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Marion Center Speedway held the Butler Auto Supplies Season Championships Saturday night for all five divisions, and it was also the last night for points this season so the point value for the races was tripled. This will undoubtedly make some changes in the final point standings, anything can happen. Check out marioncenterspeedway.net for the point standings. Here’s what happened on the track Saturday night:

The only driver to make a repeat appearance in the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle for the Lias Tire Super Late Models this season became the Butler Auto Supplies Season Champion of the division-Doug Glessner. Glessner, from Johnstown started on the pole of the twenty-five lap feature with Joe Zulisky of Derry on the outside pole. Zulisky took the early lead but by the fifth lap Glessner made a pass for the lead and stayed in the front position ‘til the checkered flag flew above him crossing the finish line first just ahead of Ken Schaltenbrand. Schaltenbrand had been working his way to the front to challenge for the lead and was delayed in his efforts by Mike Blose of New Bethlehem who didn’t want to concede second place to Schaltenbrand from Sarver. Once Schaltenbrand got around Blose he could concentrate on catching Glessner. But Glessner was not to be overtaken Saturday night and went home a champion. Ken Schaltenbrand took second place and Mike Blose was third. Point’s leader coming into the races Saturday night, Billy Eash from Johnstown was fourth and Wally Fox from Cooperstown took fifth. Dane Laraway of Harrison City was next across the finish line in sixth place and was followed by John Garvin, Dan Lee, Dave Blazavich and Herman Bertolini for the top ten Lias Tire Super Late Models. The rest of the field finished in the order of Jerry Redden, Tom Decker, Jr., John Myers, Bill Burns, Joe Zulisky, John Oaks, Rod Phillips and Shawn Claar. In the preliminary heat races the winners were Doug Glessner and Mike Blose.

Joe Petyak of Gallitzin was not going to be denied the Butler Auto Supplies Season Championship in the Force Inc. Steel Block Limited Late Model Division. Petyak started on the outside pole with Sam Gindlesperger from Johnstown on the pole. Petyak took the lead at the first green flag and stayed in the front spot throughout the twenty-lap feature to make the trip to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle and receive his season championship trophy from Bob Bacha from Butler Auto Supplies. Gindlesperger fought hard to stay in the front of the pack but problems took him out of the feature before the halfway mark. Petyak was in second place with a twenty point deficit coming into the night’s races behind Cheyenne Reed. Reed from Punxsutawney started fifth in the feature and was third at the finish with George Dixon, Jr. from Huntington splitting Reed and Petyak at the conclusion of the race, so the points are still going to be very close for the final outcome. Joe Petyak is Butler Auto Supplies Season Champion of the Force Inc. Steel Block Limited Late Models with George Dixon, Jr. in second and Cheyenne Reed in third place. Fourth place went to Rod Phillips diving the Gale Huey car and Jeff Weakland from Hastings was fifth. The top ten finishers included Scott Stein, Tim Laughard, Bryan Benton, Frank Brocious and Tom Shaffer. The Force Inc. Steel Block Late Model heat races were won by George Dixon, Jr. and Cheyenne Reed.

Marion Center Speedway had more Crate Cars on the track Saturday night than it did all season and one of the newbies seized the Butler Auto Supplies Season Championship of the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Crate Late Model division. Ralph Morgan, Jr. form Mount Union started in the second row behind the pole position starter Jeremy Shaffer and took the lead at the start of the twenty-lap feature. Morgan never let up or relinquished the lead as the point leaders of the division filed in behind him around the track. Even a major pile up on the front stretch at the beginning of the feature didn’t deter Morgan as he was able to keep the lead for every lap for the trip to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle and receive his Butler Auto Supplies Season Championship trophy. Corey Neal of Trade City went from fifth at the start to second place behind Morgan and Jeremy Shaffer from Derry was third. Fourth place went to Point Leader, Mike Laughard of Twin Rocks and Gary Stahl driving the Patrick Waugh car was fifth. Joe Martin finished sixth with Ron Smithley in seventh, then Joe Moyer, Collin Casale and John Mazey. Rich Logan, Jeremy Buck and Andrew Satterlee were unable to finish the feature after the incident in the early stages of the race. The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Crate Late Model heat races went to Corey Neal and Joe Moyer.

