Nelson Wins 2 Super Cup Features; Barclay, Shipp Earn Late Model Victories At Jennerstown

JENNERSTOWN — Petersburg, West Virginia’s Brent Nelson has dominated at Jennerstown Speedway this season. In five races in 2021, Nelson has walked away with four victories. A touring series throughout the Mid-West, the Super Cup Stock Car Series made its third and final visit to Jennerstown on Saturday night for a pair of 50-lap feature events. The dual features kicked off the start of the series’ six championship races.

In the first 50-lap feature, Nelson started in the second row. He worked his way through the cars in front of him before taking the lead on Lap 19 from Bob Schacht. The race went caution-free and Nelson drove away with the first win.

Nelson also picked up the victory in the second feature. With 15 laps to go, the third caution flag of the race waived. Nelson restarted from the second row and made a fantastic sling shot move into Turn 3 to take the lead away from Jason Kitzmiller and drove his car to his second win of the night.

In the Super Cup Stock Car Series, Nelson has 12 career wins, nine of which have come at Jennerstown.

The Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model Division also ran two features. The first race of the night was a makeup 50-lap feature from a rain out in July. Jarred Barclay lead every lap of the race on his way to the win, but saw his lead shrink in the closing stages of the race. Bryan Shipp closed the gap on Barclay in the final eight laps. Barclay let Shipp take the lower line, but Barclay was able to keep his car driving well off the corner and hold the lead. On the final lap, Shipp sailed his car hard in Turn 1. He got loose coming out of Turn 2. The move backed him up to the third-place car of Joe Maruca. Racing for second in Turn 4, Maruca got into Shipp and sent Shipp’s car spinning, bringing out the yellow flag. The caution set up a green-white-checkered finish, but Barclay was able to hang on for the win. Mike Sweeney and Zane Ferrell earned podium finishes as Shipp and Maruca finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Despite being spun in the first race, Shipp still had a fast car for the second feature and got to start on the front row. Shipp had the lead, but it was none other than Maruca who closed the gap in the final laps. Shipp was able to hold off Maruca for his third win of the season. Barry Awtey finished a close third.

The Street Stock Division had the night off, but Casey Fleegle still wound up in Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane. Fleegle drove Dennis Shawley’s car to the win in the Somerset Trust Fast N’ Furious 4’s. Shawley was unable to make the race on Saturday night. Fleegle, looking for something to drive with his street stock idle, hauled Shawley’s car to the track and entered into the field. Fleegle had to wear Shalwey’s fire suit and helmet, but found himself in front of the pack in just two laps. The car began to go as Fleegle wore out the front right tire. Michael Mohle was closing the gap, but had to settle for second.

Kyle Burkholder now holds the points advantage in the Farmers Union Co-Op Charger Division after picking up his fourth win of the season. Steve Singo, who entered the night in second place in the standings, had a hard crash during hot laps. The two friends have been battling all season long on the track and in the standings, but Singo’s car was badly wrecked on the back stretch during hot laps. Singo, who had to be extricated from his car, was transported to a local hospital, but was released later in the night.

The Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modified Division has a new points leader. Tom Golik found his way to Stoney’s Beer Victory Lane for the third time this season. Golik, who trailed Anthony Aiello in the points going into the race, started from the point and lead every lap of the 20-lap feature. He now owns a slim one-point advantage over Aiello, who finished fourth behind Golik, Doug Glessner and Jason Busch.

Teenager Will Hemminger picked up another win in the One Stop Auto Sales Pro Stocks. Hemminger was riding in second when leader Dale Kimberly tucked himself behind a lap car that he thought was going high and allowed Hemminger to blow past him. With four laps to go, Kimberly’s teammate Adam Kostelnik stopped on the track to bring out the yellow. The restart set Kimberly to Hemminger’s outside, but the teen drove away from the former champion for his sixth win of the year.

Jennerstown Speedway has just four weeks of racing remaining in the seaon. The track will host a 4-cyclinder Enduro race on Saturday night.