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Mike Leone
MERCER, Penn. (August 2) - For the 19th straight week, there was a chance of showers on race day at Mercer Raceway Park, but this time they ended in the morning and stayed east late afternoon and early evening allowing the entire program to be completed without a delay. Celebrating in the Hoosier Tire victory lane were Gale Ruth, Jr.-July 12 make-up Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Arnie Kent-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Max Blair-McElwain Motors FASTRAK Late Models, Garrett Krummert-Tire Express Modifieds, Rod Jones-Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites, and Curtis Brown (pending)-M&D Paving Mini Stocks. For the first time since June 9, 2007 over 100 cars were in the pits for a regular show with 101 present.
A huge crowd turned out for rescheduled "Racing for a Cure" American Cancer Society Benefit Night, Free Shenango Valley Night presented by Three Rivers Aggregates, M&M Insurance Group Corp. Night, and Trinity Living Center of Grove City Corp. Night. During intermission, a large throng of fans came onto the speedway for the second "Meet Your Heroes" Autograph Night presented by Duke Whiting for PA State Representative 17th District. Trinity Living Center provided 300 autograph books for the kids.
Making just his third ever Mercer start, 18-year-old Max Blair continued his stellar season with his first ever victory at Mercer in the thrilling 20-lap McElwain Motors FASTRAK Late Model feature. The third-generation racer not only leads the $5,000 Northeast Touring Series points, but Blair's seventh win of the season was important as it added to his lead in the $10,000 FASTRAK National Weekly Series chase. Later this year, Blair will be in the running for the $50,000 FASTRAK National Championship as well.
"I knew we hit pretty good," acknowledged the Centerville, Pa. driver after it was three-wide for the lead in lapped traffic. "At least it wasn't the wheel. I was afraid when I came out of that corner I was either going to have a flat or the right rear stuff was going to be messed up. This class is the best thing going. Anybody that says a bad thing about it- I don't know what they're looking at. You save $30,000 in the motor alone, you don't wear near the tires, and you're running pump gas. I saw Bobby Powell four or five times underneath me. You can't tell me we didn't put on a good show and that wasn't good to watch."
Despite starting third, Blair snuck past front row starters Tyler Dietz and Powell for the lead with Powell moving to second. Blair ran high and Powell low and their battled started immediately as they raced side-by-side for the lead on lap two. The battled picked back up side-by-side on laps six and seven then again between laps 10-12, but Blair was able to maintain the top spot. Butch Lambert, who started fifth, was making just his third Mercer start of the year and was able to dodge a lapped and Powell that got together to sneak into second on lap 13. On lap 14, the lapped car of Rusty Cade slowed Blair and Lambert and Powell both went for the lead. It was three-wide down the backstretch, but a spin by Dietz ended the thriller.
Powell was able to get back by Lambert on lap 15 for second. Blair would survive two more cautions and challenges by Powell for the win in his Specialty Products/Loney Timber/Moody Welding/Eagle Hoist & Winch-sponsored #111. Powell edged a great effort by Lambert for second. Brian Booher came from 14th to place fourth over 13th starter Steve Hollabaugh. Sixth through tenth were Rusty Moore, Chris Haines, Frank Guidace, Ben Black, and Mike Anderson (Jr.). Powell and Blair also won the heats over the regular show high 18-car field.
McElwain Motors FASTRAK Late Models (20 laps): 1. MAX BLAIR (111) 2. Bobby Powell (Bidwell B1D) 3. Butch Lambert (27) 4. Brian Booher (00H) 5. Steve Hollabaugh (3H) 6. Rusty Moore (17M) 7. Chris Haines (35H) 8. Frank Guidace (1G) 9. Ben Black (27B) 10. Mike Anderson, Jr. (72) 11. Dave Airgood, Jr. (42JR) 12. Wayne Mohawk (64) 13. Tyler Dietz (10) 14. Tom Copeland (98) 15. Rusty Cade (47) 16. Dave Padula (112) 17. Paul Reiser (293) 18. Bill Vance, Jr. (93).
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars July 12 Make-up (20 laps): 1. GALE RUTH, JR. (5x) 2. Rod George (4) 3. Dan Kuriger (08) 4. Jeremy Cook (5L) 5. Arnie Kent (18) 6. Charlie Holben (42G) 7. Eric Williams (76) 8. Paul Kish (Clark 4c) 9. Joe Butera (Matus 3J) 10. Gale Ruth, Sr. (1R) 11. Paul Kapuchuck (10) 12. Brent Matus (33) 13. Chris Shuttleworth (11) 14. Nate Stein (93) 15. John McCracken (63) 16. Brian Ellenberger (20E)-DNS (did not return).
