Beam and Shelpman victorious in Bill Awtey Tribute races. Late-race passes propel Sever and Rhodes to Victory Lane. #8 for Brink.

Published: August 8, 2016

Beam and Shelpman victorious in Bill Awtey Tribute races.  Late-race passes propel Sever and Rhodes to Victory Lane.  #8 for Brink.

Jennerstown, PA   (August 6, 2016):   Riggs Industries Night at Jennerstown Speedway Complex featured the Bill Awtey Tribute races for the Street Stocks and Chargers.  The extra distance and increased purse features saw Shawn Beam take the checkers in the Riggs Industries Streets Stocks and Stephen Shelpman garnering the victory in the Farmer Union Co-op Chargers.  Also victorious during Saturday Night Thunder were: Matt Sever (Martella’s Pharmacy Late Models), Chris Brink (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds) and Cindy Rhodes (Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘N Furious 4’s).

Bryan Shipp, last year’s Modified champion, has shown steady improvement and poise during his first season in the Martella’s Pharmacy Late Model division.  On Saturday, the Scottdale driver led the first three circuits of the 30-lap feature before an incident on the backstretch brought out the red flag.  Contract between Bobby Henry and Scott Stern sent Stern’s car across the track and into the path of Garry Wiltrout.  Wiltrout’s car shot towards the outer retaining wall with the rear of his machine climbing above the wall and sliding along it before coming to rest against the inner wall.  Wiltrout was okay, but done for the evening.  On the restart, points leader Barry Awtey worked to the lowside of Shipp through Turns 3 and 4 to take over the point position.  Matt Sever would barely beat Shipp to the line to complete Lap 8 to move into the runner-up spot.  For a number of laps, the Top 5 settled in with Teddy Gibala running in 4th Place and John Komarinski, making only his second start of the season, holding onto the 5th spot.  Meanwhile, Sever was inching closer to Awtey with only four car lengths separating the lead duo.  On Lap 23, Awtey’s advantage disappeared while coming up to lap rookie Jeremy Hill in Turn 3.  Hill slowed dramatically, forcing Awtey on the binders and allowing Sever to close on Awtey’s rear bumper.  Shipp, who had kept pace not far behind the leaders, was now within striking distance as well.  With five laps remaining, Sever began to peek under the Awtey machine for the lead.  Exiting Turn 2 on Lap 27, Sever edged by Awtey to move into 1st Place.  Sever would clear Awtey’s mount and extend his lead to four car lengths as he claimed his third victory of the season.   Awtey held off Shipp for 2nd Place.  Gibala ran a consistent 4th while Henry charged back through the field to take the 5th spot from Komarinski with four laps remaining.   Sever and Wiltrout won their heat races.   Awtey came into the evening leading Wiltrout by eight points in the season standings.  With Wiltrout’s misfortunes, Sever climbed into the 2nd Position; 17 markers behind Awtey.

From his outside front row starting position, Lou Botti jumped to the lead of the 25-lap Stoystown Auto Wreckers main event at the drop of the green.  As they crossed the Start/Finish Line, Tom Golik shot to the inside of polesitter Joe Ballough and held the 2nd spot by the time the front of the field reached Turn 1.  Botti held the point for the first two laps before Golik took over the lead.  Points leader Zane Ferrell would pass Botti a lap later for the runner-up spot.  Golik would open up his lead over Ferrell while Chris Brink, winner of seven of the first nine races this season, rocketed from his 11th starting position to reach the Top 5 by Lap 7.  On Lap 11, the Penn Run pilot squeezed under Botti through Turn 4 to moved into 3rd Place.  Brink began to reel in Ferrell, although both drivers were a considerable distance behind Golik.  Brink took 2nd from Ferrell on Lap 15.  Golik’s seemingly insurmountable lead evaporated on Lap 16 when Brad Milburn spun on the frontstretch.  Smithton’s Lonnie Hoffman went to the pits during the yellow; relinquishing his 5th Place position.  On the double file restart, Brink worked to the outside of Golik to gain the top spot.  Gary Scott shuffled Botti back to 5th Place with five laps remaining.   Down the stretch, Brink pulled away from Golik by four car lengths to pick up Win #8 of the season.   Ferrell held onto 3rd Place ahead of Scott and Botti.  Heat race wins went to Brink and Ferrell.  Brink gained four points on Ferrell in the championship standings and now trails by just six points.

