Cranberry Township, PA’s Lynn Geisler started the year off right by picking up the opening night win in the Pizza Hut Late Model 25 lapper. Geisler, who is the all time winner in the Late Model division at PPMS, earned his 67^th career feature at the track. Jim Stephans and Brandon Burgoon led the field down for the start of the event, with Stephans getting the jump at the green. Stephans led until lap 3 when 4^th starting Steve Baker went by. Baker was looking strong, but several yellows kept the field close. A lap 8 caution moved Geisler into the second spot. Baker and Geisler ran nose to tail until lap 13 when Geisler went by Baker. The pair pulled away from the field at that point, while last season’s track champ Jared Miley moved into third. Miley ran a solid third until a flat on lap 9 sent him to the pits and put him a lap down. Keith Barbara moved into third at that point and was running good until his engine let go on lap 21. Lap 21 was also bad for Baker, as he lost fuel pressure on the yellow and had to pit. This moved Jim Stephans back into second on the restart. Brandon Burgoon, who had the misfortune to get knocked back to tenth by another car on one of the early restarts, recovered to get by Stephans and move into second. At the finish it was Geisler, picking up his first win since June 24, 2006, Burgoon, Stephans (who had a career night and his best ever Late Model finish), Dave Wade, Greg Satterlee (who improves with every appearance), Ben Miley (who recovered from two early spins), Keith Rodriguez, Tony Musolino, Jacob Hawkins, Mike Davis, and Steve Wilmoth rounding out the top ten. Jared Miley and Ben Miley grabbed the heats for the 20 car field.

In the Brougher’s Machine Shop Crate Late Models, West Mifflin, PA’s Russ Kolesar grabbed his 5th career win in the class. Kolesar passed Josh Holtgraver and Danny Angelicchio on lap 4 and never looked back. Daryl Charlier had the lead at the outset and led the first two laps. Charlier pulled off on the caution and Holtgraver inherited the lead on lap 3, while Danny Angelicchio moved into second. Kolesar made his move on lap 4, while Angelicchio moved by Holtgraver for second on lap 7 and chased Kolesar the rest of the way. Mike Pegher was running third but hit the wall on the last laps, moving Bryant Hank into third for his best finish. Holtgraver ended up fourth, followed by Mark Moats Jr., Pete Loria, Wes Wheeler, Terry Kerr, Justin Lamb and Darrell Dow. Heats for the 14 cars saw Russ Kolesar and Mike Pegher pick up the wins.

Austintown, OH’s Wayne Tessean, the defending track champ, picked up where he left off and claimed the opening night win in the Miley Truck Rental E-Mods for his 67^th career win. Daryl Charlier took the lead at the start and led the first lap before being replaced by Kevin Miller. Miller led lap 3 and was passed by Tessean on lap 4. Miller regained the lead on lap 5, and Tessean went back out front on lap 6. From that point on the race was all Tessean’s, but Miller kept him in his sites. Bruce Takach had a strong run and was right behind the pair to get third, followed by Chuck Kennedy, Tom Martineck, Daryl Charlier, Bruce Dreistadt, Denny Nakutis, heat winner J.E. Stalder, and Jim Plance.

Even though some rule changes in the Pure Stocks feature added some newcomers to the field this season, the results were the same, as two of last season’s top runners Bill Robertson and Jake Simmons finished one-two. Robertson, from Upper St. Clair, PA, took the lead from Mitch Wattelet on lap 6 with Simmons moving into second on lap 7. At this point the race was over as the pair dominated the event. At the finish it was Robertson, Simmons, Wattelet (in one of his best ever runs), Nick Kocuba, Robert Betz, Jason Fosnaught, Bob Schwartzmiller, Joe Anthony, Dave Slade and Mark Perry. It was Robertson’s 6^th career win. Robertson and Simmons also picked up the heat victories.

The Old Allegheny Shoppe Amateur Stocks saw Moon Township, PA’s Tony White pick up the win. White took the lead at the outset and kept Curt Bish at bay to pick up his opening night win. Bish was second, with Darrel Ferguson in third followed by Brian Huchko, Don Duseheid, Michael Huchko, J.J. O’Patchen, Robby Torrens and Eric Goldberg. Eric Goldberg and Butch Levandosky won the heats. Butch Levandosky did not start the feature.

The Imperial Heights Young Guns saw defending co-champ, Mike Reft, defend that title by grabbing the season opener. Reft took the lead on lap 4 off early leader Todd Janus and never looked back. Second fell to Alec Broniszewski, followed by Justin Pons, Tyler Fox, Sean Graham, Daniel White, Courtney Atkinson, and Hanna Ramsey. 

SUMMARY – April 5, 2008

Pizza Hut Late Models

Heats – Jared Miley and Ben Miley

Feature (25 Laps) – 1. Lynn Geisler, 2. Brandon Burgoon, 3. Jimmy Stephans, 4. Dave Wade, 5. Gregg Satterlee, 6. Ben Miley, 7. Keith Rodriguez, 8. Jacob Hawkins,

9. Michael Davis, 10. Steve Wilmoth, 11. Jared Miley, 12. Larry Marks, 13. Jim Lepro, 14. Nick Duratz, 15. Dave Johnson, 16. Tony Musolino, 17. Steve Baker, 18. Keith Barbara, 19. Kari Gasser, 20. Tim Gould (DNS)

Brougher’s Machine Shop Crate Late Models

Heats – Russ Kolesar and Mike Pegher, Jr.     

Feature (20 Laps) – 1. Russ Kolesar, 2. Daniel Angelicchio, 3. Bryant Hank, 4. Josh Holtgraver, 5. Mark Moats, Jr., 6. Pete Loria, 7. Wes Wheeler, 8. Terry Kerr, 9. Justin Lamb, 10. Darrell Dow, 11. Mike Pegher, Jr., 12. Scott Schempp, 13. Daryl Charlier,

14. Dusty Curry

Miley Truck Rental E-Modifieds

Heat – J. E. Stalder

Feature (15 Laps) – 1. Wayne Tessean, 2. Kevin Miller, 3. Bruce Takach, 4. Chuck Kennedy, 5. Tom Martineck, 6. Daryl Charlier, 7. Bruce Dreistadt, 8. Denny Nakutis,

9. J. E. Stalder, 10. Jim Plance

Sunoco Race Fuels Pure Stocks

Heats – Bill Robertson and Jake Simmons

Feature (15 Laps) – 1. Bill Robertson, 2. Jake Simmons, 3. Mitch Wattelet, 4. Nick Kocuba, 5. Robert Betz, 6. Jason Fosnaught, 7. Bob Schwartzmiller, 8. Joe Anthony,

9. Dave Slade, 10. Mark Perry, 11. Eric Piotrowski, 12. Adam Kostelnik, 13. Mark Jaworski, 14. Pat Weldon (DNS)

Old Allegheny Shoppe Amateur Stocks

Heats – Eric Goldberg and Butch Levandosky

Feature (8 Laps) – 1. Tony White, 2. Curt Bish, 3. Darrel Ferguson, 4. Brian Huchko,

5. Don Duseheid, 6. Michael Huchko. 7. J. J. O’Patchen, 8. Robbie Torrens, 9. Eric Goldberg, 10. Butch Levandosky (DNS)

Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns