For Immediaite Release
Media Contact: Lou Long (412-760-9755)
Mercer, PA (Spetember 3, 2011): Point championships will be crowned next week when double points will be on the line, but Rod George (Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars) and Ed Haylett (Big Dog R/C Center Mini Stocks) used their feature wins to close in on the drivers leading the points standings in their respective divisions, while Jimmy Holden (Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds) used his to inch a little closer to a second consecutive point championship. Also taking wins were Gary Miller (Precise Racing Products Stock Cars), Jeff Teeters (Big Daddy’s Speed Center Modified Lites), and Andy Priest (ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors).
The luck of the draw placed Gale Ruth, Jr. on the pole for the Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature, and it looked like he would take advantage of the opportunity that gave him. He jumped out to the lead on the initial start, but he had to fend off the constant challenges of Adam Bomb Kekich, who was seeking his first career 410 Sprint car victory. While Ruth never relinquished the lead to his younger foe at the scoring loop, Kekich would often nose ahead as the pair battled side by side through the third and fourth turns.
While Ruth and Kekich fought for the lead, Jimmy Light and Brandon Spithaler had their own battle going for third. But, further back in the field, the Kittaning Comet, Rod George, and the Flying One, Bob Flemlee, were working their way to the front. Their advancement through the field was even more intriguing because they are fighting for the point championship.
During a long green flag run to the finish, George and Flemlee reeled in the leaders, Ruth and Kekich. The big move came on lap 19, when George slipped under Ruth to take the lead in turns three and four, and Flemlee followed him into second.
It looked as though they would finish in that order, but Andy McKisson scooted past Felmlee for second on lap 23 when Felmlee brushed the front stretch wall.
Goeorge got the win, narrowing the point gap to just 17 markers. McKisson was second, with Felmlee third. Light hung on for fourth and Kekich got fifth.
Ruth slipped to sixth in the final circuits. Spithaler, Chris Best, Brandon Matus and Scott Priester rounded out the top ten.
Eric Gabany dominated the early going in the the Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds, running ahead of the Tugboat, Lonnie Riggs, and Jimmy the Jet Holden. The action was halted on lap nine for a seven-car wreck in turn four that blocked the track. Although the cars of Rick Hall and Dave Murdick were significantly damaged, the others were able to resume racing. Fortunatley, none of the involve drivers were injured.
When the race went green again, Holden made his move to take the lead away from Gabany. Meanwhile, Frank Guidace was working his way to the front from his twelfth place start. He overpowered Riggs for second on lap 14 and took off after the leader.
Guidace did catch Holden, and the two battled for the lead over the final five laps. With Guidace running the low side, and Holden using the cusion, they thrilled the fans with their side by side duel.
Holden powered off turn four to take the win, but Guidace was in his shadow. That gave Holden a 29 point margin heading into the final points race of the season.
Rob Curtis, Jeff Shaffer and Ron Eperthener completed the top five.
Riggs finished sixth in his first ride in Andy Paden’s 55. Gabany crossed in seventh, just one spot ahead of Dave Cogswell. Jerry Shaffer finished ninth and Dillon Barr was tenth in his first outing of the season.
Just three laps into the Precise Racing Products Stock Cars, Alan Dellinger bolted into the lead, taking the spot away from Bobby Heim. Meanwhile, Russ Byler and Gary Miller were working their way forwad, as was Trusty Rusty Moore.
Byler grabbed the lead from Heim on lap 11, after Dellinger pitted. Miller also slipped by Heim for second, setting up a battle with Byler for the lead.
Miller was able to work past Byler on a restart. Moore quickly followed him into second. When Moore took the position, the question crossing everybody’s mind was whether Moore could pull off a record-breaking win.
A caution set up a two lap dash with Miller and Moore on the front row. Nerves were getting the better of the two drivers, as they had to take several shots at getting an even start. They finally did, and Miller sped into turn one with the lead. Moore hung close, hoping that Miller would bobble, but he did not.
Miller claimed the win and Moore was a close second. Byler was third, followed by Curtis Bish and Heim.
Ryan Moyer, Bob Schwartzmiller, Andy Thompson, Shawn Hooks and Jim Flaherty rounded out the top ten.
Despite starting in fourth, Jeff Teeters raced into the lead on the opening lap of the Big Daddy’s Speed Center Modified Lites. Tom Kline and Andrew Bruce fell in behind him in the early going. Bruce spun on lap four while still running third. On the ensuing restart, Teeters’ teammate, Rod Jones, came to life, advancing from fourth to second. The pair maintained command until lap 13, when Kotie Kirkbride slipped into second. She held the position until the final lap. Mark Marcucci, who started last in the evnt, passed her, but he was penalized for rough driving and placed last among those who finished the race.
Teeters got the win, followed by Kirkbride in a career best second. Jones held on for third. Point leader Darrin Gallagher nabbed fourth ahead of Cody Bova.
Kline faded to sixth at the finish. Bruce recovered from his spint to finish seventh. Bill Stivason, Breyton Santee and newcomer Tyler Frankenberry completed the top ten.
