BRIAN WEAVER, CRAIG TERRELL, RANDALL PAXTON, JAMIE SHEA, AND SHANE WOLF ARE FRIDAY NIGHT WINNERS AT PENN CAN

(Susquehanna, Pa.) After struggling with Mother Nature the past few

weeks, the Penn Can Speedway finally got a break on Friday night as

racers and fans alike were treated to an almost picture perfect summer

evening last Friday night. Brian Weaver picked up his third Modified

feature win while Craig Terrell won his fourth Sportsman feature.

Randall Paxton finally won his first Penn Can Late Model feature after

coming so very close so many times in the past, but never closing the

deal until Friday night. Jamie Shea's Super Stock win was his third of

the season while Shane Wolf won his first Pure Stock feature in nearly a

decade, his last win coming during the 1993 season.

The 30 lap Modified feature saw Andy Tiffany and Jim Crawn pace the

field to the green flag with Crawn grabbing the advantage. His lead

would last only a couple of laps as Jeff Bronson blasted by Crawn to take

the lead aboard his Rhino Linings sponsored #28. While Bronson led the

race, eventual winner Weaver was on the move as he charged from his tenth

starting spot to run second in the first ten laps of the race. Weaver

and Bronson battled for the top spot, but a lap 13 restart would prove to

be the deciding moment of the race. Utilizing his preferred outside

groove, Weaver was able to charge past Bronson to take over the lead on

that restart. A couple of late caution flags allowed Bronson several

opportunities to try to retake the lead, but Weaver was too strong and

led the rest of the way to pick up his third win of the season. Bronson

recorded a season best runner-up finish while George Kostelansky charged

from 23rd starting position to finish third. Butch Tittle and Bob Hamm

rounded out the top five. Finishing sixth through tenth respectively

were Chris Shupp, Alan Rudalavage, Mike Colsten, Rick Virkitis, and Mike

Decker.

Tom McGurrin, Mike Colsten, and Jeff Bronson won the Modified

qualifying events.

The 20 lap Sportsman feature saw teenage sensation Dan Vauter

establish himself as th race leader in the early stages as Dan moved from

sixth starting position to the lead. Rich Whitney provided a challenge

in the early stages of the event, but give way to eventual winner Terrell

as Craig brought his Klinger's Kawasaki sponsored #78 from the ninth

starting position to challenge Vauter. Terrell and Vauter raced several

laps side by side as they battled for the lead and ultimately the win.

Terrell was able to utilize the preferred outside groove to his advantage

as on the 15th circuit he was able to drive around the high side of

Vauter to take over the lead. Dan attempted to get back around Terrell,

but Criag was two strong and was able to notch his fourth win of the

season. Vauter crossed the line second ahead of Gary Gallerie, Mike

Loney, and Rick Whitney. Mike Marold drove his Gabriel Racing Engines

#7m to a sixth place finish while Alan Rudalavage picked up the ride in

the Mark Hanichak #00 and finished seventh in his first Sportsman start.

Bob Lane finished eighth ahead of defending Super Stock champion Jamie

Shea, who made his debut aboard a BPG Racing Sportsman car and came home

ninth in his Sportsman debut. Brian Decker completed the top ten.

Rick Holgate, Craig Terrell, and Rich Whitney split Sportsman heat

race honors.

The Late Model feature saw a new face in victory lane as Randall

Paxton picked up his first ever Penn Can feature win. Randall has come

close before with numerous runner-up finishes, but until Friday night had

not ever made the trip to victory lane. Randall passed Keith Mudge for

the lead then held off a late race charge from defending Late Model

champion Allen Coy to pick up the win. Coy made a thrilling charge from

the final starting spot to finish second with a car that had been

severely damaged in a heat race incident. Coy's crew made repairs and

Allen drove the car through the pack to earn the runner-up finish. Dave

Zona, Jamie Griffiths, and Keith Mudge were third through fifth. Jason

Carmen, Brent Dyer, Joe Daiano, Steve Tourje, and George Leatso rounded

out the top ten. Joe Damiano and Dave Zona were Late Model heat winners.

Defending Super Stock champion Jamie Shea drove his Lenox Propane/PS

Transportation sponsored entry to his third victory of the 2002 campaign

at Penn Can. Shea took the lead with a bold outside move on a lap 8

restart, driving by both Rom Latwinski and Paul Rooney to move from third

to the lead, a lead he would never surrender. Paul Rooney took second

ahead of Ron Latwinski, Tracy Gregory, and Brett Spoor. Chris Piasecki,

Mike Mills, Dick Vauter, Nate Evans, and Randy Metcalf completed the top

ten. Super Stock heat races were won by Dick Vauter, Brett Spoor, and

Jamie Shea.

