Penn Can Speedway Bookends 2019 Race Season With Celebration Of Champions

Story By: BROCK MOORE PENN CAN SPEEDWAY – HALLSTEAD, PA – Race teams and fans of Penn Can Speedway partied Saturday Night at the American Legion in Hallstead, PA and honored the top competitors for the 2019 race season.

With the help of Joe Buchek, Sr. and Brock Moore from the All Out Racing Series, new track promoters Gary Folk, Sr. and Gary Folk, Jr. held a Celebration of Champions to begin their era as speedway promoters.

The speedway had its high and low moments during the 2019 race season but it was a good season that overall was recapped at the uplifting banquet. Following a cocktail hour and buffet dinner, Carl Nagel spoke and drivers in attendance claimed some handsome hardware and offered up some light-hearted moments. Attendees then enjoyed music for dancing from DJ Hollister. Track announcer Craig Hawley emceed the event.

The Sunoco Modifieds headlined the divisions that competed at the speedway. Brian Malcolm scored the opening night feature win which began a season of full of success en-route to the championship. Alan Barker scored four feature wins but came up short and finished 2nd in standings while Nick Petrilak, Paul Rooney and Brad Schaffer completed the top 5 finishers in the standings. Dominic Roselli won the Rookie of the Year Award for the division.

The Stone Bros. Automotive 602 Sportsman seen Mike Schane pick up the championship in dominating fashion this year. Ray Leonard finished 2nd ahead of Frank Payne, Matt Brewer and Jim O’Hara. Frank Payne was honored as the Rookie of the Year Award winner for the division.

Shane Wolf, Jr. won the track championship for the Insinger Performance Street Stocks. Wolf dominated the 2019 race season at the Penn Can Speedway. Jim Sykes came him 2nd in the point standings over Ned Fitch, George Miller and Kyle Stark. Ned Fitch won the Rookie of the Year Award for the division.

Tyler Smith scored several feature wins enroute to his Track Championship in the Leeward Construction 600cc Modified division. Bailey Boyd, who will move up to a Sunoco Modified finished 2nd a head of the champions brother Nolan Smith who came home 3rd, Travis Rooney finished 4th and Ayden Morgan completed the top 5 finishers. Travis Rooney picked up Rookie of the Year honors in the division.

Tommy Groover won the Factory Stock Championship for the second straight season having to fight off a bounty en-route to the title. Nathan Hill finished 2nd over Dusty Decker who will move to a Street Stock for the 2020 race season, Charlie Towner and Sheldon Whitman. Richard Wagner was honored as Rookie of the Year for the division.

Nick Kennedy was present to pick up his hardware for winning the 4 Cylinder Track Championship. Andy Bolles, Jason Colwell, Lynn Highhouse and Frankie Kennedy completed the top 5 in standings. Jason Colwell earned Rookie of the Year honors.

Brandon Clapperton was his second straight championship in the Wingless Sprint division while Trevor Houghton and Joshua Landers were honored as Co-Champions in the Junior division.

Several special awards were presented to individuals which include: The Car Owner of the Year Award presented to Chuck Grimm, owner of Brian Malcolm’s 119 Modified. Steve Klinger, owner of Alan Barker’s 77 Modified won the Mechanic of the Year Award. Bruce Evans, Sr. was the track’s 2019 Employee of the Year and in an emotional moment for the night. Denny Decker received the 2019 Motorsports Dedication Award for his efforts in keeping his son Dusty Decker racing following an accident that left him paralyzed.

In another emotional moment, the evenings 50/50 benefited Bruce Evans, Jr. who was injured in a Wingless Sprint Car accident at the track in August. Evan’s continues to have several medical issues form the accident. The 50/50 which was well over $1,000 was won by Modified driver Nick Petrilak who spoke of his relationship to the Evans family and donated his portion of the money back to Bruce Evans, Jr. Bruce’s wife spoke of how honored they are to have made all the friends they have since his accident and thanked everyone for their amazing and continued support.

Gary Folk, Jr. spoke about the upcoming 2020 race season and the events that are planned which include: the opening night Pappy Beaven Memorial for the Sunoco Modifieds on April 17th, the Randy Decker Memorial for the Street Stocks on May 8th, the Modified Triple 20’s on June 26th were the winner earns a guaranteed starting position in the Fonda 200, the Joe Buchek Tribute race 46-lap for the Sunoco Modifieds on July 21st, the Mike Colsten Memorial on August 18th with the winner getting a guaranteed starting spot in the Short Track Super Nationals, the King of the Can Weekend on September 25th and September 26th and the visiting Grit Racing Series, All Out Racing Series and CRSA Sprint Cars. A full schedule can be found the speedway website.