Petey and Ryan Score First Career NEETS Wins
Katona notches second TRUX Victory
By: Geno Ostrowski

Lehighton, Pa- The NEETS Holiday Stock Car Series was back in action Monday at Mahoning Valley Speedway with the running of the Labor Day “Junk-a-Thon”. By the end of the afternoon, Richard Petey and Sam Ryan notched their first career NEETS victories and Frank Katona grabbed the TRUX win. Mariah Lawrence went to victory lane after the special ladies race.

Mariah Lawrence brought the 6/8-cylinder field down to the drop of the green flag for the 100-lap event. After starting second, Richard Petey took command and held the point until lap ten, when Joe Jentile stormed to the front.

ARCA/ReMax star, Kory Rabenold started the race but was sidelined after thirty laps with mechanical troubles.

By mid race, Jentile continued to lead over Petey. Howie Bott retained the third spot, followed by point leader, Phil Lamonaco and T.J. Kapish.

Jentile appeared to have the win in the bag, but with only ten laps remaining he ruptured a right front tire and headed pit side. Petey (Hackettstown, NJ) inherited the top spot and held on to win his fist career NEETS event.

Lamonaco held on for second, ahead of Bott and Kapish. After a quick pit stop, Jentile returned to the race to finish fifth.

Kayla Kovach drew the pole position for the Unique Golf four-cylinder division. Before completing a lap, Don Rogers jumped into the lead. Only six laps later, Sam Ryan made a bid for the lead. The two drivers swapped the to position three times over the next dozen of circuits until Duane Garrison grabbed the lead on lap twenty.

Problems struck Garrison when Joe Grocholski engine expired. His car leaked oil all the way around the track, which caused havoc for many drivers- including Garrison. Garrison was forced to retire after spinning out and getting struck by a lapped car.

Rogers assumed the lead with Ryan in second. Bob Wohlegemuth was third, followed by Jon Saccomandi and Dave Bentley at the mid race mark.

After leading many laps, Rogers was forced to pit for a flat tire on lap seventy-three. Ryan (White Haven, PA) assumed the top spot and cruised to his first career NEETS victory over Wohlegemuth, Rob Longo, Saccomandi and Brian Kunkel.

The NEETS Custom Classic TRUX took to the track with Woot Lawrence and Richard Petey sharing the front row. Lawrence held the point from the onset, but Frank Katona shot by Petey and set his sights on the leader.

Only eight laps in, Katona made an outside pass on Lawrence work and propelled into the lead.

Despite efforts by Lawrence, Katona (Junedale, PA) picked up the victory over Lawrence, Petey, Jeff Gregor and Jake Oswald.

To cap off the afternoon, NEETS held a special 20-lap ladies only race. Mariah Lawrence and Kerry Larangelo shared the front row. Lawrence grabbed the lead after the drop of the green with five laps complete, Sue Ryan worked around the leader and lurched into command of the show.

Ryan held the point until lap seventeen, when Lawrence caught the leader in lapped traffic. Lawrence completed the pass and drove off to the win over Ryan. Kovach finished third, followed by Rogers and Sarah Snyder.

The next NEETS Holiday Stock Car Series event, the popular Components Corporation “Fem-Duro” is slated for Sunday, September 30th. Female drivers will complete the first half of the tag team events before handing the reigns over to the male drivers. The Fem-Duro is a non-points show that will consist of 100-lap races for the 4 cylinders and also for the 6/8 cylinder cars. The NEETS TRUX will run a 50-lap show.

RESULTS :

6/8 Cylinder (100 Laps) : 1. RICHARD PETEY 2. Phil Lamonaco 3. Howie Bott 4. T.J. Kapish 5. Joe Jentile 6.Dean Woolford 7. Mariah Lawrenence 8. Larry Carmen 9. Kory Stevens 10. T.J. Stevens 11. Kory Rabenold 12. Bob Kulik 13. Chuck Detweiler

Unique Golf 4 Cylinder (100 Laps) : 1. SAM RYAN 2. Bob Wohlgemuth 3. Rob Logo 4. John Saccomandi 5. Brian Kunkel 6. Dave Bentey 7. Dennis Sizemore 8. Ryan Nelson 9. Josh Mooney 10. Don Rogers 11. Mike Ventura 12. Nick Marcigliano 13. Art Kulik 14. Brian Flannery 15. Clay Chilson 16. Cory Student 17. Kayla Kovach 18. Jon Smith 19. Duane Garrison 20. Paul Mercante 21. Neil Kunkel 22. Joe Grocholski 23. Dave Moore 24. Sarah Snyder 25. Ken Harper 26. Jared Ahner

Custom Classic TRUX (50 Laps) : 1. FRANK KATONA 2. Woot Lawrence 3. Richard Petey 4. Jeff Gregor 5. Jake Oswald 6. Walter Hayes

Ladies event (20 Laps) : 1. MARIAH LAWRENCE 2. Sue Ryan 3. Kayla Kovach 4. Mrs. Rogers 5. Sarah Snyder 6. Lisa Rivella 7. Kerry Larangelo 8. Maria Kulik 9. Lara Heffron 10. Tracey Burger-Carmen