Frazee Freezes Field at Latrobe Speedway

By DJ Johnson

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Frazee Freezes Field at Latrobe Speedway

Latrobe, PA (August 5, 2023) Flyin’ Ryan Frazee took advantage of an unfortunate miscue by Troy Shields on lap 4 to seal the deal in the 4th Annual Ralph Davis Jr Memorial K2 Engineering Crate Late Model feature at Latrobe Speedway.

The brother act of Anthony Monteparte (Joe’s Auto Body & Towing Pure Stocks) and Brett Hutira (Wisneski Waste Removal Penn Ohio Pro Stocks) came away with wins along with Colton McNaney (Special T Metals LLC Modified 4 Cylinders and Brian Noel (Marilungo Disposal LLC Strictly Stock 4 Cylinders).

The Kid’s Bike Races were a huge success, with over 20 participants in four age groups. Trophies were also awarded to the top-3 in each age group. Also, six adults bicycled 1-lap around The Big Half-Mile at Latrobe Speedway. The lucky adult won a Walmart Gift Card.

Special thanks to the following race teams for providing new bikes for the winners of the Kid’s Bike Races and to all of the volunteers that helped with the event:

Koffler 3-4-Year-Old Winner

Jones/McNaney 5-7-Year-Old-Winner

Ghrist 8-10-Year-Old-Winner

Dembowski/Krivjanik 11-13-Year-Old-Winner

The kids were given FREE Ice Cream before the Bike Races courtesy of the family of Ralph Davis Jr.

In the 20-lap Ralph Davis Jr Memorial for the K2 Engineering Crate Late Models, Troy Shields and Ryan Frazee led the field of 13 competitors, and ten of the drivers raced at least 50% of the Crate Late Model races at Latrobe this season, making them eligible for the bonus.

On the initial start, Frazee took the lead, and on lap four, Shields attempted a pass down low in Turn 2 when he struck a tire on the inside, forcing him to spin out.

Michael Duritsky would ride Frazee’s tail for several laps before Braeden Dillinger would pass Duritsky for second.

That move would be short-lived as Dillinger had a flat and was forced to pit.

Frazee would maintain the lead for the remainder of the race with several challenges from Duritsky but to no avail.

The hard-charging Jeff Ferguson would finish third from his thirteenth starting position. Fourth went to Joe Moyer, and fifth to the No. 33 of Andrew Koenig.

Shields and Frazee won the K2 Engineering Heat races.

Frazee, the fourth different winner in the Crate Late Models of the Ralph Davis Jr Memorial, collected $2,500 for his efforts.

Veteran racer Joe Moyer in the No. 42 is retiring after the season. The Ashville, PA driver showed his appreciation by donating t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts to Kidz Klub members before the races. Thank you, Joe, and good luck in retirement.

In the first race of the year for the Wisneski Waste Removal Penn Ohio Pro Stocks, Brett Hutira ran away with the feature, with Brandon Doland finishing second. Third was Bill Slade, followed by Steve Mitchell and Mike DiFranasca. Hutira won the Heat race.

In a very exciting Joe’s Auto Body & Towing feature on Ralph Davis Jr. Memorial Night, the sixteen-car field was

led to the green flag by the front row of Matt Weltz and Ron Ramsey. The second row featured Corey Faris and EJ Rozak. You have to go back to row four to find a three-time track Champion, Anthony Monteparte.

Monteparte started seventh since he was the last winner of a non-special feature race in the Joe’s Auto Body & Towing Pure Stocks back on May 27.

Possibly starting back in the seventh spot behind some of the best drivers in the division motivated the recent Bill Finlay Memorial winner as Monteparte was on a mission from the drop of the green flag.

Ramsey took the lead initially, with Faris on his tail for several laps before Faris took the lead on Lap-5.

Monteparte, in the meantime, was making up for starting seventh by taking the third spot by lap 2.

Once Monteparte got past Ron Ramsey for second, his sights were set on the 22F of Faris. Montepart made his move on the long back stretch, diving down, going into Turn 3, and approaching the white flag. After getting the white flag, Monteparte set sail for his third win of 2023.

EJ Rozak, Ron Ramsey, and Justin Ruff followed Faris, who started eighth.

The exuberant Monteparte praised the track surface in Victory Lane and complimented Corey Faris for his clean driving on the backstretch.

“You couldn’t get a piece of paper between Corey (Faris) and I on the back stretch,” Monteparte said.

