Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

TJ Kapish and Ken Harper Earn Mountain Madness Victories at Sundance

By: Gene Ostrowski

July 25, 2010

Following a major downpour, round number five of the Mountain Madness Enduro Series at Sundance Vacations Speedway kicked off on Sunday. The wet and sloppy conditions didn’t seem to damper the competition however, as TJ Kapish barely edged Bill Schwenk to the stripe to earn his first career 6/8-cylinder enduro victory. Patient, smooth and fast, Ken Harper started last on the grid and worked his way to the front before lapping the entire field and taking the win in the 4-cylinder enduro.

Shawn Gallucci started from the pole and led the opening circuit of the 100-lap 6/8-cylinder show. Tom Szoke tucked in the second spot, followed by TJ Kapish, Bill Schwenk and Scott Sipe.

Kapish wasted no time and overtook the leader on the third lap. Schwenk followed into second shortly after.

Kapish worked through traffic in the early going and had almost a half lap advantage over second place at one point. However, Schwenk turned it up a notch and began to reel in the leader. Meanwhile, Gregg Harris and Frank Katona cracked the top five.

Schwenk pulled to the back bumper of Kapish with 10 laps remaining and made several attempts to take the race lead. However, Kapish held his line and threw the blocks when needed to be able to secure his first-ever enduro victory. Schwenk was forced to settle for second, followed by Harris, Sipe and Katona.

Tony Rispin started from the pole and led the opening circuits of the 100-lap four-cylinder enduro. Dave Bartuski ran in the runner-up spot on lap three, followed by Andy Fowler, Ed Michael and Brandon Brown.

The only red flag of the afternoon waved on lap nine when John Campbell’s car came to a stop on the front stretch. Green flag racing resumed and it appeared that Rispin would run away with the show. However, several drivers began to shine, including Fowler, who ran in second on lap 26. Bill Rice moved up to the third position and Mike Harding cracked the top five.

Slowly but surely, Ken Harper began to move towards the front. He ran in the third spot on lap 45 and then picked off Rice for second. He reeled in Rispin and completed the pass for the lead on lap 59.

Harper set a torrid pace and lapped the second place driver wit seven laps remaining.

Harper claimed the victory over Sam Ryan, Rispin, Rice and Harding.

6/8-Cylinder (100-laps) 1. TJ KAPISH 2. Bill Schwenck 3. Gregory Harris 4. Scott Sipe 5. Frank Katona 6. Tom Szoke 7. Shawn Gallucci 8. Mark Frankenfield 9. Sam Morgan 10. Mike Parisi 11. Al Arthofer III

4-Cylinder (100-laps) 1. KEN HARPER 2. Sam Ryan 3. Tony Rispin 4. Bill Rice 5. Mike Harding 6. Gary Fisher 7. Eddie Primarera 8. Edward Michael 9. Craig Coll 10. Bruce Miller 11. Brandon Brown 12. Larry Spencer III 13. Dave Bartuski 14. Andrew Fowler 15. Michael Cafiero 16. John Campbell