Shane Wolf won the Pure Stock feature, his first win since the 1993

racing season at Penn Can. Shane started third and took the lead from

Craig Decker on lap six when Decker had to check up to avoid a collision

with a lapped car. This opened the door for Wolf to grab the lead.

Decker pressured Wolf the rest of the way, but could not find a way back

past Wolf and Shane flashed under the checkered flag just ahead of

Decker. Nate Evans, Michael Lartz, and Everett Cass. Sixth through

tenth went to Gary Druhl, Tom Garren, Toby Sparks, Randy Teets, and Billy

House. Craig Decker and Nate Evans were heat race winners.

The upcoming Independence Day Holiday will find two nights of racing

action at Penn Can. On Thursday, July 4th the second race of the six

race Gary's U-Pull It Modified Series will take center stage at Penn Can.

With a $2,000 winner's share of a very generous purse, a large field of

Modifieds are expected to be on hand for this special event. The Super

Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Four Cylinder Stocks are also on the card for

this Independence Day special. Penn Can's annual huge fireworks display

will round out this big evening of racing action. This is only the first

of two big nights of racing over the Holiday weekend.

On Friday, July 5th the racing action returns to the speedway as the

Sportsman and Late Model divisions take center stage with special events

in for both classes. The Late Model event will be a part of the American

Race Tires Series and should see several invaders from the Skyline

Speedway on hand to challenge the Penn Can regulars. The first

Demolition Derby staged at Penn Can in over 15 years will finish off the

evening. Racing gets underway at 7:15 sharp both nights. For more

information, contact the speedway office at (570)-585-9928.

PENN CAN SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY:

MODIFIEDS 1. BRIAN WEAVER 2. Jeff Bronson 3. George Kostelansky 4. Butch

Tittle 5. Bob Hamm 6. Chris Shupp 7. Alan Rudalavage 8. Mike Colsten 9.

Rick Virkitis 10. Mike Decker 11. Sean Collins 12. Mike Nagel 13. Tom

McGurrin 14. Carl Nagel 15. Rich Keehle 16. Rick Whitney 17. Bill Huff

18. John Gurnsey 19. Andy Tiffany 20. Brian Franko 21. Alan Shiffler 22.

Jim Crawn 23. Chris Weaver DNS: Mike Frost

SPORTSMAN: 1. CRAIG TERRELL 2. Dan Vauter 3. Gary Gallerie 4. Mike Loney

5. Rick Whitney 6. Mike Marold 7. Alan Rudalavage 8. Bob Lane 9. Jamie

Shea 10. Brian Decker 11. Garth Tonkin 12. Kevin Timinski 13. Ted Stout

14. Eric Bonham 15. Brett Tonkin 16. Darren Stout 17. Dan Buchannon 18.

Rick Holgate 19. Dennis Latwinski 20. Ray Pursell DNS: Matt Smith, Bob

Evans Jr.

LATE MODEL: 1. RANDALL PAXTON 2. Allen Coy 3. Dave Zona 4. Jamie

Griffiths 5. Keith Mudge 6. Jason Carmen 7. Brent Dyer 8. Joe Damiano 9.

Steve Tourje 10. George Leatso 11. Lou Sparks 12. Carl Silvernail 13.

Rich King 14. Randy Metcalf 15. Dave Silvernail 16. Daryl Ellis

SUPER STOCK: 1. JAMIE SHEA 2. Paul Rooney 3. Ron Latwinski 4. Tracy

Gregory 5. Brett Spoor 6. Chris Piasecki 7. Mike Mills 8. Dick Vauter 9.

Nate Evans 10. Randy Metcalf 11. Joe Cabets 12. Mike Wilmont 13. Dennis

Robbins 14. Skip Peabody 15. Adam Jones 16. Randy Rollison 17. Chris

Hunsinger 18. Nick Petrilak 19. Ken Winn 20. Earl Zimmer 21. Rick Brown

22. Craig Trella 23. Ken Sparks DNS: John Stanley

PURE STOCK: 1. SHANE WOLF 2. Craig Decker 3. Nate Evans 4. Michael Lartz

5. Everett Cass 6. Gary Druhl 7. Tom Garren 8. Toby Sparks 9. Randy Teets

10. Billy House 11. Keith Wilkins 12. Kevin Dries 13. Wayne Hunting 14.

Bob Albrecht 15. Rob Welsh 16. Sheppad Blodgett 17. Matt Payne 18. Bret

Welsh 19. Mike Hoyte 20. Dennis Gow 21. Car 27c 22. Ivan Little DNS:

Daryl Ellis