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Mike Leone
MERCER, Penn. (October 2) - Like an old broken record in 2010, after sunny, dry start to the day on Saturday, the clouds and showers rolled in during the evening; and though they persisted on and off all night long, the majority of the season ending "Fall Brawl" was able to be completed.
Celebrating in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane were Max Blair-4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Model Grand Nationals Night 1, Matt Lux-Super Late Models, and Dave Hess, Jr.-United E-Mod Series as northwest Pennsylvania racers completed a clean sweep of the program. The M&D Paving Mini Stock feature was rained out and the payoff was divided equally amongst the drivers. Kargo Quality Cars presented Quaker State Racing jackets to the feature winners.
Max Blair had dreamed about racing with his father Robbie since he was kid. On Saturday night, Max passed Robbie with three laps to go to inch one step closer to the $30,000 FASTRAK Late Model Grand National Championship. Saturday's win was worth $1,500 in the 4 Your Car Connection 30-lap feature. Max was the 2008 winner of this event and will now enter Night 2 this coming Saturday night at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex tied with other FASTRAK Regional Night 1 winners for the point lead. The Championship will be decided on October 23 at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia.
"Since I was five years old sitting in the stands at Raceway 7, I dreamed about racing with dad," expressed the 20-year-old Centerville, Pa. driver. "I always thought someday coming out of turn four we'd be racing for the win. I don't know if it could come any closer than that- especially in a big race like this! That was a lot of fun. We devote every day, every single second to this and this makes it really worthwhile. Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, I'm extremely happy with how this year went- it's the best one I've ever had. I'm going to take one race at a time and see what happens."
Last year's Night 1 winner, Mike Pegher, Jr. drew the pole position and raced to the early lead. Josh Holtgraver passed Shane Bambarger for second on the opening lap. Robbie started sixth and Max fourth and the duo were in fifth and sixth respectively after the first lap. Robbie and Max passed Butch Lambert for fourth and fifth on lap two then both got around Bambarger on lap four for third and fourth.
On lap five, it was a four-car race for the lead with Pegher trying to hold off Holtgraver and the Blair duo. The caution was displayed with six laps completed when Gary Knollinger spun. When racing resumed, ninth starting Steve Dixon was on the move cracking the top five. The Blairs raced side-by-side for third on lap 11 with Max edging ahead; meanwhile Pegher opened up some ground by lap 12.
Pegher caught lapped traffic on lap 14. Holtgraver, Max, and Robbie closed in and were right on the leader on lap 16. One lap later, Pegher slipped high in turn four allowing Holtgraver to take over and Max to second. With 10 laps to go it was a five-car race for the lead as Dixon joined the battle. Max was all over Holtgraver trying to find a way by. The two ran side-by-side for the lead on lap 23, but Holtgraver maintained the advantage.
On lap 25, heartbreak struck for Holtgraver. The leader pushed high off turn four as something broke on his #00 bringing out the third and final caution. Max took over the lead with Robbie now second, Dixon third, and Pegher four. When green replaced yellow, Robbie used the outside to power by Max off turn four to lead lap 26. The father-son duo were side-by-side on lap 27, but Max was able to nose ahead to lead the lap.
Max would hold off his father for his seventh Mercer win of the season and leading 14th all-time in the division at the track in his Specialty Products/4 Your Car Connection/Moody & Son Welding/Bossard's Sales & Service-sponsored #111. Robbie, who finished third in the All Star Super Late Model event back on July 10, made his first ever FASTRAK start at Mercer and finished second.
Dixon crossed the finish line in third, but his finish is in jeopardy as an issue arose with his carburetor in post-race tech. Dixon's carb will be sent away for further review this week and a decision will be rendered on its legality. Bud Watson rebounded from qualifying 29th fastest to finish fifth after starting 13th.
Sixth through tenth were Lambert, 21st starting Troy Shields, first time visitor Kyle Lukon, Jim Frank, and Mike Blose. Heat winners were Lambert, Martin, Blose, and Max Blair, while Shields won the B main. Lambert set fast time over the 32-car field with a lap of 17.724. Despite the 70% chance of rain, drivers were represented from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, West Virginia, and New Jersey.
With a steady light rain falling throughout much of the Super Late Model feature, just 20 of the scheduled 25 laps were completed before the checkered flag was displayed when the intensity of the rain picked up. At that time, Matt Lux was declared the winner after leader John Flinner, Jr. tangled with the slowing John Garvin, Jr. Lux's first ever Late Model win at the track was worth $2,000.
