Don Peffer

Marion Center Speedway Results from June 4, 2005

          Marion Center Speedway presented a full program of over 124 cars competing in the five divisions of racing at the quarter-mile clay oval on Saturday night.

          It was Jack Mumau’s night in the Pepsi Strictly Stock feature.   Mumau from East Run was started on the pole for the event and led every lap in the fifteen-lap race to take the checkered flag turning the tables on Charlie Boring from Bolivar who took the heat race that he and Mumau were entered in and left Mumau in second.   Charlie Boring scored a second place in the feature ahead of fellow Bolivar residents Bob Benedict and John Mazey who were third and fourth respectively.   Fifth place went to Marshall Detwiler of Coisig Springs and the rest of the top ten positions were filled by:   Robert James, James Kohan, Mike Boring, Jim Scott and Brian Imler.   The Pepsi Strictly Stock heat races were won by Charlie Boring, Larry Matter and John Mazey.  

          Shane McMeans from Dayton followed the trend started by Jack Mumau and led his Stitching Post Limited Latemodel feature from green to checkers.   It wasn’t as easy as a Sunday drive, with Randall Paxton, Jr. chasing him around the circle.   McMeans was leading every lap but Paxton from Factoryville was hot on his trail every lap too.   Then you slide into the top five mix Dave Buchanan from Cherry Tree and start Cheyenne Reed on the pole and you have the makings of a potentially great race.   Marred only by the number of restarts and cautions, it was a great race and the finish was:   McMeans the victor, Paxton was second, Buchanan-third, Reed-fourth, and Clayton Copeman from Greensburg was fifth.   Sixth through tenth went to Chris Johnston, Larry Hollenbaugh, Rich Womeldorf, John Weaver and Bill Pluta, Jr..   The top three feature places were also winners in their respective heats.

          Mike Laughard from Twin Rocks was the feature winner in the Kelly Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Street Stocks.   Laughard didn’t start on the pole, but was moved up to the outside pole when Jeff Taylor left that position vacant.   Mike Laughard took the early lead and avoided set backs from cautions and restarts to maintain his front position throughout the feature.   And nearly following Laughard around in second place for every lap was Dave Potter, Jr. from Smokerun. Don Waltman from Rossiter moved in to the third place after the half-way flags were displayed and stayed in that position to the end.   He was followed by Rich Waltman from Coolspring across the finish line for fourth and Raymond Reynolds from Fallen Timber took fifth.   Jake Ayers from Freeport was sixth, Roger Stivenson finished seventh, Chad Demikca-eighth, Jim Boyer-ninth and tenth went to Joe Ploskunak.   The Kelly heat races were won by Mike Laughard, Scott Stein, and Jeff Taylor.  

  Sammy Stile from Charleroi ran away with a victory in the Lias Tire Late Model feature.   Starting on the outside pole, Stile got the jump on Dave Satterlee in the pole slot to take the lead early and never look back.   Sattlerlee stayed with Stile throughout the feature race until he was penalized for rough driving when a caution came out in lap twelve.   After being sent to the end of the line, Dave Satterlee made his back to finish sixteenth.   But that incident didn’t free Sammy Stile from Satterlee problems; he still had Dave’s son Ben Satterlee to contend with.   Ben had started in the second row behind Dave and remained in the front of the pack to contend with Stile.   Stile outran the younger Satterlee from Rochester Mills, leaving Ben in second place.   Jim Kurpakus from Leechburg held onto a top five starting spot picking up third place at the checkers, and Rick Strong from Chambersville moved from starting seventh to finishing fourth.   Gary Pease from Ernest made his first appearance at Marion Center Speedway this season and picked up fifth place for his initial efforts.   The rest of the top ten finishers were Mike Blose, Waylon Lunger, Ken Schaltenbrand, Tony Kaneci, and Dan Swartzlander.   Steve Everhart won one of the heat races and the other two went to Ben Satterlee and Sammy Stile.   a consolation race was run to eliminate some cars from the feature and Tom Decker was the winner of the consy.

  The B & J Service Station 4 Cylinder Rice Burners followed suit with the other divisions and had a start to finish leader and winner of the feature event-Tim Laughard from Strongstown.   Tim Laughard started on the outside pole and kept the car up front for the victory.   And coming in second place was another Laughard-Cliff Laughard from Vintondale.   The two teamed up to lead the race for the last two laps.   They were followed across the finish line by Bob Pease from Blairsville in third, Dan Adams from Nanty-Glo-fourth, and Larry Depp from Punxsutawney in fifth.   The rest of the top ten cars were Brian Lyle, Merle Bolette, Josh Westlake, Jeremy Detwyler, and an unidentified car in tenth place that may have been driven by David Conoran.   The B & J Service Station heats went t o Merle Bolette, Kyle McFarland, and Tim Laughard.    With about 30 or so cars signed in for the B & J Service Station from Dayton 4 cylinders, and many of them new drivers in the division, a consolation race was held and the winner in that event was Zach Zbur from the Indiana and Ernest area.

