|
Mike Leone
FRANKLIN, Penn. (September 5) - The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series returned to Tri-City Speedway for the second and final time of the 2010 racing season and once again as part of the "Oil Region Labor Day Classic". After rain washed out the FASTRAK Weekly Series event on Saturday, sunshine and cool temps returned on Sunday allowing for race #17 of 20 on the Northeast Touring Series to be completed.
The new winners just keep on coming. For the third straight event and for the fifth time in the past seven races, a new face has stood in victory lane for the first time in their career in Touring Series competition. On Sunday, it was Bud Watson scoring an upset for not only his first ever Touring Series victory, but first ever in a Late Model! Watson became the amazing 12th different winner in 17 Touring Series events in 2010!
Watson passed Gary Knollinger, who started the trend of new winners back on July 29 at Sharon, with a three-wide move on lap three and held off a furious last lap charge by Kyle Lukon to score the popular win in the 25-lap feature. Watson, who just picked up the ride in the John and Janet Powell #100 on Friday night, gave the team a sweep of both Touring Series event wins at Tri-City after David Scott won the July 18 event for the defending Series championship car owners.
"I'm shaking like crazy," expressed the Conneaut, Ohio 17-year-old. "This is the first one I've ever won in a Late Model. The last time I won (Mod Lite) it was a last lap shootout too. We had a good run. I figured if I just held my line I'd be ok. Racing Kyle (Lukon) at the end, I knew that he was in a good position on the outside, and I had to make a charge at the end. We touched a little, but rubbing's racing. This is a match made in heaven. I am proud to drive this car, and I have to thank my parents and the Powells for everything they have done for me. This is awesome to be in victory lane."
Knollinger used the outside to power by Lukon for the lead at the start as Watson followed from fourth driving around Dan Angelicchio and Lukon. A caution for John Volpe and Doug Iorio II on lap two brought out the first of two cautions for the event.
When racing resumed, it was three-wide off turn two as a mad scramble took place for the lead with Watson coming out on top, Lukon taking second, and Knollinger dropping to third. Believe it or not, it was three-wide again on lap four as Watson barely edged out Knollinger this lap with Lukon back to third. Lukon and Knollinger really went at it swapping second back and forth. Lukon regained it on lap five, but Knollinger wanted it more on lap seven.
While Lukon and Knollinger battled with Lukon getting the second spot for good on lap 13, not far behind them Angelicchio and Max Blair were putting on their own battle. Blair, who started 11th, took the fifth position on lap eight, lost it on lap 12, and regained it on lap 15. With 10 laps now to go, Watson began to pull away as Blair looked like he was ready to make his charge. Blair drove under Lambert for fourth on lap 20 and two laps later shot under Knollinger for third using the lapped car of Tyler Barris.
It looked like Watson had his first win in the bag, but a caution for a slowing Shane Bambarger with 24 laps completed would make Watson work for the win. Watson chose the inside with Lukon alongside. The duo raced side-by-side the entire last lap. Lukon got a great run off the outside of turn two and down the backstretch. Lukon carried the momentum into turn three with a slight lead. Watson ran a perfect line around the bottom of turns three and four. With Watson taking the shorter way around, he came out of turn four ahead. Watson moved up slightly and killed Lukon's momentum as Lukon tried to sneak by at the checkered.
Watson's victory was by a mere 0.084 seconds in the Integra Shocks/Countertop Solutions/DMB Graphics-sponsored, Bullitt Chassis #100 to become the 25th different winner in 51 Northeast Touring Series races all-time! The win gave the Powells their fifth career win on the Touring Series.
Lukon's experience on the slick monster half-mile at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway has paid off at Tri-City. Sunday's second place was a career best Touring Series finish as he improved on his great third place effort in the July 18 Touring Series event at Tri-City.
Blair, the 2008 Northeast Touring and National Weekly Series Champions, settled for third and inched one step closer to both championships once again in 2010. Angelicchio, who finished runner-up in the July 18 event, was a close fourth one night after winning both features at PPMS! Lambert was fifth for his seventh top five and 11th top 10 of the season. Knollinger dropped to sixth.
After winning Thursday's Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series event at West Virginia Motor Speedway, it was an off weekend for Mike Pegher, Jr. standards. Pegher could only muster an 11th at the Northeast Touring Series event at Tyler County on Friday, a second and third at PPMS Saturday, and only made it up to seventh on Sunday after starting 13th. Josh Holtgraver was eighth. Josh Double matched his career best Northeast Touring Series effort in ninth from the July 19, 2009 event at Tri-City. Jim Frank, last year's "Oil Region Classic" winner, completed the top 10. Heat winners were Holtgraver, Frank, and Watson. Jamie Brown won the B main. Newcomers to the Series on Sunday were Stock Car graduates Iorio and 12th finishing Rod Laskey.
FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #17 (25 laps, $1,200 to-win): 1. BUD WATSON (Powell 100) 2. Kyle Lukon (1) 3. Max Blair (111) 4. Dan Angelicchio (14) 5. Butch Lambert (27) 6. Gary Knollinger (38) 7. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 8. Josh Holtgraver (00) 9. Josh Double (38) 10. Jim Frank (14*) 11. Dan Karalagas (G1) 12. Rod Laskey (1R) 13. Kyle Zimmerman (z17) 14. Jamie Brown (135) 15. Bobby Whitling (7W) 16. Andrew Wylie (84) 17. Chad Wright (6) 18. Nico Dabecco (1F) 19. Marshall Shunk (99) 20. Tyler Barris (32B) 21. Jeff Broniszewski (08) 22. Doug Iorio II (28) 23. Shane Bambarger (68B) 24. John Volpe (Bidwell B1D) DNQ: Justin Kreider (29).
Heat winners: Holtgraver, Frank, Watson
B main winner: Brown
Lap leaders: Knollinger (1-2), Watson (3-25)
Car count: 25
The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will resume action on Saturday, September 18 at Sharon Speedway for race #18 of 20.
|
