July 25, 2009
Race Results

Cory Stivason's Photos                    

Late Model	Limited Late Model	Limited Late Model	Street Stock	Strictly Stock	4-Cylinder
18 - John Britsky	1P - Rod Phillips	5R - Chris Clark	16M - Rusty Martz	13 - Brett Bingaman	75 - Craig Decker
	7/25/09	6/13/09

            Marion Center Speedway resumed racing after being rained out for two Saturday nights in a row.  They were even able to make up a rained out Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Latemodel feature from June 13.

            The make up feature was the first event on the track.  Dave Buchanan from Cherry Tree had the pole position and consistently led the field of cars around the track with Scott Stein from Cherry Tree, and Chris Clark from Curwensville hot on his tail.  With five laps to go, Clark got the jump on the restarting of a caution to take the lead away from Buchanan and went on for the win.  It was his second victory of the season.  Buchanan came in second and Stein took third.  Joey Valenti from Clymer moved up from starting nineteenth in the twenty-two-car field for a fourth place finish and Rod Phillips of Punxsutawney took fifth.  Cheyenne Reed picked up sixth place with Tom Jobe in seventh, Chad Helman eighth, Larry Wingard ninth and Mike Zemrose took tenth. 

            The night progressed into the regular program for the night going through the heats and then onto the features sponsored Saturday night by Lias Tire and Auto Service.

            Pikel’s Universal Auto Repair Strictly Stocks were the next feature of the night.  Brett Bingaman from Cherry Tree dominated the featured race by leading every lap for the second victory in a row.  Steve Matko also from Cherry Tree, moved up from eighth on the starting grid to finish a close second and Ray Hickok, Jr. from Commodore maintained a top spot throughout the race for third at the checkers.  Tim Laughard of Johnstown came in next for fourth and fifth place went to Nate Smith from Glen Campbell.  Rounding out the top ten in order were Justin Queen, Kevin Kilgore, Kylie Hamilton, Gregg Buterbaugh and Bryant Small.  Pikel’s Universal Auto Repair heat races were won by A. J. Flick and Steve Matko.

            Today’s Hot Country Q-102 Front Wheel Drive 4 Cylinder Rice Burners took the track next. This time Craig Decker from Cherry Tree battled his way to the front from starting eleventh to take the lead for the final two laps.  Larry Depp, Jr. from Punxsutawney led the most laps in the twelve-lap feature, but was overtaken by Decker on a restart from a caution with two laps remaining.  Others followed Decker as Depp lost some ground in the final laps leaving Chris Hickok from Commodore in second pace, Bob Pease from Blairsville in third, Marc Keppla from Johnstown in fourth and Depp took fifth.  Donny Lechak finished sixth with Tina Weaver in seventh, Stephanie Whiteford in eighth, Denny Phillips in ninth and Jackie Phillips in tenth.  Tina Weaver and Dan Luzier won the Q-102 heat races.

            The Lias Tire Latemodels were led onto the track by top point man in the Force, Inc. Super Late Model Championship Challenge, Sammy Stile from Charleroi.  Stile led the first seven laps of the feature until John Britsky from Indiana took over the lead.  Britsky is also a top contender in the Force Challenge for the end of the year bonus money going to a driver of the Late Model division who can claim the points championship at both Dog Hollow and Marion Center Speedways.  Britsky remained in the front of the pack despite Stile’s efforts to regain the lead to claim the victory with Stile finishing second and Denton Boyer from Punxsutawney in third.  Fourth place went to Dwayne Taneyhill from Bellwood and fifth place was Dave Blazavich of Marion Center.  Dane Laraway took sixth and was followed by Rod Phillips, Jason Witherite, Ken Schaltenbrand and Jerry Redden for the top ten.  Jason Witherite and Jerry Redden won the Lias Tire Latemodel heat races.

            The W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stocks were next on the track.  Rusty Martz from Brookville took the victory to give him back-to-back wins.  Martz was able to move into the lead for the eighth lap by getting around Tim Bish who was leading prior to that.  Bish from Ringgold took the lead from Jeff Taylor of Corsica who had the pole position and led the first three laps.  Taylor later had problems and ended up in the pits before the checkered flag came out.  When the checkers flew it was Martz, Jim Boyer from Indiana, Tim Bish from Ringgold, William Phillips, Jr. from Blandburg, Corey Neal from Trade City, Rich Waltman, Randy Reitz, Tim White, Ray Reynolds and Dave Korliewitz for the top ten.  Winning the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock heats were Phillips and Martz.

            The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Latemodels made their second appearance for their feature next but were short Chad Helman who rolled his car onto its roof during the preliminary heat races.  Helman appeared to be uninjured but was unable to compete the rest of the night.  Dave Buchanan started on the pole but it was a rough start for the Cherry Tree native as he spun on the first lap and went to the end of the field after being charged with the caution.  This let Scott Stein also from Cherry Tree into the lead position which he maintained throughout much of the feature.  But Rod Phillips from Punxsutawney once again took over the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Latemodels after being out of the winner’s circle for a couple previous features.  Phillips took the lead from Stein on the eleventh lap and wasn’t caught by Stein the rest of the race.  Stein took second and Bobby Watt from Latrobe was third.  Fourth place went to Scott Alvetro from Reynoldsville, and Cheyenne Reed from Punxsutawney was fifth.  The remaining top ten were Larry Wingard, Jeff Compton, Joey Valenti, Andrew Satterlee and Jeff Weakland.  Rod Phillips and Bobby Watt won the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Limited Latemodel heat races.  

            Next Saturday Night will be Fan Appreciation Night at Marion Center Speedway with the full five divisions of racing and an appearance by Speedy the Clown and it’s also Today’s Hot Country, Q-102 night.  Bring the Kids early to the track to get Speedy to paint their faces before the racing program begins.  Speedy will also be on hand throughout the evening for more fun and entertainment.    All this is leading up to the Butler Auto Supply Season Championships in September.  Also be sure to check 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