Published: June 15, 2015
JENNERSTOWN — With a huge crowd in attendance to kick off the 2015 racing season at Jennerstown Speedway, three drivers celebrated in victory lane before rain halted the activities.
Lonnie Hoffman earned a first Jennerstown win in the Modified division, and Jerod Brougher won the first race of his career in the Riggs Industries Street Stock division. Defending Champion, Steve Long, added to his list of Jennerstown accomplishments by dominating the Charger division for another victory.
The new management team, with an agreement in place to host Saturday night racing in the Laurel Highlands for years to come, provided music, clowns, and family fun prior to the start of racing. An announcement is forthcoming, regarding dates to make-up the two races that would have completed the program on June 13, if not for the evening rain shower. After defending Champion Barry Awtey and 2014 winner Jeremiah Kuntz won heat races for the Martella Pharmacy Late Models, Mother Nature washed out the 40-lap feature race. Also falling victim to the persistent storm was the “Hillbilly 500” feature race for the Somerset Trust Fast n’ Furious Fours. The biggest event ever held at Jennerstown for the four cylinder division was to be 40-laps in distance, with Paul Koffler Jr. and Andrew Pluta winning heat races. Both events will be made up in the coming weeks.
After struggling with a “tight” handling race car in the heat race, Lonnie Hoffman, of Smithton, led every lap of the Modified division’s 15-lap feature race. Hoffman,athree time winner already in 2015, scored his first career victory at Jennerstown after making only one previous start at the paved oval, several years earlier. Driver for the Harry Opfer Racing Team, Hoffman steered to “The Batmobile” to the win, as the race went without a caution flag incident. To score the opening night trophy, Hoffman outran heat race winner Bryan Shipp, who finished second, ahead of veteran Tom Golik and dirt track racer Justin Milburn.
Ron Eiford, III is a rookie to the Riggs Industries Street Stock division. After starting fourth in the 25-lap feature, Eiford led lap one. Second-year Street Stocker Jerod Brougher advanced to second position early in the event, after starting fifth. On lap 10, Brougher made the winning pass, after a duel with Eiford, and drove to his first win since moving up the divisional ladder from the entry level four cylinder cars. Eiford, heat race winner Anthony Aiello, first-time racer Dustin Gursky, and Zane Ferrell completed the top five finishers.
Last season, the Charger division was dominated by Steve Long. The resident of Rockwood won the heat race and the 15-lap feature on opening night 2015 at his home track. Long is also a former Four Cylinder Champion at Jennerstown. But Long was not only leader of the race, as Rookie Frank Novak led lap one, and Ron Eiford Jr. led three laps. Long moved to the front of the pack on lap five, after starting in sixth position. Novak, Eiford, Dale Kimberly and Jeremy Hill placed second through fifth.
Next Saturday, June 20, Jennerstown Speedway presentsaspecial event for the Martella Pharmacy Late Models, as the top division racers will compete in two separate 31-lap feature events, for increased prize money. Drivers from Pa., New York, Ohio and North Carolina are expected to compete as part of a full program of racing.
