MARION CENTER SPEEDWAY – JUNE 7, 2014

There was lots of fun and excitement at Marion Center Speedway Saturday night from the ‘meet and greet’ the drivers with kids of all ages, to the double features for the Lias Tire Super Latemodels.  The meet and greet was a Kid’s Club activity that was opened up to everyone.  Racer’s for Tots was on hand also raising funds to make children’s Christmases happier by providing gifts for those in need.  Racer’s for Tots sells raffle tickets where the winner gets a new Rocket Late Model minus the power plant of course. All this plus the excitement on the track:  

In the first of two Lias Tire Super Late Model features, the make up race from rained out May 17; Doug Glessner of Johnstown was the dominant force on the quarter-mile dirt track.  Glessner started on the pole and led every lap to gain entry to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Glessner was chased down by Duane Stiner who started 23^RD in a 24 car field and caught up to Glessner using cautions and restarts to move through the pack.  Stiner of Houtzdale made it into second place early in the race but Glessner kept him at bay to secure his victory.  Here’s how they finished:  Glessner, Stiner, Clate Copeman from Greensburg, Billy Eash of Johnstown, John Garvin from Sarver, Dan Lee, Bob Sheesley, Herman Bertolini, Shawn Claar and Wally Fox for the top ten.  Then came Rod Phillips, Mike Blose, Ken Schaltenbrand, Chad Helman, Andrew Gordon, Dan Boyd, Josh Jacoby, Jim Boyer, Bill Burns, Jim Struble, Chris Clark (Jerry Redden), Mathew Gresock, Joe Zulisky, and Dave Blazavich. 

In the second Lias Tire Late Model feature it was a completely different race but with similarities.  Shawn Claar from Imler started on the outside pole with Bill Burns on the pole from the results of their heat races.  Claar took the lead from the start and held that position all the way to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Despite the efforts of the other drivers and cautions, Claar was able to hold the lead over Mike Blose whose second row starting position gave him lots of time to find away around Claar but Claar wasn’t letting anyone pass him.  Blose from New Bethlehem was second with Andrew Gordon from DuBois in a close third and Clate Copeman of Greensburg in fourth.  Herman Bertolini from Creighton was fifth and followed by previous winner Doug Glessner.  Next came Billy Eash, Dave Blazavich, Ken Schaltenbrand, and Bill Burns for the top ten.  The order for the rest of the finishers was Dan Boyd, Wally Fox, Chad Helman, Duane Stiner, Joe Zulisky, Josh Jacoby, Jim Struble, Mathew Presock, Bob Sheesley, Rod Phillips and Jim Boyer.  Completing the field but not running in the feature were John Garvin, Chris Clark (Redden) and Dan Lee.  The Lias Tire Super Late Model heat races for the evening were won by Bill Burns, Shawn Claar and Dan Boyd.

The Force Inc. Steel Block Limited Latemodel feature appeared to be another win for Cheyenne Reed of Punxsutawney which would have been his third this season.  But, Joe Petyak from Gallitzin was the spoiler for Reed.  Petyak was running cautiously back from the front of the pack but well within striking distance of the lead.  With five laps to go, Petyak was on the move passing Levi Sikora and Gale Huey on his way to the front from running fourth.  Then in the seventeenth of the twenty lap feature, Petyak made his move to overtake Cheyenne Reed after dodging to the inside and the outside Petyak finally got Reed off guard and took over the lead with two laps to go.  Reed didn’t have time to recover from Petyak’s take over and took home second place to Petyak gathering up the checkers.  Gale Huey from Glen Campbell was third, Levi Sikora from Punxsutawney took fourth and Mike Williams of Rossiter was fifth.  The rest of the top ten filed in with Frank Brocious, Todd Sallack, Sam Gindlesperger, Josh Jacoby and Tom Shaffer.  The Force Inc. Steel Block Limited Latemodel heat races went to Tom Shaffer and Joe Petyak. 

