BLOSE TAKES $1500 LM MAIN; THREE NEW WINNERS FIND VICTORY LANE AT GRP
For Immediate Release June 22, 2002
CLEARFIELD, PA - Mike Blose of Dayton won the $1500 Budweiser Late Model special sponsored by Errigo Distributing of Curwensville. It was his second win of the season. Young Jimmy Holden of Tiona won his third career Sids Subs Small Block Modified main.
John Wayne Weaver of Commodore won his first ever 84 Lumber Street Stock feature, while Cecilia Olson of Clearfield won her first career Denny's Beer Barrel Pub Four Cylinder main at GRP, while Josh Jacoby of Fernwood picked up his first career ever win in the Fred Diehl of Philipsburg Pure Stocks.
Mike Blose and Tony Lombardi led the late model field to the start, with Blose taking the lead and Lombardi settling into second. Lombardi lost the position to Bobby Stokes who set his sights on the leader. The front two began to pull away as John Ritter was working his way from 11th towards the front. Stokes tried numerous times to get under Blose but Blose protected the low line and took the victory. The top five were: Blose, Stokes, Ritter, Louie Jacoby and Jeff Henry. Heat wins went to Mike Blose and Tony Lombardi.
George Sankey and Lou Gentile led the small block modifieds to the green, with Sankey taking the lead and Gentile settling into second. Sankey led early on with Gentile second, and Jimmy Holden and Mike Stine closing in to create a four car battle for the lead. Exiting turn four on lap 13 Gentile tried to dive under Sankey, and Sankey refused to give Gentile the position. The two made contact on the low side of the front stretch as Holden took advantage and went high for the lead. Once he settled into the lead Stine followed suite and pressured the young driver, who did not falter to the veteran's intimidation. At the line it was Holden over Stine with Tom Holden third, Ron Butterworth fourth and Mark Frankhouser fifth. Heat wins went to Sankey and Bob Garvey.
The street stock feature was not decided until the final lap. Daryl Whetstone took the initial lead from Dan Smeal at the start of the race but Smeal took the lead on lap three. Whetstone battled back and regained the top spot on lap seven, but contact with Tom Williams sent both drivers to the rear. On the restart Dave Potter assumed the lead, but John Wayne Weaver worked his way from tenth to second and set his sights on the leader. Weaver moved into the lead on lap 14 and held off first Potter, and then he had to hold off Smeal and Kip Charles. Exiting turn two on the last lap, Weaver still led, as Smeal and Charles ran side-by-side, but out no where came Jeff Sweeny, making it three wide on the backstretch and taking second. Weaver held him off through turns three and four to get his first career win. Sweeney, Smeal, Charles and Butch Welch completed the top five. Heat wins went to Smeal and Whetstone.
Ken Erskine and Cecilia Olson led the four cylinders to the green, with Erskine taking the lead. He set the pace for seven laps, with heavy pressure from Olson, she took the lead with an inside pass off turn four to take the lead. She held off the advances from Levi Ardery and Steve Flanagan the rest of the way to get her career first victory at Gamblers Raceway Park. Ardery, Flanagan, Erskine and Dean Rodkey rounded out the top five. Heat wins went to Erskine and Olson.
The pure stock feature saw Josh Jacoby and Ron Hanna on the front row with Jacoby taking the lead and Hanna in second. Gary Little and Jason Bainey worked their way into second and third and put on a battle of the deuces for second, while chasing Jacoby. Jacoby held on to win by a half a car length over Little and Bainey in that order. Sheddy Graham III came from 12th to fourth and Bernie Whetstone completed the top five. Heats wins went to Jacoby and Hanna.
GRP LAST DEALS: 87 teams were signed in, including 20 late models, 20 small block modifieds, 16 street stocks, 11 four cylinders and 20 pure stocks…Bob Wearing Jr. did not have good return to the speedway, dropping out at the start with steering problems…Jeff Peffer had new car and was back in action after his violent flip two weeks ago…This week the mid-season championship double point races will be sponsored by Ponderosa Steakhouse in DuBois. There will be double points on the line for the late models, small block modifieds, street stocks, pure stocks and four cylinders…Coming on WEDNESDAY July 3rd is the first ever "Roll of the Dice" Classic. The late models will pay $4,000 to win the 50 lap event plus there will be lap money and a $500 dash for the cash. More information is on the web site at www.gamblersracewaypark.com. We hope to see you at the "Biggest Little Racetrack in America" this week at 7 p.m. and Wednesday, July 3, at 7 p.m.
Gamblers Raceway Park
Summary
June 22, 2002
BUDWEISER LATE MODELS: 1. Mike Blose, Dayton; 2. Bobby Stokes, Milton; 3. John Ritter, Stroudsburg; 4. Lou Jacoby, Fernwood; 5. Jeff Henry, Butler; 6. Brandon Wearing, Callery; 7. Russ Strouse, Lamar; 8. Leon Peasley, Lock Haven; 9. Dean Colber, Port Matilda; 10. Matt Gaston, Rochester Mills; 11. Tom Decker, Jr., Bellwood; 12. Tony Lombardi, Warren, OH; 13. Cody Schultz, Hyde; 14. Jessie Smith, Titusville; 15. Mark Welker, Munson; 16. John Brady, Clearfield; 17. Tim Steis, St. Mary's; 18. Bob Wearing, Jr., Renfrew. DNS: Bob Close, Eldred and George Fultz, Beech Creek.
SIDS SUBS SMALL BLOCK MODIFIEDS: 1. Jimmy Holden, Tiona; 2. Mike Stine, Smithmill; 3. Tom Holden, Sheffield; 4. Ron Butterworth, Philipsburg; 5. Mark Frankhouser, Philipsburg; 6. Rich Luzier, Curwensville; 7. Jamie Luzier, Clearfield; 8. Lou Gentile, Pulaski; 9. Fay Lumadue, Spring Valley; 10. Mike Butterworth, Philipsburg.
84 LUMBER STREET STOCKS: 1. John Wayne Weaver, Commodore; 2. Jeff Sweeney, Marion Center; 3. Dan Smeal, Houtzdale; 4. Kip Charles, Clearfield; 5. Butch Welch, Clearfield; 6. Pat Carfley, Curwensville; 7. Frank McVay, Boalsburg; 8. Craig Lobb, Brisbin; 9. Tom Williams, Tyrone; 10. Duane Kirk, Clearfield.
DENNY'S BEER BARREL PUB FOUR CYLINDERS: 1. Cecilia Olson, Clearfield; 2. Levi Ardery, West Decatur; 3. Steve Flanagan, Clearfield; 4. Ken Erskine, Bells Landing; 5. Dean Rodkey, Osceola Mills; 6. Chris Farrell, Clearfield; 7. Dave Farrell, Hyde; 8. Bob Bailey, Clearfield; 9. Joe Leigey, Mt. Zion; 10. Dave Green, St. Mary's.
FRED DIEHL OF PHILIPSBURG PURE STOCKS: 1. Josh Jacoby, Fernwood; 2. Gary Little, Woodland; 3. Jason Bainey, Philipsburg; 4. Sheddy Graham III, Clearfield; 5. Bernie Whetstone, Irvona; 6. Frank Little, Woodland; 7. Harvey Wallbanger, Woodland; 8. Dale Schindler, Houtzdale; 9. Richard Homan, Pennsylvania Furnace; 10. Gary McElheny, Blandburg.