JEFF RUDALAVAGE WINS SECOND FEATURE AT PENN CAN SPEEDWAY
Susquehanna, PA..8/16/97... Jeff Rudalavage of Eynon continued his late season
hot streak picking up his second win of the season at Penn Can Speedway
in Susquehanna on Robs Market night. Curt Tunilo of Montrose won for
the fifth time in the late model division with Jamie Shea of South
Gibson winning the street stock feature. Ken Winn of Binghamton captured
his first ever Penn Can Speedway feature event in the pure stocks.
Jeff Rudalavage used his fourth starting spot to his advantage taking
the early lead in the modified feature. Rudalavage held the lead in the
early going over a strong running Rick Virkitis and Rudalavages team
car driven by Chuck Akulis. The best racing action took place during
this stage of the race toward mid pack with the cars of point leader
Brian Weaver and Mike Colsten making their moves through the field. A
lap thirteen caution grouped the cars back together with Rudalavage
holding strong followed by Virkitis, Akulis, Colsten and the Tittle
brothers, Bill and Butch.
After the lap thirteen restart, the race would run nonstop to the
finish. Rudalavage skillfully moved through the lapped traffic while
Virkitis, Akulis, Colsten, and the Tittles continued their battle for
the top five spots. At the finish Rudalavage crossed the finish line a
straight away up on Virkitis. Colsten made a late race pass on Akulis to
claim third with Akulis fourth and Bill Tittle fifth. The remainder of
the top ten included Butch Tittle, George Kostelansky, Al Rudalavage,
Jerry Colsten, and Kirk Horton.
The companion late model feature was also a great race to watch.
Early cautions on laps two, four, and five kept the field in one close
pack. Jim OHara had the lead early but surrendered it to Curt Tunilo on
lap six. From there Tunilo worked the entire race holding back a
determined OHara who wanted the lead back and the win. The two
contenders battled lap after lap with Tunilo holding off all challenges.
Just as OHara began closing in on Tunilo a caution flew with only two
laps remaining on lap eighteen. Tunilo used a good restart to take the
lead with OHara second, Larry Dilello moving into third with Keith
Stone fourth and point leader Dan Stone fifth. That would be the way the
race ended with Tunilo winning for the fifth time this season.
The street stock feature saw Jamie Shea jump from his fourth starting
spot to the lead after a rash of early yellow flags. Shea would hold the
lead while pressure would mount from the cars of Chris Shupp, Dick
Vauter, Glen Wilcox, Mike Loney, and Frank Bonham.
As the race moved to the middle stages the front running cars began
moving away from the field. The positions behind Shea changed lap after
lap. The final caution of the race came out for a stalled Vauter in turn
four. This set up a two lap race for the win. Chris Shupp battle Shea
bumper to bumper but could not get by Shea. Mike Loney moved his car
into third at the checkers with Glenn Wilcox fourth and Billy Marvin
fifth.
For the first time ever the Legend cars raced at Penn Can Speedway.
Thirty five cars signed in to do battle on the three eighths mile clay
oval. Local star Jerry Woody of Old Forge was the early leader. That
changed when former Penn Can official Jim Baker took control. Baker lead
the race until lap thirteen when the top three cars of Baker, Rick
Homan, and Brian Levan came across the line side by side under a
blanket. The three raced the final two laps door handle to door handle
three wide with Levan finally getting to the finish line first. Homan
came home second with local favorite Baker settling for third. Shawn
Carrig came in fourth with Taylor native Tom Kas fifth.
Robs Market Modified Feature: Jeff Rudalavage, Rick Virkitis, Mike
Colsten, Chuck Akulis, Bill Tittle, Butch Tittle, George Kostelansky, Al
Rudalavage, Jerry Colsten, Kirk Horton, Bob Hamm, Brian Weaver, Mike
Milewski, Ron Mawson, Mark Terry, Scott Seman, Carl Nagel, Mike Nagel,
Bill Huff, Randy Decker, Jeff Bronson, Dave Mead, Dave Jenkins, Bernie
Griffin, Tim Olenski...DNQ Mike Janicelli, Billy Williams, Brett Spoor,
Garth Tompkins, Ed Hawley, Bob Trapper, Dan Morden...
Robs Market Street Stock Feature: Jamie Shea, Chris Shupp, Mike Loney,
Glen Wilcox, Billy Marvin, Frank Bonham, John Green, John Spencer, Sean
Collins, Joe Domiano, Craig Terrell, Billy Keene, Mike Frost, Brian
Taylor, Dan Podwika, Harry Marvin, Rick Davis, Dick Vauter, Larry Mills,
Mike Buchek, John Gage, 1s, Jerry Whitemarsh...
Robs Market Late Model Feature: Curt Tunilo, Jim OHara, Keith Stone,
Larry Dilello, Dan Stone, Dave Passetti, Al Coy, Dennis Latwinski, Dave
Zona, Brad Shaffer, Bob Potter, Rip Durkin, Jamie Griffiths, Marty
Bunker, Gene Sharpsteen, Warren Stone, Jim Sherman, Brian Boland...
Robs Market Pure Stock Feature: Ken Winn, Dwayne Robbins, Earl Marvin,
Ray Wolf, Mike Decker, Ray Wolf, Dan Slezak, Kevin Cole, Ken Carp, Mark
Carter, Matt Slosh, Fred Christ, Randy Decker...
Robs Market Legend Feature: Brian Levan, Rick Homan, Jim Baker, Shawn
Carrigg, Tom Kas, Craig Rochelle, Kevin Welsh, Dennis Gardiner, Dan
McAvoy, Wayne Laucius...