Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Harry Sager, Tony Rispin, Shawn Wanat and Gregg Harris Ice Mountain Madness Fields

By: Gene Ostrowski

February 28, 2010

Never say never was the motto by track officials heading into Sunday’s “Mountain Madness Enduro Series” event at Sundance Vacations Speedway. Despite roughly 30” of snow on the speedway grounds, the track crew and a group of brave volunteers got together to get the track surface and grounds ready for the enduro events, which were run in honor of Cheryl Tracy of Freeland, who recently lost her battle with cancer. When it was all said and done, Harry Sager, Tony Rispin, Shawn Wanat and Gregg Harris slid their way to top honors in each of the three divisions and a portion of the proceeds from the event were donated to the Tracy family.

Shawn Gallucci led the 6/8-cylinder cars to the drop of the green flag in the 100-lap enduro. Without a single lap complete, Jimmy White took control of the race and Jamie Pressley slipped into second, followed by Ed Brown, Jr, Scott Sipe and Harry Sager.

The first of nine red flags was thrown when Side nearly climbed over the turn one guide rail after running up the snow bank that skirted the speedway surface. He rejoined the field after assistance from the track crew.

White led until he got caught up in the snow in turn four. The lap 13 change of events gave the lead to Brown.

Brown continued to lead on lap 30, followed by Sager, Pressley. TJ Kapish and Side, who had cracked the top five after having his trouble on lap six.

Brown and Sager mainly ran nose to tail over the closing laps until the leader spun from contention on lap 69. Sager took the race lead and others in the top five began to experience problems.

Sager drove off to his first victory of the season over Kapish, Side, White and Pressley.

A handful of 6-cylinder cars and trucks took to the track for 30-laps, where a winner for each, a car and a truck were declared.

Kevin Nowak led the field to the green and shortly after Gregg Harris took control. Jimmy White, Jr. had a turn at the lead, as did Harry Sager.

Shawn Wanat took the top spot on lap 12 and then lost the lead following a spin.

Sager gave up the top spot to head pit side, which gave Wanat the lead for good on lap 16. Wanat crossed the stripe for the car win over White, Sager, Mitch Patern and Harris.

Harris was awarded the truck victory as the highest finishing truck.

Justin Dunn led the 4-cylinder field to the drop of the green flag before Mike Ventura grabbed the top spot. His lead was short-lived, as Harry O’Neill took the race lead.

O’Neill suffered a flat tire on the following lap and surrendered the lead back to Ventura, who held the spot until he was overtaken by Drew Atchison on lap three.

Meanwhile, Tony Rispin moved into the runner-up spot, followed by Ken Harper, Mike Wahl and Sam Ryan.

Rispin inherited the lead on lap 28 when Atchison was black flagged for having a flat tire and the rest of the top five jockeyed for positions through out the middle portion of the event.

Looking for his first career win, Bill Rice, who was good friends with Cheryl Tracy, was on a mission. With 40 laps remaining, Rice found himself not only on the same lap as the leader, but in the second position.

With 25 laps remaining and with Rispin and Rice out front, Curtis McCormick held third, followed by Harper and Tom Stevens.

Rispin took the checkers and picked up his first career victory and Rice scored the best finish of his career with second. Harper, McCormick and Stevens completed the top five.

Fans received free Pepsi, water and Domino’s Pizza coupons, which were courtesy of Cory Student and the top five finishers in each class received their transponder rental money back thanks to AMMCO Transmissions of Stroudsburg, Pa.

Sundance Vacations Speedway is just minutes from Hazleton, Pa, located on St. John’s Road, between Routes 93 and 309. Grandstand admission for all regular events is just $10 for ages 11 and older. Children 10 years of age and younger are admitted for free.

For more info, and all the happenings at the speedway, please log on to www.sundancevacationsspeedway.com or call the Speedway office at 570-384-3215 and 570-788-7544 on race days.

4-cylinder (100-laps) 1. TONY RISPIN 2. Bill Rice 3. Ken Harper 4. Curtis McCormick 5. Tom Stevens 6. Art Kulik 7. Mike Ventura 8. Mike Wahl 9. Gary Fisher 10. Jason Dunn 11. Justin Dunn 12. Drew Atchison 13. Dayton Cote 14. Sam Ryan 15. Robby Dunn 16. Larry Spencer III 17.Harry O'Neill

6-cylinder Cars & Trucks (30-laps) 1. SHAWN WANAT 2. Jim White 3. Harry Sager 4. Mitch Patern 5. GREGG HARRIS (Truck Winner) 6. Kevin Nowak

6/8-cylinder Cars (100-laps) 1. HARRY SAGER 2. TJ Kapish 3. Scott Sipe 4. Jim White 5. James Presley 6. Tom Szoke 7. Sam Morgan 8. Ed Brown Jr 9. Shaun Burd 10. Shawn Gallucci 11. Robin Schweire 12. Bob Kulik 13. Shawn Wanat 14. Mike Pollack 15. Greg Harris 16. Dominic Ranieri Jr DNS: Kevin Nowak