- Matthews Wins 305 Sprint Race; Buchanan Wins
First-ever in Mercer Ltd. Mods
by Mike Leone -
- September 4, 1999
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- Mercer (PA)...Scoring wins at Mercer Raceway Park on
Saturday evening in the 16th night of racing were Chris Matthews (305 Sprints), Lou
Gentile (Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modifieds), John Buchanan (Quaker Steak &
Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds), and Gary Robinson (Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stocks).
There were no 410 Sprints or DIRT Modifieds due to the Sharon Nationals.
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- Driving at Mercer for the first time, rookie driver Chris
Matthews led all the way in 20-lap 305 Sprint Feature for his second career win. The only
caution of the race was for outside pole-sitter, Kevin Andrusky, who spun on the start and
collected Shawn Watkins and Brad Miller. When racing resumed, Matthews pulled away and
never looked back as the race went non-stop in 5:33.28. Matthews drove the Superior Walls
sponsored #52 to victory in the first-ever 305 Sprint race held at Mercer. Paul Long, who
started sixth, chased Henry Roberts for most of the race and finally got by for second on
lap 19. Roberts fell to third over Goob Schuller and Paul Kapuchuck. Andrusky won the
heat.
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- Lou Gentile keeps on the rolling in the Miller Lite/Amsoil
Six-Cylinder Modifieds. The Youngstown, Ohio driver scored his eighth win in the Emig #1.
Gentile started seventh and was already up to second on lap one passing Jim Bickel for the
spot. Kenny Hardy, who started ninth, got around Bickel for third on the second lap and
joined Gentile as the two ran down leader Gregg McCandless. McCandless’ bad luck
continued when he dropped from the event on lap six. This gave the lead to Gentile and he
was never threatened the remainder of the event as he scored his 27th win since the track
reopened in 1994. Hardy settled for second for the seventh time as the top winner since
1994 remains winless. Bickel and Harold Michaels were the only two other cars to finish
the race in third and fourth. Mark McEwen was credited for fifth. Gentile and McEwen won
the heats.
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- After coming close in the last couple years, John Buchanan
of Mercer, Pa. finally scored his first career win in the 20-lap Quaker Steak & Lube
West-Penn Limited Modified. Buchanan passed pole-sitter Ron Eperthener, Jr. for the lead
on the first lap. Tom Mattocks though was the man on the move. Mattocks started sixth and
passed Greg Unrue for the third on lap two, then moved into runner-up on lap four when he
passed Eperthener. Mattocks actually passed Buchanan on lap seven for the lead, but
Buchanan stuck right with Mattocks as the two ran side-by-side lap after lap. On lap 14,
Buchanan used the high groove to retake the lead and barely edged Mattocks for the win in
the Gabany’s Engine Rebuilders/McCool’s Signs & Graphics #93. Gary Smoker
came from seventh to place third over Unrue and Bill Adams, who recorded their best
finishes of the year. Scoring heat wins were Buchanan and Smoker.
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- With Alan Dellinger not competing in the pure stocks in
1999, Gary Robinson has replaced him as the top winner. Robinson of Greenville, Pa. won
his seventh 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Feature. Robinson started his run to
the front from eighth. On lap four, Robinson used the outside to pass Leroy Johnson, Jr.
for third, then inherited second on lap seven when John Reiser spun. Robinson ran down
race-long leader Andy Buckley and passed the two-time winner on lap eight at the line.
Tenth starter, Brian Booher, passed Buckley for second at the identical spot on the
following lap. Booher pressured Robinson as the two raced through traffic, but Robinson
had enough to capture his 12th career Mercer win in his Cresswell’s Auto Align/Speir
Homes sponsored #44R. Buckley fell to third over Brian Miller and a season-best finish by
Johnson in fifth. Taking the heats were Robinson, Buckley, and Johnson. Pat Hile won the B
main.
