results Mountain Mod Wins Qualify Markovic and Hartzell for ‘Big Dog 100'

August 12, 2005
by Gene Ostrowski

St. Johns, PA -- Nineteen full-blown Balliet's Country Corners modifieds came to Mountain Speedway Friday evening, despite storms across the area. The threatening weather spared the speedway and fans witnessed some of the best-modified racing of the season. The ‘twin 25's', two 25-lap feature events were held, where the winner of each earned a guaranteed starting spot in the upcoming ‘Big Dog 100', which will take place on Sunday, August 21 st .

John Markovic led the modified pack to the green of the 25-lap contest and shot out front over Brian Defebo, Billy Swartz and Rusty Smith.

A few circuits in, Smith moved into the third position and allied plenty of pressure to Defebo. Markovic continued to hold off a relentless Defebo, and a three-way battle for the top slot was underway.

Only two cautions flew in the event, with the last on lap twenty-one for a turn one tangle involving Kory Rabenold and Ernie Dengler.

A great restart was the key for Markovic (Bethlehem, PA), as he held off Smith and Defebo for his first Mountain Speedway feature win of the season.

The field was inverted for the second 25-lap ‘Big Dog' qualifier. Ernie Dengler started from the pole after a couple of drivers elected to start from the rear.

When Frank Mertz (head flagger) threw the green, Dengler tried to hold off the outside pole sitter, 14-year old sensation, Ryan Preece from Berlin, CT. Although still on the outside of Dengler, Preece nosed across the stripe first and led the first circuit. On the second lap, Bobby Jones took the second spot and set his sights on Preece. The caution flew on lap five when Dengler had an assisted spin on the backstretch.

Back under green flag conditions, Jones worked the outside of Preece lap by lap, hoping the young driver would make a mistake. Jones had a nose on Preece when the caution flew on lap seven when Tim Santee spun on the backstretch.

Jones paced the field on the restart with Preece and Hartzell in toe. As the three headed into turn one, Preece made a move on Jones and Hartzell lunged to the outside of the two. When they came out of the second turn, it was last week's feature winner (Hartzell) out front.

After starting near the rear of the field, Smith, Defebo, Markovic and Bohn began their charge to the front. Defebo worked his way past Smith and on lap thirteen he made the low-side pass on Preece stick for second. A quick caution for a Kory Rabenold spin in turn one slowed the event.

Hartzell held off Defebo on the restart. As they toured the backstretch, Defebo willed and had to lift, which allowed Preece the opportunity to retake the second spot.

Donny Hartzell (Hunlock's Creek, PA) went on to win his second modified feature in as many weeks at the speedway over Preece, Defebo, Smith and Bohn.

As they've done every week, Balliet's Country Corners (modified division sponsor) awarded gift certificates to the top two drivers in each heat race. This week's heat winners were Billy Swartz, John Markovic and Rusty Smith.

Friday evening was a history-making night for Chip Wanamaker and Mike Schadder in the 20-lap street stock feature.

Schadder started from the pole and immediately hopped out front over Chip Wanamaker and Ron Babula. After a few circuits, Babula's machine was forced up to the high side, which allowed Shaun Burd and Paul Frantz to get by.

Over the first ten circuits, Wanamaker applied the pressure to Schadder. On the tenth circuit, Schadder's street stock went up high in turn one and Wanamaker made the move underneath.

Wanamaker cruised on to his first career street stock victory over Schadder, whose second place finish is also his best of the season. Frantz, Danyluk and Burd rounded out the top five in the first caution-free street stock feature of the season.

Chip Wanamaker, Brad Kline and Jim Yamelski won heat races.

Marissa Nelmes led the thriller field to the drop of the green for the twenty-lap ‘survival' feature. Nelmes held the point until the second circuit, when Richard Petey, after starting sixth made the pass for the lead. Howie Bott and Steve Shultz followed Petey by Nelmes

One of four cautions flew the following lap for an incident involving Bill Price, Jr, Steve Hoffman and Mark Paine. The next restart was null, as the caution flew for Price and Hoffman again. This time, Derek Kline, with nowhere to go, also had a piece of the action.

Petey continued to lead over Bott, but that all changed when Diane Mensinger spun on the front stretch and collected Bott and Shultz, who were second and third respectively. Although Shultz's day ended, Bott rejoined the rear of the field after a quick tire change.