"It's good to be back at Mercer," stated the Franklin, Pa. racer. "I was kicking myself early on for not being on the outside on a restart as I was spinning my tires. I saw the J4 and I got out of the gas, it didn't look like the 4T8 slowed- that's a tough break, but it happens."
Lux led the first 12 laps of the event with Flinner hounding him for the lead. Following a restart, Flinner powered by to lead lap 13. The twosome put on a great show throughout the event as Lux wouldn't go away. With Garvin slowing on lap 20, Flinner wasn't able to avoid him as he made contact and came to a rest. Lux inherited the lead and with the rain coming down harder the race was checkered. Lux's victory in his #21 was the 13th of his career at Mercer, but first since an E-Mod win on April 8, 2006 for the inaugural 2000 "Little Guy Nationals" Stock Car winner.
New York's Greg Oakes moved up to second at the finish after starting 16th and earned $1,000. Eighth starter Derek Frank had a great run taking third for his best finish. World of Outlaw racer Russell King was fourth with Dennis Lunger, Jr. fifth. Completing the top 10 were Tom Bateman, Flinner, Garvin, Pete Alspaugh, and Ben Porter. Rex King and Flinner won the heat races.
4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Model Grand Nationals Night 1 (30 laps, $1,500) (unofficial results): 1. MAX BLAIR (111) 2. Robbie Blair (W11) 3. Steve Dixon (50) 4. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 5. Bud Watson (Powell 100) 6. Butch Lambert (27) 7. Troy Shields (11) 8. Kyle Lukon (1) 9. Jim Frank (14*) 10. Mike Blose (5) 11. Shane Bambarger (68B) 12. Gary Knollinger (38K) 13. Kyle Zimmerman (z17) 14. Dan Karalagas (G1) 15. Bryan Force (31) 16. John Over (K2) 17. Dan Angelicchio (14) 18. Jamie Brown (135) 19. John Lacki (7L) 20. Josh Holtgraver (00) 21. Rick Strickler (Lake 48) 22. Ricky Meglaye (5) 23. Joe Martin (55) 24. Shane Bambarger (68B) DNQ: Jeff Broniszewski (08), Garrett Mott (43x), Justin Kreider (29), Steve Davis (13), Bobby Whitling (7w), Billy Stile III (51), Bobby Cossell IV (50c), Michael Hughes (79).
Super Late Models (20 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. MATT LUX (21) 2. Greg Oakes (22) 3. Derek Frank (16*) 4. Russell King (56) 5. Dennis Lunger (Schwartz 17L) 6. Tom Bateman (86) 7. John Flinner, Jr. (4T8) 8. John Garvin, Jr. (J4) 9. Pete Alspaugh (21A) 10. Ben Porter (16B) 11. Dave Hess, Jr. (44) 12. Greg Gellner (21G) 13. Garrett Krummert (29) 14. Jim Kurpakus (72B) 15. Charles Supplee (67) 16. Rex King (56).
United E-Mod Series (10 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. DAVE HESS, JR. (44) 2. Russ Dunn (Clinger 222) 3. Brent Rhebergen (Suppa 4s) 4. Joel Watson (92) 5. Al Brewer (71) 6. Mike Kinney (3) 7. Jack Young (Hamilton 67) 8. Kari Gasser (0k) 9. Daryl Charlier (12) 10. Jonathan Taylor (5) 11. Leonard Enos (27) 12. Andy Buckley (965) 13. Carl McKinney (6M) 14. Clayton Kennedy (9) 15. Alex Froman (F10) 16. Wendell Pinckney (Quaebush 11) 17. Evan Taylor (7E) 18. Dustin Fraley (127) 19. Larry Kugel (Conley 27c) 20. Shawn Shingledecker (54s) 21. Scott Jones (71J) 22. Joe Gabrielson (58) 23. Bob McCann (Fornataro 33)-DNS 24. Rich Michael, Jr. (17x)-DNS 25. Alan Dellinger (Petsko 00)-DNS DNQ: Tim Engles (68), Joe Betz (8-ball), Bob Williamson (93), Bill Taylor (41), Wayne Mohawk (64), Arlan Coy (56), Bruce Dreistadt (18D), Howard Fraley (217), John Boyd (1).
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