RUDALAVAGE CLOSES IN ON TITLE WITH WIN FRIDAY AT PENN CAN SPEEDWAY
Susquehanna, PA…On a picture perfect night for racing Jeff Rudalavage moved from his fourteenth starting position to the front of the field and claimed the modified victory on the super fast Penn Can Speedway oval. Dave Zona broke out of his slump in the late models winning for the second time in 2008. In the featured CRSA sprint car main event Chuck Alessi held off a strong charge by Brian Davis to get his second career win at the speedway. In one of the most exciting races of the evening Jon Carpenter held off the challenges of some of the southern tier’s best pure stock racers in a battle featuring three and four wide racing over the twenty lap distance. The ageless Beezer Wilkie scored a very popular win in the highly competitive four cylinder division.
The three eighths mile oval was prepared just to Chris Weaver’s liking. Always fast on a smooth tacking speedway, Weaver took control of the early laps and set himself up as the man to beat. Weaver would lead the first fourteen circuits ahead of Steve Babicek and Garth Tonkin Jr. The first eight laps click off at a rapid pace before caution came for an accident on the backstretch sending Dan Vauter, Booby Trapper, Joe Krisovich, Joey Grammes, and Bernie Griffin pitside for repairs. All but Krisovich and Griffin were able to return to action.
When racing resumed, Babicek got by Weaver and took control with Jeff Rudalavage, Tonkin, Billy Thornton and Dan Pompey following. All eyes were clued on Rudalavage as he used the outside groove to go by Weaver into second on lap eighteen and then went to the low side of the track to get the lead from Babicek on lap twenty three. He went on to lead the final eight circuits and win the race. Babicek got second with Weaver third followed by Thornton, Tonkins, and Dan Vauter makng it back to sixth after the early race crash.
“I have to thank my crew for this win,” stated Rudalavage in Victory Lane. “The track was perfect tonight and after watching the early racing, my crew set the car up to work all over the track. They deserve a lot of credit.”
2007 Late Model Champion Dave Zona was the story of the late model feature. His season has been filled with ups and downs. The last few races he has been in an uncharacteristic slump. This gave him a great starting position for the twenty lap event. He jumped out to the early lead and would hold it all race long. The racing in this event would be cars coming through the field using all grooves of the racing surface. Last week’s runner-up, Allan Kellogg, would be the man to watch as he worked his way through the field into second place. With mid race cautions slowing the field it looked like Kellogg and Tracy Gregory might have something for Zona. Unfortunately Zona was fast and Kellogg ran out of laps chasing. Gregory’s night ended on a sour note as the car experience problems and limped home tenth.
Twenty nine sprint cars made their way back to the Penn Can Speedway for their third show of the season. The tacky track was just what they needed to put on a solid exciting twenty five lap feature event. Chuck Alessi used his outside front row starting position to vault to the early lead. Early cautions kept the pack together with Alessi stay out front. Brian Davis, the previous Penn Can winner, would work his way from twelveth into the runner up on lap nineteen. Davis would do all he could to catch Alessi but time ran out. Jeremy Quick, Danny Ody, and Anthony Brennan rounded out the top five.
PENN NOTES: Next week is Fan Autograph Night. Cars will be pulled out on the front stretch after qualifying for fans to meet and greet the drivers. Modifieds, late models, sportsman, super stocks, pure stocks, and four cylinders will be in competition. It is also Pump-N-Pantry Modified Championship Night where the championship will be decided. The other divsions will have their championship Night the following Friday. No driver has locked up a point championship so these last few races are extremely important. The Spalding Fountation will also be on hand.
Modified Feature: Jeff Rudalavage, Steve Babicek, Chris Weaver, Billy Thornton Garth Tonkin Jr, Dan Vauter, Dan Pompey, Mike Nagel, Darwin Greene, Mike Colsten, Joey Grammes, Al Rudalavage, Brian Weaver, Alex Tonkin, Bill Miller, Scott Frack, Dave Jenkins, Brian Corcoran, Craig Terrell, Mike Nagel Jr, Joey Colsten, Bobby Trapper, Joe Krisovich, Bernie Griffin
Late Model Feature: Dave Zona, Alan Kellogg, James Cornell, Dan Snyder, Curt Tunilo Jr, Steve Deinhardt, Chris Hunsinger, Scott Adams, Ben Whithaker, Tracy Gregory, Chad Hollenbeck, Dan Stone, Bud Phillips, Jeremy Randall
CRSA Sprint Feature: Chuck Alessi, Brian Davis, Jeremy Quick, Danny Ody, Anthony Brennan, Craig Rochelle, Matt Tanner, Mashall Gogg, John Matrafailo, Matt Demitraszek, Matt Zemcik, Mike Kiser, Billy Jaycox, Mike Stelter, Kory Gurney, Tim Damiano, Dylan Swiernik, Bruce Evans Jr, Jeff Frasier, Jeff Van Steenburg, Chad King, Pete Sindt, Warren Alexson, Tyler Rice, DNQ Billy Vaninulgen, John Leombruno, J. C. Ogle, Bob Wade.