“It’s always an exciting night to crown the divisional track champions,” said General Manager Larry Mattingly. “Everyone sweats and works all season long, but only one driver in each class will get the bragging rights for next year.”

Point races in two of the four classes will go right down to the wire. Meyersdale’s Mark Smith only leads second place Mark Poole by a 12-point margin (538-526) in the Courtesy Suzuki super late model class.

Smith, always a big winner at Jennerstown, only has accounted for one checkered flag this season, but has been the most consistent driver in the division, accounting for 12 top-10 finishes (10 in the top-five) in as many races.

Poole, who led the point chase during the first half of the season, has been playing catch-up after being involved in a devastating accident which sidelined his primary car.

Neither driver has ever won a championship title. Adding to the drama is the fact that the winner will pocket over $6,000 in combined NASCAR

Mark Smith

and track point fund money for winning the championship. Former track champion Barry Awtey is in the third position, but trails the front runners by 22-points.

The other divisional title up for grabs is in the competitive hobby stock class, where Greensburg’s John Steeley leads Acosta’s Eugene Zerfoss by only 10-points (610-600). Teenager Teddy Gibila rides in third, but is 26-points off the pace.

Dusty Rhoads of Jennerstown appears to be cruising to his second WJAC-TV late model title, as he currently has a 36-point lead over Mel Wilt and rookie Chris Brink.

Despite the fact that the Advance Auto Parts street stocks will be competing in double 20-lap features this Saturday due to last weeks rain-out, East McKeesport’s Adam Kostelnik all but has wrapped up the championship over Scott Bowman and Bill Ashton. With a 36-point lead Kostelnik would need to suffer a mechanical failure to lose the title.

Admission to the Championship event is $8.00 with kids, age 12 and under, admitted free.

Mark Poole