KENT EDGES KRIESS & SMITH FOR EXCITING SPRINT WIN; GUIDACE HOLDS OFF PRIEST FOR FIRST MOD WIN; FIRSTS FOR SCHAFFER, HALL, & WHITLING; THIRD WIN FOR BISH, SR. AT MERCER
By Mike Leone
May 1, 2004
Mercer, PA…Despite a 100% chance of rain, Mercer Raceway Park completed its fifth show in six tries Saturday night as the five-division program plus the Sportsman Modified make-up feature and a Demo Derby was spun off in just four hours. Celebrating in the McClung Auto Body victory lane with wins on Yellow Book USA Night were Arnie Kent-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Frank Guidace-Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds, Jeff Schaffer (4/17 make-up) & Rick Hall-Tire Express Sportsman Modifieds, Bobby Whitling-Stock Cars, and Curt Bish, Sr.-Strictly Stocks. Martin Cron, Jr. of New Brighton, Pa. won the opening round of the “Gladiator Series” Demolition Derby.
In another down-to-the-wire 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature, Arnie Kent edged Gary Kriess, Jr. and Jamie Smith ending Smith’s two-week win streak. “This feels pretty good,” exclaimed the jubilant New Castle, Pa. winner. “We’ve had trouble all week. We put two new tires on and tried some other stuff; replaced all the shocks, bars, and steering. It worked pretty good. I ran hard out there tonight.”
For the second week in a row, Gary Kriess, Jr. jumped out into the early lead as Mike Shearer moved ahead of Jerry Yoder on the initial lap. A spin by central Pa’s Joe Deihl brought out a caution with two laps completed. On the restart, Kent, who started sixth, raced by Yoder for third. Shearer reeled in Kriess on lap seven as Kriess began to encounter lap traffic; however, a spin by Jeff Banyas brought out the second caution.
Smith, who started eighth, was up to fifth for the restart and would move ahead of Chris Shuttleworth for fourth on lap seven. Shearer’s fine run ended on lap nine when he pulled into the infield handing Kent and Smith second and third. Smith got a great bite off the inside of turn four to edge Kent for runner-up on lap 10. Just as Kriess caught lapped traffic again, another caution slowed action this time for a spin by Chad Levingston with 11 laps completed.
Kent continued to work the top while Smith stayed on the bottom. On lap 14, Kent took back second from Smith on the backstretch. Kent’s winning move came on the 16th circuit as he snuck around Kriess on the top of the speedway coming off turn four. Kriess stuck with Kent and gave it all had driving it in hard on the bottom of the track on the final lap, but came up two car lengths shy at the finish.
For Kent, it was his second win of the season, but first in a 410. His ninth career Mercer win came in his Don Blackshear-powered, Born2Run Sports Complex/Equipment Rental Options/American Agip-sponsored #2.
Kriess’ second was in his best outing in Troy Preston’s #1P. Smith was a close third. Wellsville, New York’s Chris Shuttleworth was fourth for the second straight week and was the highest finishing Moore CDL Driving Academy 360 earning an additional $150. Rod George was fifth after starting 11th. Completing the top 10 were Jason Jacoby in his season debut, Scott Bonnell, Doug Stanley, Jeff Banyas, and Jamie Martin. Heat winners over the 25-car field were Shearer, Jacoby, and George.
Frank Guidace held off a hard charging Andy Priest to win his first 20-lap Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modified feature of the season. “Boy that was real close- I was lucky there,” said the happy Mercer, Pa.-winner. “The track was a little slick in the middle and the car pushed up. I knew he (Priest) was going to be under me coming into (turn) three. There was no way I was going to let up on that one. He was going to have to push the issue.”
Guidace quickly got to the front from his third starting spot passing Arnie Kent and Jeremy Paup. Following a restart with one lap completed, Tim Doran made a great move passing four cars to take over second. Andy Priest, who started 11th, quickly made his presence known racing into third by lap three taking the position away from Andy Paden.
Lapped traffic on lap eight allowed Guidace to get away from Doran. On lap 11, traffic played into the hands of Doran and Priest allowing the duo to close on Guidace. Priest went to the inside of Doran and finally made the pass stick on lap 14. Three separate incidents with 16 laps completed slowed action.
