MARK SMITH SCORES NINTH FEATURE WIN AT JENNERSTOWN

By: Mike Milliron 

Jennerstown, PA – September 8, 2001 – Mark Smith let it be known that he is not ready to concede the Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model division championship just yet. Saturday night he reeled off yet another feature event victory to claim his ninth win of the 2001 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series season. Other winners during races sponsored by the Somerset Candy Company were Josh Coughenour in Jennerstown Pro Trucks, Todd Knight in Brown Timber & Land Street Stocks, Pete Walrath in Jennerstown Chargers, and Jacob Coffin in the Super Mini Cup Series. Rick Anderson took the Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Series win, while J.J. Wild won the Men’s Enduro event. 

It was De-Ja-Vu all over again for the Meyersdale, PA native Mark Smith, as he showed all of the competitors and fans that he certainly has the right stuff to be recognized as championship material. This week Smith had to start from the seventh place position, and needed less than half the usual time to maneuver into the front position, as he kicked his car into overdrive, combined with lightning fast agility to pace the remaining laps to victory lane. Another driver on the fast track to the front of the pack was Bobby Henry, who had to begin the feature race from back in tenth place, but carved his path through some fine Late Model drivers to claim the second position at the finish line. Other drivers in the top five were Neil Brown in third, Jeff Dunmyer in fourth, and Mark Cottone coming home in fifth. Mark Smith and Bobby Henry won the heat races. 

A first lap multi-truck accident took it’s toll on the majority of the Jennerstown Pro Truck race field, as points leader Todd Price was involved along with several other drivers. With only two trucks remaining unscathed, the remainder of the field had to battle through damaged equipment in order to complete the feature event. Josh Coughenour was one of the drivers who not only endured his damage, but also came back and took the feature win.  George Nicola, Jr. competed in his first Pro Truck division race and surprised everyone by leading the first half and finishing second.  Other drivers with more significant damage who finished in the top five Marion Reno, Jr., Dave Brunell, and Barry Geary.  The lone heat race was one by Todd Price.   

The Brown Timber & Street Stock race was a tight three-car battle between perennial point’s challengers, Adam Kostelnik, Tracy “Dink” Colarusso, and Todd Knight.  The three top runners pulled out from the remainder of the field and battled amongst themselves for the majority of the twenty-five-lap event.  In the end it was Todd Knight coming out with the feature win followed by Colarusso and Kostelnik.  Mike Davis returned to the Laurel Highlands Oval for the second time this year and scored an impressive fourth place finish, just in front of Carl Trevarrow.  Dink Colarusso and Todd Knight won the heat races.   

The closest finish of the evening involved the Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Series.  Actually the entire feature race produced some the closest multi-car competition, as up to five different drivers had the chance at victory.  Joey Dennewitz maintained the front position for most of the race, until a late caution bunched up the field for a full restart.  Ricky Anderson used an outside front row restart position to his advantage in capturing the lead away from Dennewitz, but the Akron, Ohio native rebounded to run along side Anderson into the final laps. With half a lap to go, Branden Taylor made his presence known as he made it a three wide battle off turn four to the finish line.  At the checkers it was Anderson winning by a nosecone over Taylor who edged out Dennewitz for second.  Finishing behind the top three cars were Jayme Bolkovac in fourth and Marshall Biddington completing the top five.   

Defending Jennerstown Charger divisional champion “Pistol” Pete Walrath shot out from his fourth place starting position and survived an early four-car battle to take over the race lead from Jason Fritz.  Once in the lead Walrath continued to stretch his margin over Fritz, until a late race caution forced a full field restart.  That’s as close as Jason Fritz would get to Walrath, as the checkered flag waved to finish the race.  Finishing in third through fifth were Curtis Stewart, Justin Lasky and June Weyant.  Heat race wins went to Pete Walrath and Greg Praysner.   

Jacob Coffin took the victory in the Super Mini Cup Series, in their final appearance of the 2001 season.  J.J. Wild won another Men’s Enduro event as he outlasted his rough and tumble competition.