BROWN CLAIMS JENNERSTOWN SPEEDWAY CHAMPIONSHIP WITH WIN 

Jennerstown, PA (September 14, 2002) – Neil Brown captured his second consecutive Jennerstown Speedway Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model Championship in convincing style.  His victory in the final turn, of the 93-lap Flight 93 Memorial race brought the crowd to its feet.  Other winners during Car Quest Night at the races were Todd Price in the Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers Pro Trucks, Richard Nicola in the Cenwest Street Stocks, and Bobby Shipp in the 96.5 Mountain Chargers.  Mark Howard won the Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Series feature, while Scott Ahlborn won the Mens Enduro race.   

Barry Awtey used a front row starting position to take the early advantage in the Inaugural Flight 93 Memorial race in the Wheeler Bros./AC Delco Late Model division.  Awtey went on to hold the top spot until lap 34 when Mark Smith took over the top spot after following Awtey from lap 17.  Mark Cottone made his way up to second position on lap 37 and the two drivers put on a spectacular display of driving ability until lap 90.  That’s when the two cars made contact, sending Smith spinning and eventually to the back of the pack.  Cottone assumed the race lead, but could not hold off the charge of eventual 2002 Jennerstown Speedway Champion Neil Brown, as the Acme, PA native made his race winning pass out of turn four on the final lap.  Cottone finished a close, but disappointing second, with Bobby Henry, Gary Wiltrout and Doug “Okie Dokie” Bacchiochi rounded out the top five.  Rick Miller won the R & M Trucking Fast Time Award.   

Alum Bank, PA native Todd Price took the lead in the Tommy Gale/Haulmark Trailers Pro Truck divisional feature on lap six and never looked back, en route to yet another feature win.  Aaron Will chased Price around the Laurel Highlands Oval but in the end had to settle for second.  Marion Reno, Jr. claimed third position winning the Points Championship by a mere two points over race winner Todd Price.  Finishing fourth and fifth were Jason Lasky and Josh Coughenour respectively.  The heat race win went to Josh Coughenour.   

Rich Nicola led wire to wire in the final Cenwest Street Stock feature race of the season. But it was a different Nicola, George, Jr., who eventually finished second and claimed the championship.  The closest race on the track was for second and third, as George Nicola, Jr., Tracy “Dink” Colarusso and Adam Kostelnik were only able to challenge each other to the finish line.  The battle was close but Colarusso beat out Kostelnik for third, with Bill Ashton rounding out the top five.  Heat race wins went to George Nicola, Jr. and Rich Nicola.   

Bobby Shipp scored his first Jennerstown Speedway feature win in the 96.5 Mountain Chargers as he held off perennial feature race winner Curtis Stewart, Jr. over the second half of the race.  Shipp made a bold move at the start of the race, to go from sixth place into the lead after only two laps.  Once there he had to fend off the challenge of Travis Smith until lap eight, when Stewart got by to take over the challenge.  The two cars stayed glued together all the way to the finish line, but Shipp was not to be denied as he held on to the checkers.  Points Champion Curtis Stewart, Jr. finished a close second to cement his 2002 Championship season, while Justin Lasky finished third, Greg Praysner and Chuck Slate closed out the top five.  The heat race win went to Curtis Stewart, Jr.   

Mark Howard of Randleman, NC made the long trip to Jennerstown, PA worthwhile as he claimed the Cover Insurance Agency/PA Legacy Series feature win.  Howard took the lead from Brett Boyer on lap three, but only held the top spot for two circuits.  That’s when P.J. Ehrlich came along to take over the lead, which he held for the next 11 laps, before Points Champion Joey Dennewitz came through the field, managing to lead his only lap of the race.  Ehrlich and Dennewitz came together while running first and second, forcing Dennewitz to remove himself from any further competition.  At the checkered flag it was Howard taking the win by a car length over Ehrlich, who rebounded after being sent to the back of the pack.  Third through fifth went to Chris Brink, Dave Campbell and Brad Grace.  The heat race win went to Joey Dennewitz.   

Scott Ahlborn won his first Mens Enduro race of the season, after switching to a different car from his regular entry.  Rick Smith rebounded from last weeks’ premature exit while leading to finish second.   

The next and final event on the Jennerstown Speedway schedule is the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series “Charlie Campbell Memorial 250.”  The fifth and final Naturally Fresh Late Model Challenge Series race, the “Honey Mustard Dressings 50” will also be part of the program, which will include the ever-popular Spectator $500 and the R&M Trucking Fast Time Award.  For more information call the track office at 814.629.6677 or log onto www.jennerstown.com. 

Complete Race Results...