Article by Bert Wojcik
Photo by Jesse Carberry
Just over a year ago Burlington,Nj Robbie Stillwaggon was on a partial schedule and was only doing only a few shows a year with his family team owned by Fred Kennedy. He got the call from JR Berry to team up to bring the 89 out of semi retirement. At the second annual Tim Higgins Classic presented by Victory Auto Glass it was the perfect combination. As Stillwaggon and Berry Score their first URC win together at Grandview. But an emotional win as well since Berry and his family were great friends of Tim and his widow Marlene. To say a higher power was present is an understatement.
“I wanted this one for Jr.Hopefully this is one he hangs on his wall for a long time to come “ Stillwaggon said post race.”We put this wing back together that had Tim’s name on it. I don't know how many URC guys remember TIm but he was always around when I started tracing and this means alot to me.My mom came to a race for the first time in 10 years and now i get to have my picture taken with her in victory lane.”
Racing action started out hot and heavy as Adam Carberry and Hayden Miller led the field to the 31 lap feature event. Hot and heavy action with Carberry leading the first 7 laps with Miller and JT Ferry closing in with lap traffic just ahead.Ferry would get around Miller for 2nd and start to chase down Carberry. Till Fultonville,Ny Chase Moran spun in turn 1 right in front of Carberry. Evasive action from a car in front caused Carberry to be sucked into the wall flipping wildly in turns 1 and 2 to turn the yellow to red. Carberry would climb out uninjured.
On the restart the race would immediately go back to red as Kyle Smith locked wheels with a car while running 6th and flipped into the fence in turn 1. Phil Meisner and Mikey Thompson would get damage from the wreck. Meisner continued while Thompson called it an evening
On the single file restart. Stillwaggon wasted little time getting around Miller passing him coming off of turn 4 for second. Young Ferry held his own and used his wingless experience to get around on the slick track for a while.
“My wingless experience really paid off.”Ferry said. “ With a wingless car it’s all about throttle control. With a track as slick as it was tonight it helped me roll the bottom good. I can't complain about tonight. Experience got the best of me tonight. Coming out of here with a top 3 finish and we’ll take this one to Georgetown.
That more experience showed as Stillwaggon was able to make a run and get around Ferry off of 4 to take the lead on lap 15. But the fastest car on the track at that time was the 55 of Dallas Schott of Myerstown, Schott made his 2023 URC Debut at Grandview after doing some 410 racing and helping out future brother-in-law Chase Deitz. Schott would get around Ferry and use the middle to close the gap on Stillwaggon.
I needed 2 more laps.” Schott Said “ Lap Traffic kinda screwed me there. But once I got around them I ran Robbie down pretty quick. But I ran out of time. Felt good to get back into a 360. Wish we did more 410 stuff this year. But it’s the way the cards worked out and see what the rest of the year has. “
Stillwaggon would make a move on lap 21 to get around the lap car of Devin Gundrum to force him off the bottom, Schott would try to make the move and could get around him, But then Stillwaggon would take a 2 for one special to get around Eric Jennings and Mesiner to get out to over a half a straightway lead on lap 27 that would seal the 16th career URC win for the 2012 Champion, “We’ve been really good on these smaller tracks” Stillwaggon added.” We knew the track was going to be early and I had to go live and die on the bottom. “
Schott would finish 2nd, Ferry 3rd, 4th would go to Josh Weller and 5th to Hard Charger Tyler Reeser (14th to 5th)
The United Racing Club will be back in action on Friday September 8th for the annual trip to The Georgetown Speedway.
