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Mike Leone
MERCER, Penn. (April 26) - Scattered thunderstorms danced around Mercer Raceway Park for much of the day Saturday, but only a few sprinkles fell then skies cleared toward evening allowing the third program of the season to be completed. Celebrating in the Hoosier Tire victory lane were Bob Felmlee-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Garrett Krummert-Tire Express Modifieds, Brian Booher-McElwain Motors FASTRAK Late Models, Kenny Meadows-Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites, and Chris Myers-M&D Paving Mini Stocks.
It didn't take the track's all-time Stock Car winner, Brian Booher, long to figure out a Late Model and get into victory lane. The three-time Stock Car champion improved on last week's runner-up finish to score an impressive win in Saturday's 20-lap FASTRAK-sanctioned, McElwain Motors-sponsored feature to take the early point lead.
"I have to thank my crew and all the guys working on the car, all the guys that come out at support the double O race team, and all those red shirts," expressed the Sandy Lake, Pa. winner. "I also have to thank every one of our sponsors. This car is a big jump for us and I'm sure glad to be in victory lane."
Rusty Moore took the early advantage past pole-sitter Scott Jones with Steve D'Apolito third and seventh starting Booher up to fourth on the opening lap. D'Apolito passed Jones for second on lap two, but one lap later Jones and Booher slipped back under D'Apolito for second and third. Booher continued his progression to the front grabbing second from Jones on lap five.
Following the restart for Bobby Powell with nine laps completed, Booher used the outside to power by Moore for the lead, while Steve Hollabaugh took third from Jones. Moore closed right on Booher on lap 12 before a caution for Mike Anderson's second spin. The caution was a bad one for Moore as when racing resumed, Hollabaugh slipped under him for second.
With two laps to go, the veteran Hollabaugh closed on Booher running the bottom, while Booher stayed on the top. Hollabaugh got a great run off turn four coming down to the checkered flag, but Booher had just enough momentum off the top to win by just over a car-length in the Terry Hoover-owned, Ed & Jerry's NAPA/Harry & Tim Roofing/Caldwell Heating & Cooling/McEwen Garage Doors-sponsored #00H. Moore was third over Powell, who rebounded from his early spin to place fourth. D'Apolito fell to fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Frank Guidace, Kevin Meadows, Bob Vogt, Jr., newcomer Bert Cleer, and Jones. Heat victors were Guidace and Powell.
Bob Felmlee has won Sprint Car championships at Mercer in three different decades and has well over 120 career wins overall, but had been shutout of victory lane at Mercer since May 6, 2006. Saturday night, Felmlee passed Joe Butera in turn one on the opening lap and led all 20 non-stops circuits of the Luxaire Heating & Cooling feature for his first win in nearly two seasons.
"This is the first night with Kawasaki at Mercer- it's a new sponsor this week so I tried to do them proud," acknowledged the Franklin, Pa. racer. "I have to thank Vicki (Emig), Mike (Leone), and Frank (Benic); they do a super job here. I like coming here. We are going to float around and do some All Star races. I couldn't get away tonight and go to Eldora. Chad (Reitz) set the car up tonight and talked me into coming tonight."
Scott Bonnell, who started fourth, raced around Paul Kapuchuck and Butera on the first lap for second. Danny Holtgraver, who started sixth, also made his way around Kapuchuck and Butera for third on lap three. Felmlee maintained a comfortable lead for the first 10 laps of the event before he encountered lapped traffic allowing Bonnell to close the deficit. Meanwhile, all eyes were on Rob Eyler who was using the high side of the speedway to make his way from the eighth starting spot into contention to third past Holtgraver on lap 10.
Felmlee used his experience in lapped traffic to hold on for his 23rd career Mercer win in his World of Wheels/Kawasaki/Lutz Auto Body/Vinyl Graphics-sponsored #6 as the race went non-stop in 5:06.45. Bonnell held off a fast-closing Eyler for second. Holtgraver was fourth over 10th starting Mike Lutz. Completing the top 10 were Arnie Kent, defending two-time champion Rod George, central Pa's Bob Howard, New York's Chris Shuttleworth, and Jimmy Hawley. Heat winners were Kent and Shuttleworth.
Last year was a monumental season for teenager Garrett Krummert winning his first career championship in the Modifieds and winning his first of two career features in the Mod Lites; however, Krummert still was at zero career Modified wins after five seasons of racing. Saturday night, Krummert bounced back from last week's second place disqualification for being light to lead all 20 laps of the Tire Express-sponsored feature.
"I figured we'd have a caution with one lap to go and Frankie (Guidace) or (Gary) Smoker would be alongside and they'd get me, but we were lucky tonight," joked the New Castle, Pa. driver. "First of all I have to thank my mom and dad- without them none of this is possible. They give me every opportunity in the world. I got the best guys back in the pits with Kyle Ripper, Ryan Haney, and his girlfriend Amy; without them none of this is possible. They are in there six days a week working on the car so we can race Saturday."
Krummert took the lead from the pole with Matt Reeher, Rick Hall, and Lonny Riggs in tow. Reeher brought out the first caution with three laps completed. When racing resumed, ninth starting Eric Gabany and Riggs overtook Hall for second and third. Riggs and Gabany battled hard between laps four through seven racing side-by-side swapping second place back and forth until Riggs slowed and brought out the event's second caution with eight laps completed.
