Marion Center Speedway

555 Potts Road Marion Center PA 15759 * (724) 397-2620 

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2008 Race Results

*  May 10  *    May 24  *  May 31  *  June 7  *   June 21  *  June 28  * July 5  *

 * July 12  *  July 19  *  July 26  *  Aug. 2  *  Aug. 9  *  Aug. 16  *  Aug. 23  *  Aug. 30  *  Sept. 6  *  Sept. 13 *

JULY 5, 2008

MARION CENTER SPEEDWAY: July 5, 2008 
 By:  Don Peffer      

            Marion Center Speedway held its Independence Day Special Saturday night with the full five divisions of racing and a spectacular fireworks display by the Starfire Corporation.  Here’s the rundown on the racing action: 

            Nate Smith from Glen Campbell dominated the Pepsi Strictly Stock class.  After taking the lead to secure the win in his heat race from Gregg Buterbaugh of Clymer, Smith was ready to take on the whole field for the feature.  Smith started in ninth place for the main event and quickly moved through the pack to take the lead for lap twelve of fifteen laps in the race.  Smith then put some distance between himself and the rest of the field for the victory.  Coming in second place was Brett Bingaman from Cherry Tree and he was followed closely by Bobby Noel from Mundy’s Corner in third.  Fourth place went to Justin Queen of Irvona and in fifth was Tim Schreckengost from Valier.  Rounding out the top ten in order were Corey Kilgore from Kittanning (first time at MCS as a Strictly Stock driver-formerly in the 4 Cylinder division), John Kitz, A. J. Flick, Dale Yeaney –with a different car from his usual Street Stock- and Bryant Small.  Besides Smith, Tom Baun from Rossiter and Sam McAdams from Blacklick won heat races.  There was also a Pepsi Strictly Stock consolation race that was won by Gary Furman, Jr. from New Alexandria. 

            The Lias Tire Latemodels took the track next with Dwayne Taneyhill from Bellwood on the pole and in the lead for every lap of the twenty-lap feature.  Taneyhill was chased around the quarter-mile clay oval by Sammy Stile and then Dave Satterlee in the beginning of the race, but maintained the lead.  Dave Satterlee started having problems shortly after the halfway flags were displayed and ended his night early.  But Greg Satterlee moved his way through the pack from starting eleventh, to challenge for the lead at the end to finish second.  Satterlee from Rochester Mills made his way around Sammy Stile from Charleroi to take the second spot on the next to last lap of the feature leaving Stile in third place.  Fourth went to Ken Schaltenbrand from Sarver and Matt Gaston From Rochester Mills was fifth.  John Britsky took sixth and was followed by Dane Laraway, Bob Sheesley, Mike Ziner and Tom Shaffer for the top ten.  In the Lias Tire Latemodel heat races the winners were Dave Blazavich from Marion Center, John Britsky and Dave Peterman from Indiana.  

            Next up were the Q-102 Today’s Hot Country Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinder Rice Burners.  Ray Hickok, Jr. was the feature winner after taking his heat race earlier in the evening.  Ray and Chris Hickok, both from Commodore, were lined up side by side in the ninth and tenth spots for the feature until there was a no show ahead of them that put Ray Hickok up a space.  But that really didn’t matter because after the first lap Ray Hickok, Jr. was the leader for the remaining eleven laps including the checkered flag lap for the win.  Moving up to challenge Ray Hickok, Jr. was Craig Decker from Cherry Tree.  Decker moved up from fifth at the start to be in contention for the lead, but it wasn’t his night to overpower Hickok, and came in a close second.  Third pace went to Bob Pease from Blairsville, Chris Hickok took fourth and Eric McKendree from Valier was fifth.  Scott Stello finished in sixth with Tom Pavelko, John Ford, Josh Ault and Jackie Phillips behind him for the top ten.  Besides Ray Jr., Chris Hickok and Larry Depp from Punxsutawney won the other heat races.  In the Q-102 4 Cylinder consolation race, Tom Pavelko was the winner. 

            Randy Smithley from Bolivar was the dominant force in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Latemodels feature.  Smithley led the field of eighteen cars onto the track and led every lap of the race to secure the victory.  Rod Phillips from Punxsutawney stared last in the field but there at the end to challenge Smithley but came up short in second place.  Third went to Bobby Watt from Latrobe, and Jeff Compton from Jeanette took fourth over Andrew Satterlee who was fifth.  Rounding out the top ten Hoosier Tire mid- Atlantic Limited Latemodels were Cheyenne Reed, Chris Johnston, Bernie Whiteford, Bob Smith and Jeff Weakland.  The heat races were won by Bernie Whiteford and Bob Smith. 

            Another ‘Dominator’ was in control of the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock’s feature and that was Scott Stein from Cherry Tree.  Pulling the pole position for the feature was just an added bonus for Stein, meaning he didn’t have to work for the lead just maintain it.  And he did just that for every lap.  While Stein enjoyed his lead the race behind him was heating up in a good way.  Jeff Taylor and Nick Goss were battling for second place with the outcome putting Goss from Punxsutawney in the number two spot and Taylor from Corsica in third.  Jim Boyer from Indiana was fourth and fifth went to Tim White from Punxsutawney.  Rounding out the top ten in order of their finish in the W. G. Saterlee & sons Street Stocks were Tim Bish, Kyle McFarland, Don Waltman, Rich Waltman and Eric Baun.  Scott Stein also won his heat race and Tim White took the other heat.   

            After the features were completed the Starfire Corporation touched off a great fireworks display that pleased the near capacity crowd on hand.   

            Due to feedback from fans and other input from drivers the rescheduling of the rained-out June 21 races will spread out over several weeks, with only one double feature per night.  Here’s the revised schedule:   

            ALL SATURDAY EVENTS:

                        July 12:  Q 102 Night and Fan Appreciation Night
                        July 19:  Q 102 Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinder Double Feature and Kid’s Bike Races.
                        July 26:  Lias Tire Night – Double Features for Lias Tire Latemodels
                        Aug. 2: Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night & Double Features for Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Latemodels.
                        Aug. 9:  Regular racing program with Double Features for the Pepsi Strictly Stocks  

Planned for July 20 is a “Cut –a –thon” at Holiday Hair in Indiana from 12-4 to benefit Rick Davis to defray medical expenses.  There’s also scheduled to be a local asphalt racecar there and the Jennerstown Rookie-of-the-Year.  Along with the Cut-A-Thon there’s to be a bake sale and raffle held too.  Keep Rick in your thoughts and prayers in this time of medical uncertainty until he’s healed up again. 

            Special Thanks to our 2008 race sponsors Lias Tire, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, W. G. Satterlee & Sons, Pepsi and Q-102 Today’s Hot Country.  Thanks to Butler Auto Supply of Indiana for their continued sponsorship.  Please note that all “Specials” have been moved to Saturday nights due to the rising cost of gas.  See you Saturday night for our Fan Appreciation Night at Marion Center Speedway-“The Thrill on the Hill!”  And for some of our patrons that travel through Marion Center, remember the bridge reconstruction project will close Pa route 403 at the 119 intersection by Marion Center High School on June 12 and be closed the rest of the summer.

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