It was a beautiful sunny day in Northeastern Ohio, with fall rapidly approaching. The leaves are starting to turn colors on the trees along the Lake Erie shore. Racers' minds were turning to the new season of Penn-Ohio racing. Thoughts of record times with the new qualifying format and new track records on the REM Hillclimb were etched on the racers minds. Ray and Brian had the track ready for a big weekend of racing in Mentor, with both Penn-Ohio and the OCC Series in town. Denny Krivacek carefully teched in all four classes and 80 cars for a big day of racing. After cars were all teched, Concours judging took place and here are the results:
Concours sponsored by Outisight Designs
Stock Car
1) Dan Ebert
2) Aaron Ploskunak
3) Ricky Bennardo Jr
F1
1) Steve Ploskunak
2) Mike Muir
3) Bud Bartos
Can-Am
1) Steve Ploskunak
2) Aaron Ploskunak
3) Mike "Raisin" Garrett
Retro Flexi
1) Aaron Ploskunak
2) Ron Vincek
3) Larry Kowicki
Qualifying
Penn-Ohio introduced qualifying for this year in both the F1 and Can-Am classes. All the racers were looking forward to the new format and racing that would follow. Denny Krivacek was the first racer in Penn-Ohio history to step to the drivers panel for qualifying in F1. Denny guided his F1 to a nice 5.48 run. That was quickly erased by early TQ leader Gil Pataky with a 5.137. Shortly after that Bud Bartos ran the fast lap of qualifying with a 5.0872. Marc Piccone was the only other racer able to break into 5.0s for second Q position. Mike Muir rounded out the top three with a 5.129.
F1 Qualifying
1) Bud Bartos - 5.0872 secs
2) Marc Piccone - 5.0982
3) Mike Muir - 5.129
4) Gil Pataky - 5.137
5) Willy Custer - 5.156
6) Steve Koepp - 5.158
7) Mike Peskar - 5.159
8) Ricky Bennardo Jr - 5.172
9) Al Rutti - 5.266
10) Steve Ploskunak - 5.337
11) Rick Bennardo Sr - 5.350
12) Dan Ebert - 5.394
13) Greg Fox - 5.404
14) Brian McPherson - 5.427
15) Denny Krivicek - 5.488
16) Kevin Cosgrove - 5.539
17) Aaron Ploskunak - 5.547
18) Lester Lucas - 5.561
19) Ron Culp - 5.595
20) George Katzakis - 5.643
21) Ron Vincek - 5.871
22) Ken Kanyok - 6.109
23) Leroy Moyer - no time
Can-Am Qualifying
Twenty-six racers stepped up to the 155 foot Hillclimb to test the limits of their Can-Am cars. At the end of the session, four racers found their way to sub-5 second lap times. Bud Bartos, Willy Custer, Steve Koepp, and Ricky Jr were able to break the 5 second barrier. Mike Peskar, Brian McPherson, Gil Pataky, Marc Piccone, and Mike Muir were very close but couldn’t break the 5.0s. When it was all said and done,” The Cleveland Coaster,” the Falcon Master himself, Mr. Bud Bartos led the way with a new track record of 4.875 secs. Congrats to Bud on his fine run. He made it no fluke with a smoking back-up lap of 4.888.
