JENNERSTOWN, Pa. – The second annual Motor Mountain Masters race at Jennerstown Speedway Complex for Martella’s Pharmacies Late Models attracted competitors from 10 states, with Todd Stone of Middlebury, Conn., leaving as the winner Saturday night.
For winning the 150-lap crown jewel event presented by Arsenberger Trucking and sponsored by Dale Oxygen, Stone earned $10,000.
Also celebrating in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane were R.J. Dallape, who won the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified race – collecting $3,000 courtesy of StoystownAuto.com – and Dale Kimberly, winner of the Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers’ event.
Four different drivers led laps during the second annual Motor Mountain Masters event, over the course of three separate segments of racing for the Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model division’s biggest race in over 25 years.
Officially, six lead changes were recorded, and the first driver to move into position number one was fast qualifier Ray Christian. The young Connecticut driver led the most laps, holding the top spot three different times in two different segments.
Josh Brock placed second in the 2018 running of the “Masters,” and he won segment two of three on Saturday. Brock, is a former Champion of the ARCA/CRA Super Series, but immediately dropped back several positions in segment two.
Todd Stone won the second segment, leaving 60 laps to decide the “Masters” winner in segment three. Tenth place starter Mike Hopkins grabbed the lead from Christian on lap 108 of 150, as Stone cruised in third place.
On lap 114, Stone took the second position from Christian and a memorable battle for the lead soon developed. For several laps, leader Hopkins and Stone raced side by side, and more than once the duo rubbed fenders and nudged bumpers.
On lap 140, Stone claimed the lead, then masterfully worked lapped traffic to earn the Motor Mountain Master title and the red sportcoat, massive trophy, and $10,000 check.
“This is the biggest race I’ve ever won. For our team, winning against this field of drivers is like winning the Daytona 500,” Stone proclaimed.
Hopkins placed second, Christian finished third, with fellow Connecticut driver Cory Casagrande earning fourth place. Brock claimed fifth place, and current Jennerstown Speedway point standings leader Teddy Gibala finished in sixth position.
Recent winner and former Jennerstown Champion Garry Wiltrout started 17th and advanced to a seventh place finish at his home track. Ben Rowe, a former champion of the PASS tour was eighth, among a field of 38 drivers.
Jimmy Renfrew was ninth, and Jennerstown’s own Jarred Barclay was 10th. Barclay, a rookie, earned the “Hard Charger Award” by passing the most cars.
Brock, Stone, Rowe, and North Carolina’s Matt Wallace won heat races. Albert Francis won the B-main race and Todd Price won the non-qualifiers race.
Adam Kostelnik was the fastest qualifier for the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds’ 50-lap feature race. Kostelnik also won a heat race, and led the most laps in the feature.
However, with seven laps to go, sophomore driver R.J. Dallape passed Kostelnik for the lead. That winning pass occurred just two laps before Kostelnik’s engine malfunctioned, sending him to the pits in a cloud of smoke.
Dallape held off defending Jennerstown modified champion Anthony Aiello for the biggest win of his young career.
Dale Kimberly put on a driving clinic, winning the Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers’ main event. Kimberly haunted the rear bumper of Scott Mitchell for many laps before making the winning pass on lap 17 of 35.
The finish:
Todd Stone, Mike Hopkins, Ray Christian, Cory Casagrande, Josh Brock, Teddy Gibala, Garry Wiltrout, Ben Rowe, Jimmy Renfrew, Jarred Barclay, Matt Wallace, Sammy Smith, Jerick Johnson, Devin O’Connell, Dave Russell, Bryan Shipp, Mike Parks, Jordan Miller, Albert Francis, Weston Griffith, Brandan Marhefka, Joey Doiron, Barry Awtey, Drake Troutman, Gary St. Amant, Mike Hemminger, Eldon King, Sam Fullone, Zane Ferrell, Mike Sweeney.