Bova FAST in Wayne County Speedway victory

Written By: Randy Worrell (Ranger)

ORRVILLE – Cody Bova made a trip down memory lane Saturday night at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway. His latest trek, though, was just a little sweeter.

The Struthers, Ohio ace recorded his career first 410 sprint car victory on opening night of the 2022 season at the 3-8-mile near Orrville. The 29-year-old notched win number two – 427 days later – by leading every lap of the $3,000-to-win FAST Sprint Car Series’ third visit to “Orrville’s Historic Oval” in highlighting the speedway’s Fast Five series action.

Defending track champion Ryan Markham picked up his second victory of the season in the action-packed Malcuit Tavern Super Late Model 25-lap main, while Painesville’s Nate Young made his fourth appearance at WCS this season count with his first-ever WCS triumph in the Flynn’s Tire and Auto and Service Center 20-lap Modified feature event.

Codee Schneider continued the theme of the night by notching career victory number one with a dominating performance in the 15-lap McKenzie Concrete Super Stock headliner, with Chaz Dawson staying red-hot in winning his third consecutive 12-lap JoyRide Mini Stock main during the evening’s night capper.

Not only did Bova return to the scene of his initial Pine Tree Towing and Recovery Sprint Car division victory, but it was also the J.S. Bova Excavating – Quality Demolition No. 20 XR-1 machines’ initial FAST series win as well. Bova started his night by setting quick time over the stout 32-entries, then wired the field from his front-row starting slot. Bova’s dominating effort, however, didn’t come without a few anxious moments first.

Bova jumped to the early lead with eight-time 2023 winner and Western Pennsylvania star A.J. Flick – in his first WCS start – moving into second at the outset with Tyler Street, Trey Jacobs – fresh off his fourth-place finish in the recent Speedweek event- defending track champ Henry Malcuit, and Tyler Gunn from 10^th setting a torrid pace.

Action was abruptly halted soon after, though, as Sean Rayhall catapulted his Prosser Racing mount over the first turn guardrail in a series of violent flips that ended over the speedway’s service road. Although Rayhall initially climbed from his battered 19 machine, the former SCCA Road Racing champion was transported to a local care center for further evaluation.

When action resumed, Bova again stretched his advantage with Lee Jacobs, Jordan Ryan, FAST point leader Ricky Peterson, Chris Myers and six-time 2023 winner Brandon Spithaler joining the fray. The red appeared again on lap seven as Trey Jacobs, running in fourth, jumped the cushion in turns 3 and 4 and executed a pair of soft rollovers that also collected a fast-closing Gunn. Jacobs emerged unscathed but done for the evening with Gunn restarting from the tail.

Bova withstood a series of yellow flags in the event’s mid-race stage, then a lap-23 restart bid for the lead from Flick, with Peterson – from his fifth row starting spot also moving into contention. Bova maintained his advantage for the victory, though, with Flick, Peterson, Spithaler, and Malcuit completing the top five.“This place is so fast, and our car was working really well,” said Bova. “There was a great field of cars here and l knew they had to be coming. I thought (Flick) was going to try a slider earlier, but when he tried it on lap 23, l just tried to keep myself calm and hit my marks. Our first career win was awesome, but this one is a little sweeter.”
The popular FAST Series returns to WCS on July 22.

With two of WCS’s all-time bests in Markham and three-time WCS 2023 winner Doug Drown occupying the front row, and red-hot JR Gentry, Todd Brennan, Larry Bellman, Kyle Moore, and Ryan Missler not far behind, the SLM main failed to disappoint.

Markham showed his strength by grabbing the early lead before Drown’s night came to a screeching halt with mechanical problems exiting turn 2 that collected Gentry, too. Gentry’s repairs under the caution were successful, however, as the 14 set sail for the fleeing 5M of Markham with Moore moving into third on lap 10 and Missler fourth.

With five to go, Moore and Gentry made contact in turn 4 following Moore’s bid for the runner up spot that sent Gentry to the pits and Missler into second and Brennan third after battling back from as far back as ninth. Markham hung on for the win with Missler, Brennan, Moore, and Bellman in fifth.

