BRIAN WEAVER, DAVE ZONA, RICK HOLGATE, SEAN LIAS AND BRIAN DECKER SHARE PENN CAN SPOTLIGHT

(Susquehanna, Pa) Brian Weaver picked up the win on Pine Line Auto Sales night at the Penn Can Speedway, his fifth triumph of the 2001 season. Sean Lias won his sixth IMCA Modified feature of the season while Rick Holgate won his second Super Stock feature of the season. Dave Zona picked up his first Late Model win of the season and Craig Decker won his third Pure Stock feature in his last four starts.

The 30 lap Modified feature saw Chris Schupp take the lead from his pole starting position with Mike Nagel advancing from his fifth starting position to challenge Schupp in the early stages. The two swapped the top spot between them with each leading some laps in the early going. As Schupp and Nagel battled up front, eventual winner Weaver was on the move from his 11th starting position. Brian found the outside groove to his liking and utilized that groove to his advantage to advance toward the front of the field. It took Weaver only nine laps to establish himself at the point as he swept around the outside of both Nagel and Schupp to take over the top spot. As the race wound down, Weaver was being challenged by Rick Virkitis and Butch Tittle for the top spot.

Lap 23 saw Weaver catch a break as the leaders were about to enter heavy lapped traffic, but a caution flag for a minor incident gave the leaders clear track to work with for the final seven laps. Virkitis attempted to challenge Weaver over the closing laps but found himself under heavy pressure from Butch Tittle as the laps wound down. Virkitis and Tittle spent the final alps battling for the second spot which allowed Weaver to open up a bit of and advantage and the Decker Logging #9R crossed the finish line to earn the victory. Virkitis was able to hold off Tittle for second with Butch picking up a third place finish head of Mike Ngel and Mike Decker. Bill Huff, Kirk Horton, Chris Schupp, Alan Rudalavage and Carl Nagel completed the top ten.

Modified heat races were won by Kirk Horton, Harry Marvin Jr., and Brian Weaver. Cark Nagel won the consolation event. The IMCA Modified feature saw Sean Lias continue to dominate the division as he picked up his sixth win of the season on Friday night. Lias had Chevy power under the hood this week after experiencing problems with his potent Mopar at another speedway last week. Larry Robbins grabbed the early lead in the feature, running in Lias' preferred outside groove. This forced Lias to utilize the inside groove to work his way past Robbins which he did just past halfway. Once out front Lias was able to pull away from Robbins to earn the victory. Robbins crossed the line second trailed by Frank Bonham, Kevin Cole, and Charlie Gilbert. Bob Welsh, Billy House, John Conway, and Jason Makosky rounded out the finishing order. Larry Robbins won the IMCA Modified heat race.

Dave Zona started out the year in the Modified ranks, but returned to the Late Model division back in early June. On Friday night, that decision was rewarded with a victory as Zona drove to his first victory since making his return to the Late Models. Dave started out the outside pole and grabbed the lead from Lou Sparks at the drop of the green flag. Dave went on to lead every lap of the feature to pick up the win. Joe Damiano finished second with Gene Sharpsteen third. Current point leader Al Coy finished fourth with Randall Paxton completing the top five. Rich King, Lou Sparks, Jim O'Hara, Bill Karp, and Tom Paxton completed the top ten. Zona and Karp split Late Model qualifying heats.

"The Rocket" Rick Holgate picked up his second win of the season on Super Stock action as he drove the Gullick Motorsports Sprint PCS sponsored #13 to victory in that diviison's feature event. Holgate inherited the lead on lap 5 when race leader Jamie Shea was forced to pit with a flat right front tire. This would be the only break Holgate needed to win as he took the checkered flag ahead of Dan Vauter, Craig Trella, Brett Spoor and Dwayne Robbins. Mike Decker, Mark Hanichak, Ken Sparks Jr., Chris Piasecki, and Tracy Gregory made up the remainder of the top ten. Gregory and Holgate were Super Stock heat winners.

Sixteen year old Craig Decker won his third feature in his last four starts as he took top honors in the 15 lap Pure Stock feature. The second generation driver of the Decker Logging sponsored #9c passed division point leader Chad Stone for the top spot then held off Stone's repeated attempts to retake the lead. Stone settled for a solid second with Rockin' Roger Salai third. Keith Wikins finished fourth with newcomer Harry Cook Jr. credited with fifth after two of the original top five finishers, Kurt Decker and Ned Finch failed to get through post race technical inspection. Harry Marvin III, Garth Tonkin Jr., Ray Lindquist, Everett Cass, and Tom Garron made up the remainder of the top ten. Craig Decker and Nate Evans won Pure Stock heats.

Racing continues this Friday night at 7:15 PM sharp with a special five division racing card. For the first time ever, the KARS Limited Sprints and the Eastern Limited Sprints will be holding a challenge series event between the two limited sprint clubs at Penn Can. A large filed of sprint cars are expected and the Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds will also be in competition. The Modifieds will have the night off. Penn Can Speedway is located on Pennsylvania Rte 171, seven miles East of Exit 230 (formerly Exit 68) off I-81. For more information regarding the Penn Can Speedway, contact the speedway office at (570)-585-9928. The race day track phone number is (570)-853-3434.

PINE LINE AUTO SALES NIGHT RACE SUMMARY: MODIFIEDS: 1. BRIAN WEAVER 2. Rick Virkitis 3. Butch Tittle 4. Mike Nagel 5. Mike Decker 6. Bill Huff 7. Kirk Horton 8. Chris Schupp 9. Alan Rudalavage 10. Mark Hanichak 11. Tom Hager 12. Harry Marvin Jr. 13. George Kostelansky 14. John Gournsey 15. Brian Franko 16. Tom McGurrin 17. Chris Weaver 18. Andy Tiffany 19. Rick Whitney 20. Rich Keehle 21. Jeff Bronson 22. Mike Frederick 23. Mike Closten 24. Brian Decker

LATE MODEL 1. DAVE ZONA 2. Joe Damiano 3. Gene Sharpsteen 4. Al Coy 5. Randall Paxton 6. Rich King 7. Lou Sparks 8. Jim O' Hara 9. Bill Karp 10. Tom Paxton 11. Jason Carmen 12. Tony Fuga 13. Jim Sherman 14. Keith Mudge 15. Jamie Griffith 16. Clint Lkauffman DNS: George Leatso

IMCA MODIFIED: 1. SEAN LIAS 2. Larry Robbins 3. Frank Bonham 4. Kevin Cole 5. Charlie Gilbert 6. Bob Welsh 7. Billy House 8. John Conway 9. Jason Makosky

SUPER STOCKS 1. RICK HOLGATE 2. Dan Vauter 3. Craig Trella 4. Brett Spoor 5. Dwayne Robbins 6. Mike Decker 7. Mark Hanichak 8. Ken Sparks 9. Chris Piasecki 10. Tracy Gregory 11. Nick Petrilak 12. Randy Metcalf 13. Daryl Ellis 14. Rick Brown 15. Jamie Shea 16. Paul Rooney 17. Rich Keehle

PURE STOCKS: 1. CRAIG DECKER 2. Chad Stone 3. Roger Salai 4.Keith Wilkins 5. Harry Cook Jr. 6. Harry Marvin III 7. Garth Tonkin Jr. 8. Ray Lindquist 9. Evertt Cass 10. Tom Garran 11. Sheppard Blodgett 12. Nate Shay 13. Michael Lartz 14. Nate Evans DQ: Kurt Decker, Ned Finch