After four different winners from three different states parked in Stoney's Beer Victory Lane for the Martella's Pharmacies Late Model division of racing in 2020, Albert Francis became the first repeat winner of the season on July 18th at Jennerstown Speedway Complex. Other winners on TMT Transportation/Triad Metals “Trucker Appreciation Night” were Anthony Aiello (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Casey Fleegle (Ron's Collision Center Street Stocks), Dale Kimberly (Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers), and Michael Strouse (Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinders). Round two of the Ron’s Collision Center Enduro Series was completed after the races, with Josh Dunmyer and Nick Niemiec victorious.
Many fans believed that five time Jennerstown Speedway Champion Barry Awtey was likely to notch his first win of the year, prior to the start of the 30-lap feature race for the Martella's Pharmacies Late Model division. One week prior, Awtey made a stunning drive toward the front after being involved in a collision early in the race. By luck of the draw, Awtey started this week’s event from the front row, alongside former winner Zane Ferrell. When the green flag waved, Ferrell a former Modified Champion, surrendered the lead from the pole position, to Awtey. On lap two, Albert Francis passed Ferrell for the runner up position. Ferrell has struggled in 2020, while Franics scored a win just two events prior. On the third lap, Franics made a quick pass of Awtey to become the race leader. Francis, among the youngest competitors in the field, immediately pulled away from Awtey by four car lengths. In the early laps, former Modified winner Jarred Barclay advanced from the eighth starting spot to fourth position. But, nearing the midpoint of the race, a more impressive charge to the front was evident. Joe Maruca, who started in 14th position, passed Barclay on lap nine. In the quest for his first career win, Maruca then stole third place from Ferrell on lap 13. Maruca’s notable ascent reached a plateau, as the second place car of Awtey was out of reach, in the late stages of the event. Francis, of Painesville, Ohio, continued to put more distance between himself and Awtey, as the runaway leader. Francis’ team showed great perseverance, as a crash on lap one eliminated him from action the previous week, and erased Francis’ lead in the championship point standings. With national touring series experience, Franics rebounded from the previous week’s disaster, to became the first driver to win more than one Jennerstown Late Model event this year. The race that was contested without a caution flag. Steering the Rack Hunter/Jet-Hot/Habco Tool Chevrolet, Francis is also undefeated in heat races during 2020, winning all five to date. When asked about passing Jennerstown Speedway’s all time leading winner for the win, Francis spoke highly of Awtey, and summarized his feelings in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane by saying, “to be the best, you have to beat the best.” Awtey won his heat race, and placed second in the feature. Maruca gained eleven positions to grab third spot, while Barclay finished fourth, and Ferrell claimed fifth place.
Jim Bodziak and Anthony Aiello started the 20-lap Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature race from the front row. Aiello grabbed the lead, as a previous 2020 winner and defending Modified Champion. Third place starter, “Racin’ Jason” Busch moved into second place, after winning his heat race and starting the feature in third position. Busch has been fast all season, but has suffered misfortunes in every outing, after winning multiple events in 2019. While Aiello enjoyed a healthy lead, Tom Golik began to challenge Busch for second place. After starting in fifth spot, Golik and Busch battled for many laps, until the closing stage of the race. With two laps to go, Golik and Busch touched bumpers, resulting in a spin that placed both drivers at the tail of the field for a restart. Previous week’s winner, R.J. Dallape started the race in twelfth position, but advanced methodically all race long. Gaining two more places with the caution flag incident, young Dallape lined up in the third spot for the restart, behind Adam Kostelnik, who inherited second place. In spite of losing his comfortable margin over the field, Aiello outran Kostelnik and the season’s leading winner Dallape for the final two laps, to score his second victory of 2020. Aiello, a second generation racer, has won in Chargers, Street Stocks, and Modifieds during his Jennerstown career, which boasts championship titles in two divisions. Aiello also won his heat race before defeating his mentor, Kostelnik, in the feature race. Behind podium finishers Kostelnik and Dallape in third place, were two rookies. Former 4-Cylinder division winner David Campbell earned fourth position and long-time dirt track Late Model superstar Doug Glessner scored a fifth place finish in his first year of driving on pavement.
When racing began on Saturday, two drivers were tied atop the championship point standings for 2020, in the Ron's Collision Center Street Stock division. Casey Fleegle won his heat race, to became the points leader, then launched from the front row of the 20-lap feature race. Grabbing the lead over rookie Jeff Barclay, Fleegle drove away from all competitors. On lap three, heat race winner Angie Kimberly took the second position, seeking her second-career win. While Fleegle remained unchallenged at the front, his championship nemesis Aaron Van Fleet was advancing. Van Fleet, the previous week’s winner, was not only tied in points with Fleegle at the start of the night, but tied atop the win list, as well, with a pair 2020 trophies. With four laps to go, Van Fleet grabbed second place, after taking the green flag in eighth spot. But Fleegle was far ahead, and without a caution flag in the race, the defending Champion, Van Fleet, would settle for second. Fleegle became the first three time winner this season, cruising to the checkered flag by the largest margin of the year. Fleegle is three-division winner in his Jennerstown career. The official top five finishers were Fleegle, Van Fleet, Kimberly, veteran Scott Mitchell, and Mel Wilt.
After a multi-car crash on lap one, the starting lineup was shaken up for the official restart of the Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers’ 15-lap feature race. Slated to start in ninth spot, the previous week’s winner Dale Kimberly took the green flag in third position, due to cars being eliminated in the melee. Immediately launching into the lead, the defending Champion outdistanced several rookies to maintain the top spot. Kimberly’s teammate, Adam Kostelink was involved in the crash and made a pit stop, but still rallied to take the second position early in the race. The teammates swept the top two spots, when the checkered flag was displayed, and both were also heat race winners earlier in the night. For Kimberly, the feature race win marks his ninth straight triumph, dating back to the 2019 season. Behind Kostelnik, former dirt track racer Kyle Burkholder grabbed third position, as a first year asphalt competitor. True rookie, Will Hemminger placed fourth as a third-generation racer. Recent 4-Cylinder graduate Chris Ament grabbed fifth position in his rookie season as a Charger driver.
The Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinders’ 15-lap feature race started with Lance Shawley taking the lead from the front row. But, before lap one was complete, Michael Strouse was officially at the head of the pack. Strouse, the sophomore driver, won his heat race to start the evening, then led every lap of the feature race, to score a convincing victory. The victory was his first career win, after coming very close to winning in his rookie campaign of 2019, and threatening for wins in 2020. Jeff Vasos started tenth, and earned second place to maintain his lead in the point standings. Former Champion Evan Nibert finished third after starting twelfth, with another former Champ, Paul Koffler, III claiming fourth position. Michael Saler, a winner in 2019, placed fifth. Shawley and Vasos were also heat race winners.
The second round of the Ron’s Collision Center Enduro Series capped off the excitement, with a 75-lap contest that went without a stoppage for any on-track incidents. Two classes of cars competed simultaneously, and amidst heavy traffic, a pair of winners celebrated in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane. Former weekly racer and second generation driver Josh Dunmyer earned another Enduro trophy for winning the 6-Cylinder class. Rookie Charger division racer, Nick Niemiec returned to his roots, and won the Enduro for 4-Cylinder class competitors.
On Saturday night, July 25th, five division racing takes a summer break, as Monster Trucks invade Jennerstown Speedway! For one night only, the All-Star Monster Truck Tour brings six car-crushing machines to life at 7pm, following a 6pm “Pit Party.” For more information visit www.jennerstown.org
