MERCER, PA – On a beautiful mid summer evening Michaels Mercer Raceway completed its 5th show of the 71ST season with Dan Kuriger picking up his 1st mercer 410 sprint win work $3000 since 2017 and it was also the historic 400th 410 sprint car feature at the track since it reopened in 1994. Jeremy Kornbau won his 3rd Racesaver 305 sprint feature, Eric Gabany returned to capture his 2nd big block modified win of 2022, Brian Schaffer won his 3rd FASTRAK modified feature of the season and Carl Ealy returned to victory lane in the mini stocks .
The 400th 410 sprint car main since reopening in 1994 had Chase Metheney starting on the pole with Dan Kuriger. Metheney would take the lead and would open up a 1.5 second advantage over the field looking promising to win his 1st 410 main.. however on unlucky lap 13 Ryan Fredericks would come to a halt in turn 4 and Metheney with nowhere to go clipped the vehicle resulting in him going to the pits ending his great run. Kuriger would inherit the lead and go in to win by 1.7 seconds and his 1st at the speedway since 2017. Ohio invader Ricky Peterson in the Kornbau #27 moved his way through the field and passed 2 time winner Adam Kekich on the last lap for 2nd. Jack Sodeman jr was 4th and Bob Felmlee 5th. Kuriger would say “I felt bad for him(Metheney)..he was pretty fast but this happened to me at sharon this year so I know how it goes. Track was real nice tonight we broke our truck last night and my dad worked on the truck and I worked on the car and we slept like 2 hours but I’m glad we came.”
In the big block modifieds reigning track champion Eric Gabany returned to Mercer after the sudden loss of car owner Rick Ryder and went on to win his 2nd Modified feature of the year and his 3rd overall. Previous Mike Kinney blew a tire on lap 12 negating gabany’s lead by 2.6 seconds. On the restart Gabany would take off and dominate winning by 3.078 over Brad Rapp. “This is great it’s just special to be able to do this and for him (car owner Rick Ryder) and his car it’s awesome. We will be back here at mercer every week.” NY invader Tony Pangrazio finished 3rd, Rodney Beltz with a great run finishing 4th and John Venuto 5th.
Jeremy Kornbau added to his win total and his point lead leading flag to flag in The 20 lap Racesaver 305 sprint feature. It wasn’t easy as veteran and 13 time winner Jimmy Morris hounded Kornbau lap after lap going high and low pulling within a half car length several times. After several cautions Kornbau would hold his own and pick up his 3rd feature of 2022 by a slim .871 over Morris. “I could hear him the whole race and he’s good at sneaking under and I tried to protect the bottom so he couldn’t gain an inch. When it’s slick and smooth Jimmy is always there. Gary Edwards has this car rolling and it makes it fun now!! We were up until 6 am working on the car after Lernerville after last night so it makes it nice.” Morris would settle for 2nd, Greg Dobrosky 3rd, Vivian Jones 4th and Jake Gomola 5th.
It’s turning into the Schaffer FASTRAK modifieds as all 5 features have been won by 2 drivers named Schaffer. 2 time track champ Brian Schaffer won his 3rd of the season handily from the pole position and was never threatened the entire race winning by 2.406. A great battle for 2nd resulted in Gage Priester holding off Michael Kristyak and Billy Adams. 2 time winner Jeff Schaffer Jr. was 5th.
9 time winner last season Carl Ealy finally visited victory lane in 2022 in the mini stocks after a spirited battle with cousin and defending champion Andy Thompson. Tim Callahan came from the 12th position to finish 3rd while Corey Bice was 4th and newcomer Nick Robie was 5th.
Next week will be a special 410 sprint car $6000 to win special which will follow the all star sprint format. Also on the card will be the FASTRAK/crate 602 sportsman racing for $1000 to win, along with the mini stocks and the jr sprints.
