Jennerstown, PA –August 24, 2002 –Mark Smith captured two Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model feature race wins Saturday night during NASCAR Weekly Racing Series action at Jennerstown Speedway. One by default and the other by sheer performance. Other race winners during Wheeler Bros./AC Delco race night were Dave Brunell and Todd Price, who took separate wins in the Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers Pro Trucks, “Dink” Colarusso in the Cenwest Street Stocks, and Curtis Stewart Jr. in the 96.5 The Mountain Chargers. P.J. Ehrlich took the Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Car Series feature, while Patrick Parlock won the Men’s Enduro race. 

It seemed as though Brad Creighton had everything locked up in the first Wheeler Bros./AC Delco feature race, as the Warminster, PA native had the field covered en route to his first visit to Jennerstown Speedway victory lane. Unfortunately for Creighton, a post race inspection revealed an illegal carburetor, which disqualified him, giving the race win to second place finisher Mark Smith.  Smith had passed Barry Awtey for second place on lap 39, but could not track down Creighton.  The remainder of the field was moved up one position after the disqualification, which placed Barry Awtey in second, Bobby Henry in third, Neil Brown in fourth and Gary Wiltrout in fifth.   

In the second Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model feature race, the top ten finishers from the first race were inverted, placing race winner Mark Smith in the tenth position.  “Wild” Wade Champeno started on the outside front row and led the first lap, then Rick Miller took over to lead lap two before Gary Wiltrout came along to take the top spot.  It only took Mark Smith nine laps to move from his tenth place starting position to front of the pack.  Once there he would extend his race lead, as the second and third place cars of Neil Brown and Barry Awtey waged a two-car battle throughout most of the race.  When the checkered flag waved it was Smith taking the win by a wide margin over Neil Brown who finished in second.  Awtey finished third, while Gary Wiltrout and Bobby Henry rounded out the top five.   

The first Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers Pro Truck feature race came down to a three truck battle between Jason Lasky, Todd Price and Marion Reno, Jr.  The start of the race saw pole sitter Eugene Ciferno lead the first eight circuits before being overtaken by Jason Lasky.  During this time, Todd Price and Marion Reno, Jr. were working their way towards the front of the field.  By lap 11, Price and Reno had made it a battle with race leader Lasky, as the three trucks stayed glued together until the final lap.  That’s when Lasky spun coming out of turn two, collecting Reno and setting up a green-white-checkered finish for the race win.  On the final restart it was Josh Coughenour making a bold move to go from fourth to second, as Aaron Will, Eugene Ciferno and Dave Brunell finished third through fifth respectively.   

The second Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers Pro Truck feature race saw last weeks’ feature winner Dave Brunell overtake Marion Reno, Jr. on lap 13 and lead the remaining 12 laps to take the race win.  Todd Price rebounded from a ninth place starting position to move into second place by lap 16 and was unable to mount a serious charge at Brunell.  Josh Coughenour finished the race in third, with Aaron Will and Dave Marrow rounding out the top five.   

Bill Ashton seemed to have the Cenwest Street Stock feature race well in hand, after leading most of the first 20 laps.  During that time Dink Colarusso was working his way through the pack, with George Nicola, Jr.  following in his tire tracks.  By lap nine the two cars were running second and third, but could not get in position to challenge for the race lead.  A caution on lap 20 closed the field for a final restart, allowing Colarusso the chance he needed for the win.  A pass on lap 22 put Colarusso into the lead, which he maintained for the final three circuits, to take the checkers for the second time in as many weeks.  Finishing behind Ashton in third was Nicola, Jr., with Roger Onstead and Adam Kostelnik finishing fourth and fifth.  The heat race win went to George Nicola, Jr.   

Curtis Stewart, Jr. started shotgun on the field in the 96.5 Mountain Charger division feature race, and needed 14 and a half laps to take the lead in the 15 lap race.  The North Huntingdon, PA native patiently worked his way through the field and into second place on lap 10.  From there it was a two-car battle with Travis Smith, who had led from lap five.  Stewart, Jr. tried repeatedly to pass on the inside, but on the final had to make a desperate move on the outside to get past Smith for the race win.  Smith held onto second, while Greg Praysner, Chuck Slate and Phill Grubbs rounded out the top five.  The heat race win went to Phill Grubbs. 

The Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Series saw a great two-car battle develop between P.J. Ehrlich and Chris Brink, as the two drivers swapped the lead position throughout most of the 25-lap feature.  Predominate race winner Joey Dennewitz suffered a spin on lap six, relegating him to the back of the pack.  As the two-car battled waged on, Dennewitz worked his way back through the field and into third place by lap 19.  Brink spun his car coming off of turn two, moving Dennewitz into the third place position.  In the final laps it was Rick Boyer challenging Ehrlich for the race win, until he lost the handle on the white flag lap.  The final caution gave Dennewitz one last chance at the race win, but the driver from the “Rubber Capital of the World” could not work his magic as Ehrlich went on to capture his first win of the 2002 race season.  Finishing behind Dennewitz in third through fifth were Dave Holder, Bill Miller and Kyle Martel.  The heat race win went to Brett Boyer. 

The Mens Enduro race saw a new face in victory lane, as Patrick Parlock took the checkers in the 50-lap event.  

Next week Stan’s Transmission Service will present the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series racing program, including twin 50-lap Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model races.  Also including a special appearance by the Grand American Modifieds, and the Blue/Grey Shootout for the Allison Legacy Series. For more information log onto www.jennerstown.com or call 814.629.6677. 

Complete Race Results...