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LongIslandJam
05-09-2011, 05:49 PM
Paules (Mods) and Kochenash (Late Models) keep winning ways going at Mahoning Valley
By Dino Oberto

(LEHIGHTON, PA 5-7-11) Palmerton’s Earl Paules is getting his bank account filled nicely while racing at Mahoning Valley Speedway. For the second consecutive week his sponsor, John Schneider of Schneider and Sons, Inc., Scrap Medal of Allentown matched his night’s winnings, giving “The Hurricane” another $3000 take home.
“I’m going to drive him (Schneider) to the poor house,” quipped Paules. “He’s a great guy and a big part of our race team.”
Paules, who started third, passed Tyler Haydt for the lead on lap five. He then had to withstand the unrelenting blitz from Haydt en route to securing his 15th career Mahoning Modified victory.
Haydt and defending champ John Bennett shared the front row with Haydt jumping out front first.
Matt Hirschman was on hand this night shaking down the Bob Horn owned #50 in preparation for the upcoming 100-lap Poker Series race in two weeks. At the end of lap one he was making a run at the leaders when he and Bennett touched and both went spinning which prompted a caution.
Paules advanced to second for the restart and when the race resumed he was hanging all over the leader.
Only one more circuit was run before the yellow waved again, this time for a multicar crash in turn three. When the action resumed Haydt and Paules ran neck-and-neck until lap five when the exchange for the top spot took place.
In a close third was John Markovic. Likewise a solid effort was being turned in by Joe Mooney and Chip Santee.
With the race moving on Paules continued to maintain his lead while fending off Haydt who was also doing the same with Markovic. It didn’t take long for Hirschman to work back through the pack and within the final ten laps he was among the front five.
Although he continued to pursue, Haydt could not find a way to pass Paules who took a scant .290-second margin of victory.
“Whenever you got Tyler (Haydt) behind you it’s going to be tough. We raced real close but he never tried to turn me sideways or anything like that and that makes it exciting,” said Paules.
“He’s a good clean driver like that. I wasn’t going to get off the bottom. If he was going to pass me he was going to have to go around me from the top. When you’re running 10-second laps things happen quick at this place. But it’s fun and I love it here.”
Just as Paules notched two consecutive wins, so too has Haydt with the runner-up spot.
“Things are going good so far and we have a real fast car. We were right on Earl (Paules) but I was just too loose in the beginning and got a little sideways and he got me. It’s only a matter of time,” said Haydt.
On the final lap Hirschman and Markovic were two-wide and at the checkers it was Hirschman by a nose. Completing the top five was Santee.
The race was also a 35-lap Poker Series event. Paules not only holds the early season division point lead but now the high hand in the popular Modified Poker Series Tournament as well. The first of five 100-lappers is set for May 21.
“We’re aiming at that (Poker Series) title. We’ve won some of those races but it’s the overall title we’re looking for now. I figure if we get all aces then we shouldn’t have a problem,” added Paules.

15-year old upstart Austin Kochenash from Danielsville once again showed the upper hand in the 25-lap Late Model feature as he parleyed his pole starting spot into another win, his second straight.
When the race began Kochenash was closely tailed by Rick Wallace until lap nine when Dave Wallace assumed the hunt.
Just as he did on Opening Night the previous week Kochenash was quickly making it a race for second. He only needed a few green flag laps to put a safe enough distance from the rest of the pack.
As he cruised to the checkers Kochenash was a good four lengths ahead of Ed Bauer who did a superb job of notching a career best class finish.
“The car was a little loose but by mid-race it came around and once again with thanks to my crew we got the job done,” said Kochenash who also holds the point lead for the first time in his career.
“That’s pretty exciting and we’ll enjoy that while we can. There’s a lot of good competition in this class and a lot of racing to go.”
Jon Moser of Palmerton started and successfully finished at the point in the Street Stock main with a solid run effort. From the outset Moser led the brigade of evenly matched Streeters with an early follow coming from point leader TJ Gursky.
Working through the pack was Kevin Smith and Jeremy Miller and as Moser held his lead the aforementioned waged a terrific duel with position swapping coming in earnest. They both worked by Gursky on lap 15 but neither could step up to challenge Moser.
Over the waning laps it was evident that Moser was not going to be denied as he pulled away to convincing 2.184-second margin of victory while the second place dogfight went to Miller over Smith.
Dave Thomas of Palmerton is getting a handle on winning in the Dirt Mods. Last year when he won his career first feature it came after 25 years of trying. Now with two weeks into the books Thomas has won both times.
After starting sixth Thomas hustled inside of early leader Kris Graver on 16 and then held off Bill Briggs for the win. Third went to Graver.
It was a carbon copy of Opening Night in the Pro4 Late Models as Barry Christman, Jr., of Northampton was picture perfect en route to his second straight win. Christman, for the second week he led every lap of the feature. Second went to Brian Ahner while Aleia Geisler had a career best third.
Mike Renn of Medford, NY scored the win with the 4c Super Mods. Renn took the lead on lap three and sailed the rest of the way.

Modified Feature Finish, 35 Laps: 1.Earl Paules 2. Tyler Haydt 3.Matt Hirschman 4.John Markovic 5.Chip Santee 6.John Bennett 7.Lonnie Behler 8.Joe Mooney 9.Mike Carroll 10.Stacey Brown 11.Matt Higgins 12.Scott Adams 13.Frankie Althouse 14.Ed Heim 15.Troy Bollinger 16.Don Wagner 17.Terry Markovic 18.Brian Sones 19.Rick Kirkendall 20.Brian DeFebo
Did not qualify: Doug Bell

Late Model Feature Finish, 25 Laps: 1.Austin Kochenash 2.Ed Bauer 3.Paul Skodacek 4.Paul Koehler, Jr. 5.Racen Schrantz 6.Rick Wallace 7.Dave Wallace 8.Tony Zatsko 9.Mike VanFossen

Street Stock Feature Finish, 25 Laps: 1.Jon Moser 2.Jeremy Miller 3.Kevin Smith 4.Josh Mooney 5,Steve Hoffman 6.TJ Gursky 7.Shawen Sitarchyk 8.Steve Steigerwalt 9.Austin Santee 10.Chip Wanamaker 11.Jason Frey 12.Adam Santee 13.Justin Mooney 14.Jillian Long 15.Randy Ahner, Jr. 16.Jamie Smith 17.Paul Effrig 18.Gene Bowers 19.Todd Ahner 20.Joe Stamm

Dirt Modified Feature Finish, 20 Laps: 1.Dave Thomas 2.Bill Briggs 3.Kris Graver 4.Scott Hulmes 5.Randy Thomas 6.DJ Wagner 7.Billy Swartz 8.Bob Snyder 8. 9.Mark Levy 10.Bill Sitler 11.Mike Stofflet

Pro4 Late Model Feature, 20 Laps: 1.Barry Christman, Jr. 2.Brian Ahner 3Aleia Geisler 4.Dustin Bair 5.Corey Hill 6.Jason Bair 7.Jake Kibler 8.Chad Keiser

4C Super Modified Feature Finish, 15 Laps: 1.Mike Renn 2.Wes Gilbert 3.Steve Renn 4.Bob Renn