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Mike Leone
MERCER, Penn. (July 19) - For the 17th straight week, Mother Nature scattered showers around Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday night, but only a few sprinkles fell as the entire program was completed. Celebrating in the Hoosier Tire victory lane were Rod George-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Jeff Schaffer-Tire Express Modifieds, Frank Guidace-McElwain Motors FASTRAK Late Models, Rod Jones & Alan Knepper-Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites, and Dillon Kineston & Chris Myers-M&D Paving Mini Stocks. A regular show season-high of 93 cars were on hand and the entire program including the two July 12 make-up features was completed in three and half hours. It was Free Ohio Night presented by Sports Obsession (Eastwood Mall).
Frank Guidace continued his dominance of the FASTRAK Late Models with his fourth win in seven tries in the 20-lap McElwain Motors-sponsored feature. "The track has been different every week since they changed the surface," acknowledged the Mercer, Pa. winner. "Tonight it was bitey and had a big cushion to it. It's been a challenge. I have to thank Lazer Chassis and Shadow Shocks once again. The Goodyear 45 has been excellent all year."
Guidace drew the pole position and survived six cautions and challenges first by Butch Lambert then Steve Hollabaugh for his fifth win at the track in 2008 and 17th of his career in his #1G. Lambert started sixth and worked his way to second on lap two when he passed Brian Booher and Ben Black. Lambert got under Guidace on lap 14, but his night ended that lap when the rack broke in his mount. Hollabaugh then inherited second and stayed right with Guidace coming up only two car lengths shy at the finish for his third runner-up finish of the year. Rusty Moore was fourth. Ben Black crossed the finish in fifth, but was disqualified when he failed to report to tech moving Tyler Dietz to a career best fifth. Sixth through tenth were Mike Anderson (Jr.), Chris Haines, Scott Jones, Lambert, and Paul Reiser. Heats were won by Guidace and Lambert.
McElwain Motors FASTRAK Late Models (20 laps): 1. FRANK GUIDACE (1G) 2. Steve Hollabaugh (3H) 3. Brian Booher (Hoover 00H) 4. Rusty Moore (17M) 5. Tyler Dietz (10) 6. Mike Anderson, Jr. (72) 7. Chris Haines (35H) 8. Jason Stanke (44) 9. Butch Lambert (27) 10. Paul Reiser (293) 11. Dave Airgood, Jr. (42JR) 12. Ben Black (27B)-DSQ (did not report to tech) 13. Dan Karalagas (G1)-DNS.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. ROD GEORGE (4) 2. Brian Ellenberger (20E) 3. Gale Ruth, Jr. (5x) 4. Troy Little (20AU) 5. Arnie Kent (18) 6. Mike Lutz (Chappel 8) 7. Scott Bonnell (3B) 8. Chris Shuttleworth (11) 9. Dan Kuriger (08) 10. Bryan Grove (45) 11. Jeremy Cook (5L) 12. Joe Butera (Matus 3J) 13. Paul Kish (Clark 4c) 14. Eric Williams (76) 15. Brent Matus (33) 16. Gale Ruth, Sr. (1R) 17. Paul Kapuchuck (10) 18. Lindsay Enscoe (96) 19. John McCracken (63) 20. Carl Bowser (10) 21. Nate Stein (93) 22. Brian Steinman (24s).
Tire Express 358 Modifieds (20 laps): 1. JEFF SCHAFFER (4) 2. Garrett Krummert (29) 3. John Buchanan (93) 4. Frank Guidace (1G) 5. Rick Hall (B2) 6. Steve Barr (25B) 7. Jimmy Holden (28H) 8. Eric Gabany (3E) 9. Matt Reeher (711) 10. Gary Smoker (516) 11. Dillon McElrath (7) 12. Dave Cogswell (8) 13. Jr. Baker (359) 14. Kevin Green (74) 15. Fred Sasse (0) 16. Mark Bailey (14B) 17. Lonny Riggs (Black 58).
Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lite July 12 Make-up (15 laps): 1. ROD JONES (820) 2. Brian Woodhall (8B) 3. Kenny Meadows (Teague 10T) 4. J.J. Metheney (31c) 5. Todd Canter (Teague 9T) 6. Alan Knepper (1) 7. Bud Watson (15) 8. George Englert (11x) 9. John Gerula, Jr. (54) 10. Steve Young (Yeager 7) 11. Terry Young (98) 12. Bill Stivason (116) 13. Kotie Kirkbride (97N) 14. Mark Marcucci (8M) 15. Levi Spinneweber (10s) 16. Dave Snow (34) 17. Bryan Martin-DNS (did not return).
Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites (15 laps): 1. ALAN KNEPPER (1) 2. Rod Jones (820) 3. Bud Watson (15) 4. Mark Marcucci (8M) 5. Kenny Meadows (Teague 10T) 6. Todd Canter (Teague 9T) 7. Levi Spinneweber (10s) 8. Steve Young (Yeager 7) 9. Terry Young (98) 10. George Englert (11x) 11. Shane Pfeuffer (Lawson 40L) 12. John Gerula, Jr. (54) 13. Bill Stivason (116) 14. Kotie Kirkbride (97N) 15. Dave Jones (82) 16. J.J. Metheney (31c) 17. Brian Woodhall (8B) 18. Matt Snow (34)-DNS.
M&D Paving Mini Stock July 12 Make-up (12 laps): 1. DILLON KINESTON (19) 2. Chris Myers (c1) 3. Kyle Colwell (80JR) 4. Stephen Laslo (55) 5. Jamie Colwell (54J) 6. Mike Mathieson (72) 7. Dan McEwen (44) 8. Ed Haylett (8-ball) 9. Wally Stearns, Jr. (33) 10. Bill Fuchs (10) 11. Tyler Powell (36) 12. Jordan Gentile-Preston (1P) 13. Dillon Barr (15) 14. Scott Gilliland (27) 15. Pete Blazczak (77) 16. Rudolph Troples (28) 17. Matt Cwynar (21c) 18. Kyle Crawford (14c) 19. Sam Kloos (62K) 20. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57) 21. Cody Colwell (67) 22. Cory Eckels (124)-DNS (did not return) 23. Ryan Beatty (78)-DNS (did not return).
M&D Paving Mini Stocks (12 laps): 1. CHRIS MYERS (c1) 2. Cody Colwell (67) 3. Dillon Kineston (19) 4. Bill Fuchs (10) 5. Wally Stearns, Jr. (33) 6. Tyler Powell (36) 7. Ed Haylett (8-ball) 8. Dillon Barr (15) 9. Kyle Crawford (14c) 10. Erick Cwynar (21c) 11. Rudolph Troples (28) 12. Dan McEwen (44) 13. Kyle Colwell (80JR) 14. Scott Gilliland (27) 15. Curtis Brown (67) 16. Dan Nagy (17B) 17. Jordan Gentile-Preston (1P) 18. Stephen Laslo (55) 19. Mike Mathieson (72) 20. Sam Kloos (62K)-DNS 21. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57)-DNS 22. Pete Blazczak (77)-DNS 23. Jamie Colwell (54J)-DNS 24. Tim Callahan (26T)-DSQ (illegal).
Upcoming Events:
7/26 "Open Wheel Shootout" presented by FireDEX of Butler. Bill Emig Modified Memorial ($1,500), 410 Sprint Cars ($1,500), PA 305 Sprints, Limited Sprints, Mod Lites ($300), & Mini Stocks. Anderson Bros. Tool Corp. Night.
8/02 Sprints, Mods, FASTRAK Late Models, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks plus July 12 Sprint make-up feature. "Meet Your Heroes Autograph Night" presented by Duke Whiting for PA State Rep. 17th District. "Racing for a Cure" - An American Cancer Society Benefit Night. All cancer survivors admitted free. Free Shenango Valley Night (Sharon, Hermitage, West Middlesex, Sharpsville, Farrell, Wheatland) presented by Three Rivers Aggregates. Trinity Living Center of Grove City Corp. Night. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7.
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