Modified stock car driver Jimmy Blewett capped off a dream weekend of three feature event victories Aug. 6 when he won the 125 lap “Summer Scorcher” for Downs Ford Modifieds at Wall Stadium Speedway. The $5,000 win capped off a weekend that saw the Howell resident win a Modified Tour event in Connecticut Aug. 5 and a Limited Late Model feature race at Wall earlier on the Aug. 5 Wall card.
Steven Reed of Jackson, Wall’s defending Modified champion and recent Garden State Classic winner, out-dueled Howell’s Eric Mauriello at the start of the Scorcher to take the lead, as Blewett hovered in the top five. Seventy nonstop laps were then recorded with Reed, Mauriello, Holmdel’s Andrew Krause and Blewett making up the top four most of the way.
When the caution finally waved for a spinning Zack Alspach of Willingboro on lap 70, the entire field ducked to the pit area for a two-tire change and adjustments. When the race resumed, Blewett, with the help of chassis adjustments made during the pit stop, began to chip his way to the front. The race was slowed again on lap 92 when Krause, who had been battling his car with the loss of power steering from lap 30, spun in the fourth turn when a broken wheel forced him to lose his left rear tire. On the restart, Blewett was able to dive to the inside of Reed on the inside lane of the second turn to take the lead and eventual win.
Blewett then held his ground to the finish while several cars battled for second to the finish. At the checker, Mauriello nailed down the runner-up spot, with Brick’s Ron Frees, an impressive Shaun Carrig of Little Falls and Reed completing the top five.
“I’m Jersey proud,” Blewett said in a stadium press release following the victory. “What a weekend! Tonight the car was a little loose during those first 70 laps. I was able to tell my guys on the radio and tell them what I thought we might be able to do on that tire stop to fix it. They made all the right adjustments in the pits during the stop, and the car was almost perfect after that.
“My crew guys did a great job for me tonight!”
Prior to the Scorcher, Blewett hitched a ride in the Cole Ormsbee No. 19 for the Elite Maintenance Limited Late Model 25-lapper and raced through the pack for the win. Early leader Howie Conk of Jackson was the runner-up, with Bayville’s Mike Tillett, Michelle Moormann of Beachwood and Jackson’s Greg Gastelu completing the top five.
Vinny Troia of Browns Mills won his first 25-lap Green Flag Driving Experience Legend Cars feature race of the season taking the lead with a lap nine pass before holding his ground to the finish. Middletown’s Joe McGrath, Ron Merlino of Pine Beach, Chris Gall of Brick and Eatontown’s Ron Merlino were second through fifth.
The O’Shea’s Auto Repair Factory Stocks raced in two 25-lappers Aug. 6, with Kenny Green of Farmingdale winning the first, which was postponed due to rain from July 30. Brick’s Joe Mongeau, Toms River’s Marty Van Druten, Richie Byrne of Howell and Mike Montano of Freeport, New York, were second through fifth.
The second Factory Stock main event was called official after 14 laps when several cars slammed the fourth turn rail, with Wall’s Rob Haberstick getting the worst of it. The race was called official since time consuming guardrail repairs were needed. Gerry Koenig of Seaford, New York, took his first career win in this race, followed by Green, Mongeau, Byrne and John Bowers of Pt. Pleasant.
Stock car racing continues Aug. 13, as the speedway presents “First Responders Night.” First responders with proper identification will be honored with free admission. On the track, the Downs Ford Modifieds will battle in a 40-lap main event and the Snap On Sportsman cars will compete in two 30-lappers, one postponed due to rain from July 30. The Surfside Collision 4-Cylinder Stocks will compete in two 25-lappers, one postponed due to rain from July 30, and the Factory Stocks are set for a 50-lapper.
Grandstand seating opens at 5 p.m., qualifying starts at 5:45 p.m. and feature racing begins at 7 p.m.
Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, just 1 mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway hotline number is 732-681-6400, the website is wallspeedwayracing.com and the email address is CKMotorsports@aol.com.
