Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Earl Paules Hits Big $5k with Sundance “Drive for Five” Victory

By: Gene Ostrowski

May 23, 2010

While competing with several of the top Modified drivers in the Northeast, along with “Jon Boy” Brown, one of the stars of Madhouse in competition, Earl Paules of Palmerton hit the pits for a right rear tire with 20 laps remaining and came back to take the $5000 “Drive for Five” victory Sunday at Sundance Vacations Speedway. Harry Sager of Hanover Twp. Notched this first career Street Stock victory and Mike Kline of Lancaster scored his second-straight 4 Cyl. FWD main event win.

Zane Zeiner ran the fastest lap of the day in time trials and the top eight qualifiers redrew for starting positions prior to the start of the 100-lap Modified main event. Coming off two straight victories at the speedway, Kyle Ebersole ran the sixth fastest qualifying time and pulled number one for his starting spot.

Dave Schneider lined up along side of Ebersole and the green flag waved. With one lap complete, Paules had worked into the second spot, followed by Zeiner, Schneider and Bobby Jones.

Matt Hirschman cracked the top five and took the fourth spot from Jones on lap 13. Not long after he overtook Zeiner for third.

The caution flag waved on lap 28 when Anthony Sesely slowed on the track. Green flag racing resumed and Paules edged out Ebersole for the race lead.

A Nick Pecko spin on lap 39 brought out another yellow and Ebersole headed to the pits. Paules stayed on the racetrack and retained the lead. Hirschman held second with Zeiner, Jones and John Fortin in tow.

A lap 44 yellow slowed the field and following the restart, Hirschman took advantage of Paules’ fading car and took the lead on lap 48. Zeiner followed into second. Paules slipped to third, followed by Jones. Ebersole worked back to fifth by mid race.

Hirschman surrendered the lead to Zeiner when he pitted for rubber during a lap 52 yellow. Several others hit the pits as well, including Rusty Smith, Pete Brittain, Paules, Larry Fisher and Danny Sammons. Jones moved up to the runner up spot when the others pitted. Todd Baer held third, followed by Alan Creveling and Ebersole.

Meanwhile, Ebersole and Paules began to charge toward the top five. They both got by Baer to take third and fourth respectively on lap 63. The following lap they overtook Jones for second and third and then Ebersole got by Zeiner for the race lead on lap 70.

A caution flew a lap 80 when Brittain spun in turn four while challenging for the third position. Paules was the only driver to pit under the yellow.

With only 12 laps remaining and while running in the runner up spot, Hirschman tried to make an inside pass work in turn three. The cars touched and Ebersole spun around. Zeiner was also collected and all three drivers were sent to the rear of the field for the restart. Fortin inherited the race lead, followed by Fisher, Jones, Pecko and Paules.

While racing hard in the top five, Pecko spun in turn two to bring out a lap 92 yellow. With a great restart, Jones overtook Fortin and appeared to be on his way to what would have been the best win of his career. However, the cards changed with the yellow waved with five laps remaining when Fortin and Fisher tangled in turns one and two.

With only with laps remaining following the restart, Paules overtook Jones and drove away with the $5,000 victory.

Pitting with 20 laps to go was risky for the winner, yet he proved that it was the right decision. “We didn’t have the best car today”, he said. “With 20 to go I called down to the guys to see if we had any tires. They said yeah, so I came in and they threw on one the right rear”.

Jones was forced to settle for a second place effort. Smith, Zeiner and Baer completed the top five. “Jon Boy” Brown fought a tight racecar all day and settled for a 13^th place effort in the Wanick Motorsports #1w.

As long as he meets the program requirements, Fortin will pick up $50 because his finishing position was pulled in victory lane for the Sundance Vacations Contingency Program.

Brian Brown started from the pole, yet Mike Garris led the first circuit of the 25-lap Street Stock feature. Brown gained the top spot back after five laps were complete, with Harry Sager in second. Steve Shultz ran third, followed by Brian Wozniak and Chip Wanamaker.

Scott Meckes cracked the top five and a good battle began to ensue amongst the top cars until the yellow flag waved on lap 15 when Meckes and Wanamaker appeared to make contact. Wanamaker’s car shot up the backstretch wall and several cars were also collected, including Joe Barbush and Jeff McGrath.

Green flag racing resumed and with a great restart, Sager was able to steal the lead from Brown.

Wozniak made a third place pass on Wozniak stick on lap 16. The then followed later in the race to take the second spot from Brown.

Shultz ran down Sager and could not complete the pass. Sager went on to score his first $500 career Street Stock win over Shultz, Brown, Meckes and Richie DiMarco. Sager also picked up an additional $50 when he drew his finishing position in victory lane for the Sundance Vacations Contingency Program.

Heat race wins went to Brian Brown and Chip Wanamaker.

Following two cautions before a single lap was scored, Harry O’Neill overtook pole sitter, Justin Hughes for the race lead in the 20-lap Four Cy. FWD feature.

Not typical for the division, yellow flags flew left and right, with the worst incident being on lap nine when Pete and Bill Verwys, Jr. tried to split the leader through turns one and two. O’Neill made contact with P. Verwys, which forced him up the track and into his brother, Bill. Both drivers retired from the event.

Dave Freundt inherited the race lead with Eric Banashefski, Mike Kline, Jay Skupski and Charles Ruckle, Jr. in the top five.

Looking to score his second win in a row, Kline overtook the leader on lap 16 before driving off to victory. Freundt finished second, followed by Banashefski, Skupski and Ruckle.

As long as he meets the program requirements, Pete Verwys will pick up $50 because his finishing position was pulled in victory lane for the Sundance Vacations Contingency Program.

Modified (100-Laps) 1. EARL PAULES 2. Bobby Jones 3. Rusty Smith 4. Zane Zeiner 5. Todd Baer 6. Matt Hirschman 7. Kyle Ebersole 8. Nick Pecko 9. Barry Callavini 10. John Fortin 11. David Schneider 12. Nick Gargiulo 13. Jonathan Brown 14. Lew Hallock 15. Larry Fisher 16. Alan Creveling 17.Pete Brittain 18. Anthony Sesely 19. Danny Sammons 20. Marissa Niederauer 21. Harry Buchman 22.Frank Russo 23. Tommy Wanick

Street Stock (25-Laps) 1. HARRY SAGER 2. Steve Shultz 3. Brian Brown 4. Scott Meckes 5. Rich DiMarco 6. Joe Barbush 7. Kevin Higgins 8. Robert Fink 9. Brian Wozniak 10. Mitch Hawk 11. Shaun Burd 12. Robert Haueisen 13. Mike Garris Sr 14. Chip Wanamaker 15. Jeff McGrath 16. Josh Oswald 17.Tony Hilliard

4 Cyl. FWD (20-Laps) 1. MIKE KLINE 2. Dave Freundt 3. Eric Banashefski 4. Jay Skupski 5. Charles Ruckle Jr 6. John Smith 7. Justin Hughes 8. Harry O'Neill 9. Peter Verwys 10. Bill Verwys