Past Press Releases from Spring 2000
March 29, 2000
Mercer Raceway Park season opener set for April 8
Febraury 26, 2000
Mercer Raceway Park honors top drivers at awards banquet
February 23, 2000
Southern Park Mall to host Inaugural Mercer Racewy Park Race Car Show
 

Mercer Raceway Park Opener set for April 8

by Mike Leone

March 29, 2000

Mercer (PA)...Mercer Raceway Park season opener set to go April 8 By Mike Leone March 29, 2000 Mercer, PA…The 2000 Mercer Raceway Park racing season is set to go Saturday evening, April 8. Commemorating the year 2000 will be a kickoff 30-lap $2,000 to-win 410 Sprint Car Feature. Joining the sprints will be the Big-Block Modifieds and Stock Cars. Both divisions will be racing for increased purses with $1,200 going to the winner of the 25-lap Big-Block Modified Feature, and $400 to the Stock Car Feature winner. Closing out the evening will be a demo derby. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with the first race at 6:30 p.m.

"The fans and drivers really responded to our experiment $2,000 to-win, $200 to-start sprint car show last August," said second-year owner Vicki Emig. "We thought this would be the perfect way to kick off y2k."

Many changes will greet fans and drivers alike on April 8. Improvements have been going on steady since the final checkers fell on September 18. The most notable change is an all-new catch fence running from the end of turn four down the front stretch through turn two. Flagmen Mike Hanshaw and Mike Varjaski will have a new post as a new flag stand has been built. Many ditches have been filled allowing for more lawn chair seating. The track was re-clayed after the 1999 racing season adding to the fine surface that was apparent last season. When fans and drivers enter the track, new general admission and pit booths will be encountered. New women’s restrooms are in the process of completion. For the first time, Mercer Raceway Park will have scales. All divisions will be weighed beginning in May. Mercer has adopted the All Star Circuit of Champion 1200-pound weight limit without the driver.

"I believe these aesthetic changes have begun the process of transforming Mercer Raceway Park into a state-of-the-art facility," said Emig. "Hopefully the fans and drivers will have a much improved environment this season."

The 2000 season without a question will be the biggest in the 49-year history of the track. Eight special events highlight the schedule with a host of family activities that will be enjoyed by all. The Saturday Night Live programs will feature our five-divisions of Axa Advisor 410 Sprint Cars, Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modifeds, New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and the Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars.

Mercer Raceway Park is proud to announce that various sanctioning bodies will compete throughout the season. The kickoff of the B.R.P. Modified Tour 2000 will be held on May 20 featuring a big 50 lapper worth $4,000 for the big blocks. The All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Cars return for the opener of the 8th Annual Western PA Speedweek on Wednesday, June 7. On June 24, the ARDC Midgets will make their first-ever appearance and will go wingless; they will be joined that night by the Wingless 410 Sprint Cars, in the only wingless race in western Pa. The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Senior Series will also make their annual appearance to fit the "Remember When" theme that night. The newly formed, USNA Modifieds, will compete in the richest dirt track event ever held in Pennsylvania on July 15-16 as $150,000 will be up for grabs for the modifieds alone. The 410 Sprint Cars will join USNA on Saturday for a $2,000 to-win, $200 to-start event. The York Triathlon Series E-Mods will close out their season as well as ours on October 21.

Other special non-sanctioned shows include the 2nd Annual Sprint Slug-Out/Triple Play Weekend for the 410 Sprint Cars on August 12. Sharon, Mercer, and Tri-City speedways will host $2,000 to-win, $200 to-start events August 11-13. Last year’s Mercer event drew the highest car count in Pa. and Ohio for a non-sanctioned show with 46 cars on hand.

The last event for the 410 Sprint Cars will take place on September 16 for the running of the 4th Annual Chuck Marsh Memorial. This year’s event will pay $5,000 to-win after last year’s tremendous fan and driver turnout (45 Sprint Cars). A new event will be started on October 21 coined the inaugural "Little Guy Nationals". Along with the York E-Mods and Stock Cars racing 40 laps for $1,000 to-win, the 358 Modifieds will have their inaugural Mercer race featuring a 30-lap $1,500 to-win feature. This 358 portion will be open to any sportsman, six-cylinder, small-block, 358 modified, etc. that is 358 cubic inches or less.

