Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway

7/17/2022

POLICZ WINS THE TOPLESS 25 AND KNIGHT WINS THREE IN A ROW

Imperial, PA

It was a beautiful mid-summer evening at Dirt’s Monster Half-Mile for Military and First Responders Night. PPMS would honor military members and first responders with a ceremony on the front stretch before the national anthem and racing action. PPMS would see five heat races and five feature events. Ben Policz (14B), from Rices Landing, took advantage of a late-race restart to pass Daryl Charlier (3RK), from Midway, to win the Topless 25 for the Rohrich RUSH Late Model Dirt Series. Frank Magill (05), from Jefferson Hills, picked up his second win in a row for the Cheplic Packing Hobby Stocks, while Derek Quigley (65Q), from Roscoe, snagged his first win of the season for the Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinders, and last week’s first career winner, Zoey Knight (78Z), from Plum, won both features for the All Ways Safe Young Guns.

The Rohrich RUSH Late Models had the option to run “topless” tonight at PPMS. “Topless” is when they remove the roof from the car and if the winner ran topless, they would win an extra $500 on top of their $1,000 prize. The top four from their two heats would enter the redraw for their 25-lap feature and Daryl Charlier (3RK) would redraw the number one pill and start on the pole. Ben Policz (14B) would line up in the second spot while Jake Gunn (14G), from McDonald, would start third, and Brandon Burgoon (5X) would complete the top two starting rows. At the start of the event, track officials called a “no-start” and the field would be forced to line up again and give the green flag another try. The second attempt at green appeared good, however, before a lap was completed there was a crash in turn four that involved Phillp Bubeck (4) and Bill Kessler (9). Kessler’s (09) car was on the hood of Bubeck’s (4) car. A few other cars would spin out to avoid a collision. All drivers were okay and once it was all cleaned up, another complete restart would ensue. On the restart, Charlier (3RK) would come away with the early lead as the field thundered through turns one and two. Another caution would slow the pace on lap four for debris on the track. Charlier (3RK) would choose the outside on the restart with Policz (14B) to his inside in second. When green replaced yellow, Charlier (3RK) would again keep his lead over the field while Policz (14B) would stay in second, Burgoon (5X) third, Dave Goble (20G) fourth, and last week’s winner, Tim Shaffer (45) was fifth. Charlier (3RK) and Policz (14B) would enter lapped traffic on lap 11 and the event’s final caution would come on lap 16 when the 14G of Jake Gunn would have a flat tire on the front stretch. Charlier (3RK) again wanted the outside on the restart and had Policz (14B) to his inside. Track officials would call another “no-start” and the field had to line up again for another attempt at green flag conditions. The second attempt was good and Charlier (3RK) would keep his lead for the next four laps despite heavy pressure from Policz (14B). Then on lap 20, Policz (14B) would take the lead away from Charlier (3RK) and he would lead the remaining five laps of the “topless” event, picking up another PPMS win. Charlier (3RK) would finish second, Burgoon (5X) third, Petrelle (84) fourth, and D. Goble (20G) fifth. The heat race winners were Jake Gunn (14G) and Cole Petrelle (84).

In the Cheplic Packing Hobby Stock 20 - lap feature, Gary Koteles (65K), from Stockdale, would start on the pole with Tony Magill (5), from Jefferson Hills, to his outside starting in second. Garrett O’Patchen (25) would start in third, and Matt Benard (15), from Oakdale, would complete the top two starting rows. When the green flag dropped, G. Koteles (65K) would come away with the early lead with F. Magill (05) already in second after starting fifth. Lap seven had G. Koteles (65K) still leading the field with F. Magill (05) still in second, Benard (15) in third, Logan Koteles (64K) in fourth, and T. Magill (5) in fifth. The front-runners would contend with lap traffic on lap 10, and the top five would remain the same through lap 13 when a caution would slow the pace for the 74 of Joe Brown who spun out in turn four. G. Koteles (65K) would choose the outside on the restart with F. Magill (05) to his inside. When green replaced yellow, G. Koteles (65K) would keep his lead but F. Magill (05) would begin to put heavy pressure on him trying to steal the lead. The duo would battle side by side and trade sliders for the next few laps until lap 17 when F. Magill (05) would get a clean pass and take over the lead. F. Magill (05) would lead the final three laps of the event despite G. Koteles (65K) trying to take the lead back several times but G. Koteles (65K) was forced to settle for second. Benard (15) finished third, while L. Koteles (64K) finished fourth, and T. Magill (5) completed the top five. The heat race winners were Frank Magill (05) and Gary Koteles (65K).

The Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinder 10-lap feature would see Susie Rudolph (55), from Steubenville, Ohio, starting on the pole. Her dad Craig (5R) would start to her outside in second while Derek Quigley (65Q) would start third, and Travis Clark (05T) would start in fourth. When the green flag waved, S. Rudolph (55) would pull away with the early lead, and Quigley (65Q) would follow her into second. The event’s first caution would come on lap five when Clark (05T) spun out in turn two. S. Rudolph (55) would take the inside on the restart with Quigley (65Q) to her outside. When green replaced yellow, Quigley (65Q) would have the lead at the line after a short battle with S. Rudolph (55) with four laps remaining in the event. Despite a late race caution, Quigley (65Q) led the remaining laps of the event to pick up his first Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinder win of the season. He was followed by S. Rudolph (55) in second, C. Rudolph (5R) in third, and Clark (05T) fourth. The heat race winner was Quigley (65Q).

The All Ways Safe Young Guns would run double features on Saturday night and in their first eight-lap feature, Sumara Weaver (112W), from Daisytown, would start on the pole. Emmerson Laboon (114), from Elizabeth, would start to the outside in second place. Zoey Knight (78Z) would start third while Abby Gindlesperger (05), from Jefferson Hills, would start fourth, Tyler Hollister (44T) would start fifth, and Gavin Kokolis (91), from Oakdale, would complete the six-car field. When the green flag dropped, Laboon (114) would take off with the early lead, and Knight (78Z) would settle in behind her in second. Lap three had Laboon (114) still leading, Knight (78Z) still in second, Hollister (44T) in third, Weaver (112W) in fourth, and Kokolis (91) in fifth. They would remain the same through lap four and Knight (78Z) would take over the lead at the end of lap five. She would lead the remaining three laps of the event en route to her second win in a row. She was followed by Laboon (114) in second, Hollister (44) in third, Kokolis (91) in fourth, Weaver (112W) in fifth, and Gindlesperger (05) completing the six-car field.

For the All Ways Safe Young Guns second feature, the finish from feature one would be inverted which put Gindlesperger (05) on the pole. Weaver (112W) would start to the outside in second while Kokolis (91) would start in third, Hollister (44T) started in fourth, Laboon (114) started in fifth, and Knight (78Z) would complete the six-car field. When the green flag waved, Gindlesperger (05) would pull away with the early lead, and Hollister (44T) grabbed second and Kokolis (91) third. Around lap two, Hollister (44T) made contact with Gindlesperger (05) causing her to spin and lose track position but she was able to keep going so the caution wasn’t thrown. Since it’s a no-contact division, Hollister (44T) was black-flagged for the contact. During all of that, Knight (78Z) was able to steal the lead on that second lap with Kokolis (91) in second, and Laboon (114) in third. They would run one, two, and three for the final six laps of the event, and Knight (78Z) would pick up her third win in a row and second of the evening. Kokolis (91) finished second with Laboon (114) in third, Gindlesperger (05) battled back to finish fourth, Weaver (112W) finished fifth, and Hollister (44T) sixth.

Racing resumes at Dirt’s Monster Half-Mile next Saturday, July 23, 2022, when the BOSS Sprints come to town presented by Falconi’s. The BOSS Sprints are wingless 410’s that reach incredible speeds at PPMS. Also on the card are the Rohrich Rush Dirt Late Models, the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, the Penn Ohio Pro Stocks, the Cheplic Packing Hobby Stocks, the Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinders, and the All Ways Safe Young Guns. Gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps begin at 6 p.m., and the racing action will start at 7 p.m. Visit the schedule section for pricing and tickets. PPMS has a GPS address of 170 Kelso Rd Imperial PA, 15126, and is located off of the Noblestown Exit of 22/30.

Happy Racing!

