Sweigart wins by a last- lap pass
Nitro Nick” Sweigart passed defending PA Sprint Series Champion “Zach Daddy” Newlin on the final lap to claim the victory in Saturday night’s 20-lap PASS/IMCA feature at BAPS Motor Speedway.
It was the Myerstown driver’s second win of the season in his A.H. Moyer/Ditchcreek Utility Services/C&L Siding & Decks #8, and the second of his career at BAPS.
The race was co-sanctioned by PASS and the Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series, a neighboring RaceSaver/IMCA group that schedules events in Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
MASS regulars Logan Diehl (Sellersville; Zaya’s Racing Engines/JCG Environmental Services/Jeepers 4WD #94D) and Eddie Wagner (Newfield, N.J.; AC Racing/BK Sheet Metal #70) started the race on the front row, but Diehl spun into the outside wall in turns 1 and 2 on the initial start, moving Newlin (Millerstown; Smith Concrete & Construction/Heather Sims Realtor/Newport VFW #11Z) to the front row for the second attempt.
A five-time winner at BAPS over the last two seasons, Newlin set sail and built a lead of nearly three seconds before another caution closed the field on lap seven when Tim Stallings (York; Stallings Family Racing/Checkered Flag Media/Galloway Graphics #59T) slowed on the track. Three laps later, Doug Dodson (Middletown; PowerMist Racing Fuels/Crockett Log Homes/Fastener Specialties #20) slowed with a flat tire, and the third-place points-holder in PASS (and IMCA national rookie standings) joined Stallings in the pits.
Meanwhile, Sweigart was moving through the field from his ninth starting position. On lap 12, he passed Wagner for the runner-up spot and set his sights on leader Newlin, charging around high against the outside wall. The momentum from that high run enabled him to catch the leader in turns 1 and 2 and slip past on the backstretch. Sweigart then swooped low in 3 and 4, denying Newlin his preferred line and preserving the win.
Wagner (third in MASS points) held on for a third-place finish, with John Walp (Wapwallopen; GMS Piling Products/La Napoli II Pizza/Dotzel Trucking #5), a previous BAPS winner, finishing fourth, and MASS regular Tim Tanner Jr. (Doylestown; #18T) fifth.
Sixth went to Devin Adams (Lebanon; Fredericksburg Eagle Hotel/Adams Auto Sales/Garden Spot Auto Auction #99A), who put on the charge of the night, earning the Hard Charger Award with his run from 19th starting spot.
Rounding out the Top 10 were Billy Ney (Reading; Pagoda Realty/Zero Gravity Designs/McFarland Business Systems #83), Larry McVay (Bordentown; #83L), Keith Prutzman (Hamburg; Buck Rubs Gentlemen’s Club/McKeansburg Bar & Restaurant #28), and Dave Grube (York Haven; Spearhead Rentals/MAN Contracting/Chiropractic Athletic #3D).
Heat races for the 28-car field were won by Jay Krout (York; Apple Automotive/BAPS/Gingrich Apiaries/Jiffy Lube/Krout #50), Diehl and Tanner. Adams claimed the B-Main.
Next up for the PASS sprinters is a doubleheader weekend, with a rare Friday night show at Path Valley Speedway Park on August 9, also featuring the Northeast Ultimate Super Late Model Series and the Mid-Atlantic Modifieds for a “Night of Power,” beginning with warm-ups at 7:00 p.m. Then, on Saturday, PASS and the Northeast Ultimate Super Late Models both guest at Selinsgrove Speedway, along with the track’s regular Pro Stock and Roadrunner classes. That show starts at 7:30.
Results from BAPS Motor Speedway, August 3, 2019
HEAT 1 – 1. 50-Jay Krout; 2. 83L-Larry McVay; 3. 20-Doug Dodson; 4. 55-Dom Melair; 5. Q2-Johnny Yanek; 6. 56-Jake Frye; 7. 2-Erin Statler; 8. 69-Landon Price; 9. 97-Kenny Heffner.
HEAT 2 – 1. 94D-Logan Diehl; 2. 11Z-Zach Newlin; 3. 70-Eddie Wagner; 4. 8-Nick Sweigart; 5. 1-Tom Carberry; 6. 3D-Dave Grube; 7. 99A-Devin Adams; 8. 39X-Scott Frack; 9. 9S-Rick Stief; 10. 41Z-Jared Zionkowski.
HEAT 3 – 1. 18T-Tim Tanner Jr.; 2. 83-Billy Ney; 3. 28-Keith Prutzman; 4. 5-John Walp; 5. 59T-Tim Stallings; 6. 85-Ricky Dieva; 7. 17K-Kyle Keen; 8. 19-Kruz Kepner; 9. 38-Marie McVay.
B-MAIN – 1. 99A-Devin Adams; 2. 39X-Scott Frack; 3. 17K-Kyle Keen; 4. 69-Landon Price; 5. 9S-Rick Stief; 6. 41Z-Jared Zionkowski; 7. 19-Kruz Kepner; 8. 2-Erin Statler; 9. 97-Kenny Heffner; 10. 83-Marie McVay.
FEATURE – 1. 8-Nick Sweigart; 2. 11Z-Zach Newlin; 3. 70-Eddie Wagner; 4. 5-John Walp; 5. 18T-Tim Tanner; 6. 99A-Devin Adams; 7. 83-Billy Ney; 8. 83L-Larry McVay; 9. 28-Keith Prutzman; 10. 3D-Dave Grube; 11. 55-Dom Melair; 12. 85-Ricky Dieva; 13. 69-Landon Price; 14. 17K-Kyle Keen; 15. 50-Jay Krout; 16. 1-Tom Carberry; 17. 56-Jake Frye; 18. 39X-Scott Frack; 19. 94D-Logan Diehl; 20. 9S-Rick Stief; 21. 41Z-Jared Zionkowski; 22 Q2-Johnny Yanek; 23. 20-Doug Dodson; 24. 59T-Tim Stallings. DNQ – 97-Kenny Heffner; 38-Marie McVay; 2-Erin Statler; 19-Kruz Kepner.