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Mike Leone
STRONGSTOWN, Penn. (September 5) - The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series headed to Jim and Sharon Michny's Dog Hollow Speedway for their second and final stop of the visit of the season on Friday night at the Strongstown, Pa. oval. While rain fell over many areas in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and western New York where many of the Series regulars are from, race #10 of the 12-race series was able to be completed under mostly clear skies.
As hard it's to believe, Dick Barton hasn't been one of the different winners on the highly-competitive FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series, but that changed on Friday night as the standout veteran captured the 25-lap feature to become the ninth different winner in 10 events this season. The $1,200 victory was the Ashville New York driver's fourth of his career in Touring Series competition breaking the tie with John Lacki for all-time Series wins.
Kevin Meadows raced past pole-sitter Ron Smithley with third starting Barton trailing. Barton would take the lead on the third lap with eighth starting Mike Pegher, Jr. trailing. Pegher followed Barton lap after lap. On lap 17, Pegher tried to go to the outside of Barton to take the lead. The duo went three-wide lapping point leader Max Blair, but Pegher would loop his mount bringing out the caution.
Barton would survive five cautions to take his first Dog Hollow win in the Ron Nielson-owned, Raceway 7/The Bolt Place-sponsored #28B. Barton, who missed the opening Touring Series event at McKean, has advanced to second in points and cut Blair's 40-point lead down to 19.
Dennis Lunger, Jr. started fifth and inherited second after the Pegher spin. Lunger went on for his best career Touring Series finish as he's put together a string of five straight solid finishes after a stretch of four straight did not finishes.
After his career first victory at Tri-City Speedway last Sunday, Carl McKinney turned in another strong performance in third after starting 13th. John Lacki and Rusty Moore were fourth and fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Roger Laughlin, Bob Kish, Bert Cleer, Chad Wilds, and Meadows. Heat winners were Dan Angelicchio, Moore, and Barton over the season-low 23-car field.
FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #10 (25 laps $1,200 to-win): 1. DICK BARTON (Nielson 28B) 2. Dennis Lunger, Jr. (Schwartz 17L) 3. Carl McKinney (6M) 4. John Lacki (7) 5. Rusty Moore (17M) 6. Roger Laughlin (53L) 7. Bob Kish (5) 8. Bert Cleer (51) 9. Chad Wilds (22c) 10. Kevin Meadows (Welsch 49) 11. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1C) 12. Tyler Dietz (10) 13. Bobby Powell (Bidwell B1D) 14. Ron Smithley (13s) 15. Andy Buckley (Robinson 34R) 16. Kirby Tucker (53) 17. Joe Zulinsky (58) 18. Justin Kann (Powell 100) 19. Tom Snyder, Jr. (1F) 20. Mike Laughard (38L) 21. Sammy Stile (X7) 22. Max Blair (111) 23. Dan Angelicchio (14)
Lap leaders: Kevin Meadows (1-2), Dick Barton (3-25)
Heat winners: Dan Angelicchio, Rusty Moore, Dick Barton
Car count: 23
Next up for the FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will be the second event at Mercer Raceway Park Saturday, September 13. The event will pay $1,200 to-win, $150 to-start. For more information, check out www.mercerracewaypark.com.
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