results Mike Rodriguez Jr. Earns First Career Mountain Late Model Feature Victory

July 8, 2005
by Gene Ostrowski

ST. JOHNS, Pa. -- Steady downpours throughout Friday morning had Mountain Speedway officials questioning the radar for the evening, which included mid-season championship, double-point's features for the Balliet's Country Corners modifieds, street stocks and thrillers. As the day progressed, the skies cleared and the show went on as scheduled.

The 40-lap Balliet's Country Corners modified feature was split into two twin-20 lap features, where drivers took a brief on-track break in between the two 20-lappers. The finishing order from the first was inverted before the start of the second for some spectacular action.

In the first of the twin 20's, Ernie Dengler led the field to the green flag from the pole. It didn't take long for Mike Adams to take over the top slot. By lap two, Dave Pecko had already worked his way into third after starting eighth. Meanwhile, Brian Defebo was on the move to the front as well.

After taking over second from Donny Hartzell, Pecko set his sights on Adams. As the two touched coming out of the second turn, Adams went around. This forced both drivers to restart from the rear of the field. Hartzell assumed command.

With double points on his mind, Defebo charged past Hartzell following the restart, and into the lead. Defebo is the current point leader, and took the checkers over Hartzell, Steven Reed, Pecko and Tim Santee to his fifth feature win of the season.

After the break, again Dengler led the field to the green, but Wayne Szerencsits took command of the event on lap twenty. Meanwhile, Pecko, who restarted sixth, quickly worked his way toward the front, and by lap twenty-three, Defebo cracked the top five after restarting ninth.

Pecko raced by Szerencsits on the twenty-seventh circuit and began distancing himself from the field.

Defebo got the caution he was looking for on lap thirty-one, when Dengler spun in turn one. When green flag racing resumed, Defebo took second on lap thirty-five. Adams and Hartzell also entered the top five.

Already many car lengths ahead of second, Pecko cruised to the checkers for his third win of the season over Defebo, Szerencsits, Adams and Hartzell.

Mike Adams and Brian Defebo were heat winners.

Fifteen-year old Mike Rodriguez, Jr. led the late model drivers to the green flag in the 25-lap feature. With a terrific start, Rodriguez rocketed out front over Barry Callavini and Jackie Ziegler.

On the third circuit, Jim Lamoreaux worked his way around Ziegler and into third and brought the current point leader, Larry Fisher and Joe Hoffman with him, into the top five.

With Rodriguez still out front on lap fourteen, Lamoreaux pressured Callavini. While trying to make the pass underneath Callavini in turn one, Lamoreaux got out of shape and into Callavini. Both drivers spun, forcing them to join the rear of the field. At that point, Phil Defranco and Jim Brown entered the top five.

On another fine restart, Rodriguez held off Fisher and Hoffman, but the second and final yellow flag waved on lap twenty-three when Brown, the fifth place runner, spun in turn two.

Again, flawless when the green flew, Rodriguez held off Fisher, Hoffman, Defranco and Jason Makarewicz for his first career late model victory.

Mike Rodriguez, Jr. was also the heat winner.

Todd Ahner led the street stock field to the green flag for their 25-lap contest. The caution waved before a lap was complete for a Ron Babula and Jim Yamelski tangle in turn four. Both drivers entered the pits for repairs and rejoined the field.

Ahner rocketed out front on the restart, but another caution waiver on the second circuit when Chip Wanamaker got into Paul Frantz in turn two. Both drivers were battling for the second position.

On the following restart, a shootout was in the making. Shawn Burd momentarily worked his way into second over Brian Labar, Scott Meckes and Brad Kline, until another caution flew on the fifth circuit when a transmission line caught fire on Robert Fink's machine. A quick trip through the infield puddles extinguished the flames and his hopes of victory.

Again, Ahner shot back out front on the restart. Enroot to his second feature win of the season, he fought off fierce charges from Meckes, Kline, Labar and Burd over the remaining twenty laps.

