Published: July 18, 2016
Lichty victorious in ISMA Supermodifieds. Kimberly and Pluta collect first wins of 2016. More trophies for Sever, Brink and Beam.
Jennerstown, PA (July 16, 2016): The ISMA Supermodifieds made their first trip to Jennerstown Speedway Complex since 2007 a memorable one. The lightweight, powerful winged warriors provided incredible speeds and action. Mike Lichty charged through the field to take the checkers in the 50-lap main event. Also victorious during Saturday Night Thunder were: Matt Sever (Martella's Pharmacy Late Models), Chris Brink (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Shawn Beam (Riggs Industries Street Stocks), Dale Kimberly (Farmers Union Co-op Chargers) and Andrew Pluta (Somerset Trust Company Fast 'N Furious 4's).
A brief rain shower delayed the running of the ISMA Supermodified 50-lap main event. Once the racers took to the track, fans were treated to a race full of daring moves and excitement. Earlier in the day, Dave Shullick, Jr. set a new track record of 15.121 seconds; breaking the old mark of Chris Perley established in 1997.
Shullick started the feature in the 3rd spot, but quickly passed polesitter Danny Shirey for the lead before the first circuit was completed. Mark Sammut and Mike Ordway, Jr. shuffled Shirey back to 4th Place during the first four laps as Shullick opened up his lead over Sammut. By Lap 5, Sammut had closed on Shullick and took the lead as they raced through Turn 2. Sammut's turn at the top of the running order was short-lived as Shullick regained the point moments later. On Lap 11, Ordway took the runner-up position away from Sammut. A lap short of the halfway mark of the race, Shullick encountered some cars at the tail end of the field. This allowed Ordway to close and take the lead from Shullick as the lead duo raced side-by-side for the point; much to the delight of the fans. Shullick would battle back though and reclaimed the point position. Shullick began to put some distance between he and Ordway for the next few laps before Mike Lichty, who started the race in the ninth, overtook Ordway for 2nd Place on Lap 30. Two laps later, Ordway slowed on the track to bring out the caution. Lichty pressured Shullick for the lead once back under green. On Lap 33, Lichty powered by Shullick through Turns 3 and 4 to take the lead. Over the remainder of the event, Lichty pulled away from his closest pursuers, Shullick and Sammut, to garner his second victory of the season. Shullick held onto 2nd with Sammut coming home in 3rd. Moe Lilje made a late-race pass of Ben Seitz to finish in 4th Place. Lichty, who won the season opener at Oswego, became the first repeat winner this season. Even with the one caution period, the race was completed in just 17 minutes and 28 seconds. Heat race wins went to Lichty, Lilje and Trent Stephens.
Jeremy Hill started on the pole position for the 30-lap Martella's Pharmacy Late Model feature and jumped to the lead at the drop of the green. Just as the field was completing the first lap, Barry Awtey spun off of Turn 4 to bring out the caution. Hill's front row starting mate, Bryan Shipp, would follow Hill for the next four laps after the restart before taking over the lead. Matt Sever, who started seventh, was up to the 3rd spot by Lap 7 and two laps later took the top spot from Shipp. Shipp ran a strong 2nd for a number of laps before Garry Wiltrout moved into the runner-up position. Last week's winner Jeremiah Kuntz started the race tenth and had powered his way up to 3rd by Lap 17, ahead of Shipp. During the waning laps of the race, Wiltrout made several attempts to take the lead from Sever, yet Sever held on to claim his second win of the year. Kuntz came in 3rd ahead of Shipp and Awtey. Heat races were won by Sever and Kuntz. With his 2nd Place finish, Wiltrout gained six points on Awtey in the season standings and now only trails the leader by four markers.
The Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature got off to a rough start. Connellsville's Dustin Nutter jumped to the lead of the race from his outside front row starting position. Coming off of Turn 2 on the first lap, Nutter spun in front of the field. Jason Busch tried to avoid the Nutter machine as it sat sideways on the track, but could not in a collision which saw both racecars towed to the pit area. On the second attempt to get the 25-lap feature underway, Tom Golik shot to the lead and led the first six laps. Chris Brink, who had won five of the first seven races this season, dogged Adam Kostelnik for 2nd Place early in the event before taking the spot on Lap 5. Two trips around the track later, Brink was in a familiar position as he was at the head of the field with Golik and Kostelnik in tow. The Top 5 had settled in at that point with Zane Ferrell running in 4th ahead of Lou Botti. Brink would maintain a comfortable lead throughout the remainder of the race to pick up Win #6 in 2016. Golik, Kostelnik, Ferrell and Botti rounded out the Top 5. Ferrell and Brink won the division's heat races. After a victory was disqualified on opening night resulting in zero points earned, Brink has gradually chipped away at points leader Zane Ferrell's total. Brink gained another six points this week and now trails by only 16.
