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Rusty Smith
Perfect to Third Mountain Win of the Season
By: Gene Ostrowski
July 26, 2008
Smith of Oxford, NY became the first modified driver to win three
feature events this season during Saturday night “Summer Racefest” at
Mountain Speedway. Richie DiMarco kept consistent and took the checkers
in the 50-lap double points street stock main event. Don Adams was
victorious in the TQ midget feature, as was Ken Kleppinger in the 4 Cyl.
FWD division.
After starting from the pole position, Harry Buchman led the field of
modified drivers to the drop of the green flag. With one lap recorded,
Brian DeFebo was scored in second, followed by Geary Rinehimer Sr, Lew
Hallock and Barry Callavini.
DeFebo worked underneath Buchman and took the race lead on lap three.
Hallock and Callavini followed by Buchman as well, as did Rusty Smith
and Andy Walko to take fourth and fifth respectively.
The first of five cautions waved on lap fifteen when Jerry Woody spun in
turn four.
By this point into the event, Smith had already taken second. Walko
retained third, followed by Billy Weichert.
The restart gave Smith the chance that he was looking for to take the
race lead, which he did when green flag racing resumed.
After a quick caution on lap twenty-three, the yellow came out again
when Keith Mullineaux, Robert Fink, Rinehimer Sr. and Tommy Wanick III
collected in turn one. Only Rinehimer was able to continue. Like the
restart before, the yellow flew again, this time for Woody, who pounded
the wall coming out of turn four. Again, Rinehimer Sr. was collected in
the incident.
Green flag racing resumed and Walko slipped underneath DeFebo for second
with ten laps to go. Weichert followed through to take third. DeFebo
slipped back to fourth and Callavini held fifth.
Smith held on to take the win, which was his third of the season in the
regular modified division. Smith also has one win at the speedway in
the PA Asphalt Modified Championship Series.
“It’s always great to drive home after winning one of these”, said Smith
in victory lane. “It makes the two and a half hour trip much more
enjoyable”.
Brian DeFebo and Rusty Smith were heat race winners.
With double points on the line and a race distance of 50-laps, fourteen
street stocks took the green flag.
After starting from the pole position, “Stormin” Norman Barnes took the
race lead. Scott Meckes tucked into the second spot and with two laps
into the event, Steve Shultz held third, followed by Brad Kline and
Brian Wozniak.
Two separate cautions on lap number three slowed the event. The second
eliminated Wozniak, who had pulled to the infield with problems. The
exchange allowed Richie DiMarco to join the top five for the restart.
Meckes slipped by Barnes after the restart and began to drive off from
the rest of the field.
Shultz passed Barnes for second on lap sixteen. Kline worked into
third, followed by Barnes and Eric Danyluk.
DiMarco picked his way through traffic and passed Danyluk and Barnes on
the outside to move into third on lap twenty-one. Two laps later he
disposed of Shultz for second.
After a Chip Wanamaker spin on the front stretch, DiMarco found himself
second in line for the lap thirty-one restart.
DiMarco shot by Meckes and into the race lead two laps after the
restart. Meckes slipped to second with Kline in third. Shultz held
fourth with Danyluk fifth.
The red flag was thrown with five laps remaining when Danyluk got into
the rear quarter panel of Kline when the duo battled in turn one for the
third position. The two drivers spun up the speedway. Shultz, who was
right behind, had nowhere to go and slid into the mix. Ron Babula
joined the mix as well and ended up on top of Shultz. Topping it all
off, Jennifer Kutz slowed, then was hit from behind and spun. A small
fire erupted under her race car.
All of the drivers were okay after the incident. Both Babula and Shultz
had severe damage to their mounts. Amazingly, after three rolls of duct
tape and quick crew work, Shultz made it back on the track for the
restart.
Wanamaker lined up third for the restart with five laps remaining.
While challenging Meckes for second, Wanamaker got into Meckes, sending
him into a spin cycle in turn one. Both drivers were forced to join the
rear of the field.
DiMarco held on to take his fourth win of the season ahead of Barnes,
Kline, and Wanamaker. With tape flapping in the wind, Shultz managed a
fifth place effort.
Steve Shultz and Scott Meckes were heat race winners.
Matt Janisch began the 25-lap TQ feature from the pole and held the
early lead until lap eight, when Don Adams overtook him. Frank Fischer
moved into the third spot, with Zack Martini and Chris Deritis in the
top five.
The fourth caution of the event waved after a lap twelve restart when
teammates, Martini and Janisch made contact in turn two. Janisch spun
and was forced to join the rear of the field for the restart.
Green flag racing resumed and Adams drove off to victory over Fischer,
Martini, Deritis and Tim Behmer.
Matt Janisch and Frank Fischer were victorious in heat race action.
Ken Kleppinger took the 4 Cyl. FWD race lead from polesitter, Eric
Banashefski with two laps complete in the 20-lap feature.
Kleppinger held off the point leader, Jeff Biegley to take his second
win of the season. Nikki Wachs, Bill Verwys, Sr. and Banashefski
completed the top five.
Results:
Modifieds (40-laps) 1. RUSTY SMITH 2. Andy Walko 3. Billy Weichert 4.
Brian DeFebo 5. Barry Callavini 6. Kyle Ebersole 7. Lewis Hallock 8.
Eric Beers 9. Amber Levandowski 10. Geary Rinehimer Sr. 11. Harry
Buchman 12. Todd Baer 13. Jerry Woody 14. Tommy Wanick III 15. Robert
Fink 16. Keith Mullineaux DNS: Cal Snyder
Street Stocks (50-laps) 1. RICH DIMARCO 2. Norm Barnes 3. Brad Kline 4.
Chip Wanamaker 5. Steve Shultz 6. Scott Meckes 7. Nick Shaw 8. Keith St
Clair 9. Eric Danyluk 10. Ron Babula 11. Jennifer Kutz 12. Jeff McGrath
13. CJ Lehmann 14. Brian Wozniak
ATQMRA (25-laps) 1. DON ADAMS 2. Frank Fischer 3. Zack Martini 4. Chris
Deritis 5. Tim Behmer 6. Ryan Tidman 7. Austin Fehr 8. Matt Janisch 9.
Jeff Kot 10. Scott Campbell 11. Dave Williams 12. Alison Cumens 13. Paul
Lotier Jr 14. Joey Payne III 15. Ken Wismer Jr 16. Robin Johnston
17.Matthew Roselli 18. Richie Coy 19. Mike Tidaback DNS: Ian Cumens
4 Cyl. FWD (20-laps) 1. KEN KLEPPINGER 2. Jeff Biegley 3. Nikki Wachs 4.
Bill Verwys Sr 5. Eric Banashefski 6. Jess McGlynn
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