  To try and clear up the questions about the Memorial Day races that weren’t run that day – the remaining 25 lap feature for the Lias Tire Late Models will be held on July 30, 2005 in addition to that night’s regular racing program.   July 30 will have two features-the 25 lap from Memorial Day and the regular feature from that night’s program.   No Rainchecks will be honored for the races from Memorial Day May 30- the night’s program was able to make it past the halfway point of the evening’s program by completing two of the three scheduled features and thus making it a full night.   So be prepared to attend the races on the July 30 date to see the end of the Twin 25’s and a full racing schedule as well.   While you’re marking your calendars, be sure to note the Independence Day celebration with racing in the Regional Racing Series and the fireworks show for Monday, July 4 night at Marion Center Speedway.   The RRS guys will be running for a $3000 to win purse.   Also make sure to mark August 13, for the Speedway’s Fan Appreciation Night and the official celebration of the 40’th Anniversary of Marion Center Speedway!   If you know of any drivers, living or deceased that ran in the opening seasons of Marion Center Speedway, please let us know.   We would be glad to have them with us that night in August, or at least be able to mention them in the night’s program.   Info can be sent to the e mail address from the website: www.marioncenterspeedway.com , or send it to the track at Marion Center Speedway, Inc., 555 Potts Road, Marion Center, PA 15759.  

          Best Wishes to Ray Weaver and hopes that the early retirement for health reasons from this season doesn't extend into the future seasons.  

 

 

Don Peffer

by Don Peffer

            Marion Center Speedway continued its 40’th Anniversary season Saturday night with all five divisions well represented to bring in over 100 participants to race on the quarter-mile clay oval.

            The Kelly Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Street Stocks were the first to take the track for the feature races.  Scott Stein from Cherry Tree picked up his third win of the season out of four regular racing programs by outrunning the pack from start to finish.  Stein started on the outside pole position and quickly took the lead.  Dave Potter, Jr. who started on the pole wasn’t as lucky to remain up front like Stein and drifted back to an eleventh place finish.  In between Stein and Potter, the rest of the Kelly Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Street stocks finished in this order:  Jeff Taylor from Corsica-second, Don Waltman of Rossiter, Denny Keener from Arcadia, Jim Boyer of Indiana, and Eric Lingenfelter, Mike Laugherd, Tim White, Paul Schrekengost and Joe Ploskunak.  Jeff Taylor and Don Waltman were heat race winners.

            The Lias Tire Late Models were next on the program and it was the Mike Blose show in that division.  Blose from Dayton had also started on the outside pole position and found it lucky enough to ride all the way to the checkered flag.  Rick Strong started right behind Blose and stayed their the entire race-ever ready to take advantage of an opportunity to lead, but Blose never relinquished the top spot and left Strong from Chambersville in a respectable second place.  Third place went to Ben Satterlee who had to work his way up from tenth to the third position.  Ben, from Rochester Mills, once again was able to post a top ten finish in four starts of the Lias Tire Late Model regular racing program features.  Fourth place went to Gary Pease from Ernest who had a late start this season but is coming on strong.  Ken Schaltenbrand from Sarver drove a different car with # 29 on it for this week’s races and finished fifth with the borrowed ride.  Rounding out the top ten were Tony Burke, Bob Wearing, Jr., Dave Blazavich, John Myers, and Mark Stair.  In the preliminary heats, the winners were Rick Strong and Chuck Sarver. 

            Jack Mumau was the victor in the Pepsi Strictly Stock feature giving him back-to-back wins.  The East Run native took the pole position on a restart after the pole sitter, Larry Matter was involved in a caution at the start of the feature.  Mumau was then the leader for every lap to pick up the win.  Steve McKendree was next across the finish line for the Pepsi Strictly Stock feature.  McKendree from Mahaffey started on the outside pole and chased Mumau the entire race without the opportunity to lead the way.  Charlie Boring from Bolivar picked up third place, and Robert James from Mahaffey was fourth.  Fifth place went to Tim Good from Vintondale.  For his first time efforts this season at Marion Center Speedway, John Eckenrod from Portage took sixth place; John Mazey was seventh, Justin Queen-eighth, Bobby Noel-ninth and Mike Boring took tenth.  Bob Benedict, Jack Mumau, and Steve McKendree were the Pepsi Strictly Stock heat race winners.

