Montgomery Wins RUSH At PPMS

Racing at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 12, showcased some of the best drivers around in the Tri State Championship Sweeney Chevrolet/Pace Performance GM 604 GM Engine Giveaway RUSH Tour Sizzler, with Fairmont, WV’s Ryan Montgomery taking the win, and Robbie Marhefka walking away with the brand new engine. Keith Barbara took the checkered flag in the Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model feature. The night also featured the 410 Winged Sprints, with Jack Sodeman winning the race by a comfortable margin. Bill Robertson earned his second victory of the season at PPMS in the Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman division, and Joe Podolinsky and Karlee Kovacs repeated their winning ways in the Miley BP Car Wash Hobby Stock and Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns features.

The evening started with 37 Rush Crate Late Model drivers vying for position in 4 separate heat races; Ryan Montgomery, Justin Lamb, Ben Policz and Andrew Wylie each finished first in their race. Two BMain races followed shortly thereafter, with drivers jockeying for the final spots in the main event later in the evening. Joe Martin of Mayport, PA took the top spot in the first BMain and local driver Daryl Charlier was the winner in the second BMain. A four lap dash had drivers John Waters, Nico Dabecco, Steve Beatty and newly married Laura (Lukon) Pastorak battling it out for position in the feature. The Rush Crate Late Model feature showcased 26 drivers in the 25 lap main event. Seventeen year old Ryan Montgomery started on the pole and never looked back, earning the win – his 5th victory in his last 6 appearances at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. He was followed by Andrew Wylie, Russ Kolesar, Nico Dabecco and Chad McClelland. A non-qualifier race was also held for drivers that did not make the feature, and Eric Wilson of Cortland, OH was the winner.

Keith Barbara of South Park had a questionable start when he advanced a number of positions at the beginning of the Diehl of Robinson Super Late Model feature but was able to hold on and avoid a 2 position penalty to earn his first victory of the season at PPMS. Alex Ferree, last week’s feature winner, experienced car trouble and took his car to the pits early in the feature, and his dad, Ed Ferree soon followed, also plagued by car trouble. Brandon Burgoon, John Mollick, Steve Baker and Colton Flinner rounded out the top five. Barbara and Alex Ferree each won in the heats.

The winged 410 Sprint cars made a return appearance this night also, with Jack Sodeman earning the win. Brandon Matus was in pursuit the entire feature but couldn’t quite catch the leader. They were followed by Carl Bowser, Mike Lutz and Adam Kekich. The heats were won by Brandon Spithaler and Brent Matus.

After the Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman feature event, Bill Robertson dedicated his second victory of the season to his mom, who passed away earlier in the week. Robertson started 5th and worked his way through the pack to take the lead on lap 11. Christian Schneider, who started last, also made his way through the pack but couldn’t catch the leader and ended up finishing second. Vince Laboon, Nick Kocuba and Jake Simmons followed. Schneider and Simmons won the heats.

Oakdale’s Joe Podolinsky returned to victory lane again to claim another win in the Miley BP Car Wash Hobby Stock feature event. Dave Sheriff, Steve Pyeritz and Hannah Ramsey followed. Podolinsky also won the heat race.

Karlee Kovacs continues to impress each week, earning her second career victory in as many weeks in the Imperial Heights Garage Young Gun feature event. Karlee started at the back of the pack in the field of eight cars and shot to the front by lap two, passing Devin Black, who just could not catch Karlee. The rest of the cars battled for position in some great racing behind the leaders. David Ostrander, O.B. Huff and Michael Jackson followed Kovacs and Black at the end, with Marc Simmons, Jonathan Miller and Jarrett Sugar rounding out the field.

Rush Crate Late Models:

