Martz Victorious in Sportsman Showdown;
Norris, Lukon, Schneider and Bolind
Also Capture Wins
PITTSBURGH, PA — Mother Nature may have delayed the Sportsman Showdown 20 by one week but that didn’t stop Brookville, PA driver Rusty Martz from scoring a popular win in Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 18th. Other winners include Michael Norris, who tallied his third win in Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model action and Kyle Lukon who also scored win number three in the Precise Racing Products Pro-Late Model Division. Christian Schneider remained atop of the Miley BP Hobby Stock action as he picked up his fifth victory and Dylan Bolind scored his second consecutive win in the Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns Division.
Wayne Carbo and Rusty Martz led the 19 car Late Model Sportsman Showdown event to the green flag and veteran Martz immediately took command. Martz led the first two circuits before PPMS regular Brian Huchko took the top spot and would lead laps three and four. Martz regained the top spot on the fifth circuit. A caution on lap eight for Joey Koteles closed up the field and gave Huchko another shot at the top spot but he was not able to overtake Martz. By lap ten another “invader”, Dubois, PA driver Colton Gearhart, had overtaken Huchko and set his sights on Martz. The event’s second and final caution on lap 13 occurred when Danny Rich and Joey Koteles tangled in turn two. The final seven circuits found a determined Gearhart trying to overtake Martz but he was unable to do so as Martz held on for his first ever victory at PPMS. Gearhart brought home a fine second place finish over Pat Weldon, who made his first PPMS start of the season, Huchko and Jake Simmons in the Joe Anthony 69X.
Martz and Weldon scored the wins in the prelims.
Sarver, PA resident Michael Norris has certainly mastered “Dirt’s Monster Half Mile” as he scored his third Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model win of 2013 in convincing fashion. Norris and fellow Butler County resident Alex Ferree brought the field to the green flag and the 21 year old Norris jumped out to a commanding lead. Brandon Burgoon and Ben Miley battled for the second spot before the event’s lone caution flew on lap nine when John Garvin slowed in turn two. The restart found Miley dropping back with veteran Lynn Geisler dueling with Burgoon for the second spot as Norris began working through the lapped traffic. At the checkered flag it was Norris over Burgoon, Geisler, Ferree and Jared Miley.
Michael Davis and Jared Miley were victorious in heat race action with Geisler picking up the Awesome Hard Charger Award for the second time in 2013; as he advanced six spots in the feature event.
Another rising star Kyle Lukon has an impressive run in the Pro-Late Model Division as he also scored his third win of the 2013 season. Mark Moats led the first eight laps as Lukon, who started in the fifth spot slowly worked his way to the front. By lap seven Lukon had worked his way to Moats’ rear bumper and mounted a challenge. Unfortunately Moats spun in turn four and the caution would fly. Lukon inherited the lead and was never seriously challenged for the remainder of the event. Like Norris he would claim his third win of 2013. Young Nico Dabecco got by Tommy Schirnhofer on lap 19 to claim the second spot. Schirnhofer held on for third over Laura Lukon and Chuck Medved.
Dabecco and Kyle Lukon picked up the preliminary events.
Sixteen year old Christian Schneider continued his win streak as he held off challenges of Chase Evans to win his fifth Hobby Stock main event. Hannah Ramsey followed Schneider and Evans to finish third followed by John Wiser and Tyler Fox.
Dylan Bolind scored his first ever Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns victory two weeks ago and the 14 year old Imperial, PA resident must have enjoyed the spotlight as he picked up win number two by leading the entire distance of the main event. Jarrett Sugar, Roman O’Neill, Jonathan Miller and Karlee Kovacs followed.
The ¾ scale Late Models were also in action as they competed in an exhibition with Levi Spinneweber taking the checkered flag over Kelvin Kohan and Colton Flinner.,
Racing action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway continues next Saturday, May 24th, as the mighty Big Block Modifieds make their only appearance of 2013. The racing action will also include a complete program for 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. Pit and Grandstand gates will open at 5:00PM with the racing action starting promptly 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 Models: 72, Michael Norris, 02 Brandon Burgoon, 1C Lynn Geisler, 10 Alex Ferree, H1 Jared Miley, 38 Jim Stephans, 12 Daryl Charlier, 99 Ben Miley, 7M Miochael Davis, 0 Steve Baker, 44S Derek Stefanick, 27X Sam Eichelberger, 2J Mike Johnson, 1L Kyle Lukon, J4 John Garvin, 29 Garrett Krummert, 0K Kari Gasser
Precise Racing Products RUSH Pro Late Models: 1L Kyle Lukon, F1 Nico Dabecco, 8S Tommy Schirnhofer, 84 Laura Lukon, 2M Chuck Medved, 01 Ron Hall, 28 Bryant Hank, 93X Justin Lamb, 12G Bryan Goebel, 15 Mark Moats, 3J Paul Jablonski, 18 Chris Lander, 27 Tony White, 15H Brian Hoffman, 08 Dusty Curry
Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Sportsman: 16M Rusty Martz, T3 Colton Gearhart, 45 Pat Weldon, 60 Brian Huchko, 69X Jake Simmons, 08 Jeff Broniszweski, 59 Mike Desch, 1B Bill Robertston, 10 Nick Kocuba, 64K Craig Koteles, 17L Vince Laboon, 22 Jamey Swank, 13 Danny Rich, 528 Dwight Boice, W1 Jarrod Westover, 54 Wayne Carbo, 33K Joey Koteles, A22 Bill Slade
Miley BP Car Wash Hobby Stocks: M5 Christian Schneider, 7 Chase Evans, 14H Hannah Ramsey, 1W John Wiser, 39K Tyler Fox
Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns: 30 Dylan Bolind, 75 Jarrett Sugar, 47 Roman O’Neill, 21 Jonathan Miller, 221K Karlee Kovacs