Published: May 22, 2022
JENNERSTOWN — Jennerstown Speedway’s winningest driver and defending Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model champion had to wait out three caution periods and an extended red flag, but Barry Awtey found himself in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane on Saturday night for the first time this season.
Awtey started in the second row and made quick work of the leaders to jump out in front on the very first lap. He drove to a three second lead when a caution came out just 12 laps in for a spin by Joe Peifer.
On the restart, Awtey claimed the lead once again and pulled away from Teddy Gibala. As Awtey was about to take the white flag, Garry Wiltrout and Brandon Marhefka got together racing for fifth and brought out a yellow to setup a green-white-checkered finish.
Chaos ensued on the restart as Gibala missed a gear on the front stretch and backed up the field. As the cars stacked up and went three-wide to avoid him, several cars ping-ponged off each other into Turn 1. Jarred Barlcay’s car spun and smacked Gibala’s machine hard sending him into the wall ending their nights and setting up a long red flag period for clean-up.
Awtey survived one more restart to claim the green-white-checkered win. Bryan Shipp finished second. The top five was rounded out by Todd Price, Wiltrout, and Dennis Wenner.
In the One Stop Auto Sales Pro Stock division, Kyle Burkholder made a beautiful late-race pass on Aaron Van Fleet with just two laps to go to take the checkered flag.
Burkholder celebrated what was supposed to be his first career win in a pro stock in Victory Lane, but was disqualified as he failed to pass his technical inspection after the race. The disqualification gives Van Fleet the win. Burkholder finishes last.
In the Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers, Steve Singo displayed excellent driving to hold off a later surge by Scott Mitchell to claim his first checkered flag of 2022.
Singo, who won three races a season ago, had more than a one second lead when Mitchell made the pass for second. Mitchell continued to close the gap until the final lap when he and Singo were side-by-side out of Turn 4.
In the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature, Adam Henry had to hold off a late-race surge to get his first win of the season.
Dale Glessner, driving his brother Doug’s car that won seven races last year, made his first start in a race car in 15 years. Plus, it was Dale’s first time ever on asphalt. He did everything he could to get to Henry, but just could not make the pass.
Henry started in the second row and jumped out to the lead on first lap. He had to survive two restarts to get the win and hit his gears perfectly to clear the second place car on the restart both times.
Nearly half the field was involved in a wreck on the very first lap of the Ron’s Collision Center Street Stock feature.
Mel Wilt rode the wall on two wheels down the back stretch collecting Randy Henderson, Shawn Booth and Rick Meehleib ending all of their nights. The wreck damaged the inside retaining wall in Turn 3 and caused a long red flag delay as crews had to install a new piece of the wall.
Also involved in the wreck was defending champion and last week’s winner, Casey Fleegle. He had to visit pit road before the restart to fix a flat tire.
On the restart, Greg Burbidge, who was in Row 2, rocketed to the lead. He drove out to more than a two second advantage over Brent Bickerstaff and cruised to just his second ever career win. Fleegle finished third.
Former champion Evan Nibert displayed a dominant performance in the Somerset Trust Fast N’ Furious 4’s. Nibert raced in the Charger division at times last year but made his 2022 debut in his fast four-cylinder.
Nibert, at times, was near a full second faster than the second place car in the field. He began lapping cars halfway through the feature and ended up lapping half of the pack. Jason Truscott finished second and Johnathan Haburcsak third.
Jennerstown Speedway will host the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series on Saturday. Adult tickets are just $35
