SPITHALER WINS FIRST IN WILD SPRINT FEATURE; RIGGS & GUIDACE WIN FIRSTS IN BIG-BLOCK & SPORTSMAN MODS; TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR WHITLING IN STOCK; BISH, SR. DOES IT AGAIN IN STRICTLY STOCKS AT MERCER
By Mike Leone
May 8, 2004
Mercer, PA…Mother Nature teased Mercer Raceway Park once again with a spectacular lightning show for most of Saturday night, but the rains stayed to the north allowing the sixth program in seven tries to be completed. Celebrating in the McClung Auto Body victory lane with wins were Ralph Spithaler, Jr.-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Lonny Riggs-Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds, Frank Guidace-Tire Express Sportsman Modifieds, Bobby Whitling-Stock Cars, and Curt Bish, Sr.-Strictly Stocks.
Ralph Spithaler, Jr. picked up his first win of 2004 in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature after front runners Mike Shearer and Gary Kriess, Jr. tangled racing for the lead. “Boy I’ll tell ya’, I didn’t expect to win this one,” said the surprised Evans City, Pa. winner. “We made some changes for the feature and were better, but it took some luck with Mike and Gary getting together.”
Shearer darted into the lead from the pole position as Jeff Banyas and fifth starting Kriess passed Randy Years for second and third. After four cautions in the first four laps, Kriess moved up to second with a pass of Banyas on lap five. Kriess ran down Shearer and was all over the leader on lap seven. Just as the leaders entered lapped traffic on lap 10, the duo made contact in turn two sending both spinning and bringing out the caution.
When racing resumed, Banyas was now on the point with Spithaler second. Arnie Kent, who started 18th, was up to fifth for the restart and then took fourth away from Jason Dolick when racing resumed on lap 10. Up front, Spithaler challenged Banyas as the two raced side-by-side. Finally on lap 13, Spithaler made the winning move using the outside in turn two. On the same lap, Kent moved to third with a pass of Gary Edwards.
A caution with 16 laps completed gave everyone one final shot at Spithaler. Kent was able to work his way by Banyas for second edging him at the start-finish line with the white flag waving. Kent’s valiant effort would come up short as Spithaler crossed the finish line first for his third career Mercer win, which came in his Terry Bowser Excavating/Hampton Engineering/Advance Auto Parts-sponsored, Hine Racing Equipment-powered #56.
Banyas’ third was a career best for the improving Akron University freshman. After an early spin, point leader Rod George rebounded for a fourth place as did Jamie Smith in fifth. Kriess did likewise in sixth. Gary Edwards brought the Jeff Rudzik-owned #94 home in seventh to claim the $150 highest finishing 360 bonus. Eighth through tenth and also claiming 360 bonus monies were Jason Dolick, Chris Shuttleworth, and Jamie Martin. Heat winners over the 28-car field were Edwards, George, and Banyas. Butch Beasley won the B main.
After mechanical woes by early leaders Frank Guidace and Jeremiah Shingledecker, Lonny Riggs was left standing to capture his first win of the year in the 20-lap Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds. “I needed this,” expressed the relieved Volant, Pa. winner. “We were real loose early and I kept dialing and dialing hoping it would tighten up enough. I could never get on the bottom, but the outside seemed like the fast line.”
Riggs got past pole-sitter Terry Young on the start for the early lead with Tommy Marshall III and Jeremiah Shingledecker taking second and third. Guidace, who started fifth, got around Young for fourth on lap two and made it a four-car race for the lead on lap five. At that point, Guidace slipped under Shingledecker to take third just before the first caution.
When racing resumed, Guidace made a nice move to take second from Marshall then ducked under Riggs off turn four to lead lap six. Shingledecker continued his way to the front first getting past Marshall for third on lap seven then one lap later taking runner-up from Riggs. Guidace exited the speedway on lap nine with a broken rear-end gear handing the lead to Shingledecker with Riggs back to second and Marshall third.
