LOCAL TRACKS: Malcolm wins second straight Heath Memorial
Aug. 5—Brian Malcolm was looking at a T-shirt that Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, New York, made for the 58th running of the Heath Memorial, the event that honors the track's founders, Irving and Anna Heath. It included all the race winners and Malcolm noticed those drivers who won in consecutive years.
Now, the Modified driver from Lake Ariel can add his name to the list.
Leading all 40 laps, Malcolm captured the checkered flag in the Heath Memorial for the second straight year. He is the sixth driver to accomplish the feat, joining Dave Kneisel (1973-74), Chuck Akulis (1981-82, 1995-96), Mike Colsten (1990-91), Mitch Gibbs (2001-02) and Brian Weaver (2011-12).
"The guys who've won it twice in a row are really, really, really good drivers," Malcolm said. "So, it's an honor."
As an added bonus, this likely is the final season of racing at Five Mile Point since the track property has been sold. So, Malcolm is the final winner of the Heath Memorial.
"That's pretty cool and quite an honor," Malcolm said. "I wish it wasn't the last one, but it very well might be. So, I'm glad I won it.
"I started up front and led every lap. It went pretty smooth, everything went good. Hopefully it changes our season around."
It has been a bit of a rough start for Malcolm in the Modified. He suffered two blown motors and suggested on social media that his season was done in the No. 119 machine.
"That puts you behind the 8-ball," Malcolm said. "When you're changing motors, you really can't concentrate on anything else."
But Art Bray of Scranton helped him out by loaning him his car to use for a week at Five Mile Point so he wouldn't lose his handicap. Then, his team was able to find a new motor to keep the season going.
"The best part was no one on the team gave up," Malcolm said. "Everybody kept their heads up and kept going, which was great. We thought about parking it, but then they found a motor. It's a real good motor, so I'm happy. We're going to continue on and hope for more wins."
Malcolm had eight wins last season. He has five so far this season, four in the No. 14X Crate Sportsman that he also was driving. However, he said he is not running that for now in order to focus on the Modified.
Fast tracks
Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna is holding its "Pack The Track" Fan Appreciation Night on Friday at 7 p.m. General admission is $5. A full show of Modifieds, Sportsman, Factory Stocks, XCEL Modifieds and two Four Cylinder features is scheduled. ... Five Mile Point Speedway is idle Saturday. ... Hamlin Speedway is in action Saturday at 6:30 p.m. All divisions are racing, highlighted by the Top Dog Series Race No. 3 for Stage One Modifieds paying $600 to win. ... Covington Twp. teen Modified driver Alex Yankowski won the third 20-lap feature of the Thunder on the Hill Racing Series Triple Roaring 20s at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville. Yankowski totaled $5,525 in earnings for the night, including a $3,000 bonus for winning his first Thunder on the Hill event. He finished 18th in the first 20-lap feature and ninth in the second. Bobby Trapper Jr. of Scranton placed 13th, 10th and sixth in the features. ... Harding's Jordan Thomas finished ninth in the Patriot Sprint Tour Outlaw Speedway Summer Nationals 25-lap A-Main in Dundee, New York. Then, Thomas drove a 410 Sprint Car with the World of Outlaws in the Empire State Challenge Weekend at Weedsport Speedway in New York. He finished 13th and 21st in the 30-lap features.
