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DAN POMPEY WINS “THE SPECTACULAR” AT PENN CAN. OLSOMMER, WOLF, MILLS, AND KENNEDY ALL WINNERS AS WELL ON SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT.

 

 

SUSQUEHANNA, PA...“The Spectacular” returned to Penn Can Speedway for the first time in over a decade, paying tribute to the late Seward Rice, a former promoter of the speedway and originator of the race. It was also season championship night, presented by Pump N Pantry. For the sixth time in 2015 Dan Pompey raced his way to Penn Can victory lane, taking home $3,000 in the process.

 

Ryan Olsommer picked up his second consecutive victory in the Crate Sportsman 25 lap event. In the Street Stock feature it was Shane Wolf Jr returning to victory lane not only picking up the win but also claiming the 2015 championship. Buck Mills Jr was the winner of the Factory Stock 20 lap feature with Frank Kennedy returning to victory lane in the 20 lap 4 Cylinder feature.

 

The 50 lap “Seward Rice Memorial Spectacular” presented by Pump N Pantry was brought to the green flag by George Kostelansky and Mike Dougherty. Dougherty quickly jumped to the lead on the opening lap with Nick Petrilak following him on the outside to move from fourth to second. In the opening 5 laps, Dougherty was able to keep the field at bay. On the 6th circuit however Petrilak was able to make the move around Dougherty to claim the lead. At this point Kostelansky, Bobby Trapper, and Brian Malcolm rounded out the top 5.

 

In the immediate laps to follow, Petrilak quickly opened up a half straightaway lead on Dougherty in the early stages of the feature. The first caution flag would fly on lap 11 finding Brian Weaver at a rest in turn two. On the ensuing restart Petrilak again jumped out to the advantage. Meanwhile Kostelanski got shuffled back and out of the top 5 with Nick Rochinski and Brian Malcolm racing by. The caution flag again would fly just two laps later on lap 13.

 

The restart saw Petrilak on the outside with Dougherty down low. By the following lap, Rochinski was able to work past two cars as he would move into second. As the race moved closer to the halfway point, Petrilak soon faced a challenger in the likes of Rochinski. The two drivers switched lanes lap after lap battling for the lead nearing lap 25. As the battle began to heat up, the caution flag would again fly on lap 27 with Alan Rudalvage slowing with a flat tire. Mike Dougherty's great run came to an end at this point as well as he pulled to the infield with apparent mechanical problems. Bobby Trapper also made his way to the pits with a flat during the caution.

 

Two more caution flags would fly on lap 29, and 30. Petrilak, Rochinski, Pompey, Kostelansky, and Malcolm completed the top 5 as the racing got back underway on lap 31. In the immediate laps to follow the battle again began to rage up front between Petrilak, Rochinski, and now Pompey. The pressure proved to be too much to handle for Petrilak on lap 36 with both Rochinski and Pompey moving by for first and second. Rochinski would then lead the next 4 laps as he continued to battle with Pompey. With 10 laps to go, Pompey made the move for the lead stick on the inside of the track. Rochinski slid back to second with Petrilak continuing to run third, as Malcolm and Kevin Hartnett now completing the top 5. As the laps began to wind down attention began to focus on Hartnett who began to work his way to the front from 13th on the starting grid. By lap 45, the first and second place cars of Pompey and Rochinski had checked out on the field with Hartnett quickly moving past Petrilak for third. In the closing 5 laps Pompey began to close in on the tail end of the field, however lapped traffic would prove not to be a factor. As the checkered flags flew it was Pompey recording his sixth win of 2015 and a cool $3,000 to go along with it. Rochinski, Hartnett, Petrilak, and Malcolm would complete the top 5 with Kevin Hartnett recording the 2015 Modified track championship.

 

Randy Fox and Marty Bunker brought the Sportsman field to the green with Bunker grabbing the lead. The first caution flag flew on lap 4 as Devon Zona spun in turn 3. In the laps to follow, Ryan Olsommer moved into second as he raced past Randy Fox. Bunker continued to set the pace until lap 10 when Olsommer was able to get by for good. By lap 15 Olsommer maintained the lead with Bunker, Fox, Alec Gennarelli, and Nick Branning completing the top 5. The final caution flag would fly on lap 19. In the closing 6 laps the top 5 would remain unchanged as Olsommer raced to his second consecutive win in the division. Gennarelli would wind up fourth and clenched the 2015 Crate Sportsman championship in his sophomore season.