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- September 4, 1999 Results
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- 305 Sprint Feature Finish:
- 1. CHRIS MATTHEWS
- 2. Paul Long 3. Henry Roberts 4. Goob Schuller 5. Paul
Kapuchuck 6. Doug Anderson 7. Shawn Watkins 8. Kevin Andrusky 9. Brad Miller 10. John
Jones-DNS.
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- Miller Lite/AMSOIL Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish:
- 1. LOU GENTILE
- 2. Kenny Hardy 3. Jim Bickel 4. Harold Michaels 5. Mark
McEwen 6. Stan Bell 7. Dustin Kress 8. Frank Guidace 9. Dana Gearhart 10. Gregg McCandless
11. Carl Weatherby 12. Rick Kress 13. Conny Allen-DNS 14. Randy Ferguson-DNS.
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- Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn
Limited Modified Feature Finish:
- 1. JOHN BUCHANAN
- 2. Tom Mattocks 3. Gary Smoker 4. Greg G. Unrue 5. Bill
Adams 6. Rob Kristyak 7. Gary Bollinger 8. Buck Buchanan 9. Fred Sasse 10. Mike Clark 11.
Scott Pompa 12. Andy Paden 13. Bob Young 14. Boyd Johnston, Jr. 15. Jeremiah Shingledecker
16. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 17. Bill Thompson-DNS 18. Mark Latshaw-DNS 19. Mike Mathieson-DNS.
- Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock
Feature Finish:
- 1. GARY ROBINSON
- 2. Brian Booher 3. Andy Buckley 4. Brian Miller 5. Leroy
Johnson, Jr. 6. Shaun Hooks 7. Jim Brunson 8. Gary Miller, Jr. 9. Rick Anthony 10. Pat
Hile 11. Willie Aley 12. George Davis 13. Terry Kroner 14. Chuck Kerr 15. Mike Aley 16.
Bill Banick, Jr. 17. John Reiser 18. Tommy Dembowski 19. Al Priester 20. Ray Bailey 21.
Adam Aley 22. Lynn Hostetler 23. Dave Harbaugh 24. Todd Titus DNQ-Frank Eckart (Jr.), John
Beniston, Charlie Baptiste, Chuck Taylor, Jeff Kravec, Albert Hays, Frank Burdette, Rick
Norco, Tracy Sevin, Tim Zuschlag.
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- Sprints and DIRT Modifieds
- to Highlight September 18
- Mercer Finale
by Mike Leone -
- September 9, 1999
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- Mercer (PA)...Mercer Raceway Park will host its
biggest show of the season on Saturday, September 18. On the card will be the Sprint Cars,
DIRT Modifieds, and Pure Stocks plus a huge season-ending fireworks display.
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- The Sprint Cars will highlight the program in the 3rd
Annual Chuck Marsh Memorial with a 30-lap feature paying $4,000 to-win. Lap money will
also be available. In 1997, Wooster, Ohio’s Dean Jacobs was the $4,000 All Star
winner in his own Frigidaire sponsored #1F. Last season saw Upperco, Maryland’s Jeff
Shepard sweep both days winning over $11,000 in the Les Stewart #4J.
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- A large field of cars is expected as many of the speedways
in Ohio and Pa. are shut down. Waste Management Sprint Car Champion, Jimmy Hawley of West
Middlesex, Pa., won the $2,000 tune-up on August 14 over a 46-car field. Hawley won seven
feature at Mercer and 21 overall through Labor Day as he leads the local contingent. Bob
Felmlee won three races before his injury. Single winners through August included Jamie
Smith, Arnie Kent, Troy Preston, and Joe McEwen.
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- The DIRT Modifieds will conclude a very competitive season
with a 25-lap feature paying $1,500 to-win. MercerPros.com champion Lou Blaney of
Hartford, Ohio has had an excellent season winning six events through August. Two-time
winners have been Bill Dorman, Tommy Kristyak, and Tim Doran. Winning single events were
Rick Hall, Steve Young, and Rodney Beltz.
