by Mike Rininger

 

            The Allison National Legacy Series was on hand Saturday night at Jennerstown Speedway as the companion event to the USAR Hooters Procup Series.  Randleman, NC driver Mark Howard would take home the win, as the race would go only 28 of the 50 scheduled laps due to a 30-minute time limit.

            A stellar field of 29 cars from eight different states took to the track with Trevor Bayne and Mark Howard on the front row.  Trouble right at the start as nearly half of the field would be caught up in a chain reaction accident bringing out a red flag before the race even got started.  Suffering the heaviest damage were Zeke Shell, Dan Brink and Andrew Wylie.  Those three drivers along with Jimmy Smith were unable to continue.  Bayne was sent to the rear of the field for jumping the start.  Howard took the lead on the restart with P.J. Ehrlich settling in right behind Howard in the runner up spot.  The caution flew on lap 5 when Ormond Beach, FL driver Darren Brown spun while running fourth and collection series points leader Derek Lee in the process.  Both were able to restart at the tail of the field.  Howard kept the lead after the restart with Ehrlich still close behind.  By lap 18, Chris Brink and Kyle Martel would run down the two leaders making it a four-car battle for the lead as they approached heavy lapped traffic.  After some daring moves through traffic, Howard was able to extend his lead just slightly over Ehrlich as Martel moved into third over Brink.  Howard led every lap of the shortened race despite constant pressure from Ehrlich, who was just unable to make his move around the leader.  At the checkered flag it would be Howard, Ehrlich, Martel, Brink, and Jordan Napier in the top five.

            This concludes racing for the 2004 season at Jennerstown Speedway.  The only thing left to do is hand out the hardware.  The Jennerstown Speedway Annual Awards Banquet will be held Saturday, October 16 at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort.  For ticket information contact the speedway office at 814-629-6677 or watch www.jennerstown.com for details.