ST. JOHNS, Pa. -- Berwick, PA’s Mike Adams led the eleven car modified field to the green flag for the start of the thirty lap Balliet’s Country Corners modified contest Friday at Mountain Speedway. When the initial green flew, Adams got the jump over Kevin Kromer and Donny Hartzell.

During the opening laps, Dave Pecko, who won last week’s feature, quickly worked his way toward the front of the pack into the third position, but Pecko slowed, falling back to seventh due to slight contact between himself and Tony Hanbury.

On lap six, Jim Long Jr. pulled to the infield. Long was the modified point leader heading into the feature. Long, who had recently parted ways with his car owner, was piloting the familiar #98, which is usually driven by ‘pistol Pete’ Brittain.

By lap ten, fifth place starter, Brian Defebo had worked his way into the runner-up slot. While thick in the points chase, Defebo has also won three out of the past four features.

The first caution of the evening waved on lap sixteen, when Ernie Dengler slowed on the speedway. Dengler entered the pits and was unable to continue.

Following the restart, Adams drove the wheels off his modified mount, but on the eighteenth circuit, Defebo was able to work his way under Adams, and into the lead off of turn four.

The second and final caution flew on lap 20, which collected Pecko, Hartzell, Hanbury, and Berlin, Connecticut’s Ryan Preece in turn one. All drivers were able to continue, but tempers were just beginning to flare between some.

Over the closing laps, Defebo, also from Berwick, PA, distanced himself from Adams and notched his fourth feature win of the season. Pecko rebounded from the lap twenty caution to finish third. Tim Santee and Kevin Kromer rounded out the top five.

After race contact on the front stretch between Donny Hartzell and Tony Hanbury resulted in disqualifications for both drivers.

In victory lane, Defebo made it clear that his sites were on the championship, and he also said “We also have a race of champions race at Mahoning Valley to win tomorrow night”. Little did Defebo know his win propelled him into the point lead.

Mike Adams and Dave Pecko were heat winners.

Hazleton’s Jason Makarewicz led the field to the green from the pole position in the twenty-five-lap make-up late model feature from last week. Immediately after the green flew, Joe Hoffman blasted into the lead from his front row starting spot.

The race took a twist on the following lap when Mike Rodriguez, Jr, Joe Barbush Jr, Chris Whitenight, Brad Kline, Jackie Ziegler and Barry Callavini all collecting in turn one, brought out the caution for the first time. Many drivers entered the pit for fast service and returned to the speedway, but Ziegler, Kline and Rodriguez were not able to continue.

Hoffman led over current division point leader, Larry Fisher over the next few circuits, with Paul Koehler, Jr, Jerry Brighthaupt, Joe Barbush Jr, Jim Lamoreaux and Mike Collins in tow. That was until Makarewicz had a solo spin in turn one, to bring out the second caution on lap nine. Two more cautions followed over the next two circuits.

Coming to the green on the lap thirteen restart, Fisher got the jump he needed to overtake Hoffman. While Hoffman had to settle in for second, the action was fierce behind the two.

Coming out of turn four on the sixteenth circuit, Lamoreaux got into Barbush, which caused a cloud of smoke to pour from his machine. The diagnosis was engine failure, which was claimed to be from the incident.

Over the following laps, Fern Glen, PA’s Larry Fisher cruised to his fourth consecutive victory over Hoffman, Lamoreaux, Koehler and Brighthaupt.

Along with thanks to his sponsor and crew, Fisher noted that having patience was the key to his winning streak.

Nanticoke’s Robert Fink brought the field to the green from the pole position in the twenty-lap street stock feature. Although Fink jumped out front, the caution flew for a multi-car tangle on the front stretch, involving Dan Marsh, Scott Meckes, Rodney Gruber, Rich Smith and others. Even though Smith slid into the mix after it initially occurred, the contact was very hard. Smith was unhurt, but retired from the event.

When the race was restarted, Fink launched out front, but by lap three, Chip Wanamaker and Eric Danyluk were challenging Fink for the lead. Meanwhile, Brad Kline joined the top five from his ninth starting spot.

The caution flew on lap three for a tangle in turn four. Over several attempts to complete the lap, the following lap scored a new leader, as Wanamaker shot past Fink. On the same restart, Kline made the move from fourth to second.

The next restart got ugly, and unfortunately for Fink, he was spun on the backstretch, which forced him to rejoin the rear of the field for the next green. By this time, Kline overtook Wanamaker for the top spot.

Lap four was a tough lap, when Meckes and Mark Deysher were involved in an incident on the front stretch. Obviously not able to continue, Meckes’s car needed the ‘double hook’ to remove it from the speedway.

Over the last few laps, Danyluk pressured Dorrance, PA’s Brad Kline, but Brad was relentless to give up the throne, picking up his fourth feature win of the season over Danyluk, Todd Ahner, Jim Yamelski and Barbush. Both Yamelski and Barbush battled their way back through the field after problems earlier in the event.

Robert Fink and Scott Meckes were heat winners.

When the regular twenty-five-lap late model feature got underway, fans witnessed a young talent from Collegeville, PA by the name of Jackie Ziegler. Ziegler led the field to the green flag from the pole position, but got an early jump over Mike Collins, Jason Makarewicz, Joe Hoffman and Jerry Brighthaupt.