With a commanding lead, Petey (Hackettstown, NJ) motored his way out front to the checkers of Oswald, Kline, Kevin Makarewicz and Nelmes for his second feature win of the season.

Marissa Nelmes and Richard Petey won heat races

Jimmy White, Jr. led the first two circuits after starting from the pole in the 20-lap four-cylinder thriller feature event. As that second lap clicked off, it was Pete Verwys out front, looking to pick up his fourth win of the season.

The first and only caution of the event flew on lap four when Joe Grocholski, the current division point leader had a right front tire go away. Grocholski brushed the turn two wall and headed pit side. He rejoined the field seven laps down.

Slicing and dicing from second on back, Dale Shoemaker moved into third, but was soon overtaken by Joe Heintzelman and Bill Verwys, Sr. Shoemaker encountered problems later and pulled his mount to the infield.

Peter Verwys crossed the stripe five seconds ahead of Joe Heintzelman for his fourth win of the season. Bill Verwys, Sr, Jimmy White, Jr. and Harry O'Neil rounded out the top five.

Heat wins went to Pete Verwys and Bill Verwys, Sr.

On the card for next week (Sunday, August 21 st ) is the $3k to win, 100-lap ‘Big Dog 100' for the modifieds. This is a show that fans and drivers will not want to miss, especially with the total purse in the range of $12k. Balliet's Country Corners will also provide gift certificates to the drivers who do not qualify.

For full results, point standings, schedule and special upcoming shows, please visit www.mountainspeedway.com

Results

Modified #1 (25-laps) 1. JOHN MARKOVIC 2. Rusty Smith 3. Brian Defebo 4. Kevin Kromer 5. Mike Bohn 6. Tim Santee 7. Steven Reed 8. Donny Hartzell 9. Billy Swartz 10. Wayne Szerencsits 11. Andy Walko 12. Bobby Jones 13. Kory Rabenold 14. Ryan Preece 15. Matt Clemmens 16. Ernie Dengler 17. Brian MacQueen 18. Warren Jefferson DNS: Matt Higgins

Fast Lap: Donny Hartzell, lap12, 13.985

Hard Charger: Donny Hartzell, 8 positions

Modified #2 (25-laps) 1. DONNY HARTZELL 2. Ryan Preece 3. Brian Defebo 4. Rusty Smith 5. Mike Bohn 6. John Markovic 7. Bobby Jones 8. Ernie Dengler 9. Kevin Kromer 10. Tim Santee 11. Billy Swartz 12. Andy Walko 13. Kory Rabenold 14. Brian MacQueen 15. Matt Clemmens 16. Steven Reed 17. Wayne Szerencsits 18. Warren Jefferson DNS: Matt Higgins

Fast Lap: Brian Defebo, lap15, 14.006

Hard Charger: Brian Defebo and Rusty Smith, 13 positions

Street Stock (20-laps) 1. CHIP WANAMAKER 2. Mike Schadder 3. Paul Frantz 4. Eric Danyluk 5. Shaun Burd 6. Brad Kline 7. Kevin Higgins 8. Scott Meckes 9. Ron Babula 10. Henry Brown 11. Rich Dimarco 12. Mark Deysher 13. Bob Hunsicker 14. Todd Ahner 15. Jim Yamelski 16. Dan Casicioli DNS:.Rodney Gruber, Barry Heimback

Fast Lap: Chip Wanamaker, lap 7, 16.414

Hard Charger: Eric Danyluk, 9 positions

Thriller (20-laps) 1. RICHARD PETEY 2. Josh Oswald 3. Derek Kline 4. Kevin Makarewicz 5. Marissa Nelmes 6. Howie Bott 7. Mark Paine 8. Steve Shultz 9. Diane Mensinger 10. Steve Hoffman 11. Bill Price, Jr. 12. Pat Verwys

Fast Lap: Kevin Makarewicz, lap 15, 17.824

Hard Charger: Kevin Makarewicz, 7 positions

4 Cyl. Thriller (20-laps) NOTE: Pending post-race tech:

1. PETE VERWYS 2. Joe Heintzelman 3. Bill Verwys Sr. 4. Jimmy White, Jr. 5. Harry O'Neil 6. Chris Meeker 7. Justin Nesbitt 8. Joe Grocholski 9. Chris Walk 10. Dale Shoemaker 11. Erik Nobel DNS: Travis Fisher

Fast Lap: Pete Verwys, lap 6, 18.229

Hard Charger: Joe Heintzelman, 8 positions

results archive