PAUCH, HIRES & ROMMEL EACH CLAIM SEASONS FIRST NEETS VICTORIES

OFFICIAL NORTH EAST ENDURO TOUR SERIES (NEETS) PRESS RELEASE WEBSITE: www.neetsracing.com MEDIA CONTACT: Gary Lileck – greenflag314@verizon.net Please Release with our thanks PAUCH, HIRES, AND RUMMEL EACH CLAIM SEASON’S FIRST NEETS VICTORIES…By Gary Lileck Bechtelsville, PA – June 5, 2011 – Two-time defending NEETS Big Car Enduro Champion Tim Pauch of Frenchtown NJ earned his first triumph of 2011 this past Sunday afternoon at the Grandview Speedway. Meanwhile Pat Hires of Levittown PA and Linsey Rummel of Parkerford also claimed their initial victories of the season in Small Car and Ladies divisions respectively. As part of the “Memorial Day Madness” program, a good field of 36 machines entered the Liberty 100-lap Big Car Enduro. George Day, Bryan Yelk, and Chuck Detweiler each led during the event’s early portion. Detweiler pitted with 35 laps on the scoreboard and Jason Brown inherited the top spot. Pauch, who nearly fell a lap down after originally starting from 18th, quietly made a charge into the top five prior to half-way. In a huge turning point of the race, Pauch’s quest for victory nearly ended on the 53rd circuit. Several cars made contact in the fourth turn, which sent Detweiler and Pauch into the inner guardrail. Pauch’s machine jumped to the interior of the corner while Detweiler’s car rolled over. Pauch was able to continue on for the ensuing restart. Brown remained in front until his car was dragging its exhaust and he was forced to retire with 30-laps remaining. Pauch became the new race leader. During the closing stages, a pair of red flags were needed for drivers who had been competing within the front five. Drew Ott rolled over in turn one while racing in second (lap 72) and Howie Bott’s car turned over on the frontstretch (lap 84) as he was holding down fourth. No injuries were reported in those accidents. Pauch led the event’s waning moments and captured his first win of the season aboard his self owned #5. Second generation racer Chuck Eckert (Schuylkill Haven) raced from 27th to second while Garden State based racer Tom Wolf recorded a Neets career best of third. Jerry Arms (Douglassville) powered from 20th to fourth and Darrel Herman (Allentown) grabbed his second top five in three races, taking fifth. The Freedom 100-lap Enduro for Small Cars contained 30 competitors. Scott Hoffmaster led the opening lap, before a 12th starting Joe Heintzelman took the top spot on lap two. Pat Hires (started 16th) moved into the lead when Heintzelman’s car made some contact with the wall and headed pitside. Although veteran Rob Pyle moved into the lead on lap 35, Hires reclaimed the spot on a lap 48 restart. Hires, who drove in both enduro events, went on to capture his first win of the season in the Small Car division. Pyle (Donaldson), a two-time winner last season, grabbed a season’s best of second. Steve Wilson (Green Lane) started from the pole, fell back for a little while, but really caught on strong during the event’s second half. Wilson finished in third. 2009 champion Dave Bentley Jr. (Exton) finished fourth and defending point king Phil Levering (Parkerford) rounded out the top five. Rummel led all 15-laps of the Ladies Race in dominant fashion and won the contest by a nine second margin. First year competitor Stephanie Ried (Mertztown) finished in second and opening day winner Jen Schwager (Bechtelsvile) ended up third in a borrowed race car. Rookie competitor Rikki Ecker (Oley) placed in fourth over Steph Kramer. Ronnie Peck, the 1971 Rookie of the Year at Grandview Speedway, won the opening 15-lap exhibition race for the Vintage Race Cars by a comfortable margin. Meanwhile, Vince Gagliardo Jr. powered the former Bobby Bottcher #97 to a hard earned triumph in the second 15-lapper. NEETS NOTES: Tim Pauch, who is the younger brother of famed Modified racing legend Billy Pauch, has now captured eight victories at Grandview Speedway since the 2008 season...Several competitors made their first 2011 starts of the season in the Big Car class including: Kory Stevens, Joe Farley, and John Mondelli. Stevens, who has raced with Neets in the past dating back to the pavement days, enjoyed the most successful day with a 15th place finish…Jason Brown has been so close to capturing a first career victory at the speedway only to have unfortunate luck. After Brown returned from the pit area, his car suffered mechanical issues and retired from the contest, finishing 19th…In the Small Car division, first 2011 starters included: Katie Todorow, Jay Garris, Jeff Levan, and Joe Heintzelman…Pat Hires noted that they built his #2JR Four Cylinder Car during the previous winter off-season and decided to try double duty racing in 2011. Unfortunately, mechanical issues forced Hires out of the Big Car race during the event’s opening half…Neets returns to Grandview Speedway on Saturday May 18. The Big Cars will compete under the lights in a 40-lap enduro, which will take place after the regular two-division card of Nascar 358 Modifieds and Late Models… BIG CAR ENDURO (100-LAPS): 1) 5-Tim Pauch, 2) 26-Chuck Eckert, 3) 99-Tom Wolf, 4) 76-Jerry Arms, 5) 53-Darrel Herman, 6) 7-Mike Fiskaldo, 7) 64-Chris Angstadt, 8) 14-Bob Wink, 9) 97-Kevin Mandic, 10) 88-Dylan Schantz, 11) 17K-Russ Killian, 12) 6x-Justen Stweigerwalt, 13) 19-Bryan Yelk, 14) 75-Howie Bott, 15) 44-Joel Pilgert, 16) 20K-Kory Stevens, 17) 37-Joe Farley, 18) 412-Johnny Sacks, 19) 312-Drew Ott, 20) 8-Jason Brown, 21) X-Matt Peck, 22) 195-Aaron Frazier, 23) 36-Carl Ruppert, 24) 70-Chuck Detweiler, 25) 15-John Mondelli, 26) 77-Brandon Guyer, 27) 39B-Brian Moyer, 28) 266-Bob Kulik, 29) 25T-Travis Guyer, 30) 55-John Spierly, 31) 84-Mike Weidner, 32) 32-Joe Kunkel, 33) 2-Pat Hires, 34) 523-George Day, 35) 2x-Ned Coolbaugh, 36) 51W-Carl Wade. SMALL CAR ENDURO (100-laps): 1) 2JR-Pat Hires, 2) 29B-Rob Pyle, 3) 15-Steve Wilson, 4) 5-Dave Bentley Jr., 5) 39-Phil Levering, 6) 13-Don Daigneault, 7) 16-Brian Smith, 8) 65-Dan Daigneault, 9) 03-Scott Dunn, 10) 47-Kenny Brown, 11) 69-Justin Dunn, 12) 82-Pete Wharton, 13) 88-Katie Todorow, 14) 520-Tom Stevens, 15) 108-John Hackett, 16) 17-Art Kulik, 17) 81-Ken Wallace, 18) 13x-Tyler Kerchner, 19) 66-Jay Garris, 20) 214-Tiffany Collis, 21) L39-Linsey Rummel, 22) 53-Shawn Gular, 23) 99-Jeff Levan, 24) 33-Tim Reinford, 25) 301-Joe Heintzelman, 26) 49- John Crosby, 27) 57-Tracy Carmen, 28) T2-Jason Derr, 29) 51R-Robby Dunn, 30) 3s-Scott Hoffmaster. LADIES RACE(15-LAPS): 1) 39-Linsey Rummel, 2) 8-Stephanie Ried, 3) T2-Jen Schwager, 4) 82-Rikki Ecker, 5) 6x-Steph Kramer.