Abreu finds the Path to victory lane at Path Valley
Abreu and Bell at Path Valley
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Rico Abreu led home a Kunz/Toyota 1, 2, 3 at Path Valley when USAC and ARDC co sanctioned the Pennsylvania Midget Show.
In taking Midget win number four for the year Abreu dragged back points in his effort to retain his National Honda Midget Championship
Tracey Hines rolled into Path Valley Speedway Park in the Championship lead but departed after his 6th place finish saw his lead taken over by Kevin Thomas Jr.The rivalry between the four Kunz teammates ensure a hectic early pace.
Tracy Hines was the first to race into the lead but Thorson assumed the race lead before the end of the opening lap .Abreu quickly moved into second but most of the attention was on Christopher Bell as he charged from P 13 to 6th within the first three laps .The race suddenly turned into a battle between the Kunz teammate with them running top four in the field
Bell charged past teammate Thomas and began to chase after Thorson and Abreu. Trying to break the Toyota stranglehold on the race Bryan Clauson started too moved quickly but by lap 13 his race was done as he slowed with electrical problems .Clauson’s problem would benefit Abreu as he quickly disposed of Thorson on the restart and began to consolidate his leading position.
Now it was Thomas’s time to challenge and in the process both he and Thorson came together forcing the #67 to spin and bring out another caution. With Thorson restarting from the back.
The restart and Thomas charged up to Abreu and gained the lead with a huge slider on lap 19, his lead was brief as another caution was out for a back maker who had spun.
The restart with 11 laps to run had Abreu back in the lead and it was now Bell’s turn to mix up running order. Quickly putting Thomas behind him he started to breakdown Abreu’s lead.
Abreu and Bell would exchange the race lead until a further caution came out for a spinning 6th running Tyler Thomas.
Rico worked the lead from the restart and ran the last 5 laps unchallenged .Bell crossed .852 seconds behind with Kevin Thomas completing yet another podium sweep for the Kunz/Toyota /Curb/-Agajanian team. Christopher Bell had passed 11 cars during his chase of Abreu and for all his earlier problems Tanner Thorson would recover with a strong 9th place finish.
Driver interviews :
Rico Abreu “It’s awesome to be out here and be able to win in front of fans like these. I’ve been really looking forward to this week racing on dirt in Pennsylvania, so hopefully I can win a few and have fun. It’s great to race hard like that with your teammates. Being the leader the last half of that race, you’re just not sure where to go. Christopher was dive-bombing me, but I didn’t know exactly how he was running. After he passed me, he went straight to the top of three and four right before the caution came out, so I knew that’s where he was running. Races play out that way sometimes. They worked in my favor tonight,” Abreu said of his 12th career National Midget win, which tied him for 53rd all-time among the group of Gene Force, Bobby Grim, Danny Caruthers, Jeff Gordon, Ron Shuman, Russ Gamester, and Kyle Larson.
Rico get the latest track information from track owner Jack Winsett
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Christopher Bell “I could really just go anywhere early in that race, and with some marbles in the middle of the track, they were going high and low so I just went through the middle. I found open lanes early and that helped get up through there. The yellows were so frustrating tonight. Just when I got my momentum or had a chance to pass for the lead and get away, there one would come. Hopefully they work out better for me next time,” Bell said.
Kevin Thomas Jr “I was searching early to find someplace to run, and then Bell railed me up high and I knew we had to get going. I showed Rico the top when I went by him, and the caution to put me back behind him hurt. I got a bad restart and lost that spot to Bell, and beyond that we were pretty close in speed. I hate saying it was a good points night, but we had a solid night, and our goal is to win a championship, ultimately. You have to take advantage of nights like these,” Thomas, Jr. said.
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Rico Abreu, 2. Christopher Bell, 3. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 4. Spencer Bayston, 5. Jerry Coons, romJr., 6. Tracy Hines, 7. Billy Pauch, Jr., 8. Brenden Bright, 9. Tanner Thorson, 10. Steven Drevicki, 11. Ryan Greth, 12. Alex Bright, 13. Tim Buckwalter, 14. P.J. Gargiulo, 15. Brett Arndt, 16. Bruce Buckwalter, Jr., 17. Trevor Kobylarz, 18. Isaac Chapple, 19. Tyler Thomas, 20. Steve Buckwalter, 21. Nick Wean, 22. Bryan Clauson, 23. Jim Radney. NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-13 Thorson, Laps 14-30 Abreu.
NEW HONDA NATIONAL MIDGET POINTS: 1-K.Thomas Jr.-573, 2-Hines-564, 3-Abreu-518, 4-Thorson-497, 5-Bayston-475, 6-Coons-472, 7-T.Thomas-462, 8-Bell-381, 9-Darren Hagen-321, 10-Dave Darland-222.
NEXT HONDA NATIONAL MIDGET RACE: August 19 – Abbottstown, Pennsylvania – Lincoln Speedway
