Colsten Scores Penn Can Modified Feature

Binghamton, NY's Mike Colsten picked up the win in last Friday

night's Modified feature at the Penn Can Speedway. Jamie Shea was a

repeat winner in the Super Rtock feature with Gene Sharpsteen winning his

first of the season in the Late Models. The IMCA Modified feature saw

Steve Hartman pick up the win with Rick Hand picking up his first Pure

Stock victory.

The 30 lap Modified feature came to Glenn O'Laughlin's green flag

with Alan Shiffler and Alan Rudalavage sharing the front row. Colsten

wasted little time in establishing himself as the man to beat as he

quickly surged forward from his fourth starting position to take control

of the event after third starting Rick Virkitis led the early stages of

the event.

With the Ford powered Don's Automotive Mall sponsored "Recycler"

setting the pace, some of his toughest competition was mired in heavy

race traffic. Colsten continued to have things his way up front, but

Brian Weaver was charging toward the front In the Decker Logging #9R.

Brian charged from 11th starting spot to second, taking that spot after a

spirited duel with Virkitis, but found himself a straightaway behind

Colsten as the laps wound down.

A caution flag just five laps from the finish allowed Weaver to

close in on Colsten and set up a five lap dash to the finish. The

expected battle never materialized as Colsten was strong enough to pull

away from Weaver over the final laps to take the win in convincing

fashion. Weaver finished second with Virkitis turning in a strong drive

to bring his Andy's Towing #77 home third. Bill Huff turned in his

second top five finih of the season with a fourth place run while Alan

Rudalavage crossed the line in fifth. Opening night feature winner Butch

Tittle was sixth trailed by George Kostelansky, Jeff Bronson, Jeff

Bronson, Chris Schupp and Tom McGurrin.

Harry Marvin, Alan Shiffler, Alan Rudalavage, and Rick Virkitis were

heat race winners. Alan Kellogg won the consolation event.

Gene Sharpsteen of Waverly, NY drove his Sharpy's Auto Sales

sponsored #7 to victory in the Late Model feature, his first triumph of

the season. The win marked a turnaround in fortunes for Sharpsteen, who

was leading the feature on opening night but was forced to retire with

overheating problems. Due to the early dropout on opeing night,

Sharpsteen started the Late Model feature from the pole. He grabbed the

lead at the drop of the green flag and proceeded to lead every lap of the

feature in a dominating run.

Late Model rookie Joe Damiano turned in an impressive drive to

finish second with Al Coy recovering from an early race incident to

finish third. Al Whittaker and Keith Mudge rounded out the top five.

Jamie Griffiths, Rich King, Jim O'Hara, George Leatso, and Jason Carren

completed the top ten. Heat race winners were Gene Sharpsteen and Jamie

Grifiths.

Jamie Shea was the only repeat winner on the night as he drove his

PS Transportation/ Lenox Propane/Lenox Dairy Bar sponsored #J1 to his

second consecutive Penn Can victory. In fact, Shea is unbeaten to date

this season with five wins in as many starts this season throughout the

Southern Tier region. Shea ran down and passed early leader Glenn Wilcox

to take over the lead and was able to pull away from the field to score

the win. Wilcox finished second trailed by Brett Spoor, Nick Petrilak,

and Craig Trella. Dan Vauter, Randy Metcalf, Dwayne Robbins, Chris

Piasecki, and Ken Sparks rounded out the top ten. Nick Petrilak and

Glenn Wilson won heat race events.

Steve Hartman picked up his first win of the season in IMCA Modified

action. Hartman grabbed the lead in the early stages of the event then

held off a late charge from newcomer Larry Robbins to earn the win, his

first of the 2001 campaign. Robbins finished a credible second in his

first Penn Can appearance with rookie Charlie Gilbert third. John Conway

and Bob Chapman completed the top five. The second half of the top ten

consisted of Frank Bonham, Mike Smith, Jason Moncosky, Billy House, and

Tom Eiklor. Hartman and Smith won heat races.

Rick Hand was a surprise winner in the Pure Stock ranks, his first

of the season at Penn Can. Hand actually crossed the line in third, but

was awarded the victory when the top two finishers failed to pass post

race technical inspection. Opening night winner Chad Stone was second

with Nate Evans, Everett Cass, and Bob Tyriw in the top five. Positions

six through ten were Keith Wilkins, Danny Bagg, James Shay, Bob Welsh,

and Craig Decker. Decker and Bob Warner were heat winners.

Racing continues this Friday night at the Penn Can Speedway with

action getting underway at 7:15 PM. Penn Can is located seven miles off

Exit 58 of I-81 on Pa. Rte 171. For up to date information, visit Penn

Can Speedway on the web at www.penncan.com.

PENN CAN SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY:

MODIFIEDS: 1. MIKE COLSTEN 2. Brian Weaver 3. Rick Virkitis 4. Billy Huff

5. Alan Rudalavage 6. Butch Tittle 7. George Kostelansky 8. Jeff Bronson

9. Chris Schupp 10. Tom McGurrin 11. Harry Marvin 12. Jogn Gurnsey 13.

Marty Bunker 14. Brian Franco 15. Carl Nagel 16. Garth Tonkin 17. Bobb

Hamm 18. Alan Shiffler 19. Rick Whitney 20. Dave Zona 21. Kirk Horton 22.

Alan Kellogg 23. Sean Collins 24. Mike Fredrick 25. Rich Keehle

LATE MODELS: 1. GENE SHARPSTEEN 2. Joe Damiano 3. Al Coy 4. Al Whittaker

5. Keith Mudge 6. Jamie Griffith 7. Rich King 8. Jim O'Hara 9. George

Leatso 10. Jason Carren 11. Randall Paxton 12. Dave Silvernail 13. Jade

Brewer 14. Randy Brokaw 15. Jim Sherman 16. Clint Kauffman 17. Lou Sparks

SUPER STOCK: 1. JAMIE SHEA 2. Glenn Wilcox 3. Brett Spoor 4. Nick

Petrilak 5. Craig Trella 6. Dan Vauter 7. Randy Metcalf 8. Dwayne Robbins

9. Chris Piasecki 10. Ken Sparks 11. Rick Davis 12. Tracy Gregory 13.

Rick Brown 14. Chris Hunsinger 15. Pete Gullick 16. Tom Garren 17. Dick

Vauter

IMCA MODIFIED: 1. STEVE HARTMAN 2. Larry Robbins 3. Charlie Gilbert 4.

John Conway 5. Bob Chapman 6. Frank Bonham 7. Mike Smith 8. Jason

Moncosky 9. Billy House 10. Tom Eiklor 11. Kevin Cole 12. Steve Welsh

PURE STOCK: 1. RICK HAND 2. Chad Stone 3. Nate Evans 4. Everett Cass 5.

Bob Tyriw 6. Keith Wilkins 7. Danny Bagg 8. James Shay 9. Bob Welsh 10.

Craig Decker 11. Jim Ortiz 12. Harry Marvin III 13. Shawn George 14. Mike

Kartz