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Earl Paules
Explodes to Mountain Independence Weekend Victory
By: Gene Ostrowski
July 5, 2008
With a full capacity crowd and a jam-packed pit area, Round no. 4 of the
PA Asphalt Modified Champion Series kicked off Saturday evening at
Mountain Speedway. Earl Paules held off Rusty Smith throughout the last
lap to notch his first win of the year in the series. Mike Sweeney
notched his second late model win of the season and Paul Morgan, Jr.
visited victory lane for the very first time in the thriller division.
Two drivers backed into victory lane after post race tech inspection-
Zane Zeiner was awarded the sport modified win, as was Jeff Biegley in
the four cyl. FWD division. The evening was capped off with a gigantic
fireworks display, in celebration of Independence Day.
Twenty-six full-blown modifieds competed in heat races, where the top
five finishers automatically qualified for PA Asphalt Modified
Championship Series 75-lap main event. Harry Buchman, Brian DeFebo and
Zane Zeiner notched heat race wins and Matt Hirschman picked up the
consi victory.
A redraw for the top nine starting spots took place during intermission
and Andy Walko picked the pole. Walko led the 20-car field to the drop
of the green and only two laps passed by and DeFebo took command. Walko
dropped to the second spot with Steve Reed, Zeiner and Earl Paules
making up the top five.
The second of ten cautions flew on lap fourteen when Todd Baer got into
Zeiner on the front stretch. Others who were in the top ten were
collected in the melee, including Billy Weichert and Hirschman.
Hirschman’s car was torn up and after quick crew work he rejoined the
field for the restart.
DeFebo remained out front after the restart. Quietly, Paules began to
move through the field and on lap twenty-four he grabbed second from
Reed. Rusty Smith held fourth followed by John Markovic.
A lap forty-five yellow waved when Weichert, Johnny Bush and Zeiner
collected in turn one. All of the drivers were able to continue and
Rusty Smith gave up the fourth position and headed into the pit area.
He rejoined the tail end of the field for the restart.
Hirschman began to a charge back to the front of the pack. With only
twenty-five laps remaining, he shot by both Markovic and Reed to take
third.
DeFebo remained out front over the next forty-four circuits, but that
changed on lap sixty-one when the three-time modified track champion was
forced to chase his car up the hill in turn two. Paules went to the
bottom and took the lead.
While running third, Hirschman’s car slowed, and then came to a stop to
bring out the lap sixty-one caution. The exchange forced him to restart
deep in the field with less than fifteen laps remaining.
After pitting earlier, Smith jumped to the outside and began to blister
off laps. He worked around DeFebo and into the second spot with seven
laps remaining. Over the last two laps, Smith closed a ten-car gap that
separated the two, but ran out of time and settled for second. After
leading many laps earlier, DeFebo finished third, followed by Markovic
and Zeiner.
Paules received a trophy in victory lane, which was courtesy of Babula
Racing and in memory of Dave Babula. Before his passing, Dave was the
crew chief of the #37 super stock, driven by his brother Ron.
“I knew Rusty was coming, and Brian (DeFebo) was strong earlier”, said
Paules in victory lane. “It’s good racing with these guys”, said Paules
as he began to head for the pits to get ready for the late model
feature.
For Smith, his worst finish at the speedway this season is second. Once
again, Smith seemed content with the position after pitting for a tire
with thirty laps remaining. “We were loose for some reason tonight”, he
said. “We decided to roll the dice and put a different tire on and it
worked out for us”. “Obviously if we had done that earlier, we might be
sitting over there”, in victory lane.
“I used my tires up a little too much in the beginning”, said DeFebo
after finishing third. Lady luck hasn’t exactly shine upon DeFebo in
the extra distance events so far this season, and now he hopes that is
all behind him. “You take the good with the bad, what can you do”, he
said.
The top six sport modified qualifiers redrew for starting positions at
intermission and Earl Paules was awarded with starting at the point for
the 30-lap feature. Paules shot out at the start ahead of Chas Okerson,
Zane Zeiner, Mike Speeney and Scott Riggleman.
The caution flew with two laps into the event when Shaun Carrig and
Speeney collected in turn four. Both were battling for the top five at
the time.
Zeiner grabbed second from Okerson on the restart and set sail for
Paules. That is, until the caution waved again five laps later for a
Bobby Geibel and Carrig incident in turns one and two.
Paules continued out front past the halfway point over Zeiner, Okerson,
Mike Skarbowski and Jason Hearne. The tope five remained the same as
they crossed the stripe. However, post race tech inspection changed the
outcome.
Paules failed inspection and Zeiner was awarded the victory. Okerson,
Skarbowski, Hearne and Kevin Davidson rounded out the top five.
Chas Okerson and Zane Zeiner were heat race winners.
Tommy Flanagan moved into the lead quickly for the start of the 30-lap
late model feature over Mike Radocha, Jr. and Earl Paules. The caution
flew before a lap was scored when Paul Koehler, Jr. got turned around in
turn one. Joe Brown, Augie Hahn and Frank Hughes were collected in the
incident as well.
