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By Mike Leone
June 30, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mercer, PA.The fourth straight sunny Saturday saw fans pack Mercer Raceway Park for "Welcome Ohio Night" presented by Waffle House. Celebrating in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane were Mike Lutz-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Lonny Riggs-American Racer/Lias Tire Modifieds, Brian Booher-Tire Express Stocks Cars, Rod Jones-Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites, and Lucas Sprouse-M&D Paving Mini Stocks. John Watson, Steve Hollabaugh, and Chad Myers practiced on three occasions with their FASTRAK Late Models in preparation for Wednesday's "Yankee 40" national event paying $5,000 to the winner.
Mike Lutz won a thrilling 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature holding off a spirited run by Rod George with some breathtaking moves in lapped traffic to score the popular win. The victory was Lutz's first at Mercer since a Patriot 360 victory on May 23, 2000 and first in a 410 at Mercer since April 15, 2000.
"It's been a long time," said the relieved and elated Mercer, Pa. winner. "I was pretty much retired then Troy (Preston) and I got together this winter and got talking. Wow! What an operation. The effort that goes into this is a lot. I'm just a lucky guy to be driving this car. I knew the door was closing, but I knew Rod was coming too. Hey man I want to win! I have an awesome race car people give me to drive and I want to put it in victory lane for them. If that means you split the hole, that's what you do. You throw it out there and go for it. Rod is a class act. When I drove for (Bob) Weikert down east, Rod had a ride down there. We've raced together a lot and run side-by-side. He's an awesome driver."
For the second straight week, Gale Ruth, Jr. jumped out into the lead, while Lutz passed Brent Matus and his teammate Joe Butera for second; meanwhile Danny Holtgraver charged from sixth to third all on the opening lap. Arnie Kent, who started seventh, moved into contention on lap three when he took fourth from Butera then got third when Holtgraver got sideways on lap five.
Ruth was doing a great job running the outside and had just begun to lap cars when Scott Bonnell spun and brought out the event's only caution with six laps completed. Ruth's lesser powered engine allowed Lutz to get under the leader following the restart on lap seven, but Ruth had a strong enough run around the top to maintain the lead. Lutz got another run on Ruth as the two ran side-by-side for the lead on lap eight, but Ruth continued to impress everyone holding on.
By lap 11 the top five running cars of Ruth, Lutz, Kent, Holtgraver, and 10th starter Rod George pulled away from the field putting on an excellent duel for the crowd. Lutz drove his car in hard in turn one on lap 11 and finally made what turned out to be the winning move stick. On lap 12, George made an incredible move slicing past both Holtgraver and Kent for third spot.
The leaders encountered lapped traffic on lap 13. George ran down Ruth and slipped under for second on lap 13. George then quickly cut into Lutz's lead and pulled alongside the leader on lap 15. Just when many thought George was headed to another win, Lutz felt the pressure of George and sat up in the seat. The two raced side-by-side and then Lutz performed a move many won't forget in turn three and four as he sliced past newcomers Greg Mitchell and Freddie Staats while racing side-by-side with George.
Lutz now had some breathing room as he ran around the rim of the speedway, while George ran the bottom. George closed back in on Lutz on lap 18 and once again pulled alongside the leader on lap 19 in turns one and two. Lutz drove hard off the top maintaining a slight advantage. On the final lap, Lutz slipped high in turn two. George would have his final shot as he pulled alongside Lutz down the backstretch as the two split lapped traffic. With lapped traffic ahead running the outside, George drove as hard as he could into turn three, while Lutz tried shutting the door. The two somehow made no contact as Lutz was able to maintain his momentum and barely held off George for the thrilling win.
Lutz's win was his fifth in a 410 and sixth overall at Mercer, but was the first in his new ride, the Preston America-owned, Hine Racing Equipment/McClung Auto Body/Flynn Tire Group/Barris Supply-sponsored #1P. George continued his perfect streak of finishing first of second every night this season at Mercer to maintain his point lead. Kent edged Holtgraver for third. Ruth dropped to fifth. Carl Bowser and Andy McKisson were sixth and seventh in just their second appearances of the season. Matus beat his teammate Butera for eighth. Bonnell came back to finish ninth over Mike Dehner. David Doherty made it to the speedway just in time to tag the feature as he's the second Sydney, Australia driver along with Troy Little to do such. Doherty failed to finish the event in his first ever visit. Heat winners over the 19-car field were Lutz and George.