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- A host of other top contenders throughout the region should
be on hand as Mercer is the only track running DIRT Modifieds that weekend. The Pure
Stocks will round out the card with a $500 to-win event. Gary Robinson has been the top
winner through September 4 with seven wins. Andy Buckley and Brian Booher both recorded a
pair of wins. Butterfield’s Pub champion Bill Hanna of Jamestown, Pa. was victorious
once along with Leigh Wheeler, Brian Miller, John Reiser, and Gary Norman.
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- Don’t miss this special event to close out the great
1999 season. The event carries a Saturday, September 25 rain date if needed. Admission is
just $10 for adults. Students 6-17 are $5. Children five and under are free. The family
pass admits two adults and up to four students for $23. Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing
at 6:30 p.m.
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- Lynch Wins First, While Blaney Wins #7 in
Mercer Sprint and DIRT Modified Action
by Mike Leone -
- September 11, 1999
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- Mercer (PA)...Highlighting wins on the 17th night of
racing on the final regular show of the season were Ed Lynch, Jr. (Waste Management Sprint
Cars) and Lou Blaney (MercerPros.com DIRT Modifieds). Other winners were Kenny Hardy
(Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modifieds), John Buchanan (Quaker Steak & Lube
West-Penn Limited Modifieds), Gary Robinson (Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stocks), and
Terry Wheeler (Zoresco P.C.T.C. Senior Series).
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- Making his first appearance of the season, Ed Lynch, Jr.
recorded the 20-lap Waste Management Sprint Car win prepping for this Saturday’s
Chuck Marsh Memorial. "That was part of the reason for us coming here and we wanted
to check out the other motor. The other motor we had a motor problem so we changed motors
and went with "Old Reliable," said the Saltsburg, Pa. resident in victory lane.
Lynch started on the outside pole and settled into second as sprint car rookie Gary
Kriess, Jr. took the early lead. After chasing Kriess for the first three laps, Lynch got
alongside Kriess on lap four and powered by on the backstretch for the winning move. A lot
of good racing was taking place behind Lynch. Troy Preston came from seventh and passed
Skip Dougherty for third on lap five. The other car on the move was first-time 1999
visitor, Brian Ellenberger, who started ninth. Ellenberger passed Jack Sodeman, Jr. for
fifth on lap five, then disposed of Dougherty for fourth on lap nine.
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- Following a restart for a Randy Johnson spin with 12 laps
completed, Troy Preston drove by Kriess for second. Ellenberger followed in third on lap
15. A caution for debris with 16 laps completed and another for Todd Bauer with 17 laps in
gave Preston and Ellenberger one final shot at Lynch. When racing resumed, Lynch pulled
away for the win and let Preston and Ellenberger battle for second. Lynch’s first
Mercer win since June 6, 1998 came aboard his father’s owned, Howard Concrete
Pumping/Indy Equipment/Chip Ganassi Racing sponsored #2L. "The American
Racer/McCreary Tires worked really well on this really nice surface," commented
Lynch. "I’ll tell you what, it’ my first time here this year. I’ve
been missing out. They really have a nice surface here. It’s real racy and
you’re going to see a good race next week," concluded the appreciative Lynch.
Preston edged Ellenberger for runner-up. Kriess held on for a season-best fourth over
newcomer Skip Dougherty. Sixth through tenth were Jack Sodeman, Jr., Mike Kekich, Brad
Ellenberger, newcomer Doug Heritage, and Bob Lime. Heat wins went Dougherty, Preston, and
Lynch over the 24-car field.
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- Gary McCollum took this nasty high flip in turn one at
Mercer on Saturday night. He walked away uninjured in the scary crash...©BRP
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- Point champion Lou Blaney won his third straight 20-lap
MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature win. The Hartford, Ohio veteran started on the
outside pole and led all the way in the Colonial Metal Products/Carpenter’s
Towing/Troy-Alan Chevrolet sponsored #10 for his seventh win and 20th since Mercer
reopened in 1994. When the green flag waved, Blaney shot by Doug Duncan for the lead as
Lonny Riggs and Tim Doran followed. Doran chased Riggs for five laps before making the
move for second on the sixth circuit. A great battle for third took place between Riggs,
Andy Priest, Tommy Kristyak, and Bill Dorman. Priest got the spot from Riggs on lap 12,
while Kristyak and Dorman followed by the following lap. On lap 14, Dorman went by both
Kristyak and Priest for the third spot. A caution for Duncan gave Doran and Dorman another
chance at Blaney, but Blaney was not to be denied winning his 19th overall race of the
season. Doran edged Dorman, who started 19th. Jerry Bickel came from 10th to finish fourth
after getting by Riggs, Kristyak, and Priest in the closing laps. Riggs fell to fifth.
