Joe Jentile Cruises to Another NEETS Win
Checkers to Shawn Wanat, Richard Petey
By: Dino Oberto

Joe Jentile of Bedminster, continued his hot streak of enduro car winning as he again was uncontested by the time the checkered flag waved in the 131-lap NEETS 6/8-cylinder race Sunday afternoon at Mahoning Valley Speedway.

Jentile started last and needed only 17 laps before making his way into the lead.

His main opposition came from Richard Petey who stayed on his tail over the first half of the race. Petey even took advantage of lapped traffic to steal the lead away for a few laps.

However, from lap 52 on there was no stopping Jentile as he drove to a commanding win over Petey, who was the only other car to finish on the lead lap.

Veteran enduro ace Howie Bott was third, one lap down with early leader Phil Lomonaco fourth and steady running James Presley rounding out the top five.

In 4-Cylinder Stock action Shawn Wanat of Riverhead, NY became the seventh different winner in as many races.

Wanat dashed into the lead with 15-laps to go after Vern McLaughlin got caught up in lapped traffic.

McLaughlin was maintaining a solid lead and appeared headed to victory until encountering a host of back markers in the later stages. He was negotiating turn three when he suddenly got bumped from the lead and spun.

That opened the door for Wanat who then had to fend off Scooter Graver en route to victory. Wanat and Graver had traded second spot throughout the entire 100 lap distance.

Don Rogers, who led the first four tours, was third with Nikki Wachs fourth. McLaughlin rounded out the top five.

Richard Petey of Hackettstown, NJ finished second in the 50-lap TRUX race but was elevated to winner status after Woot Lawrence failed to pass the post-race tech inspection.

Lawrence had a very strong running truck and was never really challenged, that was until it came time to inspect his mount.

Petey got the win which was his second of the season. He had won early this year with the 6/8 Cylinder cars.

Kelly Kunkel notched the win in the Ladies Race.

RESULTS :

6/8 Cylinder (131 Laps): 1. Joe Jentile 2. Richard Petey 3. Howie Bott 4. Phil Lomonaco 5. James Presley 6. Kory Stevens 7. Ed Brown, Jr. 8. Jim White 9. TJ Stevens 10. Drew Atchison 11. Cory Student 12. Shon Elk 13. Joe Holmes 14. Robin Schewire 15. Larry Carmen 16. Art Spencer 17. Dominic Ranieri 18. Bob Kulik 19. Chuck Detweiler 20. Anthony Roberts 21. Donny Oliver

Custom Classic TRUX (50 Laps): 1. Richard Petey 2. Harry Sager 3. Jim White 4. Frank Katona 5. Greg Dicanio 6. Ray Voss 7. Jake Oswald 8. Cody Roth DQ: Woot Lawrence

Unique Golf 4 Cylinder (100 Laps): 1. Shawn Wanat 2. Scooter Graver 3. Don Rogers 4. Nikki Wachs 5. Vern McLaughlin 6. Mike Ventura 7. Dennis Sizemore 8. John Saccamandi 9. Ryan Nelson 10. Jon Smith 11. Jimmy White 12. Dave Bentley 13. Richard Smith 14. Bob Haeger 15. Ken Harper 16. Mariah Lawrence 17. Jessica McGlynn 18. Mike Mujsce 19. Josh Mooney 20. Kayla Kovach 21. Kelly Kunkel 22. Sarh Snyder