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a three-time champion was crowned at the 11th annual ed laboon memorial

Imperial, PA

Early June in Western Pennsylvania usually means showers and thunderstorms with Thursday’s show feeling the wrath. There isn’t an Ed Laboon Memorial race in recent memory where rain didn’t threaten to derail that program as well. However, the 11th Annual Ed Laboon Memorial for the Homak Penn Ohio Pro Stocks on Saturday night was blessed by Mother Nature with amazing weather for drivers and race fans alike. 

PPMS would see qualifying, six heat races, an eight-lap dash,  one b-main, and six feature events including the 30-lap 11th Annual Ed Laboon Memorial. Chris Schneider (55), from Lower Burrell, would become a three-time champion of the Ed Laboon Memorial when he outdistanced a stellar field of Homak Penn Ohio Pro Stocks to pick up the win. Jamie Duncan (67J), from Brookfield, Ohio, would win the Penn Ohio Pro Stock Non-Qualifier feature while Ben Policz (14B), from Rices Landing, would get his first win of the season in the Rohrich RUSH Late Model feature. Logan Koteles (64K), from Stockdale, would come from his ninth-starting spot to get his first career Cheplic Packing Hobby Stock win. Eric Reynolds (53), from Sewickley, would also get his first career win for the Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinders, and Travis Clark (05T), from Pittsburgh, would get another win for the All Ways Safe Flagging and Traffic Control Young Guns. 

34 Homak Penn Ohio Pro Stocks were on hand at Dirt’s Monster Half-Mile for the 11th Annual Ed Laboon Memorial. Christian Schneider (74), from Georgetown, set the fast time in qualifying with a time of 21.799. He was the only driver to qualify in the 21-second range. However, Chris Schneider (55) was only 0.259 seconds behind him with a time of 22.058. Jordan Perkins (13J), from New Castle, was the third fastest with a time of 22.412 while PPMS regular Brian Huchko (60H), from Coraopolis, had the next fastest time of 22.477. After qualifying, the field was broken into four heat races with the top two from each heat redrawing for the eight-lap dash. Chris Schneider (55) would win the dash and become the pole-sitter for the 30-lap feature event. He would have Perkins (13J) to his outside starting in second, while Christian Schneider (74) would start in third, and Hunter Exley (23HJR) would complete the top two starting rows. After driver intros and the four-wide salute, which was capped with a beautiful fireworks display, it was showtime. Chris Schneider (55) would keep the early lead with Christian Schneider (74) retaining second place, Andrew Gordon (25G), from Dubois, coming from his fifth-place starting spot to take over third, Perkins (13J) would fall back to fourth, and Exley (23HJR) would fall to fifth. The leader, Chris Schneider (55) would enter lapped traffic on lap nine with Christian Schneider (74) right on his tail. The lapped traffic would work in Chris’s favor by lap 13 when he was able to distance himself from Christian as the lapped cars were getting in the way. Lap 15 would see the event’s only caution which would re-rack the field. The leader would choose the inside on the restart and he would once again retain his lead over the field, as Christian Schneider (74) would stay in second, Perkins (13J) made it up to third before the caution, Todd Weldon (45) moved up to fourth on the restart, and Exley (23HJR) would remain in fifth. Perkins (13J) would challenge Christian Schneider (74) for second on lap 18 as the blue 55 led the field but Christian would keep his second-place spot. With five laps to go in the event, the front of the pack would catch the back of the pack and the lapped-traffic game would begin once again. It didn’t matter though because Chris Schneider (55) was on a mission and he would become the only driver to win the Ed Laboon Memorial three times, as he led all laps of the event on Saturday night. Christian Schneider (74) would finish second, Perkins (13J) third, Exley (23HJR) fourth, and Weldon (45) would complete the top five. The heat race winners were Huchko (60H), Christian Schneider (74), Perkins (13J), and Chris Schneider (55) who also won the dash. The b-main winner was Joshua Seippel (84S). Notables: Steve D’Apolito (84) was the hard charger gaining 11 spots after he started P18 and finished in P7. Chris Schneider (55) and Christian Schneider (74) aren’t related. 

