Home track advantage and lapped traffic would play an important part to the closing laps of the Hoosier Tire 600 modifeds 20 lap feature. Butch Getz, pilot of the 4jr, knew his way around the track and would hope for a repeat trip to victory lane.
Mark Howanitz, a new comer to the series, debuted his ride for the first time. He walked thru the pits to get advice on set up and the best line for the track. He would have plenty of information since there were 32 cars signed in for the night events. Howanitz would have to qualify thru a heat race or even the consi. He would qualify after a battle with Ken Loux #84 for the last spot available. Now it was time to get ready for the feature. Mark stated” It was more nerve racking to qualify than to run the feature, I relaxed a bit knowing I had made the show and couldn’t wait to strap in for the feature.
Tyler Haydt, driving the 4jrx for owner Rich Everitt, would be on the top spot with the #37 of Ryan Suchon.. Mike Pychinka won his heat race and would start 10th crossing the line in sixth place. Chris Stockham started in the 8th position along side of Butch Getz. They had both won their heat races earlier in the night. Suchon would hold off for the lead for the first 4 laps before the yellow would fly for a minor incident. By this time, Stockham and Getz had made their way to the front. Hanging in the wings would be the 35k of Mike Keppler. Mike had made his way up running the outside groove. Great racing was thru out the field for the rest of the race. Jeromy Guistwite #04 and Nick Mady #77x were putting on a show for the 10th spot. They raced side by side for 9 laps and shook each others hand at the end. Ed Guistwite, Jeromy’s father, thought the side by side action was awesome.
The crowd wasn’t sure where to watch as the battle for the top spot was getting as hot as the month of August. Stockham had a sizeable lead by lap #10. After passing his teammate Haydt, Getz set his sight on the #44 sponsored by National Parts Peddler. The next five laps would put the crowd on their feet as they would swap back and forth. With no cautions, they would play a game of cat and mouse with the winning move coming on the last lap in turn four. Stockham had the lead coming to the line, Getz would take the bottom groove and have his nose up front in the middle of turn #1. Stockham wouldn’t give and lead coming out of two. On the back stretch Getz had pulled along side. Setting up for the final two corners would be tight as a lap car hung to the bottom. Both Stockham and Getz would take to the outside and make some contact. At the checkers, it would be the sponsored Big Creek Concrete #4jr of Butch Getz getting the win followed by Stockham and Mike Keppler.
In victory lane, Butch wanted to thank Penn Can Speedway and his car owner Rich Everitt for a great machine. Getz looks forward to returning to Penn Can in Sept. for the King of the Can weekend. He hopes to make it three in a row.
Next up for the Hoosier Tire 600 Modifieds will be at Grandview Speedway, located in Bechtelsville, Pa., on August 12th. On tap will be a 5-25 Thunder on the Hill series race with only the top twenty in car owner points running for the victory. No heats will be run and the show will go directly to a 25 lap feature after hot laps. This always is one of the most exciting nights of racing for the 600 modfieds.

Feature
BUTCH GETZ, Chris Stockham, Mike Keppler, Tyler Haydt, Bob Luckenbaugh, Rob Vivona, Mike Pychinka, Ryan Higgs, Dillon Stein, Nick Mady, Aaron Bowes, George Loux, Tyler Bartik, Kyle Gardner, Brad Szulewski, Cody Coons, Chuck Miller, Joe Fanelli, Mark Howanitz, Paul Deruyter, Jeromy Guistwite, Jon Lakatos, Eric Whitbe, Ryan Suchon, Ken Loux, Ken Moody jr., Joe Fahler, Brian Kelly, Joe Heintzelman, Brian Mady, Kevin Gruber