For the fourth time in 2019, Teddy Gibala was victorious in the Martella's Pharmacies Late Model division of racing at the Jennerstown Speedway Complex on “Drive DeVilbiss Night at the Races.”  R.J. Dallape won for the first time in his Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified career, and A.J. Poljak won the Tunstall Auto & Truck Repair Street Stock race for the first time this year.  Also parking in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane on Saturday, June 22^nd were defending Champion Dale Kimberly in the Farmers Union Co-Op Charger division, and Andrew Pluta in Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinder racing.

The entire 2018 racing season was a struggle for Teddy Gibala and his family owned race team.  The Hard Luck Award Winner suffered repeated mechanical problems, and on-track collisions that resulted in a winless, frustrating year.  But, since the first event of 2019, Gibala has been the man to beat in the Martella's Pharmacies Late Models.  Gibala started in fourth place for the 30-lap feature race Saturday night, with former Champion Mark Smith launching from the pole position.  Smith, making his 2019 debut, is third on the all-time Jennerstown victories list, and led the first two laps.  On lap three, Gibala passed veteran Smith to take the lead.  At the same time, while Smith fought a handling problem, Barry Awtey advanced into the second position.  Awtey, a winner in 2019, started the race in fifth position.  Gibala maintained a lead of only a few car-lengths, through the early stages of the race.  Awtey, first on the all-time win list, ran away from Smith, who held down the third spot.  Rookie Paul Fess, Jr., veteran Rick Boyer, and previous week’s winner Zane Ferrell each took turns holding the fourth position, until the late stages of the event.  Former Champion Garry Wiltrout was eighth on the first lap, but patiently and methodically worked his way into the top five, near the conclusion of the race.  Gibala maintained distance between himself and former Champ Awtey, preventing a challenge for the lead – a position Gibala never relinquished.  Near the conclusion, Wiltrout passed Ferrell and, with just two laps to go, passed Smith as well.  When the checkered flag waved, Gibala, of Coulter, PA, claimed victory number four of the season – no other driver has more than one win.  Gibala’s EH Schwab Co./Port City/Chevrolet has carried him to the top of the point standings.  He previously earned the Street Stock Championship in 2014.  The top five finishers were Gibala, Awtey, Wiltrout, Smith, and Ferrell, respectively.  Wiltrout and Ferrell each won a heat race earlier in the night.

A first time winner celebrated in Stoney’s Victory Lane after the 20-lap Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified feature event – young R.J. Dallape.  Pole position starter Adam Kostelnik grabbed the early lead.  Defending Champion Anthony Aiello and Dallape repeatedly swapped the second position during the first seven laps.  An exciting three car tussle for the lead continued through the middle stages of the race.  Multi-feature winner Pete Rech started in tenth place, and advanced to fourth early on.  Dallape was scored as the leader for the first time, officially, on lap nine.  By lap ten, Aiello had passed Kostelnik for second, and the lead duo began to pull away from the field.  Good friends off the track, Dallape and Aiello stayed nearly bumper-to-bumper, and were forced to negotiate through lapped cars.  At the finish line, Dallape earned his first Modified win, after victories in the 4-Cylinder division, where his career began.  Aiello, Rech, Kostelnik and “Racin’ Jason” Busch completed the top five finishers.   Kostelnik and Dallape were the heat race winners.  Before the race, the family of injured Modified ace Gary Scott informed the fans that Gary is recovering from the violent crash one week prior, and thanked the fans for the cards, support, and well-wishes.  Drivers collected over $5,000 thousands of dollars in donations from the fans in attendance, to help with the cost of medical bills.  Gary plans to be watching the races at Jennerstown again by August.

For twelve laps of the Tunstall Auto & Truck Repair Street Stocks’ 20-lap feature race, veteran Mike “Daredevil” Davis led the field.  But, after starting in eighth place, A.J. Poljak made a pass for the top spot on lap 13.  Poljak was making his first start of the season, as a multi-division winner in previous years.  When recent winner Zach Todaro passed Davis for second place, he closed in on Poljak to challenge for the win.  In the final four laps, Todaro and Poljak raced side by side, and repeatedly made light contact.  At the finish line, Poljak edged Todaro by mere inches, as the large crowd was feverishly cheering on the intense battle.  After the valiant effort, Todaro’s car failed the minimum weight requirement in post-race inspection, officially resulting in a last place finish, in lieu of second place honors.  Poljak’s resume includes an undefeated season of Street Stock points races at the dormant Motordrome Speedway, and now a 2019 victory at Jennerstown.  Behind Poljak, the adjusted top five places were held by Davis, 2019 winner Aaron Van Fleet, 2019 winner Jeremy Shaffer, and veteran Mel Wilt.  Poljak and Todaro were also the heat race winners.

Teammates swept the top two positions in the Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers’ 15-lap feature race.  Defending Champion Dale Kimberly dueled with Dan Jackson for the lead, during the first six laps.  Both are former dirt track stars.  Most recent winner, Chase Payton, advanced from the eighth starting spot into second place, passing Jackson on lap 14.  Payton, a rookie driving Kimberly’s team car, may have had the fastest machine at the end of the race, but claimed a second place finish.  Payton also won the heat race. Kimberly nailed down his third feature win of the year.  Jackson finished in third place, with young Cody Gaynor fourth and popular veteran Justin Frampton fifth.

Total domination of the 15-lap Somerset Trust Company Fast 'n Furious 4-Cylinder feature propelled Andrew Pluta to his third win of the year.  Starting from the pole position, Pluta led every lap without a threat to the point position.  Two time winner Evan Nibert advanced from the eight starting position to second place, before a mechanical problem changed his fortunes.  Former Champion Brent Bickerstaff finished second after starting fourth.  Former Champ Paul Koffler, III placed third, with Michael Strouse and Michael Saler fourth and fifth.  Bickerstaff and Nibert won the heats.

On Saturday, June 29^th, 2019 Jennerstown Speedway Complex presents Five Division Racing plus round two of the 2019 Ron’s Collision Center Enduro Series.  Gates open at 4pm with racing at 6pm.  For more information visit www.jennerstown.org.