Jennerstown, PA
May 6, 1995

Well Roaming Russ took a long road trip this past weekend with my nine
year old son Matt.  We traveled to Jennerstown Speedway, Jennerstown, PA,
for the Burnham 150 BGNN race.  Defending race champion was Stub Fadden.
The following report is as accurate as I could produce.

The Jennerstown track is listed in the National Speedway Directory as
being a 1/2 mile high banked asphalt oval.  This is a great racing
facility.  I personally would not list the track as being high banked. 
They normally run three divisions which consist of:  NASCAR Late Models,
Street Stocks and Pure Stocks.  The gates opened at 4pm and racing started
at 6pm.

During hot laps the #16 NAPA Auto Parts - Buick of Stanely "Stub" Fadden
developed an oil leak problem that the team could not remedy on their V8
engine.  What to do?  Well they did have a show car behind the grandstand
on display.  Yeah it did have a V6, yeah it was not set up to race at
Jennerstown, but what the heck.  So they drove the car down the speedway
driveway out on a local road and around to the pit driveway on the back
stretch!

The way the BGNN officials worked the race the first 20 starting spots are
secured through time trials with the remaining positions being secured
through the B main.  Unfortunately since this was my first visit to the
track and the first time I have watched a BGNN stand alone event and I
missed a few things along the way (I think this is what the wife refers to
as the fan in the race shop syndrome).  

the remaining 10 positions were filled through the B main or if 8
positions were filled with two provisionals.  

part of it and I thought that they probably lined the cars up from the
times run during the time trials.  Well I can not get what I had as a
partial and the time trial times to correlate.  The other big problem was
that they had three green flags before they ever got the first lap in
officially.  On the first start there was an accident in turn 2. 
Originally the officials were going to count the lap and have the field go
with a single file restart.  Then one of the officials in turn 4 gave the
double up sign to the field and we had the cars two wide for the restart. 
On the restart a car spun on the backstretch bringing out they yellow. 
Finally on the third try the race was started and run without further
cautions.  Remember if you did not qualify here it was time to go home any
many of these teams towed a long distance.

starting positions for 21 - 30 do not correlate.  So to be as fair as
possible I am not listing the finishing order of the B main or the A main
starting positions for 21 thru 30.

why I was taking notes and the other one I missed as the track PA system
went from the qualifying to do a live radio show.

all the scoreboard went to.  And I missed the run down of the finishing
order on Race Day!

BGNN Time Trials in order of qualifying attempt.                    Starting
Car #     Driver                1st Lap            2nd Lap       Positions 1-20
34        Glenn Sullivan        19.724             19.288                8
22        Jeff Berry*           19.722             19.961
27        Paul Spenser*         19.850             19.772
29        Dave Dion*            19.776             19.540               18
 4        Brad Bennett (R)      19.887             19.767
73        Brian Ross^           19.466             19.380                2
 1        Joe Bessey            19.87              19.907
87        Ron Theil Jr. (R)     20.82              19.791
65        Dean Crystal          20.575             22.98
 5        McGray*               22.76              19.42
 6        Robbie Crouch         19.440             19.373                4
09        Mike Stefanik         19.697             19.542               19
71        Bobby Dragon          19.501             19.401               10
10        Bill Duggan (R)       19.865             19.481               16
44        Andy Santerre         19.461             19.424               13
21        Eric L. Bodine  (R)   19.919             19.770
02        Sanbone^              ------
38        Babe Banscombe        20.130             19.934
56        Martin Truex          19.423             19.343                6
15        Derek Lynch   (R)     19.593             19.440               14
91        Butch Leitzinger (R)  20.094             19.771
37        Alan Champman         20.051             19.834
47        Kelly Moore           19.510             19.332                7
63        Brandon Butler* (R)   19.721             19.412               12
25        John Swanson          19.70              19.466               15
76        Tom Bollis            21.000             20.006
99        Steve Nowakowski      19.757             19.80
51        Jerry Marquis         19.407             19.349                5
 2        Dan Merservey Jr.(R)  20.020             20.03
 8        Thomas Rosati         19.60              19.49                17
98        Keith Lamell          19.52              19.40                11
16        Stub Fadden           19.672             19.641               20
 9        Russ Galindo          ------                   
54        Gerald Gravel         20.01              19.663
26        Ken Kagle             20.32              20.33
23        Ed Spenser III        20.53              20.20
50        Robert Gahan  (R)     19.955             19.85
30        Denny Doyle  (R)      19.422             19.390                1
 7        Dale Shaw             19.422             19.375                3
28        William Penfold (R)   19.676             19.68
35        Mike Laughline, Jr.(R)19.726             19.39                 9
69        Jeff Spraker          19.86              19.71
88         Brett Roubinek  (R)  20.553            
20.326                            
52         Vince Stutter*       22.288                 
21.85                             
* denotes a driver not listed in the program as being pre registered
^ denotes a driver in a car that did not match the programs pre registered list
------- denotes me missing the times
(R) denotes drivers competing in the Penrose Rookie Challenge.  All total
there are 19 drivers currently listed for the Challenge.


