By: Steve Pados
The Fourth of July weekend found the Hamlin Speedway
kicking back into racing mode after being shut down for a
week. The spectacular evening of racing unfolded on Saturday
night with the successful running of the Wounded Warriors
Project Firecracker 100. Race car trailers and teams were still
arriving at the speedway after 5 PM as more than 135 entries
lined the pit area and included 40 of the top Slingshot drivers
in the country today. Speedway Promoters Denise and Randy
Smith greeted a standing room only crowd with a dynamic
100 lap Slingshot event. The Wounded Warriors Project,
headed up by Kim's Kreations, S&S Speedways, Hamlin
Speedway and Rode Racing, put forth a solid effort that saw
$8994.50 raised for the charitable organization.
After a series of time trials and two B Mains, the 31-car starting field for the All Star Slingshots was established
for the run at the hefty pot of gold that would await the winner. The event was the curtain closer for the
evening but the headline attraction for the Wounded Warriors Project Firecracker 100 at the speedway.
Utilizing the "revenge draw" found the top twelve drivers being shuffled a bit but the field was without question
the top field of Slingshot drivers in the country today when the green flag fell. Modified talent "Fast" Frank
Yankowski began from the pole position and held off all comers until lap 53 when "Kid Wicked" Tyler Pirone
used a full head of steam to power past Yankowski. Pirone would hold onto the lead until lap-68 when
mechanical problems forced him to the infield and out of the event. The battle royal behind the leaders was
unbelievable as one driver after another would race into contention with brassy moves from all corners of the
speedway.
Russ Benke seized the moment and built up a sizeable lead until a skirmish slowed the field. When racing
resumed it would be the S&S Speedway team cars going to war with each other and Dale Kober would find the
room to slip past "The Sheriff" Simon Egan for the runner-up slot. Egan would make a comeback from the
baseline of the speedway and the two warriors made contact with Egan ending up facing the Jersey barriers and
out of the event. Benke would again resume command of the field with Kober racing him hard and clean. From
lap-90 it appeared the handling on the Jordan Towing sponsored machine of Benke was losing grip in the
corners and the veteran Kober began to push the nose of his race car underneath him. Kober throttled past
Benke on lap-97 to take over the lead and race away to a hard fought win. Benke ran an excellent race to claim
runner-up honors. Troy Langendoerfer was third but a post race infraction found his racer disqualified. Wes
Hearn would move to third with Mack Brink in fourth and Louden Reimert claiming a top five after starting from
28th position. Trevor LaBagh, John Gilroy, Collin DuBois, John Rooks Jr and Frank Yankowski completed the top
ten with LaBagh, DuBois and Yankowski all racing back through the field after being involved in incidents along
the way.
1- Dale Kober
2- Russ Benke III
3- Wes Hearn
4- Mack Brink
5- Louden Reimert
6- Trevor LaBagh
7 - John Gilroy
8- Collin DuBois
9- John Rooks Jr
10- Frank Yankowski
11- AJ Hobbs
14 ~ The Inside Track
12- Kyle Herve
13- Ryan Quackenbush
14- Shane Lewis
15- Jimmy Johnston
16- Charlie Lawrence
17- Simon Egan
18- Dakota Kohler
19- Jeff Cosgrove
20- Jared LaBagh
21- Tyler Pirone
22- Aaron Henneforth
23- Danny Buccafusca
24- Joe Kata
25- Mike McLaughlin
26- John Pantis
27- Dalton Maynard
28- Ben Whitaker
29- Kim Glass
30- Steve Svanda
31- Troy Langendoerfer (DQ)