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Ready to Rumble: A Sneak Peek at the High-Octane Action Coming to Dirt's Monster Half Mile This Racing Season

Imperial, PA (April 25, 2023)

2022 was the season of first-time winners as PPMS would crown 27 first-time division winners throughout the season. 

With another adrenaline-pumping season on the horizon, we take a look at some of the divisions and drivers you want to be keeping an eye on in 2023.

Philip Bubeck (4), from Colliers, West Virginia won the points championship for the Rohrich RUSH Dirt Late Models with 1372 points. Bubeck had one win on the season. Philip isn’t sure if he will be defending his championship title in 2023. 

Tom Klein (77), from Rochester, was not far behind, finishing just 61 points shy of Bubeck. He was consistent throughout the season. 

Watch out for Cole Petrelle from Follansbee, WV, who showed remarkable skill with car number 84 last season, finishing in third place with 1230 points and 2 wins in 2022. “We will run full-time at PPMS in 2023 and contend for the Rohrich RUSH Late Model Track Championship while running two cars with one dedicated to PPMS,” Petrelle said. “I’d just like to thank my wife Natalie, and crew guys, Mikey, James, my dad, and Nate for all they do, and all of my sponsors, Race1 Engines, Quicktime Suspension, Tye Twarog Racing, Toronto auto parts, TCB Contracting, Fastlane Graphics, Bazell Race Fuels, and Rocket Chassis.” Petrelle is also a parts dealer for Tye Twarog Racing and a distributor for Bazell Fuels

“The Steel City Outlaw”, Tim Shaffer (45), finished in fourth place with 1176 points and 2 wins, showcasing his experience and expertise on the dirt track. Shaffer was one of the first-time division winners last season for the Rohrich RUSH Late Models, but Shaffer is no stranger to victory lane at PPMS with multiple 410 Outlaw Sprint Car wins. 

There are a lot of female drivers at PPMS, and Kassidy Kamicker (72B), from Aliquippa, is not only one of them, but she also made waves as the top female racer in the division last season, finishing in fifth place with 1155 points 217 out of first place, but only a few out of fourth and third. If she hadn’t had some bad luck mid to late season, the top five would probably look a lot different from 2022. Look for her to finish in the top five again this season!

Mike Reft (9R), from Pittsburgh, had a strong showing last season finishing sixth with 1112 points, while Brandon Burgoon (5X), from McDonald, finished in seventh with 1065 points. Reft plans on running part-time this season. 

Dave Gobel (20G), from Aliquippa, finished in eighth with 1018 points and also suffered from some mid-late season bad luck missing a few races. 

Dave’s brother, Greg Gobel (21G), also from Aliquippa finished in ninth with 909 points, while Ben Policz (14B), from Rices Landing, finished in 10th with 826 points but had six wins on the season while only racing half of it.

2023 should be an interesting season for the Rohrich Rush Late Models, as the division will see some new drivers enter the division, as well as have a mix of veteran drivers. Brian Hutchko (60H), from Mcdonald, is one driver that is moving up to a Rohrich RUSH Late Model for the 2023 season after having a lot of success in a Penn Ohio Pro Stock. 

Hutchko (60H) finished in second place for the Penn Ohio Pro Stocks with 1182 points and he saw victory lane two times in 2022. He was 26 points behind division champion, AJ Poljak (36), from Baldwin. Poljak (36) had four wins last season and took the championship with 1208 points. Nick Kocuba (10), from Burgettstown, finished in third place with 1097 points, but he also had four wins on the season.

Another female competitor at PPMS is, Tanya Charlier (21), from Midway, and she finished 2022 in fourth place with 933 points for the Penn Ohio Pro Stocks. 

Rounding out the top five in PPMS Penn Ohio Pro Stock points is Frank Magill (05), from Jefferson Hills, with 905 points. Frank’s brother, Tony, will pilot their Pro Stock in 2023. 