Brian Labar and Todd Ahner were heat winners.

Mark Paine brought the thriller field to the drop of the green for the 25-lap feature. However, a front row tangle between Paine and Marissa Nelmes slowed the event. After visiting the pits, both drivers rejoined the field.

Josh Oswald now had control of the event. That is, until the green waved. On the drop of the green, Oswald's hood flew open and he wisely pulled into the infield.

When laps began clicking off, Bill Price, Jr. had already worked his way into the top spot after starting seventh. By lap five, Steve Hoffman entered the top five, joining Pat Verwys, Steve Shultz and Richard Petey.

On lap sixteen, contact between Hoffman and Shultz in turn four gave Verwys breathing room in the second position.

Winning his fifth feature of the year, Bill Price, Jr. dove away from the field, having almost a half lap on the second place car of Verwys. Hoffman, Petey and Howie Bott rounded out the top five.

Bill Price, Jr. and Steve Hoffman were heat winners.

The next Mountain Speedway event is Friday, July 15th . All the action will begin with heat races at 7:30 PM. On the card is the Balliet's Country Corners modifieds, late models, street stocks and four cylinder thrillers. Double points are on the line for the late models and four cylinder thrillers.

The weekly kid's bike night give-a-way, sponsored by Hoffman Racing, Bott Racing, Yamelski Racing, Uncle Petey's Racing, Paine Racing and BDR Racing will consist of two 20” bikes (one boy's and one girl's). Also contributing were Billy B., Joan Dancho and Joe Cutri. Any child, age 7 and older who is in attendance at the speedway, can register for the drawing at the track photo booth. As it is weekly, the ‘Mountain Speedway Lottery', where a winning driver can help a lucky fan win free speedway passes, will also take place. The chosen division for the week is the four cylinder thrillers.

Modified #1 (20-laps) 1. Brian Defebo 2. Donny Hartzell 3. Steven Reed 4. Dave Pecko 5. Tim Santee 6. Mike Adams 7. Wayne Szerencsits 8. Ernie Dengler 9. Brian MacQueen DNS: Tommy Flanagan

Fast lap: Brian Defebo, lap 8, 13.825

Hard charger: Brian Defebo, 6 positions

Modified #2 (20-laps) 1. Dave Pecko 2. Brian Defebo 3. Wayne Szerencsits 4. Mike Adams 5. Donny Hartzell 6. Steven Reed 7. Tim Santee 8. Brian MacQueen 9. Ernie Dengler DNS: Tommy Flanagan

Fast lap: Dave Pecko, lap 4, 13.995

Hard charger: Brian Defebo, 7 positions

Thrillers (25-laps) 1. Bill Price, Jr. 2. Pat Verwys 3. Steve Hoffman 4. Richard Petey 5. Howie Bott 6. Kevin Makarewicz 7. Marissa Nelmes 8. Steve Shultz 9. Mark Paine 10. Josh Oswald

Fast lap: Bill Price, Jr, lap 2, 17.500

Hard charger: Steve Hoffman, 7 positions

Late Models (25-laps) 1. Mike Rodriguez, Jr. 2. Larry Fisher 3. Joe Hoffman 4. Phil DeFranco 5. Jason Makarewicz 6. Barry Callavini 7. Jim Lamoreaux 8. Jim Brown 9. Jackie Ziegler

Fast lap: Phil Defranco, lap 16, 14.827

Hard charger: Joe Hoffman, 6 positions

Street Stocks (25-laps) 1. Todd Ahner 2. Scott Meckes 3. Brad Kline 4. Brian Labar 5. Shaun Burd 6. Jim Yamelski 7. Chip Wanamaker 8. Eric Danyluk 9. Ron Bubala 10. Paul Frantz 11. Mike Schadder 12. Robert Fink 13. Barry Gommer

Fast lap: Scott Meckes, lap 11, 16.262

Hard chargers: Scott Meckes, Brad Kline and Ron Babula, 4 positions

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