Alex Bright Scores ARDC Checkered;
Burgoon, Flinner, Kocuba, Schneider and Crewl Repeat
PITTSBURGH, PA — The hot August racing action continued as Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway welcomed the ARDC Midgets for their annual visit. At the conclusion of the evening, Alex Bright visited Victory Lane for the second consecutive year as he claimed the ARDC main event. Other winners included Brandon Burgoon, who scored his second win in Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model action, Colton Flinner (Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro Late Models), Nick Kocuba (Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman), Christian Schneider (Miley BP Carwash Hobby Stocks) and Logan Crewl (Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns).
The 25 lap Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model feature event was led to the green by Jim Stephans and Jon Hodgkiss but it was seventh place starter Alex Ferree who would rocket into the top spot and lead the first circuit. As the first lap was completed Steve Baker had a tire blow out and tagged the front stretch wall. When the racing action resumed Ferree once again set the pace with Brandon Burgoon, Stephans and Michael Norris battling for positions two through four. By lap 11 Burgoon had reeled in Ferree and would take the top spot on the following lap. Burgoon went on to score his second win of the season in the Todd’s Auto Body sponsored Rocket Chassis. Points leader Ferree claimed the runner-up spot with Stephans, Norris and Ben Miley completing the top five.
Norris and Ed Ferree claimed the Super Late Model heat wins.
The 20 lap ARDC A-Main found Ryan Greth and Keith McIntyre leading the field to the green. Greth would lead the first two circuits before Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. took over and led laps three through nine. On the tenth circuit, Kyle Lick was able to get by Buckwalter, Jr. on the backstretch. Lick led the next two circuits before Jim Radney battled his way into the lead. While the three and four wide racing action for the top spot was going on, last year’s PPMS victory, Alex Bright, was methodically working his way to the front after starting in the eighth spot. By lap 16 Bright was running second and on the next circuit he would grab the lead from Radney. Bright went on to claim his second consecutive ARDC win at “Dirt’s Monster Half Mile” over Radney, Steven Drevicki, Buckwalter, Jr. and Brett Arndt. The non-stop event was completed in just 8:49.
Greth and Drevicki were the victors in the ARDC prelims.
Colton Flinner and Mark Moats led the 20 lap Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro-Late Model event to the green. Flinner jumped out to a huge lead with Paul Jablonski, Justin Lamb, Moats, Kyle Lukon and Mike Pegher, Jr. battling behind him. The event’s lone caution flew on lap 18 when Lamb put down fluid on the speedway. Lamb, who was running in the second spot at the time and was reeling in Flinner, retired to the pit area. The final two laps saw Flinner once again take command with K. Lukon, Hall, Tommy Schirnhofer and Pegher, Jr. batting for the second position. When the checkered flag flew it was Flinner, piloting the Vox Energy/A.W. Beattie Career Center sponsored Rocket Chassis, crossing the line first to score his third victory of the season at PPMS. K. Lukon, Schirnhofer, Hall and Pegher, Jr. rounded out the top five.
Flinner and Moats were the victors in the Pro-Late prelims.
The 15 lap Late Model Sportsman main event saw Joey Koteles lead the first four circuits before the caution flew for Mark Lee, who spun in turn two. When the racing action resumed Nick Kocuba grabbed the top spot and led laps five through nine. Vince Laboon got by Kocuba to lead laps ten and 11 but another caution for Lee would force the event’s final restart. Kocuba was able to take the top spit from Laboon when the racing action resumed and went on to score his second win of the season. Laboon, J. Koteles, Dave Slade and Jim Ball completed the top five.
Robertson and Kocuba picked up the Late Model Sportsman heat race victories.
Christian Schneider scored his tenth Hobby Stock victory of the season as he led the 12 lap main event for the entire distance. Hannah Ramsey had a strong run and claimed the second sport with Chase Evans, Dan Black and Bernie Blair, Jr. completing the top five.
Schneider was also the victory in the Hobby Stock heat event.
Logan Crewl fought off the challenges of Dylan Bolind to pick up his third Young Guns win of the season. Michael Jackson, last week’s winner Roman O’Neill and David Ostrander rounded out the top five.
PPMS returns to action on Saturday, August 31 as the Sweeney Chevrolet/Buick/GMC Touring Series makes its second visit of the season to “Dirt’s Monster Half Mile.” The Diehl of Robinson Super Late Models, Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman, Miley BP Carwash Hobby Stocks and the Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns will complete the racing card.
Fans are also encouraged to sign up for free race day text messages to get the latest information on weather or traffic delays that may impact the racing action by clicking on the “Rained Out” logo on the speedway website, www.ppms.com.
Additional information is also available on the speedway website: www.ppms.com or by contacting the speedway office at (412) 279-RACE (7223). Race fans can follow Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway at www.twitter.com/PAMotorSpeedway and http://www.facebook.com/Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.
Diehl Of Robinson Super Late Model Finish: Brandon Burgoon, Alex Ferree, Jim Stephans, Michael Norris, Ben Miley, Jon Hodgkiss, Derrick Stefanick, Ed Ferree, Jayme Beck, Steve Baker
ARDC Midget Feature Finish: Alex Bright, Jim Radney, Steve Drevicki, Bruce Burkwalter Jr., Brett Arndt, Ryan Greth, P.J. Gargiulo, Brett Wanner, Trevor Kobylarz, Tony DiMattia, Joe Butera, Brian Gilmore, Kyle Lick, John Heydenreich
Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro Late Model Finish: Colton Flinner, Kyle Lukon, Tommy Schirnhofer, Ron Hall, Mike Pegher, Jr., Ben Policz, Mark Moats, Paul Jablonski, Nico Dabecco, Mike Reft, Jason Rider, Laura Lukon, Tony White, Chuck Medved, Justin Lamb
Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman Finish: Nick Kocuba, Vince Laboon, Joey Koteles, Dave Slade, Jim Ball, Todd Weldon, Gary Koteles, Drew Koteles, Jarrod Westover, Mark Lee, Bill Robertson
Miley BP Carwash Hobby Stock Finish: Christian Schneider, Hannah Ramsey ,Chase Evans, Dan Black, Bernie Blair, Steve Pyeritz
Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns Finish: Logan Crewl, Dylan Bolind, Michael Jackson, Roman O’Neill, David Ostrander, Devin Black, O.B. Huff, Jonathan Miller, Adam Carson