Specialty Rigging Heat Winners
Heat 1- 47 Adam Carberry
Heat 2-11t Mikey Thompson *
Heat 3- 03 Matt Swift
- Thompson missed scales and did not receive bonus
DMI Gift Card winner - 19th Place - 32 Kyle Smith
Tim Higgins Classic Contingency Winners:
Last Scored in Heats $100 Each From Reading Booster
Heat 1-32b Eric Jennings
Heat 2-4p Chase Moran
Heat 3- 17g Devin Gundrum
Lap Sponsors
Lap 4-7th Place $100 Summit Valley-11 Ryan Stillwaggon
Lap 5- 5th Place $50 Mike Heffner-55 Dallas Schott
Lap 7 4th Place - $50 One Wish Foundation-89 Robbie Stillwaggon
Lap 10-14th Place $100 Broadsling with Bev-5z Zack Bird
Lap 13- 13th place $100 Higgins Powder Coating-4 Ken Meisner
Feature Bonuses
2nd Place $200 McBrothers Overhead Doors-55 Dallas Schott
13th Place $100 Higgins Powder Coating- 4 Ken Meisner
15th Place $50 Higgins Powder Coating- 17g Devin Gundrum
20th Place $75 Above the Clouds-47 Adam Carberry
21st Place $50 Place Mike Heffner-10x Reese Nowotarski
Last Car to Finish -$100 George Young-17g Devin Gundrum
Hard Luck Front & Rear Bumper Mike Erb Fabrication-10x Reese Nowotarski
1st DNF $100 Reading Booster-47 Adam Carberry
1st Car 1 Lap Down $100 Reading Booster-4p Chase Moran
Last Car on Lead Lap $100 Marlen Higgins -03 Matt Swift
Hard Charger $300 Total
$200 Mike Heffner &$100 McBrother Overhead Doors-7 Tyler Reeser (14th to 5th)
Results for 8/26/2023 at Grandview Speedway - Bechtelsville, PA
URC 360 Winged Sprint Cars 21 Entries
Tim Higgins Classic Presented by Victory Auto GlassFeature 31 Laps
- 89-Robbie Stillwaggon[3]; 2. 55-Dallas Schott[5]; 3. 18J-JT Ferry[4]; 4. 63-Josh Weller[11]; 5. 7-Tyler Reeser[14]; 6. 11H-Hayden Miller[2]; 7. 22-Troy Betts[12]; 8. 11-Ryan Stillwaggon[8]; 9. 34-Andy Best[17]; 10. 669-Brandon McGough[10]; 11. 03-Matthew Swift[6]; 12. 4P-Chase Moran[20]; 13. 4-Ken Meisner[15]; 14. 32B-Eric Jennings[19]; 15. 17G-Devin Gundrum[18]; 16. 5Z-Zack Burd[13]; 17. 4B-Jon Brennfleck[16]; 18. 47-Adam Carberry[1]; 19. 32-Kyle Smith[7]; 20. 11T-Mike Thompson[9]; 21. 10X-Reese Nowotarski[21]
Specialty Rigging Heat 1 8 Laps
- 47-Adam Carberry[2]; 2. 32-Kyle Smith[3]; 3. 18J-JT Ferry[4]; 4. 669-Brandon McGough[5]; 5. 5Z-Zack Burd[1]; 6. 4B-Jon Brennfleck[7]; 7. 32B-Eric Jennings[6]
Specialty Rigging Heat 2 8 Laps
- 11T-Mike Thompson[1]; 2. 89-Robbie Stillwaggon[2]; 3. 55-Dallas Schott[4]; 4. 63-Josh Weller[6]; 5. 7-Tyler Reeser[5]; 6. 34-Andy Best[7]; 7. 4P-Chase Moran[3]
Specialty Rigging Heat 3 8 Laps
- 03-Matthew Swift[3]; 2. 11H-Hayden Miller[2]; 3. 11-Ryan Stillwaggon[4]; 4. 22-Troy Betts[5]; 5. 4-Ken Meisner[6]; 6. 17G-Devin Gundrum[7]; 7. 10X-Reese Nowotarski[1]
- Robert Wojcik on Aug 27, 2023
- Article Date: 8/27/2023 by Bert Wojcik