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Mountain Madness from July 8th

Is everyone awake?? Hey! Alrighty then. Looks like we're halfway through the season with double points on the line for the street stocks and 4 cylinder thrillers, along with two separate features for the late models…PLUS a 50-lapper non-points event for the mods! Sounds like a busy week, and yes, it has been. Many drivers are still figuring out their cars and many are struggling, just to keep in the top ten in the standings. So, off to Mountain Madness…

Brian Defebo might have started from the pole in the Balliet's Country Corners 50-lap modified feature, but he still did a terrific job holding everyone else off for his second win of the season. As we all know, Defebo is the first two-time winner this season out of the ten features run. Nice charge by Zane Zeiner and Rusty Smith as well, but the driver on the fast track this week has to be Ryan Russo. Not only for finishing second (career best) to the three time Mountain mod champ, but by displaying patience over the course of the year, along with consistency. For the fifth place driver in the mod points, welcome to Mountain Madness Ryan!

Twin 20-lap features were run for the late models. It was great to see the car counts improve. Joe Barbush grabbed the win in the first for his first "real" win of the season (as he says), but it's actually his second. The second was won by Larry Fisher, last year's champ, who beat out Mike Rodriguez, Jr. to the finish. Barbush encountered problems in the second feature, but still had a contending car when he received a flat from a swaying sway bar. So, how's this one determined? Easy! Fisher had the best overall finish (2.5) over Mike Coll and Rodriguez, Jr. (4.0) and that adds him to the Mountain Madness list for '06. Congrats!

How about Scott Meckes? Too many times the point leader struggles on double points night and then the season drama appears. Not this time! Meckes grabbed his third of the season over Norm Barnes, but it was tough to see problems for Paul Frantz. Eric Danyluk, who was third in points coming in received damage from two separate incidents, but still managed to finish sixth, thanks to quick crew work! So, who's on the fast track this week? More crew work comes to mind, that being for the driver of the #461, Rich DiMarco. Richie had a great run going and was victim of an early altercation. He continued to pit and rebounded with a well-earned eighth place finish. Welcome to the fast track!

Last but not least…the double points night for the four cyl. thrillers. Wasn't it good to see father and son win on the same night? This day and age, many dads don't even know where their kids are, yet alone at a racetrack. Congrats to Travis Fisher and Joe Sherman on a great finish! A caution-free feature spread the field apart, but still good racing. Nice runs by the rest of the top five, but one driver who just nearly missed a top five finish was Bill Halstead. Bill led a lap and had a very strong run, but faded late in the race. After a few weeks of so-so runs, a sixth place finish has had to raise some eyebrows for this team. With the double points, mid-season turn around, welcome to the fast track Bill!

Congrats to all the feature & Mountain Madness winners. Also, thanks to this season's sponsor, Valley Service Equipment Repair from New Jersey. So, it's halfway through the season and only another half to go. Good luck to all and tune in next week to see who is 'On the Fast Track' to success in 'Mountain Madness' at Mountain Speedway.