11th Annual Ed Laboon Memorial Bonus Awards

Christian Schneider (74) - $192 Fast Qualifier Bonus compliments of Schwartzmiller Transport LLC, in Memory of Bobby Heim

Chris Schneider (55) - $192 Dash Winner compliments of Shaffer’s Auto & Exhaust, in Memory of Bobby Heim

Steve D'Apolito (84) - $192 Hard Charger Bonus compliments of The Flying Dutchman, in Memory of Bobby Heim

Mike Bordt (26) - $200 Invader Bonus paid to the highest finisher in their first ELM appearance, compliments of Real Nutz

Vodka

Chris Schneider (55) - $100 bonus to the highest finishing Lernerville Speedway car (within the top 10 in points of the track)

Chris Schneider (55) - $111 bonus for leader of lap 11 in memory of Josh Langer

Chris Schneider (55) - $122 bonus for leader of lap 22 in memory of Chuck Herr

Hunter Exley (23HJR) - The Connor Laboon Best Appearing Car Award - Mr Magic detaining baskets

In the Dobs Penn Ohio Pro Stock Non-Qualifiers Feature, Bill Slade (A22), from White Oak, would start on the pole. Starting to his outside in second place was Jamie Duncan (67J). The second row had Jackson Billyk (5), from New Castle, in third, and Tanya Charlier (21), from Midway, completing the four-car field, as there were four cars that did not start the race. When the flag man waved the green, Slade (A22) and Duncan (67J) would battle for the lead. Duncan (67J) would win that battle and have the lead at the line on lap one. Duncan (67J) would lead all six laps of the race to pick up the win after missing qualifying and having car problems earlier in the night. Slade (A22) would finish second, Jackson Billyk (5) third, and T. Charlier (21) in fourth. 

The Rohrich RUSH Late Model 20-lap feature would start 17 cars. Tim Shaffer (45), from Aliquippa, would start on the pole after the redraw. Philip Bubeck (4), from Colliers, West Virginia, would line up next to him in second place. Zach Morrow (5X), from Gibsonia, would start in third as he was driving for the Chernik family, and Dave Goble (20G), from Aliquippa, would round out the top two starting rows. When the green light turned on, Shaffer (45) would keep the early lead with Bubeck (4) behind him in second. Lap two would see the first yellow flag when the 00K of Kayla McManus spun out in turn two. Shaffer (45) and Bubeck (4) would lead the restart with Shaffer (45) wanting the inside lane. The pair would stay one and two when green replaced yellow while Ben Policz (14B) took over third knocking Morrow (5X) to fourth and Cole Petrelle (84) was in fifth. Policz (14B) would take over second on lap six with Shaffer (45) still leading. Lapped traffic would come into play on lap eight, and Policz (14B) had caught up to Shaffer (45) at the halfway point. A lap 12 caution would again slow the pace and reorganize the field. Shaffer (45) would again take the inside on the restart with Policz (14B) to his outside. Policz (14B) would take over the lead when the flag man dropped the green which bumped Shaffer (45) to second and Daryl Charlier (3RK) was creeping up in third. With five laps remaining, Charlier (3RK) would take over the second spot as Policz (14B) was still in the lead. The event’s last caution would come on the same lap with Policz (14B) choosing the outside on the restart and he would lead the final five laps of the event to bring home his first win of the season. Charlier (3RK) finished second, Petrelle (84) third, Shaffer (45) fourth, and Colby Beighey (36) would round out the top five. Notables: Beighey (36) was also the hard charger when he started last in P17 and finished P5, gaining 12 spots.