"I’m thrilled to have the various sanctions come into Mercer, and I’m also pleased with our ‘home-grown’ specials designed to give money back to the weekend racers," quipped Emig. "Each month, April-October, fans and drivers can look forward to a special event designed with them in mind." Four Bonus Buck$ Weekends will allow the opportunity for competitors to earn extra money if they are able to win two or sweep all three events at Sharon, Mercer, and Tri-City speedways on May 5-7, June 2-4, July 28-30, and August 18-20. $6600 in bonus money will be available per weekend.

Along with well-known drivers participating each week, Mercer Raceway Park is proud to be the first regional track to host a Dave Blaney Night on May 13. Fans will get the opportunity to meet and greet the current NASCAR Winston Cup driver, who won his first career race at Mercer. Blaney will also be giving rides in his two-seater sprint car. The following day, Dave Blaney’s Outlaw Driving Experience will hold a school. Sprint Car legend, Jack Hewitt, will bring his "Dew-it" Racing Experience two-seater sprint car on July 1 for the "Ride of Courage". Lucky fans will get the opportunity to belt in and ride with Hewitt. Also, 1999 Ms. Motorsports, Jennifer Olsen, will be at Mercer on June 24.

Mercer Raceway Park is also very proud of its family events. Some of the activities include concerts by the "Earthquakers" and "No Poultry," kids bike races, autograph nights, Speedo the Clown, Aut Mori Grotto Clowns, demo derbies, vacation bible school, and much more. For more information call the office at 724-964-9300 or the race track on race day at 724-662-1310. For the latest check out www.mercerracewaypark.com.

 

MERCER RACEWAY PARK HONORS TOP DRIVERS AT AWARDS BANQUET

 

by Mike Leone

February 26, 2000

Yankee Lake (OH)...More than 500 people filled the Yankee Lake (OH) Ballroom on Saturday night, February 26 for the annual Mercer Raceway Park Awards Banquet. Over $26,000 in cash and contingencies were handed out to the top 10 drivers in the five divisions. Crowned 1999 champions were Jimmy Hawley-Waste Management Sprint Cars, Lou Blaney-MererPros.com Big-Block Modifieds, Carl Weatherby-Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modifieds, Don McKnight-Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds, and Bill Hanna-Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stocks. Each of the respected champions received an engraved Mercer Raceway Park Championship watch, a championship plaque, and their point fund money.

A new tradition was started by awarding very special awards for special accomplishments. Two Outstanding Achievement Awards were giving out to Mike Kekich and Randy Ferguson, both who recorded 15 top 10s which were track highs. Kekich of Hermitage, Pa. drove his #5K sprint car in the top ten every night but one when he finished 11th. Ferguson of Mercer, Pa. kept his #02 six-cylinder in the top 10 all but two nights and also had 14 top 5s to along.

Limited modified racer, Don McKnight, won the Horizon Award-for a driver with a bright future. The Jamestown, Pa. driver won three races and the championship in only his sophomore season of racing.

Two drivers won the Legacy Award, which were given out for historic and memorable moments. Sprint car driver Jimmy Hawley won the first as he became the first driver in the history of western Pa. to win three track championships in the same year coming at Lernerville, Mercer, and Tri-City speedways. Trophy lover, Dr. John Crawford III, was also honored with a huge trophy honoring his achievement as the championship car owner. The second driver to win the award was Bob Felmlee of Franklin, Pa. The 1998 Mercer Raceway Park Sprint Car Champion won his 100th career feature with a last lap, last turn pass of Jason Jacoby on June 5, 1999 less than 24 hours before a career ending accident at Tri-City Speedway. Felmlee received a standing ovation from the crowd.

The last special award was the Living Legend Award. This was captured by Buddy Cochran of Hermitage, Pa. While his total records are incomplete, historian Walt Wimer reports that Cochran captured 82 western Pa./eastern Oh. wins (52 sprint car and 30 modifieds) from 1968-present with his last win coming in 1987. Cochran, who is well into his 60s, still competes today in the sprint car division, despite a scary incident that took place on May 29 and cut out most of his season due to injuries. Cochran received a standing ovation as well and had about 13 family members present to see him win the award including his 90-year-old mother.