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. ARNIE KENT (18) 2. Andy McKisson (0) 3. Jeremy Cook (5L) 4. Brent Matus (33) 5. Charlie Holben (42G) 6. Rod George (4) 7. Gale Ruth, Jr. (5x) 8. Gary Rankin (16) 9. Dan Kuriger (08) 10. Chris Shuttleworth (11) 11. Paul Kish (Clark 4c) 12. Carl Bowser (10) 13. Eric Williams (76) 14. Paul Kapuchuck (10) 15. Joe Butera (Matus 3J) 16. Gale Ruth, Sr. (1R) 17. Sheila Rankin (6) 18. John McCracken (63) 19. Nate Stein (93)-DNS.
Tire Express 358 Modifieds (20 laps): 1. GARRETT KRUMMERT (29) 2. Gary Smoker (516) 3. Jimmy Holden (28H) 4. Frank Guidace (1G) 5. Lonny Riggs (Black 58) 6. Eric Gabany (3E) 7. Rick Hall (B2) 8. Matt Reeher (711) 9. Kevin Green (74) 10. Mark Frankhouser (03) 11. Dillon McElrath (7) 12. Dave Cogswell (8) 13. Brian Fink (Brown 67J) 14. Jr. Baker (359) 15. Rick Kress (222) 16. Fred Sasse (0) 17. Wayne Bice (66) 18. Mark Bailey (14B) 19. John Buchanan (93) 20. Randy Brown (67R) 21. Matt Howsare (5H) 22. Shayne Izzo (86)-DSQ (light).
Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lite (15 laps): 1. ROD JONES (820) 2. Bud Watson (15) 3. Kenny Meadows (Teague 10T) 4. Lynn Knepper (10) 5. George Englert (11x) 6. Terry Young (98) 7. John Gerula, Jr. (54) 8. Kotie Kirkbride (97N) 9. Josh Sliter (17) 10. Shane Pfeuffer (Lawson 40L) 11.Bill Stivason (116) 12. Richard Lawson (70x7) 13. Mark Marcucci (8M) 14. J.J. Metheney (31c) 15. Alan Knepper (1) 16. Todd Canter (Teague 9T) 17. Bryan Martin (237)-DNS.
(Unofficial) M&D Paving Mini Stocks (12 laps): 1. CURTIS BROWN (67) 2. Dillon Kineston (19) 3. Tyler Powell (36) 4. Stephen Laslo (55) 5. Bill Fuchs (10) 6. Ed Haylett (8-ball) 7. Wally Stearns, Jr. (33) 8. Dan Nagy (17B) 9. Adam Bulfone (19JR) 10. Scott Gilliland (27) 11. Dan McEwen (44) 12. Rudolph Troples (28) 13. Matt Cwynar (21c) 14. John Shannon (14) 15. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57) 16. Sam Kloos (62K) 17. Tim Callahan (Stewart 26T) 18. Pete Blazczak (77) 19. Jordan Gentile-Preston (1P) 20. Jerry Batcher (Blazczak 7) 21. Dillon Barr (15) 22. John Verrill (13) 23. Jim Eddy (22) 24. Chris Myers (c1)-DSQ (refused tech) 25. Kyle Crawford (14c)-DNS.
Upcoming Events:
8/06 Open practice for all divisions. Pits open at 4 p.m. Practice 5 p.m. until dark.
8/09 Sprints, Mods, FASTRAK Late Models, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks plus Kids Bike Races. Free general admission for all New Castle residents presented by Augustine's Italian Village. $10 Family Night presented by Auto Service Express & Armstrong. US Foods Corp Night.
8/16 "The Return". BRP Big-Block Modified Tour ($1,300) plus FASTRAK Late Models ($800), Mod Lites ($300), & Mini Stocks plus 7/12 FASTRAK Late Model make-up feature. Fireworks presented by Walt's of Mercer Plaza. Modified autograph session with current and former racers.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7.
Mercer Raceway Park is located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly late March through early October. The office in New Bedford, Pa. is open year-round late mornings and after 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call the office at 724-964-9300 or the track on race day at 724-662-1310. Check out our website at www.mercerracewaypark.com for the latest.
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