In the Special T Metals LLC. Modified 4 Cylinder feature, Dale Grubbs and Tifani McElhose brought the eighteen-car field to the green. After a lengthy delay in reracking the field on the initial start, Grubbs led before the “Cobalt Cowboy” Colton McNaney surged to the lead from fourth.

McNaney celebrated with his Cowboy Hat in Victory Lane.

Dale Grubbs finished second, while Tifani McElhose battled an overheating problem to finish third. Fourth went to Andrew Jones, and Chris Myers picked up his first top-5 finish of the season in fifth.

McNaney and Koffler III won the Heat races.

Another eighteen-car field presented itself in the Murilungo Disposal LLC. Strictly Stock 4 Cylinder feature with Seth Nedrow and Bud Lawver showing the way to the green flag. Brian Noel picked up the win from his sixth-starting position in the feature. Following Noel across the stripe were Justin Connors, Dylan Nedrow, Seth Nedrow, who led a good portion of the race, and Bud Lawver finished fifth. Seth Nedrow and Connors won the Heat races.

4th Annual Ralph Davis Jr. Memorial Night

SUMMARY:

K2 Engineering Crate Late Models (13) 20-Laps

1. Ryan Frazee(2) 2. Michael Duritsky 3. Jeff Ferguson 4. Joe Moyer 5. Andrew Koenig 6. Marino Angelicchio

7. Vince Masi Jr. 8. Braeden Dillinger (DNF) 9. Ryan Christoff (DNF) 10. Joe Zulisky (DNF) 11. Lane Block (DNF)

12. Troy Shields (DNF) 13. Jay McCracken (DNF)

Wisneski Waste Revoval Penn Ohio Pro Stocks (5)

15-Laps

1. Brett Hutira(1) 2. Brandon Doland 3. Bill Slade 4. Steve Mitchell 5. Mike DiFranasca

Joe’s Auto Body & Towing Pure Stocks (16) 12-Laps

1. Anthony Monteparte(7) 2. Corey Faris 3. EJ Rozak

4. Ron Ramsey 5. Justin Ruff 6. Cody Behanna 7. Jim Schramm 8. Matt Weltz 9. Jim Zufall 10. Rich Cavallo

11. Stephen Hazlett (DNF) 12. Michael Luce (DNF) 13. John Cain (DNF) 14. Tim Vandiver (DNF) 15. Pete Miller (DNF) 16. Adam Large (DNF)

Special T Metals LLC. Modified 4 Cylinders (18) 12-Laps

1. Colton McNaney(4) 2. 66 Dale Grubbs 3. Tifani McElhose 4. Andrew Jones 5. Chris Meyers 6. Brian Spangler 7. Jeremy Grubbs 8. Shawn Ghrist 9. Brandon Myers 10. Brad Dickey 11. Ron Mitchell 12. Josh Grubbs

13. Paul Koffler III 14. Brandan Dempsey 15. Mike Pavlik

16. Dayton Hazlett 17. Nick Borovancik 18. Wayne Brenize

Marilungo Disposal LLC Strictly Stock 4 Cylinders (18)

12-Laps

1. Brian Noel(6) 2. Justin Connors 3. Dylan Nedrow 4. Seth Nedrow 5. Bud Lawver 6. Ron Vasos 7. Cody Brant

8. Jimmy Love 9. Emily Moyer 10. Shawn Hollis 11. Kaitlynn Spangler 12. Bryan Swink 13. Mark Shaffer (DNF) 14. Dan Shortman (DNF) 15.John Landa (DNS) 16. Alex Nedrow (DNS) 17. Jeremy Deglau (DNS) 18. Sadie Lancashire (DNS)

Please have a look at our website for more information. Go to www.latrobemotorsports.com or the Latrobe Speedway Stock Car Dirt Track page on Facebook.

Check out the latest version of Latrobe Speedway’s Ride Along, with guest Brett Hutira powered by Joe’s Body Shop & Towing, on our Facebook page and website.

NEXT UP: On Saturday, August 12, it’s the 3rd Annual Bill Koerber Memorial, along with Fan Appreciation Night. On the card will be the first visit of the year by the PA Vintage Thunder on Dirt, plus the K2 Engineering Crate Late Models, Joe’s Auto Body & Towing Pure Stocks, the Special T Metals Modified 4 Cylinders, and the Dean Pollock Hobby Stocks.