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RACEWAY 7

Matt Urban is tops in Topless Challenge at Raceway 7

By Rich Berry

Conneaut, Ohio, (July 30) Matt Urban was tops in the Topless Challenge sponsored by Coca Cola on Friday night at Raceway 7. The North East, PA driver made a late pass of Chub Frank to score the victory in the Maloney Tool and Mold Late Model event, winning his second feature race of the season. With this being the Second Annual event, Urban's win combined with his victory last season makes him the event's only winner. Also picking up victories in this night of racing were Dan McDonald of Girard, PA in The Bolt Place Limited Late Models; Bill Watson of Conneaut, OH in the Corry Laser E-Mods; Leon Phillips of Geneva, OH in the Fame Manufacturing Street Stocks; and Jim Hyde of Springboro, PA
in the Steve's Auto Body Four Cylinders.

The Coca Cola sponsored Topless Challenge saw the Late Model cars racing without their roofs on this night of racing. Ron Davies and Mark Osburn had front row starting spots, with Davies immediately pulling into the lead. Dan Armbruster was quickly up to challenge, after starting third. Joining the lead battle on lap 4 was fifth starting Chub Frank. Frank passed Armbruster for second on lap 6, and set his sights on Davies. As the green flag laps continued to click by, Davies and Frank distanced themselves from the field, as seventh starting Rob Blair moved into third. With the lead battle continuing, Frank used an outside pass on the backstretch to take over the top spot on lap 13. Just when it looked as
if the event would run caution free, Dan Tercho spun on lap 15 just in front of race leader Frank to bring out the yellow. Back to green, Frank continued to lead but the man on the move was Matt Urban. After starting sixth, Urban was running a quiet fifth before the yellow, but flew up to second before another slowdown a lap later. Back to green, the lead battle was on. Making an outside pass on the backstretch, Urban moved into the lead and was the new leader on lap 18. Leading the final two rounds, Urban would win the Topless Challenge for the second straight season. Frank would come home a close second, ahead of Rob Blair, Dave Lyon, and Davies. Mickey Wright came home sixth, with Armbruster, John Flinner, Rusty Whitmore, and Dale Applebee completing the top ten. Heat race winners were Bruce Hordusky,
Dutch Davies, and Lyon.

The 15 lap The Bolt Place Limited Late Model feature started with front row starters Mike Stoneman and John Buzzard racing side-by-side. Buzzard led lap 1 by a matter of inches, but Stoneman pulled ahead to lead lap 2. It was still Stoneman in front after a lap 3 restart, but on a lap 6 restart he had Dan McDonald up to challenge. Eighth starting McDonald moved by on lap 7 to take over the top spot. Once in front, it was all McDonald as he went on to post his fourth feature win of the season, as he also padded his division point lead. Starting last in the 22 car field, Chub Frank in a shakedown run drove the Dave McLaughlin M1 to a second place finish. Stoneman was third, ahead of Buzzard and Percy
McDonald. Tim Glass and Steve Hollabaugh took the heat race wins.

The 15 lap Corry Laser E-Mod feature started with Kris Allen and Randy Brooks leading the field to the green flag. Brooks moved into the early lead, but had his hands full with challenges from Mike Hendrickson and Todd Roncaglione. While trying to keep the top spot on lap 4, Brooks spun to bring out the yellow on lap 5. That put Hendrickson in the top spot, as he and Roncaglione battled for the lead when the race resumed. Joining the lead battle on a lap 7 restart was Bill Watson, and he was able to advance to the top spot on lap 8. Roncaglione moved to second on lap 10, and put pressure on the race leader despite racing with his left foot in a cast. When a late yellow shuffled the deck once again, Watson
was able to hold on for the final two laps in posting the victory, his fourth of the season. Roncaglione came home a close second, his best finish of the season. Hendrickson was third, also a season's best. After pitting with a flat tire on lap 2, Ron Roncaglione came back through the pack to finish fourth. Bobby Powell was fifth. Heat race wins went to Watson, Brooks, Mike Hess, and Joel Watson, while Bill Hanna took the Last Chance Race.

The 12 lap Fame Manufacturing Street Stock feature went to Leon Phillips, for the third time this season. From the outside pole, Phillips quickly moved into the lead at the drop of the green, with sixth starting Bill Hanna up to challenge. Bob Pifer moved up from ninth to join the lead battle, as the top three raced close in the closing laps. Phillips held off all challengers to score the win, with Hanna and Pifer right behind. The battle for fourth was an entertaining one, and went to Russ Kapalin over Brian Douglas. Phillips, Tony Hyde, and Pifer were heat race winners, while the Last Chance Race winner was Ryan Blood.

The 10 lap Steve's Auto Body Four Cylinder feature went to Jim Hyde, as he continues to be the man that nobody can stop. Hyde's sixth straight feature win came at the expense of Mark Kitinoja, Turk Kahler, Dennis Lenney, and Jay Rigg. Hyde and Dan Osborne took the heats.

The racing season at Raceway 7 is quickly winding down, as the calendar flips to August. Five division racing will be featured on each racing night. August 6 will find Speedo the Clown on hand at the racing program. General Aluminum night will be on August 13, as the York Triathlon Series for E-Mods will make their Raceway 7 debut after being rained out earlier this season. Bicycle racing for the kids will take place on August 20, where kids will be admitted free. The Late Model winner will qualify for the Hub City Race of Champions in October at Maryland's Hagerstown Speedway, and the Limited Late Models will race for $1000 extra purse money sponsored by Roberts Trucking. The final MACS visit of
the season w ill be on August 27 in a big show sponsored by Bossard-Crawford GM. The Super 7 Shootout will be held for the top money earners from the four MACS races at Raceway 7. The Grand Finale program will end the 1999 racing season on September 3, with Fireworks and a Demo Derby bringing down the curtain on the final racing program of the 1900's. Raceway 7 is located six miles south of I-90 on Ohio Route 7. For more information, call the track phone on race day at 440-594-2222, or visit the Raceway 7 web site at www.raceway7.com.