            Cheyenne Reed won his first feature of the 40’th Anniversary Season Saturday night in the Stitching Post Limited Late Model division.  Reed from Punxsutawney was able to capture the win by starting on the outside pole position and leading the rest of the way to the checkered flag finish.  Larry Hollenbaugh, also from Punxsy, was able to make a last lap pass on Dave Buchanan from Cherry Tree who was tracking Reed around the oval, to take second place from Buchanan; leaving him in third.  Fourth place went to Denny Walker from Punxsutawney and Chad Hellman from Indiana was fifth.  Jim Detman picked up sixth, Shane McMeans-seventh, Bruce Walker-eighth, Rich Womeldorf-ninth and John Weaver-tenth.  The Stitching Post Limited Late Model heats were won by Shane McMeans and Dave Buchanan.

            Kyle McFarland experienced the “Thrill on the Hill” in a different way Saturday night when he rolled his B&J Service Station 4 Cylinder Rice Burner over in the heat race.  McFarland wasn’t injured in the mishap and drove his car off the track into the pits after being checked over by the safety personnel.  McFarland from Rochester Mills returned to the track in a B&J Consolation Race and reserved a spot in the feature by winning the consy.  Unfortunately for McFarland the trip to the feature event wasn’t as good as the consy and more like the heat race; as he was retired early from the feature after being involved in a caution on the second lap.  But it was a great comeback from the heats to the consy and we’ll probably see McFarland in the winner’s circle soon to get his first feature win.  After getting things straightened out from a series of cautions at the start of the B&J Service Station 4 Cylinder feature, the race was on for the front wheel drive vehicles and a battle for the lead was going strong between Adam Brink from Rossiter and Tim Laughard from Strongstown.  Brink led the first part of the feature until the halfway flags came out and Laughard made his move around Brink for the lead.  Laughard was able to stay in front of Brink and the rest of the pack even when the two leaders approached the back the lineup and lapped cars.  The B&J boys finished up with Laughard first, Brink second, Brian Lyle from Punxsutawney third, Joshua Westlake from Kittanning fourth and Larry Depp from Punxsutawney took fifth.  Rounding out the field through tenth spot were: Dan Adams, Jeremy Leasure, Rodney Sindsac, Scott Martin, and Eric McKendree.  The Heats for the B&J Service Station 4 Cylinders were won by Dave Conoran, Steve Matko and Mark Faught.

            Next Saturday night will be the Father’s Day Special at Marion Center Speedway and the first time the Kid’s Bike Races will be held (hopefully).  Also remember the next special, non-Saturday race for MCS will be Monday, July 4 for the Independence Day races in the Regional Racing Series and the Fireworks show.  The one feature for the Lias Tire Late Models that was fogged out for the Memorial Day Special will be held Saturday, July 30 as part of the regular racing night which means two features for the Lias Tire Late Models-the held over 25 lap from Memorial Day and the night’s regular twenty lap feature-Double Features!  Also remember that if you can offer any information about drivers that raced at Marion Center Speedway when it opened Forty Years ago!- We would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible to recognize that person in a special program planned for our Fan Appreciation Night scheduled for August 13.  Also remember to stop by Butler Auto Supply near Indiana for quality parts for all your automotive and tractor part needs.  Butler Auto Supply has been a long time friend of the Speedway and has sponsored many Season Championships.

            Thanks to Sandy Kaye’s restaurant in Shelocta and Vanderpool’s Checkered Flag Collectibles and others for providing door prizes for the night. 

 

 

Don Peffer

Marion Center Speedway’s 40‘Th Anniversary Season continued Saturday night for the fourth event in a row without a rainout.   The night’s activities included Kid’s Bike Races and special treats for Father’s Day were given away to supplement the over 100 cars in the five divisions for the regular racing program.

            The first round of competition on the quarter-mile clay oval was in the Pepsi Strictly Stock division.   Robert James from Mahaffey started on the outside pole and led the trace from the start through the ninth lap of the fifteen-lap feature.   Jack Mumau from East Run made a pass to take the lead in that ninth lap and led the rest of the way to the checkered flag.   Jim Scott from Cherry Tree was the second place car to cross the finish line.   But, track officials did a surprise inspection of the Pepsi Strictly Stock top three cars after the feature was completed and found the top two cars to be breaking one rule or another.   The officials then disqualified the first and second place cars and gave the win to Steve McKendree who was also inspected as a top three finisher, but passed the inspection.   With the results of the race and the post race inspection the final top ten for the Pepsi Strictly Stock Division are:   Steve Mckendree from Mahaffey, Tim Good from Vintondale, Charlie Boring from Bolivar, Mike Boring from Bolivar, Bob Benedict from Bolivar; Justin Queen, Dave George, Robin Welsh, Don Hickok, and John Mazey.   John Mazey and Robert James won the heat races.

