by Mike Rininger

Jennerstown Speedway (May 22, 2004) - Beautiful weather graced Jennerstown Speedway for the opening of the 2004 season that produced a night of firsts.  It was their first night of action on the new asphalt surface after being rained out last week saw five drivers pick up career first wins in their respective divisions.  Picking up the first checkered flags of the 2004 season were Mark Poole (Super Late Model), Dusty Rhoads (Late Model), Adam Kostelnik (Street Stock), Scott Bowman (Chargers), Dave Campbell (PA Legacy Cars), and Jeff Zillweger (Hobby Stock).

The Wheeler Brothers Super Late Models took to the track for the first feature event of the night with defending track champion Barry Awtey and Garry Wiltrout leading the field to the green flag.  Awtey would set the pace for the first eight laps before Wiltrout made the pass and took over the top spot.  Contact on lap 24between Awtey and third place running Jason Lasky, a rookie in the division after running in the former Pro Truck division, resulted in a five car crash involving Awtey, Lasky, Neil Brown, Tommy Beck, and Cary Todaro.  All were able to continue after making repairs.  Wiltrout continued to set the pace after the restart but now had a hard charging Bobby Henry to deal with.  The two got together coming out of turn four on lap 42 of the 50-lap event sending both cars to the rear of the field, giving the lead to Mark Poole.  Poole started in the fifteenth position and held on after the restart to take his career first win in six years of competition in the super late models, and his first win since 1997 when running in the PA Legacy Series.  Mark Cottone finished a strong second with Jeff Dunmyer, back on track after a couple years off, coming home in third.  Mark Smith and rookie Kyle Martel completed the top five.  Wiltrout and Awtey took the heat races.  A hard crash during practice earlier in the evening eliminated the cars of Jayme Bolkovac, John Houser and Paul Urso from competition.  Both Derek Wink and Brian Curry also suffered damage but were able to compete.

            Jayme Bolkovac took the lead at the start of the 25-lap Legacy Car feature, but a spinning Dave Holder slowed the field on lap 2.  Bolkovac continued to set the pace following the restart but would face a challenge from P.J. Ehrlich.  The two made contact with five laps remaining to bring out the yellow, handing the lead over to Brett Boyer.  Dave Campbell passed Boyer on the restart and pulled away for his career first win.  Boyer held onto second followed by Chris Brink, Andrew Wylie and Dan Brink in the top five.  Campbell and Ehrlich won the heat races.

            Rick Phillips and Jim Stokes led the Somerset Furniture Sales Chargers to the green flag with Phillips holding the lead for the first seven laps.  A caution on lap seven for a spinning Duane Noel bunched the field, which was just what Scott Bowman needed.  Bowman took the lead on the restart and was never contested as he pulled away for his career first victory.  Rookie Daniel Angelicchio came home in second followed by Michael Stevens, Jim Stokes and rookie Steve Mock in the top five.  Phillips took the heat win.

            Dusty Rhoads and Todd Price led the New Enterprise Late Models to the green in their inaugural 25-lap feature event.  A three car battle for the lead with Rhoads, Price and Rick Boyer intensified after a couple of early caution periods for minor spins by Todd Corson. Rhoads was able to fend off the challenges to take his first ever win in a late model.  Boyer took second away from Price late in the race with Mel Wilt and Wade Champeno rounding out the top five.  Boyer won the heat race.

The Day Ford of Monroeville Street Stocks were next with Josh Dunmyer jumping out to the early lead in the 20-lap event.  A caution at the halfway point involving defending track champion Dink Colarusso and Jeff Petrini erased Dunmyer’s healthy lead.  Roger Onstead put the pressure on Dunmyer following the restart and battled hard but both went spinning in turn three giving the lead to Adam Kostelnik.  Kostelnik was able to pull away after the restart to take the win.  Petrini and Colarusso came back to finish second and third respectively with Jim Nicola and Onstead completing the top five.  Kostelnik and Colarusso took heat race wins.

The final event of the night was the Advanced Auto Parts Hobby Stock 15-lap feature event.  Patrick Parlock led the first three laps before Greg Lohr made the pass and pull away for the win.  However following post race inspection, both Lohr and Parlock, who finished second, were both disqualified and placed in the final two spots of the finishing order.  The win was then credited to Jeff Zillweger, his career first victory.  Jim Biss, Eugene Zerfoss, William Carson and Guy Miller were credited with top five finishes.  Lohr won the heat race.

            Next Saturday, May 29 Murray’s Freightliner/Sterling/Western Star present the USAR Hooters Procup Northern Division for the Lucas Oil 250.  Also on the card will be a 50-lap feature for the Allison National Legacy Series.  In two weeks Somerset Furniture Sales will present a regular five division program of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series along with the PA Legacy cars.   For more information contact the track office at (814)629-6677 or log onto the track website at www.jennerstown.com.