St. JOHNS, Pa. -- With only five more weeks remaining in the regular season at Mountain Speedway, point battles are beginning to heat up, and the fans witnessed that Friday evening. Brian Defebo added another modified feature win to his resume after his victory Friday at Mountain Speedway. Fifteen-year-old Mike Rodriguez, Jr. held off a fierce charge from veteran driver, Larry Fisher to capture his second late model feature of the season. Brad Kline extended his point lead by taking the street stock feature, and Pete Verwys drove from last to first in the four cylinder thrillers.

Kory Rabenold led the Balliet’s Country Corners modified field to the drop of the green after starting from the pole. Rabenold held the point momentarily, but Tim Santee took it over after one lap was scored.

The caution flag waved on the fifth circuit when Warren Jefferson looped his machine on the backstretch. Jefferson was able to rejoin the tail end of the field. By this point, Brian Defebo had worked his way into fifth from his seventh starting spot.

Bobby Jones moved into second and set sail for Santee, but also had to remember that Steven Reed and Donny Hartzell were coming up fast. Unfortunately for Jones, his spot was vacated when he brought out the lap ten yellow for a spin in turns three and four.

On the restart, Defebo took over second from Reed and motored after Santee. Mike Bohn became a factor as well on the restart when he entered the top five.

A lap eighteen caution slowed the event again when Hartzell, Erik Kocher and Amber Levandowski (who was making her modified debut) tangled in turn three. All drivers were able to continue after some quick pit work. When the green flew, Defebo jumped out over Santee and distanced himself from the torrid top five battle.

Defebo, driving his familiar Sophie’s Tiki Lounge no. 53 was a full straight away ahead of Santee when the checkers flew. The win mark his seventh of the season. Steven Reed, Mike Bohn and Kory Rabenold rounded out the top five.

Heat winners were Donny Hartzell and Brian Defebo

Jackie Ziegler led the late model feature to the drop of the green flag, but Phil Defranco shot out in front of Ziegler immediately.

Pursued by Joe Hoffman, Mike Rodriguez Jr. and Jason Makarewicz, Defranco held his own over the first two circuits, until Rodriguez, who stared fifth, made his move from third to first.

Rodriguez knew it would only be a matter of time before he would have to deal with a seasoned late model veteran by the name of Larry Fisher. Fisher moved into the second slot on lap five.

Jerry Brighthaupt got underneath Phil Defranco for third and Joe Hoffman tried to follow for fourth. Hoffman, with his nose not quite to Defranco’s door had to tuck back in line.

On several occasions Fisher took a peak on the inside and outside of Rodriguez, but could not stick the nose in far enough. He also had to be cautious on the outside attempts, being sure that the door wasn’t left open for Brighthaupt.

Over the remaining circuits, Rodriguez, driving his Kulaga Excavating no. 11 set a blistering pace in the caution-free event by lapping half of the field and holding off a hard charging Larry Fisher enroot to his second career late model victory. When asked about his feat in victory lane, the Drums, PA driver noted, “I knew Larry (Fisher) was there, I could hear him. I just had to be patient and sure not to make a mistake in the lapped traffic”.

Phil Defranco and Bob Ankner took the late model heat races

Bob Hunsicker started on the point in the caution-free twenty lap street stock feature and quickly jetted out front over Mike Schadder, Todd Barbush and Brad Kline. Hunsicker held the top spot until lap two, when Kline motored by and into the lead.

On the tenth circuit Todd Ahner moved into third and pressured Hunsicker for second. The two made contact in turn four, which allowed the rest of the top five runners to join the chase for second.

Two drivers charging through the pack were Brad Barbush and Jim Yamelski. Entering the night’s action, Yamelski was only eight points out of the points chase over Kline.

Kline checked out from the rest of the field, but with five laps remaining the battle for second became even more intense. Hunsicker still held second, but Brad Barbush, Ahner, Chip Wanamaker, Yamelski and Todd Barbush were running in a group two, sometimes three wide.

As the final laps wore down, Yamelski got around Wanamaker and Ahner, while Brad Barbush worked Hunsicker to take second.

