STOKES AND GENTILE TAKE MEMORIAL DAY SPECIALS AT GRP; SCHINDLER TAKES CAREER FIRST

For Immediate Release May 25, 2002

CLEARFIELD, PA - Bobby Stokes of Milton and Loy Gentile of Pulaski have $1,000 reasons to smile over the Memorial Day weekend, after picking up wins in the Budweiser Late Models and Sids Subs Small Block Modifieds, respectively Saturday night at Gamblers Raceway Park on Weisgarber Auto Sales Trophy Night.

Dale Schindler of Houtzdale won his first career Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stock feature. Kip Charles of Clearfield won his second 84 Lumber Street Stock feature while Levi Ardery of West Decatur won his second Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub Four Cylinder main.

Brandon Wearing and Louie Jacoby led the late model feature to the green with Wearing taking the lead and Jacoby running second. Tom Decker and Bobby Stokes ran third and fourth the first ten laps, with Jacoby pressuring the leader. Stokes went into the lead on lap eleven with an outside move coming off the fourth turn. One he took the lead, the battle was four second, as Stokes was on the move. Wearing was holding second with George Fultz coming from sixth and Tom Decker still holding third.

As Stokes began to work lapped traffic, Fultz moved to second and Wearing fell to fourth, with Fultz moving to second and trying to close in on the leader, but he ran short of time, as Stokes picked up his first win of the season and became the sixth different winner in six racers. Fultz was second, ahead of Decker, Wearing and Cody Schultz. Wearing and Jacoby won the preliminaries.

The $1,000 to win small block modified feature saw Bob Garvey and Lou Gentile on the front row, with Gentile darting into the lead. He was setting the pace with Garvey and Mike Stine working towards the front, but Stine tangled with Scott Smith. Stine then tailed the field and began working towards the front. In the mean time Gentile was still leading and holding off Garvey, Faye Lumadue, Smith and Jimmy Holden. When Mike Frisco’s double-checkered flags waved it was all Gentile, with Garvey, Smith, Lumadue and Holden completing the top five. Stine worked his way back to sixth. Smith and Spencer Husted won the heats.

Dan Smeal beat Leroy Pershing to the first turn at the start of the street stock feature and was looking for his fourth win of the young season. Kip Charles came from seventh to second and was pressuring Smeal throughout the race, but working lap 15 Smeal pitted with a flat tire. He then relinquished the lead to Charles who went to victory lane virtually un-contested. The battle was then for second between Pat Carfley, Jeff Sweeney and John Weaver, with Sweeney winning that fight. The top five at the checkered were: Charles, Sweeney, Weaver, Carfley and Rob Shook. Heat wins went to Smeal and Charles.

The four cylinder main saw heat winners Dave Farrell and Derek Rodkey on the front row with Rodkey taking the lead. He led the way for three laps before mechanical problems forced him to the pits and gave the lead over to Levi Ardery, who was able to hold off Farrell for his second win of the season. Dave Farrell was second, Cecilia Olson was third, Chris Farrell was fourth and Joe Leigey was fifth.

Rookie Dale Schindler and Scott Wagner led the pure stocks to the start, with Schindler taking the lead. Harvey Wallbanger and Sheddy Graham III moved into second and third as Wagner kept the pace and ran fourth. The battle for the lead was a tight one with Wallbanger trying every trick in the book to make the rookie slip up, but Schindler was too tough and he took his first career feature win. Wallbanger was second, with Graham, Wagner and Josh Jacoby completing the top five. Schindler and Gary Little won the prelims.

GRP LAST DEALS: 89 teams filled the pits, including: 16 late models, 20 small block modifieds, 18 street stocks, 12 four cylinders and 23 pure stocks…Stokes became the sixth different late model winner in six races…This week is the pure stock special. Fred Diehl of Philipsburg will sponsor the trophies and the winner will take home $175. Gates open at 5 racing is set for 7…There is a regular show on tap for the late models, small block modifieds, street stocks and four cylinders…Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub has signed on the sponsor the four cylinder division for the rest of the season…Circle July 3 on your calendar as the biggest show of the season will see the late models going 50 laps for $4000 to win…Check out the web site for more information on this and other events at the speedway at www.gamblersracewaypark.com

Gamblers Raceway Park

May 25, 2002

Summary

BUDWEISER LATE MODELS: 1. Bobby Stokes, Milton; 2. George Fultz, Beech Creek; 3. Tom Decker Jr., Bellwood; 4. Brandon Wearing, Callery; 5. Cody Schultz, Hyde; 6. Matt Gaston, Rochester Mills; 7. Dean Colber, Port Matilda; 8. Louie Jacoby, Fernwood; 9. John Ritter, Stroudsburg; 10. Marc Whetstone, Irvona; 11. John Brady, Clearfield; 12. Dale Zimmerman, Brookville; 13. Bill Davis, DuBois; 14. Russ Strouse, Lamarr. DNS: Rick Strong and Jeff Henry.

SIDS SUBS SMALL BLOCK MODIFIEDS: 1. Lou Gentile, Pulaski; 2. Bob Garvey, Morrisdale; 3. Scott Smith, Woodland; 4. Faye Lumadue, Spring Valley; 5. Jimmy Holden, Tiona; 6. Mike Stine, Smithmill; 7. Dion LaSalle, Everett; 8. Mike Butterworth, Osceola Mills; 9. Craig Casher, Mineral Springs; 10. Ron Butterworth, Philispburg; 11. Mark Frankhouser, Philipsburg; 12. Fred Heiss, Tyrone; 13. Tom Holden, Sheffield; 14. Bobby Roos, Hyde; 15. Matt Baker, Clarion; 16. Jerry Bowser, Punxsy; 17. Steve Williams, West Decatur; 18. Spencer Husted, West Decatur; DNS: George Sankey, DQ: Marvin Williams.

84 LUMBER STREET STOCKS: 1. Kip Charles, Clearfield; 2. Jeff Sweeney, Marion Center; 3. John Wayne Weaver, Commodore; 4. Pat Carfley, Curwensville; 5. Rob Shook, Creighton; 6. Shawn Mogle, Ernest; 7. Paul Schreckengost, Creighton; 8. Todd Mathews, Sanborn; 9. Leroy Pershing, Commodore; 10. Butch Welsh, Clearfield.

DENNY’S BEER BARREL PUB FOUR CYLINDERS: 1. Levi Ardery, West Decatur; 2. Dave Farrell, Hyde; 3. Cecilia Olson, Clearfield; 4. Chris Farrell, Clearfield; 5. Joe Leigey, Mt. Zion; 6. Lee Hummell, Osceola Mills; 7. Ken Erskine, Mahaffey; 8. Paul Ferrea, Port Matilda; 9. Don Henry, Rockton; 10. Derek Rodkey, Osceola Mills.

FRED DIEHL OF PHILIPSBURG PURE STOCKS: 1. Dale Schindler, Houtzdale; 2. Harvey Wallbanger, Woodland; 3. Sheddy Graham III, Clearfield; 4. Scott Wagner, Irvona; 5. Josh Jacoby, Fernwood; 6. Frank Little, Woodland; 7. Jason Bainey, Philipsburg; 8. Richard Homan, Pennsylvania Furnace; 9. Jeff Peffer, Houtzdale; 10. Bob Helsel, Clearfield.