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JEFF RUDALAVAGE WINS FIRECRACKER 44 AT PENN CAN FRIDAY
Susquehanna, PA…On a beautiful Fourth of July at Penn Can Speedway the fireworks were both on the track in the air as Jeff Rudalavage became the second repeat winner of the 2008 modified season winning the Firecracker 44 sponsored by Warner’s Gas Service. In the companion late model feature, Bud Phillips made a thrilling pass for the lead and came home with his first win of the year. Les Gillette got the monkey off his back after weeks of frustration and won the sportsman feature while Chris Strohl got back to victory lane in the super stocks in an emotional win. Rich Green made it three wins on the season as he kept his hot streak going winning the pure stock feature event.
Chris Weaver would lead the twenty six car modified field to the green flag. After a first lap caution, racing settled down with Weaver out front followed closely by the cars of Steve Babicek, Matt Latwinski, and Mike Lartz. A long green flag run allowed Weaver to move through lapped traffic. The caution flew at the halfway mark for a disabled car, bring the field back together with Weaver in control. On the restart, Jeff Rudalavage made his move getting his car into a contending spot behind Babicek in third position followed closely by Butch Tittle, Bobby Trapper, Latwinski, and Brett Tonkin.
With another caution coming out on lap twenty six, Weaver still had control with Rudalavage on his bumper. The two raced each other lap after lap with Weaver continuing to hold the top spot until Rudalavage final got a good run and made the pass for the front position on lap thirty one.
The final caution of the race came out on lap thirty nine for cars spinning in turn two. This set up a five lap dash to the flag. Rudalavage held his car out front for the final laps with Weaver having his best run of the season coming home a close second. Butch Title, Booby Trapper, and Dan Vauter followed across with Babicek, Kevin Bates, Brian Weaver, Billy Thornton, and Chad Cook rounding out the top ten.
The late model main event was again one that had the large crowd on its feet. Late model rookies Chris Hunsinger and Curt Tunilo lead the twenty one car late model field to the start with Tunilo getting the top spot. An early caution kept the cars tight with Tunilo showing the way followed by Chad Hollenbeck, Hunsinger, Bud Phillips, and Dan Stone. Tunilo built up a sizable lead until disaster struck with his car cutting the third turn too tightly getting the front end into the tire barrier bring out a lap eleven caution. Hollenbeck took over the lead followed by Stone, Phillips, and Randall Paxton all trying to get their cars to the front. With the action hot and heavy, Phillips made a daring moving going into turn one sweeping by both Stone and Hollenbeck to take over the top spot. The local favorite then held off Stone, Paxton, Tracy Gregory, and Hollenbeck to get the popular win.
In the sportsman division Les Gillette has struggled all season. After a great heat race win Gillette would start on the pole for the twenty lap feature. He put his car out front early and built up a commanding lead only to have the caution fly allowing the field to catch up to his mount. With Jeff Crambo, Grant Hilfiger, Joey Colsten, and Eric Griffin all battling, Gillette held off all challenges and got his first career Penn Can sportsman win.
The super stocks had a repeat winner as Chris Strohl got back to Victory Lane for the third time this season beating another great field of super stocks. Finishing second was Carl Heater, who pressured Strohl over the last few laps of the feature event. Rounding out the top five were Fred Christ, Tom Herman, and Jason Bartsch. An emotional Victory Lane followed as Strohl dedicated the win to Paul Strohl Sr, his uncle, who passed away last season on this date. The Strohl family awarded drivers with extra money in memory of Paul.
Rich Green continued his hot streak in the pure stocks as he was able to get to the front early and drive off for his third win of the season. The win was not an easy one as Rich’s brother Butch kept the pressure on all race long with Paul Carpenter and Steven Deinhardt coming on late to make it a four way battle for the win. Rich would win with Carpenter getting around Butch Green late in the race for third. Deinhardt was fourth followed by Rich Talada for fifth.
Penn Notes: The fans were treated to a huge fireworks display by Legion Fireworks of Whappinger Falls, New York. The 600 Modifieds make their first start of the season next Friday on Gary ’s U-Pull-It Night. The featured race of the evening will be a twenty five lap feature event for the late models. This class has been growing weekly with another new car making the track this week with pure stock standout Steven Deinhardt behind the wheel. In two weeks the monster trucks will be in action. Big Foot, Storm Damage, and Killer Bee will be at the speedway.
Warner’s Gas Service Modified Feature: Jeff Rudalavage, Chris Weaver, Butch Tittle, Bobby Trapper, Dan Vauter, Steve Babicek, Kevin Bates, Brian Weaver, Billy Thornton, Chad Cook, Mike Colsten, Dan Pompey, Mike Lartz, Al Rudalavage, Matt Latwinski, Bill Miller , Mike McCollum, Dave Jenkins, Darwin Greene, Brett Tonkin, Joey Grammes, Mike Nagel, Alex Tonkin, Garth Tonkin Jr, Ken Titus, Craig Terrell, DNQ, Chris Ostrowsky, Josh Pursell, Brent Wilcox, Terry Knobloc, Larry Lippincott, Jimmy Horton IV…Heats: J. Rudalavge, M. McCollum, B. Tonkin, A. Rudalavage. Consis: D. Greene, K. Titus, B.Main: A. Tonkin
Warner’s Gas Service Late Model Feature: Bud Phillips, Dan Stone, Randall Paxton, Tracy Gregory, Chad Hollenbeck, Chris Hunsinger, James Cornell, Adam McGeorge, Alan Kellogg, Tom Lainhart, Adam Diaz, Jim Cummings, Scott Adams, Eric Millon, Ernie Millon, Jeremy Randall, Dan Snyder, Curt Tunilo Jr, Jim Cummings, Dave Zona
Warner’s Gas Service Sportsman Feature: Les Gillette, Jeff Crambo, Joey Colsten, Grant Hilfiger, Eric Griffin, Tim Howell, Mike Nagel Jr, Dwayne Robbins, Rick Brown, Paul Strohl, Josh Ainey, Tom Witko, Nick Rochinski, Paul Rooney, Christine Martin, Casey Plummer, Bob Janesky, Stanley Wilkins, Nick Petrilak
Warner’s Gas Service Super Stock Feature: Chris Strohl, Carl Heater, Fred Christ, Tom Herman, Jason Bartsch, Pat Nolan, Frank Payne, Doug Polhamus, Jim Hewitt, John Lewis, Andrew Alia Jim Sykes, Neil Polladino, Bimmer Gulley, David Brown
Warner’s Gas Service Pure Stock Feature: Rich Green, Jon Carpenter, Butch Green, Steve Deinhardt, Rich Talada, Ray Lindquist, Steve Polhamus, Jim Thompson-Ortiz, Carl Shimer, Glen Robinson, Becky Davies, R.C. Henry, Harry Marvin III, Ryan Stone, Chris Shimer, Tom Garren
DNS, Josh Towner
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