“Real Deal” Kyle Strohl bags Mahoning Valley Speedway Modified laurels

There’s a reason why Palmerton’s Kyle Strohl is referred to as the “Real Deal.” In five years’ time he continues to build on a career that doesn’t cease to amaze as his accomplishments are adding up more and more.

In Saturday night’s 35-lap Modified feature Strohl had a fan thrilling battle with Nick Baer and Jack Ely en route to scoring his first win of the season.

For the 17-year old high school senior it pushed his career win total in stock cars to 30, a number that drivers three times his age and with decades of racing have not come close to.

“It’s unbelievable. Who can say that at 17-years old they won 30 features and at a track as tough as Mahoning Valley Speedway. It’s a huge achievement and I can’t thank my crew and especially my dad enough for all the long hard hours and work,” said Strohl.

Baer would jump to the early lead and right away had Ely and Strohl hooked up with him. The trio of young talent soon went into a dazzling battle as they went lap after lap under a tight blanket. Baer was holding his line perfectly in order to keep Ely and Strohl, who battled side-by-side in his path.

That’s just who the race was going until the first and only caution waved on lap 23 when Ron Haring Jr., began slowing on the back straight and was hit by the oncoming car of Joey Jarowicz.

When the restart took place Strohl was alongside Baer. Feeling confident that this would be his best chance at seizing the lead, he outgunned Baer for the top spot and over the final 12 laps would keep him behind him in securing the victory.

“If feels real good to get this win tonight. We had been fast since the season began but we just couldn’t quite dial the car in the way we wanted to and tonight we had the set-up right,” said Strohl.

“He (Baer) was protecting his line just right and I maybe could have forced it in there but I could have also wrecked us all. I wanted to win but not that way. It brought back old times in the Pro 4s with Nick and I. I always have enjoyed racing with him. He’s a good clean driver.”

Austin Kochenash was strong all race long and on that same lap 23 restart he went around Ely and came home third. Kris Graver rounded out the top five and in the process has moved to the top of the point standings.

Despite being jostled around from an early dust-up, Jeremy Miller fought back to win his first Late Model feature of the season that by a combination of luck and good driving.

With five laps to go then leader Jacob Kerstetter was holding steady at the head of the pack with some intense pressure coming from Lorin Arthofer II. As they entered turn two Arthofer pinched Kerstetter and sent him spinning.

Both drivers were then sent to the rear for the restart and when the action resumed Broc Brown was at the helm with Miller alongside. Miller vaulted his way quickly past Brown and held his ground to the checkers.

The Street Stocks contested in a 75-lap race and throughout the run Jared Ahner was having his way with the field, leading at times by as much as a half a lap.

However, as the waning laps began coming into play, Ahner found himself in fierce tussle with the top two point men, Jon Moser and Stacey Brown, while also fighting the handle of a loose handling car.

Moser, who is one the masters of extra distance Street Stock races, was making a statement that he wanted this one and with six laps to go he went low on Ahner and sped off from there to the $900 first place payoff and 30th overall win of his career.

Ahner held on for a season best second with Brown settling for third.

Mike Stofflet raced his way into the Mahoning Valley Speedway record books. By taking the Dirt Mod feature he became the top winner with the class with 22 victories plus he tied the record for consecutive wins at four in a row.

Kevin Stein will always remember May 27, 2017 and not just because it happens to be his birthday but he can add his career first win in the Pro 4 feature.

Stein went by Kailyn Beers on lap two and to do everything possible to hold off Cody Kohler on the final lap. When the pair crossed under the checkers Stein got the verdict by a scant .043-second margin of victory.

When Avery Arthofer took the win in the Hobby Stock main, it not only was her first win of the year but it had huge significance in motor sports as well.

This was the third consecutive race that a female driver won, something that never before has occurred at this track and for all intent and purposes at any weekly short track.

Arthofer inherited the lead when early leader Ryan Berger dropped out on lap eight. She then raced firmly the rest of the way and won over Tiffany Wambold, who started the female win streak.

MVS PR