“With these guys being so fast, l really wanted to hit turn one with the lead at the start and not have to follow Doug in there,” said Markham. “Our car was working really well, but l knew those other guys weren’t going away. I saw (Gentry’s) nose there a couple of times, but we were working well up top in turns one and two. It’s getting harder and harder to get (in victory lane.)”

Although Young had been ultra-fast in his three previous visits this season to WCS with a pair of seconds and a third, the “North Coast Nightmare” had been denied an initial trip to the speedway’s victory lane. The eighth-starting Young slowly picked off cars before climbing into contention early as Parkersburg, West Va. invader KC Burdette went pit side while running third behind Brad Goff and WCS kingpin Colton Shaw.

Young finally grabbed the top spot on lap 11 and then survived a pair of double file restarts with Goff alongside. Goff retired from the race with a handful of laps remaining, though, as Young built a sizable advantage in cruising to his first WCS victory. Casey Butler, Jimmy Humphrey, Shaw – from the tail after a late race flat – and Caden Alexander rounded out the top five.

“We’ve wanted to win here for a long time, and finally got it done tonight,” said Young. “This place is bad fast, and it’s right at the top of my favorite places. It’s kind of hit and miss for Saturday night tracks in our area, so we’ll be over a few more times for sure. We’re going to be here for certain (on Sunday July 16 for the DirtCar Summer Nationals).”

Schneider had recorded four top 10 finishes in the Super Stock division this season at WCS but hadn’t hit on all cylinders to put his ex-Tyler Wiles No. 14 machine in contention for a victory.

Until Saturday, that is.

Schneider vaulted from his front row starting spot and set a torrid pace in leading all 15 laps of the event. Although Wiles dogged his former Rott Shop machine the entire distance in his DL Rutt Builders 910, Schneider wasn’t to be denied his career first victory. Wiles rode home second, with Moore, last week’s winner Braden Tucke, and Rob Melzer in tow.

“I wasn’t sure I’d ever wind up here in victory lane,” said Schneider. “I mean this division is so tough with Kyle, Braden, Tyler, and l could go on and on. I just kept the hammer down and our car was really fast tonight. This is just awesome.”

After a sluggish start to the 2023 season, Chaz Dawson has been nothing short of dominant in recent weeks and Saturday night was no exception.

Dawson picked up his third straight victory to go along with a third place finish on May 27. Dawson rode in the top five of the event early on but took advantage of a lap 4 caution for a slowing Doug Hensel, then rocketed to the point with a pass of second-starting Anthony Collins down the back chute. Collins went to the infield a few laps later with mechanical woes with Billy Dawson, Robert Searls, Johnny Bruce Sr., and Travis Hutton completing the top five.

“My Dad showed me the ropes of this class, and really hit the set-up perfect tonight,” said Dawson. “We’ve been really fast these past couple of weeks and hope to keep it going. This division is so tough, though, and we never take these wins for granted.”

The speedway returns to action next Saturday with another Fast Five Series program before back-to-back Super Late Model events take center stage. The $10,000-to-win Valvoline Iron Man Series visits on July 8 followed by the DirtCar Summer Nationals on Sunday July 16.

FAST Sprints + Regular Show 06-24-2023
 –
Sprint Cars – Pine Tree Towing & Recovery

Qualifying
1.20B-Cody Bova, 14.534; 2.4*-Tyler Street, 14.550; 3.70-Henry Malcuit, 14.571; 4.22S-Brandon Spithaler, 14.572; 5.9-Trey Jacobs, 14.657; 6.91-Cale Thomas, 14.720; 7.2P-Ricky Peterson, 14.779; 8.38K-Chris Myers, 14.974; 9.25R-Jordan Ryan, 15.058; 10.24D-Danny Sams III, 15.124; 11.19-Sean Rayhall, 15.156; 12.81-Lee Jacobs, 15.186; 13.15-Mitch Harble, 15.298; 14.2-AJ Flick, 15.371; 15.16-Danny Mumaw, 15.397; 16.91G-Tyler Gunn, 15.428; 17.7DK-Dylan Kingan, 15.445; 18.23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr., 15.713; 19.78-Justin Clark, 15.772; 20.1-Jamie Myers, 15.926; 21.5-Jeremy Weaver, 15.982; 22.6J-Jonah Aumend, 16.017; 23.55+-McKenna Haase, 16.035; 24.2+-Brian Smith, 16.042; 25.D12-Jason Dolick, 16.293; 26.57N-Tyler Newhart, 16.341; 27.2A-Joe Adorjan, 16.406; 28.7-Troy Kingan, 16.418; 29.20-Danial Burkhart, 16.442; 30.187-Tyler Wiles, 16.574; 31.3-Denny Peebles, 17.058; 32.23-Ron Hamlin, 17.616;

