Jennerstown, PA – (May 25, 2002) – Threatening storm clouds were no match for defending Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model Track Champion Neil Brown as he claimed his second win of the season at Jennerstown Speedway in NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge action.  With 21 other Late Model division competitors on hand and a total of 114 racecars in attendance Saturday night, the competition level has now reached a fevered pitch at the Laurel Highlands Oval.  Other feature winners during R & M Trucking Night included Todd Price in the Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers Pro Trucks, Roger Onstead in the Cenwest Street Stocks, Curtis Stewart, Jr. in the 96.5 Mountain Chargers, and Joey Dennewitz in the Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Series.  The Mens Enduro winner was Gregory Lohr and the Womens Enduro winner was Kimberly Rhoads.   

The Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model feature race saw pole sitter and early race leader Brad Creighton fend off a challenge from Barry Awtey throughout the first fifteen laps of the fifty lap event.  A slight bobble by Creighton in turn one allowed Awtey and Neil Brown to get by for the top two spots. These two rivals continued their battle for the next twelve laps before Brown took over the lead and held Awtey at bay for the next six laps.  That’s when Ryan Hemphill asserted himself into second place and quickly began to challenge Brown for the race lead.   The two drivers ran side by side for the remainder of the race, with Brown edging out Hemphill to claim his second victory of the season.  Finishing behind Hemphill in third through fifth were Travis Geisler, Barry Awtey and Brad Creighton.  Heat race wins went to Brad Creighton and Ryan Hemphill.

 The Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers Pro Truck division feature race was a two-truck battle between Marion Reno, Jr. and Josh Coughenour.  Reno, Jr. maneuvered through the field from his sixth place starting position to challenge race leader Coughenour by lap four.  The two trucks battled for the next seven laps until Reno, Jr. was able to wrestle the top position away from Coughenour, which he held onto for the remainder of the race.  Once in second, Coughenour received heavy pressure from a hard charging Todd Price as the two battled door to door to the checkered flag.  Coughenour claimed second as Price had to settle for third.  Rounding out the top five were Dave Brunell and Aaron Will.  Heat race wins went to Marion Reno, Jr. and Todd Price. 

 Roger Onstead from nearby Friedens, PA took a very popular win in the Cenwest Street Stock division feature race.  Onstead who started the race on the pole slipped back to fourth as George Nicola, Jr., Adam Kostelnik and Tracy “Dink” Colarusso took over the top three spots.  In the middle of the race the top two runners got together which allowed Colarusso to claim the lead with Onstead close behind in second.  Onstead used both the inside and outside lanes to his advantage in gaining the race lead away from Colarusso with only five laps to go.  Onstead then held off Colarusso to claim his first win of the 2002 season.  Finishing behind the top two runners were Richard Nicola, George Nicola, Jr. and Chris Deyarmin.  Heat race wins went to Adam Kostelnik and Dink Colarusso.

 The 96.5 Mountain Charger division saw its first repeat winner of the season, as Curtis Stewart, Jr. quickly worked his way through the field from his eighth starting position to take over the lead from Travis Smith on lap seven of the fifteen lap event.  Once out front Stewart, Jr. received heavy pressure from Smith throughout the remainder of the race, but Stewart, Jr. would not be denied as he held on for the race win.  Smith finished the race in second with Phil Grubbs coming home in third.  Chuck Slate and Justin Lasky rounded out the top five.  The heat race win went to Travis Smith.

 The Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Series feature race saw Joey Dennewitz give himself one of the best birthday gifts a man can get, as he completely dominated the rest of the field en route to his third feature win in as many races.   Dennewitz continues to make his trips from the “Rubber Capital of the World”, Akron, Ohio pay off, as his Eagle Motorsports prepped cars continue to allow him to shine in front of a very receptive race crowd.  Dennewitz took over the race lead on lap two from Chris Brink, who offered a valiant challenge throughout the first seventeen circuits before spinning, forcing a single file race restart.  Brett Boyer found himself in second position, but could not mount a serious challenge against eventual race winner Dennewitz.  Finishing third through fifth in a very tight battle to the finish were Kyle Martel, Dave Campbell, and Dave Holder.  Heat race wins when to Joey Dennewitz and Chris Brink. 

 The Mens Enduro race was a two-car battle from start to finish between Brad McCoy and Gregory Lohr, as the two drivers exchanged the lead throughout the entire fifty-lap event.  With a total of 31 cars on the track, the traffic at times seemed to resemble Parkway rush hour, but the top two drivers avoided any contact, with Lohr winning the race by two car lengths.

 The Ladies Enduro race was won by Kimberly Rhoads, with Chantel Germek finishing second after serious contact with another competitor nearly forced her out of the race.   

Next week Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers will present the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge racing action, highlighted by the First Annual Tommy Gale Memorial 64-lap Pro Truck feature event plus Mens Enduros.  For more information on Jennerstown Speedway contact the speedway office at 814.629.6677 or log onto our website at www.jennerstown.com   Complete Race Results...