Late Model Career First for Neal Isiminger; Season firsts for Burroughs, Mitch Basich, Kamicker and Koteles at PPMS

 PITTSBURGH, PA (6-19-05) - An emotion filled and exciting night of racing action provided the setting for Neal Isiminger of Washington, PA to pick up his first career Napa Late Model feature win Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.  Also collecting their first wins of the season on Advance Auto Parts Night were Robinson Township’s Jesse Burroughs in the Advance Auto Parts Limited Late Models, Mitch Basich of Adena Ohio in the E-Modifieds, Craig Kamicker of Hopewell claimed the Isiminger’s Pennzoil Pure Stock main, and Monongahela’s Gary Koteles was victorious in the Amateur Stocks.

Prior to the start of the Late Model feature, the drivers came into the grandstands and passed their helmets among the fans to collect donations for Bill Adler’s five young daughters.  The missing man formation followed a moment of silence in memory of friend and Late Model competitor Adler who died of a massive heart attack following his last race at Pittsburgh on June 4.  The generosity of the race teams and the race fans in attendance was phenomenal, and by the end of the evening over $5000 was collected for the girls.

Awesome track conditions provided a thrilling 25-lap feature that saw Neal Isiminger hold off a stellar field of late model competition to take his first checkered flag in the headline division at PPMS.  Although Isiminger started on the front row, his win was not easy as he withstood continuous pressure from John Flinner throughout the event.  Lynn Geisler soon joined the hunt along with Lou Bradich who had started twelfth.  As the lightning fast race wore on, lapped traffic provided some anxious moments for Isiminger, but he was determined, and on a mission.  A caution on the 19^th circuit  bunched the field up, but Isiminger was back in control on the restart with Flinner, Geisler, Bradich and  Dave Wade nipping at his back bumper.  The electricity intensified on lap 22 when the front three all went for the lead at once coming out of turn two with Flinner on the inside, Isiminger in the middle, and Geisler on the outside.  Flinner nosed ahead of Isiminger, but Geisler’s extra effort at the same time caused him to spin, and Isiminger retained the lead for the restart.  With Isiminger back in front for the final laps, he remained composed, never let up, and he held on to pick up a most special Father’s Day win for his Dad, Danny.  Flinner was a close second with Bradich third over Steve Baker and Wade for an equally close fourth and fifth place finish.  Scott Gunn, from fifteenth, rode home sixth with Ben  Miley seventh, Michael Davis eighth, Neil Brown ninth, and Jared Miley tenth.  Geisler recovered from his late race spin to finish eleventh.  The three heat races were taken by Mark Moats, D.J. Miller and Steve Baker.  Ben Miley was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.

The young guns, Jesse Burroughs and Brandon Burgoon, took off from their front row starting positions and battled throughout the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature event.  As the laps clicked off, Burroughs managed to gain a little breathing room on Burgoon, but the margin was erased when they approached the back of the field with two to go.  Burroughs never faltered, and Burgoon could not make the pass.  Burroughs went on to score the close win, his first of 2005.  Bobby Castelveter ran a steady race for third with Monarch Oil Hard Charger, Jim Stephans, fourth from his twelfth starting spot.  Kirk Young completed the top five.  Six through ten were Tommy Schirnhofer, Larry Marks, Ray Brown, John Hobbs and Jim Shahan.  Heats were taken by Stephans and Young.

Likewise taking full advantage of starting on the front row, Mitch Basich roared into the lead at the drop of the green in the 15-lap E-Modified feature. Daryl Charlier quickly slipped into second with his sights set on Basich.  While Basich and Charlier duked it out for the lead, J. E. Stalder was coming on strong from the rear of the field.  On the eighth circuit, Charlier tried an inside move on Basich just as Stalder bounced off the back stretch wall while running third.  Debris from his impact brought out the only caution of the event.  Once realigned, Basich again assumed the point, and the excitement intensified during the final two laps as the front runners juggled for position.  Charlier tried a last ditch sling shot move on the last lap, but came up short allowing Basich to hold on for his first win on the Monster Half Mile since 1980 when he picked up a Late Model win.  Dennis Niederriter won the battle with Stalder for third, and Kari Gasser rode home fifth.  Basich’s nephew Mike took the sixth position with Cody Barack, Wayne Tessean, Chuck Kennedy and Tom Martineck rounding out the top ten.  Tessean and Mike Basich won the heats, and J.E. Stalder was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.

The Pure Stock feature got off to a rocky beginning when several cars got out of shape as the green flag dropped.  Jake Simmons grabbed the lead on the restart, and he held it until a fast moving Craig Kamicker soared by on the third circuit. Kamicker literally “left the building” for the remainder of the race, to impressively claim his first win of the 2005 season.  The race for second on back was good with Shawn Bryan claiming the runnerup spot. Jake Simmons narrowly defeated Darryl Robison for third, while Nick Kocuba claimed fifth over Aaron Jones who settled for sixth.  Bob Schwartzmiller finished seventh in his first appearance of the season with Bobby Heim eighth, Steve Webb ninth, and Bob Betz tenth.  Webb and Kamicker claimed the heats, and Kamicker also earned Hard Charger honors.

Gary Koteles picked up his first official Amateur Stock win of 2005 by narrowly defeating Adam Chytil at the finish line.  Koteles started twelfth in the field and had the top spot by the fourth lap leaving no doubt about his mission to claim the winner’s trophy.  Chytil settled for second with Davy Lee third, Wes Wheeler fourth and Robby Torrens fifth.  The remainder of the top ten were:  Ian Tomei, John Chipps, Bill Tennant, Butch Levandosky and Josh Coltura.  Chytil and Tomei won the heats and Gary Koteles was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.

The nightcap 15-lap Senior Series race was won by Ron O’Patchen, but a PCTC Sr. Series rule regarding eligibility negated the win.  Runnerup Terry Faas was declared the winner. 

Tuesday, June 21 the tops come off for our first “Topless Tuesday” Special Event when the Napa Late Models and the Advance Auto Parts Limited Late Models give fans a real treat as they run without roofs on the high banked Monster Half Mile.  $2000 awaits the winner of the 35-lap Late Model Topless Event which starts at 7:00pm.  Gates open at 5:00pm and the E-mods, Pure Stocks and Amateur Stocks will be in action Tuesday as well.

PITTSBURGH'S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY JUNE 18 RACE RESULTS