Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Brad Kline, a two time Sundance Vacations Speedway Street Stock champion lost his life back in March of this season. The 26 year old loved the big money, “all out” races and through the efforts of his entire family, friends and fellow competitors the Brad Kline Street Stock Shootout Memorial kicked off Sunday at his home track. The event featured two Street Stock race segments, with the second segment winner declared the overall victor. In a very close battle to the finish, Richie DiMarco grabbed the win in segment #1 and Joe Barbush of Drums, Pa completed a last lap pass on Chip Wanamaker to claim the overall victory in what many called the best Street Stock racing of the season. Paul Lotier, Jr. visited victory lane in his Tobias SpeedSTR after their first ever visit to the speedway and Kyle Hieber took the Tobias Slingshot win. Several dirt modifieds ran an exhibition “Dirt Mods on Asphalt” event and Ricky Ross, Jr. took the victory.

Twenty-two Street Stocks time trialed for starting spots for the 23-lap, first segment of the non-points, Brad Kline Memorial Street Stock Shootout. Steve Shultz timed fourth quickest and was awarded with the fastest overall time after the top three timers failed to make ride height in tech. Shultz was awarded a clock from Track Photographer, Kevin Green for his efforts. Shultz flipped a coin to determine the invert for the start of the first segment and the top twelve time trailers were inverted.

Following the invert, Dave Cascioli started from the pole position and was quickly overtaken by Shaun Burd for the race lead. Brandon Oltra lost a wheel in turn four following a quick lap three debris caution. The field bunched up for the lap seven restart with Burd leading over Scott Meckes, Chip Wanamaker, Steve Shultz and twentieth place starter, Richie DiMarco.

Green flag racing resumed and Meckes completed a pass for the lead on the following lap but unwilling to give up Burd took back the top spot one lap later. With the top five in a tight pack, Meckes regained the lead two circuits afterward. With ten laps remaining Meckes held the lead over Burd, Wanamaker, DiMarco and Shultz.

Things heated up following the restart. Frank Reakes worked his way into the top five and battled with Wanamaker. The duo made contact, which sent Wanamaker into a spin cycle in turns three and four.

DiMarco restarted third and worked over Burd for second before running the outside line around Meckes and into the race lead with two laps remaining. DiMarco went on to take the first segment win over Meckes, Reakes, Shultz and Burd. Along with the segment win, DiMarco picked up the $50 “Hard Charger” bonus from Barbush Automotive.

DiMarco “Rolled the Dice” on the front stretch for the segment #2 invert and the top nine cars were inverted for the start of the 50-lap and final segment.

Robert Fink led the field to the drop of the green flag and led the first circuit before Brian Sones overtook him. With six laps complete, Sones led over Fink, Reakes, DiMarco and Burd.

The caution flag waved on lap seven when Reakes tangled with Fink. Both drivers were forced to restart from the rear of the field, which moved Danny Cascioli and Nick Gargiulo into the top five.

While working the outside groove all day, DiMarco disposed of Fink and chased Sones. Meanwhile, Joe Barbush and Shultz joined the top five runners.

DiMarco took the race lead following a Shaun Burd spin on lap 23 and the lap was not completed because Sones and Barbush tangled in turn four. Several others joined the mix, including Reakes, Gargiulo and Meckes.

Instead, Wanamaker grabbed the lead on the lap 23 restart and led over Shultz, Meckes and Nick Shaw.

A yellow flag wasn’t seen over the final half of the event and DiMarco raced to the outside of Wanamaker. Unbelievably, the two raced side-by-side, lap after lap, as they exchanged the race lead eleven times. Meanwhile, Barbush, Shultz and Sones battled closely behind for third.

Barbush settled into third behind the leaders and kept within striking distance. With two laps remaining and still on the outside of Wanamaker, DiMarco was forced up the track and brushed the front stretch wall. Barbush slipped by to take second and then chased Wanamaker.

In dramatic fashion Barbush drove underneath Wanamaker on the final lap to drive off to an emotional victory. DiMarco finish third, followed by Sones and Shultz.

