Carl Nagel Wins Penn Can Speedway Modified Feature

SUSQUEHANNA, PA... The fans at Penn Can Speedway were treated to a thrilling

night of racing Friday with Franko Performance of Falls, Pennsylvania

sponsoring the night’s activities. Ageless veteran Carl Nagel, competing in

his sixth decade of racing, showed the twenty seven car modified field he

had not forgotten his way to Victory Lane winning the exciting main event.

Dan Stone made it three wins in a row capturing the late model feature.

Young second year street stock driver, Rich Keehle, battled with a strong

street stock field to claim his first Penn Can street stock feature. Brian

Decker won for the third time in the pure stocks with Steve Hartman getting

his first ever IMCA modified win at the track.

John Guernsey and Bill Huff brought the modified field to the green flag.

Guernsey jumped out to a quick lead with Huff and Michael Schane close

behind. The first of only four cautions fell on lap three when point leader

Brian Weaver and Chris Shupp got together. Weaver had to pit for repair with

Shupp’s night coming to an end.

On the restart Guernsey continued to show the way. The car on the move

from his seventh starting spot was the ageless Carl Nagel. Nagel moved into

second on lap six and then wrestled the lead from Guernsey on the seventh

circuit.

With Nagel out front, the fast cars of George Kostelansky, Chuck Akulis,

Kirk Horton, Butch Tittle, and Mike Nagel were all making their way through

traffic. The caution on lap twelve brought the field back together with

Nagel leading Horton, Akulis, Kostelansky, and Guernsey.

When the green came back out Nagel continued to show the way. leading

Horton and Akulis. The three cars broke away from the field and got into lap

traffic by the twenty second lap. The caution reappeared on lap twenty

three. This set the stage for a battle to the checker. Nagel, Horton, and

Akulis now had Kostelansky, Jeff Bronson, Tittle, and Mike Nagel all in tow.

The six drivers battled lap after lap but no one could get by the strong car

of Carl Nagel. Horton settled for second followed by Akulis, Kostelansky,

Bronson, Tittle, and Mike Nagel. Rounding out the top ten were Huff, Mike

Colsten, and Harry Marvin, Jr.

The smooth racing surface was perfect for the slick Penn Can late model

division. Chad Hollenback lead the field down to the start and jumped to an

early lead. Action back through the pack had Dan Stone, Jeremy Stone, Bill

Marvin, Dave Passetti, and Gene Sharpsteen all racing side by side.

Hollenback held the lead until the sixth lap when Al Coy took control. Coy’s

car looked strong as he held the lead. The only caution came out at the half

way point when Jim Sherman got into the backstretch wall. When racing

resumed, Coy looked like a sure winner until mechanical problems put the car

out on lap fifteen. This gave the lead to Dan Stone who held off the

challenges of Passetti and Marvin. Marvin was able to get second on the

last lap but had nothing for Stone. Sharpsteen got fourth with Jeremy Stone

claiming the fifth spot.

Opening night winner Tony Nalaschi lead the street stocks into battle

jumping out to a early lead. Nalaschi’s car stayed very strong holding off

some of the area’s best street stocks. Glen Wilcox was the first to

challenge but tangled with point leader Scott Conover on lap eight bring out

the first of only three cautions. Nalaschi stayed out front with Rich Keehle

now on his bumper followed by Joe Domiano and Jamie Shea. Keehle battled

Nalaschi and finally made the pass on the fifteenth circuit. The race slowed

on lap sixteen when the caution came out for the spun car of Dick Vauter.

This made it a four car battle to the finish line. Excellent racing took

place over the last four laps as Keehle held off Domiano, Shea, and Nalaschi

for his first ever Penn Can street stock feature.

Brian Decker showed the large pure stock field why he is leading the

division in the point standings. Decker took the lead on lap eight from Chad

Stone and cruised home for his third win of the season. Stone ran strong all

race holding off last week’s feature winner, Ken Sparks, Darryl Ellis, and

invader Dave Mannese of Fulton New York.

In the IMCA feature Steve Hartman jumped to the lead on the second lap

and raced his way to his first ever Penn Can Speedway IMCA modified feature

win. Hartman’s race was not an easy one as he had to hold off Gill

Sharpsteen, Mike Smith, and Cory Fachini.

Penn Notes: Pump-N-Pantry Stores will be presenting Friday’s action with

a fan appreciation night. Many fan giveaways are planned for that evening.

July 3rd will be the annual Fireworks Extravaganza with the North South

Street Stock Series race on the schedule along with a pure stock

championship paying $500 to win. The Central New York Mini Sprints and the

IMCA modifieds will also be in action on this special Night. Friday July

14th the ELS Sprint Cars will be making their first appearance at the

speedway.

FRANKO PERFORMANCE MODIFIED FEATURE: Carl Nagel, Kirk Horton, Chuck Akulis,

G. Kostelansky, Jeff Bronson, Butch Tittle, Mike Nagel, Bill Huff, Mike

Colsten, Harry Marvin, Garth Tonkin, Jim Witko Sr, Tom Hager, Mike Decker,

Mike Schane, Al Rudalavage, Dave Zona, John Guernsey, Rick Whitney, Jim

Witko Jr, Tom McGurren, Al Kellogg, Larry Dilello, Chris Shupp, Rick

Holgate, Rick Virkitis, Brian Weaver, DNQ...Andy Tiffany, Bob Conklin, Billy

Thornton, Mike Frost, Brian Franko, Dan Hineline, Al Shiffler, Mike

Frederick.

FRANKO PERFORMANCE LATE MODEL FEATURE: Dan Stone, Billy Marvin, Dave

Passetti,G. Sharpsteen, Jeremy Stone, Chad Hollenback,Randall Paxton, Rich

King, Dean ReganJohm Brewer, Al Coy, Jim Sherman.

FRANKO PERFORMANCE STREET STOCK FEATURE:,Rich Keehle, Joe Domiano, Jamie

Shea, Tony Nalaschi, Craig Trella, Gene Sharpsteen, Brett Spoor, Chris

Hunsinger, John Green, Dan Vauter, Chris Piasecki, Glen Wilcox, Scott

Conover, Pete Gulick, Rick Brown, Dan Podwika, Dick Vauter.

FRANKO PERFORMANCE PURE STOCK FEATURE: Brian Decker,Chad Stone ,Ken Sparks,

Daryl Ellis, Dave Mannese, Eric Pribula, Shawn Olenski, Jim Hand, Bill

Hawkins, Tom Witko, Nate Evans,Keith Wilkins, Jeff Cleveland, Scott George,

Toby Sparks, Mike Hoyte, Ray Linquist

FRANKO PERFORMANCE IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE: Steve Hartman, Gil Sharpsteen,

Mike Smith, Paul Rooney, Cory Fachini, Bob Chapman, Curt Stiles, Billy

House, John Thayer, John Conway, Mike Stoddard