Subj: PITTSBURGHER 100 & York Triathlon Stahl Modifieds & Spec. Stocks
Date: 98-09-21 09:59:57 EDT
From: Judy Gower
HITT TAKES "PITTSBURGHER 100"!!!
By Bret Emrick
(Pittsburgh,PA 9-20-98)
Tim Hitt of Weston,WV snared the STARS Racing Series sanctioned "10th Annual Pittsburgher 100" Sunday at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Pittsburgh,PA. Driving the Rocket Chassis/Draime Racing Engines No. 68 Monte Carlo, Hitt inherited the lead on lap 28 when Gary Stuhler fell from the action with transmission woes and then held off Mike Balzano to capture the $21,000 top prize for his second STARS victory of the season as well as his second "Pittsburgher 100" triumph, the first coming in 1996. Trailing Hitt and Balzano were Chub Frank, Bob Close and Rick Eckert. Rounding out the top ten were Bart Hartman, Darrell Lanigan, B.A. Malcuit, Todd Andrews and Steve Lucas.
Before the first lap could be completed a tangle in turn one involving several cars slowed the action and eliminated Keith Berner from the race. At the end of the first lap Balzano had the lead from his outside front row berth with Stuhler, pole sitter Mike Johnson, Lynn Geisler and Hitt trailing. Hitt powered into third on lap 2 as Davey Johnson took fifth. Stuhler grabbed the lead from Balzano on the next circuit as Davey Johnson shot to fourth and then to third on lap 4. The leaders encountered lapped traffic on lap 12 and Hitt used the traffic to take second from Balzano the next go-round. By lap 20 smoke was showing from Stuhler's mount and on lap 27 Stuhler came to a stop with a broken transmission handing the lead to Hitt.
By lap 40 Hitt and Balzano were in a two-car battle for the lead with Davey Johnson, Mike Johnson and Frank trailing. Caution on lap 47 for Steve Francis, who broke a driveshaft, slowed the action and three laps later the race was halted for the mandatory fuel stop.
After the break to service the cars, Davey Johnson retired from the race with broken drive belts while brother Mike surrendered his top five spot when he pitted for tires. Frank moved into third, Dick Barton to fourth and Close to fifth for the restart. Again, Hitt and Balzano pulled away from the field with Balzano staying right on Hitt's back bumper when the caution waved on lap 74 when Barton suffered a flat right rear tire. That moved Hartman into fifth for the restart which Eckert took from Hartman on lap 84. Hitt had pulled away from Balzano by the time caution waved again for debris on lap 91. Over the final nine laps Hitt was never threatened taking the checkered flag with a two-second margin.
Eighty-three drivers were on hand for the $73,000 event with Eckert setting quick time during time trials at 19.305 seconds. BORLA EXHAUST heat race wins went to Nathan Durboraw, Rod Conley, Balzano, Francis (the SCOTT PERFORMANCE WIRE bonus winner), Hitt and Lou Bradich. Mike Johnson won the ISKY RACING CAMS dash while PRO SHOCKS "B" Main wins went to Hartman, Dave Groves and Lance Elson.
