|
Mike Leone
MARKLEYSBURG, Penn. (October 9) - The FASTRAK Late Model Racing Series contested Night 2 of the Grand Nationals for the Northeast Region on Saturday night at the Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex. The event was part of the inaugural two-day "Spectacular Fall Fest" that drew 44 different FASTRAK cars for the weekend from six different states including Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Maryland, and New Jersey. Special thanks to sponsors Brooks Automotive, Dave Poske's Performance Parts, High Gear Speed Shop, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Hoosier Tire Racing Corp., and VPFuels.com for making this night possible.
One week after coming up just shy to his son at Mercer Raceway Park, Robbie Blair turned the tables on Max capturing the 30-lap FASTRAK Late Model feature for Night 2 of the Grand Nationals for the Northeast Region. The father-son duo will now head to Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia in two weeks at or near the top of the $30,000 to-win Grand National Championship each with 69 points out of a maximum 70!
Saturday's win for the elder Blair was worth $1,500 and came less than 30 minutes after a heartbreaking end to the UFo Super Late Model feature in which Blair's mount came to a rest in the lead 12 laps short of the $5,000 victory. "The $30,000 would sure be nice," expressed the Centerville, Pa. Late Model great. "My car was pretty good. There's so much competition in this class. Everyone is equal. The car has to be just right. It's all about keeping it straight and keeping the momentum up. I have to thank my crew as this was a group effort this weekend and a lot of work keeping three cars going."
For the second straight night, Mike Pegher, Jr. drew the pole position in hopes of not only a weekend sweep of the FASTRAK Late Model action, but a perfect three-for-three in Touring and Grand National events this season at Roaring Knob. Pegher led over fellow #1 and Pittsburgh-area racer Kyle Lukon with Mike Blose third and sixth starting Robbie Blair up to fourth after one lap.
On lap two it was three-wide for second. Blose slipped high allowing Robbie to pass both Lukon and Blose for second. Joe Martin and eighth starting Max Blair also were able to get by Blose for fourth and fifth respectively. Robbie ran down Pegher on lap five, while the battled again heated up for third. Martin drove by Lukon down the backstretch on lap six for third. Two laps later Max used the inside to take fourth from Lukon.
Robbie was hounding Pegher just as Pegher was approaching lapped traffic. Just in front of the lead pack, New Jersey racer Steve Davis lost the handle and spun in turn one. Pegher had nowhere to go as he made hard contact with Davis bringing out the first caution of the night with 11 laps completed. Robbie and Martin were somehow just barely able to sneak by.
When racing resumed, fifth starting Bud Watson made the pass of Max to take third just before a spin by Quintin Wyandt slowed action for the second time of the event now with 12 laps in the record books. When green replaced yellow, Max made quite the move passing both Watson and Martin for runner-up. It was now a one-two Blair combo up front. Five more laps were run before the third and final caution of the event, which was displayed for a slowing Joe Loudin with 17 completed.
Robbie and Max took off from the pack, while Watson was able to make the move on Martin for third. The last 13 laps ran off green-to-checkered. Max threw everything he had at his father, but on this night Robbie was too much as he scored his first career Roaring Knob win in his Specialty Products/Bossard's Sales & Service-sponsored #W11.
One night after going off on the hook on the first lap of the feature, Watson rebounded for a strong third place effort. This combined with a fifth at Mercer gives the 17-year-old Conneaut, Ohio driver 64 points- third highest of the Northeast racers! Martin turned in a solid fourth improving on his 23rd place finish at Mercer one week ago. Veteran Blose's fifth place finish gave him a pair of top 10s to head to Night 3 with.
After a heartbreaking spin on the final lap at Mercer and credited with 17th, Dan Angelicchio came home sixth. Gary Knollinger was seventh on Saturday to go along with 12th place finish at Mercer. After a disappointing 22nd at Mercer, Ricky Meglaye bettered his Grand National points with an eighth place showing. Jamie Brown was the hard charger on the night coming from 17th to finish ninth right behind Knollinger and Meglaye. Cody Hardesty completed the top 10.
Robbie Blair opened the night establishing a new standard at Roaring Knob with a fast lap of 17.01, and then went on to win the first heat race. Lukon and Martin won heats two and three, while Josh Holtgraver captured the last chance B main.
FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Grand Nationals Night 2 (30 laps, $1,500 to-win) unofficial finish: 1. ROBBIE BLAIR (W11) 2. Max Blair (111) 3. Bud Watson (Powell 100) 4. Joe Martin (55) 5. Mike Blose (5) 6. Dan Angelicchio (14) 7. Gary Knollinger (38K) 8. Ricky Meglaye (5) 9. Jamie Brown (135) 10. Cody Hardesty (32) 11. Steve Dixon (50) 12. K.C. Burdette (KC44) 13. Butch Lambert (27) 14. Tim Snare, Jr. (99) 15. Kyle Lukon (1) 16. Bobby Cossell IV (50c) 17. Rick Strickler (Lake 48) 18. Troy Shields (11) 19. Josh Holtgraver (00) 20. Quintin Wyandt (118) 21. Steve Davis (13) 22. Joe Loudin (5) 23. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 24. Kyle Zimmerman (z17).
B main non-qualifiers: 7. Russell Baird, Jr. (17) 8. Michael Hughes (79) 9. Billy Stile III (51)-DNS 10. Shane Bambarger (68B)-DNS.
Qualifying: 1. Robbie Blair 17.01 (NTR) 2. Bud Watson 17.11 3. Rick Strickler 17.21 4. Mike Blose 17.31 5. Kyle Lukon 17.33 6. Joe Martin 17.41 7. Dan Angelicchio 17.43 8. Ricky Meglaye 17.51 9. Mike Pegher, Jr. 17.51 10. Josh Holtgraver 17.52 11. Max Blair 17.57 12. Bobby Cossell IV 17.6 13. Joe Loudin 17.60 14. Steve Dixon 17.64 15. Cody Hardesty 17.70 16. Gary Knollinger 17.70 17. Jamie Brown 17.71 18. Tim Snare, Jr. 17.76 19. Billy Stile III 17.80 20. Kyle Zimmerman 17.88 21. Steve Davis 17.99 22. K.C. Burdette 18.00 23. Troy Shield 18.03 24. Butch Lambert 18.11 25. Michael Hughes 18.22 26. Quintin Wyandt 18.62 27. Russell Baird, Jr. 18.81 28. Shane Bambarger 19.23.
Heat winners: Robbie Blair, Lukon, Martin
B main winner: Holtgraver
Lap leaders: Pegher (1-11), Robbie Blair (12-30)
Car count: 28
|