Riggs and Shingledecker would go at it over the next few laps racing side-by-side swapping the lead almost every lap. Shingledecker regained control on lap 13 before the final caution was displayed. When racing resumed, it appeared Andy Priest had a shot at the leaders. Priest grabbed third from Marshall on the restart and battled with Riggs on lap 16 as the two raced side-by-side. Just when it appeared Shingledecker was primed for his first career big-block win, his car began to lose power with a fuel leak on lap 18 allowing Riggs and Priest to fly by for the first two spots.
Riggs would hold off Priest over the final laps to collect his sixth career big-block win and became the fifth different winner in five races in the Merle Black-owned, Milliard Trucking/B.S.D. Graphics-sponsored, Winners Circle Automotive Machine-powered #58. Priest was second for the second straight week and stretched out his point lead. Marshall was third for his best finish since a win back on May 13, 1995. Carl Weatherby moved from 10th for a season-best fourth ahead of the consistent Dave Murdick. Completing the top 10 were Rodney Beltz, Rick Hall, Shingledecker, John Buchanan, and Jeremy Paup. Heat victors over the 22-car field were Tommy Kristyak and Marshall.
Frank Guidace won his first ever 20-lap Tire Express Sportsman Modified feature, which saw five drivers fight to finish for the exciting win. “That was the toughest race I’ve ever won,” said the jubilant Mercer, Pa. winner following his first ever sportsman win. “This class is unbelievable! These guys and cars are so close. We’ve been struggling trying to get this thing to go. It’s a world of a difference between the big-block. This thing is fast!”
Guidace, who started seventh, quickly made his way to the front and was up to second by lap three when he passed Mike Kelley. Guidace took over the top spot on lap five driving past Jeff Walters on the backstretch. Jerry Schaffer and Gary Smoker moved into second and third past Walters on laps eight and nine respectively. Smoker drove by Schaffer for second on lap 10 and then was all over Guidace on lap 12.
The last five laps saw a wild five-car shootout for the win. Schaffer retook second from Smoker on lap 16 with Rick Hall following in third one lap later. Hall continued his charge through the pack from the 11th starting spot getting past Schaffer for second on lap 18. Hall ran down Guidace, but a caution with 19 laps completed set up a one-lap race to the finish.
Guidace was able to hold off the hard-charging Hall in his G&G Auto/Vernam Excavating/Junction 19-80 Campgrounds-sponsored, Hine Racing Equipment-powered #99 Teo. Guidace became the division’s fifth different winner in five races this season and now has won in three different modified classes at Mercer- big-block, six-cylinder, and sportsman. Point leader Jeff Schaffer made a late rally from 12th to pass Smoker and brother Jerry for third. Jerry Schaffer edged Smoker for fourth. Picking up heat race wins over the 24-car field were Jerry Schaffer, Steve Toth, and Ron Eperthener, Jr.
Bobby Whitling made it two-in-a-row with a last lap pass of Gary Norman to win the 15-lap Stock Car feature. “I lucked out with that last caution,” explained the Franklin, Pa. victor. “I worked the low groove and got ahead of him (Norman) there. When he chose the outside on the restart, he probably didn’t know I was working the low groove tonight and it worked out good for me.”
Norman took the lead at the start over Shaun Hooks and Doug Iorio. Whitling, who started seventh, passed three cars on the opening lap for fourth. Iorio finally worked his way by Hooks for second with an inside move on lap five. Two laps later, Whitling did the same in third. With Norman setting the pace, by lap 12 five cars battled for runner-up as Whitling moved ahead of Iorio.
A caution for a spin by Carl Ealy with 14 laps completed would turn out costly for Norman setting up a one-lap shootout to the finish. Norman chose the outside giving the bottom to Whitling. The two raced side-by-side the entire final lap, but Whitling had enough run off the bottom of turn four to take the win by inches in his Ted Karns Specialty Construction/Jim’s Doors & Windows-sponsored #7w..
Whitling became just the sixth driver in the history of the division to reach double digits in the win the column with his 10th career victory. Behind Norman was point leader Rusty Moore, who started 11th. Hooks dropped to fourth ahead of Andy Buckley. Moore, Iorio, and Buckley scored heat race wins over the 26-car field.
