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By DINO OBERTO
(Lehighton, PA 10-22-22) Mahoning Valley Speedway’s 2022 season came to a conclusion with the second running of the Fall Brawl and for the second time Berwick’s Brian DeFebo was the winner of the headline Modified feature, his third Mahoning win in his last four starts and 110th of his career.
The 68-lap feature came down to a thrilling finish too as DeFebo had to hold off a pair of determined on comers in Austin Kochenash and Kyle Strohl.
Pole sitter Nick Baer led the early going with Bobby Jones in close pursuit. Jones’ hard fought action eventually landed him the lead and would then have Earl Paules on his tail.
Paules would also have his shot at the front until a dozen laps to go which at that juncture DeFebo raced his way to the lead. Closely in the mix where Strohl, Kochenash and Zane Zeiner although Zeiner would fall back after an unscheduled pit stop late in the going.
As the laps began to wind down the intensity was mounting amongst the front trio as they battled for the win. Under very close quarters DeFebo was having to fend off Kochenash and Strohl with no room to spare.
Side-by-side raced Strohl and Kochenash with each trying to go by the leader. When the final lap was being run Kochenash, who was on the top lane, was making an all-out effort to pass for the lead but just could not advance enough while Strohl was right alongside. As they came to the checkers all under a blanket DeFebo eked to the win while Kochenash brushed the wall and Strohl right there as well.
Victory Lane was held up as officials closely reviewed and determined afterwards that the outcome as DeFebo the certified the winner. Kochenash got second by inches over Strohl with Jones and Paules completing the top five.
The 602 Crate Modifieds made their Mahoning debut and with much thanks to race sponsor Blewett Equipment and Contracting Co., and a host of others there was an abundance of monetary extras tossed into the race including the biggest amount going to race winner Paulie Hartwig III who elected to take a $1000 bonus challenge from Tommy Baldwin Racing for any driver who was in the redraw and elected to start last and then win the race – he did and won – making this victory worth $3000.
One could say that 11-year old Hartwig, who was driving the Matty Ricco No. 11, was not just good but lucky too as he inherited the lead by avoiding front runners Brody George and Dom Fattaruso who got into each other with six laps to go and in the process collected a number of others.
After all was sorted out Hartwig, who had been third, was now the leader and would then go on to hold off Nick Baer en route to the checkers and the first 602 Crate winner at Mahoning.
Nick Ross made bookends of his 2022 season with a big 50-lap win in the Late Models. Ross was able to use lapped traffic to get by Mark Hudson with under 10 laps to go and then drove off to his fifth win of the year, this one worth a cool $2000.
Hudson had to settle for runner-up for the fourth time, each one giving up the lead to Ross. First time starter Dennis Wenner, Brian Romig Jr., and Mike VanFossen rounded out the top five.
It seems whenever there is a big Street Stock race being run Josh Mooney can be counted on to make a strong presence and sure enough that was the case as he led flag-to-flag in the 50 lap contest and pocketed $1200 in doing so.
Mooney’s teammate TJ Gursky was a solid second with Cody Geist, Todd Ahner and Jillian Snyder in line.
The Dirt Modifieds where added to the Fall Brawl and back at Mahoning for the first time since 2019 and taking to the win was Heath Metzger, his first win here since a Micro Stock victory back in 1998.
Former champion Ricky Yetter was the early leader but his hard charging style would be his demise as burned off his right rear tire and gave up the lead to Metzger. Metzger would then hold off Corey Edelman for his first career first Dirt Modified win.
2022 Pro 4 champion Cody Kohler went out in style by capturing his eighth victory of the year. Kohler raced to his 42nd career class win, putting him just one away from all-time leader Jake Kibler.
Colton Breiner had a career best second with Kadie Pursell third.
In the 35 lap Hobby Stock main it was Travis Solomon showing the way over ’22 champion Corey Edelman. It was the second win this year for Solomon.
BJ Wambold, Nick Schaeffer and Cody Boehm all battling close finishing respectively in spots three, four and five.
Michael Klotz capped off his first season of stock car racing with a second win in the Futures and second straight as he had just come off a second big win at the King of the Green at Evergreen Raceway.
Second went to Gabrielle Steigerwalt over her brother Adam Steigerwalt.
Modified feature finish (68 laps): 1. Brian DeFebo, 2. Austin Kochenash, 3. Kyle Strohl, 4. Bobby Jones, 5. Earl Paules, 6. John Markovic, 7. Gene Bowers, 8. Paulie Hartwig III, 9. Thomas Flanagan, 10. Jimmy Blewett, 11. Zane Zeiner, 12. Chris Risdale, 13. Jacob Kerstetter, 14. Johnny Bennett, 15. Roger Coss, 16. Don Wagner, 17. Tommy Rought, 18. Nick Baer, 19. Jaden Brown, 20. Reid Levengood
Late Model feature finish (50 laps): 1. Nick Ross, 2. Mark Hudson, 3. Dennis Wenner, 4. Brian Romig Jr., 5. Mike VanFossen, 6. Geno Steigerwalt, 7. Seth VanFossen, 8. Dave Imler Sr., 9. Brooks Smith, 10. Jay Garris
602 Crate Modified feature finish (35 laps): 1. Paulie Hartwig III, 2. Nick Baer, 3. Jarret DiGiantomasso, 4. Greyson Ahner, 5. Neal Rutt III, 6. Mike Pollack, 7. Rick Smith, 8. Dominick Fattaruso, 9. Andy Lewis Jr., 10. Zach Lenardo, 11. Jonathan Laureigh, 12. James Blewett, 13. Mackenzie Adams, 14. Ryan Fisher, 15. Brody George
Street Stock feature finish (50 laps): 1. Josh Mooney, 2. TJ Gursky, 3. Cody Geist, 4. Todd Ahner, 5. Jillian Snyder, 6. Brandon Christman, 7. Matt Kocher, 8. Stacey Brown, 9. Geary Rinehimer Jr., 10. Tucker Muffley, 11. Logan Boyer, 12. Tommy Flanagan, 13. Thomas Flanagan, 14. Randy Green, 15. Jeremy Guerra, 17. Nico Denaples
Dirt Modified feature finish (25 laps): 1. Heath Metzger, 2. Corey Edelman, 3. Jeff Parker, 4. Zane Roth, 5. Billy Riggs, 6. Xavier Sprague, 7. Doug Smith, 8. Ricky Yetter
Hobby Stock feature finish (35 laps): 1. Travis Solomon, 2. Corey Edelman, 3. BJ Wambold, 4. Nick Schaeffer, 5. Cody Boehm, 6. Dave Kerr, 7. Michael Wambold, 8. James Tout, 9. Trisha Connolly, 10. Nicholas Kerstetter, 11. Don Bauder, 12. Mallory Kutz, 13. Ken Reeder, 14. Ray Kochin, 15. Ryan Petro, 16. Lyndsay Buss, 17. Dave Imler Jr., 18. Parker Ahner, 19. Jake Kibler, 20. Maggie Yeakel, 21 Shayne Geist DNQ: Sam Ryan, Shawn Hoffman, Brooklyn Peters, Ralph Boger Jr.
Pro 4 feature finish (25 laps): 1. Cody Kohler, 2. Colton Briener, 3. Kadie Pursell, 4. Ken Reeder, 5. Mark Fister, 6. Terry Peters, 7. Richie Pursell, 8. Bobby Jones
Futures feature finish (25 laps): 1. Michael Klotz, 2. Gabrielle Steigerwalt, 3. Adam Steigerwalt, 4. Al Gildner, 5. Arland Moyer Jr.