Rounding out the top ten were Rodney Beltz, Rick Hall, Carl Murdick, Kristyak, and Jim
Rombold. Doran and Blaney won the heats.
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- Kenny Hardy, Mercer’s top winner since reopening in
1994, finally put in all together recording his first win of the season in the 20-lap
Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modified Feature. Stan Bell led the first six laps before
getting sideways on the seventh lap allowing Harold Michaels and Lou Gentile to get by.
Michaels led laps seven and eight until Gentile and Bell got around on lap nine. Hardy,
who started eighth, passed Michaels for third on lap 10, then did the same to Bell on the
12th lap. Hardy’s winning move came on lap 14 nosing ahead of Gentile at the line for
the lead. Hardy, of Wampum, Pa., led the rest of the way in the Hardy Trucking #85B for
his first win since July 25, 1998. It was his 37th win since 1994. Gentile was second.
Michaels and Randy Ferguson took third and fourth from Bell, who dropped to fifth at the
finish. Scoring heat wins were Jerry Schaffer and Hardy.
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- They always say the first win is the toughest and after
that they’re much easier. That’s the case with John Buchanan. After winning his
first career race the previous week, the Mercer, Pa. driver made it two-in-a-row in the
20-lap Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modified Feature. Buchanan started
seventh and two cautions without a lap in moved him to second behind leader Tom Mattocks,
who started fifth. On lap two, Buchanan made the winning move getting past Mattocks.
Eighth starter, Skinny Hall, got by Mattocks for second on lap seven as did Jim Schaffer
for third on lap eight. The veteran Hall pressured Buchanan and was all over the
youngster, but the driver of the McCool’s Signs & Graphics #93 was able to hold
on for the win. Hall was second over newcomer Jim Schaffer, Mattocks, and 19th starting
Don McKnight. Buck Buchanan and son John Buchanan scored heat wins.
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- Gary Robinson continues to be the driver to beat in the
Pure Stocks. The Greenville, Pa. driver won his third straight Butterfield’s Pub
feature and eighth of the season. John Reiser led the first three laps, before seventh
starter, Brian Miller, entered the mix. Miller and Reiser really went at it in the
following laps with Miller taking the lead on lap four as Reiser stayed right on Miller.
Robinson, who started 10th, passed Reiser for second on lap 12, then got Miller coming off
turn four on lap 13. Miller tried to retake the lead on lap 14, but spun coming up of turn
four for the white flag. Robinson went on for the win in his Cresswell’s Auto
Align/Speir Homes #44R. Jim Brunson, who started 12th, really came on late passing Reiser
for runner-up off turn four on the final lap and was right on Robinson’s bumper at
the checkers. Reiser fell to third over Tom Tuite in his second start of the season, and
Albert Hays. Heat victors over the 44-car field were Jim Riffenberrick, Brunson, Miller,
and Ed Hays. Willie Aley and Albert Hays won the two B mains.
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- For the second time this season, Bill Wheeling was passed
for the lead on the final lap. This time it was in the Zoresco P.C.T.C. Senior Series.
Wheeling, who started 12th, passed race-long leader Bud Holben on lap nine for the lead.
Wheeling appeared headed to the non-stop win until Holben got tangled up with two laps to
go bringing out the only caution of the race. When green replaced yellow, Terry Wheeler,
who started 11th, passed both Jim Roberts and Tom Knight, Sr. on lap 14 for second. On the
final lap, Wheeler of Stonboro, Pa., drove by Wheeling for the win in the MPR Lumber
sponsored #2B. Wheeling was second good enough to earn him the series championship. Third
through fifth were Roberts, Sid Haas, Jr., and Knight. Heats went to Wheeler and Wheeling.
