PITTSBURGH'S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
8/2/03
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TODD ANDREWS CLAIMS THE SILVER IN MACS "NICK GARIN MEMORIAL" AT PITTSBURGH'S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

IMPERIAL, PA - Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway hosted the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series Late Models for the "Silver Anniversary Nick Garin Memorial" Saturday night, and MACS career leading winner, Todd Andrews of Eldred, PA., pocketed the $4,000 first prize. Andrews' win was his first at "Dirt's Monster Half Mile" since the 1999 "Pittsburgher 100". He now has 16 career MACS victories, and becomes the fifth different winner in as many series races this year.

Moon Township's Bobby Castelveter won his third Advance Auto Parts Limited Late Model feature, and Wayne Tessean of Austintown, OH captured his third straight in the E-Modifieds. Hopewell's Craig Kamicker was back in victory lane for the first time since opening day in the Isiminger's Pennzoil Pure Stocks, while Ian Tomei of Stowe Township claimed his third Amateur Stock win. All feature winners were presented with a special edition, "Silver Anniversary" trophy in rememberance of the 25th year of the speedway, and its founder and builder, Nick Garin.

Alex Ferree and Keith Barbara brought the 26-car starting field to thegreen flag to begin the 40-lap "Nick Garin Memorial". Ferree got the upper hand and led the first eight laps. Andrews, who started fifth, was up to third on the first lap and passed Barbara for second on lap five. A caution on lap nine when Tim Hitt suffered front suspension damage after contact between he and Barbara, put Ferree and Andrews side by side for the restart. Andrews used the outside groove to swing into the lead, and off he went. All eyes were now on 17th starting Mark Banal who charged his way to second, with Al Atallah a close third. As Andrews maintained the lead, Banal and Atallah stayed in striking distance despite their own battle for second. With 11 laps remaining, Banal and Atallah made contact on the front stretch with Banal suffering a flat left rear tire two laps later, forcing the final caution. On the restart, Andrews was flawless again, and Atallah had his hands full with the low side assaults of Chuck Harper. Atallah was able to close on Andrews in the final laps, but Andrews never wavered in taking the win. Atallah, Harper, Ferree, and Barbara completed the top five. George Kowatic was sixth, John Flinner seventh, Lou Bradich eighth, Lance Elson ninth, and Keith Berner tenth.

Andrews started the night by setting fast time among the 42 cars with a lap of 19.776 seconds. Dave Wade, Barbara, Kowatic, and Ben Miley won the heats. The dash went to Ferree. B-Main honors went to Monarch Oil Hard Charger Banal and Steve Baker.

Neal Isiminger led the first half of the Advance Auto Parts Limited LateModel 20-lap feature. On the eleventh circuit, Rich Apolito took the point with Castelveter glued to his rear bumper as Isiminger began to fade. Apolito was able to keep Castelveter at bay until the 17th lap, when he made his winning pass. Apolito, seventh starting Scott Gunn, Jon Hodgkiss, and Tony Sinicrope completed the top five. Jim Stephans, Kirk Young, Isiminger, Jesse Burroughs, and Erick Markle were sixth through tenth respectively. Burroughs and Gunn captured the heat races. Stephans was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.

Rick Meglaye jumped into a big lead early in the E-Modified 15-lap feature. Twelfth starting Wayne Tessean made a steady progression to the front, and took the top spot from Meglaye following a lap nine restart. Once in front, he then pulled away for win number six on the campaign. Kurt Halbedl drove a steady race for second. Chuck Kennedy, Russ Matejka, and Daryl Charlier rounded out the top five. Meglaye settled for sixth, with Ralph Hysong Jr. seventh, Kari Gasser eighth, Dennis Neiderriter ninth, and Stush Sadowski tenth. Heat race wins went to Matejka and Tessean, who was also the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.

Craig Kamicker used the inside lane to charge from ninth to first in just three laps in the Isiminger's Pennzoil Pure Stock 15-lap feature. Early race leader, Darryl Robison, came home second. Jeff Broniszewski, subbing for Doug Foster, was third, Willie White fourth, and John Cain fifth. Six through ten were: Bob Schwartzmiller, A.J. Poljak, Shawn Bryan, Joe Anthony, and Jake Simmons. Kamicker was also the Monarch Oil Hard Charger, and won a heat race along with Cain.

Ian Tomei led wire-to-wire for the Amateur Stock victory. Bill Robertson, Robby Torrens, Davy Lee, and Jim Moore completed the top five. Tim Folmer was sixth, Josh Langer seventh, Jen Walters eighth, Rob Ward ninth, and Butch Levandosky tenth. Robertson was the heat race winner, and also the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.

This Saturday, August 9th, the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Senior Series make an appearance, and the Isiminger's Pennzoil Pure Stocks will run a 20-lap special with the Late Models, Advance Auto Parts Limited Late Models, E-Modifieds, and Amateur Stocks also in action. Gates open at 5pm with racing at 7pm. For more information, visit our web site www.ppms.com, or call (724) 853-RACE.

8/2/03 PITTSBURGH'S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY SUMMARY

LATE MODEL FEATURE (Nick Garin Memorial/MACS Late Models) 1) Todd Andrews 2) Al Atallah 3) Chuck Harper 4) Alex Ferree 5) Keith Barbara 6) George Kowatic 7) John Flinner 8) Lou Bradich 9) Lance Elson 10) Keith Berner 11) Steve Baker 12) Tony Musolino 13) Mike Johnson 14) Tim Dohm 15) Brian Laraway 16) Mark Banal 17) Rod Phillips 18) Dave Wade 19) Ben Miley 20) Rick Bond 21) Doug Dodd 22) Lynn Geisler 23) Jim Zarin 24) Bill Cunningham 25) Tim Hitt 26) Bob Wearing Jr.

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS LIMITED LATE MODEL FEATURE 1) Bobby Castelveter 2) Rich Apolito 3) Scott Gunn 4) Jon Hodgkiss 5) Tony Sinicrope 6) Jim Stephans 7) Kirk Young 8) Neal Isiminger 9) Jesse Burroughs 10) Erick Markle 11) Tom Duratz 12) Jim Shahan

E-MODIFIED FEATURE 1) Wayne Tessean 2) Kurt Halbedl 3) Chuck Kennedy 4) Russ Matejka 5) Daryl Charlier 6) Rick Meglaye 7) Ralph Hysong Jr. 8) Kari Gasser 9) Dennis Neiderriter 10) Stush Sadawski 11) Vince Laboon 12) Joe Pemberton 13) Jim Petrelle 14) Bruce Dreistadt 15) Tom Martineck 16) Jimmie Pitkavish 17) Ken Puglisi 18) Jeff Jones 19) Randy McElhaney 20) Frank Magill III, DNS - Robert Freshour

ISIMINGER'S PENNZOIL PURE STOCK FEATURE 1) Craig Kamicker 2) Darryl Robison 3) Jeff Broniszewski 4) Willie White 5) John Cain 6) Bob Schwartzmiller 7) A.J. Poljak 8) Shawn Bryan 9) Joe Anthony 10) Jake Simmons 11) Ron O'Patchen 12) Bob Betz 13) Aaron Jones 14) Nick Kocuba 15) Mike McKee 16) Frank Schneider Sr. 17) Brian Banas 18) Larry Marks 19) Greg Swogger

AMATEUR STOCK FEATURE 1)Ian Tomei 2) Bill Robertson 3) Robby Torrens 4) Davy Lee 5) Jim Moore 6) Tim Folmer 7) Josh Langer 8) Jen Walters 9) Rob Ward 10) Butch Levandosky