By Barry Angstadt
(Thumbnail Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photography)
Saturday, August 23rd at Lanco's Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway was a night that offered all one could want in a racing program. There was a first-time winner, a second-consecutive Memorial Race winner, a “Days of Thunder” type of finish, and an incredible, tough-to-describe-because-there-was-so-much-action wingless 600 feature, along with two make-up features – the Clyde Martin Memorial Races for the wingless 600's and Border Magic 270's. And there were special guests, too… the Lebanon Valley College Mens Soccer Team, many of whom were attending their first racing event of any kind… and they loved it!
Hyper Racing Wingless 600
This release will begin with the unbelievably exciting Hyper Racing wingless 600 feature that was run during the regularly scheduled program. From the outset, this one was no-holds barred pandemonium – the good kind.
Kyle Lick started on the pole and was immediately challenged by not one, not two, but three drivers as the top four threw haymaker-style sliders at one another and traded positions in all four corners. Lick tried to fend off attacks from Mason Beinhower, Dominic Schmidt, and Gunnar Pio as the quartet swapped spots and often “threaded the needle” – darting between two competitors who were battling side by side. Right behind them, North Carolina's Hayden Wise dueled with Matt Warner for fifth place.
Dominic Schmidt (No. 08), Kyle Lick (No. 11z), Mason Beinhower (No. 21B), and Gunnar Pio (No. 28P) engaged in a wild duel for the victory of Saturday night’s second Hyper Racing Wingless 600 A-Main. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photography)
Pio finally secured the runner-up slot at the halfway mark as Lick found another gear and pulled away with the race lead.
A yellow flag with ten to go brought Lick back to his pursuers and gave Pio the opportunity he was seeking. On the restart, Pio gunned his No. 28P by Lick to snatch the top spot while Schmidt and Lick scuffled for second. Wise cleared Warner for fourth and quickly closed on the Schmidt/ Lick battle as Pio danced away from the pack.
At the finish, it was Kunkletown's Pio scoring the win with Schmidt besting Lick for second place cash. Wise wound up fourth and Warner completed the top five.
Schmidt and Lick were heat race winners in the wingless 600 class.
Gunnar Pio grabbed his first win of the year in Hyper Racing Wingless 600 competition on Saturday night at the Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. (Photo Courtesy of Wayne Hohler Photography)
Back on July 26, rain washed out a few of the Clyde Martin Memorial features, including the 35 lapper for the wingless 600's. They made up that race on Saturday, with Lukas Kostic registering not only his first Memorial Race victory, but also his first career win in the 600 Micro Sprint division – anywhere.
The teen from Woolwich Township, NJ, darted from the pole, building a healthy advantage within the first few circuits. Marty Brian, the wingless 600 point leader at the Clyde, drove into second position on the opening tour, with Matt Warner and Dominic Schmidt in hot pursuit right behind the top two.
Kostic had to survive a restart with seven laps remaining, and he did so with relative ease. His No. 10L was terrific as the green waved again, and his lead was back to several car lengths within a couple of revolutions.
Schmidt slipped past Brian for the runner-up spot with two trips left, but there was no catching the high-flying Kostic as he crossed the line by nearly one second over Schmidt, who won the 2024 Clyde Martin Memorial for the wingless 600's. Brian settled for third, with Matt Warner and Holden Eckman rounding out the first five.
