Peterson Tops FAST Field At Wayne County

Written By: Randy Worrell (Ranger)

ORRVILLE – Just when folks thought the on-track action couldn’t be topped at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway, one of the Fast Five series divisions has moved to the forefront.
On Saturday night it was the Pine Tree Towing and Recovery Sprint Cars that took center stage.
The Ti22 FAST series returned to the ultra-fast 3-8-mile for the second time this season in joining the speedway’s highly competitive 410-winged warriors and the combination failed to disappoint.
Findlay-area driver Ricky Peterson wowed the crowd by picking up his first win of the season, and first career FAST series victory as well, by leading the final three circuits of the 30-lap, $3,000-to win headliner at “Orrville’s Historic Oval.”
Although Peterson became the 12th different winner in 13 sprint car races this season, a trio of drivers made familiar returns to WCS’s victory lane. Ryan Markham notched victory number five on the season, and third at WCS, by claiming the 25-lap Malcuit Tavern Super Late Model feature after a race-long duel with Nathan Loney, while Kyle Moore captured victories 19 and 20 on the 2022 campaign in winning both the 20-lap Elite Munitions Modified and 15-lap McKenzie Concrete Super Stock mains. Justin Cranmore capped the evening with his triumph, his fourth of the season at WCS, by leading all 12 laps of the JoyRide Mini Stock finale.
Peterson, in the Jerry-McClure-owned No. 9, threw his hat in the ring, among a host of others, in becoming one of the favorites in the fast-approaching $15,000-to-win Pete Jacobs Memorial (Sunday, Sept. 4) by taming the treacherous high side cushion around the paper-clip shaped oval from his sixth starting spot.
Peterson ducked in behind pole-sitter Cody Bova at the start, with 2022 winners Tyler Street and Henry Malcuit close behind. Peterson traded spots with Lee Jacobs through lap 11 for fourth and fifth, while FAST point leader Nate Dussell, and fast charging Sean Rayhall and Danny Mumaw in tow. A lap14 yellow wiped out a straightaway lead for Bova, before Street, at the time, executed the move of the race by picking off Malcuit on the high side, and ducking below Bova in turns 1 and 2 on the restart for the race lead.
Another yellow on lap 17 bunched the field, with Bova contacting the turn 2 guardrail while running second on the restart, forcing the opening night winner to the Hutch Extreme Photos work area for repairs. Bova rejoined the field, but the action was halted on lap 21 for a Trey Jacobs flip in turn 2. On the ensuing restart, Malcuit made a patented slidejob on Street for the lead, but Street’s momentum exiting turn 2 sent the Vantage No. 4 over the rear of the Red Malcuit Inc. 70 which resulted in Street losing several spots.
Disaster struck, however, on lap 22 as a melee in turn 1 collected a slew of front-runners. Lee Jacobs, running fourth, Rayhall sixth, and Mumaw seventh were involved in the crash with Chris Myers, Jack Sodeman, and Wyatt Zimmerman also involved.
Malcuit took the lead on the restart with Peterson grabbing second with Dussell third and Street a close fourth. Peterson closed in on Malcuit on lap 25 before grabbing the lead on lap 27 in turn 4. Peterson hung on for the win with Malcuit second, Street third, with Dussell fourth, WCS regular Nick Patterson fifth from 20th, Bova, Leyton Wagner, Mitch Harble, Jonah Aumend, and Jamie Myers completing the top 10.
“This is huge for us,” said Peterson from victory lane. “We’ve won here before, so l knew we could do it, but we have been struggling a little bit. I can’t thank the entire McClure Team enough, and Bonsai (Bruns, legendary sprint car mechanic) has been helping us and this feels great. I looked at the scoreboard with eight or nine laps left and thought ‘man, l better get going.’ The track was great and it all worked out for us.”
The Late Models were up next with Loney and steel-block star Thomas Baker on the front row. The duo ran side-by-side through lap six with Loney in front, with Markham claiming third on lap 11 from Brett Bee with Mitch Caskey, JR Gentry, and Ryan Missler in tow.
