Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Barry Callavini Returns to Victory Lane at Sundance

By: Gene Ostrowski

July 17, 2010

Summer Racefest continued at Sundance Vacations Speedway Saturday evening with 40-laps and double points on the line for the Street Stock division. When it was all said and done, Scott Meckes of Lehighton emerged as the victor. Barry Callavini of Harwood held off several charges by Bobby Jones to claim his first Modified victory since 2007 and Lehighton’s Dave Freundt earned his second FWD feature win of the season. In only his seventh career start, Carl Jones of Lehighton scored his first career P.A.L. Legends victory.

Nick Pecko started from the pole and led the opening lap of the 40-lap Modified event with Todd Baer, Barry Callavini, Bobby Jones and Kyle Ebersole in hot pursuit.

Earl Paules started sixth and got by Ebersole to take the fifth spot on lap two. He then overtook Jones two laps later to claim fourth and shot by Callavini for third on lap three. He overtook Baer and moved into the runner up spot on lap six.

With tight racing in the front running pack, the yellow flag was displayed on laps 10 and 11 for solo spins. By this point in the race, Jones had moved into third, followed by Ebersole and Baer.

Pecko retained the race lead and held off several charges from Paules. While trying to hold the race lead, Pecko spun while coming off of turn four. Pecko was forced to restart from the tail end of the field, as was Paules, who was belived to be the cause of the incident.

The change of events gave the top spot to Callavini. Jones lined up in second for the restart, followed by Baer and Schneider.

With the green flag back in the air, Callavini did all that he could to hold off several charges from Jones. Meanwhile, Paules began to work back toward the front and overtook the third spot with a handful of laps remaining.

Despite having a loose handling racecar, Callavini picked up the $1500 prize when he held off Jones to notch his second career Modified main event win and his first since 2007. Pecko rebounded to finish third, followed by Ebersole and Baer.

After a successful drive up through the pack, Paules was spun from the third position while racing toward the checkered flag and finished in the ninth spot.

Nick Pecko and Kyle Ebersole were heat race winners.

With $600 to win and double points on the line, the 40-lap Street Stock feature set the stage for a barnburner. Robert Haueisen started on the pole and was quickly overtaken by Richie DiMarco. Brian Wozniak climbed to second.

Brian Brown overtook Wozniak for second and began to lay the pressure on DiMarco for the race lead. Meanwhile, Scott Meckes, who started back in the fourteenth spot began to make his way toward the front.

Brown and DiMarco ran side by side and Brown led lap six. DiMarco regained the advantage on the following lap. Meckes worked his way to third, with Chip Wanamaker and Joe Barbush in tow on lap eight.

Meckes worked his way around Brown on lap nine and set his sights on the leader. Three laps later, Meckes overtook DiMarco and not long after J. Barbush climbed to second.

Brad Barbush cracked the top five and got by DiMarco for third on lap 17. He then battled with his brother Joe for the second spot, right on the rear bumper of Meckes.

DiMarco began to slip back and both Steve Shultz and Mitch Hawk entered the top five with a handful of laps remaining.

Despite the heavy competition behind him, Meckes, who came into the event as the points leader, retained the lead and went on to take the prize over B. Barbush, J. Barbush, Shultz and Hawk.

Heat race victories went to Scott Meckes, Brad Barbush and Robert Fink.

John Smith started at the point and led the four cylinder FWD division to the drop of the green flag. Eric Banashefski lined up third and made a daring three wide move to the inside and took the lead before a lap was complete.

Dave Freundt grabbed the second spot, followed by Brian Kunkel, Bill Verwys, Jr. and Mike Kline.

Trying both high and low, Freundt searched for a way around the leader and completed the pass for the lead on lap seven. Meanwhile, Kline battled with Verwys for the fourth spot.

Freundt held on to the lead over the closing laps and went on to take his second win of the season in the caution-free event. Banashefski finished in second, followed by Kunkel, Kline and Verwys.

Dave Freundt and Eric Banashefski were heat race winners.

A handful of Pennsylvania Asphalt Legend Series drivers took the track for 15 laps of action. Carl Jones sat on the pole and held the race lead for the entire event to claim his first career win over Vinny Troia and Robert Kelshaw.

The Sundance Vacations Contingency Program winner was Mike Kline.

Please visit www.sundancevacationsspeedway.com for the entire 2010 schedule, point standings and up to date news and information.

Modified (40-laps) 1. BARRY CALLAVINI 2. Bobby Jones 3. Nick Pecko 4. Kyle Ebersole 5. Todd Baer 6. David Schneider 7. Brian Romig 8. Tommy Wannick III 9. Earl Paules 10. Wayne Szerencsits 11. Tom Casagrande

Street Stock (40-laps) 1. SCOTT MECKES 2. Brad Barbush 3. Joe Barbush 4. Steve Shultz 5. Mitch Hawk 6. Nick Ross 7. Robert Fink 8. Brian Brown 9. Rich DiMarco 10. Kevin Higgins 11. Mike Garris Sr 12. Chip Wanamaker 13. Robert Haueisen 14. Bernie Uphold 15. Jeff McGrath 16. Brian Wozniak 17.Tony Turrano DNS: Shaun Burd

FWD (20-laps) 1. DAVE FREUNDT 2. Eric Banashefski 3. Brian Kunkel 4. Mike Kline 5. Bill Verwys 6. Jay Skupski 7. Frank Katona 8. John Smith

P.A.L. Legends (15-laps) 1. CARL JONES 2. Vinny Troia 3. Robert Kelshaw