Published: August 22, 2016
Wiltrout captures career Win #100. First for Settle in 2016. Brink, Kostelnik and Shelpman again victorious. Nicola captures Enduro race.
Jennerstown, PA (August 20, 2016): Jennerstown Speedway’s Hall of Fame Class of 2016 was inducted Saturday during Martella’s Pharmacy “Back To School Night” at the Somerset County oval. Collecting wins during Saturday Night Thunder’s five-division program were: Garry Wiltrout (Martella’s Pharmacy Late Models), Chris Brink (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Andrew Kostelnik (Riggs Industries Street Stocks), Stephen Shelpman (Farmers Union Co-op Chargers) and Steve Settle (Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘N Furious 4’s). Joe Nicola won the 75-Lap Big John’s Enduro.
From his outside front row starting position, Teddy Gibala grabbed the early lead of the 30-lap Martella’s Pharmacy Late Models main event. On the third lap, Somerset’s Garry Wiltrout worked under Gibala for the top spot with Jeremiah Kuntz right on their heels. Kuntz, known for usually running a higher lane than his competitors, edged past Wiltrout’s outside through Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 7 to take over the lead. By Lap 10, three packs of two made up the front of the field with Wiltrout looking to regain the lead while Matt Sever and points leader Barry Awtey ran side-by-side in a battle for 3rd Place. A little ways back, a close battle ensued for the last Top 5 position between Gibala and Bryan Shipp. On Lap 12, Awtey was finally able to clear the Sever machine to secure the 3rd spot. By the halfway mark, Kuntz had a four car length advantage over Wiltrout. With five laps to go, Kuntz approached two cars at the tail of the field. This allowed Wiltrout and Awtey to close on the leader as they ran virtually bumper-to-bumper. The lead trio cleared the lapped machines as they took the two-to-go signal from flagman Mike Rininger. Exiting Turn 2, Wiltrout looked low and began to edge past Kuntz for the lead; beating Kuntz to the stripe by half of a car length. Kuntz battled back on the outside of Witrout on the last lap and had a nose ahead of Wiltrout entering Turn 3. Wiltrout made it stick on the bottom and won the drag race to the Finish Line by just over a car length. Awtey, following in Wiltrout’s tire tracks, came up half of a car length short in a bid for 2nd Place. Sever came home in 4th Place just behind the Top 3. Gibala held off Shipp to capture the last Top 5 position. For Wiltrout, it was his third victory of the season and 100th of his storied career. Kuntz and Awtey won their respective heat races. Awtey extended his lead over by three and leads Sever by 25 points in the standings.
Penn Run’s Chris Brink demonstrated early on in the 25-lap Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature why he has been so successful this season. Starting in the sixth spot, Brink quickly took the lead by charging past the outside of Jason Busch on the backstretch of the first lap. Busch would battle back on Lap 3, but could not take the position from Brink. Behind the Top 2, Tom Golik was trying to fend off points leader Zane Ferrell for the 3rd spot. On Lap 5, Ferrell moved into 3rd Place while Gary Scott took 5th from Lou Botti. Four laps later, Ferrell maneuvered around Busch exiting Turn 2 and cleared the Pittsburgh driver on the backstretch to take the runner-up spot. At the halfway point of the race, a tight battle for 3rd Place involved Busch, Scott and Golik as Brink maintained a half of a second lead over Ferrell. With 18 laps completed, Jeremy Hill spun in Turn 2 to bring out the caution. On the restart, Ferrell jumped to the lead and held the point for two laps before Brink regained the lead on Lap 21. Brink would begin to pull away from Ferrell; building up a seven car length advantage on his way to his ninth victory this season. Ferrell held onto 2nd Place ahead of Golik, Busch and Anthony Aiello. Heat race wins went to Farrell and Brink. Ferrell leads Brink by 21 points in the champion hunt.
Scottdale’s Aaron Van Fleet started on the pole for the 25-lap Riggs Industries Street Stock feature and led in the early going. Andrew Kostelnik flexed some muscle, charging for his eighth starting position to the runner-up position in four laps. On Lap 6, Kostelnik worked under Van Fleet in Turn 2 and completed the pass for the lead through Turns 3 and 4. Last week’s winner, Adam Kostelnik, took the 2nd spot from Van Fleet on Lap 10. although he was a considerable distance behind his brother. Andrew Kostelnik had built nearly a straightaway lead when a spin by Dustin Gursky on Lap 14 slowed the field. Kelly Shaulis was collected in the incident and was done for the night while Gursky was able to continue on. Andrew Kostelnik got a great restart and opened up a ten car length lead over Adam before the red flag came out for a multi-car crash between Turns 1 and 2 involving Van Fleet, Gursky, Mel Wilt and Zac Todaro on Lap 19. Josh Coughenour, making his first start of the season, was penalized for the incident and sent to the tail of the field on the restart. Andrew Kostelnik again got a good jump on the restart while Adam Kostelnik was left to hold off points leader Shawn Beam. Andrew Kostelnik would pull away to cross the stripe a second and a half over Adam Kostelnik and pick up his second win of 2016. Beam finished in the 3rd spot, with Richard Anderson, making his first start of the year, coming home in 4th Place while Jason Holder barely held off Coughenour for the 5th position. Adam Kostelnik and Beam were victorious in their heat races. Andrew Kostelnik was able to cut Beam’s points lead down to just three points with three races remaining.
