Butch Tittle Wins Penn Can Speedway Modified Feature

Susquehanna, PA... The point races in all divisions will go down to the wire

after Friday’s night of racing at Penn Can Speedway. In one of the most

heated battles in year’s the modified point

chase tightened as Butch Tittle won the Susquahanna Beverage sponsored

thirty lap Tim Olenski Memorial race. Point leader Brian Weaver experienced

a flat tire late in the race dropping him to fourteenth in the finishing

order and second in points behind Tittle. Dan Stone

won his nineth feature in the late model division while Chris Piesecki

claimed victory in the street stocks. Chad Stone won his first ever feature

in the pure stock division with Cory Fachini

claiming the win in the IMCA modifieds.

Mike Decker and Garth Tonkin lead the twentyseven car modified field to

the green flag. The racing action was slowed early with cautions coming on

the first, second, and third lap. Kirk

Horton would experience front end damage to his race car on the lap two

caution and before the crew could make repairs, he would go one lap down.

With the green back out Garth Tonkin took off in the lead followed by

Decker and Mike Schane. Tonkin would be strong early holding off Decker

until the nineth curcuit when Decker

made the pass when Tonkin’s car slowed with problems. This moved point

chasers Brian Weaver into second followed by Butch Tittle, Schane, and

George Kostelansky. The car on the move at this point was the lapped car of

Kirk Horton making his way through the field.

When racing resumed after a tenth lap caution, young Mike Decker stayed

out front. Weaver was on his bumper waiting for the right time to pass. On

lap fifteen disaster struck for the top two

cars. Weaver firsted slowed with a flat bring out the caution. As the cars

relined, Decker experienced a flat and headed to the pits. This gave Horton

the break he needed as he got the lap back he had lost in the pits. This

also put the second man in points, Butch Tittle, into the

lead.

With the green back out, Tittle would keep his car out front the

remaining laps of the race.Without the aid of another caution, Weaver and

Horton could not regain many positions on the

field. When the checkered flag flew, Tittle had the win and a twelve point

lead over Weaver in points. Schane had his best ever Penn Can run coming

home second followed by Kostelansky, Al Rudalavage, and Jeff Bronson.

In the companion late model feature Rich King and Bill Karp would start

on the front row. King would win the drag race to turn one and lead the

first three laps of the race before eight time

feature winner, Dan Stone, would take to the high side of the speedway to

gain the lead. Mid race cautions would keep the pack together. All eyes were

on the battle for second between Al Coy, Bill Marvin, and Gene Sharpsteen.

These three would change positions lap after lap.

Sharpsteen made the best of lap traffic pulling into second late in the race

but time ran out as Stone crossed under the checkers first claiming his

eighth win of the year. With a second place finish, Sharpsteen narrowed the

points to four behind leader Marvin with one race remaining.

The stret stock race saw Chris Piesecki take the lead on lap number three

and never look back. The battle of the night took place behind the leader as

racing for positions from second

back through the pack was fast and furious. Pete Gulick, Glen Wilcox and

John Green had their battle all race long for the second spot while point

chasers Rich Keehle, Scott Conover, and

Jamie Shea had their battle right behind. When the dust settled, Piesecki

was the winner, Wilcox got second followed by Brett Spoor, Rich Keehle,

Scott Conover, Tracy Gregery, and Jamie

Shea.

Chad Stone has been very close to winning a pure stock feature all

season. Friday night Stone wrestled the lead on lap six from Nate Evans and

kept the car strong to claim his first ever pure stock victory. Evans had a

great run after destroyiong the car in Sunday’s special race. He came home

second. Ken Sparks, Brian Decker, and Eric Pribula rounded out the top five.

In the IMCA modified feature Cory Fachini took the lead from Frank Bonham

on lap number five and held off the challenges of Steve Hartman, Mike

Stoddard, and Bob Chapman to claim his third Penn Can win.

PENN NOTES: The point races in all divisions are very tight with this wek’s

huge SPECTACULAR being the last point race of the season. Championship

points will be awarded in all divisions except the IMCA modifieds.

Championship points mean one hundred for the event

winner. Billy Marvin has a slim four point lead in the late models. Rich

Keehle has an eight point lead in the street stocks while Butch Tittle has a

thirteen point lead in the modifieds.

TIM OLENSKI MEMORIAL MODIFIED FEATURE: Butch Tittle,Mike Schane, G.

Kostelansky, Al Rudalavage, Jeff Bronson, Mike Colsten, Rick Virkitis, John

Guernsey, Jim Witko Sr, Dave Zona, Bill Huff, Kirk Horton, Joel Batzel,

Brian Weaver, R. Harrington, Al Shiffler, Brian Franko,

Andy Tiffany, Harry, Marvin, Mike Decker, Dan Hineline, Mike Nagel, Chris

Shupp, Garth Tonkin, Rick Whitney, Carl Nagel, Tom McGurren, DNQ Dan

Morden, Tom Hager, Ted Hollenback, Larry Dilello, Mike Frost, Mike

Frederick, Rick Holgate

TIM OLENSKI MEMORIAL LATE MODEL FEATURE: Dan Stone, G. Sharpsteen, Billy

Marvin, Al Coy, Jeremy Stone, Dave Passetti, Al Whitaker, Randall Paxton,

Ernie Millon, Lou Sparks, Rich King, Tony Fuga, George Leatso, Bill Karp,

John Brewer

TIM OLENSKI MEMORIAL STREET STOCK FEATURE: Chris Piasecki, Glen Wilcox, Pete

Gulick, Brett Spoor,Rich Keehle, Scott Conover, Tracy Gregory, Jamie Shea,

John Green, Craig Trella, Dan Vauter, Joe Domiano, G. Sharpsteen, Bob

Janesky, Chris Hunsinger, Rick Brown,

Fred Christ, Rick Wademan, Dick Vauter, Tony Nalaschi

TIM OLENSKI MEMORIAL PURE STOCK FEATURE: Chad Stone, Nate Evans, Ken Sparks,

Brian Decker, Eric Pribula, Bill Hawkins, Jim Hand, Ray Linquist, Keith

Wilkins, Shawn Olenski, Dan Babcock,Grant Hillfinger, Shep. Blodgett, Joe

Henry Makowsky

TIM OLENSKI MEMORIAL IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE:, Cory Fachini, Steve Hartman,

Mike Stoddard, Bob Chapman, Frank Bonham, John Conway, Mike Smith, Tom

Eiklor, Mike Bungay, Billy House, Jason Makosky