Jacob Billyk (4), from New Castle, finished in sixth with 684 points, while Heath Close (77H), from Shaler, finished in seventh with 676 points, Jake Billyk (4JR), from New Castle, finished in eighth with 672 points, Cody Koteles (1K), from Stockdale, finished in ninth with 445 points and two wins on the season, and Jordan Perkins (13J), from New Castle, finished in tenth with 415 points and he also had two wins on the season which came early in 2022.

The Hobby Stocks arguably put on one of the best shows of the evening at Dirt’s Monster Half Mile and the 2022 points are a direct reflection of just how competitive the division has become. Only 22 points separate the top five and the championship was decided on the last points night of the season separating first and second place by four points. Frank Magill (05) came out on top with 1394 and four wins on the season. Frank will be driving a RUSH Late Model for 2023. 

Logan Koteles (64K), from Stockdale, finished in second only four points out of first with 1390 and he also had four wins during his rookie season in the division. Logan will be driving his Hobby Stock again for 2023. 

Tony Magill (5), finished in third with 1384 points for the Hobby Stocks, and he will be running a PPMS Penn Ohio Pro Stock this season. Gary Koteles (65K), finished in fourth with 1376 points and he had three wins on the season. 

Matt Benard (15), from Oakdale, rounded out the top five with 1372 points, two wins, and was only 22 points out of first. Benard will be running his Hobby Stock again this season and should finish near the top of the division again. 

Jonathan Koteles (2K), from Stockdale, finished in sixth with 1341 but he did pick up his first career win. Marc Corio (14), from South Fayette, finished in seventh with 1147 points and will run a Hobby Stock again this coming season. Cameron Hollister (44), from Mcdonald, finished in eighth with 925 points, while Mike Tropeck (47T), from Mcdonald, finished in ninth with 904 points, and Garrett O’Patchen (25), from Finleyville, rounded out the top 10 with 843 points.

The All Ways Safe Flagging And Traffic Control Young Guns put on quite the show in 2022. Emmerson Laboon (114), from Elizabeth, won the Young Guns Championship with 1191 points, and she also had six wins on the season. She briefly drove a Hobby Stock towards the end of the season but has committed to running a PPMS Penn Ohio Pro Stock in 2023.

Zoey Knight (78Z), from Plum, was only 23 points out of first place with 1168 and four wins on the season. She will be running in her Young Guns car again in 2023.

Gavin Kokolis (91), from Oakdale, finished the 2022 season third in points with 1083 and he’s still looking for that first win. He will be running in his Young Guns car again in 2023. Abby Gindelsperger (05), from Pittsburgh, finished in fourth place with 1077 points and two wins on the season, while Sadie Snatchko (56), from Oakdale, rounded out the top five with 776 and she got her first career win for the Young Guns. 

Craig Rudolph (5R), from Steubenville, Ohio, won the championship for the Crawford Auto Repair Four Cylinders with 1074 points and zero wins on the season. 

Susie Rudolph (55), from Steubenville, Ohio, finished in second with 679 points, but she had four wins on the season while not running full-time. Travis Corbin (2R), from Pittsburgh, finished in third with 538 points and two wins, while Derek Quigley (65Q), from Roscoe, finished in fourth with 507 points and had one win, and Travis Clark (05T), from Pittsburgh, finished in fifth with 460 points. 

Other notables from 2022 include Jacob Jordan (28J), from Aliquippa, who won the RUSH Sportsman Modified Championship with 388 points, which was only five points ahead of Kole Holden (2), from Tiona. Dan Kuriger (08), from Rochester, had two wins on the season at PPMS for the 410 Outlaw Winged Sprint Car Series and he won the championship with 249 points. 

Lastly, we have the Special Hobby Stock Series which was won by Logan Koteles (64K) who had 406 points. Only two points ahead of second-place Tony Magill (5). 

A lot of big events are coming to Dirt’s Monster Half Mile in 2023 so be sure to check our schedule and mark your calendars. One of the most notable races is the 12th Annual Ed Laboon Memorial for the Penn Ohio Pro Stocks on Saturday, June 3rd, and earlier that week is Western PA Speedweek for the 410 Outlaw Winged Sprint Cars on Thursday, June 1st. It will certainly be an action-packed season at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in 2023.

 

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