SIEDLECKY WINS CAREER FIRST AT PENN CAN

Susquehanna, PA.7/10/98..John Siedlecky of West Colesville won his

career first Modified feature last Friday on Barnes-Kasson Hospital

night at the Penn Can Speedway as he held of Saylorsburg, Pa.'s George

Kostelansky over the last three laps of the thirty lap Modified feature.

Siedlecky took over the top spot on a lap nine restart from Rick

Virkitis and survived three more yellow flag periods to record that

elusive first Modified win.

Virkitis and Joe Eisenhauer headed the twenty-five car field as

they took the initial green. Virkitis jumped out to the top spot early

and looked to have everything under control. Bob Hamm brought out the

first yellow when something in the rear of the car broke and he stopped

on the backstretch. Yellow number two came when Eisenhauer, Mike

Colsten and Dan Hineline all got together on the front stretch and

Hineline went sailing through the infield.

Siedlecky lined up on Virkitis's outside on the restart and

pulled in front once the green flag flew. Virkitis stayed close as the

big guns of Rudalavage, Akulis and Nagel were working their way through

the field. Colsten was the next casualty as something broke on the

"recycler" just prior to the halfway point when Kostelansky moved to

third.

Kostelansky moved into second with just seven laps to go and set

sail after Siedlecky who'd opened up a comfortable margin over the

field. As the laps wound down, Kostelansky moved closer and was actually

on the high side going down the backstretch on lap twenty 27 when the

yellow flew for a disabled Randy Decker. That set up a three lap

shootout between Siedlecky and Kostelansky. When the dust had settled it

was Siedlecky holding off Kostelansky by less than a car length for the

win. Virkitis took a strong third while Rusty Harrington, in a strong

run came home fourth followed by Mike Nagel in fifth. Rounding out the

top ten were Butch Tittle, Jeff Rudalavage, Jim Witko Jr., Eisenhauer

and Carl Nagel.

Dan Stone almost had win number four in the Late Model feature

but like a famous person once said "it ain't over, till it's over" Dan

looked strong off the outside pole and opened up a sizable advantage

over Jamie Griffiths and the rest of the field. Stone held it through

two yellow flags, both for minor incidents.

The turning point of the race occurred on lap fifteen as the

cars started to exit turn four. Brad Schafer did a harmless spin on the

bottom of the track and seemed to be out of harm's way. Dan Stone, while

running in the lead, didn't see Schafer's car and gently slid into it,

bringing out the race's final yellow. Stone had to go to the rear and

Griffiths, who, prior to the yellow had closed on Stone, now found

himself on the point. Once the green fell Griffiths opened up a lead and

coasted home for his second win of the 1998 season. Alan Coy came him

second while point leader Warren Stone got third and Gene Sharpsteen was

fourth and Curt Tunilo completed the top five.

The first four laps of the Street Stock feature saw ever

improving rookie, second-generation pilot Pete Gulick hold the top spot

until Mike Buchek took over. Buchek led the next pair until he had to

pit, giving the lead to one time 1998 feature winner Ken Sparks Jr.

Sparks led the next two before being overhauled by Loney. Once in front

Loney was able to open a five car length advantage over Sparks and later

John Greene.

The next six laps saw Loney head the field comfortably while the

real battle was going on behind him as Green was real busy holding off

Sparks, Jamie Shea and Dick Vauter. Four caution periods plagued the

last four laps but in the end it was all Loney as he notched his second

win in a row. Greene held on for second while Shea took home a solid

third. Mike Decker and Sparks completed the top five.

Bill Carp took home the fifteen lap Pure Stock event that went

flag to flag without a yellow flag for the second time this year. Carp

started eighth on the field and didn't take over the top spot until the

halfway mark from Randy Testa. Once in front Carp pulled away from the

field and won by a comfortable margin over point leader Dwayne Robbins.

Tim Davey came home third while Charlie Gilbert was fourth and Testa

rounded out the top five. In a post race inspection both Davey and Testa

were found illegal and the Cole cousins Kevin and Joe Cole were moved

into fourth and fifth respectively.

Next week's activities will be highlighted by the second annual

Mike Petrialk Memorial Street Stock race. It will be a twenty-seven lap

affair paying $1000 to the winner with lots of lap money up for grabs.

Last year's winner Dick Vauter collected close to three thousand dollars

for his efforts. Also on the card will be the Modifieds, Pure Stocks,

Late Models and Dwarf Cars. Racing is scheduled to start at 7:30.

BARNES-KASSON HOSPITAL MODIFIED FINISH: John Siedlecky, George

Kostelansky, Rick Virkitis, Rusty Harrington, Mike Nagel, Butch Tittle,

Jeff Rudalavage, Jim Witko Jr., Joe Eisenhauer, Carl Nagel, Bill Huff,

Glen Knapp, Larry Kelleher, Kirk Horton, Dan Hineline, Garth Tonkin, Dan

Stone, Bill Tittle, Al Jubinski, Chuck Akulis, Alan Rudalavage, Randy

Decker, Jeff Bronson, Mike Colsten, Mike Janicelli, Dan Morden, Bob Hamm

Jr.

BARNES-KASSON HOSPITAL LATE MODEL FINISH: Jamie Griffiths, Alan

Coy, Warren Stone, Gene Sharpsteen, Dave Passetti, Dan Stone, Rick

Holgate, Keith Stone, Dave Zona, Randall Paxton, Bob Potter, Jason

Bedford, Brad Schafer, Larry Dilello, Rich Latwinski, Dave Silvernail,

Homer Ferrante.

BARNES-KASSON HOSPITAL STREET STOCK FINISH: Mike Loney, John

Greene, Jamie Shea, Mike Decker, Ken Sparks Jr., Mike Buchek, Chuck

Boman, Pete Gulick, Joe Damiano, Glen Wilcox, Jason Clause, Mike Frost,

Tony Nalachi, Sean Collins, Doug Nelson, Dan Podwika, Craig Trella,

Frank Bonham, Dick Vauter, Jason Veety, Brett Spoor, Ken Hineline, Paul

Rooney.

BARNES-KASSON HOSPITAL PURE STOCK FINISH: Bill Carp, Dwayne

Robbins, Charlie Gilbert, Kevin Cole, Joe Cole, Ned Finch, Kevin Simcoe,

Eric Pribula, Rich Keehle.