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“FALL BRAWL” TO BRING DOWN CURTAIN ON 2008 SEASON AT MERCER SATURDAY;
$250,000 FASTRAK LATE MODEL GRAND NAT’S BEGIN PLUS SUPER LATE MODELS,
E-MODS & MINIS
By Mike Leone
September 30, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Mercer, PA)…Coming off of another successful “Little Guy Nationals,”
Mercer Raceway Park will close out the 2008 season this Saturday night,
October 4 with the inaugural running of the “Fall Brawl” presented by
McElwain Motors. On the card will be the FASTRAK Late Models, Super Late
Model, E-Mods, and M&D Paving Mini Stocks with racing early at 6 p.m.
It’s also P.P.C. Lubricants Corp. Night.
Highlighting the event will be the FASTRAK Late Models in Night 1 of the
$250,000 Grand Nationals for the Northeast Region. The 43 eligible
FASTRAK Northeast member racers that completed nine events will begin
Saturday accumulating points before heading on to Friendship Speedway
(Elkin, NC) and on to Wythe Raceway (Rural Retreat, VA) in two weeks in
Nights 2 and 3 to determine the $50,000 National Champion.
Max Blair will lead the charge into Mercer. The 18-year-old Centerville,
Pa. driver is the apparent $10,000 National Weekly Series Champion and has
already locked up the $5,000 Northeast Touring Series Championship along
with weekly championships at both McKean County Raceway and Tri-City
Speedway. Blair now sets his sights on the $50,000 prize beginning
Saturday.
Dog Hollow Touring and last year’s $5,000 Mercer winner Dick Barton, Expo
Touring winner Bobby Powell, Mercer champion Frank Guidace, Raceway 7
champion and Mercer winner Jay Watson, Raceway 7 Touring winner and
Pittsburgh champion Mike Pegher, Jr., Dog Hollow champion Dan Angelicchio,
Raceway 7 Touring winner John Lacki, Tri-City $2,000 Touring winner Carl
McKinney, McKean Touring winner Butch Lambert, Dog Hollow winner Tommy
Snyder, Raceway 7 winner Dennis Lunger, Mercer winners Rusty Moore and
Brian Booher, veteran Steve Hollabaugh will be the favorites competing for
Saturday’s $2,000 prize and crucial points.
It will be a double dip for late model fans as the Super Late Models
invade Mercer for the first time since March 31, 2007 when David Scott
scored his third career Mercer win. Other recent Super Late Model Mercer
winners include Keith Barbara (2), Alan Dellinger (2), Dick Barton (1),
and Nick Jones (1). The Super Late Models will also be competing for
$2,000 to-win in western Pennsylvania’ s only race for the entire weekend
for the division. Top runners like Robbie Blair, Dick Barton, Dave Hess,
Jr., and Mike Knight are expected.
Not to be outdone, the E-Mods will be competing in their richest event in
the history of The Park, as $2,000 is also up for grabs in the United
E-Mod Series-sanctioned event presented by Gregg’s Auto Body in New
Castle, Pa. Randy Hall opened the season at Mercer on April 5 winning the
UEMS event over a strong field of competitors in the E-Mods only
appearance of the season. UEMS has been drawing strong car counts and
with the lucrative purse up for grabs a strong field is expected. In the
23 E-Mod races held all-time at the track there have been 13 different
winners led by four-time victory Alan Dellinger followed by Bob McCann
(3), Matt Lux (3), Russ Dunn (2), Dave Hess, Jr. (2), Bill Thomas (2),
Herm Myers (1), Jay Watson (1), Jack Young (1), Jim Frontz (1), Rich
Logan, and Richard Michael, Jr. (1).
Completing the card will be the M&D Paving Mini Stocks running a complete
program including in an increased payoff feature plus a second feature
known as the “Leland Haylett Memorial”. While the night’s regularly
scheduled Mini Stock program will be open to all competitors, the 15-lap
“Leland Haylett Memorial” feature has been restricted by director Wally
Stearns, Jr., who he and along with Haylett’s fellow racers have raised a
large sum of money. Every position in the feature will pay with the
winner receiving $200. This feature will have a separate pill draw.
“We’re looking forward to this night,” expressed 10th year owner Vicki
Emig. “It will be a unique show that should draw in some exceptional
talent from all divisions. We’re proud to host Night 1 of the FASTRAK
Grand Nationals especially after losing our second Touring event to Mother
Nature. What a treat for Late Model fans it will be to see not only the
best of the best in FASTRAK, but the Supers back at Mercer on for the most
part neutral ground. The E-Mods are always asking to race at Mercer and
especially a big show. We decided to add them to this event and we hated
to lose their show on September 13. It will also be a nice to hold a big
Mini Stock race in memory of our fallen racer Leland Haylett. Leland had
lots of friends at the track and what they’ve done for this race shows how
much he meant to them. I’d be remised if I didn’t thank McElwain Motors
for coming on board big at The Park this season and helping making this
event possible.”
Pits open at 2:30 p.m. and the grandstands at 3:30 on Saturday. Hot laps
begin at 5 with FASTRAK Late Model time trials following and racing at
approximately 6 p.m. Adult admission is $15 with students 6-15 $7 and
while kids five and under are free. The family pass, which admits mom,
dad, and up to four kids, is $35. Pit passes are $30. The rain date for
the event is Saturday, October 11.
Mercer Raceway Park is located just minutes from both Interstates 79 & 80
just off Route 19 at 555 Fairground Road, Mercer, PA. For more
information, check out www.mercerracewaypa rk.com or call the office at
724-964-9300. For information on race day, call the track at 724-662-1310
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