August 15, 2009
Race Results

Cory Stivason's Photos

Late Model	Limited Late Model	Street Stock	Strictly Stock	4-Cylinder
18 - John Britsky	5R - Chris Clark	1B - Tim Bish	F1 - Steve Matko	84 - Chris Hickok

Ronald McDonald was in the house, so to speak at Marion Center Speedway Saturday night for McDonald’s Night at the track.  The Indiana and Resort Plaza (route 22 Blairsville) McDonald’s restaurants sponsored the night of racing with the Championship Kid’s Bike Races being one of the highlights.  

There was a surprise ending to the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stocks feature.  The race began with Tim White from Punxsutawney leading the way but then lost the lead to Jim Boyer from Indiana. Boyer then was passed by Tim Bish’s car just before the halfway flags came out for the final leader of the race.  The “1 B” crossed the finish line and came back around for photos and “surprise” it was Scott Stein from Cherry Tree filling in for an injured Tim Bish.  We were then told Stein would be driving for Bish for the remainder of the season.  Nick Goss from Punxsutawney was the second place finisher passing Boyer with three laps remaining for the position; Boyer took third.  Jeff Taylor from Corsica was fourth and Randy Reitz from Punxsutawney was fifth.  Rounding out the top ten were Corey Neal, Andy Klingensmith, Dave Potter, Jr., Rob Wilkins and Steve Barnes.  Bish (Stein) and Goss won the W. G. Satterlee & Sons heat races.

After watching the three heats of Lias Tire Late Models, you just had the feeling that the feature was going to be good.  The Fans weren’t disappointed.  A driver new to the track, Billy Eash from Johnstown took the lead at the start from the outside pole from Dave Blazavich on the pole.   Eash kept he lead for the first half of the race until Rich Copeman from Greensburg took over the lead.  Copeman was then passed by John Britsky from Indiana to be the final leader of the race and claim the checkered flag.  Britsky had started tenth in the twenty-one-car field and was working his way methodically to the front.  Once in front the “Russian Rocket” took off and claimed the victory.  Dave Blazavich from Marion Center stayed in contention throughout the lead changes and took home second place.  Matt Gaston of Rochester Mills followed Britsky through the ranks to take third.  Fourth place went to Rick Davis from Home and Sammy Stile, still the top point man in the Force Inc., Super Late Model Championship Challenge, took fifth.  Sixth through tenth places were filled by Ken Schaltenbrand, Clate Copeman, Dwayne Taneyhill, Jerry Redden and Denton Boyer.  The Lias Tire Late Model heat races winners were Sammy Stile, John Britsky and Rick Davis.

Steve Matko from Cherry Tree broke Tim Laughard’s winning streak in the Pikel’s Universal Auto Repair Strictly Stock feature.  Matko took the lead with two laps to go but a caution held up his victory celebration.  The restart went well for Matko and he was able to keep the lead to the checkers.  Ray Hickok, Jr. from Commodore took second place away from Nate Smith on the last lap and left Smith form Glen Campbell in third.  Brett Bingaman of Cherry Tree took fourth place and Bryant Small also from Cherry Tree was fifth.  Rounding out the top ten Pikel’s Universal Auto Repair finalists are Gary Furman, Jr., A. J. Flick, Denny Smith, Tim Laughard and Greg Buterbaugh.  The heat races were won by Tim Laughard and Steve Matko.

            Chris Clark From Curwensville kept Rod Phillips from Punxsutawney out of the winner’s circle in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Late Model’s feature.  Clark took the lead after the third lap was completed from Mike Laughard of Twin Rocks and was able to easily stay in front of the field until cautions started pulling the pack close together again for restarts.  But Clark was able to keep in front of his challengers like Rod Phillips to get the win.  Phillips finished a rare second place and Jeff Weakland from Hastings took third.  Laughard finished fourth and Bobby Watt from Latrobe was fifth.  Next across the finish line were Cheyenne Reed, Jeff Compton, Dave Buchanan, Shawn Schaltenbrand and Ron Marsh.  The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Late Model heat races were won by Bobby Watt and Jeff Compton.

Chris Hickok from Commodore went all the way from green to checkers in the lead to win the Today’s Hot Country, Q-102 Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinder Rice Burners’ feature.  Hickok was challenged by Bob Pease from Blairsville who was close but didn’t get past the Hickok car and settled in second place.  Larry Depp Jr. from Punxsutawney was also in contention throughout the race but couldn’t find a way around Hickok and was passed by Pease on the last lap to take third.  Joe Petyak of Gallitzin finished fourth and Craig Decker from Cherry Tree was fifth.  Tina Weaver from Marion Center was sixth, Tom Pavelko took seventh, Denny Phillips-eighth, Marc Kepple-ninth and Brent Sholtis was tenth.  The Q-102, 4 Cylinder heat races were won by Bob Pease, Chris Hickok and Larry Depp, Jr.

Congratulations to all the Kid’s Bike Race Champions and kudos to all the kids for trying their best in the bike races this season.  Thanks to the Indiana McDonalds Restaurants for their sponsorship of the event and the Teal’s for their help in making the night go so smoothly and getting Ronald McDonald to the track.  Next Saturday will be Hoosier Night at Marion Center Speedway and the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club will also be there for the night.  Be SURE TO NOTE that for the remainder of this season if Marion Center Speedway doesn’t race at all Saturday night or the program is rained out before intermission-the Races Will Be Held the NEXT DAY on Sunday at 7:00 PM.  Any Cancellations made after the intermission break will be made up as double features as needed the next Saturdays.  All this is leading up to the Butler Auto Supply Season Championships in September.  Also be sure to check the web site for more exciting news and links to other race related sites like the Force Inc. Super Late Model Championship Challenge and Corey Stivason’s Photo Pages.  See you Saturday night at Marion Center Speedway-“the Thrill on the Hill.”

by:  Don Peffer

Results