More drama occurred in the Butler Auto Supplies Season Championship of the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stocks Saturday night, a division plagued with controversy this season. Points Leader, Luke Barnett of Mahaffey started on the pole but Andy Burns from Johnstown took the lead at the start from the outside pole. Burns led only one lap before Barnett regained control of the race and never left up on the gas to propel him first across the finish line. Then track officials announced a surprise inspection of the division’s first five finishers. At the tech inspection held inside the track, it was determined that Barnett’s car was too short in the wheel base and was DQ’d for the feature. Second place finisher Gary Furman, Jr. of New Alexandria was declared the Butler Auto Supplies Season Champion of the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock Division. Andy Burns took second place and Eric Lingenfelter of Creekside was third. Fourth place went to Jeff Sweeney and Brian Rhed of Brockway was fifth. Filling the top ten W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stocks were John McCann, Matt Krause, Scott Winslow, Bob Roseman and Brett Bingaman. The W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock heats went to Luke Barnett and Brett Bingaman.

The Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock Division’s feature for the Butler Auto Supplies Season Championship had somewhat of a surprise ending. After picking up his first win of the season just last week, Jim Hamilton from Coalport pulled off back-to-back victories to get his Butler Auto Supplies Season Championship trophy in the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle. Hamilton took the lead away from Chris Hickok of Commodore who started on the outside pole and jumped into the early lead. After keeping the front spot for the first three laps, Hickok gave up the lead to Hamilton and later left the feature. Hamilton kept the lead once in the front position and was able to stay ahead of point leader, and winningest driver of the season, Nick Fulmer of Marion Center. Fulmer had started in the second row and was running in the front of the pack just not in his usual lead position and never overtook Hamilton to settle for second place. Rich Waltman, Jr. from Coolspring was third and Ryan Caldwell of Marion Center was fourth. Fifth place went to Nick Erskine of Mahaffey and the rest of the top ten included Jon Lee, Kyle Smith, Jr., Derek Buterbaugh, Dean Haight and Kenny Haight. The Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock heats were won by Chris Hickok and Brett Bingaman.

Next Saturday night Marion Center Speedway will close out the season by handing out the point funds and awards to all divisions for this past season and is requiring all drivers to be present to receive their winnings. Please make every effort to be there especially if you are a top point driver of a division. In addition to the ceremonial part of the evening, it will be a fun “Run Whatcha Brung” night. If the event cannot be held on August 30 the “raindate” will be September 13. Let’s wrap up the season on a good note and get ready to enjoy a fun evening.

Marion Center Speedway is currently making plans to have a “Front Wheel Drive, V-6, pure stock car” division next season. The idea is to provide a division for low budget racing, cars without modifications from the factory, no turbos, nothing but nearly street legal cars without the glass attached and roll bars added. MCS staff is currently working on rules/spec sheets for the division so keep an eye on the website for more information to come. Anyone can keep up to date with what’s happening and the point’s standings via the internet and our website: marioncenterspeedway.net, or Facebook and our blog. You can also get race day information on Saturdays by calling the Speedway Race Day Hotline at 724-397-2108, or now go online to RainedOut.com and follow the easy instructions to get race day text or e- mail messages sent to you directly. Also stayed tuned to Froggy 95 for Speedway information and a chance to win free admission tickets. That’s 95.5 on the FM dial for Froggy 95.

The Marion Center Speedway Kid’s Club members thanked drivers Billy Eash, Herman Bertolini and Mike Blose for coming to their end of season party held recently with their cars so the kids could look at the cars up close and get some face time with the drivers. The Kid’s Club members all signed a card that will have a picture of the Kid’s Club members and the drivers in it. Special thanks to the drivers, fans and staff for their continued support of the Potts family operating Marion Center Speedway for the past 48 years. Thanks to our sponsors which include AmsOil, Butler Auto Supplies of Indiana, Colonial Motor Mart, Delaney Hyundai, Force Inc., Froggy 95, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Integra Racing Shocks, Lias Tire and Auto Service, Mike’s Towing from Clymer, Tri-Star Motors of Indiana, W. G. Satterlee & Sons and Willow Farm Campground. Race Fans, Rich’s Garage is now open to serve the community with oil changes, mechanical work, welding, painting and more. If you need help with your vehicle call Rich’s Garage at 724-388-6462. Rich’s garage is conveniently located adjacent to Marion Center Speedway on Potts Road. See you next Saturday for the Season’s Points Awards Presentations and “Run Whatcha Brung” Races at Marion Center Speedway which will be the final night for all divisions. And remember no racing September 6, but September 13 is the raindate for the final events. Marion Center Speedway, “The Little Track with the Big Attitude,” “The Thrill on the Hill.”