9/14/2019
45th Annual Gary Wolford Super Sportsman 100 | York Haven, PA
YORK HAVEN, Pa.: Scott Dellinger came into the 2019 season with high expectations in the Super Sportsman division at BAPS Motor Speedway.
There was a lot to live up to. A year ago, Dellinger posted nine wins on his way to the BAPS Motor Speedway track championship and also captured the biggest race of the season, the prestigious Sportsman 100.
Fast forward to this season, and things haven’t come as easy. Dellinger has scaled back to two wins and been chasing division dominator Kenny Edkin for most of the season.
But, the roles switched Saturday night. Dellinger was the man to beat, and he held off a charging Garrett Williamson over an entertaining final two laps to score the win in the 45th annual Gary Wolford Super Sportsman 100.
“I know I’m second on the list for 100 wins, so it means a lot,” Dellinger said after the hard-fought win. “I know a lot of guys ran for a lot of years and never won it.
“I wish I knew the answer to it … longevity or just that we hit it right. I just have to thank my guys. We have been doing the same thing all year, chasing the 75-car [Edkin]. They are on their game, and I was there last year. So, I know what it’s like.”
Some of the best drivers to ever sit in a Super Sportsman have won this event multiple times. But, only one, Frankie Herr, has sat in Victory Lane more than Dellinger, who has five wins to Herr’s eight.
This march wasn’t as easy as some of his Sportsman 100 victories in the past. Dellinger started sixth on the grid and had to methodically make his way to the front.
John Edkin started on the pole, but outside pole-sitter Paul Miller grabbed the early lead and led the first 20 circuits. Edkin didn’t go far and was able to pass Miller to take the point on Lap 21.
Miller wasn’t done. He retook the spot from Edkin one lap later and paced the field until Dellinger broke through and took the lead on Lap 26.
“This is the best I’ve felt after a 100,” Dellinger said. “Usually, your tongue is dragging when you get out, but I feel pretty decent, right now.
“I’m just glad I got to the front when I did. The track was very racy tonight. We actually prepared for a dry-slick track and had to go back and change a bunch of stuff before we started tonight.”
Continued Dellinger, “I have to thank my guys. Ben Engle, especially. I had him about ready to quit because of a lack of effort on my part or maybe we just weren’t getting it done. We feel very disappointed with the position we are in, but we are in good company. Everybody who is running in the front is really good.”
They were all chasing Dellinger, and there was plenty of good racing and positions changing in the top five.
Miller was still in second and trying to hold off Russ Mitten. The battle ended when Mitten came to a stop on Lap 42.
Kenny Edkin, who started 10th, was slowly making his way to the front and blew into the top five by the halfway point. As for Williamson, he slipped back to 15th at one point before reaching the top five by the fuel stop at Lap 60.
“We came to life a quarter of the way before the first red,” Williamson said. “I was very tight at the beginning, but I had a feeling it was going to slick up. At one point, I was back to 15th and had to step up the pace.”
While Dellinger continued to lead, Williamson asserted himself. He stalked Kenny Edkin and Miller lap-after-lap and finally took the runner-up spot by the completion of Lap 85.
It was go-time. Williamson chopped into Dellinger’s lead and was within striking distance with five laps to go. Things got interesting with two to go, as Williamson closed to within three car-lengths.
“I think we would’ve been pretty clear, easy going, but I think we lost a motor with three to go,” Dellinger said. “We dropped a cylinder, something, because I could hear everyone coming and knew they were coming fast.”
Dellinger was pinned to the bottom of the speedway, while Williamson got up on the cushion. The lead was down to a car-length at the white flag, and it was shaping up for a close finish.
Williamson got a run off Turn 2 and got to the inside of Dellinger on the backstretch. The leader came down to the bottom, and the two made slight contact in the fourth corner, but both competitors kept their car underneath them.
It was a drag race to the finish, and Dellinger had just enough on the bottom to take a .267-second victory at the stripe.
“I thought we were going around, but he got off me,” Dellinger said. “I appreciate it. I would’ve done the same for him. It’s one thing to win it, and it’s another thing to win it by taking someone out.
“I know I probably crowded him a little down the backstretch, because we were out of power, but I knew he was coming with a full head of steam.”