Although Markham dogged Loney lap after lap, the Danville driver kept the No. 10 on point despite a stumbling powerplant. Markham finally took the lead on lap 22 with Loney hanging on for second, Caskey third, Gentry fourth, and Missler fifth.
“We have to run a little harder tire here, and we were trying to be patient,” said Markham. “I thought about moving down low earlier, but we decided to stay up top and keep her wound up. I saw we only had a few laps left, and l thought we gotta go now.”
Moore and the Bob Daugherty-owned No. 21 Super Stock have been nearly unbeatable this season as the duo picked up win 13 on the season on Saturday. Moore grabbed the lead on lap four from Rob Melzer on the high side of the speedway, then used the cushion in familiar style to distance himself from the rest of the field.
Braden Tucke once again made a valiant run but settled for second ahead of Melzer, Tyler Wiles, and Don Rutt.
Before last week’s win by Anthony Collins, Cranmore and Doug Hensel had been the only drivers with victories in the speedway’s Mini Stock division. Starting from the pole, Cranmore led from start to finish but it wasn’t easy for the black No. 2.
A host of challengers stayed within sight of Cranmore the entire distance which included a host of drivers cracking the race’s top five at some point. Zach Hershey, Kyle Petit, Travis Hutton, Doug and Brad Hensel, Chaz Dawson, Dustin Bedlion, and Johnny Bruce Sr., all spent time near the front in the main event. In the end, though, Cranmore held off the top five of Dawson, Hutton, Bruce Sr., and Brad Hensel.
“I kind of missed it here in victory lane,” said Cranmore. “But there’s a lot of fast, fast race cars in this division and we’ll take them when we can.”
The highly anticipated Modified main was next, and the 20-lap feature lived up to its billing, with multiple winner Colton Shaw, one-time winner DJ Cline, Loney, and always fast Ron Miller joining Moore in the TA Perrine No. 16.
Cline led early in the event, with Shaw, Moore, Miller, and pole-sitter Bill Griffith following. Shaw finally took the lead on lap nine, with Moore grabbing the top spot a lap later, but a caution nullified Moore’s bid for the lead.
Shaw held off the challenges of Moore until lap 16 when Shaw’s 01 machine looped around in turn 4 directly in front of a fast-closing Moore. Moore, with nowhere to hide, hit the 01 which caused a caution with slight damage to both cars.
Shaw, on the ensuing restart, was forced to rejoin the field from the tail, with Moore inheriting the lead. Moore took to the top of the speedway when the green replaced the yellow and sped away for his seventh Modified win of the season, and first in Perrine’s Jet-chassied mount. Cline rode home second, Casey Butler third, Shaw back to fourth, and Miller fifth.
“We weren’t very good in the heat, but we have this car pretty good right now,” said Moore. “I hated to see what happened with Colton there at the end. He’s been really fast and we had a good battle going, but that’s racing sometimes. I can’t thank (TA Perrine, owner) enough for the opportunity to drive this thing. We’ll be in it whenever he wants me to drive.”
The Fast Five series returns to the speedway next Saturday for the Rick Susong Memorial. The Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association joins the 410 sprints with a visit from the Vintage Race Cars.
