The inaugural running of the “Laurel Highlands 150” for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the Jennerstown Speedway Complex was won by New York’s Craig Lutz on Saturday night, August 22^nd.  Joe Maruca, of Slickville, PA parked in Stoney's Beer Victory Lane for the first time in his Martella's Pharmacies Late Model career, becoming the fifth different winner of the year.

After earning the pole position by setting the fastest time in qualifying, Justin Bonsignore grabbed the lead at the start of the “Laurel Highlands 150” for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.  Bonsignore entered the race as the leader in the series’ point standings, and had dominated the tour’s stop at Jennerstown in June of 2020.  Bonsignore raced out to a huge lead, but after the front-runners made pit stops following a caution flag in the second half of the event, Bonsignore was no longer the fastest car on the track.  Fifth place starter Craig Lutz, had methodically worked his way into second place, and on lap 110 Lutz grabbed the lead from Bonsignore.  Shortly after, veteran Dave Sapienza also passed Bonsignore.  Sapienza then repeatedly challenged Lutz, even making slight contact during the battle.  Anthony Nocella advanced to third position late in the race, and all three top drivers raced nose-to-tail through the final stage of the event.  Sapienza remained in striking distance until the final lap, when Lutz crossed the finish line less than two-car-lengths ahead, to claim his second-career NASCAR Tour victory.  Lutz had finished second to Bonsignore when the tour opened the 2020 season at Jennerstown earlier this year.  Sapeinza, Nocella, six time Tour Champion Doug Coby, and Bonsignore finished second through fifth, respectively.

A major shake-up in the season long championship point standings resulted, after the 30-lap feature race for the Martella's Pharmacies Late Model division.  Repeatedly this season, the Late Model drivers completed events without a single caution flag incident.  But Saturday night, two crashes among top five competitors drastically changed the “big picture” of the 2020 season.  Five time former Champion Barry Awtey entered the night atop the standings, carrying a five point advantage over 2019 Champion Teddy Gibala, with Albert Francis third in the championship chase, just ten points behind Awtey (five points behind Gibala).  Front row starters Paul Fess, Jr. and Zane Ferrell had a brief duel for the lead, before Fess pulled away from the field.  On lap nine, Ferrell spun in turn two, and collected former Champion Garry Wiltrout, Mike Hemminger, Awtey and Gibala.  Only Hemminger would return to complete the race.  All drivers were uninjured, but Awtey’s car suffered a crushed radiator and Gibala’s car sustained damage on all sides.  Gibala made one more, slow lap after a lengthy pit stop.  Fess continued to lead when racing resumed, while fellow sophomore driver Jarred Barclay was now in second place, and challenging.  After enjoying a comfortable lead early on, Fess was now using every lane of the track to defend the top spot.  Both Fess and Barclay are former Modified division drivers, and both were seeking a first win in Late Model competition.  On lap 17, contact between the pair sent Fess spinning from the lead, and sent Barclay to the tail of the field for the restart.  During the incident, Francis sustained significant damage as the fourth place driver.  Two-time winner Francis returned to the speedway, completing laps at a very slow pace to insure a higher finish than his championship rivals, who were already knocked out of action.  Joe Maruca inherited the lead, after carefully avoiding both collisions.  Maruca won his preliminary heat race in most dominating fashion, proving that his car was perfectly dialed in for the night.  Once in front of the field during the feature race, Maruca drove to the first victory of his career, leading every lap to the finish.  Maruca had come very close to a first win at the old Motordrome Speedway in years passed.  More than once Maruca led the closing laps of events at Jennerstown, only to suffer heartbreaking misfortunes on every previous occasion.  Maruca thanked his family and crew for the emotional win, while standing next to the Rosa’s Beer Distributor/Snow Foundation/Senneker Performance Chevrolet in Stoney’s Victory Lane.  Former Modified winner, Barclay, rallied back at the end, to claim second position, with teenager Brandan Marhefka earning third place.  For third-generation racer Marhefka, the podium finish was a career best.  Former winner Bryan Shipp placed fourth and veteran Todd Price finished fifth.  Ohio’s Francis won his preliminary heat race, and is now the leader in the championship standings, with Awtey three points behind, and Gibala five points out of first place in the season-long tally.

Saturday night, August 29^th, Five Division Racing returns, with a starting time of 6pm.  After the races, the final round of the Ron’s Collision Center Enduro Series will be contested.  For more information visit www.jennerstown.org