RGeeProductions
07-27-2014, 10:53 AM
Frankie Althouse, Stacey Brown, Kevin Graver, JD Light and Rich Mutarelli Are Also Winners
When it comes to 100 lap Modified features at Mahoning Valley Speedway, Matt Hirschman knows a thing or two about winning them and he showed his prowess yet again in the popular extra distance runs when he drove his J & J Motorsports No. 59 to a 10th career 100 lap victory Saturday night worth $3500.
Coming from 15th, Hirschman used a restart with 11 laps to go to get by impressive Roger Coss and then went on to his 12th Mahoning win.
Talk about biding you time, Hirschman never entered the top 10 until just prior to halfway but once he did there was no stopping his charge to the front. In a fast paced race that had minimum cautions, Hirschman took advantage of long green flag runs to pick off cars.
Just ten laps after motoring into the top 10, he only needed another 10 to crack the top 5. After that there was a holdup as he was gripped in a close battle with Don Wagner, Lou Strohl and Earl Paules.
While that was taking place, Coss, who had been out front since lap 22, was cruising way ahead of the pack. For all intent and purposes, this was his race. After he took the lead from Todd Baer, Coss established himself as the car to beat. He built a lead of over three seconds and only saw challenges when the field would regroup under a caution, which wasn’t often.
Meanwhile Hirschman stayed focused to racing hard to get by cars. Strohl was taken care of on lap 62 and then Wagner in another two afterwards. That left just Paules to handle before pursuing the leader but this would take a little time. Once again with a stretch of green flag laps Hirschman finally raced by Paules with 15 to go. Coss was still cruising comfortably but it was evident that Hirschman had the afterburners on.
Right after Hirschman drove to second spot, a billow of smoke released from Coss’s front end. A power steering hose had come loose. However, there still seemed enough time for him to hold on as 11 laps remained. Unfortunately, the caution was out as Kris Graver slammed hard into the back straight wall. It would be on that restart that Hirschman would make the determining pass for the win.
“Actually the deciding factor was just breaking through the pack. It was real close with five or six of us right together. We were able to break through and reel in the top three,” said Hirschman.
“The 17 (Coss) was smoking and I’m not sure what it was. I had almost caught him when the caution came out. I don’t know what would have happened had that yellow not waved. 15th to first is nothing to shake your head at. There was a lot of good battling in the pack.”
It also marked the end of a two month dry spell for the Northampton Modified star who last won in May when he won five straight races.
“Man, I’ve been in a slump and there’s nothing better than coming home and winning one here. Hopefully this gets our season turned back round. It’s always such a great crowd and I miss racing at Mahoning Valley,” said Hirschman.
John Markovic got second while Paules, L. Strohl and Kyle Strohl rounded out the top five.
Flyin’ Frankie Althouse raced to his fourth Late Model win of the year, beating point t leader Earl Paules in the process.
Althouse was running second to earlier leader George Ramos by lap four. Four laps later he took to the outside groove and the lead. He then had a bumper full of Paules the rest of the way. The win also keeps him in a close battle for the championship with Paules as the two have won 10 times between them.
Taking the lead with two laps to go, Stacey Brown slipped by race long leader Aaron Kromer and won his first Street Stock feature of the year.
Brown raced in a tight battle from the outset with Kromer. Jason Kuhn also showed a lot of strength and was part of the torrid mix of front runners. But, with the two to go sign being shown, Brown new it was go time and used the outside lane to drive by Kromer for the lead and the win. Kuhn also squeaked by Kromer on the final lap for the runner-up spot.
In the Dirt Mods, point leader Kevin Graver Jr., picked up another win. Graver passed Aleia Geisler on a lap seven restart and then pulled away to his fourth win of the season. Ray Deemer and Geisler had a terrific battle for second place honors.
JD Light emerged a career first winner in the Pro 4 feature. Light made a bold inside pass on Cody Kohler on lap 10 and then withstood a bevy of pressure from point leader Nick Baer en route to the memorable night.
Rich Mutarelli became the eighth different Hobby Stock winner of the year. In an exciting closely matched race with the front contenders, Mutarelli held off Corey Edelman by a bumper for his career first win.
