Published: July 6, 2015
Former Champions Split Jennerstown Twin Features
(Jennerstown, PA) The top division of racing at the Jennerstown Speedway, the Martella’s Pharmacy Late Models, competed in “Twin 31-Lap Features” on Saturday night, July 4, 2015. Defending track Champion, Barry Awtey and former Champion Garry Wiltrout each celebrated in victory lane, following the races that were sponsored by Jake’s Putt-Putt/Molly’s Ice Cream/Trackside Auto Shine of Somerset, PA. Other winners included Bryan Shipp (Modifieds), Adam Kostelnik (Riggs Industries Street Stocks), Stephen Shelpman (Chargers), and Paul Koffler, Jr. (Somerset Trust Fast ‘N Furious 4’s).
The first of two feature races for the Maretlla’s Pharmacy Late Models began with Newton, North Carolina resident Colt James on the pole position. James, a winner in “Keystone State” special events in his career, lined up alongside Bobby Henry, a two-time Champion of the nearby Motordrome Speedway. James led the first lap, as third place starter Barry Awtey passed Henry for second position. James’ lead was short-lived, as the former “Big Ten Series” Late Model Champion surrendered the top spot to Awtey on lap four. James remained the runner-up for most of the event, as Awtey drove to a comfortable lead. In the closing laps, Jayme Beck advanced from her sixth starting position. A spirited battle between James and Beck had the fans cheering, as the two made contact more than once. Beck, a 2014 Jennerstown winner, stole the second position with two laps to go. When the checkered flag waved, home-track favorite Awtey, of Jenners, PA, drove his Wheeler Show Cattle/Stoystown Auto Wrecking/Pizza Hut Chevrolet to his first win of the year. Beck placed second ahead of James, with 2014 winners Matt Sever and Jeremiah Kuntz finishing fourth and fifth.
The front row for the second Martella’s Pharmacy Late Model feature was comprised of young Joe Maruca and veteran Garry Wiltrout. Maruca, seeking his first career win, led the first two laps. On lap three, Wiltrout, of Somerset, PA, passed Maruca for the top spot. In 2014, Wiltrout won at Jennerstown early in the season, before suffering a concussion and whiplash in a serious crash on the front stretch. The accident forced Wiltrout to sit out the second half of the racing season. As he led the pack, third-place starter, Mark Poole held the second position. On lap twelve, Matt Sever climbed into second place, after starting sixth. Barry Awtey started in tenth place, and took third position from Poole on lap 15. Sever was soon challenged by Awtey, while Wiltrout built up a lead interval of almost a straightaway. Sever and Awtey dueled for several laps, with Awtey claiming second place on lap 22. But former Jennerstown Champion, Wiltrout, was too far ahead for Awtey to challenge for a second win on the same night. After finishing sixth in the first event of the night, Wiltrout scored a convincing victory in the second 31-lap race. It was Wiltrout’s seventh overall win of the year, and his first at Jennerstown, aboard his Stone and Company/Scottdale Lumber/Franjo/Meegan Ford. Awtey, Sever, Poole, and Colt James crossed the finish line in top five positions. Wiltrout and Jayme Beck won the heat races.
Former dirt track racer Tom Golik started on the pole position for the 20 lap Modified feature event. Seeking his first win on an asphalt track, veteran Golik led lap one. Bryan Shipp, of Scottdale, PA, then grabbed the lead, and drove away from all competitors. Shipp, a former Modified Champion in Western, PA, earned his first career Jennerstown win, driving unchallenged to the checkered flag. Golik placed second, and 2014 winner A.J. Poljak recovered from a crash to finish third. Heat race winner “Racin Jason” Busch placed fourth, and 2014 winner “Big Daddy” Lou Botti earned fifth position.
After veteran Jason Holder led lap one of the 25-lap Riggs Industries Street Stock feature, Adam Kostelnik claimed the lead. Kostelnik, a former Champion, ran away from Holder after starting in the fifth position, driving a car he built, but never raced before. Typically driven by rookie Paul Secrist, the number 50 car remained in front of the pack. Eighth place starter Jason Lasky advanced to second place by lap seven. The former Late Model winner was visiting from his home on North Carolina, won his heat race and climbed several spots in the feature. But Kostelnik, of East McKeesport, PA, defeated all competitors by a straightaway, and became the all-time leading Street Stock winner at Jennerstown, crossing the finish line first. Lasky, recent Motordrome Speedway winner Lauren Butler, 2014 winner Anthony Aiello, and heat race winner Zane Ferrell finished second through fifth.
Rookie Frank Novak led the first three laps of the Charger division’s 15-lap feature. On lap four, Stephen Shelpman, of Pittsburgh, PA, made the winning pass. Shelpman, led the remainder of the distance, in his second full season as a Charger racer. A winner in 4-Cylinder competition, he won as a Charger rookie in 2014, and has two victories in 2015, prior to his collecting his first Jennerstown trophy. The ever-improving Ron Eiford, Jr. finished second ahead of Novak and 2014 winner Jon Scott.
Three different drivers led during the 15-lap Somerset Trust Fast ‘N Furious 4’s feature race. Defending Champion Steve Settle led lap one, before 2014 winner Cindy Rhodes led lap two. On lap three, heat race winner Paul Koffler, Jr. took the top spot, and never relinquished the lead. A multi-feature winner in 2014, and former Champion of both dirt and asphalt tracks, Koffler won the first feature race of the year for the division, after rain postponed the opening night race. Heat race winner Andrew Pluta finished second, with Rhodes, Settle, and Evan Nibert completing the top five.