The Cheplic Packing Hobby Stocks would start 14 cars for their 15-lap feature. Gary Koteles (65K), from Stockdale, would start on the pole. Week one winner, Matt Benard (15), from Oakdale would line up next to him in second. Row two had Justin Clark (02), from Industry, starting third, and Karlee Kovacs (221K), from Carnegie, starting forth as she made her season debut. The field wouldn’t even complete a lap before the first caution was out for Marc Corio (14) who spun out in turn two. A complete restart would ensue and this time, one lap would be completed before the caution was out again for the 47T of Austin Graul who spun on the back stretch. G. Koteles (65K) and Benard (15) would lead the restart and both would keep their first and second positions respectively. Five laps into the event, caution number three was out when a car hit the wall in turn two. G. Koteles (65K) and Benard (15) would again lead the restart. When green replaced yellow, Logan Koteles (64K) would come from fifth to take over second place but Marc Corio (14) would spin out in turn four which brought out yet another caution on lap six. The Koteles father-son duo of Gary and Logan would lead the restart with Gary on the inside. G. Koteles (65K) would keep the lead but as he went into turns one and two something on his car broke and Logan would take over the lead by lap seven. With Logan Koteles (64K) now in the lead, Benard (15) was in second, and Tony Magill (5) third. It appeared that L. Koteles (64K) was going to have his first career Hobby Stock win but a lap 14 caution put that on hold. A two-lap shootout would ensue but L. Koteles (64K) was able to lead both of those laps as well en route to his first Cheplic Packing Hobby Stock win. He was followed by Benard (15) in second, Frank Magill (05) in third, Clark (02) in fourth, and Jonathan Koteles (2K) in fifth. The Hobby Stocks did not run a heat race. Notables: Frank Magill (05) was the hard charger as he was forced to tag the field around lap six and he finished third. Logan Koteles (64K) is a former Young Guns division champion and he doesn’t have his driver's license yet. 

The Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinder eight-lap feature was supposed to start four cars but Susie Rudolph (55), from Steubenville, Ohio, did not start the event making it a three-car field. John Steele (33), from North Fayette, would start on the pole. Craig Rudolph (5R), from Steubenville, Ohio, would start in second, and Eric Reynolds (53) would start in third. When the field came to green, C. Rudolph (5R) would crash into the wall in turn three. He was alright but retired to the pits. Steele (33) and Reynolds (53) would dual it out for the rest of the event. Reynolds (53) would take the lead on the restart. As lap after lap peeled off, his lead got bigger and bigger. He would go on to pick up his first career win in the Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinder division. Steele finished second, and C. Rudolph (5R) was third. The Four-Cylinders did not run a heat race. 

Abby Gindlesperger (05), from Jefferson Hills, would start on the pole for the All Ways Safe Young Guns eight-lap feature. Starting to her outside in second place was Gavin Kokolis (91), from Oakdale. Row two had Tyler Hollister (44T), from McDonald, in third, and Zoey Knight (78Z), from Plum, starting fourth. Emmerson Laboon (114), from Elizabeth, would start fifth while brand-new driver, Sumara Weaver (112), from Daisytown, would start sixth, and points leader Travis Clark (05T) would start seventh. When the green flag dropped, track officials called a no-start because the 114 was passing before the cone. The field would line up and give it another shot. This time the start was good and Travis Clark (05T) would come from his last place starting spot to take over the lead on lap one. By lap four, Clark (05T) had a whole straightaway lead over the field and his lead got bigger and bigger with each lap that ticked off. He would lead all laps of the event, en route to another Young Guns win. He was followed to the line by Kokolis (91) in second, Laboon (114) in third, Hollister (44T) in fourth, Gindlesperger (05) in fifth, Knight (78Z) in sixth, and Weaver (112) in seventh. The Young Guns did not run a heat race. 

Racing resumes at Dirt’s Monster Half-Mile next Saturday, June 11, 2022, with Rohrich Automotive Night, as well as Champions Night. PPMS will honor the 2021 division champions and will be featuring the RUSH Dirt Late Model Series, the RUSH Sprint Car Series, the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, the Penn Ohio Pro Stocks, the Cheplic Packing Hobby Stock Series race number two paying $500 to win, the Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinders, and the All Ways Safe Young Guns. Gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps start at 6 p.m., and the racing action will commence at 7 p.m. Visit our schedule section for pricing and tickets. PPMS has a GPS address of 170 Kelso Rd, Imperial, PA, 15126 and is located off of the Noblestown Exit of 22/30. 

Happy Racing 

 

RESULTS

11th Annual Ed Laboon Memorial Feature (30) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown 