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- September 11, 1999 Results
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- Waste Management Sprint Car Feature
Finish:
- 1. ED LYNCH, JR.
- 2. Troy Preston 3. Brian Ellenberger 4. Gary Kriess, Jr. 5.
Skip Dougherty 6. Jack Sodeman, Jr. 7. Mike Kekich 8. Brad Ellenberger 9. Doug Heritage
10. Bob Lime 11. Andy McKisson 12. Jason Jacoby 13. Randy Johnson 14. Joe McEwen 15. Paul
Kapuchuck 16. Todd Bauer 17. Tom Quarterson 18. Kevin Schaeffer 19. Mike Latsch 20. Rod
Jones 21. Gary Edwards 22. Glenn Noland-DNS 23. Gary McCollum-DNS 24. Scott Priester-DNS.
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- MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature Finish:
- 1. LOU BLANEY
- 2. Tim Doran 3. Bill Dorman 4. Jerry Bickel 5. Lonny Riggs 6. Rodney Beltz 7. Rick Hall
8. Carl Murdick 9. Tommy Kristyak 10. Jim Rombold 11. Steve Barr 12. Rich Ferguson 13.
Doug Duncan 14. Andy Priest 15. Tom Armstrong 16. Todd Schaffer 17. Greg Davis 18. Ed
Alcorn 19. Steve Young 20. Howard Duff 21. Skip Deane-DNS 22. Mark Sevin-DNS.
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- Miller Lite/AMSOIL Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish:
- 1. KENNY HARDY
- 2. Lou Gentile 3. Harold Michaels 4. Randy Ferguson 5. Stan
Bell 6. Conny Allen 7. Frank Guidace 8. Bill Adams 9. Jerry Bowser 10. Mark McEwen 11.
Rick Kress 12. Dustin Kress 13. Jerry Schaffer 14. Carl Weatherby 15. Dana Gearhart-DNS.
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- Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn
Limited Modified Feature Finish:
- 1. JOHN BUCHANAN
- 2. Skinny Hall 3. Jim Schaffer 4. Tom Mattocks 5. Don
McKnight 6. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 7. Rick Ryder 8. Andy Paden 9. Bob Young 10. Rick Hall 11.
Ron Sasse 12. Boyd Johnston, Jr. 13. Jeff Miller 14. Gary Bollinger 15. Zack Moran 16.
Buck Buchanan 17. Gary Wansor 18. Bill Thompson 19. Greg Unrue.
- Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock
Feature Finish:
- 1. GARY ROBINSON
- 2. Jim Brunson 3. John Reiser 4. Tom Tuite 5. Albert Hays
6. Jim Riffenberrick 7. Gary Miller, Jr. 8. Rick Anthony 9. Tim Mailliard 10. Pat Hile 11.
Shaun Hooks 12. Jeff Kravec 13. Brian Miller 14. Willie Aley 15. Doug Iorio II 16. Mike
Aley 17. Andy Thompson 18. Ed Hays 19. Rick Norco 20. George Davis 21. Chuck Kerr 22.
Leigh Wheeler 23. Bobby Whitling 24. Leroy Johnson, Jr. DNQ-Mike Turner, Ken Bailey, Tommy
Dembowski, Dan Pflueger, Ben Aley, Tony Bruno, John Hobbs, Sr., Darrell Calvert, Al
Priester, Terry Kroner, Jamie Shetler, Lynn Hostetler, Tim Zuschlag, Dave Harbaugh, Brian
Kuttesch, Mark Felicetty, Ray Yuran, Skip Reseigh, Chuck Taylor, John Hobbs II.
