McKean County Raceway
August 2, 2013
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Dutch Davies Wins Ned Gleason Memorial at McKean County Raceway
Pegher beats Blair by less than a tenth of a second for Rush Crate Late Model win!
 
By Jay Pees
East Smethport, PA (August 1) It was a wild night at McKean County Raceway for the Ned Gleason Memorial. After an incredible month of July when Robbie Blair won every race he entered, Dutch Davies grabbed the lead on the opening lap of the 30-Lap finale honoring one of racing's early pioneers and went on to the win in a caution-free feature race. Max Blair led all but the last few feet of the RUSH Crate Late Model feature when long-time nemesis Mike Pegher got by in heavy lapped traffic. Rich Michael led flag to flag in the all-green E-Mod feature, picking up his fourteenth overall feature win this season. Adam Ashcroft continued his remarkable streak in the Close Racing Supply Street Stocks, winning his eighth of the season. Casey Burch in Mini Stocks, and Fred Ely, in Pure Stocks, each got their second wins of the season. The entire 19 event evening plus time trials for the NDRL/ULMS Super Late Models was completed before 10:30 PM!
 
Ned Gleason, an early pioneer in McKean County racing was remembered with a thirty lap feature race with $3000 waiting for the winner. Robbie Blair and Dutch Davies shared the front row with Davies grabbing the lead on the back straight of lap one. Five laps into the race had Davies with a substantial lead over the five time winner who, in turn, had five car lengths over third running David Scott. At halfway into the race the leaders caught lapped traffic but Davies held his advantage over Blair, Scott, Mike Knight, and Dick Barton. With ten laps remaining Knight motored by Scott for third and Boom Briggs was pressuring Barton for fifth, getting by two laps later. Meanwhile at the front of the pack Davies was still maintaining his lead, even with lapped traffic. With two to go Davies had a half straight lead over Blair and went on to his first MCR win of the season. Blair, Knight, Scott, and Briggs filled out the top five.  At the Victory Lane ceremony Tom Gleason, son of Ned, noted that in 2014 the race will honor long-time luminary Bill Bigley, a close family friend and also an early racing pioneer.
 
Twenty-four RUSH Crate Late Models answered the call for their feature with Adam Sixt and Max Blair bringing the field to the green. At the end of one lap Blair was leading Sixt but caution was shown on lap two when Bob Dorman spun in turn two, collecting Dennis Lunger. For the restart Blair had the front row to himself with Sixt and Mike Pegher in row two. Pegher immediately got by Sixt and able to get alongside Blair in turn four just as Ward Schell looped his mount in turn two. Sixt experienced problems during the yellow and had to be pushed to the pit, leaving Pegher and Zack Carley to line up behind the leader for the next green. Blair, winner of six features this year, brought the field back to green. At the end of one lap of green the Titusville speedster had a two car length lead.  Behind the leaders Bryce Davis and Ed Carley were fighting over third with Zack Carley back to fifth. At halfway Blair had a five car length lead, then another eight car lengths back to third running Davis. When Blair caught lapped traffic Peghar was able to close the gap but Blair maintained his advantage. On the last lap in very heavy traffic Pegher got alongside in turn four and won by inches at the stripe. The electronic scoring system showed the difference as .039 seconds between first and second.
 
Travis Asel and Rich Michael brought the E-Mods to the green flag with Michael taking the lead by the end of lap one. Michael was extremely strong, opening a quarter lap lead by halfway into the twenty lapper.  A halfway Randy Hall was challenging Asel for the runner-up spot, taking it coming out of turn four, but at lap twelve but Asel took it back. A lapped car slowed Hall's progress a lap later and allowed Carl McKinney to get by Hall for third. With three to go Hall experienced problems in turn one, slowing suddenly and pulling to the pit area.  At the checkers it was Michael, Asel, McKinney, point's leader Steve Dixon, and Ron Davies filling out the top five. Although it was Michael's first win of the season at McKean, it was his fourteenth overall on the circuit in 2013.
 
Adam Ashcroft led the Close Racing Supply Street Stock feature from the drop of the green flag. Kurt Stebbins spun in turn three at lap two, and then expressed his displeasure at Andy Michael under caution, earning himself a black flag and a trip to the pits. Ashcroft dominated the rest of the event, as he has all season, going on to his eighth feature win of the season. Pole sitter Joe Chamberlain ran second with Brad Ullman third. Ted Mascho and Jeff Hellwig ran a spirited race for fourth with Hellwig prevailing for that spot. Andy Michael and Gary Fisher were challenging Mascho with five to go. Fisher got by Michael with two to go but was unable to break into the top five. The top five at the checkers were Adam Ashcroft, Joe Chamberlain, Brad Ullman, Jeff Hellwig, and Ted Mascho.
 
Jeff Buhl led the opening laps of the mini-stock feature with Casey Burch coming to second by the time of caution at the end of lap two when outside pole-setter Riley Ellison spun in turn two. At green Buhl again led with Burch alongside after two laps and leading the next time by the flag. Joe Boylan got by Buhl at six laps complete but Burch was not to be caught, going on to his second win of the year. Joe Boylan held on for second with Mitch Boylan coming by Buhl at the halfway point for third. Jody Baker was fifth.
 
