Phil DiMario Does It Again At Flemington -First ARDC Repeat Winner
Flemington, NJ., July 26, 1998 – "Flyin" Phil DiMario of Piermont, New York took the lead on lap 15 and went on to record his second win of the year in the ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series on Saturday night at Flemington Speedway. DiMario also became the first driver to win more than one feature event in this very competitive 1998 ARDC racing season.
Monnie Wonder III of Lititz, Pa. beat Bill Ertel into turn one at the start of the 20-lap feature to become the early leader. Wonder held on to the top spot for 13 trips around the fast five-eighths mile asphalt track and looked very strong but Gary Mondschein and Lew Blair were in pursuit of Wonder's No.51w. With Mondschein and Blair after Wonder, Bryan Kobylarz, Phil DiMario and Ed Stimely were working their way to the front of the field to join the chase. Kobylarz got past Wonder on lap 14 but his tenure as race leader didn't last very long. DiMario took the lead from Kobylarz one lap later.
A caution on lap 17 for fluid on the track and a stalled car on the backstretch gave Kobylarz and defending ARDC CARQUEST Midget Champion Ed Stimely Jr. a shot a DiMario's lead. But it never happened. DiMario went on to record another ARDC win in the McCabe Motorsports No.23 at Flemington. Phil DiMario also set a new track record for Midgets at Flemington Speedway on Saturday night during his heat race. DiMario ran one lap in 16.15 seconds…139.317 miles per hour.
The official top five at Saturday's ARDC CARQUEST Midget series at Flemington Speedway were DiMario, Kobylarz, Stimely, Mondschein and Lew Blair. Shawn Burke of Saylorsburg, Pa. was presented the Pennzoil award for his 16th place finish.
The next stop on the ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series tour is on Saturday, August 1 – the much-anticipated return to Evergreen Raceway in St. John's, Pa. Evergreen Raceway is located off of I-80 (Exit 39). The 1/3 mile, slightly banked, asphalt track should produce some exciting wheel to wheel racing for the ARDC CARQUEST Midgets. The last time ARDC ran at Evergreen Raceway was in 1992.
RACE SUMMARY
Mason Racing Ignitions Heat 1 – 1. Ed Stimely Jr. 2. Rudy Botticher 3. Lew Blair 4. Fred Schell 5. Gary Halteman 6. Art Lawshe, Sr. 7. Shawn Burke 8. Mike Piersig
Hank's Performance Products Heat 2 – 1. Phil DiMario 2. Bryan Kobylarz 3. Gary Mondschein 4. Bill Ertel 5. Walt Stearly 6. Derek Pernesiglio 7. Dan Shelbo 8. Mark Lawshe, Sr. 9. Bill Keimel (DNS)
Sander Engineering Heat 3 – 1. Monnie Wonder III 2. Mark Wakefoose 3. Mark Freeland 4. Robert Botticher 5. Brian Clevland 6. Mike Lapp 7. Jim Jackson 8. Hank Rogers, Jr. (DNS) 9. Craig Rochelle (DNS)
ARDC CARQUEST Feature (20 laps) – 1. Phil DiMario 2. Bryan Kobylarz 3. Ed Stimely Jr. 4. Gary Mondschein 5. Lew Blair 6. Mark Freeland 7. Robert Botticher 8. Gary Halteman 9. Fred Schell 10. Mark Wakefoose 11. Walt Stearly 12. Bill Ertel 13. Dan Shelbo, Jr. 14. Brian Clevland 15. Derek Pernesiglio 16. Shawn Burke 17. Monnie Wonder III 18. Rudy Botticher 19. Mike Lapp 20. Art Lawshe, Sr. 21. Jim Jackson 22. Mark Lawshe, Sr. 23. Mike Piersig 24. Bill Keimel (DNS).
Lap leaders – (1-13) Monnie Wonder III (14) Bryan Kobylarz (15-20) Phil DiMario.