Chub Frank Wins 2019 Season Opener

May 12, 2019

Jimmie Porter Photography

Marsh scores first-ever win in Zeleznik Trucking Challenger special!

Busti, NY (May 11, 2019): After a record five rainouts, Stateline Speedway finally got its 64th season opened with the “Parade of Champions”. The 2018 class champions started the evening with a “Parade of Champions” that included Ryan Scott (Super Late Models), Darrell Bossard, (RUSH Late Models), Dennis Lunger, (both E-Mods and RUSH ProMods), John Boardman (Penn-Ohio Pro Stocks),and Dylan Greene (Challengers). At the end of the night, Chub Frank (Dave Warren Auto Group Super Late Models), Damian Bidwell (Close Racing Supply RUSH Late Models), Dennis Lunger (E-Mods and Chris Whyte’s Spray Foam Options RUSH ProMods), Jason Covey (Penn-Ohio ProStocks), and Greg Marsh (Zeleznik Trucking Challenger Special) were in Victory Lane.

The first feature of the 2019 season was for the Close Racing Supply RUSH Late Models with Damian Bidwell and Bruce Hordusky leading the 28-car field to green. Hordusky took off with the lead, but caution fell before one lap was complete when Dale McDonald spun in turn one. Bidwell led from the drop of the green this time with Hordusky second. At four complete, Andy Proper and Jeff Hoffman got together in turn four and spun, slowing the race for the second time. Bidwell, Hordusky, Scott Gurdak, Khole Wanzer, and defending champion, Darrell Bossard, brought the field back to green, but three cars, Wanzer, Jason Genco, and Brian Larson, spun in turns one and two. On this green, Bidwell again led with Gurdak coming to second. At lap seven, Josh Backstrom looped it in turn four. Seventeenth starting Max Blair was fourth for the restart. At halfway, the top five were Bidwell, Gurdak, Hordusky, Blair, and Bossard when Chad Clement spun in turn two. Only one more lap was done when Brian Larson spun into the infield. Chad Schauers, Andy Proper, Khole Wanzer, and Darin Horton all got together in turn two on lap twelve. With green again flying, Gurdak started working the high line, but at fourteen laps Bidwell was opening his lead. With five to go, Wanzer spun coming out of turn four. With the time limit reached, the race was checkered and Bidwell declared the winner. Gurdak, Hordusky, Blair, and Bossard filled out the top five.

Dan Sasso and Randy Hall brought the 20-lap Outlaw E-Mod feature to green with Greg Johnson and defending champion ,Dennis Lunger, in row two. Sasso led lap one then both Hall and Lunger went by him on the back straight of lap two. Lunger led at the end of the lap. At halfway, the order was Lunger, Johnson, Hall, Rich Michael, and Sasso.. The front five remained the same over the duration of the event with Lunger scoring the win in the all green event with a 1.145 second margin over the field.

The 34-lap, 27-car, $2734 to win Dave Warren Auto Group Super Late Model feature had Brandon Groters and Chub Frank on the front row with Al Brewer and Rick Tripodi in row two. Alex Ferree and Max Blair were in row three. Frank led from the start and built a half straight lead by three laps complete. Groters was running second, but Ferree got the spot at four complete. At five complete, Blair was second and Bryce Davis had moved into the top five. At eleven laps, Easton Hedman and Wyatt Scott tangled in turn four, slowing the race for the first time. For the restart, it was Frank, Blair, Ferree, Davis, and Groters. Frank, again, led after green, with Blair in hot pursuit. Rick Tripoli moved into the top five by fifteen laps and last starting Dave Hess Jr was seventh at the end of sixteen. At halfway,Blair was closing on the leader, with Alex Ferree, Bryce Davis, and Tripodi rounding out the top five. At nineteen laps, lapped traffic was becoming a factor,but the leaders snaked through with no issues. With the white flag flying, Blair got next to Frank in turn three, then Frank and Blair chose different lines to get by a lapped car with contact made, slowing Blair, allowing Frank to win over Ferree, Davis, Dave Hess, and Tripodi. Blair wound up sixth. Frank is the son of one of the original track owners, Jerry Frank, and the nephew of original track owner Don Frank. The Bear Lake resident was the 1988 track Super Late Model Champion.