1) Bud Bartos - 4.8759 secs
2) Willy Custer - 4.9638
3) Steve Koepp - 4.9675
4) Ricky Bennardo Jr - 4.9952
5) Mike Peskar - 5.0083
6) Mike Muir - 5.0316
7) Gil Pataky - 5.0630
8) Brian McPherson - 5.0647
9) Marc Piccone - 5.0709
10) Steve Ploskunak - 5.1112
11) Al Rutti - 5.1196
12) Mike "Raisin" Garrett - 5.1535
13) Denny Krivacek - 5.1666
14) Dan Ebert - 5.1889
15) Greg Fox - 5.1913
16) Larry Kowicki - 5.2086
17) George Katzakis - 5.2567
18) Aaron Ploskunak - 5.3412
19) Lester Lucas - 5.3801
20) Rick Bennardo Sr - 5.4485
21) Leroy Moyer - 5.5643
22) Ron Culp - 5.5730
23) Ron Vincek - 5.5762
24) Kevin Cosgrove - 5.5974
25) Ken Kenyak - 5.7791
26) Jim Verga - no time
Stock Car Results
A Main
The stock car mains were seeded by random draw. The A Main started with Steve Ploskunak and Gil Pataky each running 19 laps and taking the lead. Heat 2 had four racers reaching 19 laps, Steve and Gil continued to lead with Mike Muir and Raisin Garrett chasing. Stint 3, Steve ran his fast lap in purple with a 6.03 to keep pace with Gil. Mike Muir’s 19 in blue moved him into a podium spot. The fourth heat had Gil flexing his muscles as he ran the fast lap of the A Main - 5.929. His fast lap times and the first 20 lap heat of the race pushed him solidly into first. Mike Muir put his stamp on a podium spot with a 20 lap run in heat 6 in the yellow lane. With 7 down, Gil, Steve, and Mike M continued to hold down the top spots with 19 lap runs. Heat 8 with Mike in white and Steve in red, the race was on for second place. Mike put the pressure on Steve with a 19 and his fast lap of 5.98 in white. Mike’s last heat push gave him second by sections. Gil cruised home first with a solid 19 laps in green lane.
1) Gil Pataky - 153 laps, best lap of 5.929 secs
2) Mike Muir - 151, 5.984
3) Steve Ploskunak - 151, 6.038
4) Mike Garrett - 148, 6.163
5) Al Rutti - 147, 6.038
6) Dan Ebert - 144, 6.258
7) Lester Lucas - 131, 6.531
B Main
It was all Bud Bartos right from the start. Bud ran a 20 lap total in black with a 5.87 lap. The race for the podium spots was on with Ricky Jr and Steve Koepp taking control. Bud just kept knocking out 20 lap heats. Steve Koepp took control of second in the third heat, when Ricky broke a guide flag at the end of the heat. Both Bud and Steve were firmly in control of first and second. Ron Vincek put on a charge for third after Ricky’s mechanical. Heat 6 had Bud only running 19 laps in green with Ricky and Ron still battling for third. Bud came back in heat 7 on the blue lane. He scored 21 laps and ran lap times from 5.759 to his heat slow of 6.04. Heat 7 also had the battle for third break open when Ricky B Jr ran 19 in white to move one lap ahead of Ron V. The final heat had Bud not letting up with a 20 lap run to finish with the overall win 160 laps. Steve Koepp cruised to the line with 152 for second. Ricky stayed out of trouble the last heat for third, keeping Ron V off the final podium spot.
1) Bud Bartos - 160 laps, best lap of 5.759 secs
2) Steve Koepp - 152, 6.040
3) Rick Bennardo Jr - 146, 5.930
4) Ron Vincek - 145, 6.040
5) Denny Krivacek - 141, 6.039
6) Jay Sabala - 140, 6.209
7) Aaron Ploskunak - 138, 6.320
8) Rick Bennardo Sr - 137, 6.270
Overall Stock Car Results
1) Bud Bartos - 160 laps
2) Gil Pataky - 153
3) Steve Koepp - 152
4) Mike Muir - 151
5) Steve Ploskunak - 151
6) Mike Garrett - 148
7) Al Rutti - 147
8) Ricky Bennardo Jr - 146
9) Ron Vincek - 145
10) Dan Ebert - 144
11) Denny Krivacek - 141
12) Jay Sabala - 140
13) Aaron Ploskunak - 138
14) Rick Bennardo Sr - 137
15) Lester Lucas - 131
F1 Results
A Main
Probably the best race in the history of the Penn-Ohio took place in this main. Bud Bartos took the early lead with four racers chasing one lap behind. In the second heat, Parma’s Steve Koepp moved into first with a run of 34 laps in the yellow lane. This heat moved Steve into the lead for the rest of the race. With two heats in, the entire field was separated by 2 laps. Steve moved into a two-lap lead after three heats and the rest of the field in a one-lap spread. Positions changed as racers moved in and out of the gutter lanes. Heat 5 had Mike Peskar, Bud, Marc Piccone, and Ricky Jr all move within one lap of Steve. The race was still tight with Steve at 165 and eighth at 163. Mike P and Bud both ran 34 in heat 6 to pull onto the lead lap with Steve. Stint 7 showed Steve running 34 in the blue lane to move ahead of the field by one lap. Bud and Mike P still held the other podium spots. Steve finished in purple, Bud in yellow, and Mike P in red. Steve ran solid and held his one-lap lead. Bud’s gave him the second place spot. The red lane dropped Mike Peskar a lap, but he held off a late-charging Gil Pataky for third. Steve proved what a wheel man he is, running his fastest lap in the last heat, which happened to be the slowest best time for all of the A Main finalists.