Heat 1 Finish
1 12m Ryan Montgomery
2 119 Chad McClelland
3 27C Russ Kolesar
4 B4 Steve Beatty
5 100 Ralph Morgan
6 1W William Stile
7 03j Paul Jablonski
8 12G Brian Goebel
9 27w Tony White
10 22 Reese Masiello
Heat 2 Finish Heat 3 Finish
1 93X Justin Lamb 1 14B Ben Policz
2 00h Josh Holtgraver 2 60c Cody McPherson
3 8s Tommy Schirnhofer 3 1L Kyle Lukon
4 11 John Waters 4 84p Laura Pastorak
5 9R Michael Reft 5 76w Jason Rider
6 55 Joe Martin 6 7W Bobby Whitling
7 27Wi Eric Wilson 7 15m Mark Moats
8 99FM Robbie Marhefka 8 8c Dusty Curry
9 B1D Matt Latta 9 27J Jeff Haynes
Heat 4 Finish
1 84w Andrew Wylie
2 2M Chuck Medved
3 14G Jake Gunn
4 F1 Nico Dabecco
5 7J Jeremy Adamik
6 88c Daryl Charlier
7 36 Cody Dawson
8 17 Russell Baird
9 10T Trevor Hall – dns
Dash
1 11 John Waters
2 F1 Nico Dabecco
3 B4 Steve Beatty
4 84p Laura Pastorak
Non-Qualifier
1 27Wi Eric Wilson
2 8c Dusty Curry
3 17 Russell Baird
4 27w Tony White
5 03j Paul Jablonski
6 22 Reese Masiello
7 27J Jeff Haynes
B-Main 1 Finish B-Main 2 Finish
1 55 Joe Martin 1 88c Daryl Charlier
2 1W William Stile 2 15m Mark Moats
3 27Wi Eric Wilson 3 7W Bobby Whitling
4 12G Brian Goebel 4 17 Russell Baird
5 03j Paul Jablonski 5 8c Dusty Curry
6 27w Tony White 6 27J Jeff Haynes
7 99FM Robbie Marhefka 7 36 Cody Dawson
8 22 Reese Masiello 8 10T Trevor Hall DNS
9 B1D Matt Latta DNS
Feature Finish
1 12m Ryan Montgomery
2 84w Andrew Wylie
3 27C Russ Kolesar
4 F1 Nico Dabecco
5 119 Chad McClelland
6 93X Justin Lamb
7 00h Josh Holtgraver
8 88c Daryl Charlier
9 15m Mark Moats
10 76w Jason Rider
11 60c Corey McPherson
12 11 John Waters
13 100 Ralph Morgan
14 2M Chuck Medved
15 84p Laura Pastorak
16 1W William Stile
17 12G Brian Goebel
18 7J Jeremy Adamik
19 55 Joe Martin
20 8s Tommy Schirnhofer
21 9R Michael Reft
22 14G Jake Gunn
23 B4 Steve Beatty
24 1L Kyle Lukon
25 14B Ben Policz
26 36 Cody Dawson
Diehl of Robinson Super Late Models

Heat 1 Finish Heat 2 Finish
1 17k Keith Barbara 1 10f Alex Ferree
2 0b Steve Baker 2 4f Ed Ferree
3 02b Brandon Burgoon 3 75f Colton Flinner
4 4J John Mollick 4 44s Derek Stefanick
5 38s Jim Stephans 5 27X Sam Eichelberger
6 14G Jake Gunn 6 99m Ben Miley
Feature Finish
1 17k Keith Barbara
2 02b Brandon Burgoon
3 4J John Mollick
4 0b Steve Baker
5 75f Colton Flinner
6 38s Jim Stephans
7 27X Sam Eichelberger
8 44s Derek Stefanick
9 14G Jake Gunn
10 99m Ben Miley
11 4f Ed Ferree
12 10f Alex Ferree
410 Winged Sprints

Heat 1 Finish Heat 2 Finish
1 22 Brandon Spithaler 1 33 Brent Matus
2 13 Brandon Matus 2 08 Dan Kuriger
3 5m Mike Lutz 3 30 Daryl Stimeling
4 23JR Jack Sodeman 4 76 David Jones
5 5K Adam Kekich 5 5 Bob McMillin
6 10 Carl Bowser
Feature Finish
1 23JR Jack Sodeman
2 13 Brandon Matus
3 10 Carl Bowser
4 5m Mike Lutz
5 5K Adam Kekich
6 22 Brandon Spithaler
7 08 Dan Kuriger
8 30 Daryl Stimeling
9 33 Brent Matus
10 5 Bob McMillin
11 76 David Jones
Sunoco Race Fuels Sportsman

Heat 1 Finish Heat 2 Finish
1 M5 Christian Schneider 1 68X Jake Simmons
2 45JR Todd Weldon 2 17L Vince Laboon
3 10k Nick Kocuba 3 11 Josh Langer
4 1B Bill Robertson 4 89s Jameson Stumper
5 64k Craig Koteles 5 36p Adam Kostelik
Feature Finish DID NOT START
1 1B Bill Robertson 89s Jameson Stumper
2 M5 Christian Schneider
3 17L Vince Laboon
4 10k Nick Kocuba
5 68X Jake Simmons
6 45JR Todd Weldon
7 11 Josh Langer
8 64k Craig Koteles
9 36p Adam Kostelik
Miley BP Car Wash Hobby Stocks

Heat 1 Finish
1 56p Joe Podolinsky
2 36J Steve Pyeritz
3 8s Dave Sheriff
4 14H Hannah Ramsey
Feature Finish
1 56p Joe Podolinsky
2 8s Dave Sheriff
3 36J Steve Pyeritz
4 14H Hannah Ramsey
Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns

Feature Finish
1 221 Karlee Kovacs
2 33B Devin Black
3 D15 David Ostrander
4 83h O. B. Huff
5 89j Michael Jackson
6 68XJR Marc Simmons
7 21m Jonathan Miller
8 75s Jarrett Sugar