Norris, Lukon, Kocuba,
Schneider and Sugar
Score
“Blastoff” Victories
PITTSBURGH, PA — The 2013 racing season at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway kicked off on Saturday, April 13th with defending champion Michael Norris claiming the season opener for the second consecutive year in the Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model Division. Other winners included Kyle Lukon (Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro-Late Models), Nick Kocuba (Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman), Christian Schneider (Miley BP Carwash Hobby Stocks) and Jarret Sugar (Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns).
Third generation racer Michael Norris continued his streak of winning the season opener in the Super Late Model Division as he scored his first win of 2013 over Jared Miley. The 20 lap main event saw Norris and Kyle Lukon lead the field to the green. Norris led the first two circuits before Jared Miley pulled ahead to lead the third lap. Norris regained the top spot on the following lap and the duo continued to battle for the remainder of the event. At the checkered flag it was Norris who scored the win over Miley, Alex Ferree, Lukon and Jim Stephans. Miley scored the heat event win and also claimed the Awesome Hard Charger Award.
Burgettstown resident Kyle Lukon claimed the final two Pro-Late events in 2012 and the Duquesne University graduate continued his winning ways by making it “three in a row” as he scored the Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro-Late Model main event. Lukon used his front row starting spot to place his 1L Rocket Chassis in the top spot for the entire 20 lap main event. Andrew Satterlee challenged Lukon in the early stages of the feature event before falling to third on the final circuit. Joe Martin, who started in the tenth spot, claimed the runner-up spot with Mike Pegher, Jr. and Michael Reft completing the top five. Toby Massie, Lukon and Dennis Lunger were victorious in the prelims.
Jeff Bronszewski and Joe Anthony led the Late Model Sportsman class to the green with Bronszewski leading the first two laps before it became a “K Night”. Craig Koteles moved into the top spot and battled his cousin Joey Koteles powered into the lead on lap ten but Craig gained the upper hand and led the 11th through 14th circuits. The event’s only caution flew on lap 14 when Joey spun in the third turn. The caution placed another “K driver”, Nick Kocuba in the second spot as he had methodically worked his way from the seventh starting position. When the racing action resumed Kocuba was able to power by Craig Koteles and hold off the Finleyville driver to score his first victory at “Dirt’s Monster Half Mile” since 2011. Brian Huchko claimed the second spot of C. Koteles, J. Koteles and Bronszewki. Kocuba also won the Sportsman heat event.
Second generation driver Christian Schneider claimed his first ever Hobby Stock feature victory as he took the top spot from Jonathan Hileman on the second circuit and cruised to the win. Ed Wiser, Hileman, Chase Evans and Hannah Ramsey completed the field. Hileman picked up the win in Hobby Stock heat race action.
Thirteen year old Jarrett Sugar scored a convincing win in Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns action in his first ever start at the Imperial, PA oval. The Petersburg, OH student, who is a veteran of go kart and micro sprint action defeated Dylan Bolind, Roman O’Neill, Michael Jackson and Karlee Kovacs.
The Saturday afternoon racing action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway continues next weekend with a five division Action event featuring the Diehl of Robinson Super Late Models, Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro-Late Models, Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman, Miley BP Carwash Hobby Stocks and the Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns.
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 Models: 72 Michael Norris, H1Jared Miley, 10 Alex Ferree, 1L Kyle Lukon, 38 Jim Stephans, 92 Jayme Beck, 0 Steve Baker, 1CLynn Geisler
Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro Late Models: 1L Kyle Lukon, 55M Joe Martin, 2 A Andrew Satterlee, 1CMike Pegher, Jr., 9R Mike Reft, 71L Dennis Lunger, Jr, 3J Paul Jablonski, 14G Jake Gunn, 15M Mark Moats, 75 Colton Flinner, 4S Chad Ruhlman, 12G Brian Goebel, 2M Chuck Medved, 45 Tim Shaffer, 27 Tony White, 18L Chris Lander, 22 Justin Massie, 01 Ron Hall, 2T Toby Massie
Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman: 10 Nick Kocuba, 60 Brian Huchko, 64K Craig Koteles, 33K Joey Koteles, 08 Jeff Broniszewski, 69X Joe Anthony, W1 Jarrod Westover, 54 Wayne Carbo
Miley BP Car Wash Hobby Stocks: MACH5 Christian Schneider, OU2 Ed Wiser, 15 Jonathan Hileman, 7 Chase Evans, 14HER Hannah Ramsey
Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns: 75 Jarrett Sugar, 3 Dylan Bolind, 47 Roman O’Neill, 89 Michael Jackson, 221K Karlee Kovacs, 21 Jonathan Miller