GREG HODNETT & DUANE HOWARD SHARE JERSEY RUSH V VICTORIES IN DOUBLE HEADER THRILLER TUESDAY NIGHT AT NEW EGYPT

NAPA AUTO PARTS & PIONEER POLE BUILDING SPONSOR BIG NIGHT OF RACING. . .  .

GREG HODNETT & DUANE HOWARD SHARE JERSEY RUSH V VICTORIES IN DOUBLE HEADER THRILLER TUESDAY NIGHT AT NEW EGYPT

New Egypt, NJ   August 25, 2015   . . . . .  The fifth running of the JERSEY RUSH, on Tuesday night, at the New Egypt Speedway was nothing short of spectacular with Greg Hodnett winning a thriller over JJ Grasso and Duane Howard beating out Billy Pauch Jr. to win the modified feature.    Hodnett of Thomasville, PA led all thirty laps of the 410 sprint feature but was pressured throughout the second half of the race, with Grasso in the hunt.  Hodnett earned $5,000 for the victory, his first ever 410 sprint car win at New Egypt.   The thirty lap modified feature saw Jimmy Horton lead at the outset, with Billy Pauch holding the top spot until Duane Howard took the lead on lap nine.   Pauch Jr. moved on top on lap seventeen with Howard leading the final two lap to earn the $3,000 first place prize.

In the 410 Sprint Car feature event, Hodnett launched from the top starting spot with Robbie Stillwaggon right on his tail and Davey Sammons moving into the third position.  Kunkletown, PA’s Ryan Smith -- while in the seventh position --- launched over the wheel of another competitor and flipped, spectacularly, over the turn four guardrail landing between the guardrail and the catch fence.  Smith walked away uninjured.  After a twenty minute delay in the action to remove Smith’s car, Hodnett took control on the restart with Lance Dewease powering into the second position and former two-time Jersey Rush winner, JJ Grasso moving into the third position.  Dewease and Grasso battled back and forth swapping the second spot leading just passed the halfway point.  Grasso, on a tear, battled in between lapped cars and gained quickly on Hodnett, challenging the leader as the five-to-go signal approached – and pulling alongside Hodnett in the closing laps of the event, but it was Hodnett capturing the checkered flag over Grasso, Davey Sammons in third, Danny Dietrich in fourth and Lance Dewease rounding out the top 5.

Neshanic, NJ’s Jimmy Horton started on the pole for the 30-lap Modified feature event and took the early lead battling with Frenchtown, NJ’s Billy Pauch.  Pauch, aboard a potent big-block machine, powered to the top spot at the fourth circuit, as Oley, PA’s Duane Howard moved into the second position with ‘The Ringoes Rocket’ Ryan Godown charging to the third spot – from the nineteenth starting position.  A lap nine restart shuffled the top runners with Howard taking over the lead and Billy Pauch Jr. moved into the second position with a hard-charging, Neal Williams challenging for the third spot.  A two car battle for the lead ensued with Pauch Jr. and Duane Howard shuffling the top spot back and forth in lapped traffic.  Howard, using a lapped car to his advantage, slid underneath Pauch Jr. with two lapped to go and went on to collect the $3,000 top prize.  Pauch Jr. settled for second, Neal Williams in third, Billy Pauch in fourth and Danny Bouc in fifth.

A field of twenty-six 410 sprints took time trials with defending winner Ryan Smith earning a $100 bonus for setting fast time with a time of 13.785.    Oliver Communications posted $200 to the heat race winners with Danny Dietrich, Greg Hodnett and Steve Buckwalter taking the sprint car heat wins, Modified heats were won by Billy Pauch Jr., Duane Howard and Billy Pauch.  Consolations were won by Mike Haggenbottom in the Sprints and Ryan Godown in the Modifieds.  The Thayer Performance Hard Charger award was won by Mark Bitner.

JERSEY RUSH V FEATURE FINISH: Greg Hodnett, JJ Grasso, Davey Sammons, Danny Dietrich, Lance Dewease, Steve Buckwalter, Kyle Reinhardt, Mark Bitner, Brian Carber, Robbie Stillwaggon, Davie Franek,Kevin Ngy, Joe Trenca, Rick Lafferty, Ed Aikin, Troy Betts, Anthony Fiore, Mike Haggenbottom, Wayne Dadetto, Brett Michalski, Bradley Howard, Bob Howard, Brad Franks, Ryan Smith.  DNQ: Karl Fryer, Bill Unglert

MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: Duane Howard, Billy Pauch Jr. Neal Williams, Billy Pauch, Danny Bouc, Mike Butler, Dominic Buffalino, Jimmy Blewett, Andrew Bohn, Clay Butler, Chris Grbac, Eric Kormann, Shawn Ward, Andrew Krause, Tom Carberry, John Keller, John McClelland, Sammy Piazza, Ryan Godown, Jimmy Horton, Chad Barney, Willie Osmun, Richie Pratt, Jeff Strunk.  DNQ  P.J. Oliver, Rocco Infante, Patrick Gold, Steve Searock, John Packenham.

Share this article