Mike Radocha, Jr. challenged Flanagan for the lead after the restart.
The two tangled on the exit of turn two and collected Paules and Tony
Volpe. Mike Sweeney came out as the leader for the lap one restart.
Jim Lamoreaux held second, followed by Ricky Ross, Jr, Travis Fisher and
Joe Hoffman.
Sweeney continued out front with Lamoreaux in tow. The battle for the
fourth spot began to heat up and nine laps into the event, Hoffman
nudged underneath Travis for the position in turn four.
After two straight outings that resulted in disappointing finishes,
Sweeney crossed the strip first to pick up his second feature win of the
season. Lamoreaux held on for second, followed by Ross, Hoffman and
Fisher.
Heat races went to Mike Radocha, Jr. and Earl Paules.
With just a handful of feature races under his belt, Paul Morgan, Jr.
started from the pole position in the 20-lap thriller main event.
Morgan jumped ahead of Wayne Lowe, Kyle Heckman, Mike Moyer, Jr. and
Scott Adams over the first two circuits.
Only two laps later, Adams grabbed the third spot and began to put
pressure on Lowe for second.
The first of two cautions flew when Nick Shaw got a fender on Nick Ross
while battling for the sixth spot. Both drivers were forced to restart
from the rear of the field.
Adams grabbed second after the restart but that changed when Lowe tried
to regain the position four laps later. Lowe ran into Adams while
entering turn three. Also collected was Mike Moyer, Sr, who was running
in the fourth position at the time. Adams was unable to continue and
Lowe was immediately disqualified due to his actions toward a track
official.
Ross moved into second for the restart with Shaw right behind in third.
Morgan held off Ross and continued out front to score his first career
victory. Ross finished as the runner-up, followed by Shaw, Mike Moyer,
Jr. and Kyle Heckman completed the top five.
Bill Verwys, Sr. started on the pole and led the first circuit of the
20-lap four cylinder FWD feature event. Eric Banashefski grabbed the
top spot on lap two.
The only caution of the race waved on lap three when Ken Kleppinger and
Jeff Biegley tangled on the front stretch.
Following the restart, Nikki Wachs powered by the top two using a
three-wide maneuver on lap four. The lead however was short lived.
Gene Bowers started last and quickly moved by Banashefski for second.
He quickly powered into the lead. Bowers continued to lead on lap
thirteen over Wachs, Verwys, Biegley and Kleppinger.
With a lap remaining, Biegley grabbed second for Wachs, not knowing that
it was the winning move- Bowers crossed the stripe in the first spot,
about a half of lap ahead of the second place finisher.
Bowers was disqualified following post race inspection and Biegley was
awarded the victory over Wachs, Verwys, Kleppinger and Jess McGlynn.
For all the up to date news, results and happenings at Mountain
Speedway, please logon to www.mountainspeedway.com.
Modifieds (75-laps) 1. EARL PAULES 2. Rusty Smith 3. Brian DeFebo 4.
John Markovic 5. Zane Zeiner 6. Matt Hirschman 7. Andy Walko 8. Justin
Gumley 9. Steven Reed 10. Todd Baer 11. Amber Levandowski 12. Nevin
George 13. Billy Weichert 14. Ron Smith 15. Billy Pauch Jr 16. Matt
Clemens 17.Johnny Bush 18. Dave Bellis 19. Kyle Ebersole 20.Harry
Buchman DNQ: Barry Callavini, Paul Skodachek, Steve Tooker, Geary
Rinehimer, Buddy Miller DQ: JR Swansboro
Sport Modifieds
(30-laps) 1.
ZANE ZEINER 2. Chas Okerson 3. Mike Skarbowski 4. Jason Hearne 5. Kevin
Davison 6. Scott Riggleman 7. Adam Lacicero 8. Robert Schwarz Jr 9. Tom
Kearns 10. Mike Speeney 11. Shaun Carrig 12. Robert Geibel 13. Bobby
Richards DNS: Joe King DQ: Earl Paules
Late Model (30-laps) 1. MIKE SWEENEY 2. Jim Lamoreaux 3. Ricky Ross Jr
4. Joe Hoffman 5. Travis Fisher 6. Paul Koehler 7. Dave Luff 8. Joe
Brown 9. Tom Flanagan 10. Frank Hughes 11. Sean Corr 12. Mike Radocha Jr
13. Earl Paules 14. Tony Volpe 15. Augie Hahn DNS: Glenn Heckman, Todd
Geist
Thrillers (20-laps)
1. PAUL MORGAN,
JR. 2. Nick Ross 3. Nick Shaw 4. Mike Moyer Jr 5. Kyle Heckman 6. Mike
Moyer Sr 7. Scott Adams 8. Scooter Graver DQ: Wayne Lowe
Four Cyl. FWDs
(20-laps) 1.
JEFF BIEGLEY 2. Nikki Wachs 3. Bill Verwys Sr 4. Ken Kleppinger 5. Jess
McGlynn 6. Jake Oswald 7. Eric Banashefski DQ: Gene Bowers
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