Separate cautions for last week's Late Model winner Frank Guidace and Reeher with 15 laps completed was all that slowed Krummert to his first career Modified win in his McElwain Motors/Sherwin Williams/Automotive Finishes-sponsored #29. Gabany edged Jeff Schaffer, who was debuting John Brown's #67J, and Gary Smoker in a battle for positions two through four. Hall dropped to fifth. Sixth through tenth were Dillon McElrath, Matt Howsare, Jr. Baker, Reeher, and Randy Brown. Topping the heat races were Krummert and Reeher.
Kenny Meadows rebounded from motor woes last week that saw him watch the feature from the stands to win the 15-lap Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lite feature. Meadows of Warren, Ohio survived a caution-plagued event that had seven stoppages and numerous challenges by two 15-year-olds in Alan Knepper and Bud Watson.
Knepper started sixth and inherited second on lap four when Levi Spinneweber brought out the caution. Knepper actually led lap four with a great surge off the outside of turn four, but a caution slowed action. On the restart, Meadows regained his advantage and barely held off Knepper and eighth starting Watson for his second career win in the Ollie Teague-owned, Job Rite Pools & Spas/Wedge Motorsports-sponsored #10T. Following his Modified win, Krummert came from 12th to finish fourth in his season debut in the Mod Lites. Meadows' teammate Todd Canter was fifth after starting 10th. Scoring heat race wins over the 21-car field were J.J. Metheney and Canadian Shawn Sliter.
It looked like Chris Myers' perfect streak was coming to an end in the Mini Stocks as Tim Bish was headed to victory, but went up in smoke on the backstretch on the final lap of the 12-lap M&D Paving Mini Stock feature handing the lead and third straight win to the 15-year-old Knox, Pa. driver.
Mike Mathieson led the first two laps before Myers, who started 10th, made the pass for the lead on lap three. Bish, who started 11th, made a three-wide pass of Bill Fuchs and Mathieson for second on lap five. Bish and Myers ran side-by-side for the lead on laps seven and eight with Bish getting under and past the leader off turn four on lap eight. Bish appeared headed for his third career win until his misfortune one-half lap from victory put the #C1 in victory lane once again. Myers' teammate Curtis Brown was second after starting 13th. Ed Haylett was a career best third. Mike McConnell and John Shannon were fourth and fifth. A regular season record 20 cars were on hand with Dillon Kineston and Myers winning the heats.
McElwain Motors FASTRAK Late Models (20 laps): 1. BRIAN BOOHER 2. Steve Hollabaugh 3. Rusty Moore 4. Bobby Powell 5. Steve D'Apolito 6. Frank Guidace 7. Kevin Meadows 8. Bob Vogt, Jr. 9. Bert Cleer 10. Scott Jones 11. Mike Anderson (Jr.) 12. Dave Airgood, Jr.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. BOB FELMLEE (6) 2. Scott Bonnell (3B) 3. Rob Eyler (5a) 4. Danny Holtgraver (D4) 5. Mike Lutz (Chappel 8) 6. Arnie Kent (18) 7. Rod George (4) 8. Bob Howard (49) 9. Chris Shuttleworth (11) 10. Jimmy Hawley (Rudzik 49) 11. Joe Butera (Matus 3J) 12. Paul Kapuchuck 13. Brent Matus (33) 14. Lindsay Enscoe (96)
Tire Express 358 Modifieds (20 laps): 1.GARRETT KRUMMERT 2. Eric Gabany 3. Jeff Schaffer 4. Gary Smoker 5. Rick Hall 6. Dillon McElrath 7. Matt Howsare 8. Jr. Baker 9. Matt Reeher 10. Randy Brown 11. Fred Sasse 12. Frank Guidace 13. Rick Kress 14. Lonny Riggs 15. Kevin Green-DNS.
Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites (15 laps): 1. KENNY MEADOWS 2. Alan Knepper 3. Bud Watson 4. Garrett Krummert 5. Todd Canter 6. Shawn Sliter 7. Dave Jones 8. George Englert 9. Jamie Gilbert 10. J.J. Metheney 11. Bryan Martin 12. Josh Sliter 13. Bob Latchaw 14. John Smith 15. Chad Yeager 16. Mark Marcucci 17. Bill Stivason 18. Kotie Kirkbride 19. Levi Spinneweber 20. Terry Young 21. Lynn Knepper.
M&D Paving Mini Stocks (12 laps): 1. CHRIS MYERS 2. Curtis Brown 3. Ed Haylett 4. Mike McConnell 5. John Shannon 6. Wally Stearns, Jr. 7. Dan McEwen 8. Pete Blazczak 9. Justin Reinard 10. Sam Kloos 11. Scott Gilliland 12. Kyle Crawford 13. Rudolph Troples 14. Tim Bish 15. Dan Nagy 16. Mike Mathieson 17. Tyler Powell 18. Bill Fuchs 19. Dillon Kineston 20. Steve Laslo-DNS.
Upcoming Events:
5/03 "Saturday Night Live!" Sprints, Modifieds, FASTRAK Late Models, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks. Free admission for all Beaver County residents presented by Image Factory Signs & Graphics
5/10 "Saturday Night Live!" Sprints, Modifieds, FASTRAK Late Models, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks plus Kids Bike Races. $10 Family Night presented by Auto Service Express & Armstrong. Twin-State & PCTC Night
5/17 "Saturday Night Live!" Sprints, Modifieds, FASTRAK Late Models, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks. Free general admission for all Crawford County residents presented by the Oncology Center of the Meadville Medical Center. AutoMart.com Corp. Night.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7.
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