For the fourth time in five weeks, Curt Bish, Sr. was victorious in the 12-lap “Redneck Racers Shotgun Series” for Strictly Stocks. Joe Blake led the opening eight rounds until Curt Bish, Jr. made the pass for the lead on lap nine. Blake stuck right on Bish and tried to get under the leader negotiating lapped traffic on lap 11. The end result found the two getting together and spinning on the backstretch. This handed the lead to 11th starting Bish, Sr., who would lead the final two laps for the win in his Dennis Baker Construction/Gravett Painting-sponsored #00. Ninth starter, Wearne Cook, recorded his best finish in second. Bish, Jr. came back to get third over Ronnie Boyd and Carl Feely, Jr. A season-high 12 cars were on hand.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. RALPH SPITHALER, JR. 2. Arnie Kent 3. Jeff Banyas 4. Rod George 5. Jamie Smith 6. Gary Kriess, Jr. 7. Gary Edwards 8. Jason Dolick 9. Chris Shuttleworth 10. Jamie Martin 11. Jimmy Barill 12. Mike Shearer 13. Jeremy Cook 14. Brad Knab 15. Gale Ruth 16. Ray Moon 17. Butch Beasley 18. Charlie Holben 19. Nick Patterson 20. Scott Bonnell 21. Randy Years 22. Marty Ling 23. Chad Levingston 24. Todd McQuillen DNQ: Jerry Yoder, Bill Underwood, Doug Stanley, Troy Kingan.
Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds: 1. LONNY RIGGS 2. Andy Priest 3. Tommy Marshall III 4. Carl Weatherby 5. Dave Murdick 6. Rodney Beltz 7. Rick Hall 8. Jeremiah Shingledecker 9. John Buchanan 10. Jeremy Paup 11. Lee Miller 12. Jeff Baker 13. Greg Unrue, Jr. 14. Dave Reges 15. Tim Doran 16. Terry Young 17. Frank Guidace 18. Travis Shingledecker 19. Dave Schrader 20. Tommy Kristyak 21. Rick Kress 22. Andy Paden-DNS.
Tire Express Sportsman Modifieds: 1. FRANK GUIDACE 2. Rick Hall 3. Jeff Schaffer 4. Jerry Schaffer 5. Gary Smoker 6. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 7. Steve Toth 8. Jay Priest 9. Jeff Walters 10. Mike Anderson 11. Fred Sasse 12. Kristin Jordan 13. Matt Reeher 14. Jim Rombold, Jr. 15. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 16. Rick Ryder 17. Alex Anderson 18. Kevin Thompson 19. Jim Slater 20. Branden Porter 21. Rich Whitney 22. Jerry O’Rock, Jr. 23. Kevin Green 24. Mike Kelley.
Stock Cars: 1. BOBBY WHITLING 2. Gary Norman 3. Rusty Moore 4. Shaun Hooks 5. Andy Buckley 6. Terry Kroner 7. Andy Thompson 8. John Reiser 9. Doug Iorio, Jr. 10. Joe Lockhart 11. Chris Brown 12. Cody Smith 13. Clyde Roberts 14. Ryan Moyer 15. Erick Cwynar 16. Doug Iorio 17. Carl Ealy 18. Rick Norco 19. Brian Booher 20. Tim Balach 21. Jarrot Moore 22. Gary Sullivan 23. Matt Cwynar-DNS 24. Bill Schall, Jr.-DNS 25. Daryl Leeworthy-DNS 26. Joe Updegraff-DNS.
Strictly Stocks: 1. CURT BISH, SR. 2. Wearne Cook 3. Curt Bish, Jr. 4. Ronnie Boyd 5. Carl Feely, Jr. 6. Lauren Simmons 7. Joe Blake 8. Don Blake, Jr. 9. Jon Mabry 10. Randy Ealy 11. Jeff Manners 12. Robby Switzer.