BARBARA HOLDS OFF FLINNER IN LATE MODELS; RIGGS WIN $2K IN BILL EMIG MEMORIAL FOR MODIFIEDS; TWO STRAIGHT FOR SMITH IN SPRINTS; PADEN GETS FIRST CAREER WIN IN SPORTSMAN AT MERCER

By Mike Leone

June 14, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mercer, PA…Mercer Raceway Park held the inaugural “Main Event” Saturday night as three drivers recorded their first wins. Celebrating in victory lane were Keith Barbara-Late Models, Lonny Riggs-Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds, Jamie Smith-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, and Andy Paden-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio provided 100 admission ticket giveaways, and one lucky fan won two tickets to the Enshrinement Ceremony and two tickets to the Monday Night Hall of Fame Game.

Keith Barbara came out on top of an exciting side-by-side battle with John Flinner, Jr. to win the 25-lap Late Model Feature. “I knew John (Flinner) was behind me,” stated the South Park, Pa. winner. “We were racing back and forth. It was good, clean racing and that’s what we like. We used to have a little rivalry, but we can race. The track was a little rough, but there was a lot of traction in it. I was pushing it for all I got. It was a good night.”

Barbara started the event from third and had the lead on the opening lap from Lou Gentile with Alex Ferree taking second. Flinner started from fifth and made his way to second on lap two driving past Ferree. Barbara and Flinner began to distance themselves from the field on lap five prior to two cautions with six laps completed.

When racing resumed, Flinner began to apply heavy pressure and the two raced side-by-side on laps seven and eight before another caution slowed action. By lap 11, the battle raged on with Flinner pulling even with Barbara. Then on lap 12, Barbara got high in turn four allowing Flinner by for the lead. One lap later in turn four, Barbara regained the lead he would never relinquish.

By lap 18, Barbara stretched out his lead until another caution flag with 20 laps completed. When racing resumed, 15th starter Nick Jones made his presence known getting under Flinner for second on lap 21; however, the following lap saw Flinner regain runner-up.

Barbara would take the checkered flag first for the $1,500 win in his RANgroup Racing Tours/Forbes Field Garage/Josh’s Auto Painting-sponsored #17. Flinner held on for second. After spinning on the 13th lap and restarting on the tail, Brent Rhebergen passed Jones on the final lap to finish third. Jones dropped to fourth ahead of 17th starting Bobby Bertges. Rounding out the top 10 were John Ritter, Russ Dunn, Bobby Hoffman, Steve Hollabaugh, and Tom Bateman. Heat winners were David Scott, Gentile, and Barbara. Despite seven other western Pa. tracks running Late Models, a fine field of 28 quality cars assembled from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. The Late Models will return on September 27 for twin 25s paying $2,000 to-win each.

Point leader Lonny Riggs’ first win of the year came at a perfect time as he scored his biggest career win in the $2,000 to-win 30-lap Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Bill Emig Memorial for the Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds. “It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun,” exclaimed the Volant, Pa. winner. “We love to win here. We know about everybody in the stands. The $2,000 will be nice.”

From the pole position, last week’s winner, Tim Doran, assumed the early lead with Jeremiah Shingledecker moving to second. Joe Crawford, who started eighth, worked his way to third by the second lap and Tommy Kristyak followed in fourth.

Following a caution for Andy Priest’s spin with seven laps completed, Crawford and Kristyak continued their way to the front when they passed Shingledecker for second and third on the restart. Kristyak then got under Crawford to take second on lap nine. Kristyak caught Doran and the two ran side-by-side on laps 12 and 13. Kristyak snuck by off turn four for the lead despite brushing the frontstretch wall on the 13th lap.

At the halfway point, it was a four-car race as 11th starting Riggs entered the fray. A wild lap 18 saw Crawford fly by both Doran and Kristyak in turn four to take over the top spot. Riggs also got around Kristyak for third, then two laps later moved ahead of Doran for second.

Positions continued to change up front as on lap 21 Crawford bobbled on the cushion, which allowed Riggs and Doran to go by for first and second. Doran’s fine run ended when he lost a front wheel with 24 laps completed. On the restart, Kristyak got sideways and with cars scattering, 17th starter Frank Guidace came through in second.