Modified Feature Finish (100 Laps): 1. Matt Hirschman, 2. John Markovic, 3. Earl Paules, 4. Lou Strohl, 5. Kyle Strohl, 6. Nevin George, 7. Todd Baer, 8. Brian DeFebo, 9. Eric Beers, 10. Roger Coss, 11. Brian Romig, 12. Scott Meckes, 13. Kris Graver, 14. Don Wagner, 15. Bobby Jones, 16. Chip Santee, 17. Terry Markovic, 18. Joe Stamm, 19. Matt Wentz, 20. Brain Sones DNQ: Kevin Rex Jr., Pat Verwys
Late Model Feature Finish (25 Laps): 1. Frankie Althouse, 2. Earl Paules, 3. Mike Sweeney, 4. George Ramos, 5. Paul Koehler Jr., 6. Danielle Paules, 7. Jacob Nemeth, 8. Jacob Kerstetter, 9. Jeremy Miller
Street Stock Feature Finish (30 Laps): 1. Stacey Brown, 2. Jason Kuhn, 3. Aaron Kromer, 4. Todd Ahner, 5. Jared Ahner, 6. Justin Mooney, 7. TJ Gursky, 8. Randy Ahner Jr., 9. Matt Wentz, 10. Chip Wanamaker, 11. Jillian Long, 12. Gene Bowers, 13. Zach Graver, 14. Troy Bollinger, 15. Josh Mooney, 16. Dave Chapman, 17. Jonathan Tracey, 18. Lonnie Behler Jr., 19. Jamie Smith, 20. Tiffany Wambold, 21. Jon Smith, 22. Steven Steigerwalt DNQ: Dan Freundt, Rich Emel, Logan Boyer, Robert Fink, Brian Labar, Bernie Uphold
Dirt Modified Feature Finish (25 Laps): 1. Kevin Graver Jr., 2. Ray Deemer, 3. Aleia Geisler, 4. JP Curry, 5. Ricky Yetter, 6. Billy Lasko, 7. Billy Lowden Jr., 8. Joe Stangle, 9. Mike Stofflet, 10. Jack Ely
Pro 4 Feature Finish (20 Laps): 1. JD Light, 2. Nick Baer, 3. Bill Rooney, 4. Chad Miller, 5. Jake Kibler, 6. Cody Kohler, 7. Jesse Snyder, 8. Kailyn Beers, 9. Tyler Stangle
Hobby Stock Feature Finish (20 Laps): 1. Rich Mutarelli, 2. Corey Edelman, 3. Cody Geist, 4. Peter Verwys, 5. Devin Gibson, 6. Sam Ryan, 7. Tim Oswald, 8. Daniel Hargan, 9. Alton Snyder Jr., 10. Harry O’Neill, 11. Bill Verwys
Dino Oberto
When it comes to 100 lap Modified features at Mahoning Valley Speedway, Matt Hirschman knows a thing or two about winning them and he showed his prowess yet again in the popular extra distance runs when he drove his J & J Motorsports No. 59 to a 10th career 100 lap victory Saturday night worth $3500.
Coming from 15th, Hirschman used a restart with 11 laps to go to get by impressive Roger Coss and then went on to his 12th Mahoning win.
Talk about biding you time, Hirschman never entered the top 10 until just prior to halfway but once he did there was no stopping his charge to the front. In a fast paced race that had minimum cautions, Hirschman took advantage of long green flag runs to pick off cars.
Just ten laps after motoring into the top 10, he only needed another 10 to crack the top 5. After that there was a holdup as he was gripped in a close battle with Don Wagner, Lou Strohl and Earl Paules.
While that was taking place, Coss, who had been out front since lap 22, was cruising way ahead of the pack. For all intent and purposes, this was his race. After he took the lead from Todd Baer, Coss established himself as the car to beat. He built a lead of over three seconds and only saw challenges when the field would regroup under a caution, which wasn’t often.
Meanwhile Hirschman stayed focused to racing hard to get by cars. Strohl was taken care of on lap 62 and then Wagner in another two afterwards. That left just Paules to handle before pursuing the leader but this would take a little time. Once again with a stretch of green flag laps Hirschman finally raced by Paules with 15 to go. Coss was still cruising comfortably but it was evident that Hirschman had the afterburners on.
Right after Hirschman drove to second spot, a billow of smoke released from Coss’s front end. A power steering hose had come loose. However, there still seemed enough time for him to hold on as 11 laps remained. Unfortunately, the caution was out as Kris Graver slammed hard into the back straight wall. It would be on that restart that Hirschman would make the determining pass for the win.
“Actually the deciding factor was just breaking through the pack. It was real close with five or six of us right together. We were able to break through and reel in the top three,” said Hirschman.
“The 17 (Coss) was smoking and I’m not sure what it was. I had almost caught him when the caution came out. I don’t know what would have happened had that yellow not waved. 15th to first is nothing to shake your head at. There was a lot of good battling in the pack.”
