Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Ricky Ross, Jr. Scores First Win of the Season at Sundance

By: Gene Ostrowski

May 16, 2010

Perfect racing conditions from Mother Nature set the stage for close door to door racing Sunday at Sundance Vacations Speedway. After taking the race lead from Paul Frantz early in the Sport Modified feature, Ricky Ross, Jr. of Mountaintop held off Nick Pecko to score his first feature win of the season. Jerry Hildebrand of Wapwallopen held off Lorin Arthofer to notch his first Late Model victory of year and Mountaintop’s Wayne Lowe visited victory lane for the fist time the season in Factory Stock competition. Ian Cumens of Lyndell took top honors in the ATQRMA main event and Scott Hubler of Coplay found victory lane in the P.A.L. Legend main.

Will Schneider started in the pole and led the field to the drop of the green flag. Paul Frantz grabbed the top spot before a lap was complete and Nick Pecko scooted into second.

Jason Hearne got by Todd Baer for fifth on lap five and found himself running third behind Pecko two laps later.

The yellow flag waved on lap seven when Rob Schultz spun in turn three. Green flag racing resumed and with help from the double file restart, Pecko overtook Frantz for the lead on lap eight.

With the green flag back out, Hearne overtook Frantz for second on lap 10 and Ross followed by Frantz for the third position a lap later. Baer held the fifth spot until lap 14 when Mike Skarbowski overtook him.

The caution flew on lap 28 when Schneider and Gordy Buchman tangled in turn three. With Pecko still in command on the restart, Ross took an opportunity and got by Hearn for second.

After several attempts to make a bid for the lead, Ross overtook Pecko and took control of the event on lap 33.

The yellow flag flew with four laps remaining when Skarbowski attempted to get underneath Hearn for third in turn two. Neither driver spun, but the slowed up in a hurry, which clustered the field up behind them. Frantz was one of those drivers and his car sustained enough damage to force him pit side.

Ross was flawless on the final restart and drove off to claim the $1000 prize and his first win of the season. Pecko finished a career-best second, followed by Hearne, Skarbowski, and Schultz.

Heat race wins went to Paul Frantz and Jason Hearne. As long as he meets the program requirements, Will Schneider will pick up $50 because his finishing position was pulled in victory lane for the Sundance Vacations Contingency Program.

Jerry Hildebrand took the race lead from pole sitter Troy Bollinger before a single lap was scored in the 20-lap Late Model feature and Mike Sweeney followed through to take second.

Lorin Arthofer overtook Sweeney for the runner up spot on lap four and began to reel in the leader. By that point in the race, Justin Onderko held fourth with Mike Coll in fifth.

Sweeney’s car began to fall off a little bit and Onderko grabbed the third spot on lap six.

The only yellow flag of the race flew on lap eight when Bollinger and Craig Lutz tangled on the front stretch. Lutz sustained a lot of sheet metal damage and was not able to continue.

Despite heavy pressure from Arthofer following the restart, Hildebrand remained out front followed by Onderko.

With Coll running in the fourth spot, Sweeny surrendered the fifth spot to Joe Burns on lap 13.

After a slow start to the season, Hildebrand went on to pick up his first $800 feature win of the year, followed by Arthofer, Onderko, Coll and Burns.

Heat race wins went to Justin Onderko and Mike Sweeney. Onderko picked up $50 because his finishing position was pulled in victory lane for the Sundance Vacations Contingency Program.

Kenny Kleppinger started on the pole and led the first circuit of the 20-lap Factory Stock main before Wayne Lowe overtook him. Kermit Jacoby ran third, with Paul Morgan, Jr. and Eric Wink in tow.

Coming off two straight victories to start off the season, Morgan began to advance. He got by Jacoby for the third spot on lap three and began to challenge Kleppinger for second. However, things changed in a hurry for Morgan when fluid began to leak from his car. His day came to an end when he was forced to pull in the infield on lap seven.

Lowe continued to lead over Kleppinger, Jacoby, Matt Schlenker and Wink at the halfway point. Without challenges amongst the top five, Lowe went on to score his first main event win of the season.

Kleppinger and Morgan scored heat race victories. Keith Frankenfield picked up $50 because his finishing position was pulled in victory lane for the Sundance Vacations Contingency Program.

The TQ Midgets visited the speedway for the first time this season and Matt Janisch started from the pole in the 25-lap feature.

With four laps complete, Janisch led over Ian Cumens, Paul Lotier, Jr, Tim Behmer and Robin Johnston.

Cumens pressure Janisch almost continuously and pulled off the pass for the lead on lap 15. Meanwhile, Frank Fischer had been working through the field and sat in the fourth spot.

Fischer overtook Lotier for fourth and caught Janisch for second.

Cumens went on to take the victory over Janisch. Lotier was forced to settle for third, followed by Behmer and Lotier.

Matt Janisch and Ian Cumens were heat race winners.

A handful of Pennsylvania Asphalt Legend drivers took to the speedway for a 10-lap contest. Scott Hubler sat and the pole and led wire to wire to score his second feature win of the season over Carl Jones. Hubler also won an extra $50 when his finishing position was pulled in victory lane for the Sundance Vacations Contingency Program.

Sport Modified (40-laps) 1. RICKY ROSS, JR 2. Nick Pecko 3. Jason Hearne 4. Mike Skarbowski 5. Rob Schultz 6. Todd Baer 7. Scott Brannick 8. William Schneider 9. Gordan Buchman 10. Paul Frantz 11. Brian Sones 12. Frank Scimeca 13. Barry Callavini 14. CJ Lacatvia

Late Model (30-laps) 1. JERRY HILDEBRAND 2. Lorin Arthofer 3. Justin Onderko 4. Mike Coll 5. Joe Burns 6. Mike Sweeney 7. Kyle Harvell 8. Adam Cox 9. Todd Stehle 10. Troy Bollinger 11. Craig Lutz

Factory Stock (20-laps) 1. WAYNE LOWE 2. Ken Kleppinger 3. Kermit Jacoby 4. Matt Schlenker 5. Eric Wink 6. Brandon Oltra 7. Keith Frankenfield 8. Kendall Foulk 9. Paul Morgan Jr 10. Joey Barbush

TQ Midgets (25-laps) 1. IAN CUMENS 2. Matt Janisch 3. Frank Fischer 4. Tim Behmer 5. Paul Lotier Jr 6. Alison Cummens 7. Austin Fehr 8. Joe Lord 9. John Gambuti 10. Robin Johnston 11. Kyle Gardner 12. Steve Craig 13. Chad Jones 14. John Darylerimdle 15. Buddy Sload 16. Tim Buckwalter 17.Dan Lane 18. Lou Cicconi 19. Matthew Roselli

P.A.L. Legends (10-laps) 1. SCOTT HUBLER 2. Carl Jones