MALCOLM BECOMES SIXTH DIFFERENT MODIFIED WINNER IN SIX RACES AT PENN CAN SPEEDWAY; SCHANE, WOLF, PHILLIPS, RINKER AND KENNEDY ALSO RACE TO VICTORIES
SUSQUEHANNA, PA…Brian Malcolm became the sixth different Modified feature winner in six weeks of racing on Friday night at Penn Can Speedway. Mike Schane, Shane Wolf, Jr., Bud Phillips, Jason Rinker and Frank Kennedy were also victorious on Friday.
Malcolm was chased throughout the entire feature by perennial Track Champion Kevin Hartnett. The only caution of the night flew for a spin on lap seven. It was only the third caution in the last four weeks of Modified racing at Penn Can. When the green flag flew again it was game on as Hartnett tried every line on the track to move past Malcolm.
While those two were battling for the lead, teammates Alan Rudalavage and Joey Grammes were hooked up in a serious battle for third. Grammes was able to get past Rudalavage for third and then set his sights on the leaders as the final 23 laps went caution free.
Malcolm had his HigFab Chassis hooked up on the bottom while Hartnett drove hard into the corners, running the middle and top of the speedway. Their intense battle for the lead allowed Grammes to close in on them and make it a tremendous three car battle. With three laps to go Hartnett threw it hard into turn one but slid up too high and scraped the outside wall, allowing Grammes underneath to take over second.
Malcolm maintained the lead with Grammes now hot on his heels and Hartnett fighting his way back into the hunt. On the final lap both Grammes and Hartnett threw everything they had at him but Malcolm was up to the challenge and romped to his first win of the season.
Grammes came home second ahead of Hartnett, Rudalavage and rookie standout Ryan Olsommer. Sixth through tenth went to Bobby Trapper, Mike Dougherty, Mike Loney, Joey Colsten and Alan Kellogg.
Adam MacGeorge was the early leader of the 602 Crate Sportsman feature but it wasn’t long before two time feature winner Mike Schane moved into the hunt. The two drivers ran side by side for the lead for several laps before Schane was able to move out in front. Once in front he never looked back and charged to his third win on the season. MacGeorge was second ahead of impressive rookie Leo McGurrin, Marty Bunker and Dusty Barton.
Shane Wolf went wire to wire to claim the Street Stock feature win. He was heavily challenged early by Ryan Codington, the winner of the previous two features. Wolf would eventually pull away to score the win. Codington was second ahead of Earl Zimmer, Chuck Murray and Chris Groover.
Bud Phillips scored his fifth Crate Late Model feature win on the season. Jim O’Hara held down the top spot for more than half of the race as Phillips chased him around the top of the speedway. Phillips was able to move around him with six laps to go and raced on to the win. O’Hara was second over Jamie Bedford and Al Whitaker.
The Factory Stock feature was a thriller as everyone was looking to stop the dominance of defending Track Champion Jeremy Williams. Rookie Jason Rinker , who is a teammate of Williams, jumped in front from the outset from his third starting position. Invader Kevin Skelley was the first to challenge him as Williams worked his way from the back to make it a three car race for the lead. The two drivers hounded the rookie Rinker up to lap ten when Skelley slowed and pulled to the infield.
That put Williams into second and right on the bumper of his rookie teammate. Williams pressured Rinker relentlessly and coming to the white flag the two drivers made contact. They both straightened it out and Rinker held his line all the way to his first set of checkers.
Rinker broke Williams’ win streak at five in claiming his first career feature win. Williams was second ahead of Jason Travis, Tom Hampton and Jason Thomas.
Frank Kennedy raced past Josh Wilder on lap four in the Four Cylinder feature. The only caution of the race also fell on that lap and the final 11 laps went green. Nick Kennedy, who got to the track late because he was at his high school graduation, charged from the back of the pack to try to chase down his brother.
Nick Kennedy was able to make it up to second but Frank Kennedy was too strong and grabbed another set of checkers. Nick was second ahead of Andy Brigham, Jeremy Warren and early leader Wilder.
PENN CAN NOTES…The Modified racing has been highly competitive with six different winners in six races…Former Street Stock driver Cody Brown made his Crate Sportsman debut…Rookie Ryan Olsommer continues to impress in the Modified division with a win, a second and five top five finishes…This Friday is the Fireworks Extravaganza featuring an amazing pyrotechnic display. Race time is 7:30 p.m.
MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: BRIAN MALCOLM, Joey Grammes, Kevin Hartnett, Alan Rudalavage, Ryan Olsommer, Bobby Trapper, Mike Dougherty, Mike Loney, Joey Colsten, Alan Kellogg, Randy Brokaw, Dan Soloman, Frank Porreca.
SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH: MIKE SCHANE, Adam MacGeorge, Leo McGurrin, Marty Bunker, Dusty Barton, Butch Green, Moose Gulley, Cody Brown, Mike Decker. DNS: Gary Dennis.
STREET STOCK FEATURE FINISH: SHANE WOLF, JR., Ryan Codington, Earl Zimmer, Chuck Murray, Chris Groover, Ricky Davis, Sr.
LATE MODEL FEATURE FINISH: BUD PHILLIPS, Jim O’Hara, Jamie Bedford, Al Whitaker.
FACTORY STOCK FEATURE FINISH: JASON RINKER, Jeremy Williams, Jason Travis, Tom Hampton, Jason Thomas, Kris Shimer, Brad Marvin, Jason Neyra, Kevin McDonald, Kevin Skelley, Alecia Towner.
FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE FINISH: FRANK KENNEDY, Nick Kennedy, Andy Brigham, Jeremy Warren, Josh Wilder, Jimmy DiFulvio, Kyle Rogers, Charlie Towner. DNQ: Sheldon Whitman.