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Brown Inherits Lead for 6th Win; Young Eifford wins first in Chargers (Smithton, PA) On Allstate Careers Night at Motordrome Speedway, July 31, Neil Brown won his sixth feature of the year in the Subway NASCAR Super Late Models. Bobby Shipp visited victory lane for the third time this year in the Wyotech Modifieds, while Mike Bakalon earned his second win in the Napa Street Stocks. Ron Eifford, Jr, won his first feature in the Pro Auto Supply Service Chargers and leading winner Matt Sever added another trophy to his mantle after the Coca Cola Super Compact feature event. Early in the NASCAR Subway Super Late Model 50-lap feature, young drivers Nathan Russell and Dan Lewis swapped the lead, both looking for a first career victory. Lewis officially led four laps, while Russell led ten circuits before dropping suddenly from contention. Russell’s slowing caused a spin by John Komarinski and Gregory Kelley. Doug Bacciochi became the new leader, but on the restart Bacciochi spun on the front stretch collecting victory contenders Barry Awtey, Mark Poole, heat winner Rick Miller and others. After the cleanup, points leader Mark Cottone was the new leader. But, after only four laps, Neil Brown chased down Cottone and made the winning pass on lap 20. Brown, who won his heat race, soon built a comfortable interval between himself and Cottone. On lap 38, Cottone’s impressive streak of finishing in the top five in every event of 2009 (eleven races) came to a crashing halt; a blown tire put his machine into the outside wall in turn two, while running second. Seventh starting Bobby Henry became the runner up, and had a restart opportunity to pull even with Brown late in the race. But, with several fast cars in the pits, Brown notched his sixth win aboard his O’Shea Lumber/R&M Trucking/Davies Ford, admitting in victory lane that luck played a part in the win, as he avoided the massive pileup. Henry placed second and Todd Price finished a season’s best third. Gary Wiltrout was fourth and Kelley was fifth. A near photo finish had fans on their feet, when the checkered flag signaled the end of the 25 lap Wyotech Modified feature. Gary Scott took the early lead, before George Nicola took command of the race, for only one lap. Nicola spun bringing out a caution, and Scott retired with handling issues. Fifth starting Bobby Shipp inherited the lead on lap five with points leader Adam Kostelnik in pursuit. Kostelnik started eighth, and near the end of the race had his mirror full of Chris Brink. The top three raced bumper to bumper to bumper, often making light contact, and passing lapped cars three wide. A late race caution for Brink, who spun after he had officially taken second from Kostelnik, placed the two leading winners side by side for a two lap shootout. At the finish line, Shipp earned his third victory of the season by only a bumper, as six time winner Kostelnik fell inches short of another win. Lonnie Hoffman placed third, while Marion Reno, Jr. had a season’s best fourth place run. Nicola recovered to place fifth. For the second time this season, former Modified Champion Mike Bakalon visited victory lane in the Napa Auto Parts Street Stocks. In a thrilling feature event, Bakalon started seventh in the 25-lap affair and took the lead from Tom Knight, Sr. on lap seven. For most of the event, Bakalon was the runaway leader, but a pair of late race cautions setup a dramaric finish. Points leader Dink Colarusso started tenth, and was involved in a spin with Knight but rallied back into the top three by lap 21, when a caution flag forced a double-file restart. Colarusso grabbed second place from Jason Holder, then got another restart opportunity, alongside Bakalon. But Bakalon withstood the challenges of heat winner Colarusso, and won by a narrow margin at the finish line, as heat winner Teddy Gibala finished third, Holder fourth, and veteran Bill Ashton completing the top five.
After winning in the Young Guns and the American Flyers divisions a rookie in the Pro Auto Supply Service Chargers won his first feature event of 2009. Ron Eiford, III, at age 20, became the second division rookie to reach victory lane this season. After winning his heat race earlier in the night, Eiford dominated the race, after starting third and taking the lead from veteran Deny Keller on lap three. While Eiford drove away with the lead, the two other youngest Charger drivers climbed into second and third places, after starting mid-pack. Zane Ferrell started seventh and placed second when the checkered flag waved, and fifth starting Kristen Etling placed third. Keller was fourth after 15 laps, and Ed Nedihardt recovered from a spin to earn a top five position. Matt Gardner won the other heat race. Points leader Matt Sever returned to victory lane after the Coca Cola Super Compact feature event. Sever started tenth, and after charging through the field, he was second in just three laps. Sever made his winning pass on lap six, taking the top spot from Andres Suarez. Thirteenth starter Larry Dunmyer finished a distant second with “Hillbilly” Zerfoss placing third. Previous week’s winner Steve Long was fourth and Suarez completed the top five. Next week Motordrome Speedway presents a crown-jewel event for the NASCAR Subway Super Late Models: The Commonwealth Contracting 100, which will include "features only" racing for the other four divisions in the NASCAR Whelen Series. Race time is 7:30pm. Napa Street Stocks Heat Winners: Ted Gibala, Dink Colarusso Feature: 1. Mike Bakalon 2. Dink Colarusso 3. Ted Gibala 4. Jason Holder 5. Thomas Knight Sr. 6. Bill Ashton 7. Jeff Zillweger 8. Dave Manns 9. Dustin Blank 10. Tony Manganello 11. Aaron Minjock 12. Johnathan Hileman
Wyotech Modifieds Heat Winners: Lonnie Hoffman, Bobby Shipp Feature: 1. Bobby Shipp 2. Adam Kostelnik 3. Lonnie Hoffman 4. Marion Reno 5. George Nicola 6. Chris Brink 7. Bryan Shipp 8. Billy Hribar 9. Mike Lemley 10. Jim Nicola Jr. 11. Gary Scott
Subway Super Late Models Heat Winners: Neil Brown, Rick Miller Feature: 1. Neil Brown 2. Bobby Henry 3. Todd Price 4. Gary Wiltrout 5. Greg Kelley 6. Barry Awtey 7. Doug Bacchiochi 8. Steve Black 9. Michael Zombar 10. Mark Cottone 11. Mark Poole 12. Dan Lewis 13. Rick Miller 14. Nathan Russel 15. John Komarinski 16. Joe Moose
Pro Auto Supply Service Chargers Heat Winners: Ron Eiford III, Matt Gardner Feature: 1 Ron Eiford III 2 Zane Ferrell 3 Kristen Etling 4 Denny Keller 5 Ed Neidhardt 6 Tracy Keller 7 Jimmy Christofel 8 Roger Bryan 9 Matt Gardner 10 Vic Keller 11 Ed Shelpman 12 Ed McConnell 13 Chad Gorrring 14 Jon Scott.
Coca Cola Super Compacts Heat Winners: Troy Knight, Kevin Keffer Feature: 1. Matt Sever 2. Larry Dunmyer 3. Gene Zerfoss 4. Steve Long 5. Andres Suarez 6. Troy Knight 7. Paul Koffler III 8. Kevin Keffer 9. Paul Koffler Jr. 10. Cliff Tucker 11. Mary Catherine Shimko 12. Mark Tringes Jr. 13. Sean Rich 14. Bill Schwartz |