While drivers were swapping positions throughout the field, Riggs pulled away to win by a near straightway for his fifth career big-block win in the Winners Circle Automotive Machine/B.S.D. Graphics/Milliard Trucking-sponsored, Merle Black-owned #58.

Guidace earned $1,000 for second. Crawford held on to third over Dave Murdick and Priest. Completing the top 10 were Gary Risch, Jr., Kristyak, Rick Hall, Chanda Reitz, and Jeremiah Shingledecker. Heat winners over the 28-car field were Crawford, Kristyak, and Murdick. Steve Young won the B main.

Jamie Smith out-dueled Rod George in a thrilling battle to make it two in row in the $1,500 to-win 25-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature. “Rod (George) was giving me all I could handle- he’s pretty tough for a little guy,” joked the Sewickley, Pa. winner. “We were going pretty good. The car was really tight tonight. You could see I was carrying the wheels down the straightaway. I was back-pedaling to keep the front-end down. The track was really sticky tonight.”

Point leader Troy Preston raced out into the early lead from the pole position, while Smith passed Butch Beasley for second on the opening lap. Preston and Smith pulled away from the field, but on lap seven Preston looped his mount in turns one and two and handed the lead to Smith.

When racing resumed, George, who started 11th, got past Beasley for second. By lap 10, Smith and George quickly began to distance themselves from the field. Charlie Holben moved into a distant third on lap 11 when he raced by Beasley. George was all over Smith on lap 15. The two put on a great duel racing hard through lapped traffic. George tried the inside and outside, but Smith got through traffic better than George, which propelled him to his 24th career win his G.B.G., Inc./Alternative Power Sources/Agip Oil/Brunner Excavating/Auto Parts Exchange/IAC-sponsored #5G.

George now has two seconds and a third in three appearances this season. Holben was third over Preston and 13th starting Ralph Spithaler, Jr. Sixth through tenth were Todd Bauer, Gary Kriess, Jr., Beasley, Joey Sanger, and Chris Matthews. Heat winners over the 21-car field were Mike Shearer and Rob Eyler. Arnie Kent, Dave Wagner, Shearer, and Eyler all flipped in separate incidents in the feature; all drivers were okay.

Matthews of Kennerdell, Pa. was the highest finishing 360 Sprint Car for the first time this year and earned the $150 bonus. Paul Kish was second for a career best finish. Also receiving bonus monies were Pup Nystrom and New York’s Brad Knab.

After just missing a first career first win last week, Andy Paden redeemed himself in a dominating performance in the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. “I seen the lapped cars coming and I wanted to get as many in between me and Schaffer,” described the Greenville, Pa. winner. “I’ve had bad luck all year with this new car. I have to thank my mom and dad, Carlin Hine for making it possible, and all my sponsors for sticking with me.”

Rick Hall and Paden passed rookie Kevin Green on the opening lap for first and second. Paden wasted no time taking the lead away from Hall on lap two. Jerry Schaffer dropped Hall to third on lap three. The first 15 laps went non-stop, which allowed Paden to open up a big lead on Schaffer. Paden did an excellent job racing through lapped traffic. The caution with 15 laps completed was displayed for Zack Moran. Under caution, Schaffer pitted with a flat tire, which moved back Hall to second.

Paden had eight lapped cars between himself and Hall for the restart. One more caution slowed Paden with 16 laps completed. When racing resumed, Paden opened up a huge lead with a clear track and took the checkered flag first by a near ½-lap. Paden’s first career win came almost four years exactly from his first race on June 19, 1999. The victory was worth $500, which came in the Kidd’s Jewelry-sponsored, Bill Paden-owned #24. Paden is currently attending the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, where he is on the Dean’s List and has received two Ace Awards.

Gary Smoker, who started 12th, passed Hall on lap 17 to finish runner-up. Les Myers was third in just his second start of the season. Kevin Thompson recorded a season-best fourth as his best finish prior was a 16th. Chad Reitz was fifth. Heat victors over the season-high 30-car field were Paden, Hall, and Reitz. Jim Rombold, Jr. won the B main.

