PITTSBURGH’S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
8/15/98
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By Dow Carnahan
(412) 279-RACE/www.ppms.com
ARP HAS FOUND A HOME AT PITTSBURGH
IMPERIAL, PA….Skip Arp of Georgetown, TN pocketed $10,000 by winning Saturday’s HAV-A-TAMPA Racing Series "Keystone 100" at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. Arp passed Tim Hitt for the lead on lap 44 and led the rest of the way to sweep both of the Late Model circuit’s 1998 visits to "Dirt’s Monster Half Mile". The victory was his fifth HAV-A-TAMPA win this season, tying Arp with points leader Scott Bloomquist for the most series wins on the campaign.
Tim Hitt, fresh off his dominating win in the Penn National 100 at PPMS last month took the lead from pole sitter Arp at the start of the century grind. Arp stayed in striking distance of the race leader with Davey Johnson not far away in third. Following a lap 42 caution, Arp roared to the outside in turns one and two and swept by Hitt for the lead. Arp immediately pulled away to a commanding lead while Johnson passed Hitt for second with 40 laps to go. Slowly Johnson began tracking down Arp, who had his hands full in thick traffic.
With a dozen laps remaining the fans were on their feet as Johnson had pulled directly behind the race leader, only to see the final caution wave for the fourth place car of Bart Hartman, who was overheating. On the restart Arp pulled away to a ten car length advantage over Johnson at the finish. Hitt was third, Freddy Smith fourth, and Chub Frank fifth. Completing the top ten were: Dale McDowell, Ray Cook, Wendell Wallace, Ed Ferree and Bloomquist.
"You’re never sure if a caution is going to help you or hurt you", said Arp in victory lane. "I knew Davey had closed the gap and I was doing all I could to lap cars. Fortunately, my car was good on the restart after my tires cooled." In three career appearances at PPMS, Arp has won the last two and finished seventh in last year’s Pittsburgher.
Dale McDowell started the night by winning the Isky Racing Cams Fast Gun Pole Award with a lap of 20.177 seconds. The "Borla Performance Exhaust" heat race wins went to Arp, Hitt, Bart Hartman and D. Johnson. Ed Ferree and Mark Banal won the two last chance B-Mains.
The Zoresco Limited Late Model 20-lap Feature was won by Castle Shannon’s Pete Loria. "Pittsburgh Pete" led wire to wire for his second win of the season. Jim Stephans had career best second. Travis Geisler was third, Mike Cecere fourth and Chuck Mowry fifth. Joe Johnson, Mike Morgan, John Pavlik, George Bland and Andy Cline completed the top ten. Loria and Cecere won the heat races.
This Saturday, August 22nd, regular racing resumes for the Late Models, Zoresco Limited Lates, M. Stahl Modifieds and Spectator Stocks. There will also be a demolition derby after the races. Gates open at 5pm with racing at 7pm. For more
information call (412) 279-RACE or visit out home page on the Internet at www.ppms.com.
PITTSBURGH’S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY SUMMARY (8/15/98)
HAV-A-TAMPA LATE MODELS ZORESCO LIMITED LATE MODELS
"KEYSTONE 100" HEAT WINNERS: Pete Loria, Mike Cecere
FAST QUALIFIER: Dale McDowell FEATURE (TOP TEN)
20.177 seconds 1. Pete Loria, Castle Shannon
HEAT WINNERS: Skip Arp, Tim Hitt, 2. Jim Stephans, Brentwood
Bart Hartman, Davey Johnson. 3. Travis Geisler, Cranberry Twp
B-MAIN WINNERS: Mark Banal, Ed 4. Mike Cecere, Baldwin
Ferree . 5. Chuck Mowry, Natrona Heights
KEYSTONE 100 FINISH 6. Joe Johnson, Monaca
1. Skip Arp, Georgetown TN 7. Mike Morgan, Bridgeville
2. Davey Johnson, Greensburg PA 8. John Pavlik, Youngstown OH
3. Tim Hitt, Weston WV 9. George Bland, Aliquippa
4. Freddy Smith, Knoxville TN 10. Andy Kline, Chester WV
5. Chub Frank, Sugar Grove PA
6. Dale McDowell, Rossville GA
7. Ray Cook, Murphy NC
8. Wendell Wallace, Batesville AR
9. Ed Ferree, Saxonburg PA
10. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN
11. Marshall Green, Dalton GA
12. Mark Banal, St. Clairsville OH
13. Clayton Christenberry, Knoxville TN
14. John Mason, Millersburg OH
15. Bill Knepper, Clinton PA
16. Bart Hartman, Zanesville OH
17. Leland Prewitt, Savannah GA
18. Jason Cisson, Houston PA
19. Lou Bradich, Chester WV
20. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville FL
21. Alex Ferree, Saxonburg PA
22. Dave Groves, Morgantown WV
23. Lynn Geisler, Cranberry Twp PA
24. Ricky Thomas, Carnegie PA
25. Scott Rhodes, Somerset PA
1998 Pittsburgh's PA. Motor Speedway Press Releases Page