Andre Layfield celebrating his BOSS win at PPMS on Saturday, June 23rd! – Rick Rarer Photo
The Big Bad Boss Wingless 410 Sprint Special had Andre Layfield pick up a career first win, John Flinner returns and picks up the Super Lates, Nico Dabecco wins a career first in the Crates, Pat Weldon wins the Sportsman Showdown #2, with Joe Podolinsky and Todd Weldon also win at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway on June 23, 2012.
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic DIRTcar Super Late Models saw the return of Cranberry Township PA’s John Flinner after a year absence from racing to pick up the win. Jon Hodgkiss and Daryl Charlier brought the field down for the start, with Charlier grabbing the lead over Flinner and Lynn Geisler. Geisler moved past Flinner for second and set out after Charlier. Charlier and Geisler battled for the top spot, with Geisler moving into first on lap 11. On lap 13 Charlier’s run ended with rear end problems bringing out the yellow. On the restart Geisler led Flinner, Michael Norris and Kari Gasser. Geisler looked as if he was going to win his first win of the season, but that all ended two laps later when his engine let go. This put Flinner in the lead on the restart, with Norris right beside. Norris and Flinner battled for the top spot the remainder of the race, with Flinner holding Norris off to the end. At the finish it was Flinner, Norris, Alex Ferree, Gasser, Steve Baker (who came from the tail after a lap 4 flat), Jim Stephans, Ben Miley, Kyle Lukon, Jon Hodgkiss and Geisler. Ferree picked up the Awesome Design Hard charger award while Miley was the K&N Persistent Performer. John Flinner and Michael Norris won the heats.
Grafton WV’s Andre Layfield won a career first Sprint Car win in the Big Bad Boss Wingless 410 Sprints. Kirk Jeffries grabbed the lead from his pole starting spot. Jeffries led the first two laps before Landon Smith took over. Smith, Mark Cassella and Layfield battled for the top spot for the next 6 laps. Cassella made his move on lap 9 and took over first. Layfield also got by Smith and the pair pulled away from the field. Cassella opened up a bit of a lead, when the first caution of the event happened when Charlie Cornelius got a flat and slowed. Cassella took off on the restart, but his fine run ended the next lap when he brushed the front straight wall and damaged his suspension, and when he got to turn one, hit the wall and almost flipped. On the restart Layfield took off and led the rest of the way to grab the win in one of the best sprint races held at the track. Layfield was followed by Landon Smith, Tony Beaber, Kirk Jefferies, Brandon Spithaler, Dustin Smith, Brandon Matus, Arnie Kent, Adam Miller, and Brent Matus. The heats had Andre Layfield, Mark Cassella and Landon Smith pick up the victories.
Young Nico “The Freak” Dabecco, Pittsburgh PA won his first career feature in the Brougher’s Machine Shop Fastrak Pro Late Model Crates. Dabecco grabbed the lead at the start, and led the entire event, but the win was far from easy. Beau Glemba challenged Dabecco early, before Dennis Neiderriter move into the runner up spot. Neiderriter challenged Dabecco for a few laps, and then fell back a bit. He then rebounded, and closed in on Dabecco. On lap 13, Chris Lander spun, and brought out the yellow and closed the field up. On the restart, Dabecco took off but Neiderriter didn’t and he slowed and fell back, stopping on the back straight bringing out the yellow. He restarted, but on the tail of the field. Dabecco took off again, but now Glemba found a second wind and was challenging Dabecco. The pair ran side by side for the last three laps, never touching and Dabecco held off Glemba at the flag a scant .022 seconds at the flag (or by a nose). Glemba had his best run of the season in second followed by Mike Reft, Kyle Lukon, Colton Flinner (who recovered from a lap 5 tangle), Mark Moats, Ron Hall, Chuck Medved, Paul Jablonski, and Bryant Hank. The K&N Persistent Performer was Ron Hall. Mike Reft and Nico Dabecco grabbed the heats.
The Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman Showdown II saw Monongahela PA’s Pat Weldon win his second feature of the season. Invader Bob Heim grabbed the lead at the start of the 20 lap event, and led the first 3 laps before Weldon took over on lap 4. At that point the race was over as Weldon dominated the res t of the event, winning by a straightaway in the caution free event picking up $700. Jake Simmons was second followed by Heim, Wayne Carbo, Vince Laboon, Joey Koteles, Stush Sadowski, (in Jenn Barker’s #33), newcomer Dwight Boile and Nick Kocuba. Sadowski was dubbed the K&N Persistent Performer. Pat Weldon also won the heat.
Oakdale PA’s Joe Podolinsky won his third feature of the season in the Miley BP Car Wash Hobby Stocks. Chase Evans grabbed the lead at the start and led the first 4 laps before Podolinsky took over on lap 5 and led the rest of the way. Evans was second followed by Gary Smith (who picked up the K&N Persistent Performer Award), newcomer Anthony Aiello, Steve Pyeritz and Hannah Ramsey. Joe Podolinsky also won the heat.
The Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns saw defending track champ and current point leader, Todd Weldon, Monongahela PA, win his 6th feature of the season. Logan Crewl led the first 5 laps before Weldon took over and led the remaining laps. Crewl was second followed by newcomer Matt Pegher, newcomer Roman O’Neill, Bernie Blair Jr., and Adam Carson. Pegher was the K&N Persistent Performer for the event.
Upcoming at PPMS on June 30 the track will be closed for the Firecracker 100, but will run a special Sunday night show on July 1st, featuring the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints, in their first visit since 2000, plus a complete regular show. In the event of rain, the show will be run Tuesday Night July 3. On July 7, it’s NAPA Driver Autograph Night, plus a Fastrak Tour Sizzler, and a complete regular show, plus the World Famous Army Field Band will be on hand before the races to entertain the fans. Regular shows consist of Super Late Models, Fastrak Pro Late Models, Late Model Sportsman, Hobby Stocks, and Young Guns. Effective for the remainder of the season, in the event of any Saturday rainout the management will utilize a Sunday evening raindate. Times for the Sunday evening will start 1 hour earlier, with Gates opening at 4:00PM, Hot Laps at 5:00PM, and Racing at 6:00PM. For more info on PPMS Schedule see the website http://www.ppms.com/
SUMMARY – June 23, 2012
BOSS Wingless Sprints
Heats – 21 Andre Layfield, 91 Mark Cassella and 45 Landon Smith
Feature (21 Laps) – 1. 21 Andre Layfield, 2. 45 Landon Smith, 3. 3T Tony Beaber, 4. 59J Kirk Jeffries, 5. 57B Brandon Spithaler, 6. 37 Dustin Smith, 7. 13 Brandon Matus, 8. 18 Arnie Kent, 9. 24M Adam Miller, 10. 33 Brent Matus, 11. 5B Adam Anderson, 12. 91X Aaron Middaugh, 13. 31 Chuck Wilson, 14. 5 Bob McMillen, 15. C9 Charlie Cornelius, 16. 8 Lewie Christian, 17. 91 Mark Cassella, 18.4C Paul Kish
Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic DirtCar Super Late Models
Heats – 48C John Flinner and 72 Michael Norris
Feature (25 Laps) – 1. 48C John Flinner, 2. 72 Michael Norris, 3. 10 Alex Ferree, 4. 0K Kari Gasser, 5. 0 Steve Baker, 6. 38 Jim Stephans, 7. 99 Ben Miley, 8. 1 Kyle Lukon, 9. 69 Jon Hodgkiss, 10. 1C Lynn Geisler, 11. 12 Daryl Charlier
Awesome Hard Charger – 10 Alex Ferree
K&N Performer – 99 Ben Miley
Brougher’s Machine Shop ProLate Models
Heats – 9R Mike Reft and 1F Nico Dabecco
Feature (20 Laps) – 1. 1F Nico Dabecco, 2. 99G Beau Glemba, 3. 9R Mike Reft, 4. 1 Kyle Lukon, 5. 75 Colton Flinner, 6. 15 Mark Moats, 7. 01 Ron Hall, 8. 2M Chuck Medved, 9. 3 Paul Jablonski, 10. 28 Bryant Hank, 11. 09 Dennis Niederriter, 12. 12 Brian Goebel, 13. 2S W. L. Stile, 14. 18 Chris Lander, 15. 50T Tyler Carson, 16. 93X Justin Lamb
K&N Performer – 01 Ron Hall
Sunoco Race Fuels DirtCar Sportsman
Heat – 45 Pat Weldon
Feature (20 Laps) – 1. 45 Pat Weldon, 2. 68X Jake Simmons, 3. 92 Bobby Heim, 4. 54 Wayne Carbo, 5. 17L Vince Laboon, 6. 33K Joey Koteles, 7. 33 Stush Sadowski, 8. 528 Dwight Boile, 9. 10 Nick Kocuba
K&N Performer – 33 Stush Sadowski
Miley BP Car Wash DirtCar Hobby Stocks Factory Stocks
Heat – 56 Joe Podolinsky
Feature (12 Laps) – 1.56 Joe Podolinsky, 2. 7 Chase Evans, 3. 1 Gary Smith, 4. 14 Anthony Aiello, 5. 56J Steve Pyeritz, 6. 14 Hannah Ramsey
K&N Performer – 1 Gary Smith
Imperial Heights Garage DirtCar Young Guns Sport Compacts
Feature (8 Laps) – 1. 45 Todd Weldon, 2. 0 Logan Crewl, 3. 09 Matt Pegher, 4. 47 Roman O’Neill, 5. B4 Bernie Blair, Jr., 6. 50A Adam Carson
K&N Performer – 09 Matt Pegher