Buman bags Patrick Ahlund Classic at Champion Speedway

The action and excitement continued to grow again at Champion Speedway last Saturday as the racing on track was hot and heavy! A full program of speedway racing along with an excellent ATV show took to the bullring oval! Former track champion, Mike Buman, made a return after a two-year layoff and did not disappoint.

The first heat race featured another former standout who was returning, John “Boogieman” Lewis, along with last week’s winner, Len McBride, Pat Cliff and Russ Cornell. McBride took it home, with Lewis looking sharp for second; Cliff was third. 

In event two, “Smokin” Dave Oakden used the outside to get around five-time track champion, Adam “The Missile” Mittl, down the back straight to take a lead he never relinquished. Mittl would stay in second, with Jesse “Jet” Diem third and Dalton Oakden fourth. 

Buman would make his debut in the third race but would face this season’s hottest rider thus far, “Sideways” Spencer Portararo. Buman showed no signs of rust but was not quick enough to outdistance Portararo and settled for second, with Dave “The Shark” Clark third and Mike Cortese Jr. fourth.

Oakden, Portararo, and Buman would score second round victories with Diem, Mittl and Clark taking second places. Third place points were scooped up by McBride, Dalton Oakden, and Lewis.

In closing out the heats, Mittl took a win off McBride while Clark handed Oakden his first loss and Buman won over Diem. The top eight riders in points were then placed in two semifinals. 

With the heat and all the ATV races, along with go-kart races the evening prior, the dirt had gone completely away at this stage on the track and riders would need to rely on luck of starting gate position draws and gating skills. 

In semi number one, Portararo was leading but fell down and Diem rode a great race to win. McBride took a solid second for the last direct transfer to the Main with Oakden and Portararo going to the last chance. Buman was on the gas for the checkered flag in the other semi while a nice race took place between Clark and Mittl with Clark getting the edge. Lewis, having a nice night after such a long hiatus, was fourth.

Portararo would be sure to take the last Main event position out of the last chance but not without a valiant fight from Mittl, who was one of the top riders in speed, all night. Oakden ended up third and Lewis DNS. 

In the Main, Buman got the coveted inside starting spot with the track conditions the way they were and would make no mistakes as he piloted to a nice victory to take the Patrick Ahlund Trophy. Portararo tried hard, not far off in second, but could not make up the ground with the lack of outside material. Clark nailed a solid third, with Diem fourth and McBride fifth.

Champion Speedway hosts the Speedway Joe Cup/USSGP RD 3 on Saturday, Aug. 15, and then comes back with the Moonbeam / McBride Memorial on Aug. 29, prior to the US Open National Championships on Labor Day weekend! 

The venue also hosts go-kart racing on Friday evenings. Social distancing rules are in effect for all events. 

For more information, visit www.eastcoastspeedway.com.

Patrick Ahlund Classic Results: 1. Mike Buman, 2. Spencer Portararo, 3. David Clark, 4. Jesse Diem, 5. Len McBride.

Last Chance: 1. Spencer Portararo, 2. Adam Mittl, 3. Dave Oakden, 4. John Lewis.

D-2: 1. Trenton Lane, 2. Dale Robinson, 3. Caleb Stewart, 4. Battlescar Bradley, 5. Andy Kourafas.

D-3: 1. William Warnock, 2. Alexis Heath, 3. Jerry Harman Jr., 4. Timothy Wilmarth, 5. Dana Marsh.

JR: 1. Joel Farwell, 2. Dalton Marsh, 3. Cody Pierce / Levi Harris DNS

MINI B (A): 1st Dominic Tonkin #505, 2nd Carter Geist #316. 3rd Kelsie Orcutt #51, 4th Kendall Williams #685, 5th Tanner Barrett #266.

MINI B (B): 1st Preston Kenyon #5, 2nd Brayden Donholdt #15, 3rd Zoey Holley #405, 4th McKenna Tonkin #427, 5th Ella Whitt #527, Chase Bennett #33.

AM QUAD: 1st Zac Evans #769, 2nd Tony Hanbury #42, 3rd Jason O’Rourke #120, 4th Dylan Hagerman #10, 5th John Livezey #17, 6th Lane Sterling #245, 7th Ashley Retorto #1058, 8th Max Kenyon #99, Mitch Milliron #221, Lucas Duffy #7, Adam Merwin #25, Lizzy Merwin #921, Bruce Stauder #757, Collin Davey #30.

SPORTSMAN: 1st Collin Kenyon #620, 2nd Rick France SR #444, 3rd Dylan Hagerman #10, 4th Jason O’Rourke #120, 5th Steve Kappler #805, 6th Lucas Kappler #25, 7th Bruce Stauder #757, 8th Chris Merwin #9, Tony Hanbury #42, Lane Sterling #245, Spencer Roof #9, Lizzy Merwin #921, Michael Orcutt #607, Dylan Hawk #86, Ashley Retorto #1058.

PRO QUAD: 1st Brad Harrington #527, 2nd Toby Relyea #44, 3rd Dylan Hawk #86, 4th Chris Merwin #9, 5th Stoney Ray #715, 6th Donnie Archibald #83, 7th Rick Franze JR #444, 8th Lucas Kappler #25, 9th Lonni Whitmore #70, 10th Collin Kenyon #620, 11th Steve Kappler #805.

MINI TRIKE: 1st TJ Smith #101, 2nd Paulie Crambo #77, 3rd Dan Henninge #397, 4th Matt Wambold #16.