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Wiltrout and Butler cruise to Victory Lane. Shelpman repeats. Koffler paces 4's. Redemption for Brink.

Jennerstown, PA (June 4, 2016): For those keeping score, it is now Jennerstown Speedway Complex 2; Mother Nature 2. After the start of the 2016 campaign was delayed for two weeks due to rain, the past two Saturdays have seen dry conditions at the Somerset County half-mile oval. Despite threatening weather in the region, race fans were again treated to a full five-division program at the ultra-fast speedplant on Saturday. Garnering victories were: Garry Wiltrout (Martella's Pharmacy Late Models), Chris Brink (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Lauren Butler (Riggs Industries Street Stocks), Stephen Shelpman (Chargers) and Paul Koffler III (Somerset Trust Company Fast 'N Furious 4's).

Jennerstown Speedway's handicap system provides a challenge to perennial frontrunners while entertaining fans. Sometimes it can lead to upset victories and allows other competitors to fight for top positions. But, as the saying goes, the cream always rises to the top. Such was the case during Saturday's 40-lap Martella's Pharmacy Late Model feature. Slickville's Joe Maruca and rookie Bryan Shipp from Scottdale started the race on the front row. Shipp led the first four circuits while Garry Wilrout, from his eighth starting position, displaced Maruca for 2nd Place by the time two laps were completed. Wiltrout would overtake Shipp on Lap 5 while the trio of Matt Sever, Jeremiah Kuntz and Barry Awtey battled for the other Top 5 positions. Sever, last week's victor, passed Shipp for the runner-up spot two laps later. Awtey and Kuntz would shuffle Shipp back to 5th Place by Lap 12. Awtey began to reel in Sever while Wiltrout extended his lead. By Lap 19, Awtey had worked his way inside of Sever to take over the 2nd spot, which also opened the door for Kuntz. After running door-to-door for two laps, Kuntz edged past Sever for 3rd. Teddy Gibala took the 5th position from Shipp on Lap 25 and challenged Sever for 4th Place in the waning laps. As Awtey and Kuntz, who won their respective heat races earlier in the evening, battled for 2nd Place over the remainder of the event while Wiltrout continued to hold a comfortable lead. The Somerset driver would go on to win by more than a two second margin over Awtey. Kuntz held onto 3rd ahead of Sever and Gibala. The Top 4 drivers started in the last four positions of the field for the race.

Last Saturday, Chris Brink was the first to take the checkers in the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature. However, the driver from Penn Run was disqualified in technical inspection for a carburetor infraction. With corrections made to his racecar, Brink showed on Saturday why he has been one of the top Modified drivers in Western Pennsylvania for a number of years. Polesitter Tom Golik led the first two trips around the speedway. On Lap 3, contact between Brink and Lou Botti exiting Turn 2 brought out the first yellow flag of the 20-lap feature. Botti retired from the event while Brink was able to continue on. On the restart, rookie Zane Ferrell got a jump to Golik's outside and had taken the lead before they had completed the first lap back under green. On Lap 7, smoke began coming from the rear of Ferrell's car; ending his quest for a career first victory in the Modifleds. This moved Golik back to the top spot. Brink, who had quickly made his way back to the front of the field, hounded Golik for the next eight laps after the restart with Golik slamming the door on a couple of occasions. It seemed like it would only be a matter of time until Brink would be in the lead and that occurred on Lap 15 when Brink drove by Golik in Turns 3 and 4. Brink held off Golik down the stretch to garner the victory. In post-race inspection, this week it was Golik's car which was disqualified for a carburetor infraction. This moved Joe Ballough up to 2nd Place in the official results ahead of Brad Milburn, Matt Welch and Ferrell, who had won the division's sole heat race.

Domination has been the theme of the first two Riggs Industries Street Stock features this season. Last week, Shawn Beam led flag-to-flag. West Mifflin's Lauren Butler was nearly as dominate this week. The 25-lap event did not get off to a good start. Just past the start/finish line, it appeared that something broke on Dustin Gursky's ride, sending it sideways towards the outer retaining wall. With nowhere to go, Anthony Aiello was collected in the incident. With a complete restart of the race, Steve Long paced the field for the first lap. Butler, from her seventh starting position, overtook Long for the lead on Lap 2. One circuit later, Beam, who started 12th, got by Long to move into the 2nd spot. Butler would increase her lead over Beam as the laps counted down with Andrew Kostelnik running in 3rd. One of the tightest battles during the race was between Ron Eiford III and Jason Holder for the 4th position. By Lap 20, Butler had extended her lead over Beam to over five seconds. In the waning laps, Eiford would hold off Holder to finish in 4th Place while Butler would take the checkers six seconds ahead of Beam. Kostelnik held the 3rd spot. Butler and Eiford won their heat races.