 

In the Street Stock feature Shane Wolf Jr would claim the victory and the championship in the same night. Wolf, who started on the outside of the front row, would jump to the early advantage and never look back. Wolf led all 25 laps en route to the win and championship. Ray Lindquist, Ryan Stone, Tom Hampton, and Randy Fox completed the top 5.

 

Ned Fitch raced out to the early lead in the Factory Stock 20 lap main event. Jason Travis quickly began to challenge and would take over the lead on lap 6. Travis however was racing under a one spot penalty for contact on the opening lap. The race would go caution free until lap 14 when Kevin McDonald came to a stop with a small fire under the hood. At this point the penalty was assessed to Travis which would move Buck Mills into the lead. In the closing laps, Mills was able to hold off a constant battle from Travis en route to the win. Travis, Ted Mills Jr, Jeremy Williams, and Erik Hines would round out the top 5. Jeremy Williams was the track champion.

 

Matt McKernan would lead the opening 9 laps of the 4 Cylinder feature until Frank Kennedy was able to race his way by on lap 10. Kennedy was then followed by his brother Nick Kennedy who moved into second sending McKernan back to third. Frank was able to hold off Nick in the closing laps to pick up the win. Frank Kennedy scored the win with Nick Kennedy, McKernan, Mike Robinson, and Tucker Harpell completing the top 5. Mike Robinson was the track champion.

 

Kevin Hartnett's hot streak over the past 5 years continued Friday night as he claimed the 2015 Modified championship. Hartnett recorded 5 feature wins this season and notched a consistent finish nearly every week at the speedway. Hartnett finished third in the 50 lap Spectacular en route to clinching the 2015 championship.

 

Consistency proved to be key for Alec Gennarelli. In just his second season of racing Gennarelli was able to take top honors in the Crate Sportsman division as he claimed the 2015 championship on Friday night. Gennarelli found victory lane on multiple occasions this season en route to his first career track championship.

 

Shane Wolf Jr capped off an impressive 2015 season on Friday night as he picked up the win in the Street Stock 25 lap affair. By virtue of the win, Wolf was also able to win the championship in the division.

 

Despite missing a race in the middle of the season, Jeremy Williams was able to claim the championship in the Factory Stock division. A consistent and dominant 2015 campaign led Williams to his first Penn Can track championship.

 

Mike Robinson visited victory lane on numerous occasions in 2015 and by doing so was able to notch his first track championship in the 4 Cylinder division.

 

PENN CAN POINTS: Championship night presented by Pump N Pantry presented good racing in all divisions. The night which featured the return of “The Spectacular” also honored former track promoter Seward Rice. Champions were crowned in all divisions including 3 first time Penn Can track champions. Penn Can Speedway was the site of a wedding as Jered and Danyel Calabro tied the knot at the track on Friday. We return to racing on Sunday September 20th with the rescheduled “Clash at the Can” featuring the Race of Champions Modifieds, RoC Sportsman, RoC Street Stocks, 4 Cylinders and Grit Series Crate Sportsman. Racing gets underway at 4pm with pit gates opening at 1. For more information check us out online at Penncan.com or on Facebook.

 

PUMP N PANTRY CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT RESULTS:

 

MODIFIEDS (50 Laps): Dan Pompey, Nick Rochinski, Kevin Hartnett, Nick Petrilak, Brian Malcolm, Alan Rudalavage, Gary Tomkins, Mike Colsten, Mike Loney, George Kostelansky, Brian Weaver, Bobby Trapper, Frank Porreca, Bob Trapper, Joey Grammes, Mike Dougherty, Joey Colsten

 

CRATE SPORTSMAN (25 Laps): Ryan Olsommer, Marty Bunker, Randy Fox, Alec Gennarelli, Nick Branning, Matt Brewer, Devon Zona, Dusty Barton, Todd Titus

 

STREET STOCKS (25 Laps): Shane Wolf Jr, Ray Lindquist, Ryan Stone, Tom Hampton, Randy Fox, Doug Stack Jr, Earl Zimmer, Brad Knapp, Chuck Murray, Kyle Stark, Ryan Codington

 

FACTORY STOCKS (20 Laps): Buck Mills Sr, Jason Travis, Ted Mills Jr, Jeremy Williams, Erik Hines, Ned Fitch, Kris Shimer, Kevin McDonald, Rob Snow

 

4 CYLINDERS (20 Laps): Frank Kennedy, Nick Kennedy, Matt Mckernan, Mike Robinson, Tucker Harpell, Adam Gilbert, Jason Colwell Jr, Josh Wilder, Ronnie Welch, Jeremy Briggs, DNS: Burt Maynard, Don Doster Jr

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