Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Nowak, Sager and Dunn Skate to “Frostbite 4” Victories at Sundance

By: Gene Ostrowski

January 2, 2009

With inches of snow on the speedway and temperatures barely in the 20s, race fans and drivers alike came out to Sundance Vacations Speedway for the annual “Frostbite” enduro on Saturday. The history-making Mountain Madness Enduro Series event marks the first time that enduro racers competed on a snow and ice covered track at the speedway. Slick and ‘slideways’ best describes the racing conditions, which made things very interesting and tricky for even some of the most experienced enduro veterans. When it was all said and done, Kevin Nowak of Long Island, NY slid to victory twice and took top honors in both the 6-cylinder Car/Truck and 6/8-cylinder divisions and Jason Dunn iced his first career victory in the 4-cylinder event. Harry Sager was awarded the victory for the new 6-cylinder car division.

Kevin Nowak started on the pole position for the 60-lap 6-cylinder car/truck enduro and held the point until Harry Sager took command on lap 15. Mark Tischler took the lead a lap later and quickly relinquished it to Sager.

Sager, who ran a line unlike anyone else, hugged the wall and raced in what he called “the fluff”. However, Sager’s afternoon in the fluff was spoiled when he got a flat tire on lap 43. The change of events moved Nowak back to the front.

Laps down, Sager returned to the speedway. Tischler tried to reel in Nowak for the race lead and was unsuccessful.

Nowak drove off to the truck victory over Tischler, Sager, Frank Katona and Rob McCormick. Sager was awarded the win for the highest finishing 6-cylinder car in the combined division.

Paul Morgan, Jr. led the 4-cylinder field to the drop of the green flag in the 100-lap enduro. Bill Rice grabbed the lead after a lap was scored, followed by Tony Rispin and Jason Dunn.

Rispin wasted no time and took the top spot on lap 3, and then began to lap the drivers that were trying to get used to the snowy and icy racing conditions.

Rispin appeared to have the field covered, as he lapped the entire field by lap 38. Still in command at mid-race, Rispin held a sizable advantage over Dunn, Morgan, Curt McCormick and Mike Wahl.

Dunn passed Rispin and got back on the lead lap. Meanwhile, Rispin’s power steering began to fade, as did his lead.

Dunn caught Rispin and with three laps remaining he overtook the leader and then held on to notch his first career victory. Rispin settled for second, followed by Morgan.

Mike Wahl and Justin Dunn crossed the strip in forth and fifth respectively and were disqualified in post race inspection, which officially gave the positions to McCormick and Matt Wahl.

From the pole, Robin Schewire led the opening laps of the 6/8-cylinder enduro before he was overtaken by Sager. The duo swapped the lead a few times before Sager put a few car lengths on the second place car.

Nowak worked his way to second by lap 10, followed by Schewire, Ed Brown, Jr. and James Presley.

With cars sliding, spinning and trying to grip the track, which by this point had turned to ice, Sager ran the high groove and looked like an Alaskan snow plow. The line worked for him and others began to follow his tracks.

Sager encountered problems and was overtaken by Nowak on lap 13. Nowak held the lead until he spun on lap 50. Tischler then took command.

Nowak and Tischler put on a show for the fans, as the pair exchanged the race lead on five different occasions before Tischler’s vehicle stopped in turn two. He was able to get it re-fired, but did lose laps in the process.

Determined to pull off two victories in one afternoon, Nowak drove off to the win over Sager. Tischler crossed the stripe third and failed post race inspection, which moved TJ Kapish, Schewire and Brown to third, forth and fifth respectively.

Retired enduro racer, Cory Student, donated extra prizes for finishers outside of the top five. Along with bottles of Pepsi, he also passed out money saving coupons for Domino’s Pizza to the fans and drivers at the track.

The speedway will donate one dollar from each general admission to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Breast Cancer Foundation.

Another winter enduro is slated for the drivers at Sundance Vacations Speedway. Round No. 2 of the series will take place on Saturday, February 27.

Results

4-Cylinder (100-laps) 1. JASON DUNN 2. Tony Rispin 3. Paul Morgan Jr 4. Curtis McCormick 5. Matt Wahl 6. Edward Michael 7. Dave Bartuski 8. Ken Harper 9. John Campbell 10. Bill Rice 11. Ed Brown Jr 12. Tim Deutsch 13. Robby Dunn DQ: Mike Wahl, Justin Dunn

6-Cylinder Cars/Trucks (60-laps) 1. KEVIN NOWAK 2. Mark Tischler 3. Harry Sager (Car) 4. Frank Katona 5. Rob McCormick 6. Gregg Harris 7. John Vullo (NOTE- Cars and trucks were scored separately with two winners. The truck winner was Nowak and Sager was the 6 cyl. car victor)

6/8-Cylinders (100-laps) 1. KEVIN NOWAK 2. Harry Sager 3. TJ Kapish 4. Robin Schewire 5. Ed Brown Jr 6. James Presley 7. Shaun Burd 8. Shawn Gallucci 9. John Vullo 10. Tom Szoke 11. Steve Tito 12. Sam Morgan 13. Bob Kulik 14. Mike Parisi 15. Michael Wahl 16. Frank Petroski 17.Gregory Harris 18. Brian McCormack 19. Steven Barnes 20. Elliott Wohl 21. Mike Pollack DQ:Mark Tischler