Heat 1, Group A –  (8 Laps)
1. 2-AJ Flick[1] ; 2. 2P-Ricky Peterson[3] ; 3. 70-Henry Malcuit[4] ; 4. 24D-Danny Sams III[2] ; 5. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[5] ; 6. 78-Justin Clark[6] ; 7. 3-Denny Peebles[8] ; 8. 57N-Tyler Newhart[7]

Heat 2, Group A –  (8 Laps)
1. 9-Trey Jacobs[4] ; 2. 91G-Tyler Gunn[1] ; 3. 38K-Chris Myers[3] ; 4. 2+-Brian Smith[6] ; 5. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.[5] ; 6. 2A-Joe Adorjan[7] ; 7. 23-Ron Hamlin[8] ; 8. 15-Mitch Harble[2]

Heat 3, Group B –  (8 Laps)
1. 81-Lee Jacobs[1] ; 2. 25R-Jordan Ryan[2] ; 3. 22S-Brandon Spithaler[3] ; 4. 20B-Cody Bova[4] ; 5. 1-Jamie Myers[5] ; 6. D12-Jason Dolick[7] ; 7. 6J-Jonah Aumend[6] ; 8. 20-Danial Burkhart[8]

Heat 4, Group B –  (8 Laps)
1. 4*-Tyler Street[4] ; 2. 91-Cale Thomas[3] ; 3. 55+-McKenna Haase[6] ; 4. 5-Jeremy Weaver[5] ; 5. 19-Sean Rayhall[2] ; 6. 16-Danny Mumaw[1] ; 7. 7-Troy Kingan[7] ; 8. 187-Tyler Wiles[8]

B-Main –  (12 Laps)
1. 19-Sean Rayhall[4] ; 2. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.[2] ; 3. 16-Danny Mumaw[8] ; 4. 1-Jamie Myers[3] ; 5. 15-Mitch Harble[14] ; 6. 7-Troy Kingan[12] ; 7. 3-Denny Peebles[9] ; 8. 2A-Joe Adorjan[6] ; 9. 57N-Tyler Newhart[13] ; 10. 20-Danial Burkhart[15] ; 11. 6J-Jonah Aumend[11] ; 12. D12-Jason Dolick[7] ; 13. 187-Tyler Wiles[16] ; 14. 78-Justin Clark[5] ; 15. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[1] ; 16. 23-Ron Hamlin[10]

A-Main –  (30 Laps)
1. 20B-Cody Bova[2] ; 2. 2-AJ Flick[1] ; 3. 2P-Ricky Peterson[9] ; 4. 22S-Brandon Spithaler[12] ; 5. 70-Henry Malcuit[3] ; 6. 4*-Tyler Street[4] ; 7. 25R-Jordan Ryan[11] ; 8. 38K-Chris Myers[8] ; 9. 24D-Danny Sams III[14] ; 10. 91G-Tyler Gunn[10] ; 11. 55+-McKenna Haase[13] ; 12. 5-Jeremy Weaver[16] ; 13. 16-Danny Mumaw[19] ; 14. 2+-Brian Smith[15] ; 15. 1-Jamie Myers[20] ; 16. 81-Lee Jacobs[5] ; 17. 7-Troy Kingan[22] ; 18. 91-Cale Thomas[7] ; 19. 15-Mitch Harble[21] ; 20. 9-Trey Jacobs[6] ; 21. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.[18] ; 22. 19-Sean Rayhall[17]

