ; 2. 14JR-JR Gentry[4] ; 3. 59-Larry Bellman[3] ; 4. 92B-Austin Bright[1] ; 5. 23-Ryan Shepherd[5] ; 6. 22-Dominic DeNero[6]

A-Main –  (25 Laps)
1. 14JR-JR Gentry[1] ; 2. 1*-Kyle Moore[10] ; 3. 79-Brad Malcuit[4] ; 4. 19-Cody Scott[6] ; 5. 5M-Ryan Markham[5] ; 6. 2C-Clint Coffman[2] ; 7. 59-Larry Bellman[7] ; 8. 8B-Brett Bee[3] ; 9. 11-Ryan Abel[11] ; 10. 24-Jerry Aber[8] ; 11. 92B-Austin Bright[12] ; 12. J28-Jason Henderson[14] ; 13. 69R-Doug Baird[16] ; 14. 22-Dominic DeNero[18] ; 15. 14G-Brandon Gentry[13] ; 16. 23-Ryan Shepherd[15] ; 17. 7-Nick Cox[9] ; 18. 36-Brent Coffman[17]

Mini Stocks – Joy Ride Transportation

Heat 1 –  (6 Laps)
1. 18-Doug Hensel[2] ; 2. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[4] ; 3. 5-Jordan Twinem[9] ; 4. 98-David Dawson[8] ; 5. 2-Justin Cranmore[10] ; 6. 7C-Billy Dawson[5] ; 7. 22JR-Robert Butler[1] ; 8. 7-Daytona Hensley[3] ; 9. 380-Ken Hober[7] ; 10. F7-Josh Ramirez[6]

Heat 2 –  (6 Laps)
1. 89-Travis Hutton[9] ; 2. 1*-Steven Lester[5] ; 3. 29-Mitch Reichard[2] ; 4. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[8] ; 5. 97S-Brock Searls[7] ; 6. 54-Clayton Evans[1] ; 7. 33S-Justin Shreve[6] ; 8. 278-Brad Hensel[3] ; 9. 50-Derick Gallagher[4]

Heat 3 –  (6 Laps)
1. 420-Robert Searls[2] ; 2. 66-Johnny Bruce Sr.[3] ; 3. 23P-Kyle Petit[4] ; 4. 71-Anthony Collins[6] ; 5. 100-David Potter[5] ; 6. 43-David Keagy II[1] ; 7. 41-Eugene Arkenburgh III[8] ; 8. 11-Trent Bishop[7] ; 9. 8-Cory Brown[9]

B-Main –  (8 Laps)
1. 54-Clayton Evans[2] ; 2. 43-David Keagy II[3] ; 3. 22JR-Robert Butler[4] ; 4. 278-Brad Hensel[8] ; 5. 41-Eugene Arkenburgh III[6] ; 6. 50-Derick Gallagher[11] ; 7. 7-Daytona Hensley[7] ; 8. 7C-Billy Dawson[1] ; 9. 33S-Justin Shreve[5] ; 10. 11-Trent Bishop[9] ; 11. 380-Ken Hober[10] ; 12. 8-Cory Brown[12] ; 13. F7-Josh Ramirez[13]

A-Main –  (12 Laps)
1. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[7] ; 2. 66-Johnny Bruce Sr.[5] ; 3. 420-Robert Searls[4] ; 4. 18-Doug Hensel[9] ; 5. 5-Jordan Twinem[3] ; 6. 23P-Kyle Petit[8] ; 7. 2-Justin Cranmore[13] ; 8. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[11] ; 9. 71-Anthony Collins[12] ; 10. 98-David Dawson[10] ; 11. 97S-Brock Searls[14] ; 12. 54-Clayton Evans[16] ; 13. 89-Travis Hutton[1] ; 14. 7-Daytona Hensley[20] ; 15. 1*-Steven Lester[2] ; 16. 41-Eugene Arkenburgh III[18] ; 17. 100-David Potter[15] ; 18. 278-Brad Hensel[19] ; 19. 29-Mitch Reichard[6] ; 20. 43-David Keagy II[17]