1) Steve Koepp - 265 laps, best lap of 5.2690 secs
2) Bud Bartos - 264, 5.1598
3) Mike Peskar - 263, 5.2688
4) Gil Pataky - 263, 5.1600
5) Mike Muir - 262, 5.1600
6) Willy Custer - 262, 5.0992
7) Marc Piccone - 262, 5.1600
8) Ricky Bennardo Jr - 262, 5.2093
B Main
The B main started with Al Rutti moving to a two-lap lead after the first heat. Al increased his lead to 4 after a run of 33 in blue. Brian McPherson pulled into second after three with a group of three racers fighting for the last podium spot. Just like the printer, things got wild after the fourth. With the printer chewing up heats 4 through 8, I can only give the rest as final results. Steve Ploskunak raced from behind and was able to catch and pass Brian for second by 3 laps. The entire field got separated by a lap or more. Al Rutti just put on the cruise control and pulled into the winners circle with a total of 254 laps.
1) Al Rutti - 254 laps, best lap of 5.320 secs
2) Steve Ploskunak - 251, 5.269
3) Brian McPherson - 248, 5.320
4) Dan Ebert - 245, 5.330
5) Denny Krivacek - 244, 5.490
6) Rick Bennardo Sr - 242, 5.328
7) Greg Fox - 240, 5.440
8) Kevin Cosgrove - 236, 5.489
C Main
Four racers put their names at the top of the leader board in heat one. Aaron Ploskunak, Ron Vincek, Ken Kanyak, and George Katzakis ran 30 laps. Ron Vincek ran 32 orange in stint 2 and pulled away from the rest for the race. Ron continued to increase his lead. George took over second as Aaron began to have motor problems. After five heats Ken Kanyak pulled into third with Lester Lucas and Ron Culp chasing. Positions remained the same, but Ron and Lester pulled within two laps of Ken for third. Bad luck struck Ken in the last heat and Lester pulled into third with Ron just sections back. Ron Vincek took the checkered flag with an easy win, followed by George K and Lester for third.
1) Ron Vincek - 248 laps, best lap of 5.539 secs
2) George Katzakis - 242, 5.599
3) Lester Lucas - 226, 5.819
4) Ron Culp - 226, 5.599
5) Ken Kanyak - 214, 5.599
6) Leroy Moyer - 199, 5.870
7) Aaron Ploskunak - 113, 5.759
Overall F1 Results
1) Steve Koepp - 265 laps
2) Bud Bartos - 264
3) Mike Peskar - 263
4) Gil Pataky - 263
5) Willy Custer - 262
6) Mike Muir - 262
7) Marc Piccone - 262
8) Ricky Bennardo Jr. - 262
9) Al Rutti - 254
10) Steve Ploskunak - 251
11) Ron Vincek - 248
12) Brian McPherson - 248
13) Dan Ebert - 245
14) Denny Krivacek - 244
15) George Katzakis - 242
16) Rick Bennardo Sr - 242
17) Greg Fox - 240
18) Kevin Cosgrove - 236
19) Lester Lucas - 226
20) Ron Culp - 226
21) Ken Kanyak - 214
22) Leroy Moyer - 199
23) Aaron Ploskunak - 113
Can-Am Results
A Main
After witnessing the F1 A Main, everyone was anxious to watch the Can-Am race. Even though it didn’t match the F1 race, the guys still put on a show. The first heat started with close racing as Steve Koepp, Bud Bartos, and Will Custer ran 34 laps. The field started to spread out in the second heat with five laps separating first to eighth. Bud pulled out to a one-lap lead. Steve K followed with Willy one lap behind him. Heat 3 saw Steve and Mike Muir knocking out 35 laps. The move put Steve in the lead, on the same lap with Bud and pushed Mike into third. While the rest of the field duked it out, Ricky Jr found his way into a wreck that put him out of the race. Stint 