Monkeys Gone;  Bradich & Robison "Back on Track" in PPMS Late Models and Pure Stocks

IMPERIAL, PA (Sept. 4) – Lady Luck made a stop at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway Saturday night and guided Lou Bradich of Chester WV straight to the Late Model Winner’s Circle for his third victory of the season and 20^th PPMS win.  In addition, she graciously handed a lucky charm to Kennedy Township’s Jon Hodgkiss, who emerged victorious in the Limited Late Models, and Harmony’s Shawn Domhoff, who also benefited in the E-Modifieds.  S. Beaver Township’s Darryl Robison especially appreciated her visit when he finally got the monkey off his back and picked up the  Pure Stock win.  Adam Chytil of Carnegie said “thank you” for the good starting spot that helped him claim the Amateur Stock winner’s trophy, and David Hamilton of Finleyville prevailed in the Demolition Derby that capped off the evening’s Labor Day holiday weekend race program.

Lou Bradich has been fast and always in the hunt since his last trip to victory lane on June 19.  Since then, almost unbelievable bad racing luck would occur at the worst possible time, but undaunted, the likeable Lou would just shrug, and be right back at it the following week.  It appeared that Bradich’s bad luck would continue as thick smoke appeared from the #09 in fast laps, but it proved to be an oil leak, and his night would continue after all.  His next stroke of good luck occurred when a rare straight up start put him on the front row for the start of the 29-car Late Model feature.  Dave Wade got the jump and shot to the lead while Bradich, John Flinner and Mark Banal went three wide in turn two.  Bradich ended up in fourth, but on a mission, got back by Flinner, then set sail for Banal while Wade continued to set the pace at the front of the fast and furious pack.  Wade and the front-runners were into lapped traffic by the fifth circuit, and Bradich slipped into second on lap 7.  Meanwhile Davey Johnson, who started tenth, was on the move too, and he got by Banal for third on the 10^th circuit.  Johnson then chased down Bradich who had closed in on Wade.  Wade held Bradich and Johnson behind for the next six laps until Bradich finally got a good run on the inside of turn four to take the lead on lap 17.  Once in front, Bradich checked out while Johnson worked on Wade for second.  A late race caution slowed the furious pace, and on the restart, Johnson took command of second, then went to work on Bradich for the lead.  Bradich ran the high side while Johnson hugged the inside, but it was finally “Lucky” Lou’s night again, and he held Johnson off to pick up the hard earned, long-awaited victory.  Wade followed Johnson across the stripe for third with Flinner fourth and Jim Zarin rounded out the top five.  Banal won the battle with Steve Baker to place them sixth and seventh respectively.    Lynn Geisler, Ben Miley, and Mike Johnson came across in a cluster to complete the top ten.  Baker, Bradich and Wade were the heat race winners, and Bill Adler was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.  

After struggling in his heat race, Jon Hodgkiss took full advantage of the luck of the draw when the inverted start put him on the front row for the 20-lap Limited Late Model main.  Earlier problems resolved, Hodgkiss was off and running as soon as the green was displayed.  Rich Apolito and Jesse Burroughs tried to chase Hodgkiss down, but the potent No. 69 just got stronger as the race progressed, and by the time the checker appeared, it was no contest for the win.  Hodgkiss picked up his fourth Advance Auto Parts Limited Late Model victory of 2004.  Apolito was a distant second with Burroughs third, Bobby Castelveter, from twelfth, finished fourth, and D.J. Miller completed the top five.  Six through ten were Jim Stephans, Jared Miley, Tony Sinicrope, Jim Shahan and Tommy Schirnhofer.  Miller and Burroughs won the heats, and Castelveter earned Hard Charger honors.

Thirteen proved to be a lucky number in the caution-filled E-Modified 15-lap feature.  Eventual winner Shawn Domhoff survived five yellows, which took several other top runners out of contention, as he rolled on to notch his 6th win of the year. After two caution flags on the first lap realigned the running order, Daryl Charlier settled into the lead with a new power plant under his hood.  The potent Charlier appeared to have all he needed until he pushed high on the track and lost the lead to Tom Martineck with Domhoff going by him as well.  On the next lap Domhoff put his No. 13 in front and checked out.  Domhoff went uncontested to the checker with Martineck second.  After an opening lap mishap, Kari Gasser charged back through the field to pass Charlier on the final lap to claim third.  Kurt Halbedl completed the top five.  Stush Sadowski finished sixth, Joe Pemberton survived a brush with the wall to come back seventh, Herm Myers was eighth, Randy McElhaney ninth and Frank Magill was tenth.  Chuck Kennedy and Hard Charger Domhoff won the heats.  Pemberton’s Froggy Race team sponsor Monongahela Auto Parts and the Washington Wal-Mart donated two bicycles for giveaways after the kids’s bike races were completed at intermission.

After weeks of terrible luck due to a rash of motor problems, defending Pure Stock Track Champion, Darryl Robison finally completed an event and emerged victorious in the 15-lap Isiminger’s Pennzoil Pure Stock main.  The win ended a long dry spell for Robison who last saw victory lane back on July 10.  Although he led it wire to wire, Robison felt constant pressure from Randy Bauknect in the closing laps, and the outcome was in doubt right up to the checker, but Robison was not to be denied his trip back to victory lane.  Bauknect crossed the line second but was disqualified in a post-race inspection, handing the runnerup spot over to Jeff Broniszewski.  A.J. Poljak was credited with third, Jake Simmons fourth, and Frankie Schneider completed the top five.  E.J. Vasko was sixth, Shawn Bryan seventh, and John Cain finished eighth.  Last week’s winner, Larry Marks, was Robison’s “good luck charm” as he graciously loaned him a motor to race with.  Marks ended up ninth, and Steve Webb rounded out the top ten.  Simmons, Craig Kamicker and Broniszewski won the three heat races, and Joe Betz earned hard charger honors.