LOCAL TRACKS: July 29-30 results
PENN CAN SPEEDWAY
July 29 results
MODIFIEDS — Brett Tonkin, Kevin Hartnett, Dan Vauter, Brian Malcolm, Alan Rudalavage, Nick Petrilak, Darwin Greene Sr., Bud Phillips, Alex Stanton, Travis Brockner, Mike Loney, Alex Tonkin, Doug Smith, Brian Franko, Mike Nagel Sr., Mike Ward
IMCA MODIFIEDS — David Stremme, Eddie Sites, Brad Sites, Jake Maynard, Bill Nichols, Jason Sullivan, Tyler Stoddard, Bob Maynard, Tyler Velcher, Aaron Benjamin, Chris Hunsinger. DNS: Jacob McConnel
602 SPORTSMAN — Travis Rooney, Tommy Groover, Mike Schane, Alex Konopka, Kolyn Schane, Marty Goodwin, Ralph Mele, Alan Komar, Amanda Scholtisek, John Michael Phillips, Brett Wooster, Matt Martino, Jim O'Hara, Joe Novak, Eddie Kudrako, Ned Fitch, Mike Nagel Jr., Brad Weaver, Ray Leonard, Parker Overbaugh
600cc XCEL MODIFIEDS — Tyler Smith, Adam Mudge, Nolan Smith, Josh Towner, Geoffrey Sutton, Darwin Greene Jr., Larry Furman, Devan Sieben, Tori Straway, Mollie Mroz, Bolday Butler, Jeff Baldwin, Nate Oropallo, Jared Green, Ted Mills, John Dinniny
FACTORY STOCKS — Jason Rhodes, Charlie Towner, Kevin MacDonald, Kyle Spoor, Kevin Welch, Charlie Gilbert, Aaron Fassett Brandon Gunder
FOUR-CYLINDERS — Scott Beach, Josh Wilder, Brian Salmini, Jeff Sterling, Dakota Fuller, Mike Girjatowicz, Jim Backowski, Josh Storms, David Benson, Ayden Mohr, Chris Wesser, Tim Vandemark, Mike Ferris, Jeremy Trunzo
HAMLIN SPEEDWAY
July 30 results
JUNIOR SLINGSHOTS (20 Laps) — Christofer Tittle; Griffin Hendershot; Brayden Traver; Chase Zimmer; Trevor Houghton; Braxton Dembek; Logan Mears; Dylan Hahn; Garrett Chillot; David Luethe; Jakoby Thompson; Marissa Lord; Austin Walls; Carter Mullins; Preston Trautschold; Rilee Ike; Brayden Granger
ALL-STAR SLINGSHOTS (20 Laps) — Nate Freed; Andrew Turpin; Brian Smith; John Schantz; Lydia Novarro; Stephen Ennes; Tim Hannen; Cole Perez; Patrick Weiss; Matthew Ennes; Matt Frost; John Gilroy
XCEL 600 MODIFIEDS (20 Laps) — Geoffrey Sutton; Bobby Butler; Thomas Nettleship; John Martinsky Sr.; Olivia Schmeltzer; Brandon Graner; Dillon Beadle; Chris Frable; Logan Knauss
ROOKIE 600 SPRINTS (20 Laps) — Kate Mattern; Tyler Aleckna; Adam Sadlon; Sonny Tete
WINGLESS 600 SPRINTS (20 Laps) — Tony Parlanti; Morgan Rochelle; Dominic Schmidt; Joseph J Smith; Jordan Tittle; Connor Mirabelli; Cody Powell; Wayne Nicholas; Kate Mattern; Brandon Azzalina; Matt Brown; Sonny Tete; Bobby Smith; Adam Sadlon
STAGE ONE MODIFIEDS (20 Laps) — Gavyn Krupp; Colin Cox; Johnny Fugelo; Owen Cassel; Joel Price; McKenzi Smith; Paul Ennes; Rob Tete; Samantha Maguire; Chad Riddle; Peyton Cassel; Rilynn Hannula; Troy Maurizzio
FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY
Kirkwood, N.Y.
July 30 results
58TH HEATH MEMORIAL FOR MODIFIEDS (40 Laps) — Brian Malcolm, Brett Tonkin, Tyler Siri, Danny Johnson, Justin Holland, Kevin Beach, Rusty Smith, Dan Vauter, Dan Morgenwicz, Barry White, Dan Creeden, Doug Smith, Bailey Boyd, Dan Stevens, Frank Yankowski, Joey Colsten, Art Bray, Alan Barker, P.J. Goodwin, Aleia Geisler, Glenn Knapp, Brad Szulewski, Bobby Puckett, Nick Rochinski. DNQ: Joe Eisenhauer, J.R. Fulper, Kenny Hildebrant, Brandon Fritsch.
