Henry, Kostelnik and Noel garner first wins of 2016. Brink and Novak return to Victory Lane.
Jennerstown, PA (July 23, 2016): A mid-afternoon rain shower only delayed what turned out to be an exciting and unpredictable night of racing at Jennerstown Speedway Complex during First Commonwealth Bank Night at the track. Victorious during Saturday Night Thunder were: Bobby Henry (Martella’s Pharmacy Late Models), Chris Brink (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Andrew Kostelnik (Riggs Industries Street Stocks), Frank Novak (Farmers Union Co-op Chargers) and Brian Noel (Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘N Furious 4’s).
From the outside of the front row, Blairsville’s Rick Boyer jumped to the lead of the 30-lap Martella’s Pharmacy Late Model feature. Polesitter Jeremy Hill would follow Boyer for the first two trips around the half-mile oval. Todd Price would run in the #2 spot for Laps 3 and 4 before giving way to Bobby Henry. On Lap 8, Henry worked under Boyer exiting Turn 2 and took over the top spot. By Lap 10, Henry was being pursued by the four drivers who had won features so far this season: Jeremiah Kuntz, points leader Barry Awtey, Matt Sever and Garry Wiltrout. Henry had an eight car length advantage over the tight battle for 2nd Place involving Kuntz, Awtey and Sever. This enabled Wiltrout to close on the other Top 5 competitors. Several times Awtey maneuvered his ride under Kuntz, but could not complete the pass for the runner-up position. On Lap 19, Sever made his car stick on the high side and slung past Awtey for 3rd Place. Demonstrating his car’s handling prowess, four laps later Sever charged by Kuntz’s inside to take over 2nd. By this point of the race, Henry’s lead was nearly two seconds. Over the last five laps, Sever cut that margin in half but ran out of time as Henry held on for his first win of 2016. Kuntz finished in 3rd Place ahead of Awtey and Wiltrout. Heat race wins went to Awtey and Sever. Awtey now leads Wiltrout by eight points in the season standings.
Five lead changes amongst four drivers highlighted the 25-lap Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature. Irwin’s Lou Botti took the early lead of the race; running in a tight pack with points leader Zane Ferrell, Tom Golik and Adam Kostelnik. Racing would come to a halt with three laps completed as Mike McConnell from Greenville, making his first start of the season, made hard contact with the inside retaining wall on the frontstretch. Botti would lead the next two laps once the race was restarted, only to be shuffled back to 4th Place on Lap 7 as Ferrell claimed the point position followed by Kostelnik and Golik. Kostelnik got by Ferrell for the lead on Lap 11 while Chris Brink, winner of six of the first eight races of the season, had charged his way to 3rd after starting the race in the 12th position. Brink would displace Ferrell for the runner-up spot on Lap 12 and pressure Kostelnik for the lead; leading to lap after lap of side-by-side racing in which Brink led Lap 18. Kostelnik battled back to edge Brink at the line for the next two circuits before Brink reclaimed the lead on Lap 21. Brink finally cleared Kostelnik and held on to win by less than a second; his seventh win of the season. Kostelnik came home in 2nd with Golik, Ferrell and Lonnie Hoffman rounding out the Top 5. Brink and Ferrell won their respective heat races. Brink again chipped away at Ferrell’s lead in the championship and now only trails by 10 points.