Most of the cars in the field were running the V6 engine.  The #09 of Mike
Stefanik put on a fire works display as it got darker out of his exhaust
pipe exiting turn one.

Joe Bessey was disappointed with his time so his team was trying to change
an engine prior the start of the B main.  Unfortunately they were unable
to make the change prior to the start of the race and you could watch Joe
walk from his pit up pit road and past the scales.  However, Joe did drive
in the Burnham 150!  He was in the 27 car of Paul Spenser who got the car
qualified through the B main.

Notice any familiar names?  Spenser?  Bodine?  Yep these folks are cousins
to the Winston Cup drivers.  Notice the name Kagle?  How about son of Red
Kagle driving the #26 Monster Mile EX - Oldsmobile.

The Burnham 150
A wave of the green and we had a good clean start and the field was off. 
On lap 9 the #28 of William Penfold was in the pits for the first of many
stops due to an electrical problem.  At the completion of lap nine the top
three were #73 of Robbie Thompson, #30 of Denny Doyle and the  #6 of
Robbie Crouch.  On lap 11 the #76 of Tom Bolles and the #44 of Andy
Santerre were warned about rough riding.  This would be the first of many
warning during the event.  The #76 came into the pits for right side tires
and the #22 was also on pit road.  On lap 13 the #38 of Babe Branscombe
was on pit road and the #22 was done for the evening having broken a
rocker arm.  

On lap 22 the  #54 of Gerald Gravel spun on the back stretch but got it
going prior to a caution being displayed.  The #6 of Robbie Crouch was the
new race leader.  On lap 26 the #37 of Alan Chapman spun in turn 4 and
brought out the caution.  Chapman was latter penalized with a stop and go
penalty for passing under the yellow.  During the caution the following
cars came onto pit road for service: #54, #27, #38, #10, #71, #76, #15,
and the #28.  On the restart the leaders were the #6, #73 of Robbie
Thompson, #30, #47 of Kelly Moore, and #51 of Jerry Marquis.  

On lap 33 the #56 of Martin Truex spun between turns 3 and 4 but was able
to get going so the green stayed out.  On lap 37 the #10 of Bill Duggan
and the #37 got together.  The #37 was penalized for pitting to early and
had to go to the end of the longest line on the restart.  

On lap 44 the #56 and the # 10 spun in turn 3 but manage to get going so
the green stayed out.  At the completion of lap 45 the running order was
#6, #51, #47, #30, #7, #73 and the # 09.  

By lap 55 a good battle was going on for second and third positions
between the #51, #47 and the #7.  On lap 57 the yellow was displayed for a
spin on the backstretch involving the #35 of Mike Laughline Jr.  The
following cars entered pit road for service: #09, #34, #35, #73, #29
(overheating) and the #8.  The #99 of Steve Nowakowski was given the black
flag and for rough riding and was told on lap 60 to come in or have his
card pulled.  

On the restart at lap 61 the running order was #6, #51, #47, #7 of Dale
Shaw and the #30.  On lap 62 the yellow waved for an accident on the front
stretch involving the #44, #16 of Stubb Fadden, #99, and the #63 of
Butler.  The #63 was facing traffic and had the rear of the car actually
sitting on top of the pit road wall.  The 16 had just gotten his times
from the crew and was looking to make the move towards the front.  He hit
the outside retaining wall fairly good but did not pit.  During the
accident pit road was closed but the following cars pitted and were forced
to go to the end of the longest line on the restart: #28, #34, #73, #8,
and the #76.  On lap 68 the running order was the #6, #56, #47, #7, and
the #4.  The #44 was warned again about rough riding.