Last week's Charger feature was a close battle between Stephen Shelpman and Dale Kimberly, with Pittsburgh's Shelpman taking the checkers. During most of Saturday's main event, it was much of the same. Somerset driver Scott Mitchell started on the pole and led the first trip around the track. On Lap 2, Tanner Friedline worked under Mitchell in Turn 3 and made contact with Mitchell; sending both cars spinning. With nowhere to go and little time to stop, Jason Pritts was also collected in the melee. This moved Frank Novak up to the point position for the restart, followed by Ron Eiford, Jr., Kimberly, Shelpman and Jason Garchak. Novak would lead the first three laps after the restart, only to lose the position to Kimberly on Lap 5. A lap later, Shelpman passed Novak for 2nd and set his sights on Kimberly. It only took four circuits before Shelpman would displace Kimberly at the top of the field. By Lap 13, Shelpman had built up a three second lead over Kimberly which he would never relinquish on the way to his second victory of the season. Novak, Mitchell and Eiford rounded out the Top 5. Shelpman also won the lone heat race for the division.

Paul Koffler III started on the pole for the 15-lap Somerset Trust Company Fast 'N Furious 4's main event. Starting to his outside was Frieden's Mike Shaulis. Before the first lap was completed, Joe Peifer crashed hard into the Turn 4 retaining wall. Koffler would take the lead on the restart of the race followed by Shaulis, Joe Laposky, Angie Kimberly and Casey Fleegle. On Lap 2, Fleegle split the cars of Shaulis and Laposky through Turns 3 and 4 to move up to 2nd Place. While Fleegle tried to close on the leader, a great battle ensured for the 3rd through 7th positions which included last week's winner Cindy Rhodes, Brent Bickerstaff, Evan Nibert, Angie Kimberly and Larry Deeter. Deeter's night would later come to an end when his mount slowed on the backstretch on Lap 6. This allowed Fleegle a great opportunity to take the top spot on the restart. However, Koffler was able to keep the Friedens driver at bay. On the exit of Turn 2 on Lap 10, Fleegle made contact with Koffler, sending him spinning while Koffler continue on. Fleegle didn't make contact with the backstretch wall, although he would have to restart the race at the tail end of the field. Koffler would again take control of the race once back under green with Rhodes running in the 2nd position and Bickerstaff in 3rd Place. Looking like a man on a mission, Fleegle charged back up through the field and got by Nibert for the 4th position with two laps to go. Koffler pulled away from Rhodes by seven car lengths to claim the victory. Bickerstaff maintained 3rd ahead of Fleegle and Nibert. Heat race wins went to Eugene Zerfoss, Rhodes and Fleegle.

This Saturday, June 11th, is First Responders Night presented by Somerset Trust Company. Saturday Night Thunder returns with their five-division program. Admission is only $10, $8 for senior citizens and free for children 12 and under. Spectator gates open at 4PM.

LATE MODELS
Finish Driver

1. Garry Wiltrout
2. Barry Awtey
3. Jeremiah Kuntz
4. Matt Sever
5. Teddy Gibala
6. Bryan Shipp
7. Todd Price
8. Jeremy Hill
9. Joe Maruca
10. Bobby Henry (DNS)

MODIFIEDS
Finish Driver

1. Chris Brink
2. Joe Ballough
3. Brad Milburn
4. Matt Welch
5. Zane Ferrell
6. Lou Botti
7. John Gerula
8. Tom Golic (DQ)

STREET STOCKS
Finish Driver

1. Lauren Butler
2. Shawn Beam
3. Andrew Kostelnik
4. Ron Eiford III
5. Jason Holder
6. Aaron Van Fleet
7. Jerod Brougher
8. Steve Long
9. Mel Wilt
10. Steve Singo
11. Zac Todaro
12. Dustin Gursky
13. Anthony Aiello

CHARGERS
Finish Driver

1. Stephen Shelpman
2. Dale Kimberly
3. Frank Novak
4. Scott Mitchell
5. Ron Eiford, Jr.
6. Jason Garchak
7. Justin Frampton
8. Tanner Friedline
9. Jason Pritts

FAST 'N FURIOUS 4's
Finish Driver

1. Paul Koffler III
2. Cindy Rhodes
3. Brent Bickerstaff
4. Casey Fleegle
5. Evan Nibert
6. Eugene Zerfoss
7. Joe Laposky
8. Mike Shaulis
9. Aaron Karasack
10. Matt Presock
11. Jeremy Grubbs
12. Angie Kimberly
13. Brian Noel
14. Chris Ament
15. Kristin Lakin
16. Larry Dunmyer
17. Larry Deeter
18. Joe Peifer
19. Steve Settle
20. Richard Maglet

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