(May 20, 2017, Jennerstown, PA) The 2017 racing season at the Jennerstown Speedway Complex began on Saturday night May 20, with a huge crowd in attendance, and a “Salute to the Armed Forces of America.” The defending Champion of the Martella’s Pharmacy Late Models, Barry Awtey, swept the evening by winning his preliminary heat race, and driving to a convincing victory in the feature event. Other winners were Tom Golik (Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds), Aaron Van Fleet (J&J Truck Equipment Street Stocks), Steve Long (Farmers Union Co-op Chargers), and Andrew Pluta (Somerset Trust Fast ‘n Furious 4-Cylinders.)
The Martella’s Pharmacy Late Model division kicked off 2017 with a pair of heat races, won by Barry Awtey and Jeremiah Kuntz. For the 30-lap feature event, former Champion Matt Sever started on the pole position, alongside former Street Stock Champ Teddy Gibala. Sever grabbed the lead when the green flag waved, as Mike Hemminger and Gibala battled for second place. Hemminger, making his first start in more than a decade, soon surrendered his spot to Awtey. Awtey started the race in seventh position, and took second place from Gibala early in the race. By lap eight, Awtey had passed all six cars that launched in front of him, when he moved around Sever for the lead. Awtey put on a driving clinic, running far away from all competitors to secure the first win of the year. Awtey, of nearby Jenners, PA, is not only the defending Champion, but he is the only active driver to win Championship Titles at all three asphalt speedways in the region; Motordrome, Clearfield (both now closed), and Jennerstown. Awtey’s Wheeler Show Cattle/Stoystown Auto Wreckers/Total Mobility sponsored Chevrolet was more than a straightaway ahead when the checkered flag waved. At the finish line the top five places were held by Awtey, Sever, Bryan Shipp, and Hemminger.
The most veteran driver in the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified field stole the win, with late-race drama that had fans cheering at the finish. Tom Golik was a successful racer in the dirt track era of Jennerstown Speedway, before taking a 20-year hiatus from racing. Since his return to the cockpit, Golik has evolved from competitor, to contender, to winner. Golik started in third position, but grabbed the lead on lap one, after a scary crash by former winner Matt Smith. Smith was not seriously injured, but a restart for the 20-lap event was needed following the cleanup of his badly damaged car. Golik led until lap 13, when sixth-place starter Chris Brink took the top spot from Golik. Brink, the leading winner of 2016, opened up a healthy advantage in first place, but a late-race caution flag incident changed the outcome. Golik dramatically overtook Brink for the lead, with only two laps to go, after the restart, and outran Brink to the finish line to earn his third-career victory in Modified division racing. Brink crossed the line in second place, with Pete Rech, defending Champ Zane Ferrell, and Gary Scott completing the top five positions. Smith and Brink were the heat race winners.
Popular veterans Anthony Aiello and Lauren Butler won the heat races for the J&J Truck Equipment Street Stocks. But in the 20-lap feature event, one of the youngest drivers in the field, dominated the more experienced drivers, earning a first-career victory. Aaron Van Fleet, of Scottdale, PA, advanced from 4-Cylinder racing into the Street Stocks last season, and led every lap of the opening night event of 2017, taking his first checkered flag in the division. A multi-car battle for positions two through five created excitement, but Van Fleet stayed well ahead of the pack. At the conclusion, Aiello, newcomer Josh Coughenour, Butler, and Mel Wilt were the top five finishers.
The Farmers Union Co-op Chargers 15-lap feature had fans on their feet and screaming, as the leaders of the event tangled in final turn, heading for the checkered flag. Jason Pritts and Dale Kimberly had a race-long duel, with Pritts officially leading 14 laps. After a few circutis of side-by-side racing, the pair made door contact, and both spun to the inside of the track, causing a caution flag. Steve Long inherited the lead for a two-lap dash to the finish, extending the race by a lap, as dictated by rule, when the yellow flag is displayed on the final lap. As the white flag was about to be displayed for a second time, Frank Novak made bumper contact with the leader, and Long made a masterful “save,” sliding sideways and maintaining control to preserve his lead. Veteran Long earned yet another Charger victory, over Novak, Steve Settle, Kimberly, and young Justin Frampton. Long also won the heat race.
Brent Bickerstaff opened up a big lead interval over fellow competitors in the Somerset Trust Fast ‘n Furious 4-Cylinders, after starting on the pole. But, after starting in ninth place on the grid, Andrew Pluta passed Bickerstaff, in heavy lapped traffic, to steal the lead on lap eleven. Weaving through more lapped cars, Pluta drove to victory in the 15-lap feature over Bickerstaff, seventh place starter Cindy Rhodes, defending Champ Paul Koffler, III, and R.J. Dallape. Bickerstaff, Koffler, and Evan Nibert were the heat race winners.