            The Stitching Post Limited Latemodel feature started with Dave Buchanan from Cherry Tree on the pole and Larry Hollenbaugh from Punxsutawney on the outside pole.   Buchanan took the early lead for the first five laps then Hollenbaugh passed Buchanan and kept the front spot for the rest of the race for the win.   Bernie Whiteford from Hastings was at the track for the first time this season, but no stranger to the top of the hill; he was able to maneuver his way from nearly last place to the second position at the finish.   Dave Buchanan took third place and Jim Detman from Leechburg took fourth leaving Bruce Walker from Punxsutawney in fifth.   Rounding out the top ten were Chad Hellman, Rich Womeldorf, Yvette Hahn, Brian Good, and mark Rend.   The winners of the preliminary heats were Dave Buchanan and Larry Hollenbaugh.  

            Scott Stein went coast-to-coast, flag to flag, all the way from beginning to the end of the Kelly Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Street Stock feature in the lead.   Stein from Cherry Tree started on the pole and maintained the front position to the checkered flag.   Jeff Taylor from Corsica started and finished second, but Denny Keener from Arcadia moved up from ninth on the starting grid to take third place at the finish bumping down the start/finish of the next two cars who took the checkered flag- Don Waltman from Rossiter dropped on spot from third to fourth at the end and Gregg Satterlee from Rochester Mills went fourth to fifth.   Rich Waltman moved up to sixth place, Dave Potter, Jr. was seventh Jim Boyer –eighth, Eric Lingenfelter-ninth, and Ray Charles was tenth.   Scott Stein and Jeff Taylor were the winners of the heats.  

            The Lias Tire Late Models were led onto the track by Mike Blose from Dayton and Dave Satterlee from Home on the outside pole.   Blose held the lead but Sammy Stile from Charleroi quickly moved around Satterlee for second place.   The front three cars continued to vie for position with Stile taking the lead for the eighth lap and remaining the front-runner for the win.   Dave Satterlee got around Blose after the crossed flags came out to take second lace leaving Mike Blose in third.   Rick Davis from Home finished fourth, and Rickey Strong from Chambersville was fifth.   Rodney Phillips from Punxsutawney was there at Marion Center Speedway for the first regular programs race this year and finished sixth (Phillips raced in the Memorial Day Twin 25’s).   Ben Satterlee took seventh, Jim Kurpakus was eighth, Brian (BD) Laraway was ninth and Cody Shultz took tenth.   The heat races went to Dave Satterlee, Mike Blose and point leader, Rick Strong.

            In his miniature version of the “General Lee” complete with the Dixieland horn, Steve Matko from Hillsdale drove his Dodge to victory in the B&J Service Station 4 Cylinder Rice Burners’ feature.   Matko started the ‘Little General’ on the pole and was able to keep the rebel flag in front of the pack to get the win.   Dan Adams worked hard to get into second place from starting thirteenth, but Adams from Nanty-Glo was able to do that.   Third place went to Kirby Tucker from Loretto who moved up from twelfth, fourth place was Alan Seliga from Punxsutawney, and Brian Lyle also from Punxsy took fifth.   Finishing in the top ten positions were:   Tim Laughard, Joshua Westlake, Tina Weaver, Terry Boden, and Doug Heitzenrater.   Steve Matko along with Dave Conoran, and Alan Seliga were winners of the heat races.   There was a consolation race for the B&J Service Station 4 Cylinders, and the winner was Eric McKendree from Mahaffey.

            As mentioned earlier, Kid’s Bike races were held at intermission and Marion Center Speedway congratulates all the winners and participants in the kids’ event.   The winners of each age group each received a checkered flag from Vanderpool’s Checkered Flag Collectibles. The next Kid’s Bike races will be held July 23, one week before the make up race from Memorial Day when the one Twin of the Twin 25’s was unable to be run due to fog-the July 30 night of races will include the 25 lap feature from Memorial Day and the night’s own 20 lap regular feature for the Lias Tire Latemodels.   No rainchecks will be honored for the races from Memorial Day.   Don’t overlook the next special, non-Saturday race for MCS will be Monday, July 4 for the Independence Day races in the Regional Racing Series and the Fireworks show.   Also remember that if you can offer any information about drivers that raced at Marion Center Speedway when it opened Forty Years ago; we would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible to recognize that person in a special program planned for our Fan Appreciation Night scheduled for August 13.   Also remember to stop by Butler Auto Supply near Indiana for quality parts for all your automotive and tractor part needs.   Butler Auto Supply has been a long time friend of the Speedway and has sponsored many Season Championships.

            Thanks to Vanderpool’s Checkered Flag Collectibles, The Stitching Post and others for providing door prizes for the night.

 

  

Don Peffer