Mike Bittinger

We offer many payment plans to fit anyone's budget.
For more information please contact team manager
Scott Coghill at bittinger_racing@yahoo.com for a proposal.

Hanover, PA (6/26/09) – A young driver who has had his troubles with lapped traffic so far this season used lapped traffic en route to his first career win at Trail-Way Speedway Friday night.

He doesn’t have his driver’s license yet, but 16-year-old Logan Schuchart took some advice from his famous grandfather to win the 25-lap “358” sprint car feature.

“Grandpa (Bobby Allen) told me to stay on the bottom because it was going to get slick during the feature,” said a jubilant Schuchart upon exiting his Speedway 94/Don Ott Racing Engines #1s in victory lane, “I’ve learned from racing through lapped traffic this year, and I saw she (Jessie Morrison) was getting behind some lapped cars, and that’s what I needed.”

Jessie Morrison, who started on the outside of the front row, followed polesitter Nick Palmerino for the first three laps before sliding under the #51N exiting turn two of lap four. She led the next 19 laps before fourth-starting Schuchart drove under her as the two closed on lap traffic in turn four of lap 24.

“This is awesome!” exclaimed Schuchart, “I thought we might get it (his first win) last week. But I’m glad we’re here now.”

Morrison completed her best-ever Trail-Way run by crossing second, inches ahead of Billy Dietrich, who came from eighth starting spot to finish third. Last week’s winner Mike Bittinger was fourth, with Dale Hammaker completing the top five. Sixth through tenth were Brad McClelland, Joe Trone, Jr., Danny Dietrich, Doug Hammaker, and Shane Smith.

Heats for the 25 “358” sprint cars on hand were won by Morrison, Jeff Rohrbaugh, and Brad McClelland. Randy Whisler won the consolation event.

Rohrbaugh’s car went up in a puff of smoke on lap nine of the feature and was taken to the pits for the night.

Feature (25 Laps)

1.1S-Logan Schuchart; 2.18J-Jessie Morrison; 3.8-Billy Dietrich; 4.93-Mike Bittinger; 5.66-Dale Hammaker; 6.6-Brad McClelland; 7..99-Joe Trone Jr.; 8.88-Danny Dietrich; 9.66H-Doug Hammaker; 10.00-Shane Smith; 11.99M-Kyle Moody; 12.10-Zach Euculano; 13.20S-Derek Sell; 14.07-Bill Schoffstall; 15.10W-Brian Bruckner; 16.64-Randy Whisler; 17.51-Nick Palmerino; 18.11-Brian Allman; 19.36T-Peter Bartley; 20.50-James Strausbaugh; 21.9H-Johnny Hagen; 22.98-Randy Davis Jr.(DNF); 23.1-Tim Wagaman(DNF); 24.7V-Jeff Rohrbaugh(DNF). No Time.

Heat 3 (10 Laps/6 to Qualify)

1.6-Brad McClelland; 2.1-Tim Wagaman; 3.93-Mike Bittinger; 4.8-Billy Dietrich; 5.10-Zach Euculano; 6.99M-Kyle Moody; 7.64-Randy Whisler; 8.07-Bill Schoffstall; 9.10W-Brian Bruckner(DNF). Time 2:20.84.

BITTINGER CLAIMS FIRST OF YEAR IN TRAIL-WAY 358’S

Hanover, PA (6/19/09) – Mike Bittinger took the lead from lady driver Jessie Morrison on a fifth-lap restart and drove away to his first career win in the Auto Racing Club of Hagerstown Night 25-lap “358” sprint car feature at Trail-Way Speedway Friday night.

But the end of the race came none too soon for the Pancho’s Racing Products #93.

“I started running out of fuel,” explained Bittinger after scoring his seventh career Trail-Way win, “Had we gone one more lap, I wouldn’t have won it.”

Bittinger started third and got under polesitter Zach Euculano for second on the opening lap. He then followed Morrison for the first four laps before a caution came out for a three-car spin involving Brad McClelland, Shane Smith, and Billy Dietrich in turn four. During the caution, three-time defending track champ Jeff Rohrbaugh was pushed into the pits, ending his night. McClelland also went off on the wrecker.

