Jeff Bronson Wins First Of Season At Penn Can

Susquahanna, PA - After rain cancelled last week's racing card, action returned to the

Penn Can Speedway on Friday night. Jeff Bronson mastered the fast 3/8

mile oval to pick up his first Modified feature win of the season on

Franko Performance night at the Speedway. Al Coy picked up his first win

of the season in the Late Model ranks as did 15 year old teenage racing

sensation Dan Vauter in the Super Stocks. Chad Stone won the Pappy

Bevans Memorial event for the Pure Stocks, his second triumph of the

season with Steve Hartman also winning his second feature of the season

in IMCA Modified action.

The 30 lap Modified feature saw Bronson start third and work his way

to the lead in the early stages of the event, working past Mike Decker

for the top spot. Once out front, it was a dominating performance by the

Mopar powered Bronson Construction sponsored #28 as he held the top spot

the rest of the way. Jeff survived a late race challenge from two time

winner and current point leader Brian Weaver who had charged from 19th

starting position to pressure Bronson in the closing stages. The final

two laps of the event saw the leaders battling in heavy lapped traffic as

Weaver was all over the back of Bronson. Bronson drove the lapped

traffic perfectly, never giving Weaver an opening and Brian settled for a

hard fought second place behind Bronson, who was not to be denied on this

night. Rick Virkitis, Mike Decker, and Carl Nagel completed the top

five. Alan Rudalavage charged from 25th starting position to finish

sixth trailed by Harry Marvin Jr., Mike Nagel, Butch Tittle and John

Gurnsey.

Mike Colsten, Mike Nagel, Mike Decker, and Rick Virkitis were heat

race winners with Mike Frederick picking up the consolation win.

The Late Model feature saw Alan Coy pick up his first win of the

season in a wild 20 lap Late Model feature. Numerous caution flags

slowed the pace of this event, but when the dust had settled it was

former track champion Coy earning his first win of the 2001 campaign.

Randall Paxton had his best run of the season to finish second with Jim

Sherman, Gene Sharpsteen, and Dave Zona rounding out the top five. For

Zona, it was his first Late Model start of the season after spending 2000

and the early part of 2001 campaigning a Modified. Al Whittaker, Jamie

Griffiths, Joe Damiano, Dave Silvernail, and Keith Mudge finished in

positions six through ten respectively.

Coy and Paxton were Late Model heat race winners.

Super Stock action saw one of Penn Can's young lions pick up a

feature win as 15 year old Dan Vauter drove his Community Bank and Trust

sponsored #14 to victory. The Forest City, Pa. high school student was

never seriously challenged for the win as three time winner Jamie Shea

got up to second on lap 18, but Vauter held a considerable lead and Shea

was not able to close the gap over the final two circuits. Shea crossed

the line second but would not pass post race technical inspection and was

disqualified. This moved Chris Hunsinger up to second, his best effort

to date. Ken Sparks, Tracy Gregory, and Rich Keehle rounded out the top

five. Chris Piasecki, Glenn Wilcox, Brett Spoor, Dwayne Robbins, and

Tony Nalachi made up the second half of the top ten.

Super Stock qualifying races were won by Jamie Shea and Chris

Piasecki.

The Pure Stock feature was the Pappy Bevans Memorial event,

dedicated to the founder and builder of the Penn Can Speedway, LeGrande

"Pappy" Bevans. The Bevans family annually puts up some extra money for

the Pure Stock teams in honor of Pappy Bevans. Current Pure Stock point

leader Chad Stone picked up his second feature win of the season and was

quick to thank the Bevans family not only for their generosity in this

event, but for all they have done for racing at Penn Can through the

years. Jim Ortiz finished second with Shane Wolff, Nate Evans, and

Michael Lartz rounding out the top five. Keith Wilkins, Craig Decker,

Rick Hand, Archie Elsworth, and Brett Tonkin completed the top ten.

Harry Marvin and Craig Decker were Pure Stock heat winners.

Woodhull, NY's Steve Hartman picked up his second win of the season

in IMCA Modified competition. Hartman dominated the 15 lap feature

grabbing the lead early and was never seriously challenges throughout the

remainder of the event. Larry Robbins finished second with Frank Bonham

third. Mike Smith and newcomer Mike Chilson rounded out the top five.

Bob Chapman, Don Alvord, Kevin Cole, Bob Bradt, and Rich MeKane finished

in the top ten.

Steve Hartman and Sean Lias were winners in IMCA qualifying action.

As always, racing will begin at 7:15 Pm sharp this Friday night.

Penn Can Speedway is located on Pa. Rte 171, seven miles East off Exit

#230 (formerly Exit 68)of I-81 just outside Susquehanna, Pa. or more

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

day weather hotline is (570)-853-3434. Visit Penn Can Speedway on the

web at www.penncan.com.

PENN CAN SPEEDWAY FRANKO PERFORMANCE NIGHT RACE SUMMARY:

MODIFIEDS: 1. JEFF BRONSON 2. Brian Weaver 3. Rick Virkitis 4. Mike

Decker 5. Carl Nagel 6. Alan Rudalavage 7. Harry Marvin 8. Mike Nagel 9.

Butch Tittle 10. John Gurnsey 11. Rick Whitner 12. Brian Franko 13. Marty

Bunker 14. Bill Huff 15. Chris Schupp 16. Mike Frederick 17. Brian Decker

18. Shawn Collins 19. Tom McGurrin 20. MikeColsten 21. Chris Weaver 22.

Kirk Horton 23. Alan Shiffler 24. Mike Frost 25. George Kostelansky

IMCA MODIFIEDS: 1. STEVE HARTMAN 2. Larry Robbins 3. Frank Bonham 4. Mike

Smith 5. Mike Chilson 6. Bob Chapman 7. Don Alvord 8. Kevin Cole 9. Bob

Bradt 10. Doug McKane 11. Jason Makosky 12. Joe Cole 13. Billy House 14.

Mike Jeffries 15. Charlie Gilbert 16. Sean Lias DNS: Steve Welsh

LATE MODEL: 1. ALAN COY 2. Randall Paxton 3. Jim Sherman 4. Gene

Sharpsteen 5. Dave Zona 6. Al Whittaker 7. Jamie Griffiths 8. Joe Damiano

9. Dave Silvernail 10. Keith Mudge 11. Clint Kauffman 12. Jim O'Hara 13.

Lou Sparks 14.; Jade Brewer 15. Tony Fuga 16. George Leatso 17. Rich King

18. Jason Carmen

SUPER STOCK: 1. DAN VAUTER 2. Chris Hunsinger 3. Ken Sparks 4. Tracy

Gregory 5. Rich Keehle 6. Chris Piasecki 7. Glenn Wilcox 8. Brett Spoor

9. Dwayne Robbins 10. Tony Nalachi 11. Craig Trella 12. Nick Petrilak 13.

Mike Loney 14. Dick Vauter 15. Rick Brown 16. Mark Hanichak 17. Dave

Anderson DQ: Jamie Shea

PURE STOCK: 1. CHAD STONE 2. Jim Ortiz 3. Shane Wolff 4. Nate Evans 5.

Mike Lartz 6. Keith Wilkins 7. Craig Decker 8. Rick Hand 9. Archie

Elsworth 10. Brett Tonkin 11. Andy Cowell 12. Danny Bagg 13. Bob Tyriw

14. Harry Marvin 15. Rob Warner 16. Nate Shay 17. Scott George 18.

Everett Cass DNS: Ray Lindquist