BLAIR AND HALL WIN SPECIALS AT MCR
E. Smethport, PA
McKean County Raceway was finally treated with sun on race night as opening night finally came after the first five nights of the season was washed out. The North East FASTRAK Regional Late Model Series highlighted the Maynard Electric Supply, Vic Vena Pharmacy & Allens Wine & Liquor night of action.
The final feature of last year saw a Blair in victory lane and the first feature of the 2008 season saw a Blair in victory lane as well. Young Max Blair picked up where his father, Rob left off by picking up the NE FASTRAK Regional Late Model win. Randy Hall kept his hot streak going as he picked up the John's Collision Emod win which nabbed him a cool grand in the first of eight Border Series events between Little Valley Speedway and MCR.
Thirty-three FASTRAK late models were on hand for the $1200 to win regional event. Andy Buckley and MCR veteran Mike Wonderling would pace the twenty-four car field to Tony VanPelt's green flag and before the opening lap would get in, the yellow would fly for Roger French. The restart went off perfect, as Buckley would lead lap one but Max Blair would swoop into the lead on lap two from his fourth starting spot. By lap five Blair seemed to have a good feel of the 3/8 mile oval as he was able to fend off the challenges of Wonderling, Greg Oakes, Bobby Powell and Buckley had faded to fifth. By lap ten it was still Blair, Wonderling Oakes, Powell and now Jim Frank was sitting in fifth. With ten to go, the top five still remained the same but the battle was tight behind Blair as lap traffic was coming into play. Blair masterfully worked lap traffic as Wonderling and Oakes encountered it as well and lap traffic played into the hands of Oakes as he would move into second with two to go but there was no time to catch Max Blair as he picked up his first NE Regional FASTRAK late model win in his career. Oakes was second followed by Wonderling, Powell, Jim Frank rounded out the top five. Dennis Lunger, John Haggerty, Kyle Drum, Butch Lambert and defending MCR champion John Lacki rounded out the top five. Heat winners were Wonderling, Blair, Jim Frank and Oakes, while Jay Watson and Tim Schram won the two consolation events.
The John's Collision Emod feature rolled onto the track for their twenty lap feature event. John Woodward Jr. and Smethport native, Steve Dixon was on the front row. As lap one was completed the yellow would come out. As lap two was completed the second yellow of the event was flown for the spun cars of Al Brewer and Justin Tatlow. As the green flew again, Woodward was till leading the pack but Randy Hall was making a charge as he moved into second on lap four followed by Ryan Bright. As lap five clicked off the board it was Woodward holding off the rim riding #10 of Hall, Bright, Dixon and Travis Asel rounding out the top five. A great battle between Woodward and Hall kept the fans on their feet while Dixon moved back into third over Bright. A lap twelve yellow for Justin Tatlow tightened the field again and allowed Hall another shot at Woodward on the restart. The duo went at it again with the drop of the green, Bright would get third back from Dixon and with five to go, Hall would get his yellow and blue #10 BMS machine out in front for good as Woodward would slip to second Bright would get by Woodward on the next lap. Hall would lead the final three laps over Bright and would pick up the $1000 Border Series event. Woodward came home third over Dixon, Asel, Vic Vena, Nathan Hill Troy Carr, Darren Tarabori and Butch Lambert. Heat winners were Asel, Bright and Hall.
The Yum Yums Super Stocks saw Jr. Peters and Steve Dixon lead the field of cars in their main event. Peters would get the jump on Dixon at the start, while George Ritter made a daring move to go to third from his sixth place starting spot. Peters was still in front at lap five with Dixon nipping at the back bumper with Dan Cobb now in third. With five laps to go, Dixon would make the winning move to get around Peters for the lead as Peters had his hands full with Jon Lichy who was now sitting third. On the final lap Lichy would move his gorgeous black #35 machine into second but it was too little too late to get Dixon who picked up his first win of the season over Lichy, Peters, Cobb and Tim Dunham. Dixon captured the lone heat event for the super stocks.
The NE Micro and Graphics Street Stocks came onto the track for their twenty lap main event with Adam Sixt and Bruno Mowery on point. Sixt would lead the opening lap as former track champion, Andy Michael quickly moved into second. As the first five laps clicked off the board, Michael would be leading over Sixt, Jason Schoonmaker, Mowery and Matt Palmer. Michael and Sixt would put a great battle for the lead for lap after lap as they ran into lap traffic. By halfway, defending track champion, Chris Austin was now in fifth but the lead battle was still going on with Michael and Sixt. Palmer would get by Mowery on lap seventeen and close join the lead battle with Michael and Sixt and when the trio came for the white flag, contact was made between the top three leaders resulting in all three of them not making it for the checkered flag while fourth place running Chris Austin was in the right place at the right time to inherit the lead and the win stunningly. Austin was followed by Rich Hemphill, Schoonmaker, Dan Giboo and Brad Bigley rounded out the top five. Heat winners were Austin, Hemphill and Michael.
