Submitted by Terry Whetstone
STRONGSTOWN, PA – Four drivers found victory lane for the first time ever Friday night at Dog Hollow Speedway on Forshey?s Garage Trophy night.
They include Joe Martin of Ringgold in the Zero Wrap Fastrak Late Models, Justin Queen of Irvona in the Brush Valley Tire Pure Stocks, Tim Bish of Ringgold in the Four Cylinders and Matt Weakland of Northern Cambria in the Modified Four Cylinders.
Repeat winners include Clate Copeman of Greensburg in the Townsend Gas and Oil Super Late Models and Nick Goss of Punxsutawney in the Stoystown Auto Wrecking Street Stocks.
The Super Late Models hit the surface with Johnny Britsky and Clate Copeman on the front row with Copeman immediately taking the lead and setting the pace. The second spot initially belonged to Britsky, with Dane Laraway hot on his tail, but on a lap nine restart, Britsky went high in the first and second turns, opening the door for third place Sammy Stile to take second with Laraway quickly taking third and dropping Britsky to fourth. As the race continued, Stile threw everything he had at Copeman, but the ?Long Cool Tall One? wasn?t about to be denied. At the finish it was Copeman getting his second win of the year, with Stile, Laraway, Britsky and Ron Delano Jr. completing the top five. Copeman and Laraway split heat wins.
The Fastrak Late Models started with a seven car pile-up at the end of the front stretch that sent Nico DaBecco, Tyler Dietz, Ron Smithley and Andrew Wylie to the pits for the night.
On the complete restart Joe Martin led Joey Valenti to the start and he held off all challengers the rest of the way for his first ever Dog Hollow win. Valenti held second for three laps before Dan Karalagas came from eighth to second to try and take the win, but Martin held on to the top spot. The top five at Kevin Smyers checkered flag were: Martin, Karalagas, Chris Force, Troy Shields and Tim Snare Jr. Heat wins were divided three way between Karalagas, Force and Daniel Angelicchio.
Jim Boyer did everything he could possibly do to win the Street Stock feature, except drive dirty. Boyer and Mike Valasek led the field to the start with Boyer taking a commanding lead. While he led, 12th place starter Nick Goss was trying to get to the front. Each time Boyer would get out to a comfortable lead, the yellow would wave, regrouping the field, and putting Goss that much closer.
On lap nine, Goss was sitting in second, and Boyer had one more caution to try and ward off Goss, and he did, but Goss was trying everything he had, and finally on the final lap, Goss got on the low side of Boyer off the second turn, they ran door-to-door down the backstretch and into the third and fourth turns, and Boyer made a very slight bobble, and they drag raced off turn four, Boyer on the outside, Goss on the inside, and Goss took the win by a half a car length over Boyer. Denny Keener was third with Bill Pluta and Valasek completing the top five. Heat wins went to Boyer and Charlie Trice.
In the Pure Stock feature it was Mike Laughard and Matt Krause led the field to the start, and it appeared to become a survival of the fittest. Laughard took the lead for two laps, before his engine started missing and he pitted, giving the lead to Krause who was second with Justin Queen in third then challenging Krause for the lead. As they jockeyed for position John Mazey took the lead, but then spun almost immediately collecting three time winner Jeremy Shaffer.
On the lap 4 restart Queen had inherited the lead for two laps, when out of nowhere Shaffer shot into the lead on lap seven. A crash on lap eight halted the action when Jimmy Hamilton of Coalport barrel rolled the #27 off the third and four turns trying to avoid the drivers door of a spinning Krause. Hamilton flipped more than six times before the car came to rest on its roof. He wasn?t hurt.
On that restart, Queen had inherited the lead after Shaffer pitted under the red, which the rules state is not allowed. Shaffer was then black flagged when he returned to the track.
As the race went on Queen continued to lead with Mazey in second and closing, but Queen was able to hold on for his career first Dog Hollow win. Mazey, Joey Petyak, Matt Summers and Ryan Weakland completed the top five. Heat wins went to Queen and Mazey.