Williamson was pleased with a second-place run. Kenny Edkin, Luke Deatrick, and Frankie Herr completed the top five.
“I damn near hit the wall in one and two, but I didn’t really care,” Williamson said. “I was trying to drive the wheels off it.
“Anywhere I needed to put the car, that’s where I put it. I wasn’t going to take Dellinger out. It’s the biggest race of the year, and I had a fun time trying to get to him.”
Kenny Edkin set quick time for the 23-car field with a lap of 16.855. The top 12 in time trials were locked into the feature, with Rich Eichelberger and Timmie Barrick winning the twin consolations.
Brian Walls continued his dominance over the Morgan Paving/Aqua Fun Pools Street Stock field by winning the 20-lap main event.
Chad Smith started on the outside of the front row and led the first two circuits. Walls charged to the front on Lap 3 and never looked back over the rest of the race distance.
Smith held on for second, with Will Walls, Bud Witmer, and Kyle Saylor completing the top five. Will Walls won Artwerks Hard Charger honors, advancing from seventh to third. Eddie Richards and Brian Walls were heat winners for the 15-car field.
DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY GARY WOLFORD SUPER SPORTSMAN 100
Feature (100 Laps) – 1. 30-Scott Dellinger, [6]; 2. 32-Garrett Williamson, [11]; 3. 75-Kenny Edkin, [10]; 4. 5D-Luke Deatrick, [17]; 5. 70D-Frankie Herr, [7]; 6. 2M-Matt Ondek, [12]; 7. 3B-Mike Enders, [16]; 8. 35-John Edkin, [1]; 9. 318-Steve Fannasy, [15]; 10. 360-Jay Fannasy, [9]; 11. 71K-Tyler Wolford, [5]; 12. 34-Chuck Landis, [19]; 13. 38-Allan Hallman, [21]; 14. (DNF) 14-Nate Young, [4]; 15. (DNF) 58-Paul Miller, [2]; 16. (DNF) 1A-Chase Gutshall, [8]; 17. (DNF) 22-Daniel John, [20]; 18. (DNF) 7-Timmie Barrick, [14]; 19. (DNF) 77-Russ Mitten, [3]; 20. (DNF) 8-Rich Eichelberger, [13]; 21. (DNF) 77W-Tom Wyckoff, [18]; 22. (DNF) 91-Lanny Hake, [22]; (DNS) 18-Dave Conrad.
Lap Leaders – Paul Miller (1-20), John Edkin (21), Miller (22-25), Scott Dellinger (26-100)
Super Sportsman Time Trial Finish – 1. 75-Kenny Edkin 16.855; 2. 360-Jay Fannasy 16.999; 3. 1A-Chase Gutshall 17.184; 4. 70D-Frankie Herr 17.190; 5. 30-Scott Dellinger 17.191; 6. 71K-Tyler Wolford 17.244; 7. 14-Nate Young 17.290; 8. 77-Russ Mitten 17.355; 9. 58-Paul Miller 17.398; 10. 35-John Edkin 17.432; 11. 32-Garrett Williamson 17.501; 12. 2M-Matt Ondek 17.516; 13. 5D-Luke Deatrick 17.532; 14. 7-Timmie Barrick 17.547; 15. 8-Rich Eichelberger 17.667; 16. 3B-Mike Enders 17.773; 17. 34-Chuck Landis 17.882; 18. 77W-Tom Wyckoff 17.911; 19. 22-Daniel John 18.071; 20. 38-Allan Hallman 18.480; 21. 91-Lanny Hake 21.451; 22. 18-Dave Conrad No Time.
Super Sportsman B Main 1 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 8-Rich Eichelberger, [2]; 2. 318-Steve Fannasy, [6]; 3. 5D-Luke Deatrick, [1]; 4. 34-Chuck Landis, [3]; 5. 22-Daniel John, [4]; (DNS) 91-Lanny Hake.
Super Sportsman B Main 2 Finish (10 Laps/All Qualify) – 1. 7-Timmie Barrick, [1]; 2. 3B-Mike Enders, [2]; 3. 77W-Tom Wyckoff, [3]; 4. (DNF) 38-Allan Hallman, [4]; (DNS) 18-Dave Conrad.
Comments