Upcoming shows,

August 6 - Five division racing plus Speedo the Clown.

August 13 - York Triathlon Series E-Mods, sponsored by General Aluminum. Five division racing.

August 20 - Five division racing, children free admission and bike races. Late Model Hub City qualifier, Limited Late Model added purse sponsored by Roberts Trucking.

* * Raceway 7 Results for Friday, July 30, 1999 * *
Maloney Tool and Mold Late Models.

Car Count, 24.

Heat Winners, Bruce Hordusky, Erie, PA; Dutch Davies, Warren, PA; Dave Lyon, Sugar Grove, PA.

Feature winner, Matt Urban, North East, PA.

Top ten, Chub Frank, Sugar Grove, PA; Rob Blair, Titusville, PA; Lyon, Ron Davies, Warren, PA; Mickey Wright, Albion, PA; Dan Armbruster, Harborcreek, PA; John Flinner, Zelienople, PA: Rusty Whitmore, Franklin, PA; Dale Applebee, Clymer, NY.

Remainder, Hordusky, Mark Osburn, Merle Terry, John Watson, Frank Poniatowski, Bob Craig, Don Loney, Bob Moskey, Dick Barton, Kevin Santee, Dan Tercho, Dutch Davies, Rick Isadore, Bill Cunningham.

The Bolt Place Limited Late Models.

Car Count, 23.

Heat winners, Tim Glass, Conneaut, OH; Steve Hollabaugh, Guys Mills, PA,

Feature winner, Dan McDonald, Girard, PA. Top ten, Chub Frank, Sugar Grove, PA; Mike Stoneman, Ashtabula, OH; John Buzzard, Jefferson, OH; Percy McDonald, West Springfield, PA; Bob Vogt, West Springfield, PA; Tom Bonanno, Conneautville, PA; Curtis Stewart, Kingsville, OH; Glass, Lee Patrick, Geneva, OH.

Remainder, Hollabaugh, Don Herman, Ryan Herb, Terry Porter, Tim Cole, Brian Huffman, Chuck Steinle, Jr.; Bill Henry, Wendell Pinckney, Gary Eicher, Dave Pierce, Brad Fiesler.

Did not start, Gary Salisbury.

Note, Chub Frank drove car M1 in heat, won race but was penalized to last for not reporting driver change.

Corry Laser E-Mods.

Car Count, 36.

Heat winners, Bill Watson, Conneaut, OH; Randy Brooks, Geneva, OH; Mike Hess, Waterford, PA; Joel Watson, Ashtabula, OH.

Last Chance race winner, Bill Hanna, Westford, PA.

Feature winner, Bill Watson. Top ten, Todd Roncaglione, Linesville, PA; Mike Hendrickson, Pittsfield, PA; Ron Roncaglione, Linesville, PA; Bobby Powell, Titusville, PA; Kari Petrosky, Girard, OH; Dave Hess, Waterford, PA; Kris Allen, Jefferson, OH; Hanna, Jeff Shank, Ashtabula, OH.

Remainder, Jim Abbott, Joel Watson, Mike Potosky, Ron Jaeger, Jay Watson, Chuck List, Bill Taylor, Mike Hess, Brooks, Jeff Sharp.

Did not start, Jim McFadden.

Did not qualify, Holly Nelson, Pat Otteni, Scott Jones, Jake Miller, Pat McGee, Gene Crouch, Steve Haefke, Lance Drew, Jeff Shank, Arlan Coy, Dave Clauson, Jim White, Jr., Matt Swanson, Tom Congdon.

Did not run, Jim Frontz.

Fame Manufacturing Street Stocks.

Car Count, 37.

Heat winners, Leon Phillips, Geneva, OH; Tony Hyde, Springboro, PA; Bob Pifer, Andover, OH.

Last Chance Race winner, Ryan Blood, Springboro, PA.

Feature winner, Phillips.

Top ten, Bill Hanna, Westford, PA; Pifer, Russ Kapalin, Jefferson, OH; Brian Douglas, Euclid, OH; Jeff Buccella, Mineral Ridge, OH; Hyde, Tim Mailliard, Cochranton, PA; Mike Watson, Kingsville, OH; Bruce Burlingame, Jefferson, OH.

Remainder, Jim Davis, Brian Couselman, Kevin Vencill, Chuck Sullivan, Paul Pittsenbarger, Blood, Charlie Baptiste, Wayne Daniels, Tim Mann, Rich Howell, Rick Dragon, Tom Lamson, Joe Walton, Dave Willoughby.

Did not start, Jim Peska.

Did not qualify, Joe Huntington, Jim Van Cise, Brian Watson, Glen Myers, Ron Barbato, Dan Brainard, John Hobbs, Sr., Dave Cadmes, Tim Rickman, Bob Gabrielson, Barb Bellinger, Buddy Carpenter.

Steve's Auto Body Four Cylinders.

Car Count, 17.

Heat winners, Jim Hyde, Springboro, PA; Dan Osborne, Girard, PA.

Feature winner, Hyde.

Top five, Mark Kitinoja, Ashtabula, OH; Turk Kahler, Saegertown, PA; Dennis Lenney, West Farmington, OH; Jay Rigg, Bristolville, OH.

Remainder, Darren Buell, Rick Rice, Steve Seaburn, J.R. Cross, Steve Forstein, Tom Hyde, Dan Osborne, Howard Fraley,
Carol Frost, Richard Riggleman, Ron Armstrong, Darrell Moody.