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- Season Finale Saturday,
September 18:
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- Third Annual Chuck Marsh Memorial-Sprint Cars 30 laps
$4,000 to-win plus lap money; DIRT Modifieds 25 laps $1,500 to-win, and Pure Stocks $500
to-win. Special DIRT Modified vs. Six-Cylinder Modified match race. Huge season-ending
fireworks display. Gates open at 4 p.m. Racing at 6:30 p.m. General admission for adults
is $10. Students 6-17 are $5. Five and under are free. Family pass $23. The rain date is
Saturday, September 25.
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- Lynch wins over $4,700 in Sprints, Dorman wins
DIRT Modifieds in Mercer
Season-Finale
by Mike Leone
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- September 18, 1999
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- Mercer (PA)...Closing out the 1999 racing season
Saturday evening at Mercer Raceway Park with wins were Ed Lynch, Jr. (Waste Management
Sprint Cars), Bill Dorman (MercerPros.com DIRT Modifieds), and Brian Miller
(Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stocks).
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- Making it two-for-two at Mercer this season, Ed Lynch, Jr.
drove to victory in the 30-lap 3rd Annual Chuck Marsh Memorial Sprint Car Feature winning
$4,725 for the night in his family owned Howard Concrete Pumping/Indy Equipment sponsored
#2L. "I’ll tell you what, the track was absolutely perfect. You could run
inside, outside, middle, anywhere. You can’t ask for anything more for a dirt
track," said Lynch in front of the standing room only crowd.
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- Central Pa.’s Todd Gracey drew the #1 pill and
immediately jumped out to the early lead in his first-ever appearance with Jamie Smith and
Andy McKisson in tow. Lynch, who started ninth, was already in the top five on lap two
taking the spot from Randy Johnson. On lap four, Lynch moved into fourth passing Scott
Priester off turn four on the inside. Lynch used the same move taking third from McKisson
on lap five, while Gracey entered traffic. On lap eight, Smith closed right on Gracey as
Lynch caught Smith and Gracey. A great three-car battle for the lead took place for the
next five laps. On lap nine, Smith nosed ahead to lead the lap, only to have Gracey return
the favor on lap 10. On lap 11, Smith powered by on the backstretch for the lead. Lynch
did the same on lap 12 to take second from Gracey. The winning move came on lap 13. Smith
was dealing with the lap car of Mark Cassella, when Lynch powered by both on the
backstretch. Tom Quarterson and Jimmy Hawley were two drivers on the move near the
half-way point. Quarterson, who started 10th, passed McKisson for fourth on lap 13, while
Hawley, who started 18th, did the same on lap 15. Gracey’s fine run came to an end
when he dropped from the event on lap 16 moving Quarterson to third and Hawley to fourth.
Hawley got the outside working to his liking driving by Quarterson for third on lap 18,
then blasting by Smith at the line for second on lap 19. With 10 laps to go, Lynch had a
near half-lap lead over Hawley. Lynch was running the inside, as Hawley was driving around
the lap cars on the outside.
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- The laps ticked away as Lynch of Saltsburg, Pa. was able to
hold off Hawley in the best race of the season which went non-stop in 7:55.16. "I
want to thank my crew, American Racer Tires and my whole family," said Lynch in
victory lane. "We knew when we came here last week which car and which engine we
wanted to bring. It worked out just right and it’s great when it all comes
together," Lynch added. "This is Kistler motor #1. The car was broken in half in
the back. We welded it together so I named this one Squatter. It just squats and goes.
It’s a real nice crowd and I hope they get to see a lot more great racing,"
concluded Lynch after his fifth win since Mercer reopened in 1994.
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- Point champion Hawley settled for second winning $2,100 for
the night. Quarterson’s third-place was his best Mercer finish of the year. Smith
fell to fourth over McKisson in just his second-ever appearance. Sixth through tenth were
20th starter Brian Ellenberger, Kevin Schaeffer, Mike Kekich, Arnie Kent, and Scott
Priester. Heat winners over the 45-car field were William Kiley, Gracey, Schaeffer, and
Priester. Troy Preston and Hawley won the two B mains. Kent edged Lynch to win $200 in the
Classic Winners Dash beating Smith, Hawley, Joe McEwen, and Preston.
