On a beautiful night for racing, Leader Drug Stores presented the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series action at Jennerstown Speedway, which featured twin features in the Wheeler Brothers Super Late Models and New Enterprise Stone and Lime Late Models.  So far this season both Tommy Beck and Mark Smith have seen their share of bad luck in super late model competition.  But on this night both drivers were able to put it all aside and the two drivers picked up their first wins of the season at the Laurel Highlands Oval.  Other winners included Mel Wilt and Todd Corson in the late models, Jason Holder (street stocks), Duane Noel (chargers), Patrick Parlock (hobby stocks), Kyle Martel (PA Legacy Series), and Mike Walker in the Super Minicup regional event.

            Mark Smith jumped out to a big lead in the first 50-lap super late model feature event.  While Smith pulled away, a good battle for second took shape with Snooky Williams, Tommy Beck, Richard Mitchell, and Kyle Martel all fighting for that runner-up spot.  Beck, who has been running very well the past couple weeks, would eventually take second place only to see a straightaway between himself and the leader.  As the laps wound down, Beck closed the gap and with under five laps to go caught Smith.  On the white flag lap, Beck made his move to the inside down the backstretch.  Contact going into turn three saw Smith slide up the track nearly spinning as Beck continued on to the stripe to take his first win of the season and first win ever in a super late model at Jennerstown.  Smith was able to regroup and hold on for second.  Martel, Mitchell and Garry Wiltrout completed the top five in the caution free event.

            The second feature had a familiar ring to it, as Smith took the lead from Mark Cottone on lap 2 and put distance between himself and the rest of the field once again.  Martel moved into second and set his sights on reeling in the leader.  A caution on lap 24 for Paul Urso, who spun in turn 2, bunched the field to the benefit of Martel.  On the restart Martel got the jump on Smith to take the lead, only to lose it one lap later as Smith would retake the lead.  John Houser spun on lap 35 right in front of the leaders causing a few tense moments, fortunately all got by safely.  Smith kept the lead on the restart and survived a late race restart to take home his first win of the season. Wiltrout made a late race charge to take second ahead of Beck, Barry Awtey and Mitchell.  Heat race wins went to Smith and Awtey.

            Jacob Coffin led the first lap of the first 25-lap late model feature only to be passed by Mel Wilt the next lap.  Wilt set out to a commanding lead over the rest of the field.  Rick Boyer has had the hot hand lately winning the last two feature events, made his way from the back of the field up to the second spot by lap 21 overtaking first Wade Champeno then Dusty Rhoads.  Boyer closed in on the leader and on the final lap, got beside Wilt in a tight battle to the finish.  At the line Wilt crossed in front of Boyer by mere inches much like Boyer’s win last week.  For Wilt it was his second win of the season.  Following Boyer were Rhoads, Champeno and Todd Corson in the top five.

            Corson took the lead on lap 2 of the second feature event and set out to a big lead.  Todd Price made his way into the second spot and started running down the leader.  Meanwhile Rhoads and Boyer were putting on a great show for the third spot as the two drivers battled side by side much of the second half of the race.  At the end of this caution free event, it would be Corson picking up a career first victory in only his second year of racing competition.  Price came home a close second with Rhoads edging out Boyer at the line for third.  Champeno rounded out the top five.  Boyer won the heat race.

            The PA Legacy Series 25-lap feature saw Chris Brink jump out to the early lead.  But a yellow for a spinning Dave Campbell quickly slowed the field on lap 2.  On the restart, Jayme Bolkovac got the jump and took off with the lead with Kyle Martel following right behind.  The two battled door to door with Martel finally able to pull ahead on lap 13.  Brink would also get passed Bolkovac and close in on Martel, but unable to make a challenge.  Martel went onto take home his fourth win of the season.  Brink came home second with P.J. Ehrlich in third.  Bolkovac faded to fourth with Brett Boyer rounding out the top five.  The heat race win went to Bolkovac.

            Stephen Mock looked like he was on his way to winning a career first in this his rookie season in the Somerset Furniture Sales Chargers, as the young driver took the lead at the start, holding off the challenges by Duane Noel.  The yellow flew on lap 8 for Scott Bowman’s blown engine; erasing the lead Mock had and gave Noel the chance he needed.  On the restart, Noel made the move passed Mock on the outside and went on unchallenged to win his fifth of the season.  Mock settled for second followed by Mike Stevens and Rick Phillips.  Bowman was credited with a fifth place finish.  Noel also won the heat race.

            Jason Holder took advantage of his outside front row starting spot, jumping out to the lead over Joe Nicola in the Day Ford Street Stock feature event.  Not allowing Holder to pull away were George T. Nicola and Josh Dunmyer, as the two followed right in Holder’s tracks.  Roger Onstead came on strong late in the race charging from his 12^th starting spot to fourth and closed in fast on the top three, making a four-car freight train for the lead.  But Holder, a multi-time winner in the chargers, was able to fend off any challenges in the caution free event to take his first street stock victory at Jennerstown in this his second season in the division.  George T. Nicola, Dunmyer, Onstead and Joe Nicola put together his best finish of the season to round out the top five.  Onstead and Dink Colarusso won the heat races.

            Deidre Petrie took the lead from Bill Karson on lap 2 of the Advance Auto Parts Hobby Stock feature event, which slowed on lap 4 for a crash involving Karson and Jeff Zillweger, who bounced hard off the turn 2 wall.  Both drivers were not injured.  On the restart Bob Enos took the lead from Petrie, who would regain the lead one lap later.  By this time Patrick Parlock had made his way from the back of the field to challenge the leaders, and on lap 8 passed Petrie for the lead.  Parlock would go unchallenged the rest of the way for his sixth win of the season.  Petrie, Greg Lohr, Jim Biss and Eugene Zerfoss completed the top five.  Karson won the heat race.

            Mike Walker took the lead on lap 9 to win the Super Minicup Series Regional event.  This was his second win of the season at Jennerstown, in a prelude to next week’s national event of the Scale Racing League to be held.

            With only a few more weeks left in the season, the point’s battles are all still up for grabs.  Next Saturday Whelen will present ‘Firefighter/EMS Night’ at Jennerstown Speedway.  In competition will be the Wheeler Brothers Super Late Models and New Enterprise Stone and Lime Late Models once again running twin feature events.  A regular program for the Day Ford Street Stocks, Somerset Furniture Sales Chargers, Advance Auto Parts Hobby Stocks, and PA Legacy Series along with the national event for the Super Minicup Series is also on the card.  The green flag will drop at 6:00.  For more information about the events remaining in the 2004 season, contact the track office at 814.629.6677 or visit www.jennerstown.com.