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Mike Leone
STRONGSTOWN, Penn. (June 20) - The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series headed to Jim and Sharon Michny's Dog Hollow Speedway on Friday night, June 20 for the first of two stops at the Strongstown, Pa. oval. Race #3 of the 12-race series looked questionable with dark clouds looming and lighting flashing to the south of the speedway for most of the evening, but the night was rain-free as another strong field of 32 competitors made the tow from all over western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and western New York.
Defending Touring Series Champion, Alan Dellinger, became the third different winner in as many events this season with his wire-to-wire victory in the 25-lap feature. The $1,200 win was the second career Touring Series win for the Hermitage, Pa. driver, who won last year's event at Lakeville Speedway.
Dellinger finished second in his heat race and drew the number one pill for the pole position as he lined up alongside Dick Barton. Dellinger took the advantage on the start over Barton as Rusty Moore moved past Bob Vogt, Jr. for third. The leaders entered lapped traffic on lap nine, but the event's first caution was displayed with 10 laps completed for debris on the track.
The caution was a bad omen as it was yellow fever for the rest of the event. Two more cautions on lap 10 and another one on lap 11 slowed action before seven green flag laps ran off. John Lacki, who started ninth, cracked the top five when he passed May 24 McKean County winner, Max Blair, on lap 14. Bobby Powell and Rusty Moore battled side-by-side for third on laps 15-17; meanwhile, Tom Snyder, Jr. made his way from 21st into contention challenging Lacki for fifth. Snyder nosed ahead of Lacki for fifth on lap 18 before Vogt spun to bring out another caution.
When racing resumed, Powell was slow on the restart as he got shuffled back allowing Snyder and Lacki to move into fourth and fifth. Three more cautions slowed action with 19 laps completed including a six and a nine-car melee in turns one and two. The accidents collected the third and fourth place cars of Moore and Snyder.
After the final caution, the decision was made to go single-file and the last six laps ran off caution-free with Dellinger holding off Barton for the win. The victory was the second of the season in FASTRAK competition for Dellinger in the Bob Williams-owned #8 as he won a Weekly Series event at Tri-City Speedway on May 4.
Lacki had a good run in third in his first ever Dog Hollow visit. Chris Angelicchio was fourth after passing Roger French on lap 27 and Justin Kann on lap 29. Kann was fifth. Completing the top 10 were Bert Cleer, Bob Kish, French, Moore, and Snyder. Heat victors were Gary Stahl, Powell, Barton, and Lacki. The two B mains were won by Snyder and Chad Myers.
FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #3 (25 laps $1,200 to-win): 1. ALAN DELLINGER (Williams 8) 2. Dick Barton (Neilson 28B) 3. John Lacki (7) 4. Chris Angelicchio (54) 5. Justin Kann (Powell 100) 6. Bert Cleer (51) 7. Bob Kish (5) 8. Roger French (-1) 9. Rusty Moore (17m) 10. Tom Snyder, Jr. (1F) 11. Jim Frank (14*) 12. Max Blair (111) 13. Gary Stahl (Fulton 44) 14. Jon Law (14) 15. Bob Diver (23) 16. Kevin Meadows (Welsch 49) 17. Jay Watson (7x) 18. Bobby Powell (Bidwell B1D) 19. Roger Laughlin (53L) 20. Dan Angelicchio (14) 21. Kirby Tucker (LeComte 53) 22. Bob Vogt, Jr. (30) 23. Dennis Lunger, Jr. (17L) 24. Chad Myers (01) DNQ: Andy Buckley (Robinson 34R), Tommy Kronenwetter (4K), Jeff Enos (11), Ron Smithley (13s), Dan Karalagas (G1), Garrett Stephen (79)
Lap leaders: Alan Dellinger (1-25)
Heat winners: Gary Stahl, Bobby Powell, Dick Barton, John Lacki
B main winners: Tom Snyder, Jr., Chad Myers
Car count: 32
Next up for the FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will be another two-day holiday weekend. Raceway 7 in Conneaut, Ohio has the three-time rained out "Fall Classic" on Friday, July 4 followed by McKean County Raceway in East Smethport, Pa. on Saturday, July 5. Race #4 and 5 of 12 will both be 25-lap $1,200 to-win, $150 to-start events. For more information, check out www.raceway7.com and www.mckeancountyraceway.com. 2008 FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series associate sponsors thus far are Race 1, Fame RV Center, Yoder's Performance Specialty & PRC, Bullitt Chassis, and Fred Beans Parts.
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