As a tribute to Jennerstown Speedway legend Bill Awtey, Saturday’s Riggs Industries Street Stock feature was extended by ten laps with an increased purse.  Somerset’s Kelly Shaulis led the first trip around the half-mile oval before giving way to points leader Shawn Beam, who had started the 35-lap special in the fifth position.  As Beam began to stretch out his lead, Shaulis held onto 2nd Place; just ahead of Aaron Van Fleet, Adam Kostelnik and Andrew Kostelnik.  Adam Kostelnik would take 3rd Place from Van Fleet on Lap 7 and, two laps later, the 2nd spot from Shaulis.  While Kostelnik tried to close on Beam for the lead, a fierce battle ensued between Shaulis and Andrew Kostelnik for the 4th spot.  As they began the fourteenth circuit, contact between them sent Kostelnik spinning heading into Turn 1.  Shaulis went to the pits, but returned to action as did Kostelnik.  Adam Kostelnik ran door-to-door with Beam on the restart and even led Lap 15 before Beam regained the point position a lap later.  Shaulis spun on the frontstretch on Lap 17 to again slow the event.  Just short of the halfway mark, the restart was single file.  Beam held Adam Kostelnik at bay as the field went back to green with Van Fleet still running in 3rd, ahead of Anthony Aiello and rookie Zac Todaro.  Andrew Kostelnik battled his way back through the field in the closing laps, making his way to the 4th position.  As the field began the 34th circuit, he made contact with a lapped car entering Turn 1.  Beam chose to start in the outer lane on the double file restart and quickly cleared the car of Adam Kostelnik.  Beam would go on to collect his sixth win of 2016 ahead of Adam Kostelnik, Van Fleet, Aiello and Jason Holder.   Beam and Adam Kostelnik won the division’s heat races.  Beam started the evening 13 points behind Andrew Kostelnik in the standings.  Beam’s victory, coupled with Kostelnik’s 8th Place finish in the feature, propelled him to a three point advantage over Kostelnik in the championship hunt.

The Farmers Union Co-op Chargers also paid tribute to Bill Awtey with a special 25-lap feature.   Polesitter Frank Novak led the first two laps before points leader Stephen Shelpman took the top spot with a pass under Novak on the backstretch.   Novak would fall into the 2nd spot, followed by Jason Pritts, Scott Mitchell and Tanner Friedline.  A spin by Joe Ruskey on Lap 5 brought out the caution.  Shelpman would maintain the lead after the restart while Mitchell shuffled Pritts back to 4th Place on Lap 7 just before a spin by Jason Garchak in Turn 1 would slow the field for a second time.  Shelpman again pulled away on the restart while Mitchell took the runner-up position from Novak on Lap 12.  At this point in the event, Shelpman’s lead had increased to eight car lengths.  With two laps to go, Friedline passed Pritts to take over 4th Place.  Shelpman would cross the finish line nearly two seconds ahead of Mitchell to claim his fifth victory this season.  Novak came home in 3rd, ahead of Friedline and Pritts.   Heat race wins went to Shelpman and Novak.  Shelpman leads the championship standings; 55 points ahead of Mitchell.

Sutersville’s Angie Kimberly started the 15-lap Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘N Furious 4’s feature on the pole position and led the first lap.  In a wild scramble at the front of the field, Joe Laposky came out on top on Lap 2.  The lead group sorted out with Andrew Pluta, points leader Casey Fleegle and Cindy Rhodes in close pursuit.  On Lap 6, Pluta and Fleegle made contact on the backstretch to bring out the yellow flag.  Fleegle was able to drive his car to the pit area while Pluta continued on with damage to the front of his racecar.  Laposky would continue to lead after the restart.  While encountering the rear of the field on Lap 9, Pluta used it to his advantage to race past Laposky and into the lead.  Rhodes worked to the outside of Laposky on backstretch of Lap 13 to move into 2nd Place.  On the next trip around the Somerset County oval, Rhodes drove under Pluta and into the lead.  She would hold off Pluta the rest of the way to claim the victory; her first since winning on opening night.   Laposky finished in 3rd, with Brian Noel coming home in 4th Place and Paul Koffler III rounding out the Top 5.    Rhodes, Laposky and Pluta won their heat races for the 4-cylinder compacts.   Fleegle, despite an 11th Place finish, leads Rhodes by 52 points in the division standings.

This Saturday, August 13th, it’s Scout Night at Jennerstown Speedway Complex.  Each group that preregisters will receive complimentary tickets for the scout’s family.  Contact Billy Hribar at hri6447@gmail.com or (412) 601-0425 for more information.  Admission is only $10, $8 for senior citizens and free for children 12 and under.  Spectator gates open at 4PM.  Racing begins at 6PM.