On lap 72 the running order was: #6, #51, #47, #7, and the #44.  
On lap 75 the running order was: #6, #47, #51, #7, #98, #44, #4, #16.  The
#10 was one lap down while the #28 was eight laps down.  

By lap 81 the #98 was off the pace and the running order was: #6, #47,
#51, #4, #44, #16.  The caution waved again on lap 83 as a car spun
between turn 1 and 2 and gave it the gas and spun around to get going in
the right direction.  During the caution the #98, #54, #34 and the #73
were on pit road for service.  As the field is preparing to take the green
on the restart the #4 of Brad Bennett pulls out of line and comes to a
stop between turn 3 and 4.  He latter retires with electrical problems.

On lap 92 the field takes the green for the restart with the leaders being:
#6, #47, #51, #7, #44 and #16.  The #7 of Dale Shaw passes the #51.  On
lap 101 the #7 pulls out and passes the #6 and #47 and takes the lead.

On lap 110 the #10, #8, and the #35 are one lap down while the #28 is more
than ten laps down.  The running order is: #7, #47, #6, #51, #44 and #16.

The running order stayed pretty constant until lap 119 when the #44 and
the #35 go together between turn one and two with the #35 finally coming
to rest with the back end into the wall.  The officials were going to give
the #35 a two lap penalty if he had been able to resume racing.  The #44
actually came to a stop near the #35 so they could exchange pleasantries.

On lap 123 the field restarted with the running order being #7, #47, #6,
#51, #71.  The restart was single file.  The #47 tried to find the room to
get by the #7 but he was protecting his position.

On lap #135 the #47 of Kelly Moore nudged the #7 of Dale Shaw in the right
rear quarter panel and put him into the wall between turn one and two. The
#7 had severe rear end damage as it backed into the wall hard.  The BGNN
officials felt that the #47 of Kelly Moore intentionally nudged the #7 and
sent him to the rear of the field.  It did not really matter since the #47
had the right front dragging on the speedway surface.  They contested the
penalty to no avail.  The #44 was also on pit road for a tire change due
to a flat.  On the restart on lap 139 the new leaders were: #6, #51, #74.

On lap 141 the yellow waves again for the #54 of Gerald Gravel who came to
rest with the car backed it into the wall between turn one and two.  The
front end was so severely damaged that the wrecker had a had time removing
the car from the racing surface.  The restart came on lap 146 with the
running order: #6, #51, #71, #16, #29, #30, #09.  And that is how they
finished.

1.)    6   Robbie Crouch      AutoPalace/Valvoline                Pontiac
2.)   51   Jerry Marquis      Boston Teddy Bear Co.               Pontiac
3.)   71   Bobby Dragon       Talarico/Tubbs Snowshoes            Pontiac
4.)   16   Stub Fadden        NAPA Auto Parts                     Buick
5.)   29   Dave Dion*                                             Ford
6.)   30   Dennis Doyle       Performance/Richards Corp.          Cheverolet
7.)   09   Mike Stefanik      Burnham Builders                    Oldsmobile
* not listed in pre registered entries

After the race fans are allowed down into the pits.  I got to meet and
talk with Stub Fadden which was really a great experience.  If the BGNN
series runs on a track near you I highly recommend that you make plans on
attending because they put on a good show for the money.  Our ticket
totals were $30.00.  The next time I will see the BGNN drivers will be
when they have a combined race with the BGN drivers  in Nazareth, Pa on
May 21.

Personally I think if the event was 200 laps it would have been a better
race since there seemed to be this rush to get to the front near the end. 
I believe this race last year was 200 laps in distance. 
Not to forget the local drivers at Jennerstown here are the winners:
Pure Stock     20 Lap Feature Winner - #7 of Douglas Shaulis
Street Stock   25 Lap Feature Winner - #3 of Dave Wilt
Late Model    40 Lap Feature Winner - #07 of Jeff Dunmyer

As always questions, comments, or constructive critisim is welcomed.  My
email address is rgould@oehs.upenn.edu
Until the next race this is Roaming Russ wishing you a caution free week.

-- 
-Russ Gould-

rgould@oehs.upenn.edu