By Judy Gower

IMPERIAL, PA (July 10, 1999) - With the Penn National 100 just a week away, Davey Johnson of Greensburg made his surprise visit to Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway a profitable one by taking Saturday's Late Model victory. Driving the Bill Bland Motorsports Rocket, Johnson earned his 33rd career Late Model win at Dirt's Monster Half Mile, and will be searching for his third STARS win at the speedway in this Saturday's $10,000 to win Penn National 100.

Pittsburgh's Jim Stephans collected his first career feature win in the Limited Late Models. Wayne Tessean of Austintown, OH found victory lane in the M. Stahl E-Modified 20-lap Special, and "The Danimal", Danny Rich of Imperial, was a first time winner this season in the Spectator Stocks. The Amateur Stocks saw newcomer Bob Schwartzmiller of Robinson Township stop Mike McKee's unbeaten win streak.

Ricky Thomas held off the continued challenges of Mike Cecere through the first ten laps of the Late Model feature. On lap 11, Cecere took command as the ninth starting Johnson closed on the front two. After the only caution at the halfway point, Johnson quickly moved by Thomas into the runner-up slot on the restart. Cecere maintained his lead until lap 20 when Johnson made what proved to be his winning pass. For the second straight week, Cecere was second. Twelfth starting Doug Dodd was third, Thomas fourth and eleventh starting Lou Bradich fifth. Completing the top ten were: Lance Elson, Mark Banal, B.A. Malcuit, Doug Crawford and John Flinner. Ricky Dawson was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger. Crawford, Johnson and Dodd won the heat races.

Tom Schirnhofer led the first two laps of the Limited Late Model feature before Jim Stephans took command. Stephans motored on to his first win in nine years of racing at PPMS. Schirnhofer maintained second. Rick Heim, Dave Wade and Monarch Oil Hard Charger Len Dobrosielski rounded out the top five. Six through ten were: John Pavlick, Bob Damron, Pete Loria, Tim Reed and Duane Popham. Reed and Heim won the preliminaries.

The thrilling M. Stahl E-Modified special went right down to the wire with Wayne Tessean passing Ralph Hysong Jr. on the final lap for the win. Larry Kugel was third, D.J. Miller fourth and Scott Stiffler fifth. Rich Stiffler, Bobby Powell, Jeff Broniszewski, Bruce Dreistadt and Jeff Haefke were sixth through tenth respectively. Powell and Kugel won the heat races. Haefke was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger.

Danny Rich took the lead from teammate Rich Apolito on the sixth lap of the Spectator Stock feature and held on for the victory. Frankie Schneider was second, Neal Isiminger third, Dave Greenawald fourth and Apolito fifth. Fred Schneider, Al Atallah, Doug Foster, Charlie DiLoreto and Lou Bojarski completed the top ten. Daryl Robinson was the Monarch Oil Hard Charger. Apolito and Schneider were the heat race winners.

Bob Schwartzmiller won the Amateur Stock feature over Mike McKee, Bill Capo and Bob Seimon.

This Saturday, July 17th, is the "6th Annual Penn National 100" for the STARS National Dirtcar Racing League Late Models paying $10,000 to win. The Limited Late Models, M. Stahl E-Modifieds and Schneider Truck Spectator Stocks will run features only. Grandstand gates open at 4:30pm with time trials at 6:30 and racing to follow.

RESULTS

LATE MODELS

HEAT RACE WINNERS: Doug Crawford, Davey Johnson, Doug Dodd.

FEATURE: 1) Davey Johnson, Greensburg 2) Mike Cecere, Baldwin 3) Doug Dodd, Cambridge OH 4) Ricky Thomas, Scott Township 5) Lou Bradich, Chester WV 6) Lance Elson 7) Mark Banal 8) B.A. Malcuit 9) Doug Crawford 10) John Flinner 11) Steve Baker 12) Robbie Blair 13) Ben Miley 14) Bill Knepper 15) David Scott 16) Ricky Dawson 17) Alex Ferree 18) Don Gross 19) Mike Johnson 20) Jim Zarin 21) Bill Adler 22) Andy Koteles 23) Jim Lepro 24) Rusty Whitmore 25) Butch D'Antonio 26) Dennis Curry 27) Dale Fuller 28) Bob Moskey (DNS) Ed Dunn

LIMITED LATE MODELS

HEAT RACE WINNERS: Tim Reed, Rick Heim.

FEATURE: 1) Jim Stephans, Pittsburgh 2) Tom Schirnhofer, Emsworth 3) Rick Heim, Pittsburgh 4) Dave Wade, Pittsburgh 5) Len Dobrosielski, Kennedy Township 6) John Pavlick 7) Bob Damron 8) Pete Loria 9) Tim Reed 10) Duane Popham.

M. STAHL E-MODIFIEDS

HEAT RACE WINNERS: Bobby Powell, Larry Kugel.

FEATURE: 1) Wayne Tessean, Austintown OH 2) Ralph Hysong Jr., Georgetown 3) Larry Kugel, E. Liverpool OH 4) D.J. Miller, Hookstown 5) Scott Stiffler, Niles OH 6) Rich Stiffler 7) Bobby Powell 8) Jeff Broniszewski 9) Bruce Dreistadt 10) Jeff Haefke.

SCHNEIDER TRUCK SPECTATOR STOCKS

HEAT RACE WINNERS: Rich Apolito, Frankie Schneider.

FEATURE: 1) Danny Rich, Imperial 2) Frankie Schneider, Sheraden 3) Neal Isiminger, Washington 4) Dave Greenawald, S. Fayette Twp 5) Rich Apolito, Carnegie 6) Fred Schneider 7) Al Atallah 8) Doug Foster 9) Charlie DiLoreto 10) Lou Bojarski.