410 Sprints – Winged 12 Entries
A Feature 1 25 Laps
1. 08-Danny Kuriger[3]; 2. 27K-Ricky Peterson[6]; 3. 5K-Adam Kekich[4]; 4. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr[8]; 5. 6-Bob Felmlee[5]; 6. 13-Brandon Matus[12]; 7. 38-Leyton Wagner[7]; 8. 33-Brent Matus[10]; 9. 55-Matt Sherlock[2]; 10. 4W-Eric L Williams[9]; 11. 31C-Chase Metheney[1]; 12. 22R-Ryan Fredericks[11]
Heat 1 8 Laps
1. 27K-Ricky Peterson[2]; 2. 5K-Adam Kekich[4]; 3. 55-Matt Sherlock[1]; 4. 38-Leyton Wagner[3]; 5. 4W-Eric L Williams[6]; 6. 22R-Ryan Fredericks[5]
Heat 2 8 Laps
1. 6-Bob Felmlee[1]; 2. 08-Danny Kuriger[2]; 3. 31C-Chase Metheney[5]; 4. 23JR-Jack Sodeman Jr[6]; 5. 33-Brent Matus[3]; 6. 13-Brandon Matus[4]
305 Sprints – Winged 12 Entries
A Feature 1 20 Laps
1. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau[1]; 2. 16-Jim Morris[2]; 3. 88-Greg Dobrosky[3]; 4. 20M-Vivian Jones[6]; 5. 4J-Jacob Gamola[8]; 6. 12G-Tommy Jasen[5]; 7. 25-Jarrett Rosencrance[4]; 8. 82M-Roman Jones[7]; 9. 3-John Jerich[10]; 10. 34M-Mike Marano II[12]; 11. 17S-Shane Shook[9]; 12. 42-James Pattock[11]
Heat 1 8 Laps
1. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau[1]; 2. 4J-Jacob Gamola[6]; 3. 25-Jarrett Rosencrance[2]; 4. 20M-Vivian Jones[5]; 5. 17S-Shane Shook[4]; 6. 42-James Pattock[3]
Heat 2 8 Laps
1. 16-Jim Morris[2]; 2. 88-Greg Dobrosky[3]; 3. 12G-Tommy Jasen[6]; 4. 82M-Roman Jones[5]; 5. 3-John Jerich[1]; 6. 34M-Mike Marano II[4]
Dirt Big Block Modifieds 9 Entries
A Feature 1 25 Laps
1. 18E-eric gabany[2]; 2. 11R-Brad Rapp[3]; 3. 41-Tony Pangrazio[8]; 4. 64-Rodney Beltz[9]; 5. 817-John Zvenuto[1]; 6. 20P-Mike Kinney[6]; 7. 74-Kevin Green[7]; 8. 812-Frankie Guidace[4]; 9. (DNS) 51-Clyde Gumpp
Heat 1 8 Laps
1. 20P-Mike Kinney[2]; 2. 11R-Brad Rapp[4]; 3. 18E-eric gabany[6]; 4. 817-John Zvenuto[7]; 5. 812-Frankie Guidace[5]; 6. 51-Clyde Gumpp[1]; 7. 74-Kevin Green[9]; 8. 41-Tony Pangrazio[3]; 9. 64-Rodney Beltz[8]
mini stocks 23 Entries
A Feature 1 15 Laps
1. 7-Carl Ealy[4]; 2. 5-Andy Thompson[2]; 3. 54-Tim Callahan[12]; 4. 10-Corey Bice[1]; 5. 31-Nick Robie[3]; 6. 38-Randy Ealy[8]; 7. 10S-trevn schaffer[7]; 8. 79-John McCraken[6]; 9. 00-Cole Miller[9]; 10. 029-Ben Aley[18]; 11. C4-Alex Claypoole[14]; 12. 77-Braden Bice[13]; 13. 16R-Jordan Reges[16]; 14. 64-Summer Pitts[21]; 15. 325Z-Zack Swartz[15]; 16. 12N-Joshua Funkhouser[17]; 17. 44B-Cody Blose[23]; 18. 66M-Matt Miller[20]; 19. 02-Devin Haley[10]; 20. 9-William Aley[5]; 21. 999-Adam Aley[22]; 22. 22D-Chuck Davis[11]; 23. 42-Phil Powell[19]
Heat 1 6 Laps
1. 31-Nick Robie[4]; 2. 10-Corey Bice[2]; 3. 79-John McCraken[6]; 4. 00-Cole Miller[3]; 5. 77-Braden Bice[7]; 6. 16R-Jordan Reges[1]; 7. 42-Phil Powell[8]; 8. 999-Adam Aley[5]
Heat 2 6 Laps
1. 54-Tim Callahan[2]; 2. 7-Carl Ealy[5]; 3. 10S-trevn schaffer[4]; 4. 02-Devin Haley[7]; 5. C4-Alex Claypoole[1]; 6. 12N-Joshua Funkhouser[8]; 7. 66M-Matt Miller[3]; 8. 44B-Cody Blose[6]
Heat 3 6 Laps
1. 5-Andy Thompson[1]; 2. 9-William Aley[6]; 3. 38-Randy Ealy[4]; 4. 22D-Chuck Davis[5]; 5. 325Z-Zack Swartz[7]; 6. 029-Ben Aley[2]; 7. 64-Summer Pitts[3]
FASTRAK Modified 13 Entries
A Feature 1 20 Laps
1. 41-Brian Schaffer[1]; 2. 71-Gage Priester[3]; 3. 404-MIchael Kristyak[4]; 4. 717-Bill Adams[6]; 5. 14-Jeff Schaffer Jr[9]; 6. 7P-Caden Petry[5]; 7. 1M-Makayla Guidace[11]; 8. 113-Don Cornelius[7]; 9. 29A-Anthony Antus[10]; 10. 7-Scott Kay[13]; 11. 25-Jolene Smith[8]; 12. 93-Phill Kapcewich[12]; 13. 01-Nathaniel Bale[2]
Heat 1 8 Laps
1. 717-Bill Adams[3]; 2. 404-MIchael Kristyak[4]; 3. 01-Nathaniel Bale[5]; 4. 113-Don Cornelius[1]; 5. 14-Jeff Schaffer Jr[6]; 6. 1M-Makayla Guidace[7]; 7. 7-Scott Kay[2]
Heat 2 8 Laps
1. 7P-Caden Petry[1]; 2. 71-Gage Priester[2]; 3. 41-Brian Schaffer[6]; 4. 25-Jolene Smith[5]; 5. 29A-Anthony Antus[3]; 6. 93-Phill Kapcewich[4]
