Submitted by Terry Whetstone
STRONGSTOWN, PA – LeComte Trucking sponsored the opening night of racing as Dog Hollow Speedway kicked off the 2010 season with Clate Copeman of Greensburg and Bobby Stocks of Milton being named co-winners of the Townsend Gas and Oil Super Late Model feature while Dan Karalagas of Bethel Park won his career fire feature in the Zero Wrap Fastrak Late Models.
Other winners included: Tim Bish of Ringold in the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Street Stocks, Jeremy Shaffer of Derry in the Brush Valley Tire Pure Stocks, with Adam Pletcher of Tire Hill and Tom Pavelko of Cherry Tree taking the four cylinder and four cylinder modified features respectively.
Sammy Stile and Bobby Stokes led the late models to the start with Stile taking the lead for the first two laps before Stokes powered to the outside and took the lead. Stile began to fade, and fell to fourth before start climbing back to the front. As Stokes led, Clate Copeman moved to second and hounded the leader on restarts, but Stokes was able to pull away each time and open up a slight advantage, but as the race wore on Copeman was reeling in the leader then exiting turns three and four for the checkered flag, Copeman slammed into Stokes and took the win with Stile taking second and Stokes crossing the line third. Owner Jim Michny declared both Copeman and Stokes as winners with Stile second, Dane Laraway fourth and Keith Barbara fifth. Heat wins went to Stile, Dwayne Taneyhill and Rick Davis.
Dan Karalagas and Josh Holtgraver led the Fastrak Late Models to the start with Karalagas taking the lead and never looked back with Holtgraver and Daniel Angelicchio challenging Karalagas the whole time, but the Bethel Park driver held them off and took the first win of his career. Joey Valenti came from third to second on the last lap with Mike Blose, Angelicchio and Bryan Force completing the top five. Heat wins went to Blose and Angelicchilo.
Jamie Price and Chris Schneider led the street stocks to the start with Schneider taking the lead and keeping Price at bay for two laps before Tim Bish took second on lap three. Bish then hounded the leader until lap 14 when heading for the checkered flag as Schneider went high in turn four and Bish took the win off the corner. Schneider held on for second, Nick Goss was third, Jim Boyer was fourth and Davey Lee was fifth. Bish and Lee won the heats.
Tim Laughard and Brian McKinney sat on the front row of the pure stock feature but it was third place starter Jeremy Shaffer who took the lead on lap two from Laughard and went on to get the win. Steve Matko, Laughard, John Mazey and Joey Petyak completed the top five. Shaffer and Matt Summers won the heats.
The four cylinder feature saw Ashley Rocker and Chris Yoder lead the field to the start with Paul Little getting the jump, literally, and taking the lead for the first six laps before a caution relegated him to third for jumping the state. On the restart Adam Pletcher was in the lead and he held off Yoder for the win. Brent Sholtis, Danny Lechak and Little completed the top five. Pletcher, Little and Mark Wetzel Jr. won heat races.
The Modified Four Cylinder feature saw Chris Hickok take the lead at the start then on lap seven Tom Pavelko too the lead and the win. Hickok was second, Johnny Miller was third, Shawn Hadden was fourth and Craig Decker was fifth. Hickok won the heat.
DOG TRAX: 115 cars filled the pits including 26 Super Late Models, 19 Fastrak Late Models; 18 Street Stocks, 18 Pure Stocks, 27 Four Cylinders and 7 Modified Four Cylinders?Rick Lamer flipped during the Four Cylinder feature but he was not hurt?This Friday night is Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic trophy night plus kids bike races. Helmets are required. It?s a regular show for the Super Late Models, Fastrak Late Models, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Four Cylinders and Modified Four Cylinders. Race time is 7:30 p.m. For more information check out the website at www.dog-hollow.net.
SUMMARY:
Townsend Gas and Oil Super Late Models: 1. Clate Copeman, Greensburg and Bobby Stokes, Milton; 2. Sammy Stile; 4. Dane Laraway; 5. Keith Barbara, 6. Dwayne Taneyhill, 7. Matt Gaston; 8. Billy Eash; 9. Rick Davis; 10. George Fultz; 11. Chris Harr; 12. Dan Swartzlander; 13. Scott Stein, 14. Bryan Bernheisel; 15. Shawn Claar; 16. Ray Farrell; 17. Sam Gindlesperger; 18. Dan Lee; 19. Jerry Redden; 20. Jake Shady; 21, Doug Glessner; 22. Chad McClellan; 23. Sam McMeans. Did not start: John Britsky, Terry Rayko, Chris Farrell.
Zero Wrap Fastrak Late Models: 1. Dan Karalagas, Bethel Park; 2. Joey Valenti; 3. Mike Blose; 4. Terry Rayko, 5. Bryan Force; 6. Josh Holtgraver; 7. Mike Laughard, 8. Tim Snare Jr., 9. John Over, 10. John Eckenrod.
Stoystown Auto Wreckers Street Stocks: 1. Tim Bish, Ringgold; 2. Chris Schneider; 3. Nick Goss, 4. Jim Boyer, 5. Davey Lee; 6. Ray Hickok; 7. Levi Ardery, 8. Charlie Trice, 9.Denny Keener, 10. Jim Kirsh.
Brush Valley Tire Pure Stocks: 1. Jeremy Shaffer, Derry; 2. Steve Matko, 3. Tim Laughard, 4. John Mazey, 5. Joey Petyak, 6. Nate Smith, 7. Kylie Hamilton, 8. Paul Douglas; 9. Eric Ager, 10. Ryan Weakland.
Four Cylinders: 1. Adam Pletcher, Tire Hill; 2. Chris Yoder; 3. Brent Sholtis, 4. Anny Lechak, 5. Paul Little, 6. Wes McKeel, 7. Marty Lechner, 8. Ashley Rocker, 9. Jayson Newlin, 10. Mart Wetzel Jr.
Modified Four Cylinders: 1. Tom Pavelko, Cherry Tree; 2. Chris Hickok, 3. Johnny Miller, 4. Shawn Hadden, 5. Craig Decker; 6. Joe Huffman Jr., 7. Mark Maglet.