2/20/2019
New Ownership Team, and New Events, New Drivers, on Tap for Jennerstown Speedway’s New Year
The Jennerstown Speedway Complex management is excited to enter 2019 with many new elements, increasing the anticipation for the start of racing this coming May.
A new ownership group will be in place for the 2019 season. Richard Pologruto, John Morocco, and Larry Hemminger will command the speedway into 2019 and beyond. All three men were part of the original group of six, that revitalized the speedway over the past four years. During that time, the number of competitors has consistently grown, and the attendance has exceeded over 100,000 fans, each of the last two seasons. Multiple nationally televised events have been broadcast from the speedway since 2016, and in 2018 the inaugural “Motor Mountain Masters” event drew national attention for Jennerstown’s Late Model division of racing. It is, once again, an exciting time for short track racing in the scenic Laurel highlands, thanks to the effort of these men and their management team.
Several new faces will be seen in competition at the Speedway this summer, while some of the fans’ favorite drivers will be seen with a new look, or competing in a new division. A noteworthy surge of new competitors will increase the field of racers in the Martella’s Pharmacies Late Models, the top division of weekly racing - sponsored for several years now, by the Martella Family Pharmacy locations. Dirt track superstar, Drake “The Kid” Troutman, will make his asphalt track debut in 2019, as a Late Model rookie. Joining him, a couple of Jennerstown Speedway’s popular Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified drivers, will also be climbing the divisional ladder. Both Jared Barclay and Paul Fess, Jr. will be competing full time in the Late Models this season, after successful Modified racing in 2018. Also returning to competition will be West Virginian Scott Stern and long time local favorite John Komarinski, who had both been on hiatus. Komarinski will be celebrating his 33rd year of racing, driving the #33 Late Model. Several other race teams are also switching divisions, and some “names from the past” are currently preparing cars and equipment to, once again, compete at the legendary half mile Jennerstown oval. Future announcements will be made in the weeks leading up to the start of the season.
New to the schedule of events for 2019, is the addition of the All Star Monster Truck Tour, that will feature the iconic BIGFOOT, on Saturday July 27th. It's been quite some time since the loud, powerful, Monster Trucks have toured the facility, and fans from throughout the region are excited. Jennerstown Speedway has been bombarded with requests for Advance Tickets to the event, which went on sale before the first of the year. Ticket sales to to date, indicate the event will be a “sell out,” so fans are encouraged to order tickets at www.jennerstown.org to guarantee availability.
Although the “Motor Mountain Masters” is not new in 2019, it will have a slightly new agenda, with the addition of the Farmers Union Co-Op charger division. “Masters” weekend will offer the highest prize money of 2019 for the Charger drivers. The Stoystown Auto Wrecker Modifieds will also be in action again in 2019, along with Martellas Family of Pharmacies Late Models division. The 2018 “Masters” event made a memorable impression on the Late Model community, nationwide, and teams from across the country are eager for a chance to qualify for the 2019 event. Several added bonuses for 2019 will increase the lucrative total payout, which attracted some of the top drivers from all regions of the country last year. The addition of a Hard Charger award, for the driver who advances the most positions during the 150 lap event, along with a cash bonus to the winners of the First Segment and Second Segment will enhance the 2019 “Masters.” Other bonuses will be announced, leading up to the August 9th-10th running of crown-jewel event.
The new ownership group recognized that something had been missing for the past several years. Even though the drivers have received weekly paychecks based on their perfromances in each event, and championship awards at the annual banquet celebration, a season ending “point fund” has been missing. The new ownership team will now show their appreciation to the drivers, by offering over $22,000 in year-end point fund money, which will be divided among the top ten drivers in each of the five weekly divisions.
“This is an important aspect that has been missing from our racing program until 2019,” stated general manager Billy Hribar. “The drivers are dedicated to Jennerstown Speedway week after week, and these cash bonuses are our way of saying ‘thank you’ for the unwavering commitment of our competitors.”
To stay up to date on all of the Jennerstown Speedway news and announcements, and for a full listing of the 2019 schedule of events, and advance ticket sales, visit the official website at www.jennerstown.org.
Homepage - Jennerstown Speedway Complex
www.jennerstown.org
NOW $10,000 to WIN! The late model Rules for the most highly anticipated race of the summer have been released. The 2nd annual Motor Mountain Masters will take place on Saturday August 10th 2019. The Motor Mountain masters will be featuring the 150 lap $10,000 to win main event late model race along with …
Article Credit: Mike Lysakowski