STARS RACING SERIES-"10TH ANNUAL PITTSBURGHER 100" RACE SUMMARY
1. (10) #68 Tim Hitt 100 $21,000 Running; 2. (2) #E1 Mike Balzano 100 $7,080 Running; 3. (14) #1* Chub Frank $5,000 Running; 4. (12) #04C Bob Close 100 $3,500 Running; 5. (22) #24E Rick Eckert 100 $3,040 Running; 6. (19) #75H Bart Hartman 100 $2,540 Running; 7. (17) #29 Darrell Lanigan 100 $2,000 Running; 8. (13) #04M B.A. Malcuit 100 $1,500 Running; 9. (23) #42 Todd Andrews 100 $1,340 Running; 10. (26) #5L Steve Lucas 100 $1,240 Running; 11. (18) #12A Rick Aukland 100 $1,190 Running; 12. (25) #83R Scott Rhodes 100 $1,220 Running; 13. (11) #5 Lou Bradich 100 $1,170 Running; 14. (7) #24D Nathan Durboraw 100 $1,160 Running; 15. (28) #84B Steve Baker 100 $1,190 Running; 16. (1) #2J Mike Johnson 100 $1,240 Running; 17. (27) #T8 Mark Banal 100 $1,170 Running; 18. (20) #0 Dave Groves 100 $1,160 Running; 19. (8) #71R Rod Conley 100 $1,100 Running; 20. (6) #28B Dick Barton 91 $1,035 Handling; 21. (9) #15 Steve Francis 84 $1,000 Running; 22. (21) #17 Lance Elson 83 $1,040 Running; 23. (5) #48 Davey Johnson 50 $1,040 Belts; 24. (15) #1T Travis Geisler 50 $1,000 Engine; 25. (3) #19 Gary Stuhler 27 $1,060 Transmission; 26. (4) #1C Lynn Geisler 15 $1,050 Cooling; 27. (24) #96F Keith Berner 0 $1,040 Accident; 28. (16) #12C Cortney Clewell 99 $1,000 Running-DQ (Light)
TIME OF RACE: 1 Hr. 5 Mins.
YELLOW FLAGS: Five-Laps 0,27,47,74,91
RED FLAGS: None
FAST QUALIFIER: Eckert 19.305 secs.
BORLA EXHAUST HEAT RACE WINNERS: Durboraw,Conley,Balzano,
Francis,Hitt,Bradich
SCOTT PERFORMANCE WIRE HEAT RACE BONUS WINNER: Francis ($150)
ISKY RACING CAMS DASH WINNER: M. Johnson
PRO SHOCKS "B" MAIN WINNERS: Hartman,Groves,Elson
LAP LEADERS: Three-Balzano 1-2,Stuhler 3-27,Hitt 28-100
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Lucas
PROVISIONAL STARTERS: Rhodes,Lucas,Banal,Baker
****** NOTE: Race Results from Support Divisions (E-Mods and Spectator Stocks) who were part of the STARS/Pittsburgher weekend at PPMS on Friday Sept. 18, and Saturday Sept. 19.
PITTSBURGH, PA…..Jim Dandy Jr. from Niles, OH posted back to back York Triathlon Series Modified wins at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway during their two day appearance as part of the big Pittsburgher weekend, and Monongahela's Pat Weldon won Friday night's Spectator Stock feature.
Friday's 20 lap Triathlon race saw Dandy take the lead from Wayne Tessean on the seventh circuit, and once in front he never looked back. Following Dandy at the stripe were Logan Dernoshek, Todd Roncaglione, Dan Burns and Jeff Sharp. Six through ten were Chuck Kennedy, Jeff Covelli, Dale Fuller, Stush Sadawski, and Darrin Miller. The five heats were won by Sharp, Burns, Sadawski, Tessean, and Dandy. Tessean won the Dash and the two B-Main winners were Jeff Covelli and Dale Charlier.
The Stahl Modifieds returned Saturday for the York Triathlon/ Myrgo Enterprise sponsored 50 lap event, and again Dandy showed the way by leading every lap to pick up the $1200 first prize. Second through fifth were Chuck Kennedy, Logan Dernoshek, Larry Kugel and Todd Roncaglione. Rounding out the top ten were Vic Vandergrift, Bob McCann, Mike Hess and Jeff Haefke. Heat winners were Kennedy, Dandy, McCann and Haefke. Dandy won the Dash, and Wayne Tessean was the winner of the B-Main.
Pat Weldon returned to racing just a few weeks ago, and concluded the season for the Spectator Stocks at PPMS Friday evening by picking up the win. Second through fifth were Danny Rich subbing for Rich Apolito, Len Dobrosielski, Stacie White and Frank Schneider. Heat winners were Weldon and White.
1998 Pittsburgh's PA. Motor Speedway Press Releases Page