Clyde Martin Memorial Results:
1. 10L-Lukas Kostic[1]; 2. 08-Dominic Schmidt[4]; 3. 16-Marty Brian[3]; 4. 98-Matt Warner[2]; 5. 11H-Holden Eckman[8]; 6. 15H-Don Hess[9]; 7. 3L-Nolen Layser[7]; 8. 34-Abel Engler[5]; 9. 1F-James Fries[6]
Race No. 2 Results:
1. 28P-Gunnar Pio[4]; 2. 08-Dominic Schmidt[2]; 3. 11Z-Kyle Lick[1]; 4. 94-Hayden Wise[6]; 5. 16-Marty Brian[11]; 6. 98-Matt Warner[10]; 7. 2L-Luke Hess[5]; 8. 10L-Lukas Kostic[9]; 9. 54-Dakota Barlet[8]; 10. 11H-Holden Eckman[13]; 11. 9-Bradley Brown[12]; 12. 15H-Don Hess[7]; 13. 51-Amanda Onimus[21]; 14. 73-Andrew Rothermel[16]; 15. 33C-Matthew Chowns[15]; 16. 3L-Nolen Layser[19]; 17. 21-Mason Beinhower[3]; 18. 33-John Barnett Jr[18]; 19. 17-Cole Perez[14]; 20. 3Y-Zachary Young[17]; 21. 34-Abel Engler[20]
Points (Top 5) (After 9 of 13 Races):
1. 16-Marty Brian[839]; 2. 08-Dominic Schmidt[-3]; 3. 98-Matt Warner[-195]; 4. 1F-James Fries[-248]; 5. 10L-Lukas Kostic[-262]
Lukas Kostic became a first-time winner in the Hyper Racing Wingless 600 class with his victory in Saturday night’s Clyde Martin Memorial Race. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photography)
EVO Fuel Injection Winged 600
The EVO Fuel Injection winged 600 main looked like it belonged to Jason Swavely. The “Rocketman from Fleetwood” started fifth and swiftly maneuvered his way into second by the time lap two was scored. Swavely grabbed the lead from Ellerbe, NC's Liam Kane on the sixth circuit, and looked to have things well in hand, until he encountered lapped traffic in the closing stages of the 25 lap affair.
With the cars in the back of the field racing each other for position, Swavely had to decide whether to go high or low to get past them. And, in the final laps, he simply had to follow the slower cars because there was no open lane to get by. Ephrata's Bradley Brown ate up the distance between himself and the leader and the final tour was “Days of Thunder Wild” as Swavely tried to muscle his way to the outside of the two cars battling in front of him. He got into one of those cars, and the other competitor was shoved down into Brown, who made a move to dive under Swavely off turn four as they headed to the checkered flag. With the two cars bunching up and collecting the leaders, Brown somehow managed to sneak across the finish line a few feet in front of the disappointed Swavely. The margin of victory was a mere 0.035 seconds!
Impressive youngster Kane, who admitted in the victory lane interview that he's only been racing 600's for “about half of the season,” finished a strong third in front of Chris Panczner and Chris Gerhart.
Winged 600 heat race wins went to Panczner and Billy Logeman.
Results:
1. 23-Bradley Brown[4]; 2. 14-Jason Swavely[5]; 3. 29X-Liam Kane[3]; 4. 15P-Christopher Panczner[1]; 5. 51-Chris Gerhart[7]; 6. 21-Mason Beinhower[9]; 7. 11Z-Kyle Lick[12]; 8. 97-Billy Logeman[6]; 9. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[10]; 10. 5A-Anthony Yerger[14]; 11. 09-Vincent Gueci[8]; 12. 39M-Austin Mieczkowski[17]; 13. 51B-Amanda Onimus[11]; 14. 75R-Brevan Rothermel[15]; 15. 9C-Sean Case[18]; 16. 11H-Holden Eckman[16]; 17. 71-Brian Kramer[13]; 18. 17-Brent Ely[2]
Points (Top 5) (After 10 of 13 Races):
1. 23-Bradley Brown[877]; 2. 14-Jason Swavely[-8]; 3. 97-Billy Logeman[-99]; 4. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[-161]; 5. 15P-Christopher Panczner[-180]
Bradley Brown kept a slim margin over Jason Swavely in the EVO Fuel Injection Winged 600 point standings with his second win of the season, coming in dramatic fashion. (Photo Courtesy of Wayne Hohler Photography)
Border Magic 270
The evening's first race was the make-up Clyde Martin Memorial Race for the Border Magic 270's. Lebanon's Mike Boyer inherited the lead when second place Dan Lane Jr. and early pace-setter Christi Sweigart tangled on a restart with nine laps in the books.
It was all Boyer from that point on, as the No. 41 was dialed in to perfection. Jason Swavely, who rolled off 13th on the starting grid, wrestled the runner-up spot from Brandon Heist at the halfway mark of the 35 lapper, but Boyer was long gone by that time. Swavely got to within a half-second of the leader as the laps dwindled, but Boyer would not be denied in winning his second consecutive Clyde Martin Memorial Race for the 270's.
Swavely, Heist, Lane, and Jarrett Imler finished second through fifth.
Mike Boyer made it “twice as nice” with back-to-back triumphs in the Border Magic 270 Clyde Martin Memorial Race. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photography)
In the night's regularly scheduled Border Magic 270 feature, Chase Walker set the pace as Brent Shearer chased him for the first 15 trips around the clay. Lapped traffic slowed the leader a bit but it was a caution period with ten laps remaining that altered the outcome of this race.