CRATE SPORTSMAN (20 Laps) — Gary Smith, Adam Gilbert, Ray Leonard, Seth Zacharias, Gordon Smith, Blaine Klinger, Matt Brewer, Marc Goodwin, Marty Goodwin, Ned Fitch, Jeremy Hamilton, Justin Slezak, Dave Leyshon, Alan Komar, Greg Morgan, Josh Landers.
STREET STOCK (20 Laps) — Jon Carpenter, Doug Stack Sr., Doug Stack Jr., Doug Polhamus, Don Russell, Tyler Yeagle, Dylan Decker, Noah Jensen, Gene Sharpsteen, Jakob Ingham, Brian Rhodes, Abe Romanik, Lenny Kobbe, Josh Akshar, Dave Stalker. DNS: Leonard Kobbe.
FUTURES SPORTSMAN (20 Laps) — Doug Polhamus, Danelle Smith, Josh Fedo, Scott Zehnacker, Buck Brown, Joe Buchanan, Derrick Shaffer, Tom Reese. DQ: John Cole.
FACTORY STOCK (20 Laps) — Lanson Albanese, Buck Bill Sr., Bob Mills, Kevin McDonald, Rich Sharpsteen, Charlie Towner, Jason Rhodes, Dominic Albanese, Caden McPherson, Kurtis Stickle, Todd Sutliff, Billy Shoemaker, Blake Furman, Brandon Gomaer.
600cc MODIFIED (20 Laps) — Dustin Jones, Chelsie Beebe, Kaleb Lacey, Justin LaDue, Steven Cole, Damon Henry, Nick Johnson, Brian Root, David Brown, Ted Mills, Tori Straway, John Dininny, James Randall, Tom Groover, Matt Cole. DNS: Josh Towner.
HEATH MEMORIAL WINNERS — 1965 DeForest Chalker; 1966 Larry Groover; 1967 Red Harrington; 1968 Lester Green; 1969 Norm Norton; 1970 Stan Ploski; 1971 Dave Kneisel; 1972 Chuck Akulis; 1973 Dave Kneisel; 1974 Dave Kneisel; 1975 Kenny Moore; 1976 Carl Nagel; 1977 Norm Norton; 1978 Don Slack; 1979 Kerry Schloder; 1980 Bernie Griffiin and Carl Reynolds; 1981 Chuck Akulis; 1982 Chuck Akulils; 1983 Don Slack; 1984 Carl Nagel; 1985 Chuck Akulis; 1986 Carl Nagel; 1987 Dick Sundgren; 1988 Mark Terry; 1989 Dave Doig; 1990 Mike Colsten; 1991 Mike Colsten; 1992 Chuck Akulis; 1993 Doug Worthing; 1994 Mike Colsten; 1995 Chuck Akulis; 1996 Chuck Akulis; 1997 Mike Clapperton; 1998 Jim Crawn; 1999 Tim French; 2000 Eddie White; 2001 Mitch Gibbs; 2002 Mitch Gibbs; 2003 Dan Vauter; 2004 Don Hart Jr.; 2005 Gary Griffin; 2006 Mitch Gibbs; 2007 Stewart Friesen; 2008 Joey Grammes; 2009 Jerry Higbie, Jr.; 2010 Stewart Friesen; 2011 Brian Weaver; 2012 Brian Weaver; 2013 Pat Ward; 2014 Mike Colsten; 2015 Tyler Siri; 2016 Brad Szulewski; 2017 Kevin Bates; 2018 Tyler Siri; 2019 Travis Smith; 2020 Dan Creeden; 2021 Brian Malcolm; 2022 Brian Malcolm
NOTE: Twin 30 races were run in 1980. Chuck Akulis was the overall highest point earner of the two events.
SCOTT WALSH covers motor sports for The Times-Tribune. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, ext. 5109; and follow him @swalshTT on Twitter.
SCOTT WALSH covers motor sports for The Times-Tribune. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570 348-9100 ext. 5109; and follow him @swalshTT on Twitter.
