August 29, 2009
Race Results

Cory Stivason's Photos

Late Model	Limited Late Model	Street Stock	Strictly Stock	4-Cylinder
47 - Matt Gaston	1P - Rod Phillips	17J - Jim Boyer	13 - Brett Bingaman	17 - Johnny Miller

Marion Center Speedway held its Pittsburgh Circle Track Club night Saturday night along with Hoosier night at the racetrack.  Representatives from both organizations were on hand to make presentations to the feature winners.

The first feature of the night was the Pikel’s Universal Auto Repair Strictly Stocks.  A first time driver at the track, Jeremy Shaffer, started on the pole; but Nate Smith from Glen Campbell took the early lead.  Brett Bingaman passed him for the lead from Cherry Tree.  Ray Hickok, Jr. of Commodore pursued Bingaman and with six laps remaining Hickok made the pass on the leader.  Hickok’s lead was cut short when he was involved in an incident on the track that left him with a flat tire and three laps to go.  Bingaman once again was the leader and finished that way winning the feature.  The top three, or the Cherry Tree Trio were Bingaman, Steve Matko, and Bryant Small.  Then came A. J. Flick from Pittsburgh and Tim Laughard from Johnstown.  They were followed by Denny Smith, Bobby Noel, Justin Queen, Adam Brink and Nate Smith for the top ten.  Pikel’s Universal Auto Repair Strictly Stock heat races were won by Bernie Whetstone from Irvona, Tim Laughard and Steve Matko.

The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Late Models were brought out on the track by the pole sitter, Scott Alvetro.  Alvetro led the first seven laps of the feature before he was overtaken by Andrew Satterlee’s number 2 car.  “Drew’s Duce” stayed in the lead throughout much of the feature until once again, Rod Phillips had made his way into the front of the pack.  Phillips started fifth and by the time the sign for five laps to go was displayed, he was in the lead.  Phillips picked up his ninth out of twelve possible victories.  Andrew Satterlee finished second and Bobby Watt from Latrobe was third in his birthday run.  Scott Alvetro picked up fourth and then Chris Clark took fifth, sixth through tenth spots went to Joey Valenti, Jeff Compton, Dave Buchanan, Kirby Tucker and Tom Shaffer.  Scott Stein from Cherry Tree won the first heat race and Chris Clark and Rod Phillips took the other two.

The Lias Tire Late Model feature was a runaway for Matt Gaston of Rochester Mills.  Gaston started third in the lineup and didn’t lead the first lap, but he did lead every lap after that.  Gaston kept enough distance between himself and all others that let him weave in and out of traffic that blocked the competition from getting to him.  Sammy Stile, the top points leader at both Marion Center and Dog Hollow Speedways, was running in second place to keep his Force Inc. Super Late Model Championship Challenge hopes alive.  Stile from Charleroi took second ahead of the Lloyd Lockard car believed to be driven by Paul Michny Saturday night.  Fourth place went to Dwayne Taneyhill from Bellwood and Greg Satterlee from Rochester Mills was fifth.  Rod Phillips was sixth and followed by John Britsky, Matt Lux, Bobby Stokes and Dane Laraway.  Winning the Lias Tire Late Model heat races were Dave Blazavich from Marion Center, Dwayne Taneyhill and Sammy Stile.

Jim Boyer of Indiana picked up his second feature win this season in the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock feature.  Boyer started fifth and was the leader for laps five through twenty.  Bill Phillips, Jr. started on the pole and held the lead for the first four laps, then Boyer took over and held off last weeks feature winner which was Scott Stein driving the injured Tim Bish’s car.  Third place went to Nick Goss from Punxsutawney and Eric Baun from Rossiter took fourth just ahead of Jeff Taylor from Corsica.  Rounding out the top ten in order were Tim White, Bill Phillips, Jr., Shawn Thorn, Tim Adamson, and Randy Reitz.  Bish, or Stein won the first heat and Randy Reitz and Jim Boyer took the other two heats.

Johnny Miller of Punxsutawney picked up his first win of the season in the Q-102 Today’s Hot Country Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinder Rice Burners.  Miller started on the pole and only missed leading one lap of the race.  That lap was led by Bob Pease of Blairsville and was lap nine of the twelve-lap feature.  Miller recovered on the next lap and was set for the win but cautions intervened and stopped his progress.  After several attempts, the last few laps were finally completed with Miller in the lead.  At the checkers the final was Miller, Joe Petyak from Gallitizin, Larry Depp, Jr. of Punxsutawney, Craig Decker from Cherry Tree, Tom Pavelko from Cherry Tree, and then Marc Kepple, Tina Weaver, Denny Phillips, Chris Hickok, and Shane Weaver for the top ten.  The Q-102, 4 Cylinder’s heat races were won by Larry Depp, Jr., Shane Weaver and Bob Pease.

Thanks to Hoosier and Mark Stair for their sponsorship of Hoosier Night and thanks to the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club for hosting the night as well.  Next Saturday will be double points night for the final points races of the year at the track as Marion Center Speedway holds its Butler Auto Supply Season Championships.  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.  Any further racing at Marion Center Speedway will be announced on a week to week basis, be sure to listen up at the track for those announcements and/or check the website for race announcements.  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