AWTEY AND SMITH SPLIT JENNERSTOWN FEATURES

JENNERSTOWN, PA (June 4, 2005) … Barry Awtey and Mark Smith became the first repeat winners in NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Wheeler Brothers super late model action at Jennerstown Speedway, as the duo split twin 30-lap feature contests Saturday evening.

Smith, who won on opening night at the half-mile paved Somerset County oval, out charged early pacesetter Mark Poole on a 19^th lap restart, and then pulled away from the pack to capture his second checkered flag of the year.

“The competition at Jennerstown is unbelievable,” said Smith. “Everyone was holding their line, and the other guys wanted to run on the bottom, so we decided to go to the top. The momentum coming off the top groove is just huge.”

Tommy Beck also worked his way past Poole to finish second, while Awtey and Garry Wiltrout rounded out the top-five.

Following a post-race inspection of his car, Smith’s win has been put on hold until a team of NASCAR officials determine the legality of several items found in his machine.

In the second 30-lap event Awtey, who hails from Jenners, passed Mark Cottone on the fifth lap and never looked back. Cottone, a former Jennerstown track champion, kept Awtey in his sights to finish a close second. Jayme Beck finished third ahead of Tim Bainey Jr. and Wiltrout.

“We never touched the set-up on the car between races,” said a happy Awtey from Victory Lane. “All we did was change carburetors. The one we had on in the first feature caused us to lose power. I was watching Mark (Cottone) close the gap on me, but I think we could have gone a little harder if we had to at the end.”

Dusty Rhoads celebrated his birthday in grand fashion by winning a thriller in the 25-lap late model contest. Rhoads battled Wade Champeno in a door to door battle for the entire distance. As the pair came out of Turn 4 headed for a photo finish, Champeno lost the handle on his mount and hit the front stretch wall. Dink Colarusso inherited second. Andrew Wylie was third, over Mel Wilt and Todd Corson.

Richard Nicola bested Jason Holder in the wild and wooly 20-lap Advanced Auto Parts street stock feature. Roger Onstead chased the pair across the line to finish third in front of Adam Kostelnik and Josh Dunmyer.

PJ Ehrlich ran away and hid from the field in the 20-lap PA legacy main event after taking command from Chris Brink on the ninth go round. Jayme Beck was a distant second, trailed by Lauren Butler Chris Brink and Dan Brink.

Greg Lohr pick up his second victory of the young season in the 15-lap Pizza Hut hobby stock finale. Lohr maneuvered past leader Dennis Roles on lap eight, and then held off Jeff Zillweger for the final four laps. Roles finished third, week two winner Deidre Petrie was fourth, while Eugene Zerfoss nailed down the fifth slot.

SUMMARY

Wheeler Brothers Super Late Models
Heats:  Dave Houpt, Mark Smith

Feature # 1: Smith, Tommy Beck, Mark Poole, Barry Awtey, Garry Wiltrout, Dave Houpt, Kyle Martel, Tim Bainey Jr., Jayme Beck, Snooky Williams, Paul Urso, Mark Cottone, Jeff Dunmyer, Chris Lester, Jason Lasky, Robert Delanoy, Bobby Henry, Todd Price, Todd Goble, Adam Kostelnik, Bryan Awtey

Feature # 2: Barry Awtey, Cottone, Jayme Beck, Bainey Jr., Wiltrout, Smith, Poole, Tommy Beck, Urso, Williams, Henry, Houpt, Dunmyer, Price, Lester, Delanoy, Lasky, Martel, Kostelnik, Bryan Awtey, Goble

Late Models
Heat: Andrew Wylie

Feature:  Dusty Rhoads, Dink Colarusso, Wylie, Mel Wilt, Todd Corson, Wade Champeno, Josh Butler

PA legacy
Heat:  Jayme Beck

Feature:  PJ Ehrlich, Beck, Loren Butler, Chris Brink, Dan Brink, Eric Kulikowski, Brad Grace, Ken Pearce, Dave Holder, Jack Causer

Advance Auto Parts Street Stocks
Heats:  Bobby Young, Josh Dunmyer

Feature: Richard Nicola, Jason Holder, Roger Onstead, Adam Kostelnik, Dunmyer, Greg Praysner, Tom Knight Sr., Scott Bowman, Young, Phil Grubbs, Steve Singo

Pizza Hut Hobby Stocks
Heats: Jeff Zillweger, Gregory Lohr

Feature:  Lohr, Zillweger, Dennis Roles, Deidre Petrie, Eugene Zerfoss, Teddy Gibala, Cindy Shaulis, Bill Karson, William Airgood, Steve Long, Clifford Zerfoss, Mark Kolarezyk, Jeff Grinch, Andres Suarez

Complete Race Results