In the Big Dog R/C Center Mini Stocks, Todd Gabriel grabbed the lead from the pole, but points leader Pete Blazczak charged from fourteenth to fourth in just four laps. Blazczak pressed Gabriel for the lead, and finally moved out front on lap ten. Blazczak’s impressive run ended just one lap later. That gave the lead back to Gabriel, but now he had to contend with the division’s hottest driver, Ed Haylett. On the restart, Gabriel broke, and Haylett cruised to the win.
Troy Lehnortt finished second. Michael Thompson, Steve Longwell, Jr. and Tyler Fulton rounded out the top five.
Rudy Troples, Chase Anthony and Maria Nevin claimed positions six through eight. Gabriel was awarded ninth and Steve Longwell, Sr. tenth, both on the basis of laps completed.
The final race of the night, the ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors, saw Andy Priest take his new ride to victory lane in its first outing. It wasn’t easy, though, as he had to chase down points leader Guy Griffin, who led from the drop of the green. Priest made the winning pass on the bottom of turn two on the last lap.
Adam Anderson ran third the entire distance. Justin Whitesell advanced from ninth to fourth. Fifth was Joe McEwen, who was also making his first start of the year.
Michael Bauer, Jack Wingstein, Bob McMillin, Harold Braden, Jr. and Dean Ruth completed the top ten.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars:
1. Rod George (4), 2. Andy McKisson (0), 3. Bob Felmlee (6), 4. Jimmy Light (23), 5. Adam Kekick (5K), 6. Gale Ruth, Jr. (1R), 7. Brandon Spithaler (22S), 8. Chris best (66), 9. Brandon Matus (13), 10. Scott Priester (15), 11. Brent Matus (33), 12. Kevin Andrusky (7A), 13. Shawn Minor (3M), 14. Chuck Brion (5B), 15. John McCracken (63). DNS: Mike FLynn (69X). Heat winners: Light, George.
Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds:
1. Jimmy Holden (28H), 2. Frank Guidace (1G), 3. Rob Curtis (88R), 4. Jeff Shafffer (14), 5. Ron Eperthener (333), 6. Lonnie Riggs (55), 7. Eric Gabany (3E), 8. Dave Cogswell (8), 9. Jerry Shaffer (4), 10. Dillon Barr (15B), 11. Matt Reeher (711), 12. Bob Warren (96B), 13. Kyle Fink (66F), 14. Steve Barr (25B), 15. Kevin Green (74), 16. Greg Unrue, Jr. (5), 17. Scott Rodgers (55X), 18. Clyde Gumpp (51), 19. Dustin Martin (29D), 20. Rick Hall (B2), 21. Dave Murdick (77). Heat winners: Guidace, Jeff Shaffer, Riggs.
Precise Racing Products Stock Cars:
1. Gary Miller (1M), 2. Rusty Moore (17M), 3. Russ Bykler (06R), 4. Curtis Bish (29T), 5. Bobby Heim (92), 6. Ryan Moyer (13X), 7. Bob Schwartzmiller (28S), 8. Andy Thompson (7), 9. Shawn Hooks (65), 10. Jim Flaherty (38SPL), 11. Darrin Hyde (4), 12. Brandon Johnston (14J), 13. Bob McCann(33), 14. Buck Buchanan (93B), 15. Alan Dellinger (43B), 16. Bill Phillips (23JR), 17. Brian Wagner (56), 18. Clyde Roberts (33C). DNS: Matt Wagner (12), Ray Reynolds (73), Brad Shaffer (77), James Hooks (65H). Heat winners: Bish, Dellinger, McCann.
Big Daddy’s Speed Center Modified Lites:
1. Jeff Teeters (23), 2. Kotie Kirkbride (97N), 3. Rod Jones (32), 4. Darrin Gallagher (12), 5. Cody Bova (20B), 11. Tom Kline (68), 12. Andrew Bruce (70×7), 13. Bill Stivason (116), 9. Breyton Santee (9), 10. Tyler Frankenberry (55), 11. Jacob Bova (28J), 12. Mark Marcucci (8M), 13. Andy Feil (08), 14. Dan Demyan (8D), 15. Taylor Smith (23TT), 16. Josh Santee (3), 17. Richard Lawson (77). Heat winners: Jones, Marcucci.
Big Dog R/C Center Mini Stocks:
1. Ed Haylett (8ball), 2. Troy Lehnortt (46), 3. Michael Thompson (82T), 4. Steve Longwell, Jr. (17K), 5. Tyler Fulton (409), 6. Rudy Troples (28), 7. Chase Anthony (26), 8. Maria Nevin (9), 9. Todd Gabriel (33G), 10. Steve Longwell, Sr. (16K), 11. Adam Bullfone (19JR), 12. Joel Wisser (15K), 13. Pete Blazczak (77), 14. Dan McEwen (44M), 15. Carl Keller (98). Heat winners: Gabriel, Haylett.
ti22 Outlaw Sprint Warriors:
1. Andy Priest (7N), 2. Guy Griffin (11), 3. Adam Anderson (5B), 4. Justin Whitesell (17), 5. Joe McEwen (44), 6. Michael Bauer (35), 7. Jacob Lagestee (72), 8. Bob McMillin(5), 9. Harold Braden, Jr. (9), 10. Dean Ruth (14G), 11.Dennis Wagner (38), 12. Jim Morris (16). Heat winners: Wagner, Bauer.