4 found Bud and Steve pulling out to a three-lap lead over Willy. We moved into heat 5 and Bud cranked up his Falcon with a 5.04 lap, while running 35 in the heat. Mike M was sitting in fourth, followed closely by Mike Peskar and Gil Pataky. The fifth heat Willy and Bud both had 35s as Willy pulled within two laps of Steve. Bud’s little Falcon-that-could is still held the lead. The leader board didn’t change in the sixth, but Willy’s 35 in black pulled him to one lap behind Steve. With Steve in green and Bud in the black lane, Steve used the lane advantage to run 35 and tied for the lead. Willy had problems in yellow, allowing Mike Muir to challenge for third place. We started the final heat with Bud in yellow and Steve in blue. Willy and Mike Muir’s battle for third was decided by Willy’s strong run in the orange lane. Mike could not keep up the pace with Willy while running red. Back to the leaders, with Ricky out of the race, this provided Bud with a clean lane next to him. Bud used that and his high-powered Falcon motor to keep Steve out of reach. Steve could only watch the back of the green machine and took second by sections. Good race to both Bud and Steve!!!
1) Bud Bartos - 275 laps, best lap of 5.048 secs
2) Steve Koepp - 275, 5.099
3) Willy Custer - 271, 5.048
4) Mike Muir - 270, 5.099
5) Mike Peskar - 269, 5.109
6) Gil Pataky - 264, 5.210
7) Brian McPherson - 259, 5.0485 (fast lap of the Can-Am race)
8) Ricky Bennardo Jr - 93, 5.160
B Main
The B main was a nine-man round robin. It was tough to follow who had the lead since the racing was close. Heat one had eight racers separated by one lap with Mike “Raisin” Garrett taking the lead. Greg Fox, Marc Piccone, Steve Ploskunak, and Denny Krivacek all followed on the same lap. In heat 2 things spread out a little, and Mike G and Denny dropped to third. Greg Fox and Marc Piccone took over at the top of the leader board. With 3 heats in the books, five racers ran 33 and tightened things up. Greg, Denny, and Raisin shared the lead now, with Denny K and Dan Ebert one lap down. Heat 4 found Dan, Greg, and Raisin leading among those that haven’t had a sit-out. Al Rutti and Marc Piccone tied for the lead for racers that went through sit-outs. Marc Piccone won heat 5 with 34 laps and moved into the lap average lead. Greg Fox led on lap total by two. With Greg sitting out, Dan moved into the lap lead. Marc had a two lap advantage over Steve P and Mike G for racers already sitting out. The eighth heat found Steve P running a 33 to pull within one lap of leader Marc Piccone. Dan finished with 259. He would sit on the sidelines and watch three racers pass him for the podium spots. Marc, Steve, Mike G, Larry Kowicki, and George Katzakis all run 33 laps in the ninth stint. Greg Fox’s hopes for a podium were dashed when a crash knocked out his motor. Marc Piccone held off the charging “Freeport Flash” Steve Ploskunak for the B Main win. Mike Garrett took the final podium spot. Dan took fourth by sections over Larry K.
1) Marc Piccone - 263 laps, best lap of 5.157 secs
2) Steve Ploskunak - 262, 5.160
3) Mike “Raisin” Garrett - 260, 5.208
4) Dan Ebert - 259, 5.269
5) Larry Kowicki - 259, 5.220
6) George Katzakis - 258, 5.218
7) Denny Krivacek - 255, 5.279
8) Al Rutti - 254, 5.320
9) Greg Fox - 236, 5.268
C Main