BRIAN WEAVER, GENE SHARPSTEEN, CHRIS PIASECKI, LARRY ROBBINS, and CRAIG DECKER WIN AT PENN CAN
Don's Automotive Mall night at the Penn Can Speedway saw Brain Weaver pick up his sixth feature win of the 2001 season in Modified competition. Gene Sharpsteen came home the winner of the Late Model feature, the fifth triumph of the season for the Waverly, NY resident. Chris Piasecki won his third Super Stock feature of the season with Larry Robbins winning his second of the season in the IMCA Modified ranks. Craig Decker won his fourth Pure Stock feature of the season.
The 30 lap Modified feature came to Glenn O'Laughlin's green flag with Chris Weaver and Jeff Bronson on the front row. Chris Weaver jumped to the early lead and held the top spot for the first six laps before mechanical problems sent him to the infield and out of the race. This turned the lead over to Rick Whitney, but his lead was short lived as on a lap seven restart Brian Weaver blasted past to take over the top spot. Once out front, Weaver was able to open up a considerable lead over the field, but that lead was erased on lap 20 when the caution flag flew. On the restart, Weaver had a cushion of a couple of lapped cars between himself and second running Rick Virkitis, who came from his eleventh stating position to run second. The lapped cars allowed Weaver to open up a half straightaway lead by the time Virkitis was able to clear the lapped cars.
Over the final laps, Weaver continued to extend his advantage over Virkitis, taking the checkered flag by about a straightaway to earn his sixth win of the season. Virkitis crossed the line second with Butch Tittle advancing from fifth to third in the final laps. Rick Whitney and Mike Decker completed the top five. Jeff Bronson, Mike Colsten, Alan Rudalavage, Harry Marvin Jr. and Tom McGurrin completed the top ten. With the win, Weaver puts himself in position to be crowned the 2001 Penn Can Modified champion by merely taking the green flag in next week's Penn Can Spectacular. Tom McGurrin, Chris Weaver, and Jeff Bronson won Modified heats. Alan Rudalavage came home the winner of the Pump 'n Pantry Last Chance Race.
Waverly, NY's Gene Sharpsteen came home the winner of the Late Model feature, his fifth triumph of the 2001 campaign. Sharpsteen drove his Kabe's Fencing/Clean Burn #7 around early leader Randall Paxton on the eleventh circuit and led the rest of the way to pick up the lead. Jim O'Hara took the second spot away from Paxton in the closing stages of the event to come home second with Paxton third. Current point leader Alan Coy finished fourth with Joe Damiano fifth. Jame Griffith ran sixth ahead of Jason Bedford, Jason Carman, Keith Mudge, and Lou Sparks. The Late Model championship will be determined in next week's Penn Can Spectacular as Al Coy goes into the championship event with an eight point lead over Gene Sharpsteen in the championship chase. Late Model heat races were won by Joe Damiano and Jim O'Hara.
The Super Stock feature saw the championship chase take a major turn. The early stages of this feature saw some tight racing at the front as Brett Spoor, Rick Holgate, Dwayne Robbins, and Jamie Shea swapped the top spot between them several times with Shea ultimately taking over the top spot. Once out front, Shea was able to open up the lead and appeared to be on his way to victory when disaster struck on lap 18. Exiting the fourth turn, Shea made an evasive move to dodge a lapped car when the steering wheel came off the shaft, causing Shea to spin to the infield. With Shea now at the rear of the field, Chris Piasecki inherited the lead with two laps left to run. Chris was able to hold off the challenges of Brett Spoor over the final two laps to pick up the win and pull to within one point of Shea going into next week's Penn Can Spectacular. Spoor finished second trailed by Tracy Gregory, Rick Holgate, and Dan Vauter. Ken Sparks finished sixth with Dwayne Robbins seventh. Jamie Shea recovered from his misfortune to finish eighth with Rick Brown and Jack Evans Jr. completing the top ten finishing order. Dan Vauter and Brett Spoor won the Super Stock heat races.