Lonny Riggs ended a season of bad luck holding off Frank Guidace for his first victory of the year in the 20-lap American Racer/Lias Tire Modified feature to become the division's sixth different winner. "This one's for Merle (Black) for putting up with all our complaining, " explained the Volant, Pa. driver. "I tell him the car is junk and he keeps telling me to run it. Last year I had reconstructive knee surgery. I got out late and we tried a bunch of stuff. This year everything has been breaking. This is a very competitive class."
Ron Eperthener, Jr. led the first lap before third starting Riggs powered by off the outside of turn four for the lead on lap two. Steve Young, Garrett Krummert, and Brad Rapp all passed Matt Reeher on lap three for positions three through five. Rapp and 14th starting Guidace moved past Krummert for fourth and fifth on lap seven before the event's final caution slowed action with seven laps completed.
Guidace was strong on the outside as he drove around both Young and Eperthener for second on lap eight. Guidace closed on Riggs as the two both ran the top and pulled away from the field on lap 12. Krummert found the outside to his liking as he charged back taking fourth from Young on lap 15 and third from Eperthener on lap 17.
Riggs maintained his slight advantage on Guidace. On the final lap, Riggs slipped slightly high in turn two allowing Guidace to close. Riggs ran the top around three and four, while Guidace drove to the bottom. Guidace got a great run off the bottom of turn four, but came up about one-car-length shy at his bid for his first win of the season. Riggs' victory was his first since his Little Guy Nationals triumph on October 1, 2005 in the Merle Black-owned, Iron Bridge Inn-sponsored #58. Krummert was third and took over the point lead still in search of his first career win. Eperthener was a season-best fourth ahead of Young. Completing the top 10 were Rapp, Gary Smoker, Jimmy Holden, Reeher, and central Pa. runner Mark Frankhouser. Heat winners over the 18-car field were Riggs and Young.
Brian Booher somehow managed to avoid a five-car melee on lap two coming out unscathed and held off Andy Buckley to win his third straight win and sixth of the season in the 15-lap Tire Express Stock Car feature. "This is fun- I like this," exclaimed the Sandy Lake, Pa. winner. "I didn't want to see all those restarts. I guess we were just a little bit faster that he (Buckley) was tonight. He's always fun to race with and has a fast race car. We just came out on top tonight."
Bill Vance, Jr. led the first lap. On lap two, Russ Byler and Chris Haines made it three-wide for the lead. Vance got sideways and a five-car accident ensued with newcomer Gary Robinson getting the worst of it. Byler inherited the lead and would lead lap two before seventh starter Andy Buckley made the pass for the lead on lap three. Booher, who started ninth, and Haines passed Byler for second and third on lap four. Booher then made the winning move on Buckley on lap five.
Three late-race cautions between laps 11 and 13 gave Buckley a shot alongside Booher. Buckley did everything he could, but didn't have quite enough as Booher held on in the Terry Hoover-owned, Ed & Jerry's Auto Service/Harry & Tim's Roofing/Brad McEwen Garage Doors-sponsored #00H. Booher's 27th career win moves him within three of Alan Dellinger for the division's all-time win mark. Rod Laskey came back from being involved in the early race accident to claim third over Mark Sanders and Haines. Heat winners over the 19-car field were Booher and Buckley.
Rod Jones of West Middlesex, Pa. won a caution-filled 15-lap Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lite feature for his division-leading fifth victory of the season in the final tune-up for Wednesday's Star's Championship Tour event. Young Jarred Barclay led the event's first three circuits before fourth starting Kenny Meadows took over on the fourth lap. On lap five, Barclay and Doug Stanley got tangled on the frontstretch. This moved Jones to second for the restart. When racing resumed, Jones overtook Meadows off turn four for the winning move.
Bad luck continued for Todd Canter for the third straight week when he exited the event running third on lap 10. Then teammate Meadows spun while running second with 10 laps completed. Angie Grzelak had just completed an impressive move on Lynn Knepper to overtake third on lap 14, but looped her racer off turn four with the white flag waving ending a career best Mercer run. Jones led the final lap holding off point leader Mark Marcucci for his seventh career win at the track in the Dave Jones-owned, Jones Performance Products-sponsored #820. Knepper was a season-best third. Stanley and Meadows came back to finish fourth and fifth. Heat winners over the 18-car field were Meadows and Jones.
