GEORGE CHARGES FOR 2ND SPRINT WIN OF WEEKEND; RIGGS OUTDUELS HOFFMAN FOR MOD WIN; WHEELER ENDS STOCK DROUGHT; BISH, SR. NARROWLY WINS STRICTLIES
By Mike Leone
April 16, 2005
Mercer, PA… Mercer Raceway Park completed its second show of the 2005 campaign on Saturday night. Four new winners celebrated in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane including Rod George-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Lonny Riggs-Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Modifieds, Terry Wheeler-Tire Express Stock Cars, and Curt Bish, Sr.-Maurer’s Trading Post Strictly Stocks.
Rod George charged from the 10th starting spot with a smooth inside line to make it a weekend sweep backing up his Friday night win at Lernerville Speedway. The victory came in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature.
“The track was super nice,” described the Kittanning, Pa. veteran. “You could see a top and bottom groove. The track is always nice here- that’s what I like about this place. You can start in the back and it’s real racy. The guys did a good job on the track.”
Arnie Kent jumped out into the early lead from the pole position with Tom Quarterson getting past Paul Kapuchuck for second. Scott Bonnell wasted little time picking his way to the front from his eighth starting spot. Bonnell got past Doug Stanley, Chris Shuttleworth, and Bob Felmlee on the opening lap then made a nice move to dispose of Dave Wagner and Kapuchuck for third on lap two following a restart for the race’s only caution.
George began to make his presence known on the fifth lap when he cracked the top five taking the spot from Wagner. Rob Eyler was the next victim on lap eight as George moved into fourth. It became evident that George had the fastest as he swept past Bonnell for third nipping him at the start-finish line on lap nine. Two laps later, George flew past Quarterson for second racing off turn two.
With the laps ticking off, George had a half-straightaway to catch Kent. Each lap George quickly narrowed the margin. On lap 14, George made the winning move getting under Kent coming off the inside of turn four.
Once in front, George quickly pulled away and amazingly won by a straightaway in a race that saw the last 19 laps go non-stop. George’s fourth career win came aboard his Delp Family Powder Coating/Ankle & Foot Care/Stanley-sponsored #4. “We were going good, but Arnie definitely needed a win after last week,” stated the winner. “If anyone needed it, it was him, but we weren’t going to let him have it easy. We burnt a piston last week so this weekend helped out financially.”
After destroying his car last week, Kent used last year’s car to come home a solid second. Quarterson held off Bonnell and Eyler for third. Completing the top 10 were Wagner, Felmlee, Mike Shearer, Kevin Andrusky, and Chris Shuttleworth. Heat winners were George and Shearer.
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Lonny Riggs put on a stirring performance in an impressive run out-dueling Kevin Hoffman to win the 20-lap Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Modified feature. “We had the car a little tight, but the motor ran really good,” expressed the Volant, Pa. victor. “We weren’t even going to race this year until about three weeks ago, but we got the itch and put it back together. I like Mercer. It’s close and there’s a lot of action.”
Hoffman and Riggs took over the top two spots on the opening lap from pole-sitter Garrett Krummert. Rick Hall, who started 10th, entered the battle quickly moving up to fourth past Lee Miller on lap two. Two laps later, Hall grabbed third away from Krummert.
Riggs began to pressure Hoffman and the two raced side-by-side on lap five with Hoffman on top and Riggs on the bottom. Riggs was able to get under Hoffman in turn three and make the pass stick coming out of turn four for the lead. Hall ran down Hoffman on lap seven and the two battled for runner-up while Riggs opened up a half-straightaway lead by the halfway point.
With the last 17 laps going green-to-checkered, Riggs pulled away each lap and took the checkered flag by a straightaway for his second overall win in the division. Riggs’ 15th win of his career amongst four different divisions at the track came in the Merle Black-owned, Iron Bridge Inn-sponsored #58.
Hoffman edged Hall for second as Steve Toth and 15th starting Gary Smoker completed the top five. Rounding out the top 10 were Mike Anderson, Krummert, Kevin Green, Steve Barr, and Matt Reeher. Topping the heat races over the 21-car field were Hall and Riggs.
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You have to go back into the 1980s to find Terry Wheeler’s only Stock Car win. The veteran racer, who also owns two PCTC Senior Series wins at the track in 2000 and 2001, scored an upset win in Saturday’s 15-lap Tire Express feature beating the young guns for the exciting win.
“It’s been awhile,” said the happy Stoneboro, Pa. driver in victory lane. “Mike Shingledecker built the motor and he and my dad put it together. It was a real awesome car. It was a clean race and I really enjoyed it. I’m glad we got a handle on this stock car because everything is fun again.”