1 - 1 - Chris Schneider (55) - Lower Burrell 

2 - 3 - Christian Schneider (74) - Georgetown 

3 - 2 - Jordan Perkins (13J) - New Castle 

4 - 4 - Hunter Exley (23H) - Franklin 

5 - 7 - Todd Weldon (45) - Monongahela 

6 - 10 - Bobby Whitling (7W) - Franklin 

7 - 18 - Steve D’Apolito (84) - North Lima, OH

8 - 9 - Tyler Wyant (24) - Oil City 

9 - 6 - Brian Huchko (60H) - Coraopolis 

10 - 12 - Jackson Humanic (17) - Titusville 

11 - 21 - Josh Seippel (84S) - Franklin 

12 - 11 - AJ Poljak (36) - Baldwin 

13 - 20 - Jason Fosnaught (25M) - Tarentum 

14 - 16 - Nick Kocuba (10) - Burgettstown 

15 - 15 - Tim Bish (11B) - Ringgold

16 - 13 - Jason Johns (31) - Venus 

17 - 19 - Chase Lambert (22) - Mars 

18 - 22 - Dale Tuche (310) - Cheswick 

19 - 24 - Heath Close (77H) - Valencia 

20 - 26 - Mike Bordt (26) - Mars 

21 - 17 - Jacob Billyk (4) - New Castle 

22 - 23 - Frank Magill (05) - Jefferson Hills 

23 - 25 - Jake Billyk (4JR) - New Castle 

24 - 14 - Cody Koteles (1K) - Stockdale 

25 - 5 - Andrew Gordon (25G) - DuBois 

26 - 8 - Noah Brunell (18) - New Alexandria 

 

Penn Ohio Pro Stock Non-Qualifier Feature (6) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 2 - Jamie Duncan (67J) - Brookfield, OH 

2 - 1 - Bill Slade (A22) - White Oak 

3 - 3 - Jackson Billyk (5) - New Castle 

4 - 4 - Tanya Charlier (21) - Midway 

DNS - Josh Blum (39B) - Knox 

DNS - Aden Boozell (44B) - Franklin 

DNS - Chris McGuire (63) - Erie 

DNS - Curtis Bish (29) - Cranberry

 

Penn Ohio Pro Stock Dash (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) 

1 - 8 - Chris Schneider (55)  

2 - 2 - Jordan Perkins (13J) 

3 - 5 - Christian Schneider (74) 

4 - 6 - Hunter Exley (23HJR) 

5 - 1 - Andrew Gordon (25G)

6 - 4 - Brian Huchko (60H) 

7 - 7 - Todd Weldon (45) 

8 - 3 - Noah Brunell (18) 

 

Penn Ohio Pro Stock B-Main (10) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) 

1 - 2 - Joshua Seippel (84S) 

2 - 4 - Dale Tuche (310) 

3 - 8 - Frank Magill (05) 

4 - 1 - Heath Close (77H) 

5 - 3 - Jake Billyk (4JR) 

6 - 7 - Mike Bordt (26) 

7 - 5 - Bill Slade (A22) 

8 - 6 - Josh Blum (39B) 

9 - 10 - Jamie Duncan (67J) 

10 - 9 - Tanya Charlier (21) 

11 - 11 - Jackson Billyk (5) 

DNS - Aden Boozell (44B)

DNS - Chris McGuire (63) 

DNS - Curtis Bish (29) 

 

Penn Ohio Pro Stocks Heat 1 (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [Starting Spot];

Brian Huchko - 60H - [1];  2. Hunter Exley - 23HJR - [2];  3. Tyler Wyant - 24 - [2];  4. Jason Johns - 31 - [4];  5. Jacob Billyk - 4 - [6];  6. Heath Close - 77H -  [7];  7. Bill Slade - A22 - [9];  8. Aden Boozell - 44B - [5];  9. Jackson Billyk - 5 - [9];  

 

Penn Ohio Pro Stocks Heat 2 (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [Starting Spot];

Christian Schneider - 74 - [1];  2. Noah Brunell - 18 - [2];  3. Bobby Whitling - 7W - [3];  4. Cody Koteles - 1K - [4];  5. Steve D’Apolito - 84 - [5];  6. Joshua Seippel - 84S - [7];  7. Josh Blum - 39B - [8];  8. Chris McGuire - 63 - [6];  

 

Penn Ohio Pro Stocks Heat 3 (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [Starting Spot];

Jordan Perkins - 13J - [1]; 2. Andrew Gordon - 25G - [2];  3. AJ Poljak - 36 - [4];  4. Tim Bish - 11B - [3];  5. Chase Lambert - 22 - [5];  6. Jake Billyk - 4JR - [6];  7. Mike Bordt - 26 - [8];  8. Tanya Charlier - 21 - [7];  

 

Penn Ohio Pro Stock Heat 4 (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [Starting Spot];

