Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Hearne Stands in Victory Lane and Shultz Backs Into Corbisiero Win at Sundance

By Gene Ostrowski

September 19, 2009

Without leading a single lap and crossing the finish line in the second spot, Steve Shultz of Drums took the Street Stock feature win following post race tech in the 77-lap Mark Corbisiero Memorial Saturday at Sundance Vacations Speedway. New Jersey’s Jason Hearne held off charges by Zane Zeiner to notch his first career Sport Modified victory at the speedway and Mark Tischler notched his first win of the season in the INEX Legends division. Robert Fink notched his fourth FWD verdict of the year and Matt Custer scored the Mini Cup victory.

With double point, lap money to the leaders and $777 to win, many drivers attempted to make the 20-car starting field for the 7^th annual Mark Corbisiero Memorial Street Stock event, which was sponsored by AAMCO Transmissions of Stroudsburg, Dave Cook from Hallet’s Cozy Corner Restaurant and Mike Odwazny.

Mike Shadder overtook polesitter, Robert Haueisen before a single lap was scored and led the first two circuits before Harry Sager overtook him.

The first yellow flag flew on lap four when Haueisen and Kevin Higgins made contact in turn four, which also collected Mitch Hawk.

Green flag racing resumed and Ron Babula motored his mount by Brian Wozniak to take second. Brad Barbush held fourth with Steve Shultz in tow. Not long after, Shultz overtook B. Barbush for the fourth spot.

Chip Wanamaker started eleventh and cracked the top five on lap 15 when he got by B. Barbush. Meanwhile, Babula began to reel in Sager for the top spot.

The leaders got into lapped traffic and Babula used one of the lapped vehicles to take the lead on lap 36. Sager slipped into second, followed by Wozniak, Wanamaker and Shultz, who swapped positions nearly every lap.

The yellow waved when Shultz spun in turn two. Steve Clark, one of the drivers running in the top five took his car to the infield with mechanical problems under the same yellow.

Green flag racing resumed and with ten laps remaining, Babula held the lead over Sager, Wanamaker, Shultz (who had worked his way back into the top five) and Joe Barbush.

While entering turn four on the final lap, Sager did his best to steal the win, but pushed up in the marbles and slid back a few positions. Babula crossed the finish line first, followed by Shultz, Wanamaker, J. Barbush and Robert Fink. However, Babula failed the vigorous post race tech inspection and Shultz was awarded the victory and the $777 paycheck.

Many drivers, track workers and fans sponsored laps. Because of the winner disqualification, Sager took home well over $500 in lap money.

Heat race wins went to Harry Sager, Zane Zeiner and Kevin Higgins. Mitch Hawk won the consi.

Notes- Headed into the event as the points leader, Richie DiMarco popped a motor during his heat race. Scott Meckes, a fellow Street Stock competitor offered his car to DiMarco for the consi. While leading the event, smoke began to bellow and then a small fire erupted under the hood of the loaner ride.

Joe Wielgosz started from the pole and led the early laps of the 36-lap Sport Modified main event. Paul Frantz retained the second position in the early going, followed by Scott Brannick, Bob Wilson and Harry Schaefer.

Following a quick caution, Frank Reakes, who was running third on a lap eight restart, made a daring pass and motored by Frantz and Wielgosz in turn three to take the race lead.

The yellow flag flew a lap later when Marc Nappi spun on the backstretch and collected Schaefer and Dan Berlitz.

Green flag racing resumed and another three-wide pass was made for the lead, but this time it was Jason Hearne making the move, as he squeezed by Frantz and Reakes.

Plagued with cautions throughout the event, Hearne stayed in command restart after restart.

With only ten laps remaining in the originally scheduled 40-lap feature, Zane Zeiner sat in second, followed by Ricky Ross, Jr, Barry Callavini and Frantz.

Zeiner tried high and low for a path around Hearne with no avail, until the caution flew for the first time on lap 36 when infield debris was kicked up on the racetrack. Another lap 36 yellow followed when Nappi and Scott Adams made contact. The end result was a hard hit into the turn four fence by Adams.

Attempting to get the entire feature in, track officials told the drivers over the radio that if there were one more caution the race would be checkered. That final yellow came following the restart when Zeiner came out of turn four and slapped the front stretch wall.

Hearne was awarded the win, which was his first career at the speedway. Ross was the runner-up, followed by Callavini, Frantz and Brannick.

With the win Hearne earned a guaranteed starting spot for the “Fall Brawl” and Shangri-La II Speedway on October 3^rd and said that he would not be able to attend the event due to a racing commitment the following day.

Jason Hearne, Frank Reakes and Barry Callavini took heat race wins and Dave Garfinkel won the consi.

Robert Fink took the race lead after Pete Maier was taken from contention on lap three in the 20-lap Four Cylinder FWD feature. Fink went on to take the win, which was his fourth of the season over Jon Smith, Ken Kleppinger, Nikki Sager and Eric Banashefski.

Heat race wins went to Robert Fink and Jon Smith.

Mark Tischler overtook polesitter, Justin Grim before a single lap was scored and drove off to his first INEX Legends victory at the speedway in the 25-lap feature. Kevin Nowak crossed the stripe in second, followed by Roger Coss, Matt Maring and Karl Heisler.

After winning the heat race and then spinning out while leading the feature in the early going, Matt Custer rebounded and sealed the victory in the 15-lap Super Mini Cup main over Heath Hendershot, Mark Lockoff, Ken Stabley and Steven Cox.

Mark Corbisiero 77-Lap Street Stock Memorial 1. STEVE SHULTZ 2. Chip Wanamaker 3. Joe Barbush 4. Robert Fink 5. Harry Sager 6. Kevin Higgins 7. Brad Barbush 8. Shaun Burd 9. Mike Schadder 10. Mitch Hawk 11. Darryl Schwartz 12. Robert Haueisen 13. CJ Lehmann 14. Frank Katona 15. Brian Wozniak 16. Zane Zeiner 17.Steve Clark 18. Brandon Oltra 19. Todd Barbush DQ: Ron Babula DNQ: Jeff McGrath, Richie DiMarco, Scott Meckes

Sport Modifieds (36-Laps) 1. JASON HEARNE 2. Ricky Ross Jr 3. Barry Callavini 4. Paul Frantz 5. Scott Brannick 6. Dave Garfinkel 7. Marc Nappi 8. Joe Wielgosz 9. Bob Wilson 10. Zane Zeiner 11. Scott Adams 12. Frank Reakes 13. Tony Aquilino 14. Brian Sones 15. Mike Speeney 16. Pat Verwys 17.Dan Berlitz 18. Harry Schaefer 19. Rob Schultz DNS: CJ Lacatvia DNQ: Dean Ficarro

Four Cylinder FWD (20-Laps) 1. ROBERT FINK 2. Jon Smith 3. Ken Kleppinger 4. Nikki Sager 5. Eric Banashefski 6. Jay Skupski 7. Joe Katona 8. Mike Kline 9. Frank Hughes 10. Pete Maier 11. Frank Katona DNS: Brian Kunkel, Cory Dymond

INEX Legends (25-Laps) 1. MARK TISCHLER 2. Kevin Nowak 3. Roger Coss 4. Matt Marring 5. Karl Heisler 6. Mike Carroll 7. Justin Grimm 8. AJ Wright 9. Greg Rittenhouse

Super Mini Cups (15-Laps) 1. MATT CUSTER 2. Heath Hendeshot 3. Mark Lockcuff 4. Ken Stabley 5. Steven Cox 6. Casey Friese