Eriez Speedway
May 13, 2012
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Robbie Blair tops Super Lates; Max Blair Fastrak winner at Eriez Speedway

HAMMETT, PA, (May 13) - The Dan’s Rt 8 Boardwalk Bar and Grill FASTRAK Late Models took center stage at Eriez Speedway Sunday night with Max Blair coming from eighteenth on the starting grid to the win, gaining the lead after a lap nineteen restart. Max’s father, Rob Blair, mastered the Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Model feature. Joel Watson led flag to flag in the Plyler Overhead Door E-Mod feature, but with Rich Michael vying for the lead every lap. Chris McGuire won the Conway & O’Malley Limited Late Model feature while Greg Fenno (Bonnell’s Collision Center Street Stocks) and Wade Watson (Gannon University Super Sportsman) each won their second feature of the season. Casey Burch triumphed over the Kandy’s Dinner Theater Challengers.

The field of 24 Dan’s Rt 8 Boardwalk Bar and Grill FASTRAK Late Models started the 25-lap Regional Touring event with West Virginia’s 15-year old Ryan Montgomery and Andrew Wylie on the front row. Montgomery took off to the early lead with opening night winner Billy Henry quickly coming to second. A restart for a spin on lap four put the leaders side by side for the restart with Montgomery reassuming the lead but only one more lap was complete before yellow again appeared for a spin in turn three. Again the leaders were side by side with Heny gaining the edge this time but a spin in turn two again slowed the field. By this point the two points leaders, Max Blair and Mike Pegher Jr, were up to 8th and 12th respectively. Montgomery again grabbed the lead with Henry right behind and Justin Tatlow and Chad Ruhlman fighting over third. At lap eleven Ruhlman had cleared Tatlow and got by the front two a lap later. Blair came to third at lap 13 just as a four car pileup involving John Over, Bobby Rohrer, Bruce Hordusky Jr, and Lauren Longbrake slowed the action and dropped Blair back to fourth. Six cars got together in turn four on the first lap back under green, again slowing the field. Blair again came to second at lap 15 behind Ruhlman. With six to go Tatlow spun setting up a restart with Ruhlman and Blair side by side and Matt Latta and Montgomery right behind. The two leaders ran side by side until caution again flew. Points leader Mike Pegher was now up to fourth after starting from 23rd. Blair took the lead on the first lap back to green and handily went on to the win over Ruhlman, Latta, Montgomery, and 21st starting Butch Lambert. Blair had come from 18th on the starting grid.

The Plyler Overhead Door E-Mods were paced by Joel Watson and Russ Dunn with 16 cars taking the green from starter Mark Matthews. Watson took off to the lead with week one winner Rich Michael coming to second on lap five and gaining on the leader. With five laps remaining Michael was on the Watson’s rear bumper but slipped wide coming off turn four allowing the pole-sitter to again open an advantage. The first, and only, caution flew at lap 18 for a spin in turn one, putting Michael back on Watson’s bumper for the two lap dash for the win. Watson and Michael were even at the end of the back straight on the final lap but Michael slipped wide heading into turn three. Watson got the win with Michael second, Russ Dunn third, Jack Young fourth, and Mike Kinney fifth.

Chris McGuire and Jake Finnerty paced the Conway & O’Malley Limited Late Models with McGuire having a slight edge at the end of one lap. At the end of two his lead was five car-lengths. Steve Kania came to second at the end of three laps and started tracking down the leader. The gap was eliminated by a caution for a spun car at the end of five laps. At green McGuire again powered away from Kania and last week’s winner 2011 champion Chris Ottaway. Ottaway took over second after a lap eight restart, only to lose it back on another restart at lap 11. Ottaway came right back and ran along side Kania for several laps before regaining the runner-up position at lap 16. McGuire cruised to the win over Ottaway, Kania, Finnerty, and Ryan Scott.

Fourteen Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Models were led to the green by Scott Gurdak and Dave Lyon. Lyon had a fender lead on Gurdak at the end of one lap but then established the sole lead next time by the flag. Robbie Blair came to second at the end of five laps, looking for his second win of the weekend. The early laps featured an exciting duel for the lead with Blair driving hard into the turn in an attempt to gain the lead, only interrupted by cautions at laps five, eight, and nine. The leaders ran side by side after the lap nine green flag with Blair assuming the lead at halfway. Blair then opened up his lead with Mike Knight challenging for second by lap 18. Lyon held on for second over Knight, Gurdak, and Jason DuPont.

Brian Crandall led from the pole in the Bonnell’s Collision Center Street Stock feature with Mark Frontera second. Greg Fenno, week one winner, came to the lead by lap three and never looked back. 2011 champion Pat McGuire came to second at the end of five laps. At eight laps in John Phelps took over third. Only one caution slowed the event with Fenno getting his second win in as many weeks in the young season. McGuire was second followed by John Phelps, Joe Rohrer, and early leader Crandall.

Bob Swanson led the first lap of the Kandy’s Dinner Theater Challenger feature but Casey Burch took over after a lap one caution. Burch went on to his first win of the season over Swanson and Wes Stull. Steve Morris was fourth with Staci Faulhaber fifth.

Wade Watson won his second consecutive Gannon University Sportsman feature over a short field of cars.

Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Models:
Heat 1: Scott Gurdak, Jason DuPont, Dave Lyon, Mike Knight, Greg Johnson, Dennis Lunger, Chris Hackett, Jason Morell
Heat 2: Robbie Blair, Ryan Scott, Scott Johnson, Rich Gardner, Doug Eck, Ron Davies, Greg Oakes
Burger King of the Hill: Ron Davies, Doug Eck
Feature: Rob Blair, Dave Lyon, Mike Knight, Scott Gurdak, Jason DuPont, Scott Gurdak, Doug Eck, Greg Oakes, Rich Gardner, Ryan Scott, Chris Hackett, Greg Johnson, Dennis Lunger, Ron Davis, Jason Morell (DNS)

Dan’s Route 8 Boardwalk Bar and Grill FASTRAK Late Models:
Heat 1: Josh Holtgraver, Joe Martin, Billy Henry, Chad Wright, Bobby Rohrer, Shane Weaver, Bob Dorman, Justin Kreider (DNS)
Heat 2: Steve Dixon, Matt Latta, Ryan Montgomery, Damian Bidwell, Max Blair, Kyle Zimmerman, Junior Peters, Mike Pegher Jr
Heat 3: Lauren Longbrake, Andrew Wylie, Chad Ruhlman, Will Thomas, Adam Sixt, Jamie Brown, Wayne Robertson, Eric Andrus
Heat 4: Jason Genco, Nolan Dalton, Justin Tatlow, Bruce Hordusky Jr, Brad Kling, Butch Lambert, John Over, George Kowatic
K & N Cold Air Induction Dash: Chad Wright, Will Thomas, Bruce Hordusky Jr, Damian Bidwell
B-Main 1: Kyle Zimmerman, Mike Pegher Jr, Bob Dorman, Junior Peters, Justin Kreider, Shane Weaver
B-Main 2: Butch Lambert, Wayne Robertson, John Over, Jamie Brown, Eric Andrus, George Kowatic (DNS)
Non-Qualifier’s Race: Bob Dorman, Jamie Brown, Eric Andrus, Justin Kreider, Junior Peters (DSN), Shane Weaver (DNS), George Kowatic (DNS)
Feature: Max Blair, Chad Ruhlman, Matt Latta, Ryan Montgomery, Butch Lambert, Steve Dixon, John Over, Bobby Rohrer, Jason Genco, Adam Sixt, Nolan Dalton, Will Thomas, Bruce Hordusky Jr, Mike Pegher Jr, Justin Tatlow, Lauren Longbrake, Josh Holtgraver, Joe Martin, Wayne Robertson, Brad Kling, Billy Henry, Andrew Wylie, Kyle Zimmerman, Chad Wright, Damian Bidwell (DNS)

Plyler Overhead Door E-Mods:
Heat 1: Joel Watson, Rich Michael, Mike Kinney, Butch Southwell, John Boardman, Mike Knight, Dan Davies, John Boyd, Chad Carlson
Heat 2: Russ Dunn, Jack Young, Scott Gurdak, Shane Crotty, Gary Eicher, Steve Sornberger, Steve Simon, Ron Seeley
Feature: Joel Watson, Rich Michael, Russ Dunn, Jack Young, Mike Kinney, Scott Gurdak, John Boardman, Shane Crotty, Mike Knight, Butch Southwell, John Boyd, Dan Davies, Gary Eicher, Ron Seeley, Steve Simon, Chad Carlson, Steve Sornberger

Conway & O’Malley Limited Late Models:
Heat 1: Dan Maxim, Jake Finnerty, Ryan Scott, Bob Vogt, Tyler Green, Mike Lozowski, Terry White
Heat 2: Chris McGuire, Chris Ottaway, Steve Kania, Stan Davis Jr, Mike Moon, Ken Wanzer, Dustin Eckman
Feature: Chris McGuire, Chris Ottaway, Steve Kania, Jake Finnerty, Ryan Scott, Tyler Green, Bob Vogt, Mike Lozowski, Stan Davis, Ken Wanzer, Terry White, Mike Moon, Dan Maxim, Dustin Eckman

Gannon University Super Sportsman:
Heat: Jake Eller, Tim Card, Brent Crandall, Mike Murray, Don McGuire, Wade Watson
Feature: Wade Watson, Tim Card, Don McGuire, Jake Eller, Brent Crandall

Bonnell’s Collision Center Street Stocks:
Heat 1: Pat McGuire, Steve Keith Jr, John Phelps Jr, Jimmy Kennerknecht, Jeffrey Keith, Gary Fisher, Darin Hyde, Tyler Lyngarkos, Kevin Witheral (DNS)
Heat 2: Greg Fenno, Brian Crandall, Mark Frontera, Tim Thompson, Ron Johnson, Joe Rohrer, Kyle Schreckengost, Don Hebner, Mark Thompson
Feature: Greg Fenno, Pat McGuire, John Phelps, Joe Rohrer, Brian Crandall, Mark Frontera, Jimmy Kennerknecht, Mark Thompson, Gary Fisher, Steve Keith Jr, Kyle Schreckengost, Jeffrey Keith, Kevin Witheral, Ron Johnson, Tyler Lygarkos, Don Hebner, Tim Thompson (DNS)

Kandy’s Dinner Theater Super Challengers:
Heat 1: Wesley Stull, Bob Swanson, Jason Brightman, Kaylin Beach, Geoff Maloney, Tim Fisher, Douglas Melter
Heat 2: Casey Burch, Kasey Hammond, Steve Morse, Staci Faulhaber, Justin Boardman, Jeff Nunemaker, Carl Hebner
Feature: Casey Burch, Bob Swanson, Wesley Stull, Steve Morse, Staci Faulhaber, Kasey Hammond, Justin Boardman, Jason Brightman, Kaylin Beach, Carl Hebner, Jeff Nunemaker, Geoff Maloney, Douglas Melter, Tim Fisher (DNS)