7/4/2017
Jennerstown Speedway
Hirschman Starts Tenth and Wins Hunter Truck Sales 100 at Jennerstown; Sever Wins First of the Year
(Jennerstwon, PA) On Saturday, June 17, the Jennerstown Speedway Complex hosted a touring Modified race for the first time in over eleven years, as the Race of Champions Series visited the paved oval for the first time in history. Matt Hirschman, the son of three time Jennerstown winner Tony Hirschman, started tenth and prevailed victorious in the first running of the Hunter Truck Sales 100. Matt Sever, a former track Champion, scored his first win of 2017 in the Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model division of racing. Other winners included Chris Brink (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Shawn Beam (J&J Truck Equipment Street Stocks), Jason Pritts (Famers Union Co-Op Chargers) and R.J. Dallape (Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘n Furious 4-Cylinders).
The Race of Champions Modified Series visited Jennerstown Speedway for the first time, and the son of a retired Modified superstar continued the family tradition, of winning at the Laurel Highlands oval. Matt Hirschman started tenth in the inaugural Hunter Truck Sales 100, and outran current series points leader, Patrick Emerling, to earn a second tour victory in two weeks. Hirschman’s father, Tony Hirschman, leads all drivers with three career Jennerstown Modified wins, the first of which, dates back to 1989. Zane Zeiner finished third after leading several laps. The series will validate the unofficial finish order, and release the official rundown in the coming hours.
Veteran Rick Boyer led the Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model field to the green flag, but it was Mike “Hollywood” Hemminger who led lap one of 30. Hemminger, a previous three time winner in the division, is seeking his first win after a 15-year hiatus from competition. Hemminger led a total of seven laps, and looked poised for a return to victory lane, before scuffing the outside wall on the backstretch. Hemminger was attempting to defend his lead from the advances of Matt Sever, who started in the eighth position. Sever is a former Champion, who struggled in the early weeks of 2017, but found the speed needed to wrestle the lead away from Hemminger, before he faced more challenges. Recent winner and former Champion Garry Wiltrout was briefly the second place driver, until he made heavy contact with the wall, while battling Barry Awtey to keep the second position. Awtey, the previous week’s winner and defending Champion, then held the second spot for seven laps, while Sever maintained the lead. On lap 24, Jeremiah Kuntz passed Awtey to become runner-up, and quickly gained on Sever. Kuntz, who has been notably fast all season, is seeking his first win of the year, and applied pressure to Sever on the final lap, in turns three and four. But, Sever claimed the victory, by a narrow margin, to become the fourth different winner in five races. Although Kuntz closed the gap quickly to finish right on Sever’s heels, Sever parked his Martinelli’s Auto/Lux Brothers/EESI Ford in victory lane, after he also won his heat race. Kuntz, who won the other heat race, Awtey, and recent winner Bryan Shipp placed second, third, and fourth. Teddy Gibala, after missing events to replace an engine, returned to action and earned a “top five” position.
After starting on the front row for the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature, Patrick Waugh led the first laps of his young career. Waugh started in the second position, and led three laps of the 20-lap distance. “Racin’ Jason” Busch started in the fifth position and became the leader on lap four. Busch has led laps in every race he has entered this year, seeking his first victory of 2017. But, with six laps to go Chris Brink passed Busch, and parked in victory lane for the fourth time in four weeks. Now with a commanding lead in the Championship standings, Brink is on a record setting pace, and was able to win from the tenth starting position, just as Hirschman did in the Race of Champions Modified Series event. Busch, defending Champion Zane Ferrell, Waugh, and Gary Scott were the top five finishers, after a mid-race rain shower halted the action, and delayed the event’s conclusion by about an hour.
Young Zac Todaro led the first half of the J&J Truck Equipment Street Stocks’ 20-lap feature after starting on the pole. But his quest for a first career victory was thwarted as both Josh Coughenour and defending Champion Shawn Beam passed him on the same lap. Beam became the leader on lap eleven, and was pressured heavily by Coughenour for the final nine circuits. Beam started tenth and won for the third week in a row, after missing the first two rounds of the 2017 season. Coughenour was within striking distance of the undefeated winner, when the checkered flag waved, and Todaro had an impressive run conclude with a third place finish. Lauren Butler, a winner this year, placed fourth ahead of veteran Steve Singo.
