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Mike Leone
MERCER, Penn. (June 12) - After five rainouts in the past seven race nights at Mercer Raceway Park, the prospects of racing didn't look promising with an 80% chance of rain for Saturday and Saturday night; however, only a brief sprinkle fell as sunshine was present for the majority of the day and evening allowing the program to be completed.
Celebrating in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane were Bob Felmlee-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Jimmy Holden-Approved Toilet Rentals Modifieds, Max Blair-4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models, Chris Haines-Big Daddy's Speed Center Stock Cars, and Lee Lehnerd-M&D Paving Mini Stocks. It was $10 Family Night presented by Klingensmith's Drugstore and Lambert Racing/Bagel Bites Corp. Night.
On April 10, Ed Lynch, Jr. ended a two and half year winless drought at Mercer. On May 15, Danny Holtgraver returned to victory lane for the first time in three years at Mercer. Saturday night, it was Bob Felmlee ending his winless spell at Mercer capturing his first Sprint Car victory at the 3/8-mile oval since April 26, 2008. Felmlee's victory came in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature and was worth $1,500 plus a certificate for a Goodyear Tire.
"That was great," expressed the Franklin, Pa. veteran racer. "I like to start on the pole and get out front and do my own thing. My foot was down hard on the floor and never lifted other than turn three. That was Chad Reitz's line in the Modified that I was using there. I have to thank Chad, Woody, and my mom is here tonight; Keizer Wheels, the Goodyear Tire deal, Vinyl Graphics, and everybody that's helps us out- I greatly appreciate it."
Felmlee started on the pole moved up ahead of outside pole-sitter Carl Bowser just past the flag stand. It was a hard race into turns one and two, but Felmlee prevailed over Bowser. Two-time winner Mike Lutz slid off turns three and four and landed on his side bringing a halt to racing action with one lap completed.
When racing resumed, seventh and eighth starting Ed Lynch, Jr. and Rod George moved into the top five getting by Chris Best. Lynch pressured newcomer Andy McKisson for third on laps four, five, and six before making the move driving under McKisson in turns one and two for the spot.
Felmlee caught lapped traffic on lap nine, while Lynch closed on Bowser for second. Lynch made a great move on lap 10 driving under Bowser in turn four using the lapped car of Brian Steinman to his advantage stealing away second. The event was slowed for the second and final time when Holtgraver spun with 12 laps completed.
The last eight laps went green-to-checkered as Felmlee drove off unchallenged in his World of Wheels/Lutz Auto Body-sponsored to his 24th career win at the track tying him for seventh on the all-time win list with Arnie Kent and Rod George. Lynch's runner-up extended his point lead and earned him another Goodyear Tire hard charger certificate. Bowser was third. McKisson edged George by a wheel for the fourth spot. Dan Kuriger, Holtgraver, and Best were sixth through eighth. Eric Williams was the last car on the lead lap and earned a Goodyear Tire certificate. Steinman was 10th. Heat winners were Lutz and George, who won the random draw Goodyear Tire certificates.
Jimmy Holden has been a two-time winner at Sportsman's Speedway this year and on Saturday night captured his first of the year at Mercer holding off a staunch late race challenge by Jeff Schaffer to win the 20-lap Approved Toilet Rentals Modified feature.
"This is unbelievable," stated the Tiona, Pa. star who took over the division's point lead. "The car was absolutely brilliant at the beginning. There was nothing we could have done to make it any better, but we lost a little tail weight at the end. I saw Schaffer there with two to go under me a couple times. He had some good runs, just not quite enough. We did a great job and he obviously did too. He was putting the pressure on me. It means a lot to win here; these guys bring it every week."
The race's only caution came on the opening lap when second place starter Kevin Green got tangled up and collected five other cars in turns three and four. When racing resumed, Holden marched into the lead, while Schaffer was able to get by Rick Hall for the second position. Seventh starting Gary Smoker drove by Hall for third on the backstretch on lap six.
Holden began to pull away from Schaffer just past the halfway point, but Schaffer caught back up to Holden on lap 17. Schaffer was all over Holden in the final three laps getting alongside the race leader, but Holden had just enough to hold on for his sixth career win in the Dean Holden-owned, Holden Oil & Gas/Holden Precision Machine/DAH Oil/Jet Water Hauling-sponsored #28H. After the early caution, the race went non-stop in 5 minutes and 52 seconds.
Smoker was third over Hall and Matt Reeher as all five top five finishes recorded their season best finishes. Sixth through tenth were Eric Gabany, Steve Barr, Frank Guidace, Dave Shook, and Clyde Gumpp. Hall and Lonny Riggs won the heats.
After five rainouts and missing two other events due to Northeast Touring Series events, Max Blair returned to Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday night for the first time since April 10 and made it three-for-three in 2010 in the 4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Model division.
"I say this every single week, but this place just keeps getting nicer and nicer," described the 20-year-old Centerville, Pa. racer. "The track prep crew does a heck of a job here every single week. This is one of the nicest places to race I go to. It's definitely on my top two favorite tracks I've ever been to."
Blair led all 20 laps and only two cautions for spins by Mike Anderson, Jr. on lap six were all that slowed his run to the checkered. Blair's all-time division-leading 10th career win came in his Specialty Products/4 Your Car Connection/Moody & Son Welding/Bossard's Sales & Service-sponsored #111.
