LASOSKI ETCHES NAME IN PORT ROYAL RECORD BOOKS WITH $5K HEROES VICTORY,
May 26th, 2013
Frye Wins Late Models, Logan Wagner in 305s
Port Royal – Danny Lasoski of Dover, Missouri, etched his name in the historic Port Royal Speedway record books on Saturday night by claiming the 25-lap, $5,000 to win Fallen Heroes Championship for 410 sprint cars.
The win notched just one more accomplishment into Lasoski’s belt of achievements that includes World of Outlaws championships and Knoxville Nationals titles among many others.
In the 25-lap Fallen Heroes Championship for late models, it was Coleby Frye of Dover taking a hard-fought victory worth $2,000.
And in the 25-lap feature for the 305 sprints Logan Wagner of Harrisonville made it back to back wins at Port Royal aboard his No. 7W.
In all, some 89 cars were in competition at Port Royal for the Memorial Day holiday weekend special that honored the five drivers who lost their life in racing accidents at Port Royal Speedway throughout its history.
Lasoski started outside the front row of the 410 sprint main but found himself trailing polesitter Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove when the race got started.
The leaders were quickly into the backmarkers during the early stages that found third starter Chad Layton racing in third with five laps completed.
The races first caution flag unfurled and slowed the hectic pace with 10 in the books and on the restart two-time 2013 Port Royal winner Doug Esh of Lancaster took a wild ride through the turn one tin fence, landing outside the speedway after contact with a lapped car.
Esh was uninjured.
Only another lap was scored before another caution regrouped the field but the balance of the event would go nonstop after the restart and the leaders again entered the backmarkers with nine laps to go.
The front three cars of Heimbach, Lasoski and Layton pulled away during the last third of the event to settle the race between them as no one else could keep pace with the trio.
With Heimbach running a high line, Lasoski was left to continually leave his momentum building top line in order to try the bottom for the lead and with the wing hiked back Lasoski began gaining speed and closing as the race neared the five to go mark.
After a couple of failed attempted flyers for control, Lasoski rode a full head of steam down the backchute and blasted across the middle of the third corner with just three laps left to take control all the while keeping Layton at bay.
Once in front, Lasoski was able to put some distance between himself and Heimbach, crossing the finish line 1.292 seconds ahead of him for the win.
Lasoski became the 169th different sprint car/super modified feature winner in history at the track with his victory.
Heimbach ended second after a skillful run at the front in and out of traffic and pocketed $2,000 for his work followed by Layton, Mike Wagner and 10th starter Greg Hodnett.
Sixth through 10th went to Lance Dewease, Rick Lafferty, Keith Kauffman, Steve Buckwalter and Mike Erdley.
Heats for the 26-car field went to Heimbach, Dewease and Lasoski while Dave Hahn took the consolation.
Wagner set fast time in qualifications with a time of 16.373 seconds.
Nick Dickson took the lead from the front row in the late model main and led over polesitter Eric Zembower and Frye on the first circuit.
The first nine laps of the race went continually with Frye taking over second and giving chase for the lead with two away.
But on a double file restart after a lap nine caution, the complexion changed when Frye drove through the middle of Zembower and Dickson while trying to make a three-wide move for the lead entering the first turn.
Frye ended up making contact with Dickson in the middle of the turns as the pair leaned on each other, forcing both drivers to back pedal while allowing Zembower to drive unscathed into control as the drivers exited the second corner.
Zembower was strong on the bottom of the track and withstood a pair of restarts as the leader, holding off Dickson and Frye who had fallen back to third after the contact.
But Frye regrouped with 10 laps to go and with a powerful shot around the top of the third and fourth turns, he motored from third to the lead before being slowed as the pacesetter with nine laps to go.
Two more restarts didn’t fluster Frye once he was at the front as he held on to win by 1.947 seconds over a season best of second by Zembower.
It as Frye’s third career win at Port Royal.
Dickson crossed the line third followed by Chris Casner and Terry Naugle.
Sixth through 10th went to Matt Parks, Steve Campbell, Chad Hollenbeck, Brett Schadel and Todd Snook.
Heats for the 26-car field went to Justin Kann, Frye and Parks.
Fast time was set by Naugle with a lap of 20.151 seconds.
One-time 2013 winner Eric Parker trailed leader Rick Homan for the first eight laps of the 305 sprint main before taking over.
But all eyes were on 12th starter Logan Wagner who was already up to fourth on the first lap with his sights set on another win at the track.
The 25-lap event was a non-stop affair but it only took Wagner 15 laps to get the lead and once in front begin driving away from Parker.
Then it was brother Mike Wagner II., who worked on his advancement, getting by Parker for second late in the event.
Parker was relegated to third at the finish followed by Jason Bergstresser and Jeff Miller Jr.
Sixth through 10th went to George Riden, Andrew Hake, Jake Waters, Tyler Bear and Scott Ellerman.
Heats for the 37-car field went to Hake, Bear, Miller and Logan Wagner with Kody Lehman copping the consolations.
May 25, 2013 finishes:
410 sprints, 25 laps, 26 entries: 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Blane Heimbach, 3. Chad Layton, 4. Mike Wagner, 5. Greg Hodnett, 6. Lance Dewease, 7. Rick Lafferty, 8. Keith Kauffman, 9. Steve Buckwalter, 10. Mike Erdley, 11. Ryan Bohlke, 12. Nate Snyder, 13. Davey Sammons, 14. Dan Shetler, 15. Curt Stroup, 16. Joey Hershey, 17. Dave Hahn, 18. Jordan Frontz, 19. Jim Shuster, 20. Trenton Scheaffer, 21. Cliff Brian, 22. Doug Esh, 23. Dylan Cisney, 24. Mark Coldren.
DNQ: Vince Snyder, Nicole Bower
Late model feature, 25 laps, 26 entries: 1. Coleby Frye, 2. Eric Zembower, 3. Nick Dickson, 4. Chris Casner, 5. Terry Naugle, 6. Matt Parks, 7. Steve Campbell, 8. Chad Hollenbeck, 9. Brett Schadel, 10. Todd Snook, 11. Derek Byler, 12. Mitch Hack, 13. AJ Hoffman, 14. Scott Flickinger, 15. Mike Lupfer, 16. Andy Haus, 17. Scott Haus, 18. Mike Mort, 19. Patrick Bryner, 20. Trent Brenneman, 21. Jason Schmidt, 22. Sam Schaeffer, 23. Justin Kann, 24. Bryon Sipe, 25. Shawn Claar
DNQ: Tim Wilson
305 sprints, 25 laps, 37 entries: 1. Logan Wagner, 2. Mike Wagner, II., 3. Eric Parker,4. Jason Bergstresser, 5. Jeff Miller Jr. 6. George Riden, 7. Andrew Hake, 8. Jake Waters, 9. Tyler Bear, 10. Scott Ellerman, 11. Rick Homan, 12. Mark Watkins, 13. Steve Kennewell, 14. Paul Snyder, 15. Cody Lehman, 16. John Braim, 17. George Loux, 18. Craig Myers, 19. Matt Mountz, 20. Reed Thompson, 21. Sean Kirkpatrick, 22. Anthony Fiore, 23. Nathan Gramley, 24. Brock Bilger
DNQ: Erin Statler, Ryan Lynn, Zach Newlin, Jack Thornton, Cory Myers, Brandon Hetrick, Lance Newlin, Randy Kaylor, Ian Detweiler, Russell Hammaker, Brian Sweitzer, Jim Kennedy, Roger Irvine