Sprint Cars – Pine Tree Towing & Recovery
Qualifying
1.70-Henry Malcuit, 14.449; 2.4*-Tyler Street, 14.612; 3.81-Lee Jacobs, 14.641; 4.1-Nate Dussel, 14.726; 5.19-Trey Jacobs, 14.909; 6.9-Ricky Peterson, 15.019; 7.23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr., 15.044; 8.16-Danny Mumaw, 15.130; 9.9P-Andrew Palker, 15.148; 10.38K-Chris Myers, 15.163; 11.29-Zeth Sabo, 15.181; 12.15-Mitch Harble, 15.222; 13.14-Sean Rayhall, 15.226; 14.8M-TJ Michael, 15.271; 15.23-Nick Patterson, 15.355; 16.38-Leyton Wagner, 15.378; 17.20B-Cody Bova, 15.477; 18.1M-Jamie Myers, 15.482; 19.51M-Wyatt Zimmerman, 15.791; 20.6J-Jonah Aumend, 16.013; 21.2-Joe Adorjan, 16.142; 22.9G-Cody Gardner, 16.220; 23.20-Danial Burkhart, 16.271; 24.10-Justin Adams, 16.411; 25.D12-Jason Dolick, 16.427; 26.7DK-Dylan Kingan, 99.000;
Heat 1, Group A – (8 Laps)

1. 9-Ricky Peterson[2] ; 2. 70-Henry Malcuit[4] ; 3. 19-Trey Jacobs[3] ; 4. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.[1] ; 5. 16-Danny Mumaw[5] ; 6. 8M-TJ Michael[8] ; 7. 2-Joe Adorjan[9] ; 8. 15-Mitch Harble[7] ; 9. 29-Zeth Sabo[6]
   Heat 2, Group B – (8 Laps)
2. 20B-Cody Bova[1] ; 2. 4*-Tyler Street[4] ; 3. 1M-Jamie Myers[5] ; 4. 6J-Jonah Aumend[6] ; 5. D12-Jason Dolick[8] ; 6. 10-Justin Adams[7] ; 7. 23-Nick Patterson[2] ; 8. 9P-Andrew Palker[3] ; 9. 7DK-Dylan Kingan[9]
   Heat 3, Group C – (8 Laps)
3. 14-Sean Rayhall[1] ; 2. 81-Lee Jacobs[4] ; 3. 1-Nate Dussel[3] ; 4. 38K-Chris Myers[2] ; 5. 38-Leyton Wagner[5] ; 6. 51M-Wyatt Zimmerman[6] ; 7. 20-Danial Burkhart[8] ; 8. 9G-Cody Gardner[7]
   A-Main – (30 Laps)
4. 9-Ricky Peterson[6] ; 2. 70-Henry Malcuit[3] ; 3. 4*-Tyler Street[2] ; 4. 1-Nate Dussel[9] ; 5. 23-Nick Patterson[20] ; 6. 20B-Cody Bova[1] ; 7. 38-Leyton Wagner[15] ; 8. 15-Mitch Harble[22] ; 9. 6J-Jonah Aumend[11] ; 10. 1M-Jamie Myers[8] ; 11. 20-Danial Burkhart[21] ; 12. 10-Justin Adams[17] ; 13. 9G-Cody Gardner[24] ; 14. 2-Joe Adorjan[19] ; 15. 81-Lee Jacobs[4] ; 16. 16-Danny Mumaw[13] ; 17. 14-Sean Rayhall[5] ; 18. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr.[10] ; 19. 38K-Chris Myers[12] ; 20. 51M-Wyatt Zimmerman[18] ; 21. 19-Trey Jacobs[7] ; 22. D12-Jason Dolick[14] ; 23. 9P-Andrew Palker[23] ; 24. 8M-TJ Michael[16]
   Modifieds – Elite Ammunition
   Qualifying
   1.16T-Kyle Moore, 19.469; 2.O1-Colton Shaw, 19.498; 3.4-DJ Cline, 19.595; 4.10-Nathan Loney, 19.650; 5.60-Jimmy Humphrey, 19.754; 6.27C-Casey Butler, 20.174; 7.185-Ron Miller, 20.511; 8.O1B-Denny Benjamin, 20.690; 9.12-Mitchell Lam, 20.697; 10.4G-Bill Griffith, 20.781; 11.78-Richard Grogg, 21.293; 12.99-Allan Baker, 24.532;
   Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
5. 16T-Kyle Moore[4] ; 2. 4-DJ Cline[3] ; 3. 185-Ron Miller[1] ; 4. 60-Jimmy Humphrey[2] ; 5. 12-Mitchell Lam[5] ; 6. 78-Richard Grogg[6]
   Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
6. O1-Colton Shaw[4] ; 2. 10-Nathan Loney[3] ; 3. 4G-Bill Griffith[5] ; 4. 27C-Casey Butler[2] ; 5. 99-Allan Baker[6] ; 6. O1B-Denny Benjamin[1]
   A-Main – (20 Laps)
7. 16T-Kyle Moore[3] ; 2. 4-DJ Cline[4] ; 3. 27C-Casey Butler[7] ; 4. O1-Colton Shaw[6] ; 5. 185-Ron Miller[2] ; 6. 60-Jimmy Humphrey[5] ; 7. 4G-Bill Griffith[1] ; 8. O1B-Denny Benjamin[12] ; 9. 12-Mitchell Lam[9] ; 10. 78-Richard Grogg[11] ; 11. 99-Allan Baker[10] ; 12. 10-Nathan Loney[8]
   Super Stocks – McKenzie Concrete
   Qualifying
   1.21D-Kyle Moore, 19.223; 2.18-Braden Tucke, 19.977; 3.70-Paul Holmes, 19.986; 4.77-Rob Melzer, 20.037; 5.27B-Don Baney Jr., 20.189; 6.910-Don Rutt, 20.289; 7.771-Brandon Craver, 20.357; 8.8A-Kevin Ake, 20.530; 9.42-Trae Schonauer, 20.584; 10.187-Tyler Wiles, 20.665; 11.2-William Sidel, 20.999; 12.313-Virgil Masters, 21.247; 13.15-Caden Alexander, 21.867; 14.32-Tim Workman, 23.949; 15.4Z-Zach Myers, 25.209;
   Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
8. 21D-Kyle Moore[4] ; 2. 70-Paul Holmes[3] ; 3. 42-Trae Schonauer[5] ; 4. 771-Brandon Craver[1] ; 5. 15-Caden Alexander[7] ; 6. 4Z-Zach Myers[8] ; 7. 2-William Sidel[6] ; 8. 27B-Don Baney Jr.[2]
   Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
9. 18-Braden Tucke[4] ; 2. 77-Rob Melzer[3] ; 3. 910-Don Rutt[2] ; 4. 187-Tyler Wiles[5] ; 5. 8A-Kevin Ake[1] ; 6. 32-Tim Workman[7] ; 7. 313-Virgil Masters[6]
   A-Main – (15 Laps)
10. 21D-Kyle Moore[3] ; 2. 18-Braden Tucke[5] ; 3. 77-Rob Melzer[1] ; 4. 187-Tyler Wiles[8] ; 5. 910-Don Rutt[2] ; 6. 771-Brandon Craver[6] ; 7. 15-Caden Alexander[9] ; 8. 27B-Don Baney Jr.[15] ; 9. 8A-Kevin Ake[10] ; 10. 4Z-Zach Myers[11] ; 11. 313-Virgil Masters[14] ; 12. 70-Paul Holmes[4] ; 13. 2-William Sidel[13] ; 14. 42-Trae Schonauer[7] ; 15. 32-Tim Workman[12]
    Late Models – Malcuit’s Tavern
    Qualifying
    1.14JR-J.R. Gentry, 17.147; 2.50-Ryan Missler, 17.342; 3.79-Mitch Caskey, 17.491; 4.5M-Ryan Markham, 17.529; 5.10-Nathan Loney, 17.603; 6.3-Thomas Baker, 17.639; 7.59-Larry Bellman Jr., 17.816; 8.8B-Brett Bee, 17.850; 9.24X-Jason Skelly, 18.050; 10.55W-TJ Watson, 18.112; 11.11-Ryan Abel, 18.195; 12.217-Howard Fraley, 18.300; 13.7-Nick Cox, 18.400; 14.64-Mike McGinnis, 18.476; 15.45D-Tom Denzinger, 18.684; 16.69R-Doug Baird, 18.883;