Ridgeley, West Virginia's Dustin Gursky started the 25-lap Riggs Industries Street Stock feature in third, but quickly got around polesitter Steve Long through Turn 2 to jump to the lead of the field. Mark Houser asserted himself into the 2nd spot by Lap 2 and chased Gursky for the first seven laps. Adam Kostelnik, pulling double duty in the Modifieds and Street Stocks this week, worked his way past Houser for 2nd on Lap 8 and overtook Gursky for the lead on the next circuit. Gursky spun on the backstretch with eleven laps down to bring out the yellow. On the restart, Anthony Aiello made contact with Lauren Butler on the frontstretch, shooting Butler's car into the outside wall. Butler would slow as the field raced by her. The caution flag flew again and Butler's machine limped to the pit area. Butler, who came into the evening trailing Beam by only 13 points in the championship, had to park her ride for the rest of the event. Beam held Aiello at bay on the restart and paced the field with Andrew Kostelnik, Adam Kostelnik and Houser holding the rest of the Top 5 positions. On Lap 18, Andrew Kostelnik got by Aiello for 2nd Place. With 19 laps down, Adam Kostelnik came to a stop on the track to bring out the caution once more. Over the last six circuits, Andrew Kostelnik challenged Beam for the top spot, even leading Lap 23 as the lead duo raced door-to-door. Over the last mile of the race, Kostelnik looked for a way to reclaim to point, but fell half of a car length short as Beam claim his fifth win of the season. Aiello finished in 3rd Place. Aaron Van Fleet mounted a late charge to come home in 4th ahead of Houser. Andrew Kostelnik and Aiello won the heat races. His victory, coupled with Butler's misfortune, extended Beam's over Butler to 34 points.
Justin Frampton started on the pole for the 15-lap Farmers Union Co-op feature. From his outside pole position, Boswell's Jason Pritts took the early command of the race, followed by Dale Kimberly. On the third trip around the half-mile oval, Kimberly shot by Pritts and into the lead. Pritts would run in 2nd until Lap 8 when fellow rookie Tanner Friedline took the position. Points leader Stephen Shelpman would take 3rd Place away from Pritts on Lap 12. Down the stretch, Friedline could not run down Kimberly as the Sutersville's pilot held on to take the checkers for the first time this season. Friedline finished about four car lengths behind Kimberly to claim 2nd Place. Shelpman, Pritts and Scott Mitchell rounded out the Top 5. Shelpman won the division's sole heat race. Kimberly's victory moved him into 2nd Place in the championship hunt; 54 points behind Shelpman.
From his fourth starting position, Brian Noel led the first two circuits for the 15-lap Somerset Trust Company Fast 'N Furious 4's main event. Stoystown's Andrew Pluta, who started the race in eighth, blazed through the field to take the lead from Noel on Lap 3. Steve Settle and Paul Koffler III would also shuffle Noel back through the field on the same lap. On Lap 6, Joe Peifer displaced Noel for the 4th spot. A rain delay provide points leader Casey Fleegle an opportunity to make the starting field. The Friedens driver was not able to run the earlier heat races. The delay allowed him to make the main event and maintain his lead in the standings. Starting last in the 13-car field, Fleegle made his way into the Top 5 on Lap 9. Peifer overtook Settle for the 3rd spot on Lap 11. With Pluta holding a comfortable lead, Koffler and Peifer waged a tight battle for the runner-up spot. Coming off of Turn 4 on the last lap, Koffler pushed high; opening the door for Peifer. In a drag race to the Finish Line, Koffler edged out Peifer for 2nd Place as Pluta went on to garner his first victory of the season. Settle finished 4th with Fleegle in 5th. Koffler and Pluta won the heat races for the 4-cylinders. Fleegle leads Peifer by 41 points in the division standings.
This Saturday, July 23rd, Jennerstown Speedway Complex inducts their Class of 2016 Hall of Famers with their Nostalgia Night. Saturday Night Thunder will feature its regular five-division program. Admission is only $10, $8 for senior citizens and free for children 12 and under. Spectator gates open at 4PM. Racing begins at 6PM.