A cash bonus awaited the Famers Union Co-Op Charger feature winner, thanks to the division sponsor, and Jason Garchak led the first four of 15 laps. Recent winner, Jason Pritts took the lead on lap five after starting in the eighth position. Pritts outran former Champion Steve Long, to claim the bonus cash, and his second career win – also second of the season. Long climbed from the ninth starting spot to claim second place, with Dale Kimberly finishing third. Recent winner Tanner Friendline placed fourth and Garchak finished in fifth position.
A young, first time winner parked in victory lane after the 15-lap Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘n Furious 4-Cylinder feature. R.J. Dallape led every lap to score career win number one, but fought hard for the trophy. Opening night winner, Andrew Pluta had opportunities to challenge, after restarts closely aligned the duo. But, pole starter Dallape never surrendered the top spot, and defeated seventh-starting Pluta, eighth-starting Brent Bickerstaff, two-time winner Even Nibert and previous week’s winner Cindy Shaulis, who started ninth.
Race of Champions Modified Tour Winner:
Matt Hirschman (started 10th)
Finish Order from June 17,2017
Martella’s Pharmacies Late Models
Pos Start Driver Hometown Car
1 8 Matt Sever West Newton, PA #83
2 9 Jeremiah Kuntz Mahaffey, PA #7
3 10 Barry Awtey Jenners, PA #75
4 7 Bryan Shipp Scottdale, PA #40
5 6 Teddy Gibala Coulter, PA #2
6 3 Todd Price Bedford, PA #66
7 5 Garry Wiltrout Somerset, PA #95
8 1 Rick Boyer Blairsville, PA #5
9 2 Mike Hemminger Stoystown, PA #72
10 4 Joe Maruca Slickville, PA #90
Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds
Pos Start Driver Hometown Car
1 10 Chris Brink Penn Run, PA #7
2 5 Jason Busch Pittsburgh, PA #42
3 8 Zane Ferrell Ruffs Dale, PA #14
4 2 Patrick Waugh New Florence, PA #21
5 4 Gary Scott Irwin, PA #22
6 9 Tom Golik West Newton, PA #98
7 6 Dustin Gursky Ridgeley, WV #29
8 11 Brad Milburn Schellsburg, PA #95
9 7 Jarred Barclay Somerset, PA #92
10 1 Jim Bodziak Hollsopple, PA #2
J&J Truck Equipment Street Stocks
Pos Start Driver Hometown Car
1 10 Shawn Beam Somerset, PA #21
2 7 Josh Coughenour Gray, PA #20
3 1 Zac Todaro Johnstown, PA #4
4 9 Lauren Butler West Mifflin, PA #53
5 3 Steven Singo Hooversville, PA #7
6 8 Anthony Aiello White Oak, PA #31
7 4 Jason Holder Stoystown, PA #74
8 6 Aaron VanFleet Scottdale, PA #95
9 5 Mel Wilt Hollidaysburg, PA #33
10 2 Angie Kimberly Sutersville, PA #69
Famers Union Co-Op Chargers
Pos Start Driver Hometown Car
1 8 Jason Pritts Boswell, PA #52
2 9 Steve Long Rockwood, PA #27
3 6 Dale Kimberly Sutersville, PA #22
4 7 Tanner Friedline Hooversville, PA #7
5 1 Jason Garchak Pittsburgh, PA #46
6 3 Joe Ruskey Boswell, PA #O3
7 5 Justin Frampton boswell, PA #66
8 2 Emily Shaulis Somerset, PA #99
9 4 Cody Gaynor Greensburg, PA #61
Somerset Trust Company Fast ‘n Furious 4-Cylinders
Pos Start Driver Hometown Car
1 1 RJ Dallape Johnstown, PA #95
2 7 Andrew Pluta Stoystown, PA #88
3 8 Brent Bickerstaff Herminie, PA #53
4 10 Evan Nibert Somerset, PA #7
5 9 Cindy Rhodes Somerset, PA #83
6 13 Paul Koffler Connellsville, PA #48
7 6 Brian Noel Mt pleasant, PA #39
8 5 Aaron Karasack Hutchinson, PA #49
9 12 Chris Ament Latrobe, PA #2
10 14 Jeremy Grubbs South Connellsville, PA #37
Submitted By: Vernon Yoder