PITTSBURGH'S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Click Here for Pictures)
1/17/98
Immediate Release
By Dow Carnahan
(412) 279-RACE/www.ppms.com
PITTSBURGH, PA... .The 9th annual Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway awards banquet was held Saturday night, January 17, at the Bradley House in Pittsburgh. Brad Malcuit Late Models, Jason Cisson - Stahl Limited Late Models, Larry Kugel - York UMP Modifieds, and Ralph Hysong Jr. - Zoresco Spectator Stocks were crowned for winning track championships. Several special awards were also presented before the crowd of nearly 300.
Malcuit claimed his first PPMS track title by overcoming a 20 point deficit on the final night of the season to edge Johnny Johnson and Ed Ferree. Only 9 points separated the top three finishers. The Strasburg, Ohio driver captured just one win during the season, but was consistently near the front each week.
Houston's Jason Cisson snared five checkered flags enroute to his first M. Stahl Limited Late Model title. Mark Moats, who led the point standings through the first half of the season was second and Jim Zarin third.
Larry Kugel of Chester, WV marched to his third consecutive York UMP Modified championship tying a speedway record with 13 wins in one season. Young Logan Dernoshek was the runner-up in only his second year behind the wheel of a modified. Wayne Tessean was third, just 7 points behind Dernoshek.
A strong finish to the season earned Ralph Hysong Jr. of Shippingport his first Zoresco Equipment Spectator Stock title. The popular driver won a total of four features in outdistancing Joe Vacca and Rick Heim, who were second and third respectively. The Late Model Super Series crown went to Lou Bradich of Chester, WV. Bradich had one win, a third and a fourth place finish in the three race series of 35-lap specials. The annual Sportsman of the Year Award was presented to Angela Loria, wife of UMP Modified driver Pete Loria. Angela has contributed in many ways to help racing at PPMS including her efforts to raise sponsorship money for the Spectator Stock 20. Monarch Oil/Wolf's Head Hard Charger of the Year honors went to: Ed Ferree - Late Models, Mark Moats - Stahl Limited Late Models, Larry Kugel - York UMP Modifieds, and Joe Vacca - Zoresco Spectator Stocks.
Johnny Johnson received a Bullitt Chassis from Ray Callahan of Bullitt Chassis Company for being the highest Late Model point finisher running a Bullitt. Steve Baker of Mark Richards Racing presented a Rocket Chassis to Ed Ferree, the highest Late Model point finisher running a Rocket.
1998 will mark Miley Motorsports' 10th anniversary of operating Dirt's Monster Half Mile, and an exciting season is planned. The season will open Saturday, April 4th, at 7pm with racing every week in the same four divisions; Late Models, Limited Late Models, UMP Modifieds and Spectator Stocks.
Along with the weekly shows, one special event is planned each month from May through September. The readers of Trackside Magazine recently voted PPMS the top Dirt Late Model track in the Northeast, and this year's schedule will attempt to back that up.
Sunday, May 17th and Friday, August 4 the Hav-A-Tampa Late Model Racing Series will make it's first visits to PPMS for 100-lap, $10,000 to win shows. The STARS Late Models return Saturday, July l8th,for the fifth annual Penn National 100, paying $10,000 to win, and again September 18-20 for the tenth annual Pittsburgher 100. Along with our highly competitive weekly shows, these four events are sure to bring the best in Late Model racing to PPMS.
The remaining special event is set for Saturday, June 13th, when the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint cars return as part of Western PA. Speedweek.
For more information contact the speedway at (412) 279-RACE or visit our Internet site at www.ppms.com.
BACK TO PPMS 1998 PRESS RELEASE PAGE