When racing resumed, Priest and Guidace raced side-by-side, but Guidace was able to maintain the lead. Doran continued to hammer his mount around the outside in a close third. The closing laps saw Guidace hold off Priest and Doran by a couple car lengths for his second career big-block win in his Don Blackshear-powered, G&G Auto Outlet/Vernam Excavating/Junction 19-80 Campgrounds-sponsored #99 Teo.
Dave Murdick placed fourth ahead of Tommy Kristyak. Sixth through tenth were Carl Weatherby, Lonny Riggs, Rick Hall, Rodney Beltz, and J.R. McGinley. Heat victors over the 24-car field were Dean Pearson, Priest, and Guidace.
Jeff Schaffer opened the night winning the April 17 fogged-out 20-lap Tire Express Sportsman Modified feature. The Fombell, Pa. racer came from the 10th starting spot up to second on lap 12 moving ahead of Jeff Walters. Schaffer ran down leader Gary Smoker on lap 14. The two raced side-by-side on lap 16, but Smoker was able to hold on. Schaffer made the pass for the lead on lap 19 with an inside move off turn four. Schaffer took the checkered flag first in his brother Jerry’s #14 with a Rombold power-plant. The win was the first ever in a sportsman for Schaffer, who also has four big-block wins and one six-cylinder score. Smoker was second with Jerry Schaffer, Walters, and Rick Hall rounding of the first five.
In the night’s regularly scheduled 20-lap Tire Express Sportsman Modified feature, Rick Hall picked up his first win of the season. “The Mopar did well tonight,” stated the Grove City, Pa. veteran. “I finally got the car handling pretty good. We had a push the first couple weeks and I finally got that out.”
After a five-car accident on the opening lap, the race would go green-to-checkered. From his fifth starting spot, Hall raced into the lead past Kevin Thompson and Steve Toth on the first lap. Hall encountered lapped traffic on lap eight and heavy traffic the following lap allowed Thompson to lead lap nine. Hall though remained steadfast grabbing the lead back on the backstretch one lap later with Gary Smoker following in second.
Once in front, Hall slowly pulled away and took the checkered flag by a straightaway over Smoker, who recorded his second runner-up of the night. Hall’s 11th career sportsman win came in the Skinny Hall-owned, Hall’s Safety Equipment/Campbell’s Asphalt/Grove City Dodge-sponsored #B2. Thompson had a solid run in third as Guidace and Jeff Schaffer completed the top five. Scoring heat race wins over the season-high 26-car field were Smoker, Jerry Schaffer, and Jeff Schaffer.
After a horrendous start to the season, defending track champion Bobby Whitling put his car in victory lane for the first time in the 15-lap Stock Car feature. “The season started out pretty rough,” described the humble Franklin, Pa. victor. “Hopefully this is the new beginning that will turn it around.”
Brian Booher raced ahead of Whitling on the start for the early lead and set the pace for the first six circuits before a caution was displayed for a spin by Rick Lanigan. Whitling took command of the event on the ensuing restart and led the final nine non-stop laps. Whitling’s win was far from easy though as he had to hold off tough runners, Doug Iorio and Gary Norman, who were right on his tail the final seven laps.
“The outside was better and I was at a disadvantage,” stated Whitling following the ninth win of his career in his Ted Karns Specialty Construction/Jim’s Doors & Windows-sponsored #7w. “I sort of did a slide job on him (Booher), but we never hit.”
Early leader Booher faded to fourth for his best finish of the season. Andy Buckley was fifth. Whitling, Rusty Moore, and Norman were heat race winners over the 34-car field. Joe Lockhart won the B main.