The $1000 to win Zeleznik Trucking Challenger special started with Casey Burch and Rick Feely on the front row. At the start, contact was made in the front of the field with Burch winding up sliding sideways and nearly getting into the retaining wall in turn one. Burch was able to rejoin the field at the rear. For the restart, it was Chris Paar leading with Rick Feely second, then Greg Marsh with John Zeleznik up to fourth from tenth on the grid. At five laps, Zeleznik was the leader. At halfway, it was Zeleznik, Marsh, Feely, Charles Sullivan, and Dylan Greene running in the top five. Zeleznik continued to cushion his lead, enjoying a half-lap advantage at the checkered flag over Marsh, Heineman, Feely, and Greene at the checkers. However, Zeleznik failed to pass post-race inspection, thus handing the win to Marsh, his first-ever!

Carl Irons and Dennis Lunger brought the RUSH ProMod feature to green with Lunger, the defending champion, jumping out to the early lead with fourth starting Adam Ashcroft coming to second by lap four. By six laps into the race, Lunger had a half-straight lead and stretching it until his lead was erased by a yellow flag at lap nine when Brian Mohawk slowed to a halt on the front straight. Four cars, including Chad Carlson, Nate Hartzell, Matt Harvey, and Michael Johnstone, spun in turns one and two at a restart just past halfway. By lap thirteen, Lunger enjoyed a half-straight again. Irons took over second at lap fifteen, but Ashcroft regained it a lap later. At the finish, Lunger won by a quarter of a lap over Ashcroft, Irons, Steve Dixon, and Scott Gurdak.

Shane Applebee and Jason Covey brought the nineteen-car Penn-Ohio ProStock feature to green with Covey assuming the front spot immediately. Yellow flew at lap four when Kevin Hill and Guy Adams spun in turn two. With Applebee second, Kyle Schreckengost third, Gary Fisher fourth, and John Boardman fifth for the restart, Fisher darted into the lead as soon as the race resumed. At six laps complete Boardman led by a nose at the line, but Fisher again held the spot at seven complete. At the halfway point the front five were Fisher, Boardman, Covey, Schreckengost, and Applebee. At lap twelve, Boardman was again challenging for the lead, all the way until entering turn three coming to the white flag when the two leaders got together and spun before the lap was complete, setting up a two lap dash for the win. Covey was again the leader with Schreckengost now second, Applebee third, Jason Black fourth, and Dave Shagla fifth. That was the order of the finish, with Covey, a former ProMod winner, getting his first win of the season.

Dave Warren Auto Group Victory Lane:

Dave Warren Auto Group Super Late Models:

Heat 1: Chub Frank, Wyatt Scott, Chris Hackett, Rich Gardner, Alex Ferree, Andy Boozel, John Lobb, Easton Herman, Dutch Davies

Heat 2: Mikey Wonderling, Jake Finnerty, Darrell Bossard, Ryan Scott, Bryce Davis, Rick Tripodi, Nate Hill, Doug Eck, Dave Hess (DNS)

Heat 3: Max Blair, Joel Watson, Matt Lux, Bump Herman, Al Brewer, Brandon Groters, Kyle Bedell, Cody Egner, Greg Oakes (DNS)

Feature: Chub Frank, Alex Ferree, Bryce Davis, Dave Hess, Rich Tripoli, Max Blair, Mikey Wonderling, Darrell Bossard, Brandon Groters, John Lobb, Rich Gardner, Bump Hedman, Ryan Scott, Chris Hackett, Jake Finnerty, Matt Lux, Doug Eck, Wyatt Scott. Joel Watson, Andy Boozel, Al Brewer, Greg Oakes, Nate Hill, Dutch Davies, Kyle Bedell, Easton Hedman, Cody Egner

Close Racing Supply RUSH Late Models:

Heat 1: Ward Schell, Damian Bidwell, Chub Frank, Chad Schauers, Matthew Sipes, Jason Genco, Brian Knowles, Scott Dellahoy, Andy Proper, Josh Beckstrom

Heat 2: Scott Gurdak. Max Blair, Jeff Hoffman, Khole Wanzer, Paul Norman, Chad Clement, David Parker, Jacob Peterson, Dale McDonald

Heat 3: Bruce Hordusky, Sam Pennacchio, Darrell Bossard, Ryan Scott, Gary Troyer, Darin Horton, Brian Larson, Steve Houser, Austin Houser

