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Mike Leone
HARTFORD, Ohio (May 29) - The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series made their first of three 2010 visits to the Sharon Speedway on Saturday night. A fine field of 33 competitors from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York were on hand to battle in race #3 on the 20-event slate.
It was a script not even Hollywood could have written for Josh Holtgraver. Holtgraver had never seen Sharon Speedway prior to Saturday night. In fact, Holtgraver had no plans of being at Sharon a few days prior when he was making preparations to head south to compete in the FASTRAK Triple Crown. The forecast of thunderstorms nixed those plans late week and Holtgraver decided to stay home and maintain his Northeast Touring Series points.
After getting caught up in scary accident the night prior at Raceway 7, Holtgraver still wasn't sure Saturday morning if he would be able to make Sharon. After making repairs and arriving at Sharon, Holtgraver faced his next obstacle when his trailer door wouldn't come down. After working feverishly to make repairs to the trailer, Holtgraver was finally able to get his night underway.
When all was said and done, not even Holtgraver himself could believe he was declared the winner of the $1,200 feature after apparent winner David Scott was disqualified in post-race tech due to non-GM valve seals.
"It's unfortunate Dave Scott was disqualified," stated the 21-year-old Pittsburgh, Pa. racer. "He had a good car and ran a good race. I didn't enough to beat him. After last night, this is a definitely a good one. I have to give special thanks to my dad, all my sponsors, and everyone else that helps out and cheers for us."
Holtgraver's luck turned when he was the last one to draw for the top 12 redraw following the heat races and the number one pill was left putting him on the pole of the night's 25-lap feature. Holtgraver quickly raced to the early lead with Scott moving past Dennis Lunger, Jr. for second on the opening lap.
Following a restart for Garrett Mott's spin, Scott used the outside to power past Holtgraver off turn two on lap two for the lead. Lunger would lose the third spot when he slowed to bring out the caution with two laps completed moving Butch Lambert to third for the restart.
All eyes were on Mike Pegher, Jr. as he began to make his way forward. Pegher started seventh and took advantage of the outside to drive around Lambert for third on the restart. Lambert though was strong and he and Pegher began a great battle as Lambert regained third on lap four.
By lap six the top four cars of Scott, Holtgraver, Lambert, and Pegher quickly distanced themselves from the field. Scott caught lapped traffic for the first time of the event on lap nine and had a half-straightaway lead built up at this point. Action then was slowed again when Joe Martin and Brian Booher tangled with nine laps completed.
When green replaced yellow, Pegher again used the outside to get by Lambert for third on lap 10. Tenth starting Steve Dixon began making his presence known when he cracked the top five on lap 13 getting around Dwayne Pond.
By lap 14, Scott opened up a half-straightaway lead as a four-car race ensued for second with Dixon joining the battle. That ended when the event's final caution was brought out for Tyler Barris was 16 laps in the record books.
When action resumed, Lambert was able to use the outside this time to get past Pegher and all of a sudden 21st starting Gary Knollinger became a player. The West Virginia racer was also able to get by Pegher to take fourth on lap 17. Knollinger was strong on the bottom as drove by Lambert for third. Lambert didn't give up as three laps later raced back by Knollinger to regain third. Meanwhile, Dixon continued his march forward taking fourth spot from Pegher with an inside move on lap 23.
The closing laps saw Holtgraver inch closer to Scott, but he would run out of time as Scott took the checkered by 0.921 seconds over Holtgraver. The Touring Series defending champion though was stripped of his victory in post-race tech for as stated earlier for the non-GM valve seals.
Holtgraver's biggest career win came in the Troy Shields owned, D&T Autobody/Weaver Auto Sales/Zarin Truck & Automotive/Weidner Heating & Air/Flinner Signs & Decals-sponsored #00 Rocket Chassis. Holtgraver became the 18th different Northeast Touring Series winner in the 37-race history of the Series meaning nearly a different winner every other race! His only other prior FASTRAK-sanctioned win came last year on October 10 when he defeated a 25-car field at Mercer Raceway Park in a non-winners event.
Lambert turned in his season best FASTRAK effort in second. Knollinger ended a strong night advancing 18 positions to finish third topping his fourth place effort at Tyler County Speedway on May 15. Dixon came home fourth in his Northeast Touring Series debut. Pegher was credited with fifth.
Touring regulars Dan Angelicchio and Dwayne Pond recorded their season best Touring finishes in sixth and seventh. Ben Black, Shane Bambarger, and Kyle Zimmerman made their first Touring Series starts of the year and had solid finishes of eighth, ninth, and 10th respectively.
It was a rough night for Mike Blose and Max Blair, who entered the night tied atop the Northeast Touring Series standings. Blose was running in a qualified spot in his heat when engine woes ended his night. Blair slapped the wall in his heat race and was the last car to transfer through the B main to the feature. After starting 24th, Blair finished 11th, which was good enough to maintain the point lead by just four over Knollinger and seven over Holtgraver.
Heat winners were Pegher, Pond, Dixon, and Angelicchio. Knollinger and Jamie Brown won the two B mains.
FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #3 (25 laps, $1,200 to-win): 1. JOSH HOLTGRAVER (00) 2. Butch Lambert (27) 3. Gary Knollinger (38K) 4. Steve Dixon (50) 5. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 6. Dan Angelicchio (14) 7. Dwayne Pond (Bidwell B1D) 8. Ben Black (27B) 9. Shane Bambarger (68B) 10. Kyle Zimmerman (z17) 11. Dennis Lunger, Jr. (Schwartz 17L) 12. Bud Watson (2) 13. Rocky Kugel (7KRT) 14. Max Blair (111) 15. Brian Booher (Hoover 00H) 16. Troy Shields (11) 17. Bill Cunningham (44c) 18. Joe Martin (55) 19. Jason Stanke (44) 20. Garrett Mott (43x) 21. Jamie Brown (135) 22. Tyler Barris (32B) 23. Rusty Cade (47) 24. David Scott (Powell 100)-DSQ (no GM valve seals).
B main 1 non-qualifiers: 3. Chris Austin (Law 14) 4. Josh Double (38) 5. Matt Cobb (75) 6. Tom Copeland (98)-DNS 7. Mike Blose (5)-DNS.
B main 2 non-qualifiers: 3. John Haggerty (49) 4. Bob Diver (23) 5. Dave Airgood, Jr. (42JR) 6. Justin Kreider (29).
Heat winners: Pegher, Pond, Dixon, Angelicchio
B main winners: Knollinger, Brown.
Car count: 33
The FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series next event will be at the McKean County Raceway in East Smethport, Pa. on Saturday, June 19 for a $5,000 to-win event.
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