Lucas Sprouse of Elkton, Ohio captured his fifth win of the season in the 12-lap M&D Paving Mini Stock feature. Fourteen-year- old Dillon Barr led the first four laps before 11th starter Steve Mowery took over. Sprouse, who started 13th, passed Barr for second on lap six. Mowery, who made the long tow from Olean, Ny., appeared headed to the victory, but his car began slowing in the closing laps. Dan Nagy slammed the turn four wall bringing out the event's final stoppage with 10 laps completed. Nagy emerged from the car shaken up, but was okay. Mowery couldn't get up to speed on the restart as Sprouse went on to victory in his #23s. Anthony Shetter came from ninth to get second. Mowery held on to third. Steve Polkabla was fourth ahead of a career best finish by Ed Haylett. Heat winners over the 15-car field were Don D'Onofrio and Mowery. Two new cars brought the division total up to 21 already for the new division.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling (410) Sprint Cars: 1. MIKE LUTZ 2. Rod George 3. Arnie Kent 4. Danny Holtgraver 5. Gale Ruth, Jr. 6. Carl Bowser 7. Andy McKisson 8. Brent Matus 9. Scott Bonnell 10. Mike Dehner 11. Neil Petock 12. Paul Kish 13. Joe Butera 14. Freddie Staats 15. Greg Mitchell 16. Mike Burkin 17. Mark Whitebread 18. David Doherty 19. Robert VanTassel.
American Racer/Lias Tire (358) Modifieds: 1. LONNY RIGGS 2. Frank Guidace 3. Garrett Krummert 4. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 5. Steve Young 6. Brad Rapp 7. Gary Smoker 8. Jimmy Holden 9. Matt Reeher 10. Mark Frankhouser 11. Rick Hall 12. Kevin Green 13. Rodney Beltz 14. Dave Cogswell 15. Jr. Baker 16. Rich Whitney 17. Rod Artman 18. Alex Anderson.
Tire Express Stock Cars: 1. BRIAN BOOHER 2. Andy Buckley 3. Rod Laskey 4. Mark Sanders 5. Chris Haines 6. Rick Norco 7. Cody Smith 8. Randy Sprouse 9. Matt Wagner 10. Russ Byler 11. Ryan Moyer 12. Terry Young 13. Bill Vance, Jr. 14. Shaun Hooks 15. Gary Robinson 16. Paul Reiser 17. Brandon Johnston-DNS 18. Mark Felicetty-DNS 19. Bryan Wagner-DNS.
Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites: 1. ROD JONES 2. Mark Marcucci 3. Lynn Knepper 4. Doug Stanley 5. Kenny Meadows 6. Levi Spinneweber 7. Jeremy Adamik 8. Tom Klein 9. Kotie Kirkbride 10. Wilbur Juillerat 11. Angie Grzelak 12. Todd Canter 13. Bill Stivason 14. Alan Knepper 15. Jarred Barclay 16. Matt Snow 17. Heather Scherrbaum 18. John Brunner-DNS.
M&D Paving Mini Stocks: 1. LUCAS SPROUSE 2. Anthony Shetter 3. Steve Mowery 4. Steve Polkabla 5. Ed Haylett 6. John Hartman 7. Leland Haylett 8. Wally Stearns 9. Dillon Barr 10. Don D'Onofrio 11. Mike Anderson (Jr.) 12. Cameron McQuown 13. Jason Bell 14. Dan Nagy 15. Bill Fuchs.
Upcoming Events:
7/4 (Wed) FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Series ($5,000), T3 All-Star Modified Series ($1,500), & Star's Championship Mod Lite Tour ($500). Gates at 3:30. Racing at 6.
7/7 "Stand On It" presented by Truck Rodz by Jones Performance. Sprints, Mods, Stocks, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks plus Drag Racing by Full Pull Productions for Street Semis, 4x4 Gas Trucks, 4x4 Diesel Trucks, and an open competition class. 4-H Night- $10 family admission for all card-carrying members. Gates at 4:30. Racing at 7.
7/14 Sprints, Mods, Stocks, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks plus Kids Bike Races. $10 Family Night presented by Armstrong. Dean Dairy Corp. Night.
Mercer Raceway Park is located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly late March through early October. The office in New Bedford, Pa. is open year-round after 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call the office at 724-964-9300 or the track on race day at 724-662-1310. Check out our website at www.mercerracewaypa rk.com for the latest.
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