Sixteen year old Craig Decker picked up his fourth win of the season in Pure Stock action. Decker had an eventful race as he led early, got crossed up on a restart and slipped back to fifth, then drove his way back to the lead to earn the victory. Nate Shay earned his best ever Penn Can finish with a second place run ahead of Chad Stone, Nate Evans, and Keith Wilkins. Jim Ortiz, Harry Marvin III, Bob Warner, Roger Salai, and Michael Lartz finished in positions six through ten respectively. Kurt Decker and Nate Evans were Pure Stock heat winners. Chad Stone needs only to take the green flag in next week's Spectacular to be crowned the 2001 Pure Stock champion.
Westfield, Pa's Larry Robbins drove his "X" car to victory in the IMCA Modified feature, his second triumph of the season. Robbins got to the front early then held off a late charge from Cory Fachini, who was making only his second Penn Can start of the season. Bob Chapman finished third with Frank Bonham and Charlie Gilbert rounding out the top five. Robbins made a clean sweep of the evening's activities as he also won the IMCA Modified heat. Robbins goes into next week's Championship event with a two point lead over Bob Chapman in the race for not only the track's IMCA championship but the Pennsylvania State IMCA Modified Championship as well.
Racing continues this Friday night at 7:15 PM sharp with the annual running of the Pump 'n Pantry Penn Can Spectacular. . The Modifieds, Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds will all be in competition in their final point shows of the 2001 season, all of which will be extra laps and will carry increased purses and championship points. Championships will be determined in all five classes during the Pen Can Spectacular. 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.
DON"S AUTOMOTIVE MALL NIGHT RACE SUMMARY: MODIFIEDS: 1. Brian Weaver 2. Rick Virkitis 3. Butch Tittle 4. Rick Whitney 5. Mike Decker 6. Jeff Bronson 7. Mike Colsten 8. Alan Rudalavage 9. Harry Marvin III 10. Tom McGurrin 11. Bill Huff 12. Chris Schupp 13. Brain Franko 14. Garth Tonkin 15. John Gurnsey 16. Tom Hager 17. Sean Collins 18. Bob Thomas 19. Mike Frederick 20. George Kostelansky 21. Mike Nagel 22. Carl Nagel 23. Brian Decker 24. Mike Frost 25. Chris Weaver DNQ: Andy Tiffany
LATE MODELS: 1. GENE SHARPSTEEN 2. Jim O'Hara 3. Randall Paxton 4. Allen Coy 5. Joe Damiano 6. Jamie Griffiths 7. Jason Bedford 8. Jason Carmen 9. Keith Mudge 10. Lou Sparks 11. Tony Fuga 12. Jade Brewer 13. George Leatso 14. Tim Paxton 15. Jim Sherman 16. Dave Zona 17. Rich King
SUPER STOCKS: 1. CHRIS PIASECKI 2. Brett Spoor 3. Tracy Gregory 4. Rick Holate 5. Dan Vauter 6. Ken Sparks 7. Dwayne Robbins 8. Jamie Shea 9. Rick Brown 10. Jack Evans Jr. 11. Rondy Rollison 12. Chris Hunsinger 13. Mark Hanichak 14. Craig Trella 15. Paul Rooney 16. Dick Vauter
IMCA MODIFIEDS: 1. LARRY ROBBINS 2. Cory Fachini 3. Bob Chapman 4. Frank Boham 5. Charlie Gilbert 6. Joe Cole 7. Kevin Cole 8. Rob Welsh 9. John Conway
PURE STOCKS: 1. CRAIG DECKER 2. Nate Shay 3. Chad Stone 4. Nate Evans 5. Keith Wilkins 6. Jim Ortiz 7. Harry Marvin III 8. Rob Warner 9. Roger Salai 10. Michael Lartz 11. Everett Cass 12. Ned Finch 13. Brad Albrecht 14. Mark Hoyte 15. John Welch 16. Tom Garren 17. Shane Wolff 18. Kurt Decker 19. Toby Sparks 20 Dave Bagg