Is located 4 miles South of
New Philadelphia, Ohio
on State Route 250

The track is 3/10ths Mile
Semi Banked Asphalt
Oval and Figure 8

Gates Open Saturday - 2:45
Hot Laps at 3 Racing at 6:30

Regular Night Adult - $10
Pit Admission - $25

3825 W State St,
Midvale, OH

Raceday Phone:
330 - 339 - 3977

The Late Models Lined Up and Waiting To Go Green
Midvale Speedway provides race fans with a very entertaining show and a high level of competition. The place is neat as a pin, good food, friendly atmosphere, a varied and
rapid paced program that was completed before eleven oclock. And no dust !

2008 Schedule:

June 4 - Fan Night
June 7 - Regular Show
June 14 - Figure 8 & Demo
June 21 - Spectator Drags
June 28 - Regular+Legends

July 4 - Super Late Models
July 12 - Regular + Figure 8
July 19 - Regular+Car Rides
July 26-American Mod Series

Official Website:
Midvale
Speedway

Late Model - $700 / $100
Street Stock - $200 / $50
Pure Stock - $100 / $10
Compacts - Trophy

I've been around dirt track racing for a long time but truth is I just like being around cars. It doesn't matter to me if it's straight line, circle tracks, show cars or a rally. What I like most is visiting a variety
of venues and seeing many different drivers in action so it really shouldn't be
a surprise to see me at a place like Midvale. After all, Saturday night racing within 50 miles of home just isn't that
easy to find nowadays. The track is just the right size to provide good close racing, the competition was excellent, and a well run program made for a very enjoyable night at the races and that's really all that matters. I'll have to admit, I could get used too staying cleaned up all night. Tonight the pits had a comfortable 16 Legend cars, 16 Late Models, 9 Super Stocks, 14 Pure Stocks, and enough compacts to run three separate features all racing for just a trophy. Along with heats and features, an "Australian Pursuit" is included in the program where cars are lined up single file, if a driver is passed by another car, he is done. Last remaining car or the lead car at the end of 10 laps is declared the winner. It has been a while since I have seen one of these, it's like organized road rage trying to get around and you sure can tear up some equipment. Pretty cool stuff from where I was standing.
Below is the official release and a few my own photos. I hope to make a return visit real soon !

 

MIDVALE, OH May 31, 2008 - For the first time this season, Midvale Speedway drivers had the opportunity to race two weeks in a row. Legend car drivers joined competitors from the Late Model, Sport Stock, Pure Stock, and Compact divisions to put on a great show for the fans in the stands.

In the Late Model class, Bob Schneider, Jr. took the early lead from his pole starting position. On a lap two restart, Todd Ripley sped to the inside of Greg Beule to take second. Three laps later, he raced around Schneider to control the pace. Tom Garbrandt and John Sluka eventually worked into second and third and started to challenge. Through several cautions, Ripley never faltered and went on to claim his first career Late Model victory. Following the Westgate Ford/Route 39 Auto Salvage #22 were Garbrandt, Sluka, Mike Miller, and Bubba Smith. The rest of the top ten were Bubba Smith, Bryant Smith, Schneider, Rick Sibila, Dave McAlicker, and Bob Eichel. Beule and Schneider won the heats, while Eichel won the pursuit. Ryan Tedesco set fast time but was involved in a grinding pursuit crash.

 

 

One of the closest battles of the season took place in the Sport Stock 20-lap feature. Polesitter Scott Archer and Nick Grubbs brought the field to green with Archer taking the lead. Ron Dague, who was batting a perfect 3 for 3 in feature racing, and Blake Mackey started their methodical moves forward. Dague, who started fifth and Mackey, who started ninth, were in second and third by lap twelve. On a restart, Dague went to the outside of Archer for the lead on the backstretch. As he entered turn three, the veteran racer tried to sneak back into the low lane where Mackey was racing, contact resulted, and Dague would again have to race his way toward the front. Over the last eight laps, Archer and Mackey raced side-by-side for the victory, each taking turns leading the Sport Stock field. Coming to the checkered, the top four, Archer, Mackey, Grubbs, and Dague were locked in the lead battle. It was the Arch-a-motive/American Transformer #28 was followed by Mackey, Grubbs, Dague, and Virgil Ravenscroft, III. The rest of the finishing order was Gabe Pringle, Kevin McClintock, Jerry McNealy, and Ron McBride. Archer took the heat, McNealy the pursuit, and McBride fast time.