The restart saw Shearer, from Manheim, blast around the outside of Walker to take command off turn two. Walker later explained that he was “blowing up” during the final stages of the 25 lap main, but managed to hold on for the runner-up finish.
Nick Skias, the 270 point leader and previous week's feature winner, was the show over the final dozen-or-so laps. Skias rim rode against the outside guardrail in turns one and two, then rolled the bottom at the opposite end of the speedway. He started 17th after winning the first B-main, then rocketed around the top in one and two to pick off several cars until he found himself in third with the laps winding down.
At the finish, it was Shearer recording the $750 victory (increased winner's share because 35 cars entered) over Walker, N. Skias, Brandon Heist, and Jason Swavely.
Danial Boyer, Walker, Shearer, and Anthony Yerger won Border Magic 270 heat races. Nick Skias and Logan Hess were victorious in the last-chance B-mains.
Clyde Martin Memorial Results:
1. 41-Mike Boyer[4]; 2. 92-Jason Swavely[13]; 3. 5R-Brandon Heist Sr[6]; 4. 16X-Dan Lane Jr[2]; 5. 04-Jarrett Imler[10]; 6. 3-Nick Skias[12]; 7. 8S-Mike Skias[11]; 8. 27O-Billy Logeman[24]; 9. 6-Danial Boyer[16]; 10. 19-Matt Fernsler[19]; 11. 11H-Chason Hauck[8]; 12. 747-Richie Hartman[7]; 13. 94-Dallas Sanders[15]; 14. 34-Christi Sweigart[1]; 15. 96W-Chase Walker[18]; 16. 47X-Ernie Newmaster III[21]; 17. 81-Dylan Holmes[23]; 18. 21D-Dave Williams[14]; 19. 5A-Anthony Yerger[3]; 20. 1J-Toby Blumenshine[5]; 21. 77G-Isaac Graby[20]; 22. 35-Brian Jennings[17]; 23. 95-Jack Skelton[22]; 24. 39M-Austin Mieczkowski[9]
DNQ: 82-John Maurer
Race No. 2 Results:
1. 1X-Brent Shearer[5]; 2. 96W-Chase Walker[1]; 3. 3-Nick Skias[17]; 4. 5R-Brandon Heist Sr[13]; 5. 92-Jason Swavely[8]; 6. 1J-Toby Blumenshine[11]; 7. 82-John Maurer[7]; 8. 8S-Mike Skias[3]; 9. 41-Mike Boyer[6]; 10. 39M-Austin Mieczkowski[10]; 11. 1L-Logan Hess[18]; 12. 48-Jonah Meck[14]; 13. 81-Dylan Holmes[9]; 14. 24-Dustin Roberts[24]; 15. 19-Matt Fernsler[15]; 16. 34-Christi Sweigart[21]; 17. 95-Jack Skelton[19]; 18. 21D-Dave Williams[23]; 19. 31-Paris Hewes[22]; 20. 6-Danial Boyer[4]; 21. 94-Dallas Sanders[20]; 22. 5A-Anthony Yerger[2]; 23. 27O-Billy Logeman[12]; 24. 77G-Isaac Graby[16]
DNQ: 11H-Chason Hauck; 21H-Matt Hoffman; 28S-Brian Sholley; 2-Mike Miller; 04-Jarrett Imler; 2T-Doug Pearson; 16X-Dan Lane Jr; 11X-Chase Roberts; 47X-Ernie Newmaster III; 35-Brian Jennings; 747-Richie Hartman
Points (Top 5) (After 10 of 13 Races):
1. 3-Nick Skias[963]; 2. 92-Jason Swavely[-128]; 3. 5R-Brandon Heist Sr[-169]; 4. 27O-Billy Logeman[-171]; 5. 8S-Mike Skias[-262]
Brent Shearer scored his track-leading eighth win of 2025 — and third in the Border Magic 270s — on Saturday night at the Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. (Photo Courtesy of Wayne Hohler Photography)
Step Brothers Concrete & Fence Sportsman
Jonestown, PA's Brandon Heist got some redemption in the Step Brothers Concrete & Fence Sportsman feature. The week prior, Heist was leading and flipped, but he made up for the miscue on Saturday by notching the victory.
