Eriez Speedway
September 6, 2013
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Dan Stone and Casey Burch win on opening night of “September Sweep”

by Jay Pees
HAMMETT, PA (September 6) - The long-anticipated “September Sweep” finally arrived and the pits were full of competitors for the ULMS $3000 to win feature for the Jay’s Auto Wrecking Siper Late Models and the $1000 to win Kandy’s Gentleman’s Club Challengers. Qualifying heat races were held for the $5000 to win Bonnell’s Collision Center FASTRAK Crate Late Models National Touring event, the $2000 to win UEMS Plyler Overhead Door E-Mods, the $1000 to win Conway & O’Malley Limited Late Models, and the $2000 to win feature for the Eric Walter Tree & Stump Removal Street Stocks.

At the conclusion of racing it was “Big Brother” Dan Stone standing in Victory Lane with the winner’s purse of $3000 for the Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Model ULMS win. For Stone it was his first-ever Eriez feature win and first ULMS win this season. Casey Burch had the $1000 for besting the Kandy’s Gentleman’s Club Challengers. It was the fifth win this year for Burch.

The Eric Walter Tree @ Stump Removal Street Stocks were the first division on the track for five heats, each qualifying the top four finishers for the $2000 to win feature for tomorrow night. Heat winners were Paul Schreckengost, Joe Rohrer, Brian Crandall, Branden Groters, and Shawn Fawcett. Fifth spot though the last of each heat will have a last chance to qualify through one of two B-Mains Saturday. Tirty-seven cars competed in the heats for the twenty-four available starting positions.

The Conway & O’Malley Limited Late Models had two heats to set their $1000 to win feature Saturday with Dan Maxim and Jake Finnerty collecting the wins.

Three heats set the field for the $3000 to win feature for the Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Models with Tim Fuller, Chris Hackett, and Rich Gardner getting the wins. 2013 Eriez Speedway Rob Blair won the B-Main. The ULMS provisional starter was Chad Valone while the Eriez Speedway Provisional spot went to Chevy Scott.

Mike Knight and Dan Stone set the pace for the ULMS $3000 to win, 30 lap feature event for the Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Models. Stone, of Thompson, PA, charged to the immediate lead with fourth place starter Bump Hedman getting by Knight in the second turn for second spot. By seven laps into the event Stone was lapping the rear of the field while Hedman, Knight, and Tim Fuller were battling for second. Knight was solidly in second by lap twelve then starting tracking down Stone in traffic. With ten to go Stone had a six car-length lead on Knight, them began pulling away. Knight’s progress was slowed on lap twenty-six as he scrapped the back straight wall, but held onto second. Stone went on to the win, his fifth in ULMS competition, in the all-green race over Knight, Fuller, Hedman, and Andy Boozel.

The City Chevrolet National Tour for the Bonnell Collision Center FASTRAK Crate Late Models had four groups of time trials with Chad Wright topping the speed chart with a lap of 16.444. In heat race action Bryce Davis, Dave Scott, Chad Wright, and Wayne Robertson collected wins. In his heat Wright cut a lap of 16.384, faster than his qualifying speed. Davis and Scott will start on the front row for the $5000 to win City Chevrolet National Touring event. the second row will be fast qualifier Chad Wright, also the Eriez Speedway 2013 champion, and Wayne Robertson, a Northeast Touring Series winner earlier this season.

Heat races were also run for the thirty-one UEMS E-Mods with Dave Hess, 2013 Eriez Speedway champion Rich Michael, Randy Hall, and Justin Carlson getting the wins. Two B-Mains will be run Saturday to complete the field.

Four heats for the Kandy’s Gentleman’s Club Challengers set the starting field for their $1000 to win feature with Tim Fisher, Greg Marsh, Casey Burch, and Travis Darling getting the wins. Steve Morse and Ryan White won the two B-Mains.

Casey Burch started on the pole for the 20-lap, $1000 to win finale for the Kandy’s Gentleman’s Club Challengers. Burch led from the start but Tom Cupp was alongside at the three lap mark. Burch maintained his lead at the stripe every lap and began pulling away at five laps compete. two laps later Cupp again closed the gap and got by for the lead. At nine complete Burch was again alongside just as Wes Stull went up in smoke on the front straight, dropping fluid through turns one and two. Greg Marsh and Bill Baker spun in turn one after getting into the fluid. Mike Pohl also was involved and had to be towed from the track. Cupp again led after green flag racing resumed but Burch again was alongside at halfway. One lap past halfway and Burch was again leading with Joe Boylan coming to second a lap later. With six laps remaining Greg Marsh spun in turn one, slowing the event for the second time. With seven to go the green again waved but Joe Beach went for a wild sideways ride down the front straight, again slowing the race. During the yellow period Cupp retired to the pit after a superb effort. Boylan was able to get alongside the leader after green but was unable to complete the pass. Burch went on to the richest win of his career with former champion Don Hebner challenging Boylan for second, getting the spot beforethe checkers fell. Jason Brightman wound up fourth with Steve Morse fifth. Morse had qualified for the feature by winning his B-Main.

Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Models:
Heat 1: Tim Fuller, Boom Briggs, Randy Lobb, Matt Urban, Dave Hess, Russ King, Rob Blair, Dave Scott, Chad Valone
Heat 2: Chris Hackett, Mike Knight, Jared Miley, Andy Boozel, Greg Oakes, John Lobb, Doug Eck, Chuck Patker, Chris Peterson
Heat 3: Rich Gardner, Bump Hedman, Dan Stone, Bob Dorman, Scott Gurdak, Darrell Bossard, Scott Johnson, Chevy Scott
Feature: Dan Stone, Mike Knight, Tim Fuller, Bump Hedman, Andy Boozel, Boom Briggs, Jared Miley, Chris Hackett, Rich Gardner, Greg Oakes, Robbie Blair, Randy Lobb, Russ King, Matt Urban, Darrell Bossard, John Lobb, Chad Valone, Dave Hess, Dave Scott, Bob Dorman, Chevy Scott