Defending Jennerstown Speedway Complex Champion Garry Wiltrout, of Somerset, PA, earned his first victory of the season in the Martella's Pharmacies Late Model division of racing on Saturday, July 13^th, 2019.  R.J. Dallape won for the second time in the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds, while Casey Fleegle scored his third win of the year in the Tunstall Auto & Truck Repair Street Stocks.  Other winners, as Mountain Ridge ATV Park Night were Dale Kimberly in Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers and Brent Bickerstaff in the Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinders.  The nationally televised Super Cup Stock Car Series competed in two races, and Kevin Kromer celebrated in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane after both events.

The first of two visits of the Super Cup Stock Car Series to Jennerstown Speedway this season, included drivers from five states, but Pennsylvanian Kevin Kromer swept the victories in the twin 50-lap feature races.  Hometrack favorite, and former Street Stock Champion, Lauren Butler finished second in both races.   The complete story from the Super Cup Series officials will be released soon.

The 30-lap feature race for the Martella's Pharmacies Late Models began with Mark Smith starting from the pole position.  Smith, making his second start of the year took the early lead from fellow front row starter Bryan Shipp.  Smith, who sits third on the all-time Jennerstown victories list, pulled away from Shipp and the fourteen other competitors early on.   Recent winner Zane Ferrell advanced into second place on lap two, after starting fourth.  On lap seven, Garry Wiltrout passed Ferrell to become the runner up to Smith.   Wiltrout, the defending Jennerstown Champion, started in seventh place.   Quickly, Wiltrout diminished Smith’s lead interval, spending only two laps in the second spot.  On lap nine, Wiltrout darted passed Smith to take the lead; a lead he would never relinquish.  During the middle stages of the race, point standings leader Teddy Gibala began to advance after starting fifteenth on the grid.  With four laps to go, Ferrell passed Smith for second place, as Wiltrout was comfortably ahead of the field.  On the final lap, Gibala roared into the runner up spot, completing his 13-position climb toward the checkered flag (after Gibala dropped out of heat race competition earlier in the night).   Ferrell placed third, while former Champion Barry Awtey finished fourth.  Awtey started in tenth place and passed fifth place finisher Smith on the final lap.  Wiltrout, also a Champion of the former Motordrome Speedway, was the dominant car, earning his first 2019 win by a healthy advantage.   Steering the Stone & Company/Franjo Construction/Meegan Ford , Wiltrout became the fourth different winner of the season, after also winning his heat race.  Mike “Hollywood” Hemminger won the other heat.

Former Champion Chris Brink started from the pole position of the 20-lap Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature.  Brink, a dominant winner in years gone by, has fought handing problems with his Modified throughout 2019, but took the lead after starting alongside sophomore driver Cindy Shaulis.  Brink then held off the challenges of “Racin’ Jason” Busch; both veterans are seeking a first win of 2019.  After starting in seventh place, young R.J. Dallape was advancing.  Dallape passed the defending Champ Anthony Aiello, and passed Busch on consecutive laps.  Brink led the first seven circuits, but on lap eight Dallape made the winning pass.  Dallape claimed his second win of the year, while the division’s leading winner, Pete Rech finished second.  Rech started in seventh place, and beat Aiello to the finish line.   Behind Aiello, Busch earned fourth position and Brink finished fifth.

Veteran Mike “Daredevil” Davis took the lead at the start of the Tunstall Auto & Truck Repair Street Stocks’ 20-lap feature, but a caution flag incident left Casey Fleegle with front body damage forcing a restart.  Davis continued to lead when racing resumed, while Aaron Van Fleet and Zach Todaro traded the runner up spot.  Fleegle quickly returned to a “top three” position and engaged in a memorable fight for positions with Todaro and Davis.  Todaro officially took the lead from Davis on lap eleven, and as the leaders bumped and battled, Fleegle made the winning pass with two laps to go.  When the checkered flag waved, Fleegle earned his third win;  no other driver has more than one victory this year.  Todaro, Jermy Shaffer, Davis, and Aaron Van Fleet completed the top five.  Defending Champion and 2019 winner Josh Coughenour suffered damage in a practice crash, continuing his stretch of bad luck; he was unable to start the race.

Due to a previous rain postponement, the Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers competed in two feature races, each 15-laps in distance.  The makeup event from June was dominated by defending Champ Dale Kimberly, who passed veteran Scott Mitchell for the lead on lap two.  Mitchell finished second, with Kelly Shaulis, Chase Payton, and Steve Singo placing second through fifth.  In the regularly scheduled feature race, young Riley Hemminger showed the promise of a soon-to-be winner, leading the first three laps.  But, in spite of starting eighth, Kimberly again prevailed earning wins number four and five of 2019 in the same night.  Shaulis, Payton, Mitchell, and Dan Jackson all earned top five positions.

A former Champion celebrated his birthday in Stoney’s victory lane after the Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinder 15-lap feature race.  Brent Bickerstaff, who routinely finishes in the top five, snapped a long victory drought by leading every lap after starting third.  En route to his victory, his friend Andrew Pluta repeatedly made contact with Bickerstaff’s rear bumper.  In a thrilling finish, Bickerstaff won by a car-length over three-time winner Pluta, Michael Saler, David Campbell (who started tenth), and Michael Strouse.

Next Saturday night, July 20th, five division racing continues at Jennerstown Speedway, plus the Ron’s Collision Center Enduro Series after the races.  Gates open at 4pm with the green flag at 6pm.  For more information, visit www.jennerstown.org