The Hallock Enterprises - AMSOIL Mini Stocks entered the fast 3/8 mile oval with young phenom, Damien Bidwell and Matt Ball on the front row. Bidwell quickly went into the lead and displayed his youthful talent. Kevin Dzuroff, Levi Watson quickly followed Bidwell. By lap five tenth place starting and defending track champion, Dan Cunnigham found himself in second with Watson, Dzuroff and Steve Mowery all in tow. Watson would move into second on lap eight and lap eleven he would drive under Bidwell who drifted high in turn two. As the final lap was winding down and the leader was going into turn three, Cunningham drove to the inside of Bidwell as the lap machine Jaben Hill came into play. Bidwell went high as Cunnigham bounced off the lap machine of Hill and into Mowery who was trying to make it four wide coming to the checkers for the battle for second. It was Bidwell holding on for second over Cunningham, Mowery and James Galloway coming out of no where for fifth. Watson and Mowery were the heat winners.
The final event of the night was the new KZ102.5 Pure Stocks. Brett Harris and Brad Curran were the front row starters, as Harris of Bradford would lead the opening two laps before Belfast, New York driver, Scott Derock would move into the lead. At the halfway point Derock was sitting comfortably in the lead over Mark Schweikert who was now in second. Schweikert was closing in on Derock lap after lap and on the last lap pulled beside Derock as the two entered the final two corners and the drag race was on for the win with it being Scott Derock over Schweikert, Curran, Doyle Harris Jr and Dan Pastorious. Pastorious and Schweikert won their respective heats.
All in all it was a great delayed opening night of racing. A total of 115 cars from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia were on hand for Maynard Electric Supply, Vic Vena Pharmacy & Allens Wine & Liquor night of action. FANS are reminded that next Saturday night will be Twin 20s for the Maynards Electric FASTRAK Late Models as they will run in a pair of $500 to win events. The NE Micro Street Stocks will run in the $500 Bill Layfield Memorial Border Clash Series Event. A full field of John's Collision's Emods, Yum Yums Super Stocks, Hallock Enterprises Mini Stocks and KZ102 Pure Stocks will all be part of McDonalds of Bradford, GTM Sales East & Goodman Brothers & Crosby Marts Kids night!
Parents remember next week bring your kids bikes for the bike races as the FAMILY PACK admission is $24 for mom, dad and four children. Adult general admission is $11 while Sr. Citizens will be admitted at $9 and Youth (11-16) will be $5.
RESULTS:
FASTRAK NE REGIONAL SERIES:
MAX BLAIR, Greg Oakes, Mike Wonderling, Bobby Powell, Jim Frank, Dennis Lunger, John Haggerty, Kyle Drum, Butch Lambert, John Lacki, Bobby Whitling, Chad Kann, Dave Norton Jr., Carl McKinney, Dave Lyon, Dan Stives, Jay Watson, Rusty Moore, Tim Schram, Scott, Jones, Bob Kish, Andy Buckley, Derrick Frank and Rod French.
DNQ: Chad Myers, Steve Hollabaugh, Jon Law, Bert Cleer, Todd Sweet, Tommy Snyder, JR Wright, Garrett Stephen
John's Collission's Emods:
RANDY HALL, Ryan Bright, John Woodward, Steve Dixon, Travis Asel, Vic Vena, Nathan Hill, Troy Carr, Darren Tarabori, Butch Lambert, Tim Peterson, Stu Burton, Al Brewer, Craig Bedell, Scott Jones, tim Walden, Bob Mohney, Kevin Krohl, Justin Tatlow, 99x, Billy Peterson, TJ Downs and Mike Torrence.
NE Micro and Graphics Street Stocks:
CHRIS AUSTIN, Rich Hemphill, Jason Schoonmaker, Dan Giboo, Brad Bigley, Joe Layfield, John Miller, Bruno Mowery, Barry Tingue II, Tim Bruce, John Case, Brad Ullman, Adam Sixt, Matt Palmer, Bill McKinney, Barry Mushaweck, Chad Green, Brian Peterson, Chris Conkey, Andy Michael.
Yum Yums Super Stocks:
STEVE DIXON, John Lichy, Jr Peters, Dan Cobb, Tim Dunham, George Ritter, Mike Lozowski, Jeff Myers, Jason Tingue (DNS)
Joe Hallock Enterprises - AMSOIL Mini Stocks:
LEVI WATSON, Damien Bidwell, Dan Cunnigham, Steve Mowery, James Galloway, Chris Parr, Kevin Dzuroff, Justin Yohe, Richard Kline, Matt Ball, Jaben Hill, Dave Burdick, Nick Snayzak, Chris Mett, (DNS) Dave Lowe Jr., Barry Kurshner, Melvin Fuller, Matt Foltz
KZ 102 Pure Stocks:
SCOTT DEROCK, Mark Schweikert, Brad Curran, Doyle Harris Jr., Dan Pastorious, Brett Harris, Amanda Close, Dave Derock, Duane Daniels, George Conkey, Scott Fuller, Jason Ely