Mark Wetzel Jr. and Paul Little brought the Four Cylinders to the green for their feature with Wetzel taking the lead and Little in second. Some heavy racing found newcomer Tim Bish taking second on lap three and challenging Wetzel several laps, trying to make the outside groove work. Finally on lap; seven, Bish surged off the fourth turn and took the lead and eventual win while Wetzel held on to second, Bob Pease was third, Little was fourth and Chris Yoder was fifth. Bish, Pease and Little copped heat races.
Mat Weakland took the lead at the start of the Modified Four Cylinder feature and went on to lead each and every lap, taking his first ever MFC win at Dog Hollow. His closest competition came from Mark Maglet, who was a distant second. Robert Lydic was third and Tom Pavelko and Chris Hickok completed the top five. Weakland also won the heat.
DOG TRAX: 101 cars filled the pits, including: 17 Super Late Models, 23 Fastrak Late Models, 14 Street Stocks, 14 Pure Stocks, 28 Four Cylinders and 5 Modified Four Cylinders?For the first time in the speedway?s history, there have been no rainouts in the first five weeks. Typically Mother Nature intervenes sometime between the season opener and now?The Four Cylinder Mechanics Race was won by Craig Nihart?So far there hasn?t been a repeat winner in the Fastrak Late Models?Coming up this Friday is a regular show for the Super Late Models, Fastrak Late Models, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Four Cylinders and Modified Four Cylinders?Trophies will be sponsored B.D. Laraway and Asociates?.There will also be children?s bike races. Helmets are required and children must ride a bicycle and ride it without assistance. Ages ar up to 13 years old and trophies are awarded to the winner of each race?Race time is 7:30 p.m. More details are listed at www.dog-hollow.net.
Summary:
Townsend Gas and Oil Super Late Models: 1. Clate Copeman, Greensburg; 2. Sammy Stile, 3. Dane Laraay, 4. John Britsky, 5. Ron Delano, Jr., 6. Denton Boyer, 7. Rick Davis, 8. Dan Lee, 9. Billy Eash, 10. Luke Hoffner, 11. Jerry Redden, 12. Jeff Weakland, 13. Chad Walters, 14. George Fultz, 15. Shane McMeans, 16. Gene Kain. DNS: Dwayne Taneyhill.
Zero Wrap Fastrak Late Models: 1. Joe Martin, Ringgold; 2. Dan Karalagas, 3. Chris Force, 4. Troy Shields, 5. Tim Snare Jr., 6. Ricky Meglaye, 7. Joey Valenti, 8. Bryan Force, 9. Daniel Angelicchio, 10. Kirby Tucker, 11. John Eckenrod, 12. Chris Angelicchio, 13. Chad McClellan, 14. Shane Weaver, 15. Mike Laughard, 16. Steve Huey, 17. Andrew Satterlee, 18. Michael Hughes, 19. Shawn Shaltenbrand, 20. Andrew Wylie, 21. Tyler Dietz, 22. Ron Smithley, 23. Nico DaBecco.
Stoystown Auto Wreckers Street Stocks: 1. Nick Goss, Punxsutawney; 2. Jim Boyer, 3. Denny Keener, 4. Bill Pluta, 5. Mike Valasek, 6. Charlie Trice, 7. Ray Hickok, 8. Ryan Krouse, 9. David Rocker, 10. Kevin Haas.
Brush Valley Tire Pure Stocks: 1. Justin Queen, Irvona; 2. John Mazey, 3. Joey Petyak, 4. Matt Summers, 5. Ryan Weakland, 6. John Yasika, 7. Bob Helsel, 8. Chris Wolde, 9. Jeremy Shaffer, 10. Matt Krause.
Four Cylinders: 1. Tim Bish, Ringgold; 2. Mark Wetzel, Jr., 3. Bob Pease, 4. Paul Little, 5. Chris Yoder, 6. Jay Schettini, 7. Lee Fitzpatrick, 8. Jon Lee, 9. Tyler Laughard, 10. Adam Pletcher.
Modified Four Cylinders: 1. Matt Weakland; 2. Mark Maglet, 3. Robert Lydic, 4. Tom Pavelko, 5. Chris Hickok.