John Reiser took the advantage from the pole position as Terry Kroner trailed. Wheeler, who started in seventh, made his way up to third on the first lap. Wheeler then battled with Kroner for runner-up before getting under and by him in turns three and four on lap three.
Following a caution with three laps completed, Wheeler took over the top spot on the restart from Reiser. Rick Norco got around Kroner then Reiser for second on lap eight. Andy Thompson quietly worked his way through the pack from his 10th starting spot and passed Reiser for third on lap nine. One lap later, Thompson ducked under Norco for second. The race’s final caution slowed action with 12 laps completed and set up a three-lap shootout.
When racing resumed, Reiser retook third from Norco; however, the battle for the win was ensuing between Wheeler and Thompson. Thompson got under Wheeler on lap 14. The two raced side-by-side by the last two laps with Wheeler up top and Thompson on the bottom. Wheeler had just enough momentum to take the win by about a car-length in the Jimmie Wheeler-owned, Lakeview Fertilizer-sponsored #2W.
Thompson improved on last week’s third place run with a runner-up and took over the early point lead. Reiser edged Norco and Gary Norman for third. Scoring heat race wins over the 29-car field were Norco, Shaun Hooks, and Reiser. Chris Brown won the B main.
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Last week it was Curt Bish, Jr. this week it was Curt Bish, Sr. as he narrowly defeated a charging Dave Gottschalk to win the 12-lap Maurer’s Trading Post “Redneck Racers Shotgun Series” for Strictly Stocks. “He was there,” acknowledged the Titusville, Pa. winner. “I knew he would be eventually. He ran good last year.”
Gottschalk jumped out into the early lead past Patrick Heckman. Bish, Sr., who started sixth, raced to the front and passed Gottschalk for the lead on the second lap. Five cautions slowed the race and kept the field bunched up. Gottschalk remained within striking distance for most of the race, but never appeared like he was going to be able to overtake Bish, Sr.. However, on the last lap, Gottschalk made a last ditch effort with an inside run to get under Bish, Sr. The two raced side-by-side the entire last lap. Gottschalk drove hard into three and the two made contact. It was a drag race down the frontstretch to the checkered, but Bish, Sr. prevailed by a fender.
The victory marked his 12th career win and came in his Dennis Baker Construction/Leonardo’s Restaurant-sponsored #00. Gottschalk held on for a career best second. After an early spin, Curt Bish, Jr. came back to get third. Wearne Cook was fifth ahead of 13th starter, Bryan Shaffer. Bish, Sr. and Bish, Jr. won the heats over the 14-car field.
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Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. ROD GEORGE 2. Arnie Kent 3. Tom Quarterson 4. Scott Bonnell 5. Rob Eyler 6. Dave Wagner 7. Bob Felmlee 8. Mike Shearer 9. Kevin Andrusky 10. Chris Shuttleworth 11. Paul Kapuchuck 12. Doug Stanley 13. Jason Dolick-DNS.
Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf (358) Modifieds: 1. LONNY RIGGS 2. Kevin Hoffman 3. Rick Hall 4. Steve Toth 5. Gary Smoker 6. Mike Anderson 7. Garrett Krummert 8. Kevin Green 9. Steve Barr 10. Matt Reeher 11. Jeff Stuchel 12. Rick Kress 13. Chad Yeager 14. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 15. Lee Miller 16. Jr. Baker 17. Ben Porter 18. Jim Thompson-DNS 19. Ron Eperthener, Jr.-DSQ 20. Greg Unrue, Jr.-DNS 21. Bill Adams-DNS.
Tire Express Stock Cars: 1. TERRY WHEELER 2. Andy Thompson 3. John Reiser 4. Rick Norco 5. Gary Norman 6. Brian Booher 7. Shaun Hooks 8. Dave Ferringer 9. Terry Kroner 10. Tony Spaghetti 11. Tim Deutsch 12. Bill Lanigan 13. Tim Zuschlag 14. Ron Iorio, Jr. 15. Rod Laskey 16. Tom Moore 17. Ryan Moyer 18. Clyde Roberts 19. Chris Brown 20. Bill Vance 21. Dave George 22. Cody Smith 23. Joe Lockhart 24. Doug Iorio, Jr. DNQ: Mark Sanders, Andy Buckley, William Smiley, Ryan Herb, Scott Malone.
Maurer’s Trading Post Strictly Stocks: 1. CURT BISH, SR. 2. Dave Gottschalk 3. Curt Bish, Jr. 4. Wearne Cook 5. Bryan Shaffer 6. Patrick Heckman 7. Jim Boring 8. William Morrison III 9. Carl Ealy 10. Randy Ealy 11. Josh Seippel 12. Paul Reiser 13. Lester Kerr 14. Chad Myers-DSQ.