CLEARFIELD, Pa. — Josh Jacoby climbed back behind the wheel for the first time in more than a year and claimed the Semi Late Special Saturday night at Hidden Valley Speedway.
Justin Williamson picked up the Little’s Drive In Four Cylinder feature win.
Repeat winners included Gary Little in the make up semi late feature, Jimmy Holden in the small block modified main and John Eckenrod in the pure stock feature. Matt Fulton won the pure stock mechanic’s race.
The semi late special saw Luke Hoffner and Jeremy Ohl on the front row, with Ohl taking the initial lead. He held off Hoffner and Josh Jacoby through lap 10, when Ohl spun in the first turn. This put Hoffner in the lead, as he and Jacoby battled for one lap before Brandon DeBrakeleer moved into second and was pressuring Hoffner for the lead.
DeBrakeleer was trying everything to get the lead, but on lap 22, the drove into the second turn a little harder than he anticipated. He tagged the rear of Hoffner, spinning the leader. DeBrakeleer tailed the field and Hoffner went back to the front, but when the green waved, Hoffner didn’t come up to speed, later learning he had snapped an axel.
Jacoby was able to grab the lead and he held off Gary Little the final three laps to get the win. Little was second with Brad McGinnis, Ryan Jacoby and Tom Decker Jr. completing the top five.
By the luck of the invert, Jimmy Holden lined up on the outside of the front row beside Shannon Casher for the small block modified feature, and Holden took off like a shot out of a cannon. Holden opened up a huge lead driving his Mike Stine-owned car.
While Holden was driving his own race, the battle for second was a good one, with Casher holding off first Bob Garvey Jr. then Hayden Holden. Hayden was throwing everything he had at Casher, but Casher wasn’t letting up. When Jon Shipley threw the checkered flag, it was Jimmy Holden winning easily over Shannon Casher, Hayden Holden, Garvey and Craig Casher.
Ryan Shaffner and John Eckenrod led the pure stocks to the start, with Eckenrod taking the lead.
Shaffner sat second the first few laps, then BJ Hudson took second and tried to reel in Eckenrod, but at the same time he had to keep Shaffner at bay before Eric Lucas moved into third. When the final flag waved, it was Eckenrod getting the win over Hudson, Lucas, Dakota Craig and Shaffner.
The Four Cylinders put on an exciting race from the start, with Justin Williamson beating “Wild” Bill Hassenplug off the line and while Williamson led the entire 15 laps, his win was far from easy. L
Luke Hoffner battled for the lead early on, then Jimmy Ogen moved into second. Before a lap was recorded, Hoffner had battled back and regained second. On lap 10, AJ Hoffner moved into third and battled his dad for second, but when the checkered flag waved, it was Williamson taking the win over Luke Hoffner, AJ Hoffner, Ogden and Hunter Flook.
Last week Marvin “Waco” Williams led the first lap of the semi late feature, but this week, he was able to retain the lead when the make-up feature was continued. While Williams led, he was able to hold off George Bailey for a lap when Luke Hoffner took second.
Hoffner tried to get around Williams several times, but on lap nine, Gary Little was able to take the second spot. He kept trying the inside of Williams, but Williams wasn’t giving up the bottom, so Little went to the outside in turn three and took the lead off turn four on lap 11.
Little then went on to get the win, while Williams lost second to Bailey. At the finish the top five were Little, Bailey, Williams, Hoffner and Jeremy Lippert.
Matt Fulton led the Pure Stock Mechanic’s race from green to checkered with Joe London in second.
Jason Martin was third and Lester Hudson Sr. was fourth.
Semi Lates Special Feature Results
1. Josh Jacoby, Ginter; 2. Gary Little, 3. Brad McGinnis, 4. Ryan Jacoby, 5. Tom Decker, Jr., 6. Brandon DeBrakeleer, 7. Luke Hoffner, 8. Ron Laubscher, 9. Marvin “Waco” Williams, 10. Jeremy Ohl, 11. Connor Mann, 12. Justin Owens. 13. George Bailey, 14. Bryan Benton, 15. Tom Decker, III, 16. Jeremy Lippert