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- Bill Dorman of Stockton, Ny. made it three-for-three when
starting on the pole by winning the $1,500 to-win 25-lap MercerPros.com DIRT Modified
Feature in his #19. Dorman announced from victory, "This is probably my last feature.
My son is going to take over next year. I really enjoy winning. This is fun," said
the happy Dorman. "We were coming off the turns real good. The track was real
good," added the winner. Dorman led the first two laps before Brian Swartzlander took
over on lap three. Lou Blaney passed Tim Doran for third on lap three, but his 360 spin
moved Doran, Jeff Schaffer, and Rodney Beltz back up a spot. Beltz, who started ninth,
drove by Schaffer for fourth on lap 19. On lap 22, Greg Unrue and Greg Davis tangled.
Swartzlander then spun under caution with a broken axle in the rear end. It was the second
time this season Swartzlander has been at Mercer and broke while leading denying him of
his first Mercer win. This gave the lead to Dorman and he was never threatened the rest of
the way for his eighth win since Mercer reopened in 1994. Beltz took second from Doran
coming off turn four on lap 24 dropping Doran to third at the finish. Lonny Riggs came
from 11th to finish fourth after passing Schaffer for the spot on lap 22. Completing the
top ten were Jerry Bickel, Jim Weller, Jeremiah Shingledecker in his big-block debut,
Swartzlander, and newcomer Rob Curtis. Heat victors were Beltz, Dorman, and Blaney over
the 24-car field.
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- Dorman completed a perfect three-for-three night winning
the 10-lap DIRT Modified vs. Six-Cylinder Modified Match Race. Dorman started on the
outside pole and passed Randy Ferguson on lap one and never looked back for $300 win
bringing his winnings to $1,800 for the night. Lou Gentile passed Ferguson on the opening
lap for second. Gentile pressured Dorman, but had to settle for second as the top
six-cylinder. Carl Weatherby was third. Kenny Hardy finished fourth after starting 11th
and Beltz rounded out the top five. Hardy won $50 for winning the Six-Cylinder Modified
Pursuit and won another $50 for taking the dash.
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- Brian Miller of New Wilmington, Pa. won his second 15-lap
Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Feature of the season. Miller passed Allan Hudzik on the
opening lap and led the rest of the way for the $500 win in the Terry Hoover owned #99B.
Brian Booher passed Hudzik for third on lap two, then inherited second when John Reiser
spun on lap five. Booher recorded his third straight top two finish in second. Jim Brunson
came from eight to finish third over Hudzik and Rick Anthony. Brunson, Gary Robinson, Jim
Davis, and Reiser won the heats over the 39-car field. Rich Howell won the B main.
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- Sprint Notes...Lynch’s $4,725 winnings included $3,000
from the track, $1,000 from the Marsh Family, $500 in lap money, $100 to the winning crew
from Mercer American Legion, and $125 for finishing second in the dash....Mike
Kekich’s seventh place was his 15th top ten in 16 races this year with his worst
finish being an 11th on the August 14 show when there were 46 cars...Craig Rankin, who won
13 races at Tri-City and Sportsman’s, made his first appearance since April 11, 1998.
Rankin passed eight cars in the B main to transfer to the feature, then moved up 13 spots
in the feature to finish 11th...Johnny Beaber was driving the Dan Leech #1B in one of his
former cars for the first time since 1996 and finished 14th...Mark Cassella made his first
start of the season driving the Dan Covell #81 and finished 17th...Ralph Spithaler, Jr.,
Mike Shearer, Jamie McKinney, Brian Rivers, and central Pa.’s Shawn Weaver made their
first appearances....The total sprint purse was $17,205...The August 14 $2,000 to-win show
and this show went over great with the compeitors and fans alike drawing 46 and 45 cars
respectively along with the best racing of the year. Look for more similar shows in
2000...The 50/50 was a record at $1,686...The standing room only crowd got see 114 cars
participate in 21 events along with an excellent fireworks display for regular admision
prices of $10 for adults.
