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By Mike Leone
July 7, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mercer, PA.The fifth straight sunny Saturday saw Mercer Raceway Park host the inaugural "Stand On It" presented by Truck Rodz by Jones Performance as circle track and drag racing were featured together for the first time ever. Celebrating in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane were Scott Bonnell-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Lonny Riggs-American Racer/Lias Tire Modifieds, Jason Reagle-Tire Express Stocks Cars, Rod Jones-Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites, and Bill Fuchs-M&D Paving Mini Stocks. In drag racing action, it was David Garon-Street Semis, Jim Braho-4x4 Gas Trucks, Tad Brogan-4x4 Diesel Trucks, and Dustin DiClaudio-Open Class.
One month ago Scott Bonnell made the decision to return to Mercer Raceway Park and the move continues to pay dividends as Bonnell scored his second win in his last four visits in Saturday night's 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling feature. "The guys gave me a great car," acknowledged the Girard, Pa. racer. "Last week we had a good car and I messed up in turn one and spun out. I was mad at myself all week and knew I had to come back and win one for these guys. We were really hooked up. I could run the top, but it went away a little at the end, but I pictured Rod (George) driving underneath me. It plays on your mind with the scoreboard not working. You don't know what lap you're at who's behind you. It was tough. You just get out there and run as hard as you can. I have to thank God for giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do and that's race."
Brent Matus raced past Ohio teenage rookie Cole Duncan for the lead on the opening lap. Bonnell, who started sixth, got a great start as he used his momentum off the outside of turns one and two to ascend all the way up to second with Gale Ruth, Jr. trailing in third. Mike Dehner slowed and brought out the caution with one lap completed. Under caution Bryan Grove pitted and point leader Rod George exited the event with front-end damage. George's perfect streak of finishing first or second every night this season came to an end.
When racing resumed, Bonnell flew around Matus off turn four into the lead. Danny Holtgraver and last week's winner Mike Lutz, who started 10th, both passed Duncan for fourth and fifth on lap two. The battle heated up for third on lap seven as Ruth tried to hold off Holtgraver and Lutz, while Bonnell pulled away from the field. Holtgraver spun off turn four across the straightaway bringing out the caution with nine laps completed and moved Lutz up to fourth and Arnie Kent into fifth.
Back under green flag conditions, a four-car race ensued for second with Matus holding off Ruth, Lutz, and Kent. Lutz made the pass of Ruth for third on lap 10 and one lap later swung past Matus for second. By lap 12, Bonnell had a straightaway advantage on Lutz. The event's final caution was displayed for newcomer Duffy Smith with 13 laps completed. Ruth, Kent, and Holtgraver were all able to increase a position taking third through fifth from Matus on laps 14, 16, and 17 respectively.
Back up front, Lutz didn't have anything for Bonnell, who raced on to his fourth career Mercer 410 Sprint Car win and sixth overall including two 360 scores in his Bonnell's Collision Center/Fairview Service Center/Sikkens Auto Paint-sponsored #3B. Lutz continued his strong performances in the last four events, which includes a win, a second, and two thirds. Ruth held off Kent for a career best third place finish. Holtgraver came back to finish fifth. Matus dropped to sixth over the ever-improving Duncan. Smith was eighth in his first appearance since September 18, 2004. Butera was ninth ahead of New Jersey's Jack Helget. Duncan and Holtgraver won the heats over the 15-car field.
After going a year and a half without a victory, Lonny Riggs made it two-in-a-row in the Modifieds with an impressive run in the 20-lap American Racer/Lias Tire feature. "It feels good to at least get a couple wins," stated the Volant, Pa. driver. "This is the same setup as last week and Wednesday. The car was definitely faster on the top with the track being a little slipperier on the bottom. The car still lacks forward bite, but if we have to we'll keep her on the cushion."
