results First Mod Victory of the Season for Hartzell at Mountain

August 5, 2005
by Gene Ostrowski

ST. JOHNS, PA -- Friday night thunder continued Friday evening with plenty of racing on the card at Mountain Speedway.

Steven Reed led the Balliet's Country Corners modified field to the drop of the green flag for the 30-lap feature event. Reed quickly leaped out front over Tim Santee and Donny Hartzell. Hartzell drove into the second slot on lap two and worked Reed for the top spot on the third circuit.

Slight contact was made between Hartzell and Reed as the two battled out of turn two. Reed slowed for an instant, which allowed Hartzell to take command.

By the fifth lap, current point leader, Brian Defebo, moved into the fourth spot after starting eighth on the grid. Meanwhile, Eddie Brunnhoelzl, who made the trip down from upstate New York jumped into sixth after stating ninth.

The first of two lap eleven cautions flew for an incident in turn four involving Wayne Szerencsits, Ernie Dengler and Marisa Niederauer. Szerencsits was assisted to the pits via wrecker and was not able to continue.

As lap 14 clicked off, Hartzell still held command over Dave Pecko and Defebo. Defebo, while trying for second, got underneath Pecko entering turn one. Contact caused Pecko to spin out of contention, and the two drivers were forced to the rear for the restart. This shook things up behind Hartzell, as Reed, Brunnhoelzl, Ryan Preece and Santee rounded out the top five.

The remainder of the event was caution-free, which allowed Defebo to charge his way back toward the front with the hope of having a shot at Hartzell.

Brunnhoelzl and Reed made contact in turn two while racing for the third slot. Although the drivers kept their mounts straight, the loss of momentum gave Defebo the opportunity he was looking for.

Hartzell cruised on to the checkers for his first feature win of the season over Defebo, Reed, Brunnhoelzl and Preece. The Hunlock's Creek, PA driver (Hartzell), along with Vandling, PA's Dave Pecko picked up heat wins earlier in the afternoon.

In victory lane Hartzell noted: “It's been a long time coming. We've had great cars, but the worst luck. It feels great to finally win one this season”.

As they do every week, Balliet's Country Corners (modified division sponsor) awarded gift certificates to the top two drivers in each heat race. This week Donny Hartzell and Dave Pecko picked up the $25 certificates for their heat wins.

Jackie Ziegler toured the St. Johns oval from the pole when she brought the late model field to the green for the 25-lap feature. Zeigler leapt out front over Phil DeFranco and Jason Makarewicz.

With Ziegler leading, the battle for second was heating up between DeFranco and Jerry Brighthaupt. Meanwhile, Larry Fisher and Jim Lamoreaux entered the top five.

The yellow waved on lap eleven when Jeff Searfoss, Lorin Arthofer, Dean Kline II, Jim Brown and Joseph Cerabino collected in turn one. Kline, Searfoss and Arthofer were not able to continue.

When the green flew it was still Ziegler out front, but that all changed on the thirteenth circuit when Lamoreaux cleared Zeigler on the backstretch. It wasn't long before Fisher, Brighthaupt and Joe Hoffman over took Ziegler.

Fisher seemed to try every way under or around Lamoreaux over the remaining circuits, but couldn't quite put himself in position to make the pass, as Lamoreaux went on to take his fourth win of the season over Fisher, Brighthaupt, Hoffman and Makarewicz.

Lamoreaux (Sweet Valley, PA) gingerly climbed from his mount in victory lane. The driver not only won the feature, but also did so with a broken foot. Jim said he has surgery scheduled for the upcoming week.

Jim Lamoreaux and Mike Rodriguez, Jr. were heat winners.

Steve Shultz led the thriller field to the green for the 20-lap thriller feature when pole sitter, Marissa Nelmes did not start. Shultz shot to the early lead over Howie Bott, Richard Petey and Josh Oswald.

The first caution flew when Mark Paine lost a right front wheel exiting turn four. Although a very hard hit, Paine's day was done after the lap six incident.

Paint and position swapping began after the restart, with every driver trying to make their way to the front of the pack, and by lap nine, Steve Hoffman worked his way around Bott for second and challenged Shultz for the lead.

With Hoffman out front, Bott fought his way around Shultz for second. Petey began to apply pressure to Shultz for third. Turn two contact was made, and the lap eleven mishaps between Petey and Shultz brought the yellow out once again.

