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Mike Leone
CORTLAND, Ohio (June 30) - The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series made their third annual visit to Expo Speedway during the Trumbull County Fair on Wednesday night. Sunny skies and fall-like conditions greeted race fans and 27 drivers from three different states for race #7 of 20 on the 2010 slate.
Last year, Max Blair scored a controversial victory over an unhappy David Scott. On Wednesday night, the duo went at it hard again with Blair making a thrilling last lap turn four pass of Scott for the exciting win. This time, Scott congratulated Blair in victory lane after the 30-lap finale that was worth $2,000 to-win.
"I thought I was a lot better than Dave was," acknowledged the 20-year-old Centerville, Pa. driver after his second 2010 Northeast Touring Series victory of the season. "A driver of his caliber doesn't make many mistakes and when he does he corrects it in a hurry. He got into me a little in (turns) one and two, but that was okay. I came down the backstretch and thought I still had a shot. I wasn't sure if I should turn down and settle for second, but I decided to go for it on the outside. It was either going to work or I was going to end up in the field. This place is a lot of fun! There's no place like it that we run."
Josh Holtgraver drew the pole, but it was veteran Bill Cunningham taking the advantage. Holtgraver stayed with Cunningham and pulled even on lap four. The two ran side-by-side with Holtgraver grabbing the lead in turn one. It was a rough lap for Cunningham, who lost second to eighth starting Mike Pegher, Jr. in turn two, and third and fourth to Scott and Blair in turn four.
Scott, who started fifth, flew under Pegher for second on lap five and Blair followed in third one lap later. Eleventh starting Alan Dellinger cracked the top five on lap 11 when he passed Cunningham. Following a restart for a spin by Larry Kugel and Bob Diver with 11 laps completed, Dellinger and Gary Knollinger moved past Pegher for fourth and fifth.
Meanwhile up front, Scott powered by Holtgraver on the inside of turn four to lead lap 12. Blair continued to follow Scott to the front as he took second from Holtgraver on lap 13. By lap 19 it was a three-car race with Blair and Holtgraver closing in on Scott. Blair was all over Scott for the next three laps until the caution waved for Dellinger, who slowed with a flat tire with 22 laps scored.
With Dellinger out of contention, Butch Lambert moved into the fourth position and took third on the restart after Holtgraver slipped high. As the laps wound down, Blair was literally all over Scott trying to find a way by. He tried every move imaginable on laps 26-29. With the white flag in the air, Scott looked like he may be able to capture his first win of the season, but Tyler Barris would bring out the final caution setting up a one-lap shootout to the finish.
Scott chose the inside on the double file restart. When the green flag waved, Blair got a good restart as he nosed ahead past the flag strand. Scott drove hard into turn one pulling alongside Blair and had the advantage coming off turn two. Scott tried stretching out his lead down the backstretch, but Blair stayed close.
Rather than trying to dive under Scott in turns three and four, Blair surprised many when he stayed hard on the gas on the outside of the big 5/8-mile oval . Blair ran a smooth line and carried his momentum past Scott as the duo raced off turn four. It was a drag race down the frontstretch with Blair victorious for his all-time leading seventh career Northeast Touring Series win in his Specialty Products/4 Your Car Connection/Moody & Son Welding/Bossard's Sales & Service-sponsored #111, and extended his point lead over Pegher.
Scott, the defending Northeast Touring Series champion, was a season best second. After starting 13th, Lambert came home a solid third for his third top three finish in the past five races. After failing to finish in the top 10 of the first four events, Bud Watson charged from 15th and recorded his third straight top eight finish matching a season best fourth place effort. Making his first ever Expo appearance, Troy Shields made the long tow up from Acme, Pa. a successful one with a career best Touring Series finish of fifth after starting 14th. Shields also made a big leap in points from 15th to a tie for ninth.
Joe Martin was another driving turning in a season best finish as he rallied from a 21st starting spot to finish sixth. Bob Diver battled back from the accident on lap 12 to finish seventh in just his second Touring Series start of the season. Holtgraver was a disappointing eighth after clipping a yuke tire. Chris Angelicchio made his season debut on the Touring Series a positive one finishing ninth after starting 20th. Congrats to longtime Touring Series faithful supporter Tom Copeland, who recorded his first ever top 10 finish after starting 22nd.
Heat winners were Holtgraver, Scott, and Shane Bambarger, while Bryan Force won the B main. Super Late Model standout Matt Lux made his first ever FASTRAK start subbing for Dwayne Pond in Scott Bidwell's #B1D. Lux had a strong run going advancing from 12th to sixth, but mechanical problems forced him pit side. Veteran Larry Kugel subbed for his son Rocky in his #7KRT. Charles Daugherty made the trip up from Cambridge, Ohio in his first ever Northeast Touring Series start and finished 15th.
FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #7 (30 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. MAX BLAIR (111) 2. David Scott (Powell 100) 3. Butch Lambert (27) 4. Bud Watson (2) 5. Troy Shields (11) 6. Joe Martin (55) 7. Bob Diver (23) 8. Josh Holtgraver (00) 9. Chris Angelicchio (4) 10. Tom Copeland (98) 11. Bryan Force (31) 12. Tyler Barris (32B) 13. Alan Dellinger (Williams 8) 14. Dan Karalagas (G1) 15. Charles Daugherty (22) 16. Gary Knollinger (38K) 17. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 18. Matt Lux (Bidwell B1D) 19. Bill Cunningham (59) 20. Colton Flinner (75) 21. Kyle Lukon (1) 22. Josh Double (38) 23. Larry Kugel (7KRT) 24. Shane Bambarger (68B).
B main Non Qualifiers: 7. Jim Long (71) 8. Justin Kreider (29) 9. Jason Stanke (44).
Lap leaders: Cunningham (1-3), Holtgraver (4-11), Scott (12-29), Blair (30)
Heat winners: Holtgraver, Scott, Bambarger
B main winner: Force
Car count: 27
The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will resume action this Saturday, July 3 for a $6,000 to-win event at Mercer Raceway Park. Pits open at 3:30 with hot laps at 6:15 followed by one-lap qualifying and racing at 7 p.m.
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