Modifieds – Elite Ammunition

Qualifying
1.42-Nate Young, 18.396; 2.41-Brad Goff, 18.647; 3.44-KC Burdette, 18.789; 4.225-Bud Watson, 18.808; 5.69-Ryan Robey, 19.021; 6.O1-Colton Shaw, 19.078; 7.60-Jimmy Humphrey, 19.132; 8.99-Casey Butler, 19.172; 9.185-Ron Miller, 19.354; 10.16-Caden Alexander, 19.489; 11.1-Vincent Depizzo, 19.670; 12.5-Bobby Bagley, 19.829; 13.8X-David Giaque, 20.877; 14.36-Brent Coffman, 21.226; 15.21-Dwayne Powell, 22.028;

Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. 42-Nate Young[4] ; 2. 44-KC Burdette[3] ; 3. 1-Vincent Depizzo[6] ; 4. 60-Jimmy Humphrey[1] ; 5. 185-Ron Miller[5] ; 6. 69-Ryan Robey[2] ; 7. 8X-David Giaque[7] ; 8. 21-Dwayne Powell[8]

Heat 2 (8 Laps)
1. O1-Colton Shaw[2] ; 2. 41-Brad Goff[4] ; 3. 225-Bud Watson[3] ; 4. 5-Bobby Bagley[6] ; 5. 99-Casey Butler[1] ; 6. 16-Caden Alexander[5] ; 7. 36-Brent Coffman[7]

A-Main (20 Laps)
1. 42-Nate Young[8] ; 2. 99-Casey Butler[10] ; 3. 60-Jimmy Humphrey[5] ; 4. O1-Colton Shaw[1] ; 5. 16-Caden Alexander[12] ; 6. 69-Ryan Robey[11] ; 7. 5-Bobby Bagley[4] ; 8. 185-Ron Miller[9] ; 9. 36-Brent Coffman[14] ; 10. 8X-David Giaque[13] ; 11. 41-Brad Goff[2] ; 12. 21-Dwayne Powell[15] ; 13. 44-KC Burdette[3] ; 14. 1-Vincent Depizzo[7] ; 15. 225-Bud Watson[6]

Super Stocks – McKenzie Concrete

Qualifying
1.C9-Brandon Morrow, 19.993; 2.18-Braden Tucke, 20.306; 3.21D-Kyle Moore, 20.628; 4.77-Rob Melzer, 20.818; 5.14-Codee Schneider, 20.954; 6.910-Tyler Wiles, 21.211; 7.44-Zack Hockensmith, 21.426; 8.4Z-Zach Myers, 21.832; 9.O15-Logan Duncan, 22.321;

Heat 1 –  (8 Laps)
1. 21D-Kyle Moore[2] ; 2. 910-Tyler Wiles[6] ; 3. C9-Brandon Morrow[4] ; 4. 14-Codee Schneider[5] ; 5. 77-Rob Melzer[1] ; 6. 4Z-Zach Myers[8] ; 7. O15-Logan Duncan[9] ; 8. 44-Zack Hockensmith[7] ; 9. 18-Braden Tucke[3]

A-Main –  (15 Laps)
1. 14-Codee Schneider[1] ; 2. 910-Tyler Wiles[3] ; 3. 21D-Kyle Moore[5] ; 4. 18-Braden Tucke[9] ; 5. 77-Rob Melzer[4] ; 6. O15-Logan Duncan[2] ; 7. 4Z-Zach Myers[7] ; 8. 44-Zack Hockensmith[6] ; 9. C9-Brandon Morrow[8]

Late Models – Malcuit’s Tavern

Qualifying
1.12-Doug Drown, 17.233; 2.5M-Ryan Markham, 17.235; 3.20-Todd Brennan, 17.258; 4.50-Ryan Missler, 17.468; 5.14JR-JR Gentry, 17.494; 6.1*-Kyle Moore, 17.626; 7.8B-Brett Bee, 18.142; 8.24-Jerry Aber, 18.234; 9.11-Ryan Abel, 18.361; 10.59-Larry Bellman, 18.373; 11.92B-Austin Bright, 18.838; 12.69R-Doug Baird, 18.928; 13.36-Brent Coffman, 19.573; 14.612-Race Gardiner, 25.904; 15.24X-Jason Skelly, 99.000;

Heat 1 (8 Laps)
1. 14JR-JR Gentry[2] ; 2. 12-Doug Drown[4] ; 3. 20-Todd Brennan[3] ; 4. 92B-Austin Bright[6] ; 5. 11-Ryan Abel[5] ; 6. 36-Brent Coffman[7] ; 7. 8B-Brett Bee[1]