“I was content with finishing third”, said Barbush when asked about running third with a handful of laps remaining. “Brad (Kline) was definitely here with us today, first we grabbed a win earlier in the season for dad and now we got one here today for Brad”, he said.

Barbush was also the “Hard Charger” of the event and picked up a $100 bonus.

Laps were sponsored for both segments by many of Brad’s family members, friends and competitors, along with the Crossroads Inn in Mountain Top and the leader of each of the sponsored laps received the cash.

A Chinese Auction was held and the proceeds went to the Cole Kline Trust Fund. The fund was set up for Brad’s two-year-old son. Several drivers walked through the grandstands with Brad’s helmet to collect money for the trust fund and speedway Promoter; Joe Callavini donated $5 from every entered Street Stock towards the trust fund.

The Tobias SpeedSTRS hit the stage for the first time ever at the speedway. After winning their heat races earlier in the afternoon, Don Zrinski and Paul Lotier, Jr. shared the front row for the start of the 20-lap feature.

The green flag waved and Lotier took the lead with one lap complete.

Things got ugly for Steve Hicks on lap four when his car got out of shape and flipped onto the retaining wall in turns one and two. Hicks was not injured and was forced pit side with a DNF.

Green flag racing resumed and Lotier held command over the competition. With 13 laps completed he was still of front over Richie Tobias, Jr., Billy Vanlnwegen, Jr, Zrinski and Tyler Potts.

Potts had problems and was forced pit side with three laps remaining. The field tightened for the restart and Lotier barely held off Tobias to take his first ever win at the speedway. Vanlnwegen finished third, followed by Jeff Strunk and Nick Pecko.

The Tobias Slingshots were also on the card and after overtaking heat race winner, Katie McCardle, Kyle Hieber drove off to the checkers over McCardle, Gary Hieber, Ben Whitaker and Carl Bittenbender to take the win in the 15-lap event.

A trio of dirt modifieds was also on hand for an exhibition event. Ricky Ross, Jr. beat out Randy Thomas and Nick Ross to take the win in the 15-lapper.

Brad Kline Street Stock Memorial (23-Laps, Segment #1) 1. RICHIE DIMARCO 2. Scott Meckes 3. Frank Reakes 4. Steve Shultz 5. Shaun Burd 6. Dan Cascioli 7. Brian Sones 8. Harry Sager 9. Robert Fink 10. Chip Wanamaker 11. Nick Gargiulo 12. Paul Morgan Jr 13. Robert Haueisen 14. Dave Casscioli 15. Bob Wink 16. Steve Hoffman 17.TJ Kemmerer 18. Joe Barbush 19. Tony Hilliard 20. Wayne Lowe 21. Nick Shaw 22.Brandon Oltra

Brad Kline Street Stock Memorial (50-Laps, Segment #2) 1. JOE BARBUSH 2. Wanamaker 3. DiMarco 4. Sones 5. Shultz 6. Meckes 7. Burd 8. Shaw 9. Sager 10. Hoffman 11. Wink 12. Haueisen 13. Kemmerer 14. Cascioli 15. Reakes 16. Gargiulo 17.Lowe 18. Fink 19. Oltra 20. Hilliard 21. Morgan Jr 22.Casscioli

Tobias SpeedSTRS (20-Laps) 1. PAUL LOTIER, JR 2. Rich Tobias Jr 3. Billy Vanlnwegen Jr 4. Jeff Strunk 5. Nick Pecko 6. Kyle Hieber 7. Don Zrinski 8. Jeff Gallup 9. DJ Macri Jr 10. Kyle Hieber 11. Tyler Potts 12. Steve Hicks

Tobias Slingshots (15-Laps) 1. KYLE HIEBLER 2. Katie McCardle 3. Gary Hieber 4. Ben Whitaker 5. Carl Bittenbender 6. Will Eastman

Dirt Modifieds (15-Laps) 1. RICKY ROSS, JR 2. Randy Thomas 3. Nick Ross