After leader Alex Anderson spun in turn four and collected Matt Reeher and Rick Hall on the initial start, it was three-wide for the lead when racing resumed between pole-sitter Rich Whitney, Riggs, and Kevin Green with fifth starting Riggs coming out on top over Green, Steve Young, and Whitney. Frank Guidace passed Whitney for fourth on lap two. Young got under Green for second off turn four on lap three and Guidace followed in third on lap later.
On lap five, Young was able to get under Riggs as the two raced side-by-side for the lead, while Guidace closed on the outside in third. The furious battle for the lead continued and on lap 11 as Guidace snuck passed Young on the outside of turn four for runner-up. Gary Smoker, who was running fourth, went up in smoke and brought out the event's final caution with 11 laps completed.
On the ensuing restart, Young was slow to get up to speed as 11th starter Brad Rapp and point leader Garrett Krummert moved ahead for third and fourth. Riggs and Guidace both ran around the cushion on the top-side of the speedway. Guidace was right on Riggs for the second straight week, but Riggs was able to clear a couple interesting moments in lapped traffic for his seventh career win in the division and milestone 20th overall at the track in the Merle Black-owned, Iron Bridge Inn-sponsored #58. After a slow start to the season, defending champion Guidace has appeared to figure out his new 2007 Troyer mount with another strong run in second. Rapp was third as he continues to hunt for his first win of the season. Krummert edged 15th starting Jeff Schaffer for fourth. Completing the top 10 were Young, Whitney, Green, Hall, and Anderson. Topping the heats over the 16-car field were Smoker and Young.
Tri-City Speedway regular Jason Reagle made a rare appearance to Mercer on Saturday night and the decision paid off as he captured his first career Mercer win and at the same time put an end to Brian Booher's three-race win streak in the 15-lap Tire Express Stock Car feature. "I just put on medium tires and we went from there," said the Oil City, Pa. resident when asked about his setup changes from Tri-City to Mercer. I was talking to Booher in the pits. He's a nice kid and I told him I was hunting him down and see if I could whoop him."
Russ Byler jumped into the early lead with Shaun Hooks moving past Bryan Shaffer for second. Andy Thompson and eighth starting Reagle took third and fourth respectively from Shaffer on lap three. A spin by Randy Sprouse brought out the event's first caution with five laps completed. When racing resumed, Hooks was able to edge by Byler at the line to lead lap six. Reagle was able to get past Thompson for third on lap six and then both Reagle and Thompson passed Byler on lap seven. The following lap it was three-wide for the lead with Hooks holding on, but on lap nine Reagle drove by Hooks on the backstretch for the lead. Thompson and Booher both were able to get past Hooks on lap 10 and 11 for second and third.
Lap 14 saw Booher go to the outside of Thompson and Thompson ran Booher off the track and into the wall. Reagle went on to the victory in the R.K. Virgile Scrap Metals-sponsored #888. Hooks was second for the third time this season. Thompson crossed the line in third, but was put to the tail for rough driving. Byler was credited with third over 17th starting Terry Wheeler and Shaffer. Andy Buckley and Booher won the heats over the 19-car field.
Rod Jones of West Middlesex, Pa. made it three-in-row and six on the season capturing the 15-lap Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lite feature. From the pole position Ben Black led the first four laps before fourth starting Doug Stanley took over on lap five. Black spun on lap six moving Bill Stivason and 10th starting Rod Jones up to second and third for the restart.
When racing resumed, Jones and Todd Canter disposed of Stivason for second and third. Jones got high on lap eight allowing Canter to get by for second. On lap nine, it was a three-car race for the lead before the second caution was displayed for a scary flip by Tom Klein. Stanley was slow to get up to speed on the ensuing restart and Jones was able to slip under both Canter and Stanley for the lead. Jones led the final six laps for his eighth career win in the Dave Jones-owned, Jones Performance-sponsored #820. Stanley held off the teammates of Canter and Kenny Meadows for second. Brian Woodhall completed the top five. Stanley and Jones won the heats over the 18-car field.