Todd Miller, looking for his second feature win, led early in the Pure Stock feature. On lap six, Tory Gibbs, also looking to claim his second victory this season, took over out front. Behind them, seventh place starter Tad Grove was beginning to apply pressure. Grove moved into fourth on lap seven, third on lap ten, second three laps later, and into the lead on lap fourteen. The Pure Stock rookie was a rocket all night long, as he claimed the fastest time, the fast heat, and the pursuit race. Following the J.D. Byrider/CNAC Financing #3 were Gibbs, Rich Schweitzer, Keith Anderson, and Jimmy Orr who started dead last. Teddy Oliver, Brian Oliver, Bob Passwaters, Sr., Miller, and Phil Bunton, Jr. rounded out the top ten. Brian Oliver won the second heat, earlier in the evening.

 

 

In the Northern Ohio Legend feature, Jeff Huber used his front row starting position to race into the early lead. After just a few laps, Steve Rector was able to wrestle the top spot away, while the fierce action continued behind. Seventh place starter Dennis Knox worked his way forward and was in second on lap thirteen as he thwarted Dale Dodge, Jr. With many Midvale feature victories, Knox was expected to get by Rector, but the leader did everything he could to hang on to his first feature victory. Keeping his car on the extreme bottom of the track, Rector was able to keep Knox at bay the final seven circuits to claim the victory. Knox, Dodge, Travis Braden, and Huber completed the top five. The rest of the top ten were Randy Burns, Mike Copen, Andy Yoder, Fred Davis, and Billy Richards. Dodge and Davis were heat winners, while Burns set the fastest time in qualifying.

Derek Grewell, who earlier this season claimed a middle feature victory, was looking for his first fast feature win in a Compact. Starting from the pole, Grewell held off Brad Henry for the first ten paces. On lap eleven, Johnny Campbell moved into second and also couldn’t find the run needed to get the lead. Grewell, driving the Adventure Harley Davison/Schultz Lawn Care #149 raced to the checkered first, while Henry edged Campbell for second. A.J. Diano and Kelly McNutt finished in the top five. The rest of the top ten were Adam Mishler, Don Rufener, Jr., John McNutt, Earl Scranton, and Joe Konovsek completed the top ten.

Tim Westerfield, Jr. and Rich Dunlap both led in the second Compact feature before they were black flagged for speeding tickets. After breaking out of their qualifying times, Ron Myers took the lead. The Barnhill, Ohio driver went on to claim his first feature victory of the season. Tammy Rufener, Bob Passwaters, Jr., Pat Moore, and Billy Nicholas completed the top five. Other top ten finishers were Mike Gribble, Larry Ennis, Mike Belknap, Chris Smith, and Isaac Ferrebee.

Mike Roth led briefly at the beginning of the third Compact feature. However, Kyle Lawson took over on lap three while Joe Fitch took second. With Fitch applying pressure, Lawson was forced under his qualifying time and went pitside. Fitch and Dan Konovsek then raced to the finish in the top two. Following Fitch to his first 2008 win were Konovsek, Mike Roth, Kenny Jewell, and Dale Beatty. Roth’s finish was disallowed as he didn’t report to postrace tech. That gave Jim Campbell a top five finish and Paul Stull, Mike Lawson, Chasity Crawford, Perk Pyle, and Dustin Messer top ten’s.

Cliff Cox, Kyle Grove, Tim Westerfield, Jr., and Joe Fitch claimed the heats, while Brad Henry won the pursuit. Kelly McNutt set the fastest time trial lap.