RGeeProductions
08-21-2011, 04:53 PM
After being rained out several times, the “B Program” at Mountain Speedway finally took to the speedway. It was the first time that the Sport Modifieds, Late Models and Factory Stocks hit the racing surface sine July 9 and many would attest that the show was not one to disappoint. Paul Frantz of Coplay, PA took the checkers to win his first career Sport Modified main event and Craig Lutz of Miller Place, NY grabbed his third Late Model victory of the season. Rebounding from a horrific wreck a couple of months ago, Rich Paciotti of Kunkletown, PA took top honors in the Factory Stock division and Wes Gilbert of Preston, MD won took the checkered flag in the 4C Supermodified main.
Geary Rinehimer started from the pole position and led the opening circuit of the 40-lap Sport Modified main event over Todd Geist, Pat Verwys, Chip Wanamaker and Paul Frantz until the yellow flag waved when Verwys’ car stopped on the apron of turn two.
Green flag racing resumed, but the restart went by the wayside when Dave Brigati and Barry Callavini tangled in turn three. Frantz, Dean Ficarro and Jim Bojohnny were also collected in the incident.
With the green flag back out, Rinehimer led over Geist, Wanamaker, Jason Hearne and Nick Pecko, but then another yellow waved on the following lap when Geist’s car broke in turn two.
Wanamaker overtook Rinehimer for the lead following the restart and Hearne climbed to second by lap 10, with Brigati, Rinehimer and Pecko in tow.
Lap after lap, Hearne battled with Wanamaker and tried to take the top spot. Hearne drove to the inside of Wanamaker on lap 25 and attempted to take the lead. Hearne had to get on the brakes and then shot up the track. With nowhere to go and unable to ovoid Hearne’s machine, Pecko piled into the action. Brigati was also collected. Unfortunately for both Hearne and Pecko, the damage was too significant to repair.
Green flag racing resumed and it appeared that Wanamaker was on his way to victory, but that changed under a quick lap 27 caution flag when Wanamaker made a pit stop. Frantz, who held second at the time, was the new race leader over Rinehimer, Callavini, Brigati and Verwys.
Frantz held off Rinehimer on the restart and Wanamaker battled back toward the front. He and Brigati overtook Rinehimer and set their sights on Frantz.
Frantz could not be denied the victory, which was the first of his career in the Sport Modified division, as he held off Brigati and Wanamaker, who were side by side at the finish for second.
Brigati barely edged Wanamaker for second. Rinehimer and Jim Bojohnny completed the top five.
Heat race victories went to Dave Brigati and Geary Rinehimer.
Paul Monkoski started from the pole and led the opening circuit of the 30-lap Late Model feature over Adam Cox, Craig Lutz, Francis Gross III and Kyle Harvell.
Lutz overtook Cox for second on the following lap and then grabbed the lead from Monkoski. Harvell followed and moved into the second spot.
Gross patiently worked his way up to third, as he, Monkoski and Cox battled for position.
Despite pressure early on from Harvell, Lutz continued out front and claimed his third win of the season in the caution free event. Harvell Settled for second, followed by Gross, Cox and Monkoski.
Rich Paciotti led the Factory Stock field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap event. With one lap complete, Dean Kline held the second spot with Brandon Oltra in tow.
Oltra slid back a couple of positions early on, when Keith Frankenfield and Chris Parry passed him. Lap after lap, Parry and Frankenfield challenged one another for the third spot.
Matt Schlenker made his presence known and cracked the top five on lap 10. Meanwhile, Paciotti began to open up a gap between himself and Kline, who was running in second.
Without a caution flag in sight, Paciotti cruised to his second win of the season. Kline crossed the stripe in second, followed by Frankenfield, Parry and Schlenker.
Victory lane was very touching for Paciotti and his entire crew, as earlier this season the driver suffered a very bad accident in turn one.
Rich Paciotti and Dean Kline scored heat race victories.
Steve Renn led the 4C Supermodified field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature. Wes Gilbert ran second, followed by Bob and Mike Renn.
Gilbert took the lead on the second circuit and then M. Renn took control of the race on lap six.
S. Renn retook the lead on lap 16 and then spun a lap later. M. Renn held the point for a short time before Gilbert made an inside pass on the leader stick with three laps remaining.
Gilbert went on to take the win, which was his first-ever at the speedway. M. Renn settled for second, followed by S. Renn, Mike Crispo and Ron Merlino, Jr.
Ron Merlino, Jr. was the heat race winner.
Mountain Speedway is just minutes from Hazleton, PA, located on St. John’s Road, between Routes 93 and 309. Grandstand admission for all regular events is just $10 for ages 11 and older. Children 10 years of age and younger are admitted for free.
Please like Mountain Speedway on Facebook or visit www.mountainspeedway.com (http://www.mountainspeedway.com) for the entire 2011 schedule, point standings and up to date news and information.
Sport Modifieds (40-laps) 1. PAUL FRANTZ 2. Dave Brigati 3. Chip Wanamaker 4. Geary Rinehimer 5. Jim Bojonny 6. Pat Verwys 7. Barry Callavini 8. Jason Hearne 9. Nick Pecko 10. Todd Geist 11. Dean Ficarro 12. Craig Lutz
Late Models (30-laps) 1. CRAIG LUTZ 2. Kyle Harvell 3. Francis Gross III 4. Adam Cox 5. Paul Monkoski 6. Rick Smith
Factory Stocks (20-laps) 1. RICH PACIOTTI 2. Dean Kline 3. Keith Frankenfield 4. Chris Parry 5. Matt Schlenker 6. Paul Morgan Sr 7. Brandon Oltra 8. Kermit Jacoby 9. Ken Kleppinger 10. Eric Banashefski 11. Dan Pawlicki 12. TJ Kapish 13. Del Morgan
4C Supermodifieds (20-laps) 1. Wes Gilbert 2. Mike Renn 3. Steve Renn 4. Mike Crispo 5. Ron Merlino Jr. 6. Bob Renn 7. Ron Merlino 8. Anthony Merlino DNS: Harry Weed
Gene Ostrowski
Geary Rinehimer started from the pole position and led the opening circuit of the 40-lap Sport Modified main event over Todd Geist, Pat Verwys, Chip Wanamaker and Paul Frantz until the yellow flag waved when Verwys’ car stopped on the apron of turn two.