Points leader Stephen Shelpman started the 15-lap Farmers Union Co-op Charger feature in the 2nd position and was at the head of the pack before the first lap was completed. Early on, the Top 3 of Shelpman, Tanner Friedline and Steve Long had about three car lengths between each other. Near the halfway point, Friedline slowly closed the gap on Shelpman but could not mount a serious challenge on the leader. Long began to pressure Friedline for the runner-up spot with five laps to go, occasionally taking a peek under the rookie from Hooversville. Shelpman would go on to take the checkers by three car lengths over Friedline with Long in the 3rd spot. 4th Place went to Scott Mitchell with Dale Kimberly finishing in 5th. With his feature win and victory in the lone Chargers heat race, Shelpman now leads Mitchell by 59 points in the division standings.
2016 has been a trying time on the track for veteran Steve Settle. Between mechanic woes and on track incidents, the West Leisenring driver has gone through three racecars this season. Settle showed his talents and tenacity during Saturday’s 15-lap Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘N Furious 4’s feature race. The main event got off to a rough start for a couple of perennial frontrunners. Aaron Karasack was slow to get up to speed at the drop of the green which caused a logjam at the front of the pack. Points leader Casey Fleegle and Cindy Rhodes were caught up in the melee. Fleegle pitted but continued on while Rhodes, who came into the evening second in points, suffered a broken tie rod; ending her race before it even got started. Andrew Pluta and Paul Koffler III also went pitside, yet rejoined the field before going green again. Brent Bickerstaff led the first lap of the race before giving way to Settle. Joe Laposky would replace replace Bickerstaff for the runner-up spot on Lap 3 only to spin in Turn 2 on the next circuit to bring out the yellow flag. Once back to green flag racing, Settle continued to pace the field while Fleegle charged through the pack. Fleegle would take 2nd Place from Brian Noel on Lap 8 as Koffler also began to work his way into the Top 5. Down the stretch, Koffler would take 3rd Place from Noel as Settle cruised to a two second win over Fleegle; his first victory of 2016. Koffler, Noel and Bickerstaff rounded out the Top 5. Heat race wins went to Pluta and Koffler. Fleegle holds a 77 point advantage over Koffler, who moved past Rhodes for 2nd Place in the division standings.
Steve Joos jumped to the lead of the 75-lap Big John’s Enduro race from his 2nd starting position. He would lead the first seven circuits before Paul Koffler, Jr. took the point. Josh Dunmyer held the 3rd spot with hardcharging Joe Nicola running in 4th ahead of Travis Beam. Nicola would take 3rd from Dunmyer on Lap 13 and 2nd Place from Joos two laps later. On Lap 17, Koffler pitted while leading the race; handing the top spot to Nicola. By Lap 25, Nicola held a four car length advantage over Joos while Dunmyer was another ten car lengths back. Beam ran in the 4th position; half of a lap behind the leader. The race was slowed on Lap 33 when the #1 of Joos stopped on the track. Dunmyer also exited the event at this point, shuffling the top of the running order. By Lap 60, Nicola had lapped all but the 2nd Place machine of Dan Zimmerman. Another frontrunner, Rich Nicola, stopped on the track on Lap 68 while the red flag was displayed for a fire on the ride of Jason Edmiston. Nicola would cruise the final seven trips around the half-mile oval to take the checkers. Zimmerman, Eddie Lepley, Jason Hale and Joshua Crowley rounded out the Top 5.
The Super Cup Stock Car Series returns to Jennerstown Speedway Complex this Saturday, August 27th, for Heritage Coal Night. Saturday Night Thunder will also feature the track’s regular five-division program. Admission is only $10, $8 for senior citizens and free for children 12 and under. Spectator gates open at 4PM.
LATE MODELS
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1. Garry Wiltrout
MODIFIEDS
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1. Chris Brink
STREET STOCKS
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CHARGERS
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FAST ‘N FURIOUS 4’s
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BIG JOHN’s ENDURO
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