PITTSBURGH’S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BY Lisa Gower
9/5/98
412-279-RACE
IMPERIAL, PA….Mark Banal of St. Clairsville, OH won his fourth Late Model feature of the season Saturday at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway clinching the points title in the process. Pittsburgh’s Dave Wade won his second straight Zoresco Limited Late Model feature and trails points leader Alex Ferree by 25 points heading into next week’s season finale. Larry Kugel claimed his ninth M. Stahl Modified victory this season, and semi-retired driver Ron O’Patchin of Scott Township showed he hasn’t lost his touch by winning in the Spectator Stocks. The Advantra Senior Series Glade Neil Memorial was captured by Bob Stanford of Zelienople.
Plenty of cautions slowed the pace in the 25 lap Late Model feature, but didn’t affect Banal, who led wire to wire for his division leading fourth checkered flag. Defending track champ B.A. Malcuit was second, Rick Dawson third, John Flinner fourth and Ricky Thomas fifth. Six through ten were: Lynn Geisler, Lou Bradich, Ben Miley, Jim Zarin and Dennis Curry. Zarin, Banal, and Malcuit won the heats. Mel Minnick Jr. was the Monarch Oil/Wolf’s Head Hard Charger.
The luck of the draw also put Wade on the front row for the Zoresco Limited Late Model 20-lap feature. The popular driver cruised to the victory ahead of Duane Popham, Mike Cecere, Pete Loria and Kirk Young. Rounding out the top ten were: Travis Geisler, Jim Stephans, Mike Morgan, Joe Johnson and Todd Wright. Wade and Young won the preliminaries. John Pavlick was the Monarch Oil/Wolf’s Head Hard Charger.
Larry Kugel passed Russ Matejka on the final lap for the M. Stahl Modified 15-lap feature win. Points leader Wayne Tessean was third, Logan Dernoshek fourth and Jeff Broniszewski fifth. Dan Burns, Jeff Haefke, Jim Petrelle, Chuck Kennedy and Stush Sadowski completed the top ten. Heat race wins went to Monarch Oil/Wolf’s Head Hard Charger Tessean, and Kugel.
Subbing for Frankie Schneider in the #5M, Ron O’Patchin drove his former car to the Spectator Stock 15-lap feature victory. Rick Heim was second, Ralph Hysong Jr. third, Dave Beck fourth and Stacie White fifth. Neil Isminger was sixth, Charlie DiLoreto seventh, Rich Apolito eighth, Dave Greenawald ninth and Adam Stasko tenth.
Len Dobrosielski and Heim were the heat race winners. Apolito was the Monarch Oil/Wolf’s Head Hard Charger.
Bob Stanford overtook Don Gamble for the lead on lap twelve and led the final four circuits to claim the Glade Neil Memorial for the Advantra Senior Series. Don Luffy was third, Tom Knight Sr. fourth and Ed Bashaar fifth. Bill Wheeling, Dr. Gil Roth, Adam Stasko, Dave Nickolas and Bob McWilliams completed the top ten. Knight and Gamble won the heats.
This Saturday, September 12th, is the final night of regular racing for the Late Models, Zoresco Limited Late Models, M. Stahl Modifieds, and Spectator Stocks. Points will end in all divisions. Gates open at 5pm with racing at 7pm. Coming September 18th - 20th is the STARS sanctioned "10th Annual Pittsburgher 100" for the Late Models paying $21,000 to win. The Spectator Stocks and M. Stahl Modifieds will also be in action Friday, September 18th along with Late Model practice. Saturday is the Myrgo Enterprises All-Star 50 for the M. Stahl Modifieds plus time trials and heat races for the STARS Late Models. On Sunday, September 20th, two B-Mains and the 100-lap A-Main for the STARS Late Models are on tap, starting at 2pm.
PITTSBURGH’S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY 9/5/98
Late Models:
Heat Winners: Jim Zarin, Mark Banal, Brad Malcuit
Feature: MARK BANAL, Brad Malcuit, Rick Dawson, John Flinner, Ricky Thomas, Lynn Geisler, Lou Bradich, Ben Miley, Jim Zarin, Dennis Curry, Mel Minnick Jr, Doug Dodd, Gary Lyle, Merle Terry, Joe Johnson, Bill Adler, Tom Copeland, Bob Moskey, Mark Moats, Bob DeJulio, Kurt Halbedl, Tom Bonnano, Doug Crawford, Ed Ferree (DNS), Bill Knepper (DNS)
Zoresco Limited Late Models:
Heat Winners: Dave Wade, Kirk Young
Feature: DAVE WADE, Duane Popham, Mike Cecere, Pete Loria, Kirk Young, Travis Geisler, Jim Stephans, Mike Morgan, Joe Johnson, Todd Wright, John Pavlik, George Bland, Jim Bryce, Jon Hodgkis, Eric Roberts, Alex Ferree, Tom Bateman, Brian Pickering
M. Stahl E-Modifieds:
Heat Winners: Wayne Tessean, Larry Kugel
Feature: LARRY KUGEL, Russ Matejka, Wayne Tessean, Logan Dernoshek, Jeff Broniszewski, Dan Burns, Jeff Haefke, Jim Petrelle, Chuck Kennedy, Stush Sadowski, Bruce Dreistadt, Darrin Miller, Denny Neiderriter, Carl McKinney, Bootie Petsko, Eric Halbedl, Joe Hopkinson, Bobby Bongiorni, Scott Gunn (DNS) Jeff Johnson (DNS)
Spectator Stocks:
Heat Winners: Len Dobrosielski, Rick Heim
Feature: RON O’PATCHIN, Rick Heim, Ralph Hysong Jr, Dave Beck, Stacie White, Neil Isminger, Charlie DiLoreto, Rich Apolito, Dave Greenawald, Adam Stasko, Fred Schneider, Doug Foster, Lou Lamonde, Dave Krumanack, Al Atallah, Chris Langham, Pat Weldon, Len Dobrosielski, Jeff Pezybysz
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