Heist slipped past early leader Charles Hellinger on the second revolution, earning the top spot that he would not relinquish for the remainder of the 25 lap event.
Masen Stapleton moved into the runner-up spot at the halfway mark, and that is where he finished.
Dylan Pennypacker almost flipped after he was collected by a spinning car with just a couple laps completed in the Sportsman feature. Despite wing damage, he roared back to finish third ahead of Corey Schmuck Jr. and Bret Cronrath.
Hellinger and Heist won Sportsman heat races.
Results:
1. 99-Brandon Heist Sr[3]; 2. 17-Masen Stapleton[5]; 3. 27-Dylan Pennypacker[10]; 4. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[7]; 5. 5-Bret Cronrath[6]; 6. 75-Brent Shearer[8]; 7. 31-Tyler Martin[12]; 8. 20-Max Fasnacht[13]; 9. 21V-David Ravel[4]; 10. 15-Bradley Brown[2]; 11. 28-Kyle Lindsey[11]; 12. 77J-Jade Smith[9]; 13. 22J-Charles Hellinger[1]; 14. 21D-Dave Williams[19]; 15. 77-Michael Kreiser[17]; 16. 19-Wes Fasnacht[15]; 17. 2T-Doug Pearson[16]; 18. 2-Mike Miller[18]; 19. 8-Michael Spadafora[14]
Points (Top 5) (After 10 of 13 Races):
1. 26-Corey Schmuck Jr[964]; 2. 99-Brandon Heist Sr[-148]; 3. 28-Kyle Lindsey[-156]; 4. 77-Michael Kreiser[-159]; 5. 20-Max Fasnacht[-174]
Brandon Heist got redemption for his near miss one week prior by scoring his fourth win of the Step Brothers Concrete & Fence Sportsman season on Saturday night at the Clyde. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Knappenberger Photography)
Gretna Graphics 125/4 Stroke
Shamokin's Mike Coen dashed from the pole of the Gretna Graphics 125cc/ 4-stroke main to lead every one of the 25 laps and score the popular triumph.
Big winner and point leader John Maurer and Brent Shearer engaged in a no-hold barred street fight for second position. Maurer eventually claimed that spot, with Shearer settling into third. Their fight for second allowed Coen to waltz away to a comfortable lead, but lapped traffic slowed his pace and Maurer closed the gap in the final stages.
Coen muscled his way under a slower car headed into turn one on the final circuit, and that gave him the cushion he needed to seal the win.
Maurer, Shearer, Trevor Waegel, and Kerry Lengle made up the top five.
Gretna Graphics 125cc/ 4-stroke heat race wins went to Lengle and Maurer.
Results:
1. 26C-Michael Coen[1]; 2. 82-John Maurer[3]; 3. 75-Brent Shearer[6]; 4. 44S-Trevor Waegel[5]; 5. 78C-Kerry Lengle[2]; 6. 19-Matt Fernsler[7]; 7. 14-Seth Gregory[4]; 8. 5-Kiptyn Stratton[8]; 9. 3H-Corey Harting[10]; 10. 23-Asher Kempton[13]; 11. 04-Steve Simmons[9]; 12. X-Dave Schroeder[11]; 13. 15-Alyssa Holmes[15]; 14. 4W-Brandon Worthington[12]; 15. 17-Aspen Groff[18]; 16. 74-Paige Rothermel[19]; 17. 3H2-Holly Harting[17]; 18. 8-Michael Spadafora[16]; 19. 112-Dylan Yeingst[14]
Points (Top 5) (After 10 of 13 Races):
1. 82-John Maurer[1070]; 2. 75-Brent Shearer[-156]; 3. 26C-Michael Coen[-170]; 4. 19-Matt Fernsler[-266]; 5. X-Dave Schroeder[-276]
Mike Coen became just the third different winner in Gretna Graphics 125/4 Stroke competition in 2025 with his win in Saturday night’s 25-lap A-Main. (Photo Courtesy of Wayne Hohler Photography)
This weekend it's the annual Labor Day Classic, a two-day tradition of fun and great racing at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. Saturday, August 30 will be a “wing thing,” as the 600's, 270's, Sportsman, and 125cc/ 4-strokes compete in winged fashion.
On Sunday, the 31st, the wings come off for the 600's, 270's, and 125cc/ 4-strokes. They will be joined by the Junior Sprints.
Gates open at 3 p.m. both days, with group time trials beginning at 5:30.