RESULTS

Rohrich RUSH Late Model Topless Feature (25) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 2 - Ben Policz (14B) - Rices Landing

2 - 1 - Daryl Charlier (3RK) - Midway

3 - 4 - Brandon Burgoon (5X) -

4 - 6 - Cole Petrelle (84) - Follansbee, WV

5 - 7 - Dan Lepro (2L) - Midway

6 - 8 - Dave Goble (20G) - Aliquippa

7 - 5 - Tim Shaffer (45) - Aliquippa

8 - 9 - Kassidy Kamicker (72B) - Aliquippa

9 - 12 - Tom Klein (77) - Rochester

10 - 15 - Steve Pyeritz (38)

11 - 3 - Jake Gunn (14G) - McDonald

12 - 11 - Bryan Hoffman (15H) - Imperial

13 - 14 - Greg Goble (21G) - Aliquippa

14 - 13 - Bill Kessler (9) - Freedom

15 - 10 - Phillip Bubeck (4) - Colliers, WV

DNS - Zach Gunn (17G) - McDonald

Late Model Heat 1 (8) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [starting spot];

Jake Gunn - 14G - [2]; 2. Dan Lepro - 2L - [1]; 3. Dae Goble - 20G - [3]; 4. Brandon Burgoon - 5X - [7]; 5. Kassidy Kamicker - 72B - [4]; 6. Bryan Hoffman - 15H - [5]; 7. Zach Gunn - 17G - [6]; 8. Greg Goble - 21G - [8];

Late Model Heat 2 (8) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [starting spot];

Cole Petrelle - 84 - [2]; 2. Tim Shaffer - 45 - [4]; 3. Daryl Charlier - 3RK - [3]; 4. Ben Policz - 14B - [5]; 5. Phillip Bubeck - 4 - [6]; 6. Tom Klein - 77 - [1]; 7. Bill Kessler - 9 - [7]; 8. Steve Pyeritz - 38 - [8];

Cheplic Packing Hobby Stock Feature (20) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 5 - Frank Magill (05) - Jefferson Hills

2 - 1 - Gary Koteles (65K) - Stockdale

3 - 4 - Matt Benard (15) - Oakdale

4 - 6 - Logan Koteles (64K) - Stockdale

5 - 2 - Tony Magill (5) - Jefferson Hills

6 - 7 - Jonathan Koteles (2K) - Stockdale

7 - 3 - Garrett O’Patchen (25)

8 - 8 - Marc Corio (14) - South Fayette

9 - 11 - Cameron Hollister (44) - McDonald

10 - 9 - Karlee Kovacs (221K) - Carnegie

11 - 12 - Mike Tropeck (47T) - McDonald

12 - 10 - Joe Brown (74) - Aliquippa

13 - 13 - Rick Ours (70) - East Liverpool, OH

DNS - Justin Clark (02) - Pittsburgh

Hobby Stock Heat 1 (8) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [starting spot];

Frank Magill - 05 - [4]; 2. Matt Benard - 15 - [2]; 3. Logan Koteles - 64K - [5]; 4. Jonathan Koteles - 2K - [1]; 5. Karlee Kovacs - 221K - [3]; 6. Cameron Hollister - 44 - [6]; 7. Mike Tropeck - 47T - [7];

Hobby Stock Heat 2 (8) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [starting spot];

Gary Koteles - 65K - [1]; 2. Tony Magill - 5 - [4]; 3. Garrett O’Patchen - 25 - [5]; 4. Marc Corio - 14 - [3]; 5. Joe Brown - 74 - [6]; 6. Justin Clark - 05T - [2]; 7. Rick Ours - 70 - [7];

Crawford Auto Repair Four-Cylinder Feature (10) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 3 - Derek Quigley (65Q) - Roscoe

2 - 1 - Susie Rudolph (55) - Steubenville, OH

3 - 2 - Craig Rudolph (5R) - Steubenville, OH

4 - 4 - Travis Clark (05T) - Pittsburgh

Four-Cylinder Heat 1 (6) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Driver Name - Car Number - [starting spot];

Derek Quigley - 65Q - [1]; 2. Susie Rudolph - 55 - [4]; 3. Travis Clark - 05T - [2]; 4. Craig Rudolph - 5R - [3];

All Ways Safe Young Guns Feature 1 (8) - Laps

Finishing Spot - Starting Spot - Driver Name (Car Number) - Hometown

1 - 3 - Zoey Knight (78Z) - Plum