LYNCH DOMINATES SPRINTS; YOUNG & HOSTETLER UPSET MODIFIEDS & STOCKS; SCHAFFER WINS ONE FOR HIS SON IN SPORTSMAN MODS

Sat, Apr 12, 2003 -- "First Night" Season Opener

Written by: Mike Leone

The 52nd anniversary season kicked off the 2003 campaign Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park. Celebrating in victory lane were Ed Lynch, Jr.-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Steve Young-Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds, Jerry Schaffer-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Lynn Hostetler-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars. One hundred ten cars filled the pit area in the earliest season opener since the 1999 season.

Ed Lynch, Jr. backed up his opening night 2002 win, by leading all the way in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature for his ninth career Mercer win. “I’m very proud of our own forces doing the job over there,” acknowledged the Apollo, Pa. driver. “The track was beautiful. There were too many reds and nobody’s happy about that. I had a lot of practice on the restarts and I’m sure the other guys didn’t want that.”

By the luck of the draw, Lynch assumed the pole position and raced out into the lead with Scott Bonnell and Troy Preston in pursuit. Gary Kriess, Jr. passed four cars in the first two laps to take over the fourth spot. On lap five, Lynch caught lapped traffic, while Bonnell and Preston raced side-by-side for runner-up.

Dave Wagner took a nasty flip coming off turn two to bring out the first red with six laps completed; he was okay. When racing resumed, Arnie Kent was the man on the move. Kent started 10th and cracked the top five when he passed Jamie Smith on lap seven. By the halfway point, Lynch had opened up a straightaway lead on Bonnell and Preston, who continued to battle for second.

Three accidents, including two red flags, forced stoppages with 10 laps completed. Pup Nystrom and Jamie Smith both got upside down in separate incidents, but were okay. When racing resumed, Kent continued to make his progression to the front. He raced under Kriess for fourth off turn four on lap 11, then used the identical move to pass Preston for third two laps later.

Deana Barbara’s spin with 14 laps completed was the last thing that slowed Lynch from the win. Lynch was also the opening night winner at Lernerville Speedway in the Ed Lynch, Sr.-owned, J&J, Kistler-powered #2L. Bonnell, who won the season ending 360 feature, recorded his best Mercer 410 finish since his only win back in 1995. Kent had a strong run in third. Preston, the defending champion, held off hard charging 12th place starter, Rob Eyler, for fourth.

Gary Kriess, Jr. was sixth. After finishing 14th at Port Royal Speedway in the afternoon, Mark Smith made the three and half hour tow, tagged the B main, and came from 22nd in the feature to finish seventh in his first ever appearance in the Shawn Keen-owned #53. Davey Jones, Kevin Andrusky, and Brent Matus rounded out the top 10. Heat winners over the 28-car field were Kent, Lynch, and Andrusky. Jeff Banyas won his first ever race by winning the B main.

Defending three-time Sportsman Modified Champion, Steve Young, returned to the Big-Block Modifieds and held off two of the region’s best in Ron Smoker and Tommy Kristyak to give car owner J.R. Greer a first career big-block win in the 20-lap Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf feature. “Wow- that was exciting,” expressed the thrilled Grove City, Pa. winner. “I was getting really, really loose at the end. Tommy was there and Smoker, and I was just praying I had them covered. I want to thank C.J. Rombold- the motor ran excellent, J.R., and my girlfriend Julie.”

Young took the early lead as Gary Risch, Jr. and Joe Crawford trailed. Kristyak raced by Crawford for third on lap two then moved ahead of Risch for second on lap four. Lonny Riggs and Smoker both passed Crawford for fourth and fifth on lap four. Smoker took over fourth from Riggs on lap eight then went around Risch for third in turn one on lap 10.

Two cautions with 10 laps completed bunched up the field for the final time as the last 10 laps went green to checkered. On the restart, Young and Kristyak made contact as Kristyak got high allowing Smoker by for second. Despite racing through lapped traffic on lap 17, Young wasn’t to be denied holding off Smoker, who was last year’s top winner on the western Pa./eastern Ohio circuit, for his fourth career big-block win, but first since August 26, 2000. Young’s 24th career Mercer win came aboard the Montgomery Truss & Panel/Calcium Chloride Sales-sponsored, 2003 Bicknell #11t.

Kristyak settled for third. Riggs was able to get around Risch on lap 12 to finish fourth. Crawford passed Risch on lap 18 to complete the top five. Sixth through tenth were Risch, Dave Murdick, Bob Dorman, Del Rougeux, Jr., and Dean Pearson. Heat winners over the 29-car field were Pearson, Smoker, and Riggs. Rick Hall won the B main.

Jerry Schaffer scored the victory in the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. “I have to dedicate this win to my boy Billy,” explained the Ellwood City, Pa. victor. “He’s over in Iraq right now and I want to dedicate this entire season to all of the troops over seas. They need our support. This is Billy’s car when he returns from the service.”

Curt Matthews jumped out into the lead past Zack Moran at the start, while fifth starting Schaffer quickly ascended to second on the first lap. Schaffer’s winning move came on the third circuit when he got under Matthews in turns three and four. Gary Smoker and Bill Adams disposed of Matthews for second and third on lap four.

