Marion Center Speedway was able to race Saturday night May 16 even though other area racetracks were rained out.  MCS was able to salute our race fans who serve in the Armed Forces for Armed Forces Day.  The full racing program included a special 15 lap feature for the Butler Auto Supplies Front Wheel Drive 4 & 6 Cylinders.  The night was to include Kid’s Bike Races, but they were rescheduled for Saturday May 30 due to the area’s weather conditions.  Here’s what happened Saturday night in the 49^TH season of racing at the Potts family owned and operated racetrack:

Doug Glessner went green to checkers to Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle Saturday night in the Lias Tire Super Late Model feature.  Starting on the pole, Glessner from Johnstown went into the lead and never looked back to win the 25 lap feature.  Had he looked back he would have seen Billy Eash from Johnstown closing in on him.  But Eash didn’t get past the speedy Glessner and took second.  Clate Copeman from Greensburg ran up front all night and placed third leaving Joe Petyak of Gallitzin a fourth place spot.  Dane Laraway of Harrison City was also in the top of the starting grid and finished fifth.  In the top ten were Andrew Gordon of DuBois sixth then the Sarver crew of Dan Swartzlander, Ken Schaltenbrand, and John Garvin followed by Wally Fox from Cooperstown to complete the top ten.  Rounding out the field in order were Levi Sikora, Sam Eichelberger, John Wayne Weaver, John Oaks, Jerry Redden with Dave Blazavich bringing up the rear with a DNF.  The Lias Super Late Model heat races were won by John Garvin and Billy Eash.

Charles Powell, Jr. is a name to watch for in the future of auto racing, especially if the young driver continues to drive like he did Saturday night at Marion Center Speedway in the R. D. Shaffer Well Services Steel Block Limited Late Model division.  Powell, from Brookville, started both his races in the front row, outside pole for the heat and pole position for the feature.  In both races he immediately took the lead and didn’t share it with anyone, leading the entire race-both times-start to finish.  Powell had challengers; Shaffer, Brocious and Reed were there but not close enough to take over the front spot occupied by Powell.  It looked like the veteran Cheyenne Reed would overtake Powell in the heat race but Powell kept Reed behind him to take that win.  Then in the twenty-lap feature, Tom Shaffer of Punxsutawney started beside Powell on the outside pole but he may as well have been on the South Pole as Powell took charge of the race like a pro.  Then Frank Brocious came up to try for the lead but once again there was no stopping Powell on his quest for victory.  At the checkered flag it was Charles Powell, Jr. going to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle to celebrate his first racing career feature win with Frank Brocious of Dayton finishing second, Tom Shaffer from Punxsutawney took third, Greg Beach of Chicora was fourth and Jeff Taylor from Corsica was fifth.  Rounding out the top ten and the field in order were Joe Kot, Sr., Mike Williams and Paul Ivory with Cheyenne Reed and Tom Jobe not finishing the race.

Andrew Satterlee is undefeated in the Huey Brothers, Inc. Crate Late Model Division.  Satterlee from Rochester Mills picked up his third victory in a row for this season setting up a good run for the rest of the year.  Satterlee started in the second row and seemed to be cautiously racing behind the leader Dave Blazavich who started on the pole.  Blazavich is new to the division but no stranger to racing or the track and he led the race for the first fifteen of twenty laps.  Then Satterlee made his move and took the lead from Blazavich to make another appearance in the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Blazavich from Marion Center finished second and Corey Neal of Trade City was third.  Fourth place went to Joe Martin from Ringgold and Wendell Pinckney of Albion was fifth.  Sixth place went to Mike Laughard, and then came David Lyon, Jeremy Adamik, Stephanie Ivory and Chris Frank who didn’t finish the feature race.  In the Huey Bros. Crate Late Model heat race, the winner was Corey Neal.

In the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock feature, Jeff Sweeney of Marion Center turned the tables on Ray Hickok, Jr. from Commodore.  Last week Hickok took first with Sweeney in second, this week Sweeney made the trip to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle and left Hickok in second place.  It all started with Matt Hugill of Mahaffey and Stan Riggle of Ford City in the front row then Tony Brown and Sweeney in the second row and Hickok and Rich Waltman in the third row.  Hugill led the first five laps of the twenty lap feature before Sweeney took over the lead.  Sweeney went on to lead the way to victory with Ray Hickok, Jr. close behind in second.  Gary Furman , Jr. from New Alexander was third and close behind him was Bill Phillips, Jr. of Blandburg and then Tony Brown of Reynoldsville.  Sixth place went to Stan Riggle and he was followed by Matt Hugill, Rich Waltman and Ray Reynolds.  Ray Hickok, Jr. won the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock heat race.