    Heat 1 – (8 Laps)
11. 10-Nathan Loney[2] ; 2. 59-Larry Bellman Jr.[1] ; 3. 79-Mitch Caskey[3] ; 4. 14JR-J.R. Gentry[4] ; 5. 24X-Jason Skelly[5] ; 6. 7-Nick Cox[7] ; 7. 45D-Tom Denzinger[8] ; 8. 11-Ryan Abel[6]
    Heat 2 – (8 Laps)
12. 3-Thomas Baker[2] ; 2. 50-Ryan Missler[4] ; 3. 5M-Ryan Markham[3] ; 4. 8B-Brett Bee[1] ; 5. 217-Howard Fraley[6] ; 6. 55W-TJ Watson[5] ; 7. 64-Mike McGinnis[7] ; 8. 69R-Doug Baird[8]
    A-Main – (25 Laps)
13. 5M-Ryan Markham[6] ; 2. 10-Nathan Loney[2] ; 3. 79-Mitch Caskey[5] ; 4. 14JR-J.R. Gentry[8] ; 5. 50-Ryan Missler[7] ; 6. 3-Thomas Baker[1] ; 7. 59-Larry Bellman Jr.[4] ; 8. 8B-Brett Bee[3] ; 9. 7-Nick Cox[11] ; 10. 55W-TJ Watson[12] ; 11. 64-Mike McGinnis[14] ; 12. 24X-Jason Skelly[9] ; 13. 69R-Doug Baird[16] ; 14. 217-Howard Fraley[10] ; 15. 45D-Tom Denzinger[13] ; 16. 11-Ryan Abel[15]
    Mini Stocks – Joy Ride Transportation
    Heat 1 – (6 Laps)
14. 89-Travis Hutton[6] ; 2. 278-Zach Hershey[4] ; 3. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[8] ; 4. 19S-Wes Staley[1] ; 5. 311-Johnny Bruce Sr.[7] ; 6. 71-Anthony Collins[9] ; 7. TS21-Michael Tincher[5] ; 8. 100-David Potter[2] ; 9. 8-Cory Brown[3]
    Heat 2 – (6 Laps)
15. 23P-Kyle Petit[2] ; 2. 2-Justin Cranmore[8] ; 3. 98-David Dawson[1] ; 4. 17-Wayne Newbury[4] ; 5. 16J-Jolene Voshel[6] ; 6. 12-JR Graser[5] ; 7. 49B-Jimmy Burns[3] ; 8. 380-Ken Hober[9] ; 9. O92-Darrell Taylor[7]
    Heat 3 – (6 Laps)
16. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[1] ; 2. 18-Doug Hensel[8] ; 3. 18H-Brad Hensel[7] ; 4. 33C-Cory Cecil[2] ; 5. 28G-Brent Boreman[3] ; 6. 5-Mitch Reichard[6] ; 7. 97S-Brock Searls[5] ; 8. 1*-Steven Lester[4]
    A-Main – (12 Laps)
17. 2-Justin Cranmore[1] ; 2. 42JR-Chaz Dawson[5] ; 3. 89-Travis Hutton[3] ; 4. 311-Johnny Bruce Sr.[13] ; 5. 18H-Brad Hensel[7] ; 6. 18-Doug Hensel[8] ; 7. 18X-Dustin Bedlion[6] ; 8. 278-Zach Hershey[2] ; 9. 5-Mitch Reichard[18] ; 10. 33C-Cory Cecil[12] ; 11. 98-David Dawson[9] ; 12. 28G-Brent Boreman[15] ; 13. 16J-Jolene Voshel[14] ; 14. 12-JR Graser[17] ; 15. 49B-Jimmy Burns[20] ; 16. 100-David Potter[22] ; 17. 8-Cory Brown[25] ; 18. 97S-Brock Searls[21] ; 19. 19S-Wes Staley[10] ; 20. 380-Ken Hober[23] ; 21. 71-Anthony Collins[16] ; 22. 23P-Kyle Petit[4] ; 23. TS21-Michael Tincher[19] ; 24. 17-Wayne Newbury[11] ; 25. O92-Darrell Taylor[26] ; 26. 1*-Steven Lester[24]