results Veteran Drivers Sweep Divisions at Mountain Speedway

July 15, 2005
by Gene Ostrowski

ST. JOHNS, PA -- Mountain Speedway came to life Friday evening with High humidity and packed stands. Fans also witnessed four veteran drivers take wins in each of the four divisions.

Ernie Dengler brought the Balliet's Country Corners modifieds to green from the pole position in the 30-lap feature. By the time one lap clicked off, Tim Santee had worked his way around Dengler. By the fourth circuit, Dave Pecko, after starting sixth, took over the fourth position and by lap eleven, Pecko drove his way into second.

The feature went caution-free until lap fourteen when Donny Hartzell spun on the backstretch. The next restart was a miss, when Dengler had a similar spin in almost the same spot.

A lap following the restart was a heart breaker for Pecko, the second place points sitter. As Santee, Pecko and Steven Reed battled for the lead, contact was made between them, which forced Pecko to make extreme contact with the front stretch guardrail. He was not injured, but done for the night.

Santee continued to lead with Reed, Brian Defebo and Kory Rabenold in tow. Unfortunately for Rabenold, his turn two spin on lap twenty brought out the fourth caution.

Defebo, who started seventh, took the lead from Santee on the restart and distanced himself from the rest of the field over the remaining ten circuits. The win marked the point leader's sixth win of the season. With his best finish of the season, Santee was second, followed by Reed, Wayne Szerencsits and Andy Walko.

Heat winners were Tim Santee and Donny Hartzell

Double points were on the minds of the late model drivers when they took to the asphalt for the 30-lap feature. Jason Makarewicz led the field to the green flag, but Barry Callavini overtook Makarewicz to lead the first circuit.

The caution waved on lap three, when the hood on Jackie Ziegler's machine came up. Ziegler headed to the pits for repairs and rejoined the rear of the field.

From the seventh starting spot, Jim Lamoreaux worked his way into second, with point leader, Larry Fisher close behind in third. On the sixth circuit, Lamoreaux made a move on Callavini work and shot into the lead.

Several cautions plagued the event; with the worst coming on lap eighteen, when Chris Whitenight and Grant Andrews, Jr. came together between turns three and four. The end result was heavy front-end damage on Whitenight's mount. Andrews was able to continue.

Over the remaining laps, Lamoreaux held off a fierce charge from Fisher to pick up his third feature win of the season. Joe Hoffman, Barry Callavini and Phil Defranco rounded out the top five.

Mike Rodriguez, Jr. and Phil Defranco were heat winners.

Barry Gommer led a pair of circuits, after starting first in the 20-lap feature. A Dan Marsh spin on lap two brought out the first of five yellows.

Robert Fink overtook Gommer on the restart. The next yellow waved for an incident in turn three, which involved Paul Frantz and street stock point leader, Jim Yamelski. Both drivers headed for the pits and returned, but Yamelski was a lap down.

Eric Danyluk shot by Fink for the top spot and held it until he had a solo spin on the fifth circuit. Fink, who was running second, had nowhere to go and stopped to prevent damage. To his misfortune, after the field raced passed, Fink had to restart from the rear. Scott Meckes then took over the point, and at this time the second place points runner, Brad Kline, had moved into third.

Throughout all of the cautions, Meckes, along with Todd Ahner worked their way through the pack after starting deep in the field. Meanwhile, Marsh was also recovering well from an early spin.

The final yellow of the race was displayed for Kline. Although looking strong, Kline had problems and found himself headed for the pits.

Over the remaining circuits, it was Scott Meckes, picking up his third feature win of the season, after starting thirteenth. Following Meckes across the stripe were Todd Ahner, Todd Barbush, Dan Marsh and Ron Babula.

Heat wins went to Barry Gommer, Brad Barbush and Todd Ahner

The double points, 25-lap four-cylinder thriller feature was just that. Jimmy White Jr. led the pack to the initial green after starting on the pole, but three separate cautions before a single lap was scored.

The last lap zero caution was brought out for a spinning Travis Fisher in turn three, after contact from White, when he got underneath him for the lead. Both drivers were forced to the rear of the field.

After taking the lead a lap earlier, the division point leader, Joe Grocholski, was in command, but heavily pursued by Dale Shoemaker, Chris Walk, Joe Heintzelman and Bill Verwys, Sr.

Another yellow waved on the seventh circuit, when Justin Nesbitt, after losing a tire, spun and slammed the turn two wall. Although not injured, Nesbitt was forced to retire from the event.

Grocholski continued to lead over Heintzelman and Walk, but by lap fourteen, Verwys caught and passed the leader. In the meantime, a fantastic battle was shaping up between Heintzelman and Walk, as they raced side-by-side for a number of laps.

When the checkers flew, it was Verwys, taking his second feature of the season, over Grocholski, Heintzelman, Walk and Shoemaker.

Pete Verwys and Bill Verwys, Sr. won heats.

Modified (30-laps) 1. Brian Defebo 2. Tim Santee 3. Steven Reed 4. Wayne Szerencsits 5. Andy Walko 6. Brian MacQueen 7. Kory Rabenold 8. Donny Hartzell 9. Ernie Dengler 10. Dave Pecko 11. Richie Knell 12. Bobby Jones

Fast Lap: Dave Pecko, lap 6, 13.876

Hard Charger: Brian Defebo, 6 positions

Late Model (30-laps) 1. Jim Lamoreaux 2. Larry Fisher 3. Joe Hoffman 4. Barry Callavini 5. Phil DeFranco 6. Jerry Brighthaupt 7. Jason Makarewicz 8. Jim Brown 9. Mike Rodriguez, Jr. 10. Jackie Ziegler 11. Grant Andrews, Jr. DNS: Scott Meckes DQ Chris Whitenight

Fast Lap: Larry Fisher, lap 28, 15.002

Hard Charger: Larry Fisher, 5 positions

Street Stock (20-laps) 1. Scott Meckes 2. Todd Ahner 3. Todd Barbush 4. Dan Marsh 5. Ron Bubala 6. Brad Barbush 7. Paul Frantz 8. Barry Gommer 9. Mike Krempasky 10. Chip Wanamaker 11. Robert Fink 12. John Labadia 13. Frank Katona 14. Mike Schadder 15. Jim Yamelski 16. Dennis Buss 17.Brad Kline 18. Eric Danyluk DNS: Shaun Burd

Fast Lap: Brad Barbush, lap 11, 16.070

Hard Charger: Todd Ahner, 13 positions

4 Cyl. Thriller (25-laps) 1. Bill Verwys Sr. 2. Joe Grocholski 3. Joe Heintzelman 4. Chris Walk 5. Dale Shoemaker 6. Chris Meeker 7. Travis Fisher 8. Jimmy White, Jr. 9. Erik Nobel 10. Pete Verwys DQ: Justin Nesbitt

Fast Lap: Joe Grocholski, lap 8, 18.944 and Bill Verwys, Sr, lap 11, 18.944

Hard Charger: Bill Verwys, Sr, 7 positions

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