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- September 18, 1999 Results
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- 3rd Annual Chuck Marsh Memorial Sprint
Car Feature Finish:
- (with total winnings in parentheses):
- 1. ED LYNCH, JR. ($4,725)
- 2. Jimmy Hawley ($2,100)
- 3. Tom Quarterson ($1,000)
- 4. Jamie Smith ($875)
- 5. Andy McKisson ($500)
- 6. Brian Ellenberger ($475)
- 7. Kevin Schaeffer ($425)
- 8. Mike Kekich ($400)
- 9. Arnie Kent ($600)
- 10. Scott Priester ($350)
- 11. Craig Rankin ($325)
- 12. Randy Johnson ($260)
- 13. Staple Nash ($240)
- 14. Johnny Beaber ($230)
- 15. Rod Jones ($225)
- 16. Doug Kekich ($295)
- 17. Mark Cassella ($265)
- 18. Brad Ellenberger ($235)
- 19. Todd Gracey ($455)
- 20. William Kiley ($200)
- 21. Troy Preston ($275)
- 22. Ralph Spithaler, Jr. ($200)
- 23. Gary Kriess, Jr. ($200)
24. Scott Bonnell ($200)
- DNQ-Phil Mott ($100), Skip Dougherty ($100), Tommy Marshall
III($100), Buddy Cochran ($100), Joe McEwen ($150), Jason Jacoby ($100), Gary Rankin
($100), Jamie McKinney ($100), Brent Matus ($100), Kevin Andrusky ($100), Mike Shearer
($100), Shawn Weaver ($100), Charlie Holben ($100), Paul Kapuchuck ($100), Gary Edwards
($100), Mike Latsch ($100), Jack Sodeman, Jr. ($100), Brian Rivers ($100), Sheila Rankin
($100), Bob Lime ($100), Glenn Noland ($100).
- MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature Finish:
- 1. BILL DORMAN ($1,500)
- 2. Rodney Beltz 3. Tim Doran 4. Lonny Riggs 5. Jeff Schaffer 6. Jerry Bickel 7. Jim
Weller 8. Jeremiah Shingledecker 9. Brian Swartzlander 10. Rob Curtis 11. Dave Reges 12.
Greg Unrue 13. Greg Davis 14. Lou Blaney 15. Randy Snider 16. Scott Kay 17. Rich Ferguson
18. Steve Barr 19. Tim Shepard 20. Gary Smoker 21. Kevin Bolland 22. Randy Chronister 23.
Carl Murdick 24. Andy Priest-DNS.
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- DIRT Modified vs. Six-Cylinder Modified
Match Race Finish Finish:
- 1. BILL DORMAN ($300)
- 2. Lou Gentile 3. Carl Weatherby 4. Kenny Hardy 5. Rodney
Beltz 6. Lonny Riggs 7. Carl Murdick 8. Jerry Bickel 9. Frank Guidace 10. Harold Michaels
11. Randy Ferguson 12. Lou Blaney-DNS 13. Tim Doran-DNS.
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- Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock
Feature Finish:
- 1. BRIAN MILLER ($500)
- 2. Brian Booher 3. Jim Brunson 4. Allan Hudzik 5. Rick
Anthony 6. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 7. Jim Riffenberrick 8. John Beniston 9. Jim Davis 10. Rick
Norco 11. Gary Miller, Jr. 12. Terry Kroner 13. Dwight Boice 14. Gary Robinson 15. Pat
Hile 16. Tim Mailliard 17. Rich Howell 18. Chuck Taylor 19. Albert Hays 20. John Reiser
21. Andy Buckley 22. Chuck Kerr 23. Mike Aley 24. George Davis 25. Dave Harbaugh-DNS
DNQ-Mark Felicetty, J.B. Dandy, John Hobbs, Sr., Ken Bailey, Frank Eckart, Mike Turner,
Tommy Dembowski, Mark Covert, Adam Aley, Dennis Patterson, Keith Nagy, Willie Aley, Ed
Hays, Gary Reiber.
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