After taking the lead on the restart, the Pancho’s Racing Products/North York AutoMenders #93 pulled away from the field until entering lapped traffic at the mid-way point of the race.

Second-place Logan Schuchart (who started seventh) and third-place Dale Hammaker began closing on the leader until Schuchart struck the lapped car of Tim Stallings in turn four of lap 18, bringing out the caution. Hammaker then pulled onto the back bumper of Bittinger and dogged him the rest of the way.

“I saw Dale was in second, and didn’t see his nose on the restart, so I stayed on the top,” said Bittinger, “I was up in ‘no man’s land,’ but the track held up and lapped cars were in the middle, so I stayed there.”

Bittinger’s final margin of victory over Hammaker was two carlengths.

Third through fifth were DS Diversified Services hard charger Tim Wagaman (who padded his points lead by coming from 13th starting spot), Joe Trone, Jr., and Billy Dietrich (who came from the back after the fifth-lap spin). Sixth through tenth were Randy Davis, Jr., Euculano, Doug Hammaker, Keith Prutzman, and 19th-starting Randy Whisler.

Heats for the 21 “358” sprinters were won by Dietrich, Davis, and Bittinger.

Photo courtesy of Skelly Photos Photo courtesy of Gregg Obst

Bittinger picks up 1st career
win at Lincoln Speedway.
Photo courtesy of Loren Carman

It was another long night at Lincoln speedway as rain showers moved onto the speedway delaying the start of the race. For Mike Bittinger it was well worth the wait as he picked up his 1^st career win in the 410 sprint car feature. It was a crash filled marathon race. The track was extremely heavy (the rains helped to make it extremely wet ) making for difficult driving by all drivers. Bittinger took the lead after a red flag when the 17e of Chris Eash and the 9 of Craig Keel got together sending their cars flipping. The restart put Adam Lawrence at the point with Nick Schlauch Jr 2^nd and Bittinger 3^rd for the lap 22 restart. Lawrence took the low side trying to block Schlauch which left the door open for Bittinger to go to the outside and pass both cars and pick up the win with a 1.87 second win over 2^nd place finisher Niki Young. It has been a very trying year for this team with several setbacks and disappointing finishes. We are very excited to get this win. Mike would like to first and foremost thank his wife, Stacy for her continued support and patience during this very trying racing season. There is also the support of our sponsors that help make this possible. Apex Fence Company, Scott Signs , KC Automotive ,Lamdinscapes HardScape, Precision Tune , Hanover Wesleyan Church, Diversified Services , Terry Tag & Title , Panchos, Morris Machine B&C Auto Menders and Deb Rice from DR Web Design . Also, a big thanks to Chris Knopp for coming on as crew chief in the middle of the 08 season. Look for Mike Bittinger back in action at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday, August 9^th,

Feature (25 Laps) - 1. 12-Mike Bittinger ($3,000); 2. 10N-Niki Young; 3. 5-Adam Lawrence; 4. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 5. 45-Scott Geesey; 6. 28-Chad Jumper; 7. 4-John Rudisill; 8. 97-Jimmy Reppert; 9. 9-Craig Keel (DNF); 10. 17E-Cris Eash (DNF); 11. 6W-Josh Wells (DNF); 12. 21-Brian Montieth (DNF); 13. 11C-Cory Haas (DNF); 14. 8-Steve Petry (DNF); 15. 43-Doug Dodson (DNF); 16. 26-Pat Cooper (DNF); 17. 55-Jimmy Layton (DNF); 18. 3B-Randy Baughman (DNF); 19. 23-Todd Zinn (DNF); 20. 25-Aaron Ott (DNF); 21. 45-AJ Michael (DNF); 22. 69-Shawn Weaver (DNF); 23. 49-Bobby Howard (DNF); 24. 29-Chris Weiss (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders - Pat Cooper (1), Craig Keel (2-21), Mike Bittinger (22-25)

1.76-second margin of victory for Bittinger