Behind Blair, great racing was taking place for second through sixth. Dwayne Pond, Brian Booher, and Butch Lambert took over second through fourth from Joe Martin on lap two. Lambert and Booher swapped third and fourth numerous times with Lambert getting by for good on lap 12. Lambert was right on Pond on lap 17, but Pond had just enough to hold on for second. Lambert was third in his first start in 2010. Booher was fourth over eighth starting Kyle Zimmerman, who continues to maintain a big point lead. Martin fell to sixth with Sean Puz, Leigh Wheeler, Rusty Cade, and Shawn Schaltenbrand rounding out the top 10. Booher and Pond won the heat races.
Point leader Chris Haines finished runner-up in the first four Stock Car races of the season and throw in three second place heat finishes. On Saturday night, Haines finally registered a P1 taking the victory in the 15-lap Big Daddy's Speed Center feature for the first time in nearly three seasons.
"I'm tired of finishing second," stated the Sandy Lake, Pa. driver, who will be doing double duty this Saturday night competing with the BRP Modified Tour. "I'm glad we finally won. We've put in a lot of hours at work and finished up at 5 tonight to get here. I was kind of glad for the rainouts really. That was a shame for Steve (D'Apolito) when he broke. He was definitely going to beat me. I was trying to keep up with him, but that's the way it goes."
Dwight Boice led the first three laps before fourth starting Steve D'Apolito drove under the leader in turns one and two, while Haines passed Terry Wheeler for third. Haines took second away from Boice on the lap six restart. Shaun Hooks moved to third on lap seven getting by Boice.
D'Apolito looked poised for his third win of the season, but after racing numerous laps with a packed right rear tire full of mud, the entire rear axle let go on his mount on lap 12 handing the lead to Haines. Haines then went on for his second career win, but first since August 11, 2007 in his Lakeview Fertilizer/Jerry Lucas Auto-sponsored #35H.
Hooks and Boice crossed the finish line in second and third, but were disqualified in post-race tech. Wheeler and Charlie McMillen were credited for second and third for their best finishes of the season. Bryan Wagner matched his season best fourth place finish with newcomer Chip Walsh completing the top five. Wheeler and D'Apolito won the heat races.
Lee Lehnerd barley held off hard charging Tim Callahan to become the first repeat winner in 2010 in the Mini Stocks. Lehnerd won the last time racing was held on May 15 in the 12-lap M&D Paving feature. "We are talking to a company about sponsoring us for the rest of the season," explained the Cabot, Pa. driver. "We'd like to run here the rest of the season for points. I kept looking and I couldn't see anybody, but I saw him (Callahan) coming off turn four."
Four starting Pete Blazczak charged to the lead, while Lehnerd made his way from eighth to fourth on the initial lap. Lehnerd then passed newcomers Todd Gabriel and Troy Norman for second on lap two. Blazczak led until lap six when his car lost power handing the lead to Lehnerd with seventh starting Callahan up to second. Callahan gave it his best to become the seventh different winner in as many races as he was all over Lehnerd from laps 10 to the finish, but Lehnerd had just enough to hold on his #71 for his fourth career win. Norman was third with season best finishes by Merle Black and Ed Haylett in fourth and fifth. Callahan and Wally Stearns, Jr. won the heat races.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling (410) Sprint Cars (20 laps, $1,500 to-win): 1. BOB FELMLEE (6) 2. Ed Lynch, Jr. (2L) 3. Carl Bowser (10) 4. Andy McKisson (0) 5. Rod George (4) 6. Dan Kuriger (08) 7. Danny Holtgraver (D4) 8. Chris Best (66) 9. Eric Williams (7) 10. Brian Steinman (24s) 11. Mike Lutz (Chappel 8) 12. John McCracken, Jr. (79)-DNS.
Approved Toilet Rentals (358) Modifieds (20 laps): 1. JIMMY HOLDEN (28H) 2. Jeff Schaffer (14) 3. Gary Smoker (516) 4. Rick Hall (B2) 5. Matt Reeher (711) 6. Eric Gabany (3E) 7. Steve Barr (Hinkle 77) 8. Frank Guidace (1G) 9. Dave Shook (17s) 10. Clyde Gumpp (51) 11. Chris Myers (1c) 12. Steve Young (Schaffer 10) 13. Kevin Green (74) 14. Lonny Riggs (Black 58) 15. Dustin Martin (29D)-DNS.
4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models (20 laps): 1. MAX BLAIR (111) 2. Dwayne Pond (Bidwell B1D) 3. Butch Lambert (27) 4. Brian Booher (Hoover 00H) 5. Kyle Zimmerman (z17) 6. Joe Martin (55) 7. Sean Puz (33) 8. Leigh Wheeler (Smith 717) 9. Rusty Cade (47) 10. Shawn Schaltenbrand (26) 11. Justin Kreider (29) 12. Mike Anderson, Jr. (72).
Big Daddy's Speed Center Stock Cars (15 laps): 1. CHRIS HAINES (35H) 2. Terry Wheeler (2W) 3. Charlie McMillen (61M) 4. Bryan Wagner (56) 5. Chip Walsh (36) 6. Earl Snyder (19) 7. Steve D'Apolito (84) 8. Matt Wagner (12) 9. Shawn Hooks (Janovick 65)-DSQ (carburetor spacer) 10. Dwight Boice (528)-DSQ (valve springs) 11. Greg Fornataro (77)-DNS.
M&D Paving Mini Stocks (12 laps): 1. LEE LEHNERD (71) 2. Tim Callahan (54) 3. Troy Norman (19) 4. Merle Black (76) 5. Ed Haylett (8-ball) 6. Byron Kress (62) 7. Pete Blazczak (77) 8. Todd Gabriel (33G) 9. Wally Stearns, Jr. (33) 10. Mike McConnell (31) 11. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57).
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