Green flag racing resumed, but the restart went by the wayside when Dave Brigati and Barry Callavini tangled in turn three. Frantz, Dean Ficarro and Jim Bojohnny were also collected in the incident.
With the green flag back out, Rinehimer led over Geist, Wanamaker, Jason Hearne and Nick Pecko, but then another yellow waved on the following lap when Geist’s car broke in turn two.
Wanamaker overtook Rinehimer for the lead following the restart and Hearne climbed to second by lap 10, with Brigati, Rinehimer and Pecko in tow.
Lap after lap, Hearne battled with Wanamaker and tried to take the top spot. Hearne drove to the inside of Wanamaker on lap 25 and attempted to take the lead. Hearne had to get on the brakes and then shot up the track. With nowhere to go and unable to ovoid Hearne’s machine, Pecko piled into the action. Brigati was also collected. Unfortunately for both Hearne and Pecko, the damage was too significant to repair.
Green flag racing resumed and it appeared that Wanamaker was on his way to victory, but that changed under a quick lap 27 caution flag when Wanamaker made a pit stop. Frantz, who held second at the time, was the new race leader over Rinehimer, Callavini, Brigati and Verwys.
Frantz held off Rinehimer on the restart and Wanamaker battled back toward the front. He and Brigati overtook Rinehimer and set their sights on Frantz.
Frantz could not be denied the victory, which was the first of his career in the Sport Modified division, as he held off Brigati and Wanamaker, who were side by side at the finish for second.
Brigati barely edged Wanamaker for second. Rinehimer and Jim Bojohnny completed the top five.
Heat race victories went to Dave Brigati and Geary Rinehimer.
Paul Monkoski started from the pole and led the opening circuit of the 30-lap Late Model feature over Adam Cox, Craig Lutz, Francis Gross III and Kyle Harvell.
Lutz overtook Cox for second on the following lap and then grabbed the lead from Monkoski. Harvell followed and moved into the second spot.
Gross patiently worked his way up to third, as he, Monkoski and Cox battled for position.
Despite pressure early on from Harvell, Lutz continued out front and claimed his third win of the season in the caution free event. Harvell Settled for second, followed by Gross, Cox and Monkoski.
Rich Paciotti led the Factory Stock field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap event. With one lap complete, Dean Kline held the second spot with Brandon Oltra in tow.
Oltra slid back a couple of positions early on, when Keith Frankenfield and Chris Parry passed him. Lap after lap, Parry and Frankenfield challenged one another for the third spot.
Matt Schlenker made his presence known and cracked the top five on lap 10. Meanwhile, Paciotti began to open up a gap between himself and Kline, who was running in second.
Without a caution flag in sight, Paciotti cruised to his second win of the season. Kline crossed the stripe in second, followed by Frankenfield, Parry and Schlenker.
Victory lane was very touching for Paciotti and his entire crew, as earlier this season the driver suffered a very bad accident in turn one.
Rich Paciotti and Dean Kline scored heat race victories.
Steve Renn led the 4C Supermodified field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature. Wes Gilbert ran second, followed by Bob and Mike Renn.
Gilbert took the lead on the second circuit and then M. Renn took control of the race on lap six.
S. Renn retook the lead on lap 16 and then spun a lap later. M. Renn held the point for a short time before Gilbert made an inside pass on the leader stick with three laps remaining.
Gilbert went on to take the win, which was his first-ever at the speedway. M. Renn settled for second, followed by S. Renn, Mike Crispo and Ron Merlino, Jr.
Ron Merlino, Jr. was the heat race winner.
Mountain Speedway is just minutes from Hazleton, PA, located on St. John’s Road, between Routes 93 and 309. Grandstand admission for all regular events is just $10 for ages 11 and older. Children 10 years of age and younger are admitted for free.
Please like Mountain Speedway on Facebook or visit www.mountainspeedway.com (http://www.mountainspeedway.com) for the entire 2011 schedule, point standings and up to date news and information.
Sport Modifieds (40-laps) 1. PAUL FRANTZ 2. Dave Brigati 3. Chip Wanamaker 4. Geary Rinehimer 5. Jim Bojonny 6. Pat Verwys 7. Barry Callavini 8. Jason Hearne 9. Nick Pecko 10. Todd Geist 11. Dean Ficarro 12. Craig Lutz
Late Models (30-laps) 1. CRAIG LUTZ 2. Kyle Harvell 3. Francis Gross III 4. Adam Cox 5. Paul Monkoski 6. Rick Smith
Factory Stocks (20-laps) 1. RICH PACIOTTI 2. Dean Kline 3. Keith Frankenfield 4. Chris Parry 5. Matt Schlenker 6. Paul Morgan Sr 7. Brandon Oltra 8. Kermit Jacoby 9. Ken Kleppinger 10. Eric Banashefski 11. Dan Pawlicki 12. TJ Kapish 13. Del Morgan
4C Supermodifieds (20-laps) 1. Wes Gilbert 2. Mike Renn 3. Steve Renn 4. Mike Crispo 5. Ron Merlino Jr. 6. Bob Renn 7. Ron Merlino 8. Anthony Merlino DNS: Harry Weed
Gene Ostrowski