A lucky draw placed Adam Chytil on the pole for the Amateur Stock feature and the determined Chytil held off the continued challenges of points leader Ian Tomei and his teammate Robby Torrens the entire distance for his fifth win.  Tomei settled for runnerup with Torrens right behind for third as Gary Koteles rode home fourth and Jay Adams rounded out the top five.  Completing the top ten were Wes Wheeler, Rob Ward, Butch Levandosky, Eric Goldberg and Jon Everett.  Heat race wins went to Jim Moore and Adams while Wes Wheeler picked up the Monarch Oil Hard Charger honors.

Racing continues Saturday, September 11 at the Monster Half Mile with a regular five-division action event.  As an added attraction, and included in the regular admission price, is the Tim Chitwood Thrill Show, which is sure to thrill and entertain fans young and old.  The following week, September 18, will conclude the regular racing season, and the 2004 track champions will be determined.  The  Season Finale will take place on Friday, September 24 and Saturday, September 25 when the World of Outlaws Late Models arrive for the 16^th Annual Pittsburgher.  For more information on the Pittsburgher, call the business office during the week at 724-853-7223 or visit on the web at www.ppms.com.

PITTSBURGH'S PA MOTOR SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 4 RACE SUMMARY

Late Models: 
Heat Race Winners - Steve Baker, Lou Bradich, Dave Wade
Monarch Oil Hard Charger - Bill Adler
Feature (25 Laps) - 1) Lou Bradich, 2) Davey Johnson, 3) Dave Wade, 4) John Flinner, 5) Jim Zarin, 6) Mark Banal, 7) Steve Baker, 8) Lynn Geisler, 9) Ben Miley, 10) Mike Johnson, 11) Jim Lepro, 12) Michael Davis, 13) Jared Miley, 14) Bill Adler, 15) Mike Norris, 16) Neal Isiminger, 17) Scott Gunn, 18) Bobby Hoffman, 19) Gary Swiger, 20) John Mollick, 21) Mike Martini, 22) Butch D'Antonio, 23) Danny McFarland, 24) Bob Moskey, 25) Jim Arcuragh, 26) Keith Rodgriguez, 27) Dave Johnson, 28) Tony Musolino, 29) Mel Vanaman

Advance Auto Parts Limited Late Models: 
Heat Race Winners - DJ Miller, Jesse Burroughs
Monarch Oil Hard Charger - Bobby Castelveter
Feature (20 Laps) - 1) Jon Hodgkiss, 2) Rich Apolito, 3) Jesse Burroughs, 4) Bobby Castelveter, 5) DJ Miller, 6) Jim Stephans, 7) Jared Miley, 8) Tony Sinicrope, 9) Jim Shahan, 10) Tommy Schirnhofer, 11) Jeris Collins, 12) Scott Adamson, 13) Bobby Henne, 14) Frankie Schneider

E-Modifieds: 
Heat Race Winners - Chuck Kennedy, Shawn Domhoff
Monarch Oil Hard Charger - Shawn Domhoff
Feature (15 Laps) - 1) Shawn Domhoff, 2) Tom Martineck, 3) Kari Gasser, 4) Daryl Charlier, 5) Kurt Halbedl, 6) Stush Sadowski, 7) Joe Pemberton, 8) Herm Myers, 9) Randy McElhaney, 10) Frank Magill, 11) Bob Williamson, 12) Cody Barrack, 13) Vince Laboon, 14) Russ Matejka, 15) Wayne Tessean, 16) JJ Bametzrieder, 17;) Joel Johns, 18) Chuck Kennedy

Isiminger's Pennzoil Pure Stocks: 
Heat Race Winners - Jake Simmons, Craig Kamicker, Jeff Broniszewski
Monarch Oil Hard Charger - Joe Betz
Feature (15 Laps) - 1) Darryl Robison, 2) Jeff Broniszewski, 3) AJ Poljak, 4) Jake Simmons, 5) Frankie Schneider, 6) EJ Vasko, 7) Shawn Bryan, 8) John Cain, 9) Larry Marks, 10) Steve Webb, 11) Bob Schwartzmiller, 12) Robert Betz, 13) Aaron Fraser, 14) Joe Betz, 15) Craig Kamicker, 16) Bill Robertson, 17) Dr. John Hobbs, 18) Aaron Jones, 19) Tony Capo, 20) Tait Hilbert, 21) Joe Hackimer, 22) Randy Bauknecht DQ, 23) Danny Rich DNS, 24) Nick Kocuba DNS

Amateur Stocks: 
Heat Race Winners - Jim Moore, Jay Adams
Monarch Oil Hard Charger - Wes Wheeler
Feature (12 Laps) - 1) Adam Chytil, 2) Ian Tomei, 3) Robby Torrens, 4) Gary Koteles, 5) Jay Adams, 6) Wes Wheeler, 7) Rob Ward, 8) Butch  Levandosky,9) Eric Goldberg, 10) Jon Everett, 11) Todd Evans, 12) Rick Gorsuch, 13) Jim Kosut, 14) John Chipps, 15) Jim Moore, 16) Scott Warman, 17) Bill Tennant, 18) Corey Behanna