Schaffer was never seriously challenged as he went on for his second career sportsman win and sixth career Mercer win, which came aboard his Approved Toilet Rentals, 2003 Bicknell, C.J. Rombold-powered #4. Smoker was second ahead of Adams, who gave John Jones’ #99J its best career finish in third. Rick Hall came from 18th to place fourth. Ron Eperthener, Jr. was fifth after starting 11th. Heat winners were Adams and Schaffer over the 20-car field.

Lynn Hostetler pulled off what could easily be the biggest upset in the history of Stock Cars at Mercer by winning the 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub feature. “Boy this has been a long time waiting here, I’ll tell ya’,” expressed the jubilant Mercer, Pa. winner. “After six years of racing, we finally won one. What a race tonight! The car was really good. I’m shaking more than the car is- this is awesome!”

Terry Wheeler, Doug Iorio, Andy Buckley, Terry Kroner, and Gary Miller, Jr. ran neck and neck for the first five laps all battling for the lead. On lap 6, going down the backstretch into turn three, Wheeler and Iorio tried to negotiate the lapped car of Jeff Natale, but all three made contact putting Wheeler out of the race and Iorio into the pits for repairs.

This gave the lead to Buckley with Kroner, Miller, and Hostetler second through fourth. Miller passed Kroner for second on lap six, but exited the race smoking under caution with seven laps completed. This moved Kroner back to second and Hostetler to third.

When racing resumed, Kroner and Buckley put on an excellent race running side-by-side on laps eight on nine. In turns three and four on lap nine, the two made contact allowing Hostetler to squeak by for the lead. Kroner fell to second, while Gary Norman got past Buckley for third. The last five laps turned into a four-car race, but Hostetler was able to hold on for his first career win in the John Hostetler-owned, un-sponsored #33 Monte Carlo.

Kroner was all over Hostetler, but had to settle for a career best runner-up. Norman was third. Buckley hit the frontstretch wall and got a flat tire on lap 14 moving Ron Iorio up to fourth. Andy Thompson was fifth after starting 15th. Bobby Whitling, Miller, and Kroner won the heat races over the 33-car field. Rick Anthony won the B main.

Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. ED LYNCH, JR. 2. Scott Bonnell 3. Arnie Kent 4. Troy Preston 5. Rob Eyler. 6. Gary Kriess, Jr. 7. Mark Smith 8. Davey Jones 9. Kevin Andrusky 10. Brent Matus 11. Deana Barbara 12. Butch Beasley 13. Jeff Banyas 14. Vaughn Nystrom 15. Jeff Kasbee 16. Jamie Smith 17. Jason Jacoby 18. Mike Shearer 19. Pup Nystrom 20. Gary McCollum 21. Dave Wagner 22. Mark Imler 23. Chris Matthews 24. Jeremy Cook-DNS DNQ-Randy Kriegisch, Mike Dehner, Charlie Holben, Paul Kish.

Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds: 1. STEVE YOUNG 2. Ron Smoker 3. Tommy Kristyak 4. Lonny Riggs 5. Joe Crawford 6. Gary Risch, Jr. 7. Dave Murdick 8. Bob Dorman 9. Del Rougeux, Jr. 10. Dean Pearson 11. Skip Moore 12. Rick Hall 13. Chanda Reitz 14. J.R. McGinley 15. Carl Murdick 16. Rodney Beltz 17. Bill Thompson 18. Lee Miller 19. John Boyer, Jr. 20. Travis Shingledecker 21. Frank Guidace 22. Rick Kress 23. Frank Fenush 24. Rob Kristyak DNQ-Justin Broerman, Andy Priest, Jeff Baker, Jeremiah Shingledecker, Chris Dye.

New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. JERRY SCHAFFER 2. Gary Smoker 3. Bill Adams 4. Rick Hall 5. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 6. Chad Reitz 7. Andy Paden 8. Jim Rombold, Jr. 9. Morgan Sasse 10. Kevin Green 11. Branden Porter 12. Rich Whitney 13. Dave Cogswell 14. Todd Daniels 15. Steve Toth 16. Curt Matthews 17. Zack Moran 18. Jerry O’Rock, Jr. 19. Mike Work-DSQ 20. Kevin Thompson-DNS.

Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. LYNN HOSTETLER 2. Terry Kroner 3. Gary Norman 4. Ron Iorio 5. Andy Thompson 6. Dave Ferringer 7. John Reiser 8. Doug Iorio 9. Rick Norco 10. Gary Sullivan 11. Tony Bruno 12. Rick Anthony 13. Rusty Moore 14. Tim Balach 15. Andy Buckley 16. Jeff Natale 17. Mark Sanders 18. Clyde Roberts 19. Gary Miller, Jr. 20. Mike Mathieson 21. Rick Lanigan 22. Terry Wheeler 23. Bobby Whitling 24. Brian Booher 25. Dan Fedorchak-DNS DNQ-Greg Porter, Burton Fingado, Rod Laskey, Anthony Lombardo, Bill Lanigan, Shaun Hooks, Scott Myers, George Kafantaris.