GEORGE KOSTELANSKY WINS PENN CAN SPEEDWAY SPECIAL

Susquehanna, PA..8/5/97... George Kostelansky of Saylorsburg has struggled all

season to find the handle on his race car at Penn Can Speedway in

Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Tuesday night Kostelansky managed to capture

his first win of the year at Penn Can by winning the modified fifty lap

portion of the Hot Summer Night Special. Jim Gabriel of Binghamton

continued his hot running by winning the companion sportsman twenty five

lap feature. Al Gage of Rushville brought his street stock home first in

their feature event while Dan Stone won the late model invitational

race.

Thirty eight modifieds signed in to the pits at Penn Can Speedway

Tuesday night. The four heats qualified the twenty seven car starting

field. Many invaders made the trip to challenge Penn Cans best drivers

for this only mid week modified race held this season. Dave Jenkins and

George Kostelansky lead the field to the green. Kostelansky would take

the lead from the start with the cars of Brian Weaver and Tim Olenski

falling in behind. These three cars held the front spots early while all

eyes were on the cars of Jeff Strunk, Butch Tittle, Mike Clapperton,

Mike Colsten, and Jeff Rudalavage who all were making there way to the

front of the field. By the mid point of the race Kostelansky and Weaver

would battle for the top spot while Stunk, Tittle, Clapperton, and

Tittle would battle for the top five spots. Racing up to challenge at

this point in the feature would be the cars of Al Rudalavage and Bill

Tittle who patiently waited for there chance to challenge. A caution

slowed the field at lap twenty when Colsten and Akulis both headed for

the pits for repairs. Both cars rejoined the field. At this stage

Kostelansky continued to hold of Weaver with Butch Tittle moving into

third followed by Bill Tittle and Strunk. The final laps clicked off

with Kostelansky picking up the big win with Weaver second followed

across by Butch and Bill Tittle. Stunk finished the race fifth with Jeff

Rudalavage sixth. The remainder of the top ten included Tim Olenski, Al

Rudalavage, Bill Mead, and Bill Tanner.

Jim Gabriel of Binghamton has been the areas winningest race car

drive. Tuesday Gabriel towed to Penn Can to race the second sportsman

race of the season. By luck of the draw Gabriel started the race in the

forth starting spot. Taking the early lead was the car of Greg Hoke. He

was followed closely by Jerry Winn and Gabriel. Gabriel moved past Winn

into second on lap seven and made the pass on Hoke for the lead three

laps later. Gabriel kept his car out front while the battle shaped up

for the second spot. Winn, Hoke, Jim Crawn, Ladd Yeomen, Don Hart, and

Aaron Excell would trade positions back and forth through the last ten

laps. Win would hold off a fast charging Crawn for the second spot a the

flag with Yeoman and Hart finishing fourth and fifth.

In the street stock feature Mike Frost and Al Gage would lead the

twenty four car starting field. Gage would jump out to and early lead.

Cautions would slow the field early and bring Gage back to the pack.

Jamie Shea would stay on Gages rear bumper and actually pull side by

side early in the race. Sheas handling would go away and the challenge

for the lead would then come from Sean Collins and Chris Shupp. Gage was

able to hold off the challenge while the car of first time visitor Arnie

Slade would take to the outside of the speedway. This outside groove

allowed Slade to get by the cars of Collins and Shupp into second. The

race would finish with Gage picking up his first win. Slade would finish

second followed by Collins, Shupp, and Chuck Boman.

A fifteen lap late model invitational was also on Tuesdays card. Dan

Stone used his outside starting spot to take the lead. He would lead the

entire distance. Curt Tunilo would come home second followed across by

Al Coy, Warren Stone, and Keith Stone.

Modified Feature: George Kostelansky, Brain Weaver, Butch Tittle, Bill

Tittle, Jeff Strunk, Jeff Rudalavage, Tim Olenski, Al Rudalavage, Bill

Mead, Bill Tanner, Mike Colsten, Mike Clapperton, Ralph Mele, Jeff

Bronson, Chuck Akulis, John Guernsey, Bob Hamm, Mike Nagel, Dave

Jenkins, Mike Milewski, Tim Tanner, Jerry Colsten, Jeremy Smith, Mike

Frederick, Jerry Northrup, Carl Nagel, Joel Batzel...DNQ Gary Smith,

Garth Tompkins, Carl Reynolds, Mark Terry, Gene Sarsi, Wally Fielh,

Billy Williams, Jim Witko, Mike Janicelli, Scott Seman, Brett Spoor, Jim

Mills...

Sportsman Feature...Jim Gabriel, Jeery Winn, Jim Crawn, Ladd Yeoman, Don

Hart, Aaron Excell, Rich Ives, Tim Ross, Brian Malcolm, Chad Cook, Todd

Shuman, Greg Hoke, Dale Porecka, Tony Ross, Joey Grammes, Bill Walters,

Dennis Dietrick...

Street Stock Feature:Al Gage, Arnie Slade, Sean Collins, Chris Shupp,

Chuck Boman, Jamie Griffiths, Mike Donnelly, Dan Podwika, Bill Keene,

Barry Stephens, Paul Goodwin, Bill Marvin, Mike Loney, Johnny Spencer,

Glen Wilcox, Joe Domiano, Craig Terrell, Randy Gates, John Greene, Harry

Marvin, Mike Frost, Rich Davis, Frank Bonham, Mike Buchek...