Flinner Scores Jook George Memorial Victory
PITTSBURGH, PA — Colton Flinner of Allison Park, PA scored the biggest victory of his career as he captured the 24th Annual Jook George Memorial at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday, August 3rd. Veteran Lynn Geisler also scored his second win of 2013 in Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model action. Other winners included Bill Robertson (Sunoco Race Fuels late Model Sportsman), Ian Tomei ( Miley BP Car Wash Hobby Stocks) and Roman O’Neill (Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns).
The 24th Annual Jook George Memorial event saw Michael Reft and Ron Hall lead the field to the green flag. Reft held off Hall to lead the first circuit before Hall battled back to claim the top spot on lap two. Hall and Dusty Curry battled side by side for two more laps before Curry took the lead on lap five. Curry then began pulling away from the field as Hall battled with Josh Holtgraver, Mark Moats and Colton Flinner for positions two through five. The event’s lone caution waved on lap 14 when Jason rider and Chris Lander tangled in turn two. On the ensuing restart Flinner was able to wrestle the top spot away from Curry. Once in front, Flinner was able to pull away from the field and claim the biggest win of his career in the Vox Energy/A.W. Beattie Career Center sponsored Rocket Chassis. “Ever since I started Crate Late Model racing I have wanted to win the Jook George Memorial and it feels really great to be standing here in Victory Lane,” commented the 19 year old Allison Park resident, “we have struggled for the past several weeks and I want to thank my sponsors, my parents and my sister and my crew for all of their hard work and support.”
Mark Moats came from the tenth starting spot to claim the runner-up spot over Holtgraver, Curry and Laura Lukon.
Mike Pegher, Jr., Holtgraver and Curry were victorious in heat race action. Pegher, Jr. also set the fast time of the evening with a lap of 20.534.
In addition to the first place prize money, Flinner also received a gift certificate from Afco Racing products as did seventh place finisher Andrew Wylie. Mark Moats received an additional $50.00 as the Winner’s Circle Motorsports, LLC Hard Charger in the Jook George Memorial Event. Moats advanced eight spots in the main event as he started tenth and finished in the second spot.
John Mollick and Kyle Lukon led the 25 lap Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model main event to the green. The duo were soon joined by veteran Lynn Geisler as they battled three wide for the top spot. Lukon tagged the turn two wall on lap five causing the event’s first and only caution. When green flag action resumed, Mollick and Geisler continued their battle for the top spot with second generation driver Brandon Burgoon in the third spot followed by Alex Ferree and Ben Miley. Geisler rocketed by Mollick on the 12th circuit and went on to score a convincing win. It was Geisler’s second victory at PPMS in 2013 and also the 74th of his career here at the Imperial, PA oval. Burgoon got by Mollick to score a fine second place finish with Mollick, Alex Ferree and Jared Miley completing the top five.
Burgoon also claimed his second Awesome Hard Charger Award of the year as he advanced nine spots in the main event.
Alex Ferree and Burgoon scored the heat race wins.
Gary and Joey Koteles made up the front row of the 15 lap Late Model Sportsman main event. Gary Koteles would lead the first two circuits before Nick Kocuba took command and led laps three through six. The event’s first caution occurred on lap six when Mark Lee spun. On the restart that followed, last week’s winner, Bill Robertson, was able to get by Kocuba and take the lead. Robertson would weather two additional cautions en-route to scoring his fourth LMS win of the season. Joey Koteles was able to get by Kocuba with just two circuits remaining to bring home the second spot. Kocuba, Dave Slade and Gary Koteles rounded out the top five.
Kocuba and Robertson claimed the Sportsman prelims.
Steve Pyritz held off veteran Ian Tomei for the first four laps of the Hobby Stock feature event with Tomei grabbing the lead on the fifth circuit. Tomei went on to lead the remainder of the event to pick up his first win of the 2013 season. Pyeritz claimed the runner-up spot over Rich Mason, who was subbing for Ed Wiser in the OU2, and Chase Evans.
Tomei also picked up the win in Hobby Stock preliminary action.
O.B. Huff and Roman O’Neill led the six car Young Guns main event to the green. Huff would go on to lead the first circuit before 15 year old O’Neill would take over the top spot. O’Neill held off current points leader Dylan Bolind to score his third win of the season. Bolind, Huff, Karlee Kovacs, David Ostrander and Jonathan Miller completed the field.
PPMS will return to action next Saturday, August 10th, as we present a five division Action Event featuring the Diehl of Robinson Super Late Models, Precise Racing Products Pro-Late Models, Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman, Miley BP Carwash Hobby Stocks and the Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns. In addition, the PA Vintage Modifieds will be on display and also compete in an exhibition event. And don’t forget that another installment of Wacky Wheels Figure Eight Mania is also on the card. Gates open at 5:00PM with the racing action getting underway at 7:00PM.
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.comor 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: Lynn Geisler, Brandon Burgoon, John Mollick, Alex Ferree, Jared Miley, Ben Miley, Ed Ferree, Steve baker, Jim Stephans, Tony Musolino, John Garvin, Derek Stefanick, Michael Norris, Jayme Beck, Kyle Lukon
Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro Late Model Finish: Colton Flinner, Mark Moats, Jr., Josh Holtgraver, Dusty Curry, Laura Lukon, Mike Pegher, Jr., Andrew Wylie, Kyle Lukon, Mike Reft, Tommy Schirnhofer, Ron Hall, Rocky Kugel, Paul Jablonski, Brian Goebel, Jason Rider, Tony White, Chris Lander, Chuck Medved, Nico Dabecco, Bryan Hoffman, Justin Lamb
Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman Finish: Bill Robertson, Joey Koteles, Nick Kocuba, Dave Slade, Gary Koteles, Jarrod Westover, Mark Lee, Christian Schneider, Troy DeZarn, Jameson Stumper
Miley BP Carwash Hobby Stock Finish: Ian Tomei, Steve Pyeritz, Rich Mason, Chase Evans
Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns Finish: Roman O’Neill, Dylan Bolind, O.B. Huff, Karlee Kovacs, David Ostrander, Jonathan Miller