Chris Schneider - 55 - [1];  2. Todd Weldon - 45 - [2];  3. Jackson Humanic - 17 - [4];  4. Nick Kocuba - 10 - [3];  5. Jason Fosnaught - 25 - [5];  6. Dale Tuche - 310 - [7];  7. Frank Magill - 05 - [6];  8. Jamie Duncan - 67J - [8];  DNS - Curtis Bish - 29 - 

 

Rohrich RUSH Late Model Feature (20) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 5 - Ben Policz (14B) - Rices Landing 

2 - 7 - Daryl Charlier (3RK) - Midway 

3 - 8 - Cole Petrelle (84) - Follansbee, WV

4 - 1 - Tim Shaffer (45) - Aliquippa 

5 - 17 - Colby Beighey (36) - Fombell 

6 - 2 - Philip Bubeck (4) - Colliers, WV

7 - 11 - Tom Klein (77) - Rochester 

8 - 10 - Zach Kane (10) - Washington 

9 - 12 - Travis Justice (23) - Frankford, DE

10 - 9 - Zach Gunn (17G) - McDonald 

11 - 15 - Kassidy Kamicker (72B) - Aliquippa 

12 - 6 - Jake Gunn (14G) - McDonald 

13 - 3 - Zach Morrow (5X) - Gibsonia 

14 - 16 - Greg Goble (21G) - Aliquippa 

15 - 14 - Kayla McManus (00K) - Elizabeth 

16 - 4 - Dave Goble (20G) - Aliquippa 

17 - 13 - Bill Kessler (9) - Freedom

 

RUSH Late Model Heat 1 (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [Starting Spot];

Philip Bubeck - 4 - [2];  2. Ben Policz - 14B - [6];  3. Jake Gunn - 14G - [1];  4. Zach Morrow - 5X - [4];  5. Zach Gunn - 17G - [5];  6. Tom Klein - 77 - [8];  7. Bill Kessler - 9 - [3];  8. Kayla McManus - 00K - [7];  9. Greg Goble - 21G - [9];  

 

RUSH Late Model Heat 2 (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [Starting Spot];

Cole Petrelle - 84 - [1];  2. Tim Shaffer - 45 - [3];  3. Daryl Charlier - 3RK - [6];  4. Dave Goble - 20G - [2];  5. Zachary Kane - 10 - [5];  6. Travis Justice - 23 - [8];  7. Colby Beighey - 36 - [7];  8. Kassidy Kamicker - 72B - [4];    

 

Cheplic Packing Hobby Stock Feature (15) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 9 - Logan Koteles (64K) - Stockdale 

2 - 2 - Matt Benard (15) - Oakdale 

3 - 7 - Frank Magill (05) - Jefferson Hills 

4 - 3 - Justin Clark (02) - Industry 

5 - 10 - Jonathan Koteles (2K) - Stockdale 

6 - 8 - Tony Magill (5) - Jefferson Hills 

7 - 4 - Karlee Kovacs (221K) - Carnegie 

8 - 14 - Austin Graul (47T) - Pittsburgh

9 - 12 - Leroy Brown (74) - Aliquippa 

10 - 6 - Marc Corio (14) - South Fayette 

11 - 13 - Richard Ours (70) - East Liverpool, OH 

12 - 1 - Gary Koteles (65K) - Stockdale 

13 - 11 - Casey Grumling (77X) - Elrama 

14 - 5 - Jeff Cencarik (6) - Pittsburgh 

 

Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinder Feature (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 3 - Eric Reynolds (53) - Sewickley 

2 - 1 - John Steele (33) - North Fayette

3 - 3 - Craig Rudolph (5R) - Steubenville, OH

DNS - Susie Rudolph (55) - Steubenville, OH 

 

All Ways Safe Young Guns Feature (8) - Laps 

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 7 - Travis Clark (05T) - Pittsburgh 

2 - 2 - Gavin Kokolis (91) - Oakdale 

3 - 5 - Emmerson Laboon (114) - Elizabeth 

4 - 3 - Tyler Hollister (44T) - McDonald 

5 - 1 - Abby Gindlesperger (05) - Jefferson Hills 

6 - 4 - Zoey Knight (78Z) - Plum

7 - 6 - Sumara Weaver (112) - Daisytown 

3-Time Ed Laboon Memorial Champion Chris Schneider #55

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