In the Waste Management Sprint Car division, Jimmy Hawley of West Middlesex captured the title. Hawley won seven features and eight heat wins along with 15 top 5s in the Dr. John and Deb Crawford-owned #cIII. Finishing second with one win and 13 top 10s was 1996 and 1997 champion, Jamie Smith. Mike Kekich had a career best Mercer finish placing third. Arnie Kent and Troy Preston completed the top five with one with each. Sixth through tenth were Tommy Burns, Jr., Gary Edwards, Jason Jacoby, Terry Young, and three-time winner, Bob Felmlee. Other winners were two-time winner, Ed Lynch, Jr. and Joe McEwen with a career first 410 sprint win.

Veteran Lou Blaney won his first Mercer track title since the track reopened in 1994 in the MercerPros.com Big-Block Modifieds. Despite missing two of the 17 events, the Hartford, Ohio driver was still able to pick up seven wins and nine heat wins along with 10 top 5s, and 11 top 10s in 15 events in the Dave Blaney-owned, Carpenter’s Towing/Colonial Metals/Troy-Alan Chevrolet #10. Rick Hall had a great season with one win and nine top 10s. Carl Murdick had one of his best seasons in some time with 11 top 10s. Steve Young, who led the points early on, dropped to fourth with one win, and Guy Griffin completed the top five. Sixth through tenth were Bill Dorman with three wins, Jerry Bickel, two-time winner Tommy Kristyak, Lonny Riggs, and Randy Myers. Other winners were Tim Doran with two wins and Rodney Beltz with one win.

Carl Weatherby squeezed out his unprecedented fourth straight Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modified Championship crown by one point in his #919. The Volant, Pa. driver started off the year on fire, but motor problems cooled his momentum late in the season. Weatherby still finished with five wins and 10 heat wins along with 10 top 5s and 11 top 10s in 17 races. Weatherby announced the that a fifth straight title will not happen in the six cylinders as he will be moving into the big-block modifieds this season. Lou Gentile won a division-high eight wins along with 14 top 5s to finish second. Randy Ferguson had another consistent year with a win and 14 top 5s and 15 top 10s in third. Frank Guidace picked up a win to finish fourth and Harold Michaels completed the first five in fifth. Rounding out the top ten in points were Kenny Hardy with one win, Jim Bickel, Conny Allen, and one-time winner Gregg McCandless and Bill Adams tied for ninth.

Second-year driver, Don McKnight, had an outstanding year to take the Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds in his #67. The Jamestown, Pa. driver won three events and four heat wins along with 11 top 5s and 13 top 10s in the 15 events he competed in out of the 16 run. McKnight also announced that he will be moving into the big-block modifieds this season. Rick Hall matched his runner-up in the big-block modifieds with another second-place finish in the points adding two more wins and 13 top 10s. Gary Smoker was third with a division-high four wins. John Buchanan, who won his first two career wins and Rob Kristyak, who won his first three career wins were fourth and fifth. Sixth through tenth were Ron Eperthener, Jr., Scott Kay, Gary Bollinger, Jeremiah Shingledecker with one win, and Rick Ryder. Marty Kristyak also won an event.

1994 and 1995 champion, Bill Hanna, added his third track title by winning the Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Championship. The Jamestown, Pa. driver won one race and had six heats wins along with nine top 5s and 12 top 10s in the 14 events he competed in out of 18 run in the Gordon’s Auto Sales/Doug Smith Orthodontist #*21. Gary Robinson had another outstanding year, but came up short in second for the second straight year. Robinson tied Gentile with a track-high eight wins and scored an amazing 13 heats wins out of 18 races. Leigh Wheeler was third with one win and Brian Miller was fourth with two wins followed by Rick Anthony in fifth. Completing the top ten were Andy Buckley with two wins, Brian Booher with two wins, Todd Titus, Tim Malliard, and Chuck Kerr. John Reiser and Gary Norman also won feature events.

Twenty-one drivers out of the 370 that competed in 1999 at Mercer Raceway Park were honored with a framed certificate for perfect attendance. They were Mike Kekich and Jason Jacoby in the sprint cars, Carl Murdick and Bill Dorman in the big-block modifieds, Carl Weatherby, Lou Gentile, Randy Ferguson, Frank Guidace, Harold Michaels, Conny Allen, and Rick Kress in the six-cylinder modifieds, Ron Eperthener, Jr. and Boyd Johnston, Jr. in the limited modifieds, and Gary Robinson, Brian Miller, Rick Anthony, Chuck Kerr, Pat Hile, Willie Aley, Mike Aley, and George Davis in the pure stocks.

