Port Royal – Ryan Taylor of Perkasie led start to finish Saturday to record his second Aumiller’s Insurance sprint car feature of the season at Port Royal Speedway.
Brian Towsey of Port Royal won for the fourth time this season in the 11th annual Deryl Stong Memorial for the Miller’s Auto Parts pro stocks and strengthened his point lead in a quest for the title. In the 20-lap AB Auto Glass late model main, Danville driver Jeff Rine overcame an awesome three-car battle for the lead to record his seventh career victory at the Juniata County oval; while Brian Walker took the victory in 305 sprint action.
Taylor started on the pole of the sprint feature flanked by Joey Hershey and zoomed into command at the drop of the green and entered the back markers with six away followed by Hershey, Aaron Ott, Doug Esh, Mike Erdley and Chad Layton.
The races first caution flag unfurled with 10 laps down and Taylor found a pair of lapped cars between himself and Hershey for the restart.
Hershey wasn’t able to mount any challenge when action resumed, instead working to fend off Ott while Esh and Layton began working the top three cars. Wild action at high-flying speeds took center stage as the raced worked past the halfway point with Ott finally getting by Hershey for second with eight laps to go chased by Esh and Layton.
One lap later, Hershey’s car broke coming down the back chute in front of Esh and Layton causing a three-car calamity that saw Esh all but flip and somehow keep going after making hard contact with Layton while Hershey landed atop the inside backstretch fence. There were no injuries.
With Esh and Layton now retired to the pit area, Taylor had to fend off Ott’s inside lane challenge on the restart to pick up this third career checkers at the track while pulling away.
Ott was second followed by Erdley, Keith Kauffman and Rick Lafferty. Sixth through tenth went to Todd Shaffer, Cliff Brian, T.J. Stutts, Danny Dietrich and Dylan Cisney.
Information used in this story was provided Shawn Brouse/Port Royal Speedway. Video used in this report is courtesy of www.SportsPlusVideo.com and Lynn Schaeffer Productions.
