HIATUS DOESN'T HURT LENGEL,HELLER
(03/03/2010) Five weeks in between races usually means there's a disaster in the making,but last night at Pit Road Raceway V drivers quickly shook off the cobwebs that accumulated during the snow-mandated hiatus. The result was two well-run events,especially the USAC midget nightcap,both loaded with surprises.
It came to no shock to anyone that Mike Lengel led the way to the checkered in the USAC sprint feature,however,that he was trailed by the "Seniors" startled most. Tim Musser,Sr. cooly took the runner-up laurels three points back while Kerry Breon,Sr. earned third in the 50 lapper. Big track hotshoes Homer Hiester and Chuck Heller were stymied by segment dnf's, Hiester due to car damage,Heller due to the wreck limit.
Six of the eight drivers in the USAC midget feature totaled within a three-point spread in one of the closest finishes ever. Heller appeared to be able to walk into victory lane as he won his first three segments,then all heck broke loose. The final rounds of the 50 lap event were highlighted by some of the fiercest side-by-side racing of the season. Heller,nevertheless,managed to hang on for the one-point victory over Breon while Musser topped Dave Balloch for third by a tie-breaker. The event marked the return of Dave Kurtz after an absence of almost two years.
DB