Nick Erskine from Mahaffey made it a three way tie for wins in the Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock division with his victory Saturday night; joining Chris Hickok and Nick Fulmer in the win column.  Erskine had swept his heat race and was on the pole for the special fifteen lap feature.  Erskine then proceeded to sweep the feature too, leading all laps to the double checkered flags flying for him.  Finishing in second place was Nick Fulmer from Marion Center who had to work his way up from starting sixth even though he too had won a heat race.  Fulmer worked hard to get to the front but when he got there Erskine had sown up the victory.  Third place went to Jim Hamilton from Coalport; Dalton Gustusson from Wheatville was fourth and Rich Waltman, Jr. of Coolspring took fifth.  Sixth place went to Gary Stitt and then came Dillon Smith, Kenny Haight, Duke Davidson and Jim Decker.  As mentioned earlier it was Erskine and Fulmer winning the heat races.

Another sweep took place in the Butler Auto Supplies Front Wheel Drive 4 & 6 Cylinder division.  John Campisano from Punxsutawney started on the outside pole of his feature and took the lead early over Robert Lydic from Commodore who had the pole position.  Campisano then went on to lead the way around the track and into the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Aaron Luzier from Olanta took second place in the growing division and Jack Mumau of East Run was third.  Fourth place went to Jim Fye of Reynoldsville and Milton Owens of Clearfield was fifth.  Sixth place went to Lydic and he was followed by Eric Luzier from Clearfield.  Dan Lawery from Central City wasn’t able to finish the feature and Tanner Lansberry of Marion Center developed problems in the heat race and didn’t compete in the feature.  The Butler Auto Supplies Front Wheel Drive 4 & 6 Cylinder heat race was also won by John Campisano.  We hope to see this exciting division of racing continue to build up throughout the season as it’s a great way to get started in racing or a lower budget way to fill your need for speed.

Next Saturday night Marion Center Speedway will hold its Memorial Day Special races on Saturday Night May 23.  The night is to include a “King of the Hill” race for the Lias Super Late Models and triple points for all divisions. The Marion Center Speedway Kid’s Club activities were suspended or postponed Saturday night due to impending weather conditions.  The Kid’s Club will be super active on May 23 with Alex Komlosky presenting the checkered flag to our first feature winner and Willow Wright will present the checkered flag to the second feature winner.  There are lots of activities planned for a fun time for the Kid’s Club members this season.  Kid’s can also plan ahead to participate in the Kid’s Bike Races which were postponed Saturday night so the first bike races will be Saturday, May 30.  There’s a whole lot more information and news relating to the upcoming season on the website:  marioncenterspeedway.net, or you can follow us on facebook, or catch up on twitter or the blog with what’s happening like the upcoming Independence Day Celebration at Marion Center Speedway this season with a Demolition Derby and Fireworks plus a flea market and car show!  Stay tuned in for more news on the Fourth of July activities at Marion center Speedway that start on Thursday July 2.  You can also make sure you don’t make that unnecessary drive up to the top of the hill if we’re rained out by downloading an app for your phone from “Rainedout.com” and receive up to the minute messages if the track should cancel for the night.  Plus there’s the new Race Day Hotline phone number 724-397-2108 to call on race days only for a recorded message of the status of the races for the day.

Thanks to our sponsors for the season which include those picking up division sponsorships like Lias Tire, Willow Farm Campground, W. G. Satterlee & Sons, and our newest additions R. D. Shaffer Well Services, Huey Bros, Inc., and Butler Auto Supplies.  Also thanks to Rich’s Garage at 724-388-6462 for all their help to get things going for the season and Integra Racing Shocks, Colonial Motor Mart and others. 

MCS is looking forward to the rest of the  2015 Racing Season, the 49th racing season at MCS under the continued direction the the Potts Family.  Hope to see you at "The Thrill On The Hill" Marion Center Speedway, “The Little Track With The BIG Attitude.”