Two separate lap three cautions flew for spins by Nick Whitenight and Tony Volpe. On the same lap, Larry Fisher headed into the pit area.

Two more cautions on laps six and ten slowed the event, but Ziegler still held the point over Koehler, Lamoreaux and Volpe.

A lap fourteen caution slowed the event once again, as Nick Whitenight, Hoffman, Collins, Makarewicz, and Chris Whitenight all tangled in turn one. The restart was all Lamoreaux needed to power by Ziegler, which he did, on lap fifteen.

On that same lap, while in second, Ziegler spun in three, along with Barry Callavini, Hoffman, Chris Whitenight and Jerry Brighthaupt.

Over the remaining laps, Lamoreaux led, while Fisher, who worked back to the third spot, tried different lines on Volpe. But, in the end, it was Lamoreaux over Volpe, Fisher, Hoffman and Brighthaupt.

Lamoreaux was quiet in victory lane, but did note that his patience earned him the win. “It was a demo-derby out there’, exclaimed Lamoreaux.

Brighthaupt failed to pass post race inspection.

Joe Hoffman and Jerry Brighthaupt were heat winners.

Jim White, Jr. from Southampton, NY, led the sixteen-car four cylinder thriller drivers to the green for their twenty-lap feature.

White bolted out front, but the action slowed in a hurry when Travis Fisher’s machine came to a stop entering turn three. Fisher was pushed to the pits, unable to continue.

As the four cylinders usually display, paint swapping was happening throughout the field, and four wide racing was also evident at times.

By lap two, last year’s champion, Pat Verwys, had already moved from ninth to the second spot. On the following lap, he took over the lead.

Meanwhile, Joe Heintzelman and point leader, Joe Grocholoski, Chris Walk and Chris Meeker patiently worked their way into the top five.

The second, and final caution of the event waved on lap sixteen, when an axle broke on Walk’s Honda Civic in turn four. Even with a great run going, Walk was done for the day.

Over the next few circuits, Verwys held off the charge from Heintzelman, but failed post race inspection, which gave the Hazleton, PA native (Heintzelman), his first feature win over Grocholoski, Meeker, White and Nesbitt.

Joe Grocholoski won the heat.

The Balliet-Toole Incorporated Late Model Nationals are scheduled for Sunday, June 26th at the speedway. Pit gates open at 10 AM and grandstands at 12 noon. Time trials begin at 1:30 PM. The top finisher’s prize is $2000, with $1000 for second. The Long Island Mini Cups are also scheduled for the same afternoon.

RESULTS

MODIFIEDS

(30 laps)

Brian Defebo, Mike Adams, Dave Pecko, Tim Santee, Kevin Kromer, Billy Swartz, Ryan Preece, Ernie Dengler, Jim Long DQ: Tony Hanbury, Donny Hartzell

Fast Lap: Brian Defebo, lap 12, 13.776

Hard Charger: Dave Pecko, 5 positions

LATE MODEL

6/10 make-up (25 laps)

Larry Fisher, Joe Hoffman, Jim Lamoreaux, Paul Koehler Jr., Jerry Brighthaupt, Mike Collins, Jason Makarewicz, Chris Whitenight, Joe Barbush, Jackie Ziegler, Mike Rodriguez, Jr., Barry Callavini, Brad Kline DNS: Frank Hughes

Fast Lap: Larry Fisher, lap 7, 14.856

Hard Charger: Larry Fisher, 10 positions

LATE MODEL REGULAR

(25 laps)

Jim Lamoreaux, Tony Volpe, Larry Fisher, Joe Hoffman, Paul Koehler Jr., Chris Whitenight, Jackie Ziegler, Barry Callavini, Mike Collins, Nick Whitenight, Jason Makarewicz, Brad Kline, Mike Rodriguez, Jr. DQ: Jerry Brighthaupt DNS: Joe Barbush

Fast Lap: Jim Lamoreaux, lap 19, 14.909

Hard Charger: Chris Whitenight, 8 positions

STREET STOCK

(20 laps)

Brad Kline, Eric Danyluk, Todd Ahner, Jim Yamelski, Brad Barbush, Chip Wanamaker, Brian Labar, Rodney Gruber, Mark Deysher, Mike Schadder, Dan Casicioli, Frank Katona, Scott Meckes, Paul Frantz, Barry Gommer, Robert Fink, John Labadia, Rich Smith, Dan Marsh

Fast Lap: Brad Kline, lap 12, 16.042

Hard Charger: Brian Labar, 11 positions

4 CYL. THRILLER

(20 laps)

Joe Heintzelman, Joe Grocholoski, Chris Meeker, Jimmy White, Jr., Justin Nesbitt, Dave Holinbaugh, Bill Verwys Sr., Fred Shotwell, Dale Shoemaker, Chris Walk, Trevor Mack, Scott Adams, Ken Harper, Travis Fisher DQ: Pat Verwys, Pete Verwys

Fast Lap: Joe Heintzelman, lap 12, 18.979

Hard Charger: Joe Heintzelman, 10 positions