Last lap pass gives Kochenash MVS Modified victory

Austin Kochenash unwaveringly kept the pressure on Kevin Rex Jr., over the second half of Saturday night’s 35-lap Modified contest at Mahoning Valley Speedway, and in the end, made a clutch last lap pass out of the final corner to claim the checkers for his first win of the season.

The victory was special for Kochenash, who had recently debuted a newly-built homemade car. Nicknamed “Frankenstein,” it made just its second race.

“This is the first real race with the car, and I couldn’t be happier with the way it performed here tonight. To be able to build my own car and win in just the second time out, and to get back to winning here is special,” said Kochenash.

Zane Zeiner was a close third, while Bobby Jones and Josh Scherer completed the top five. With an 11th-place tally, Brian DeFebo earned his second straight track championship and eighth overall..

“We raced hard, and I wasn’t doing anything to move him out of the way. I knew I had a good car to go around the top, but then on the last lap, I could see that the bottom would be the line and we went for it and here we are,” said Kochenash.

“I can’t thank everyone enough, all my sponsors and crew who help me out, and I want to dedicate this win to Greg Hodnett.”

For Mike Sweeney and Frankie Althouse, the final point race of the season with the Late Models was nerve wracking to say the least.

Althouse began the night with a 10-point edge over Sweeney, who is the two-time and defending champ, which made every finishing spot vital. Sweeney couldn’t afford to leave anything on the table and set his sights on winning the big prize.

Sweeney would take the checkers for his second win of 2018, but the runner-up tally by Althouse would give the long-time supporter of Mahoning Valley his career-first championship by a difference of just three points.

26 years ago, Eric Beers battled Earl Paules for his first Modified championship. Fast-forward to Saturday night, and Paules was again going for a title against a Beers, only this time it would be with the Sportsman Modifieds and with Eric’s 15-year-old son, Austin Beers.

As to be expected the night began with thrilling drama as Austin started out just two points better than Paules. When the heat was concluded, Paules garnered enough markers to begin the feature two points to the good.

Jamie Smith raced out front for all 30 laps of the Street Stock feature, in the process picking up his first win of the season over Stacey Brown and Jason Beers.

In the tightly-contested battle for the division crown, Mark Deysher’s fifth-place finish was enough win his third division championship.

Mike Stofflet was the man to beat throughout the season in the Dirt Mods, and proved that yet again with his seventh victory. Stofflet passed a very determined Billy Sittler Jr., halfway through the race and went on to score not only the verdict, but a second straight championship as well.

Jake Kibler bookended the Pro 4 season with victories and added two in-between, giving the veteran racer his first championship after 27 years of trying.

The race was a thriller as Kibler unremittingly chased behind Cody Kohler starting at lap seven. Then on the final go-around, Kibler was glued to the back of Kohler and exiting turn four, made a go-for-broke move to the inside and eked out the win that was measured at just .002.

Cody Boehm and Devin Schmidt put on an amazing duel in the Hobby Stocks as they ran in two-wide formation over the second 10 laps. Going toe-to-toe, Boehm, a rookie, was scored in second on the final tour, but with grit and determination, squeezed out enough power to nip Schmidt for the popular win.

Michael Wambold’s fifth-place earned him the class title, and in doing so, he joined his infamous father, “The Legend” George Wambold and brother, Brian Wambold as Mahoning champions.

Modified (35 Laps)

1. Austin Kochenash, 2. Kevin Rex, 3. Zane Zeiner, 4. Bobby Jones, 5. Josh Scherer, 6. Lou Strohl, 7. Joey Jarowicz, 8. Kyle Strohl, 9. Earl Paules, 10.Gene Bowers, 11. Brian DeFebo, 12. Don Wagner, 13. Nick Bear, 14.Ron Haring Jr., 15. Terry Markovic, 16. Kristy Arthofer, 17. JJ Pacovich, 18. CJ Wagner, 19.Rick Reichenbach, 20. John Markovic

Late Model (25 Laps)

1. Mike Sweeney, 2. Frankie Althouse, 3. Jeremey Miller, 4. Paul Koehler Jr., 5. Dylan Osborn, 6. Kenny Hein, 7. Gary Wentz, 8. Chris Anderson, 9. Lorin Arthofer, 10. Jacob Kerstetter, 11. Geno Steigerwalt, 12. Samantha Osborn, DNS: Nick Kerstetter

Street Stock (30 Laps)

1. Jamie Smith, 2. Stacey Brown, 3. Jason Beers, 4. Jon Moser, 5. Mark Deysher, 6. Todd Ahner, 7. Rick Reichenbach, 8. Randy Schlenker, 9. Corey Edelman, 10.Cody Geist, 11. TJ Gursky, 12. Ken Erney III, 13. Jared Ahner, 14. Jill Long, 15. Matt Schlenker, 16. Jeremy Schlenker, 17. BJ Wambold

Sportsman Modified (25 Laps)

1. Austin Beers, 2. BJ Wambold, 3. Zane Zeiner, 4. Earl Paules, 5. Blair Culhane, 6. Kassidy Altemose, 7. Avery Arthofer, 8. Devin Schmidt

Dirt Modified (25 Laps)

1. Mike Stofflet, 2. Billy Lowden Jr., 4 Colton Perry, 5. Dave Chapman, 6. Ricky Yetter, 7. Corey Edelman, 8. Patrick Corrigan, 9. Vince Fegley

Pro 4 (20 Laps)

1.Jake Kibler, 2. Cody Kohler, 3. Randy Schaffer, 4. Bobby Kibler Sr., 5.Tyler Stangle, 6. Kevin Hoffman, 7. Josh Kuronya, 8. Jeremy Guerra, 9. Tucker Muffley, 10. Steve McDonough, 11. Bobby Kibler Jr.

Hobby Stock (20 Laps)

1. Cody Boehm, 2. Devin Schmidt, 3. Ryan Berger, 4. Al Arthofer, 5. Michael Wambold, 6. Jacob Boehm, 7. Travis Solomon, 8. Lyndsay Buss, 9. BJ Wambold, 10. Todd Geist, 11. Peyton Arthofer, 12. Shawn Kistler, 13. Trisha Connolly, 14. Tad Snyder, 15. Chris DeWalt, 16. Justin Merkel, 17. Philip Sabatine, 18. Lauren Gimbi.