Hy-Miler Nationals: Amherst's Paller takes Fast 40

PERKINS TWP. — Jim Paller didn't have to travel far to win his first International Supermodifieds Association (ISMA) event. He just had to make the trip from his home in Amherst to Sandusky Speedway to pocket the $2,400 purse.Friday night's Fast 40 feature did not get off to an ideal start after a massive nine-plus car crash on the fourth turn of Lap 1.A total of five cars ended up in the pits for the night, including big names Mark Sammut and Ben Seitz.After the restart the racing heated up quickly as Paller took a commanding lead as the cars made their way to the 19th lap when defending Fast 40 champion Tim Jedrzejek took a spill and lost his tire to send the race into another red flag.Paller managed to sift through it all to hold the lead through four restarts and multiple hazards."The car was able to keep straight throughout the entire race and I was just lucky to stay away from all of the trouble spots," he said.Paller was an underdog heading into the event with past champions such Dave Shullick Jr. and Mike Ordway Jr. in the field.The North Ridgeville native Shullick, who finished in fifth place, mentioned prior to the race that he was breaking in his Stout Racing No. 49 car, but was still going for the win."With the new car we are trying to get the bugs worked out tonight," he said. "Usually we come into the Fast 40 trying to win it, but this year is different. We are learning the car and will make adjustments for the Hy-Miler, and if we are there at the end we will go all out. We will never settle for second place."Ordway finished fourth and said he hoped to have a good showing in the Fast 40 to provide momentum for tonight's Hy-Miler."I would love to be a two-time winner of the Hy-Miler and put my name up there with Chris Perley, the Shullicks, Wood and all the multiple-time winners here," Ordway said. "The Sandusky Speedway is a special place because of all the greats who have raced here. It's just the prestige that surrounds it."Tonight is just a baseline to get us where we can be in position to win tomorrow," he added. "If the car needs adjusted we can do that, and if it is running well we can build off that and try to improve for the big one."Earlier Friday, Doug Meyer dominated in the 30-lap modifieds co-feature.Meyer led for most of the race and pulled away from field. Second-place finisher Matt Marlowe finished a 2.132 seconds behind, while Stephen Klinect lagged 3.276 seconds. The next closest finisher was more than eight seconds behind the winner.Modifieds feature top 5: Doug Meyer, Matt Marlowe -2.132, Stephen Klinect -3.276, Norm Taylor -8.878, Kenny Phillips – 9.603Supermodified time trials: Kyle Edwards, 14.358; Mike Ordway Jr., 14.404; Mike Lichty, 14.422; Dave Shullick Jr., 14.449; Otto Sitterly, 14.613Fast 40: Jim Paller, Mike Lichty, Moe Lilje, Mike Ordway Jr., Dave Shullick Jr. Dave Shullick Jr. of North Ridgeville, Ohio, qualifies for the ISMA Supermodified Fast 40 at Sandusky Speedway on Friday night. Shullick will defend his Hy-Miler Nationals title tonight.Mike Ordway Jr., from Windham, Maine, qualifies prior to the ISMA Supermodified Fast 40 event at Sandusky Speedway on July 26, 2019. Trent Stephens from Tallmadge, Ohio, qualifies for the ISMA Supermodified Fast 40 at Sandusky Speedway on July 26, 2019. Talon Stephens from Ravenna, Ohio, qualifies for the ISMA Supermodified Fast 40 at Sandusky Speedway on July 26, 2019. Mike Ordway Jr. qualifies for the ISMA Supermodified Fast 40 at Sandusky Speedway on July 26, 2019. Dave Shullick Jr. qualifies for the ISMA Supermodified Fast 40 at Sandusky Speedway on July 26, 2019. Talon Stephens qualifies for the ISMA Supermodified Fast 40 at Sandusky Speedway on July 26, 2019.