Hoffman held the top spot after the restart, but Bill Price Jr. and Petey weren't done with their charge toward the front. As the both passed Bott for second, the two began to swap paint, which gave Bott another shot at second.

Hoffman held on to take his third feature win of the season over Bott, Price, Oswald and Kevin Makarewicz.

Steve Shultz and Richard Petey were heat winners.

Fern Glen's Travis Fisher led the four-cylinder thriller field to the drop of the green after starting from the pole in the 20-lap feature. Fisher lurched out to the lead over Jimmy White, Jr. and Dale Shoemaker.

The only caution of the event flew on the third lap when Bill Verwys came to rest in turn three. No other drivers were involved.

The restart was a wild one for sure. Shoemaker, who was battling for the lead got out of shape in turn one and appeared to be headed for the retaining fence. A great bit of driving kept his machine off the wall with only losing three positions.

After starting seventh, Joe Heintzelman caught and passed his teammate, Fisher for the top spot on lap four. Fisher would later be conquered by the division point leader, Joe Grocholski, along with White and Chris Walk.

Heintzelman (Drums, PA) dominated the remainder of the event, taking the win over Grocholski by five seconds. White, Shoemaker and Chris Meeker rounded out the top five.

Heintzelman thanked runner-up, Joe Grocholski in victory lane. “A few weeks ago my primary car got trashed and Joe (Grocholski) told me I must drive his back up car,” noted Heintzelman. The win marks his second of the season.

Heat winners were Joe Grocholski and Joe Heintzelman.

The street stocks had the night off due to the upcoming 5 th annual Bartley Racing Enterprises ‘Street Stock Shootout'. The 100-lap annual event will take place on Sunday, August 7 th with a guaranteed $1000 to win tag. All the action begins with time trials at 2:00 PM.

On the card for next week, along with the street stocks, thrillers and four-cylinder thriller is the twin 25-lap ‘Big Dog 100' qualifying features for the modifieds. The winner of each 25-lap even will earn a guaranteed starting spot in the 100-lap modified blowout on Sunday, August 21 st .

Modified (30-laps) 1. DONNY HARTZELL 2. Brian Defebo 3. Steven Reed 4. Eddie Brunnhoelzl III 5. Ryan Preece 6. Tim Santee 7. Ernie Dengler 8. Kory Rabenold 9. Andy Walko 10. Kevin Kromer 11. Marisa Niederauer 12. Brian MacQueen 13. Wayne Szerencsits 14. Billy Swartz 15. Dave Pecko

Fast Lap: Dave Pecko, lap 6, 14.020

Hard Charger: Brian Defebo and Ernie Dengler, 6 positions

Late Model (25-laps) 1. JIM LAMOREAUX 2. Larry Fisher 3. Jerry Brighthaupt 4. Joe Hoffman 5. Jason Makarewicz 6. Jim Brown 7. Mike Rodriguez, Jr. 8. Joseph Cerabino 9. Jackie Ziegler 10. Barry Callavini 11. Phil DeFranco 12. Dean Kline II 13. Jeff Searfoss 14. Lorin Arthofer II DNS: Bob Ankner

Fast Lap: Larry Fisher, lap 25, 15.128

Hard Charger: Jim Lamoreaux, 8 positions

Thriller (20-laps) 1. STEVE HOFFMAN 2. Howie Bott 3. Bill Price, Jr 4. Josh Oswald 5. Kevin Makarewicz 6. Steve Shultz 7. Richard Petey 8. Mark Paine 9. Pat Verwys DNS: Marissa Nelmes, Derek Kline

Fast Lap: Richard Petey, lap 19, 17.596

Hard Charger: Steve Hoffman and Bill Price, Jr, 6 positions

4 Cyl. Thriller (20-laps) 1. JOE HEINTZELMAN 2. Joe Grocholski 3. Jimmy White, Jr. 4. Dale Shoemaker 5. Chris Meeker 6. Chris Walk 7. Travis Fisher 8. Marc Seltzer 9. Justin Nesbitt 10. Erik Nobel 11. Harry O'Neil 12. Bill Verwys Sr.

Fast Lap: Joe Heintzelman, lap 18, 18.629

Hard Chargers: Joe Heintzelman and Joe Grocholski, 6 positions

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