It also marked the end of a two month dry spell for the Northampton Modified star who last won in May when he won five straight races.
“Man, I’ve been in a slump and there’s nothing better than coming home and winning one here. Hopefully this gets our season turned back round. It’s always such a great crowd and I miss racing at Mahoning Valley,” said Hirschman.
John Markovic got second while Paules, L. Strohl and Kyle Strohl rounded out the top five.
Flyin’ Frankie Althouse raced to his fourth Late Model win of the year, beating point t leader Earl Paules in the process.
Althouse was running second to earlier leader George Ramos by lap four. Four laps later he took to the outside groove and the lead. He then had a bumper full of Paules the rest of the way. The win also keeps him in a close battle for the championship with Paules as the two have won 10 times between them.
Taking the lead with two laps to go, Stacey Brown slipped by race long leader Aaron Kromer and won his first Street Stock feature of the year.
Brown raced in a tight battle from the outset with Kromer. Jason Kuhn also showed a lot of strength and was part of the torrid mix of front runners. But, with the two to go sign being shown, Brown new it was go time and used the outside lane to drive by Kromer for the lead and the win. Kuhn also squeaked by Kromer on the final lap for the runner-up spot.
In the Dirt Mods, point leader Kevin Graver Jr., picked up another win. Graver passed Aleia Geisler on a lap seven restart and then pulled away to his fourth win of the season. Ray Deemer and Geisler had a terrific battle for second place honors.
JD Light emerged a career first winner in the Pro 4 feature. Light made a bold inside pass on Cody Kohler on lap 10 and then withstood a bevy of pressure from point leader Nick Baer en route to the memorable night.
Rich Mutarelli became the eighth different Hobby Stock winner of the year. In an exciting closely matched race with the front contenders, Mutarelli held off Corey Edelman by a bumper for his career first win.
Modified Feature Finish (100 Laps): 1. Matt Hirschman, 2. John Markovic, 3. Earl Paules, 4. Lou Strohl, 5. Kyle Strohl, 6. Nevin George, 7. Todd Baer, 8. Brian DeFebo, 9. Eric Beers, 10. Roger Coss, 11. Brian Romig, 12. Scott Meckes, 13. Kris Graver, 14. Don Wagner, 15. Bobby Jones, 16. Chip Santee, 17. Terry Markovic, 18. Joe Stamm, 19. Matt Wentz, 20. Brain Sones DNQ: Kevin Rex Jr., Pat Verwys
Late Model Feature Finish (25 Laps): 1. Frankie Althouse, 2. Earl Paules, 3. Mike Sweeney, 4. George Ramos, 5. Paul Koehler Jr., 6. Danielle Paules, 7. Jacob Nemeth, 8. Jacob Kerstetter, 9. Jeremy Miller
Street Stock Feature Finish (30 Laps): 1. Stacey Brown, 2. Jason Kuhn, 3. Aaron Kromer, 4. Todd Ahner, 5. Jared Ahner, 6. Justin Mooney, 7. TJ Gursky, 8. Randy Ahner Jr., 9. Matt Wentz, 10. Chip Wanamaker, 11. Jillian Long, 12. Gene Bowers, 13. Zach Graver, 14. Troy Bollinger, 15. Josh Mooney, 16. Dave Chapman, 17. Jonathan Tracey, 18. Lonnie Behler Jr., 19. Jamie Smith, 20. Tiffany Wambold, 21. Jon Smith, 22. Steven Steigerwalt DNQ: Dan Freundt, Rich Emel, Logan Boyer, Robert Fink, Brian Labar, Bernie Uphold
Dirt Modified Feature Finish (25 Laps): 1. Kevin Graver Jr., 2. Ray Deemer, 3. Aleia Geisler, 4. JP Curry, 5. Ricky Yetter, 6. Billy Lasko, 7. Billy Lowden Jr., 8. Joe Stangle, 9. Mike Stofflet, 10. Jack Ely
Pro 4 Feature Finish (20 Laps): 1. JD Light, 2. Nick Baer, 3. Bill Rooney, 4. Chad Miller, 5. Jake Kibler, 6. Cody Kohler, 7. Jesse Snyder, 8. Kailyn Beers, 9. Tyler Stangle
Hobby Stock Feature Finish (20 Laps): 1. Rich Mutarelli, 2. Corey Edelman, 3. Cody Geist, 4. Peter Verwys, 5. Devin Gibson, 6. Sam Ryan, 7. Tim Oswald, 8. Daniel Hargan, 9. Alton Snyder Jr., 10. Harry O’Neill, 11. Bill Verwys
Dino Oberto