When the checkers flew, it was Brad Kline taking his 5th win of the season in the no. 23 Dino’s Corner Café Chevy over Brad Barbush, Hunsicker, Yamelski and Ahner.

Heat winners were Brad Kline and Todd Barbush

The four cylinder thrillers took to the speedway with Travis Fisher starting on the pole. Immediately after the green, Joe Grocholski, along with Dale Shoemaker decided that a three-wide attempt at the lead might work. It did, as the three made contact, Grocholski came out on top with the lead.

On the fifth circuit, Joe Heintzelman, after starting sixth, slipped underneath Grocholski when his car drifted up the track in turn two. By this point in the race, Pete Verwys had already made his way into fourth after starting dead last.

The caution flew on lap ten when Justin Nesbitt, while running fifth spun in turn one. He rejoined the tail end of the field. Only two laps later, Nesbitt ended up being the reason for another caution when his machine was forced into the front stretch wall. Again, Nesbitt returned to the rear of the field.

On the restart Verwys jumped out front over Grocholski and Heintzelman, who fought relentlessly for the second spot. Shoemaker, who was in the mix among the top five, was forced backwards after being run down into the infield.

Over the final circuits it was Pete Verwys, driving the Verwys Racing no. 12 into victory circle for the fifth time this season, over Heintzelman, Grocholski, Scott Adams and Justin Nesbitt.

A four-cylinder thriller moment in history was made when Jennifer Adams took the green flag for the feature, becoming the first woman driver to compete in the division.

Dale Shoemaker and Joe Heintzelman were heat winners.

The next event on the card at Mountain Speedway is Friday, September 2nd. This is the last Friday night event of the season, as the speedway will switch to Sunday afternoon racing for the remainder of the season.

The NEETS Holiday Stock Car Series will make their return to the speedway on Labor Day, which is Monday, September 5th. All the action begins at 1:30 PM.

For news, results, photos and standings, please visit www.mountainspeedway.com

RESULTS

Modifieds (30-laps) 1. BRIAN DEFEBO 2. Tim Santee 3. Steven Reed 4. Mike Bohn 5. Kory Rabenold 6. Amber Levandowski 7. Bobby Jones 8. Ernie Dengler 9. Donny Hartzell 10. Erik Kocher 11. Warren Jefferson

Hard Charger: Brian Defebo, 6 positions

Fast Lap: Brian Defebo, Lap 23, 13.767

Late Model (25-laps) 1. MIKE RODRIGUEZ, JR 2. Larry Fisher 3. Jerry Brighthaupt 4. Phil DeFranco 5. Joe Hoffman 6. Jason Makarewicz 7. Joseph Cerabino 8. Barry Callavini 9. Joe Kehrli 10. Billy Balliet 11. Jackie Ziegler 12. Bob Ankner 13. Robby Kutz

Hard Charger: Larry Fisher, 7 positions

Fast Lap: Larry Fisher, lap 8, 14.693

Street Stock (20-laps) 1. BRAD KLINE 2. Brad Barbush 3. Bob Hunsicker 4. Jim Yamelski 5. Todd Ahner 6. Chip Wanamaker 7. Todd Barbush 8. Paul Frantz 9. Shaun Burd 10. Mike Schadder 11. Scott Meckes 12. Mike Odwazny 13. Frank Katona 14. Rich Dimarco 15. Jennifer Kutz 16. John Labadia 17.Rodney Gruber

Hard Charger: Paul Frantz, 8 positions

Fast Lap: Brad Barbush, Lap 8, 15.911

Unofficial finish (field frozen, pending tech. Final decision will be made during this week)

4 Cyl. Thriller (20-laps) 1. PETE VERWYS 2. Joe Heintzelman 3. Joe Grocholski 4. Scott Adams 5. Justin Nesbitt 6. Dale Shoemaker 7. Travis Fisher 8. Chris Meeker 9. Harry Sager 10. Harry O'Neil 11. Erik Nobel 12. Nick Adams 13. Jimmy White, Jr. 14. Jen Adams

Hard Charger: Pete Verwys, 13 positions

Fast Lap: Pete Verwys, Lap 14, 18.241