Saturday’s 25-lap Riggs Industries Street Stock feature shook up the points standings within the division. Jason Holder from nearby Boswell started on the pole and led the first two trips around the Somerset County speedway. Irwin’s Andrew Kostelnik worked to the lowside of Holder through Turns 3 and 4 to take over the lead on Lap 3. The first caution period occurred on Lap 6 when Aaron Van Fleet spun in Turn 1. Kelly Shaulis, starting his first race of the season, Mel Wilt and Steve Singo were also involved as they tried to avoid the spinning car of Van Fleet. Shaulis and Singo were able to continue on in the event. On the first lap back under green, AJ Poljak took 2nd Place away from Holder while points leader Shawn Beam passed Mark Houser for the 4th spot. Two laps later, Beam worked by Holder and into 3rd Place. Just short of the halfway mark, Kostelnik had built up a two second lead over Poljak and Beam who were involved in a close battle for the runner-up spot. On Lap 14, Beam shot to the inside of Poljak as they crossed the line and headed into the first turn. With Beam on the apron of the track, contact with Poljak got Beam slightly sideways as he tried to correct his car and safely get out of the racing groove. Unfortunately, Anthony Aiello, Houser, Shaulis and Singo could not avoid Beam’s car as it slowed in Turn 1. Beam got out of his racecar and confronted Poljak, whose ride was hardly affected by the earlier contact. Per Jennerstown’s official rules for all classes, Beam was disqualified for his actions and parked for the evening. Singo was later disqualified for exiting his vehicle before being directed to do so by safety personnel or a track official in a non-emergency situation. Race Control penalized Poljak for the on-track incident although that only moved the Pittsburgh driver from 2nd Place to the 4th spot due to attrition. Kostelnik held Poljak at bay over the course of the event and built up a six car length advantage to garner his first win of 2016. Will Ashton, visiting from Massachusetts and driving his father Bill’s car, pressured Holder for 3rd Place in the latter stages of the race and came up less than a car length short at the line to finish in 4th. Rookie Zac Todaro from Johnstown finished in the 5th position. Beam and Wilt won the heat races. Beam came into the evening with a 34 point lead over Lauren Butler, who missed Saturday’sevents. With his victory and Beam’s disqualification, Kostelnik now leads the standings; 13 ahead of Beam. Butler now trails by 52 markers.
Jason Pritts started on the pole position for the 15-lap Farmers Union Co-op Charger feature and led the first two trips around the track. Frank Novak would run door-to-door with Pritts on Lap 3 and barely edge the Boswell driver at the line to complete the lap. Pritts regained the lead on the next lap as the lead duo raced side-by-side for a number of laps with Novak again taking back the top spot on Lap 7. It wasn’t until encountering a car at the tail of the field on Lap 11 that Novak gained a little advantage over Pritts. Novak built up a six car length lead over Pritts during the last five laps to claim his second win of the season. Tanner Friedline sneaked past Scott Mitchell at the checkers to finish 3rd. Dale Kimberly took 5th Place. Kimberly and Friedline won their heat races. Stephen Shelpman leads Kimberly by 50 in the championship hunt with Mitchell in 3rd Place; 51 points in arrears.
The front row of Kristin Lakin and Larry Dunmyer led the 17-car field to the green for the 15-lap Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘N Furious 4’s main event. Before the first lap was completed, Sutersville’s Angie Kimberly made her way to the front of the pack. After a restart with one lap in the books, Brian Noel asserted himself in the top spot. By Lap 5, Noel had built up a seven car length lead over a pack of cars running bumper-to-bumper which included Kimberly, Joe Peifer, Paul Koffler III, points leader Casey Fleegle and Andrew Pluta. A scramble on Lap 7 saw Fleegle move from 5th in the running order to 2nd Place. Pluta would make his way up to the 3rd spot a lap later. For the remainder of the event, Noel held a comfortable lead and won by over two seconds over Fleegle to pick up his first victory of 2016. Pluta, Peifer and Koffler rounded out the Top 5. Cindy Rhodes and Noel won their heat races for the 4-cylinder compacts. Fleegle leads Peifer by 45 points in the division standings.
This Saturday, July 30th, Jennerstown Speedway Complex features the “Bill Awtey Tribute” with added laps and prizes for the Street Stocks and Chargers. Saturday Night Thunder will also feature the Late Models, Modifieds and Fast ‘N Furious 4’s. Admission is only $10, $8 for senior citizens and free for children 12 and under. Spectator gates open at 4PM. Racing begins at 6PM.
LATE MODELS Finish Driver 1. Bobby Henry MODIFIEDS 1. Chris Brink STREET STOCKS 1. Andrew Kostelnik CHARGERS 1. Frank Novak FAST ‘N FURIOUS 4’S 1. Brian Noel |
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Bill Hribar
Jennerstown Speedway Complex LLC.
cell: 412-601-0425
track: 814-703-8009