Curt Bish, Sr. continued his winning ways picking up his third 12-lap Strictly Stock win in four tries in the “Redneck Racer Shotgun Series”. The Oil City, Pa. racer passed Joe Blake and Jesse DeLoe on the opening lap for the lead and led the rest of the way. Bish’s win wasn’t as easy as the first two as he had to hold off a valiant effort by defending Tri-City Speedway Champion Jeff Manners, who nearly pulled off a last lap pass coming off turn four but had to settle for second. Don Blake, Jr. came from ninth to place third in his debut. Ronnie Boyd and Carl Feely, Jr. completed the top five. A season-high 11 cars were on hand.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. ARNIE KENT 2. Gary Kriess, Jr. 3. Jamie Smith 4. Chris Shuttleworth 5. Rod George 6. Jason Jacoby 7. Scott Bonnell 8. Doug Stanley 9. Jeff Banyas 10. Jamie Martin 11. Jason Dolick 12. Jimmy Barill 13. Randy Kriegisch 14. Chad Levingston 15. Butch Beasley 16. Jerry Yoder 17. Brent Matus 18. Randy Years 19. Jack Sodeman, Jr. 20. Dan McEwen 21. Mike Shearer 22. Paul Kish 23. Joe Deihl 24. Joe Butera 25. Kyle Moffit-DNS.
Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds: 1. FRANK GUIDACE 2. Andy Priest 3. Tim Doran 4. Dave Murdick 5. Tommy Kristyak 6. Carl Weatherby 7. Lonny Riggs 8. Rick Hall 9. Rodney Beltz 10. J.R. McGinley 11. Tommy Marshall III 12. Jeremy Paup 13. Terry Young 14. Garrett Krummert 15. Rick Kress 16. Jeff Baker 17. Arnie Kent 18. Lee Miller 19. Andy Paden 20. Steve Barr 21. John Buchanan 22. Ed Alcorn, Jr. 23. Dean Pearson 24. Steve Young-DNS.
Tire Express Sportsman Modifieds (4/17 make-up): 1. JEFF SCHAFFER 2. Gary Smoker 3. Jerry Schaffer 4. Jeff Walters 5. Rick Hall 6. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 7. Kevin Thompson 8. Steve Toth 9. Jay Priest 10. Jim Rombold, Jr. 11. Rick Ryder 12. Mike Anderson 13. Matt Reeher 14. Mike Kelley 15. Fred Sasse 16. Rich Whitney 17. Kristin Jordan 18. Alex Anderson 19. Jerry O’Rock, Jr. 20. Ben Porter 21. Keith Mohnkern 22. Kevin Green 23. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 24. Rich Ferguson 25. Frank Guidace.
Tire Express Sportsman Modifieds: 1. RICK HALL 2. Gary Smoker 3. Kevin Thompson 4. Frank Guidace 5. Jeff Schaffer 6. Jim Rombold, Jr. 7. Jerry Schaffer 8. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 9. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 10. Rick Ryder 11. Matt Reeher 12. Mike Anderson 13. Keith Mohnkern 14. Joe Gibson 15. Rich Whitney 16. Jerry O’Rock, Jr. 17. Fred Sasse 18. Branden Porter 19. Steve Toth 20. Kristin Jordan 21. Alex Anderson 22. Mike Kelley 23. Jay Priest 24. Kevin Green-DNS 25. Jeff Walters-DNS 26. Rich Ferguson-DNS.
Stock Cars: 1. BOBBY WHITLING 2. Doug Iorio 3. Gary Norman 4. Brian Booher 5. Andy Buckley 6. Andy Thompson 7. Rusty Moore 8. Rick Norco 9. Willie Aley 10. John Reiser 11. Mike Aley 12. Shaun Hooks 13. Gary Johns 14. Bill Schall, Jr. 15. Gary Laurie 16. Bill Lanigan 17. Cody Smith 18. Ron Iorio 19. Rick Lanigan 20. Tim Zuschlag 21. Tim Balach 22. Joe Lockhart 23. Terry Kroner 24. Jim Brunson-DNS DNQ: Clyde Roberts, Jack Keesey, Ryan Moyer, Bill McMurray, Daryl Leeworthy, Bruce Milbert, Matthew Cwynar, Joe Updegraff, Gary Sullivan, George Kafantaris.
Strictly Stocks: 1. CURT BISH, SR. 2. Jeff Manners 3. Don Blake, Jr. 4. Ronnie Boyd 5. Carl Feely, Jr. 6. Wearne Cook 7. Joe Blake 8. Robbie Switzer 9. Jesse DeLoe 10. Jon Mabry 11. Curt Bish, Jr.