6/12/2019
Three-peat For Gibala at Jennerstown
(Jennerstown, PA) The driver of car number three, earned victory number three of 2019, in the Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model division of racing at the Jennerstown Speedway Complex on Saturday night, June 8th – Teddy Gibala, of Coulter, PA. Also celebrating in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane on Somerset Trust Company night were: Gary Scott (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Casey Fleegle (Tunstall Auto & Truck Repair Street Stocks) Dale Kimberly (Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers), and Andrew Pluta (Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinders). All emergency service personnel were treated to free admission, courtesy of Somerset Trust Company, as the annual “Salute to First Responders” offered a small thank you to the heroes of our communities.
In only four events so far in 2019, one man has dominated the Martella's Pharmacies Late Model division. After winning the first two events on the schedule, he finished second in round number three. And when the season’s fourth race concluded, Teddy Gibala was again standing in Stoney’s Victory Lane. Unlike his previous wining drives, during which he hunted down and passed former Champions, Gibala started from the pole position for the 30-lap feature race on June 8th. Gibala was challenged early on by Mike “Hollywood” Hemminger. Hemminger, who was in Championship contention throughout 2018, has had noteworthy tough luck in 2019. Using the outside lane successfully, Hemminger challenged Gibala repeatedly, and took the lead on lap eight, officially. Hemminger’s bid for a top five finish ended later in the event with a spinout on lap 24. While Gibala led the pack, exciting battles for positions two through six held the attention of the large crowd of spectators. Barry Awtey, the most recent winner, climbed from the tenth position into third spot, passing Zane Ferrell. As the only driver to defeat Gibala this year, Awtey challenged Hemminger for second place, prior to Hemminger’s caution flag incident. Late in the event, Joe Maruca made his presence known. After leading all but the final lap one week prior, Maruca seems poised to earn his first career win in 2019. Maruca started in twelfth position, and used multiple lanes of the speedway to work his way in to the second spot, passing his rival, former Champion Awtey, on lap 25. Maruca seemed to be closing the gap between himself and Gibala, until a late race restart. Gibala accelerated away from Maruca, on cooler tires, and steered his EH Schwab Metal Spinning/Port City Racing Chevrolet numbered three, to victory number three of 2019. Maruca finished in second place, with heat race winner Awtey crossing the finish line third. Bryan Shipp drove a smooth, consistent race, earning a fourth place finish. Ferrell, the former Modified Champ, was fifth. Division rookie, and former Modified winner, Jarred Barclay scored an impressive heat race win, in only his fourth Late Model race.
The most veteran driver in the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified division was triumphant in the 20-lap feature event. Gary Scott, of Irwin, PA, began racing go-karts decades ago, before launching a dirt track and asphalt track Modified career. A many time winner at the defunct Motordrome Speedway, Scott started from the pole position and led every lap for his first win of the season. Scott showed great speed in the 2019 season opening events, with a pair of “podium finishes.” Scott, then, suffered a damaging crash, which required two tow trucks to remove his battered machine from the speedway, in round three of competition. During his redemptive drive to victory, he outran the region’s all time leading Modified winner, Adam Kostelnik. Kostelnik crossed the finish line in second place after starting in sixth position. R.J. Dallape, the sophomore driver, made late race moves to climb from the tenth starting position, and earn a third place finish. Former Champions Anthony Aiello and Chris Brink placed fourth and fifth. Recent feature winners Aiello and Pete Rech won the heat races earlier in the night.
The winner of the 20-lap Tunstall Auto & Truck Repair Street Stock feature event, received a mixed reaction from the large crowd, while standing in Stoney’s Victory Lane, after an early race collision. Casey Fleegle, a rookie to the division, earned his second win of the year, after racing from the rear of the field following a lap four incident. While battling for third place, Fleegle made contact with defending Champion Josh Coughenour. Although Fleegle continued on with notable body damage, Coughenour’s car made hard contact with the outside wall on the front straight. Heat race winner Coughenour was eliminated from the event, while track officials sent Fleegle to the rear of the pack, for his involvement in the crash. Recent winner Aaron Van Fleet started the race in fourth spot, and led the first 13 laps. He kept veteran Mike “Daredevil Davis” in his mirror for the first seven circuits, before Fleegle passed Davis for the runner up spot. In a thrilling duel with Van Fleet, Fleegle edged ahead on lap 14 and grabbed the win, with help from a restart that erased Van Fleet’s lead advantage. In the final rundown, the top five places were held by: Fleegle, Van Fleet, Davis, sophomore Jeremy Shaffer, and previous week’s winner Zac Todaro.
The heat race winners both suffered misfortunes during the 15-lap Farmers Union Co-Op Charger division feature event. Recent winner Scott Mitchell won his heat race, and was unable to start the feature, due to mechanical problems. Kelly Shaulis, winner of the other heat race, spun from third position at the midpoint of the feature, causing a caution flag. Defending Champion Dale Kimberly started from the pole position and cruised to his second win of 2019. Early in the race, he outran his teammate, rookie Chase Payton. In the closing stages, Kimberly maintained his lead over dirt track convert Steven Brown, who started in sixth position. When the checkered flag waved, the order of finish was Kimberly, Brown, Payton, Shaulis who recovered from the lap eight spin, and 2018 winner Dan Jackson. One week after a frightening crash, popular Justin Frampton was back in action, with a new race car and placed eighth.
Bently Miller led the first three laps of the Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinders’ 15-lap feature, after starting in fourth place. Former Champion Brent Bickerstaff started in sixth place after winning his heat race, and was in the runner-up spot for the first two laps. Andrew Pluta started in the eighth position, but grabbed second place on lap three. Pluta became the leader on lap four, and easily drove away from all competitors for his second consecutive victory. Pluta also won a heat race. Bickerstaff and Miller finished second and third, with Michael Strouse and Michael Saler placing fourth and fifth.
Action continues next Saturday, with five division racing on “Autograph Night.” All fans will be welcomed on to the speedway surface to meet the drivers, touch the race cars, and collect photos, autographs, and treats from the race teams, prior to the start of competition. For more information visit www.jennerstown.org
Article Credit: Mike Lysakowski