Bill Fuchs won for the second time in three weeks in the 12-lap Mini Stock feature. The Greenville, Pa. driver started fourth and raced into the lead on the opening lap. Fuchs survived three cautions and a late charge by 12th starting Pete Wearing for the victory in his #10. Wearing's second was the fifth time in six races he's finished runner-up and also has a win to go along with those numbers. Mike Anderson (Jr.) was third. Kris Anderson was fourth in just his second ever race as Leland Haylett completed the top five. Lucas Sprouse and Anderson won the heats over the 14-car field.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling (410) Sprint Cars: 1. SCOTT BONNELL 2. Mike Lutz 3. Gale Ruth, Jr. 4. Arnie Kent 5. Danny Holtgraver 6. Brent Matus 7. Cole Duncan 8. Duffy Smith 9. Joe Butera 10. Jack Helget 11. Paul Kish 12. Bryan Grove 13. Rod George 14. Mike Dehner 15. Jeff Taylor-DNS.
American Racer/Lias Tire (358) Modifieds: 1. LONNY RIGGS 2. Frank Guidace 3. Brad Rapp 4. Garrett Krummert 5. Jeff Schaffer 6. Steve Young 7. Rich Whitney 8. Kevin Green 9. Rick Hall 10. Alex Anderson 11. Dave Cogswell 12. Jr. Baker 13. Brian May 14. Gary Smoker 15. Matt Reeher 16. Ron Eperthener, Jr.-DNS.
Tire Express Stock Cars: 1. JASON REAGLE 2. Shaun Hooks 3. Russ Byler 4. Terry Wheeler 5. Bryan Shaffer 6. Brian Booher 7. Bryan Wagner 8. Rod Laskey 9. Matt Wagner 10. Jim Brunson 11. Randy Sprouse 12. Lauren Simmons 13. Tim Deutsch 14. Andy Thompson 15. Dan Fedorchak 16. Bill Vance, Jr. 17. Andy Buckley 18. Brandon Johnston-DNS 19. Rick Norco-DNS.
Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites: 1. ROD JONES 2. Doug Stanley 3. Todd Canter 4. Kenny Meadows 5. Brian Woodhall 6. Angie Grzelak 7. George Englert 8. Bill Stivason 9. Levi Spinneweber 10. Kevin Spencer 11. Kotie Kirkbride 12. Wilbur Juillerat 13. Craig Scherrbaum 14. Tom Klein 15. Ben Black 16. Mike Evans 17. Mark Marcucci-DNS 18. John Brunner-DNS.
M&D Paving Mini Stocks: 1. BILL FUCHS 2. Pete Wearing 3. Mike Anderson (Jr.) 4. Kris Anderson 5. Leland Haylett 6. Don D'Onofrio 7. Wally Stearns 8. Ed Haylett 9. Anthony Shetter 10. Dillon Barr 11. Steve Polkabla 12. Lucas Sprouse 13. Jason Bell 14. Dan Nagy-DNS.
Upcoming Events:
7/14 Sprints, Mods, Mod Lites, Mini Stocks, and the Steve Guthrie, Jr. Memorial for Stocks ($500) plus Kids Bike Races. $10 Family Night presented by Armstrong. Dean Dairy Corp. Night.
7/21 Sprints, Mods, Mod Lites, Mini Stocks, and the Ken Carbone Memorial for Stocks ($650) plus Compact Car Demo Derby. Labor Union Night- $5 admission for card-carrying union members and their significant other. Yellow Book USA Night.
7/28 7th annual "Sprint Slug-Out" featuring triple 15s for Sprints plus Mods, Stocks, Mod Lites, & Mini Stocks.
Gates open at 4:30 with hot laps at 6:15 and racing at 7 p.m.
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 late mornings and after 1:30 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.mercerracewaypark.com for the latest.
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