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Mike Leone
MERCER, Penn. (August 7) - It was a welcome relief as sunny skies and no chance of rain were present over Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday night allowing for a great night of racing to be completed. Celebrating wins in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane were Danny Holtgraver-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Lonny Riggs & Jeff Schaffer-Approved Toilet Rentals Modifieds, Josh Double-4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models, Steve D'Apolito-Big Daddy's Speed Center Stock Cars, Lynn Knepper-Mod Lites, and Jerry Batcher-M&D Paving Mini Stocks.
A large crowd turned out for Free New Castle Night presented by Fat Jimmys BBQ and the third annual "Racing for a Cure" American Cancer Society Benefit Night. Thousands of dollars were raised for the America Cancer Society. Modified driver Jerry Twentier, Sr. was the highest driver raising nearly $600 as he raced in support of the Visiting Nurses Association of Western PA and had approximately 50 additional individuals join the cause!
Second-year FASTRAK Late Model driver Josh Double earned his first career win in the 20-lap 4 Your Car Connection feature as the 17-year-old driver became the sixth different winner of the season. "The car was really good- it was awesome," stated the Bristolville, Ohio racer. "Luck hasn't been going our way so much this year, but maybe we have it turned around now. I'd like to thank all my sponsors, my mom, dad, and uncle Skip."
None of the feature starters had ever won a FASTRAK race at Mercer so a new winner would emerge.
Mike Anderson, Sr. charged to the early lead with Billy Cunningham and Tyler Dietz in tow. Double passed Dietz for third on lap three. Anderson was doing everything he could to hold off Cunningham and Double, who were all over the leader.
A caution for a spin by Justin Kreider slowed action for the first time of the event with eight laps completed. When racing resumed, Double got under Cunningham going into turn one to grab second then flew under Anderson in turn four to lead lap nine. Double would pull away as three cautions were all that slowed his way to victory lane in the Scott Double-owned, Cortland Auto Repair/Williams Excavating/Glenn Industries/Wedge Motorsports/King Bros. Excavating-sponsored #38.
Kyle Zimmerman made a great move on the outside on lap 17 to pass both Anderson and Cunningham to finish second. Zimmerman, who has all but wrapped up his first championship, finished second for the amazing fifth time this year in nine races as he just keeps coming up a little shy on his first ever Mercer win. Cunningham and Garrett Mott were able to get around Anderson in the closing laps to finish third and fourth respectively. It was Cunningham's first ever Mercer start and a career best Mercer finish by Mott. Anderson dropped to fifth. Newcomer Bob Dorman of New York was sixth with Leigh Wheeler, Ron Smithley, Kreider, and Rusty Cade completing the top 10. Anderson and Double won the heats.
4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models (20 laps): 1. JOSH DOUBLE (38) 2. Kyle Zimmerman (z17) 3. Billy Cunningham (44c) 4. Garrett Mott (43x) 5. Mike Anderson, Sr. (72) 6. Bob Dorman (19) 7. Leigh Wheeler (Smith 717) 8. Ron Smithley (13s) 9. Justin Kreider (29) 10. Rusty Cade (47) 11. Tyler Dietz (10).
Luxaire Heating & Cooling (410) Sprint Cars (20 laps, $1,500 to-win): 1. DANNY HOLTGRAVER (D4) 2. Brian Ellenberger (22) 3. Andy McKisson (0) 4. Arnie Kent (Dionise 15) 5. Carl Bowser (10) 6. Todd Bauer (45) 7. Eric Williams (7) 8. John Smith (42) 9. Brandon Spithaler (22) 10. Brian Steinman (24s) 11. Bob Felmlee (6) 12. Davey Jones (76) 13. John McCracken, Sr. (63) 14. Pete Miller III (3) 15. Dan Kuriger (08) 16. John McCracken, Jr. (79) 17. Duffy Smith (Kempthorn 38K)-DNS.
Approved Toilet Rentals (358) Modified July 24 Make-up (20 laps): 1. LONNY RIGGS (Black 58) 2. Rick Hall (B2) 3. Frank Guidace (1G) 4. Jimmy Holden (28H) 5. Matt Reeher (711) 6. Jeff Schaffer (14) 7. Eric Gabany (3E) 8. Steve Young (Schaffer 10) 9. Kevin Green (74) 10. Dustin Martin (29D) 11. Greg Unrue, Jr. (5) 12. Brian Fingado (13F) 13. Jerry Twentier, Sr. (6) 14. Chris Dye (23D) 15. Dillion McElrath (7) 16. Charles Johnson (48J)-DNS.
Approved Toilet Rentals (358) Modifieds (20 laps): 1. JEFF SCHAFFER (14) 2. Frank Guidace (1G) 3. Mike Stine (7s) 4. Jimmy Holden (28H) 5. Rick Hall (B2) 6. Mark Frankhouser (03) 7. Matt Reeher (711) 8. Dustin Martin (29D) 9. Tom Holden (15H) 10. Clyde Gumpp (51) 11. Steve Young (Schaffer 10) 12. Greg Unrue, Jr. (5) 13. Eric Gabany (3E) 14. Brian Fingado (13F) 15. Kevin Green (74) 16. Charles Johnson (48J) 17. Jerry Twentier, Sr. (6)-DNS 18. Lonny Riggs (Black 58)-DNS 19. Dillion McElrath (7)-DNS 20. Chris Dye (23D)-DNS.
Big Daddy's Speed Center Stock Cars (15 laps): 1. STEVE D'APOLITO (84) 2. Bryan Wagner (56) 3. Terry Wheeler (2W) 4. Clay Ruffo (38R) 5. Gary Miller, Jr. (1M) 6. Shaun Hooks (Janovick 65) 7. Matt Rubright (35) 8. Tony Bruno (97) 9. Travis Walsh (1) 10. Chip Walsh (36) 11. Chris Haines (35H) 12. Dwight Boice (528) 13. Matt Wagner (12) 14. Russ Byler (06R).
Mod Lites (15 laps, $300 to-win): 1. LYNN KNEPPER (10) 2. Alan Knepper (20) 3. Rick Ament (27) 4. Mark Marcucci (8M) 5. Shane Pfeuffer (717) 6. Curtis Stivason (36s) 7. Levi Spinneweber (10s) 8. Richard Lawson (70x7) 9. Kotie Kirkbride (97N) 10. Matt Patterson (13M) 11. Andy Feil (08) 12. Darin Gallagher (12) 13. Kevin Sevacko (76) 14. Jeff Teeters (23).
"Leland Haylett Memorial" M&D Paving Mini Stocks (15 laps): 1. JERRY BATCHER (Blazczak 7) 2. Pete Blazczak (77) 3. Mike McConnell (31) 4. Ed Haylett (8-ball) 5. Steve Longwell, Jr. (17K) 6. Wally Stearns, Jr. (33) 7. E.J. Rarer (3J) 8. Jeremy Double (83) 9. Byron Kress (62) 10. Rudolph Troples III (28) 11. Buck Buchanan, Jr. (93) 12. Todd Gabriel (33G) 13. Brad Shaffer (17) 14. Jeff Little (42) 15. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57)-DNS 16. Tim Callahan (54)-DNS.
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