Fleegle, Kostelnik sweep Double Down Weekend at Jennerstown Speedway

JENNERSTOWN – Barry Awtey had to break out the backup car for a special Sunday edition of racing at Jennerstown on Sunday night, but it did not phase him as he picked up his fourth win of the season.

Awtey crashed on Saturday in the first night of Jennerstown Speedway’s Double Down Weekend where drivers raced on both Saturday and Sunday ahead of Independence Day. To prepare for Sunday, Awtey moved to a backup car after contact with Jarred Barclay on Saturday night tore up the front end of his car, racing for the lead with three laps to go.

Awtey started third in the Sunday night feature. Brandan Marhefka led the first few laps after starting on the front row, but it didn’t take long for Awtey to track him down, take the lead and never look back.

Already owning the track record for late model wins, the Sunday victory is Awtey’s fourth in just nine races in the Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model division this season. The defending champion is at the top of the standings once again.

The caution flag flew just one time the entire night through six feature races. The sole yellow came out for a spin during the One Stop Auto Sales Pro Stock race six laps in.

Kyle Burkholder led the first few laps, but after the restart, Adam Kostelnik was able to track down Burkholder and take the lead. The was Kostelnik’s second win of the weekend and the third straight trip to Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane. Burkholder settled for second and Samantha Osborn took third.

In the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified division, Anthony Aiello made his 2022 debut. Despite not turning a lap on the track this season or working on his car, the former track champion started on the pole with four fresh tires and led every lap of the feature event.

Dale Glessner, Jason Busch, Tom Golik and Adam Henry all earned top five finishes.

Nate Valente also led every lap of his feature event to pick up his second win of the season in the Farmers Union Co-Op Chargers. Valente, who has joined as an occasional analyst and personality on the track’s live stream on FloRacing.com, started on the pole, cleared for the lead on the first lap, and drove off with the win.

Steve Singo, Scott Mitchell, Ken Burkholder and Nick Niemiec completed the top five.

It was a dominate performance in the Somerset Trust Fast N’ Furious 4’s,. Johnathan Haburscak, the current points leader, earned his second win of the year on Sunday. After starting on the front row, the recent high school graduate led all 15 laps for the victory.

Dennis Shawley finished second, and his son, Lance, ended up third.

It was another win for Casey Fleegle in the Ron’s Collision Center Street Stocks. Like Kostelnik, Fleegle picked up both feature wins on the Double Down Weekend.

After winning on Saturday, Fleegle had to start at the back of the field. He worked his way from tenth to first in just three laps on his way to his fifth win of the season.

Jennerstown Speedway will welcome NASCAR officials and Advanced Auto Parts on July 9 for a special presentation. Earlier this year, Jennerstown Speedway won the Advance My Track Challenge and $50,000 from a fan vote of local NASCAR tracks. NASAR and Advanced Auto Parts will visit the racetrack on Saturday to present the check and celebrate with local drivers and fans.

The celebration includes fireworks and a free $10 meal voucher for the first 500 fans.

Free admission tickets are also available at local Advanced Auto Parts stores in Somerset, Blairsville, Latrobe and Johnstown.

Double Down Night 1 action

Plenty of fireworks flew on Independence Day weekend at Jennerstown Speedway. After a night full of wrecks and red flags on Saturday, the Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model put a display of action.

Jeremy Shaffer and Jarred Barclay started on the front row of the late model feature. Shaffer grabbed the early lead, but Barclay stormed back to take the point position with 20 laps to go. However, Barry Awtey was right behind him. Awtey and Barclay battled for the lead for 10 laps, but Awtey just could not clear Barclay as the two switched positions at the line side-by-side.

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With three laps to go, Garry Wiltrout closed the gap on both Awtey and Barclay. Awtey got a good run in Turn 3, giving him a slight advantage over Barclay, but the two touched coming out of Turn 4 sending Awtey’s car into the outside retaining wall on the front stretch and onto a rollback. Neither Awtey or Barclay finished the race.

With Awtey and Barclay out of the way, Wiltrout avoided damage and restarted on the front row cruising to his second win of the season. Shaffer finished second. Brandon Marhefka, Bryan Shipp and Mike Sweeney completed the top five.

In the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified division, brothers Doug Glessner and Dale Glessner finished their first-ever one-two finish at Jennerstown Speedway. Jason Busch started on the pole and led the first six laps. The caution flew with 14 laps to go when Joey School spun in front of John Fama. As the two slid up the track, Marvin Sleith slammed into the side of Fama’s car. Fama climbed out, but was treated by medical staff after the crash. It’s the second time in three weeks that Fama crashed out of the race.

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On the restart, Doug Glessner grabbed the lead from Busch. Just before he could take the checkered flag, the caution flew again as points leader Tom Golik and Busch got together racing in the top five. Busch’s car had to be extinguished as flames erupted, but Busch was able to continue. The restart put the Glessner brothers on the front row for a green-white-checkered finish.

Doug held off his younger brother Dale as they finished first and second. Adam Henry took third, and Brad Milburn fourth. Tom Golik rebounded for a top five.

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A green-white-checkered finish was needed in the One Stop Auto Sales Pro Stocks. Adam Kostelnik had a large lead when the caution flew on the final lap of the race for Josh Dunmyer, who spun on the back stretch.

Kostelnik was not bothered on the restart as he easily cleared Aaron VanFleet and picked up his second win in a row. VanFleet finished second. Kyle Burkholder, Jeff Giles and Will Hemminger completed the top five.

In the Somerset Trust Fast N’ Furious 4’s, a late-race caution likely changed the outcome of the race. It took Lance Shawley just three laps to take the lead. Shawley drove off with a big advantage. However, the caution flew for Skylar Berkey when he cut a tire and hit the wall.

On the restart, Shawley started on the bottom with Caleb Vasos to his outside. Shawley did not have a clean restart, allowing Vasos to take the lead and drive off with his third win of the season.

As they were coming to the checkered flag, points leader Johnathan Haburscak was racing for second with Shawley as the two wrecked in Turn 4. The collision allowed Colton Buchanan to finish second in his first race of the year. Shawley slid across the line in third. Haburscak, who won last week, ended up sixth.

Ken Burkholder was a first-time winner in the Farmer’s Union Co-Op Chargers. Burkholder, whose brother Kyle was the division champion last year and a winner in a pro stock this season, started on the front row. Burkholder lead all 15 laps of the feature event and held off a late charge from Steve Singo for his first career win.

In the Ron’s Collision Center Street Stocks, Casey Fleegle started at the tail end of the 11-car field. It took the two-time defending champion just five laps to work his way to the lead on his way to his fourth win of the year.

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