The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Crate Late Model feature was controlled by Andrew Satterlee of Rochester Mills.  Satterlee started the feature on the pole after finishing second in his heat.  No one could touch Satterlee as lap after lap he put space between himself and the rest of the field.  The next car across the finish line was Rich Logan, Jr. of Latrobe and followed closely by Josh Valenti and then Joey Valenti both are from Clymer.  Corey Neal of Trade City was fifth and then came Dennis Bothell with Patrick Waugh unable to finish the feature.  The Hoosier Tire Mid- Atlantic Crate Latemodel heat was won by Corey Neal. 

Ray Hickok, Jr. from Commodore won the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock feature by holding off the dominant force of Nate Smith.  Everyone had to be wondering when Smith who has been crushing the competition in past races

was going to make his move to overtake Hickok.  But Saturday night was Hickok’s night to shine as he maintained the lead from pole position start to checkered flag finish. Even a mid race caution didn’t keep Hickok from relinquishing the lead to Smith from Glen Campbell as Hickok pushed ahead  on the restart to go on to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Nate Smith did finish in a close second and Matt Hugill of Mahaffey was third.  Rich Waltman of Coolspring was fourth and Tim Bish of Ringgold made his 2014 debut in fifth place.  Eric Lingenfelter was sixth and followed by Andy Burns, Gary Furman, Jr., Matt Krause and Luke Barnett for the top ten.  The W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock heat races went to Tim Bish and Nate Smith.

It looked like Nick Fulmer from Marion Center was on his way to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle until after ten of the fifteen laps for the Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock feature were completed then Fulmer’s car malfunctioned and two laps later just three away from the finish line Fulmer was out of the race.  Fulmer’s demise was the break that Zack Myers needed to secure the victory trip to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Myers had started in the second row and was in pursuit of Fulmer the entire race.  Fulmer was maintaining the lead well when problems occurred and left Myers into the lead.  Myers was able to hold off Chris Hickok from Commodore to keep the lead and the win.  Hickok had moved up from starting thirteenth to take home second place.  Third place went to David Beahr of Windber and Kylie Hamilton of Coalport was fourth and Gary Stitt from Deckers Point took fifth.  Rounding out the top ten in order were Ben Krause, Jim Hamilton, Dillon Smith, Rich Waltman, Jr., and Derek Buterbaugh.  The Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock heat races were won by Jim Hamilton and David Beahr.

Next Saturday at Marion Center Speedway will be the make up feature for the Force Inc. Steel Block Limited Latemodels as part of the Father’s Day tribute to Dads.  Dads should also bring their kids with them to participate in the Kids’ Bike Races at intermission.  Kids must bring their bikes and helmets to compete in the bicycle races.  In other Kid’s Club activities a lucky Kid’s Club member will be randomly chosen to present the checkered flag to a feature winner and have a private photo session with the driver on the track.  Be sure to check out the website, marioncenterspeedway.net for more Kid’s Club activities and other racing news-results, photos, point standings and schedule information such as the Crate Late Model’s make up race from May 17 will be on the 21^ST of June.  If Marion Center Speedway should need to cancel a race night you can get that information from listening to Froggy 95 radio (95.5 FM) or check our website, follow us on facebook or twitter or use the Race Day Hotline phone number 724-397-2108 for race day only information.  And now you can go to RainedOut.com and by following the instructions online you can register to receive text messages or e-mails regarding the status of racing at Marion Center Speedway.  For instance, if we should happen to need to cancel Saturday’s race for rain a text or e-mail would tell you if we were racing Sunday or not until next week.  Just go to RainedOut.com for the easy to follow instructions.   Rich’s Garage is now open for business featuring oil changes, mechanical work, welding and painting.  Rich’s Garage is located near the speedway right there on the grounds, so give him a call to schedule an appointment at 724-388-6462.  Also Thanks to our sponsors this season including Lias Tire and Auto Service, Force Inc. of Indiana, Hoosier Tire-Mid Atlantic, W. G. Satterlee & Sons and Willow Farm Campground in addition to Butler Auto Supplies, Mike’s Towing of Clymer, Delaney Hyundai, Tri-Star Motors of Indiana, Colonial Motor Mart, Integra Racing Shocks and Froggy 95.  See you next Saturday Night at Marion Center Speedway-“The Thrill on the Hill.”