 

Final 1999 Points:

Waste Management Sprint Cars: 1. cIII-Jimmy Hawley 442 2. 5-Jamie Smith 328 3. 5K-Mike Kekich 310 4. 18-Arnie Kent 304 5. 1P-Troy Preston 279 6. 7c-Tommy Burns, Jr. 251 7. 61-Gary Edwards 242 8. 4J-Jason Jacoby 241 9. 98-Terry Young 192 10. 6-Bob Felmlee 173.

MercerPros.com Big-Block Modifieds: 1. 10-Lou Blaney 318 2. B4-Rick Hall 303 3. 6-Carl Murdick 294 4. 67-Steve Young 286 5. 11-Guy Griffin 267 6. 19-Bill Dorman 260 7. 44-Jerry Bickel 251 8. 26z-Tommy Kristyak 241 9. 58-Lonny Riggs 225 10. 74-Randy Myers 196.

Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modifieds: 1. 919-Carl Weatherby 386 2. 1-Lou Gentile 385 3. 02-Randy Ferguson 378 4. 99-Frank Guidace 344 5. 7-Harold Michaels 322 6. 85B-Kenny Hardy 315 7. 8-Jim Bickel 303 8. 89-Conny Allen 244 9. 20-Gregg McCandless, 42-Bill Adams 233.

Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds: 1. 67-Don McKnight 377 2. 2-Rick Hall 349 3. 401-Gary Smoker 307 4. 93-John Buchanan 282 5. 00-Rob Kristyak 271 6. 333-Ron Eperthener, Jr. 269 7. 44-Scott Kay 261 8. 84-Gary Bollinger 260 9. 37MD-Jeremiah Shingledecker 244 10. 18-Rick Ryder 239.

Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stocks: 1. *21-Bill Hanna 371 2. 44R-Gary Robinson 359 3. 2W-Leigh Wheeler 330 4. 99B-Brian Miller 309 5. 317-Rick Anthony 293 6. 965-Andy Buckley 7. 2B-Brian Booker 223 8. 00-Todd Titus 212 9. 0-Tim Malliard 201 10. 3K-Chuck Kerr 170.

 
SOUTHERN PARK MALL TO HOST INAUGURAL MERCER RACEWAY PARK RACE CAR SHOW

by Mike Leone
 
February 23, 2000

 

Pulaski, PA…Mercer Raceway Park is proud to announce that the Southern Park Mall in Boardman, Ohio will be the site of the Inaugural "Where Saturday Nights Come Alive" Dirt Track Race Car Show held March 8-12.

This will be the first time in nearly 30 years that race cars have been permitted in the Mahoning County mall. "This is an excellent opportunity to market Mercer Raceway Park to a new audience," noted second-year track owner Vicki Emig. "I want the Mahoning Valley residents to realize that America’s fastest growing sport is just across the state line."

Mercer Raceway Park’s booth will be on display. Drivers and fans can stop by and get the latest news including the just-released, action-packed y2k schedule and divisional rules.

Some of the early entrants that have come in includes the Dr. John Crawford III-owned #cIII of driver Jimmy Hawley. Hawley was the first sprint car driver in western Pa. to win three track titles in one season. The sprint cars of Troy Preston, Mike Kekich, and the brand-new #17 of Gary McCollum will be there. 1998 champion, Tommy Kristyak, and Andy Priest will display their big-block modifieds. Two-time 1999 sportsman modified winner, Rob Kristyak, who will move up to the big-block modifeds, will have his car on site. Top 1999 Mercer winner, Lou Gentile, and Frank Guidace will represent the six-cylinder modifieds. Ohio e-mods drivers Arlan Coy, Steve Haefke, Ron Jaeger, William Vance, Jr., and Dale Fuller along with the stock car of John Beniston have registered.

The restored King Bros. #65 that was driven by Russ Woosley and Vic George as well as the Tom Kothera-owned #5 sprint that was driven by the well-known Ted Wise will also be on display. Many more cars are expected.

"I’m very proud to have some of the region’s best drivers as well as some famous cars of the past representing Mercer Raceway Park," said Emig.

Race car space is still available. Registration is $25. Also limited vendor space is also still available. If you would like to take part in this inaugural event please call the track office at 724-964-9300 Monday through Friday.

The Southern Park Mall is located just minutes south of Youngstown, Ohio on Route 224 in Boardman, Ohio.

 

   

 
Return to Results Page
Return to Top of Page