Fama, Shawley earn 1st wins; Wiltrout edges Hemminger on Opening Night at Jennerstown

JENNERSTOWN — The 2022 season at Jennerstown Speedway got underway with an exciting night of racing on Saturday.

In the final race of the night, the Martella’s Pharmacy Late Models displayed spectacular driving in the front of the pack. Mike Hemminger started on the pole and lead nearly every lap of the race. But with two laps to go, Garry Wiltrout made a move and passed Hemminger to take the lead.

Hemminger held off an early charge from Jarred Barclay. As Barclay fell back and battled Wiltrout for second place, Hemminger jumped out to a half second lead. It did not take long for Wiltrout to track down Hemminger’s machine.

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Runnning a higher line, Hemminger was able to hold off Wiltrout for much of the race with good runs off the corners. With 13 laps to go, Wiltrout pulled even with Hemminger down the front stretch, but a caution for Dennis Wenner’s spin in Turn 2 brought out the yellow flag.

Hemminger regained the lead on the restart and Wiltrout went back to work. With two laps to go and the crowd on the edge of its seats, Wiltrout was finally able to get around Hemminger as the two went into Turn 1. Wiltrout drove away for his first checkered flag of the year.

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Defending Ron’s Collision Center Street Stock champion Casey Fleegle continued his dominance in the division picking up another win to start the year. Fleegle is now third all-time in wins in the division with 25. He trails the record holder, Adam Kostelnik, by 12 wins. Dale Kimberly took second.

Another defending champion picked up a win on Saturday night in the One Stop Auto Sales Pro Stock Division. Sixteen-year-old Will Hemminger is no stranger to Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane. The teen won seven races in 2021 before even obtaining his driver’s license. Jeff Giles and Preston Cope finished second and third, respectively.

The Stoystown Autowreckers Modifieds and the Somerset Trust Fast N’ Furious 4’s each saw a first-time winner at the speedway.

John Fama, who scored four Top 5’s in 10 races last year, claimed his first-ever win in a modified. He started third and gained the lead early in the race. Fama jumped out to a 1.6 second lead, but that disappeared quickly in the closing laps. Doug Glessner, who won seven races a season ago, closed the gap with two laps to go, but Fama was able to hold him off for the win.

In the Somerset Trust Fast N’ Furious 4’s, Lance Shawley survived two caution flags to celebrate his first career win. The Stoystown native began racing at Jennerstown Speedway midway through last season and scored four Top 5’s in eight races.

Scott Mitchell was victorious in the Tanner J. Friedline Tribute Race in the Farmers Union Co-Op Division. Friedline, who raced a Jennerstown, tragically passed away in November 2020.

His family raised money in his honor to give away to each of the drivers in the Charger division. They selected one winner of $500 in a drawing on the front stretch prior to the race. Justin Frampton won the $500 sponsorship.

Mitchell, who competed against Friedline in a Charger, passed Nate Valente midway through the race to take the checkered flag.

Jennerstown Speedway will celebrate Armed Forces Night on Saturday. The gates open at 4 p.m. Opening ceremonies will start at 5:50 p.m.

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