Heat 2 (8 Laps)
1. 1*-Kyle Moore[2] ; 2. 50-Ryan Missler[3] ; 3. 5M-Ryan Markham[4] ; 4. 59-Larry Bellman[5] ; 5. 24-Jerry Aber[1] ; 6. 24X-Jason Skelly[8] ; 7. 69R-Doug Baird[6] ; 8. 612-Race Gardiner[7]

A-Main (25 Laps)
1. 5M-Ryan Markham[2] ; 2. 50-Ryan Missler[8] ; 3. 20-Todd Brennan[7] ; 4. 1*-Kyle Moore[5] ; 5. 59-Larry Bellman[6] ; 6. 92B-Austin Bright[3] ; 7. 24-Jerry Aber[10] ; 8. 24X-Jason Skelly[12] ; 9. 11-Ryan Abel[9] ; 10. 69R-Doug Baird[14] ; 11. 14JR-JR Gentry[4] ; 12. 8B-Brett Bee[13] ; 13. 612-Race Gardiner[15] ; 14. 36-Brent Coffman[11] ; 15. 12-Doug Drown[1]

Mini Stocks – Joy Ride Transportation

Heat 1 –  (6 Laps)
1. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[5] ; 2. 71-Anthony Collins[3] ; 3. 420-Robert Searls[9] ; 4. 7C-Billy Dawson[10] ; 5. 31-Valek Menough[2] ; 6. 99-Jared Stitchert[1] ; 7. 5-Jordan Twinem[4] ; 8. 2-Justin Cranmore[8] ; 9. 23X-Kevin Markey[6] ; 10. 66-Johnny Bruce Sr.[7]

Heat 2 –  (6 Laps)
1. 100-David Potter[2] ; 2. 89-Travis Hutton[1] ; 3. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[5] ; 4. 29-Mitch Reichard[3] ; 5. 1*-Steven Lester[8] ; 6. 7CM-Cody Musselman[9] ; 7. 98X-Austin McIlvain[7] ; 8. 8-Cory Brown[4] ; 9. 33S-Justin Shreve[6] ; 10. 11-Trent Bishop[10]

Heat 3 –  (6 Laps)
1. 18-Doug Hensel[7] ; 2. 23P-Kyle Petit[5] ; 3. F7-Josh Ramirez[9] ; 4. 278-Zack Hershey[8] ; 5. 17-Wayne Newbury[1] ; 6. 98-David Dawson[2] ; 7. 42R-Bryan Wilson[6] ; 8. 46-Craig Randall[3] ; 9. 711-Kenny Long[4]

B-Main –  (8 Laps)
1. 7CM-Cody Musselman[2] ; 2. 66-Johnny Bruce Sr.[13] ; 3. 98X-Austin McIlvain[5] ; 4. 98-David Dawson[3] ; 5. 8-Cory Brown[8] ; 6. 11-Trent Bishop[14] ; 7. 42R-Bryan Wilson[6] ; 8. 46-Craig Randall[9] ; 9. 33S-Justin Shreve[11] ; 10. 99-Jared Stitchert[1] ; 11. 5-Jordan Twinem[4] ; 12. 2-Justin Cranmore[7] ; 13. 23X-Kevin Markey[10] ; 14. 711-Kenny Long[12]

A-Main –  (12 Laps)
1. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[9] ; 2. 7C-Billy Dawson[10] ; 3. 420-Robert Searls[6] ; 4. 66-Johnny Bruce Sr.[17] ; 5. 89-Travis Hutton[1] ; 6. 100-David Potter[5] ; 7. 278-Zack Hershey[12] ; 8. 1*-Steven Lester[14] ; 9. 7CM-Cody Musselman[16] ; 10. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[8] ; 11. 31-Valek Menough[13] ; 12. 29-Mitch Reichard[11] ; 13. 8-Cory Brown[20] ; 14. 71-Anthony Collins[2] ; 15. 98-David Dawson[19] ; 16. 18-Doug Hensel[3] ; 17. 23P-Kyle Petit[7] ; 18. 98X-Austin McIlvain[18] ; 19. F7-Josh Ramirez[4] ; 20. 17-Wayne Newbury[15]