Late Models (25 laps): 1. KEITH BARBARA ($1,500) 2. John Flinner, Jr. 3. Brent Rhebergen 4. Nick Jones 5. Bobby Bertges 6. John Ritter 7. Russ Dunn 8. Bobby Hoffman 9. Steve Hollabaugh 10. Tom Bateman 11. David Scott 12. Billy Henry 13. Alex Ferree 14. Lou Gentile 15. Gary Lyle 16. Todd Roncaglione 17. Tom Tuite 18. Wendell Pinckney 19. Dan Swartzlander 20. Mickey Wright 21. Bob Wearing, Jr. 22. Bob Puz 23. Dave Hoffman 24. Chuck Kennedy-DNS 25. Mike Clark-DNS 26. Jeff Henry-DNS 27. Rodney Phillips-DNS 28. Matt Lux-DNS.

Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds (30 laps): 1. LONNY RIGGS ($2,000) 2. Frank Guidace 3. Joe Crawford 4. Dave Murdick 5. Andy Priest 6. Gary Risch, Jr. 7. Tommy Kristyak 8. Rick Hall 9. Chanda Reitz 10. Jeremiah Shingledecker 11. Rodney Beltz 12. Carl Murdick 13. Steve Young 14. Travis Shingledecker 15. Jeremy Paup 16. Shawn Kozar 17. Tim Doran 18. Brian Fink 19. Lee Miller 20. Dean Pearson 21. Kevin Bolland 22. Bob Dorman 23. Bill Thompson 24. Doug Fleeger 25. Adam Kozar-DNS DNQ-Greg Unrue, Frank Fenush, Rick Kress.

Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars (25 laps): 1. JAMIE SMITH ($1,500) 2. Rod George 3. Charlie Holben 4. Troy Preston 5. Ralph Spithaler, Jr. 6. Todd Bauer 7. Gary Kriess, Jr. 8. Butch Beasley 9. Joey Sanger 10. Chris Matthews 11. Paul Kish 12. Brent Matus 13. Mike Dehner 14. Pup Nystrom 15. Brad Knab 16. Rob Eyler 17. Mike Shearer 18. Arnie Kent 19. Dave Wagner 20. Vaughn Nystrom-DNS 21. Jeff Kasbee-DNS.

New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds (20 laps): 1. ANDY PADEN ($500) 2. Gary Smoker 3. Les Myers 4. Kevin Thompson 5. Chad Reitz 6. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 7. Bill Adams 8. Jerry Schaffer 9. Jeff Schaffer 10. Rick Hall 11. Rich Ferguson 12. Kevin Green 13. Todd Daniels 14. Jim Rombold, Jr. 15. Fred Sasse 16. Curt Matthews 17. Rick Ryder 18. Matt Reeher 19. Dave Cogswell 20. Pud Welsh 21. Jerry O’Rock, Jr. 22. Morgan Sasse 23. Steve Toth 24. Zack Moran DNQ-Kristin Jordan, Branden Porter, Matt Gibson, Rob Russell, Jim Thompson, Rich Whitney.

Upcoming Events:

6/21 Sprints, Big-Block Mods, Sportsman Mods, & Stocks. “Calypso”- A Caribbean-themed event with Jimmy Buffett music, concert tickets, pool party and jacuzzi suite giveaways, limbo, and other parrot head gimmicks.

6/28 Sprints, Big-Block Mods, Sportsman Mods, & Stocks. “American Patriot Night”. Zambelli Internationale Fireworks Spectacular presented by Walt’s of Mercer Plaza & Pizza Joes. Free general admission for all veterans with ID and scouts in uniform. Washington D.C. trip giveaway compliments of Anderson Coach & Travel.

7/05 “The Wheelman” URC 360 Summer Nationals presented by Armstrong Zoom Cable Internet Service. URC 360 Sprints ($2,500), Big-Block Mods ($1,500), & Stocks ($600) plus G&G Auto Outlet “Gladiator Series” Demo Derby.