Josh Wilcox led Fred Ely from the start of the Pure Stock feature with Jim Challingsworth running third. Ely tried inside and outside to get by for the lead but it was the lapped car of Dennis Cummings that allowed Ely to get by in traffic when he spun. After green was again over the raceway Ely sped off to the win, his second of the season over Wilcox. Don Williams got by Challingsworth with four to go but spun in turn two, allowing Joe Layfield to get by Challingsworth for third as caution was again shown. For the restart it was Ely in front with Wilcox and Layfield right behind. At the end of the fifteen laps it was Ely, Wilcox, Layfield, Challingsworth and Williams.
 
NDRL Super Late Models:
Time trials: Robbie Blair (15.5305), Mike Knight (15.643), Dick Barton (15.704)
Heat 1: Robbie Blair, Jason DuPont, Dutch Davies, Boom Briggs, Greg Oakes, Matt Urban, Ron Davies
Heat 2: Mike Knight, Dave Scott, Dick Barton, Brent Rhebergen, Rich Gardner, Michael Oakes, Dave Norton
Feature: Dutch Davies, Robbie Blair, Mike Knight, David Scott, Boom Briggs, Dick Barton, Jason DuPont, Matt Urban, Brent Rhebergen, Greg Oakes, Dave Norton, Ron Davies, Rich Gardner, Michael Oakes
 
RUSH Late Models:
Heat 1: Max Blair, Adam Sixt, Ed Carley, Ward Schell, Damien Bidwell, Craig Dean, Bob Kish, Brad Mesler,
Heat 2: Mike Pegher, Cody Mason, Bob Dorman, Justin Smith, Dennis Lunger, Chad Ruhlman, Paul Grigsby, Dereck Frank
Heat 3: Zach Carley, Bruno Mowrey, Doug Ricotta, Bryce Davis, Garrett Mott, John Haggerty, Critter Hemphill, Bill Mesler
Feature: Mike Pegher, Max Blair, Bryce Davis, Ed Carley, Zack Carley, Chad Ruhlman, Damien Bidwell, Doug Ricotta, Cody Mason, Justin Smith, John Haggerty, Bob Kish, Garrett Mott, Paul Grigsby, Craig Dean, Bob Dorman, Bill Mesler, Critter Hemphill, Brad Mesler, Ward Schell. Adam Sixt, Dennis Lunger, Dereck Frank, Bruno Mowrey
 
UEMS E-Mods:
Heat 1: Travis Asel, Rich Michael, Nathan Hill. Carl McKinney, Al Brewer, Carl Ballenger, Lyle Smith, Darren Tarabori
Heat 2: Randy Hall, Ron Davies, Steve Dixon, Kirk Bradley, Vic Vena, Mike Smith, Carl Born
Feature: Rich Michael, Travis Asel, Carl McKinney, Steve Dixon, Ron Davies, Nathan Hill, Vic Vena, Kirk Bradley, Mike Smith, Carl Ballinger, Lyle Smith, Randy Hall, Al Brewer, Karl Born, Darren Tarabori (DNS)
 
Close Racing Supply Street Stocks:
Heat 1: Gary Fisher, Ted Macho, Jeff Hellwig, Andy Michael, Hiram Clayson, Tyrone Hendley
Heat 2: Adam Ashcroft, Joe Chamberlain, Brad Ullman, Kurt Stebbins, Brad Curran Jr, John-Michael Austin
Feature: Adam Ashcroft, Joe Chamberlain, Brad Ullman, Jeff Hellwig, Ted Mascho, Gary Fisher, Andy Michael, Brad Curren Jr, Tyrone Hendley, Hiram Clayson, John-Michael Austin, Kurt Stebbins (DQ)
 
Pure Stocks:
Heat 1: Jim Challingsworth, Joe Layfield, Don Williams, Mike Parmenter, Glenn Layfield, Dennis Cummings, Cliff Easton
Heat 2: Josh Wilcox, Fred Ely, Tim Burkett, Michael Ely, Roger Schweikart, Rod Winans, Mark Carlson
Feature: Fred Ely, Josh Wilcox, Joe Layfield, Jim Challingsworth, Don Williams, Tim Burkett, Roger Schweikart, Glenn Layfield, Michael Ely, Cliff Easton, Rod Winans, Mike Parmenter, Dennis Cummings, Mark Carlson 
 
Mini Stocks:
Heat 1: Joe Boylan, Eric Canfield, Riley Ellison, Duane Powers, Mitch Boylan, Matt Burrell, Kurt Babcock
Heat 2: Casey Burch, Jeff Buhl, Codie Baker, Richard Kline, Cody Egnar, Aaron Bartas
Feature: Casey Burch, Joe Boylan, Mitch Boylan, Jeff Buhl, Codie Baker, Eric Canfield, Aaron Bartas, Matt Burrell, Cody Egnar, Richard Kline, Duane Powers,  Riley Ellison, Kurt Babcock (DNS)
 
For more information on the NDRL's McKean County Raceway and the 8th Annual Fall Classic please visit www.mckeancountyraceway.com.