Feature: Damian Bidwell, Scott Gurdak, Bruce Hordusky, Max Blair, Darrell Bossard, Chub Frank, Ryan Scott, Sam Pennacchio, Ward Schell, Brian Knowles, Jason Genco, Matthew Sipes, Paul Norman, Gary Troyer, Scott Dellahoy, David Parker, Austin Hauser, Brian Larson, Chad Schauers, Khole Wanzer, Jacob Peterson, Darin Horton, Any Proper, Josh Beckstrom (R), Steve Houser, Chad Clement, Jeff Hoffman

E-Mods:

Heat 1: Mike Kinney, Dan Sasso, Rich Michael Jr, Steve Rex, Kyle Reinwald, Tyler Frankenberry, Ron Seeley, Ray Houser, Dave Lamphere

Heat 2: Dennis Lunger, Josh Ferry, Zach Johnson, Cale Crocker, Michael McGee, Butch Southwell. Jason Brightman, Tim Rockwell

Heat 3: Greg Johnson, Randy Hall. Justin Carlson, Troy Johnson, Tim Peterson, Brian Stino, Mark Thrasher, Devin Dudenhoeffer

Feature: Dennis Lunger, Greg Johnson, Randy Hall, Rich Michael, Dan Sasso, Josh Ferry, Mike Kinney, Justin Carlson, Cale Crocker, Troy Johnson, Steve Rex, Zach Johnson, Tim Peterson, Butch Southwell, Brian Stino, Ron Seeley, Tyler Frankenberry, Mark Thrasher, Jason Brightman, Ray Houser, Kyle Reinwald, Devin Dudenhoeffer, Dave Lamphere

Penn-Ohio ProStocks:

Heat 1: Jeremy Perry, Gary Fisher, David Baker, Steve Yokum, Kevin Hill, Douglas Eck, Paul Nelson

Heat 2: John Boardman, Shane Applebee, Jason Covey, Wesley McCray, Guy Adams, Tom Teed

Heat 3: Paul Norman, Jason Black, Kyle Schreckengost, Dylan Greene, Justin Pratt, Joseph Stajnragh

Feature: Jason Covey, Kyle Schreckengost, Shane Applebee, Jason Black, Dave Shagla, Steve Yokum, David Baker, Wesley McCray, Paul Nelson, Douglas Eck, Jeremy Perry, Kevin Hill, Joe Stajnragh, John Boardman, Justin Pratt, Gary Fisher, Tom Teed, Guy Adams, Dylan Greene

Spray Foam Options RUSH ProMods:

Heat 1: Steve Dixon, Adam Ashcroft, Matt Harvey, Chad Carlson, Jeramy Williams, Stu Rickard, Jarrod Silvis, Adam Peterson (DNS)

Heat 2: Dennis Lunger, Scott Gurdak, Carl Irons, Nate Hartzell, Vaughn Nystrom, Brian Mohawk, Nicholas Mohawk, Michael Johnstone

Feature: Dennis Lunger, Adam Ashcroft, Carl Irons, Steve Dixon, Scott Gurdak, Jeramy Williams, Chad Carlson, Nicholas Mohawk, Stu Rickard, Adam Peterson, Vaughn Nystrom, Michael Johnstone, Jarrod Silvis, Nate Hartzell, Matt Harvey, Brian Mohawk

Zeleznik Trucking Challenger Special:

Heat 1: John Zeleznik, Zach Eller, Chris Horton, Dylan Greene, Tyler Walters, Joseph Sheets, Jarrod Lyon, Dalton Speer, Rachel Moller (DNS)

Heat 2: Holden Heineman, Greg Marsh, John Mease, Brandon Hall, Andy Melice, Colton Parker, Dillon Speer, Jordan Melice, Morgan Curry

Heat 3: Rick Feely, Charles Sullivan, Christopher Paar, Casey Burch, Tommy LaBarbera, Hope Sullivan, Charles Silvis, Kevin Covell (DNS)

Feature: Greg Marsh, Holden Heineman, Rick Feely, John Mease, Dylan Greene, Chris Paar, Charles Sullivan, Zach Eller, Tommy LaBarbera, Tyler Walters, Dalton Speer, Joseph Sheets, Jarrod Lyon, Casey Burch, Brandon Hall, Andy Melice, Jordan Melice, Chris Horton, Charles Silvis, Dillon Speer, Morgan Curry, Kevin Covell, Hope Sullivan, Rachel Moller, Colton Parker, John Zeleznik (DQ)