SHEARER WINS FIRST EVER AT MERCER IN SPRINTS; DORAN WINS MODIFIEDS AFTER KRISTYAK IS LIGHT; TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR PADEN IN SPORTSMAN; NORMAN WINS #2 IN STOCKS
By Mike Leone
June 21, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mercer, PA…Mercer Raceway Park completed the ninth event of the 2003 season on Saturday night. Scoring victories on an exciting and emotional night of racing were Mike Shearer-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Tim Doran-Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds, Andy Paden-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Gary Norman-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars.
It was “Calypso” Night. Rich Hall’s Happymon Productions performed with Caribbean music before the races. One lucky fan won two tickets to the Jimmy Buffett concert at the Post-Gazette Pavilion in Pittsburgh. Two others won a jacuzzi suite and a pool party for 20 at the Comfort Inn North on Belmont Avenue.
In a story for the ages that Hollywood couldn’t have scripted any better, Mike Shearer backed up his first career win at Lernerville Speedway less than 24 hours later by winning the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature. In a career full of adversity that included taking last year off to turn the wrenches for Jimmy Hawley on his father’s Sprint Car, Shearer appears to have turned the corner and has quickly become one of western Pa’s contenders after two dominating performances.
“This sport is an emotional roller coaster,” described the Freeport, Pa. driver, who ended upside down last week and whose best career finish prior was an eighth in 15 starts at Mercer that spanned 1999-2001 and this season. “It seems like it’s been forever. You see that happen with other guys- they win their first one and things seem to come together for you. We sure are glad to get a couple. I have to thank everyone that helps and especially my dad. No one has sacrificed more than him. I’m just thankful for all the help we get.”
Shearer quickly assumed command of the event, while Arnie Kent raced by Vaughn Nystrom and Jeff Banyas into second place on the opening lap. Gary Kriess, Jr. was also able to get by Nystrom and Banyas for third on the second lap. Kriess began to challenge Kent and had just made the move for runner-up when the red flag was displayed with four laps completed for a fire on Joe Sanger’s car. The pass was negated giving second back to Kent.
When action resumed, Shearer opened up some distance on Kent. Kriess began to challenge Kent once again and was right on him between laps seven through ten. Kriess got sideways in turns three and four on lap 11 and collected Troy Preston, Tim Zimbardi, Paul Kish, and Nystrom. Rob Eyler was now up to third for the restart. When racing resumed, Eyler tried to go to the outside of Kent in turn two, but the two made contact sending Eyler into the wall and over on his side. Ralph Spithaler, Jr. was third when racing resumed and challenged Kent on lap 14.
The final caution slowed action for a Jeff Banyas spin with 16 laps completed. Shearer was unchallenged over the last four laps to collect his first career Mercer win and became the seventh different winner in nine races this season. The victory came aboard the Maximum Tool & Die/Chevron East/Young’s 24-Hour Towing/Vas Custom Exhaust/Townsend Gas & Oil/Alternative Power Sources/Wildwood Collision-sponsored, Billy Shearer-owned #25.
Proud and emotional Billy Shearer said following the race, “I knew that guy could drive a race car. It was just a matter of getting a good car underneath him and giving him the chance.”
Kent held on for second. Spithaler was third for his best finish since a win for Troy Preston on July 8, 2000. Pup Nystrom came from 13th to place a career best fourth. New York’s Chris Shuttleworth was fifth after starting 15th. Central Ohio’s Chad Levingston made his first ever appearance and was sixth. Butch Beasley was seventh. The father and son duo of New York’s Tim and Jared Zimbardi were eighth and ninth. Banyas was 10th. Heat winners over the 20-car field were Joe Sanger and Charlie Holben.
Pup Nystrom of Kane, Pa. was the highest finishing 360 Sprint Car for the second time this year and earned the $150 bonus. Other 360s receiving bonus monies were Chris Shuttleworth, Tim Zimbardi, and Jared Zimbardi.
Tim Doran came out on top of a wild 20-lap Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modified feature after apparent winner Tommy Kristyak was found light at the scales. “We must be living right because it was Kristyak’s race tonight,” explained the New Castle, Pa. resident after his second victory in three weeks including being handed his first win on June 7 when Dean Pearson broke on the 19th lap. “I just ran as hard as I could; I guess he came up light. I hate to win that way. I know he would have beaten me anyway, but rules and rules.”
From the pole position, Bob Dorman raced into the early lead with Dean Pearson trailing. Steve Young passed Rodney Beltz for third on lap six then took over second from Pearson off turn four on lap eight. Andy Priest had worked his way up to third, but dropped from the event with engines woes under caution with 12 laps completed. This moved Kristyak to third for the restart.
Kristyak battled with Young for the next three laps before taking runner-up on lap 15 off turn four. Kristyak ran down Dorman and got under him on lap 18. The following lap, Kristyak passed the race-long leader in turn one. Then in turn four, Young got into Dorman sending him spinning. Young was put to the tail for rough driving, which moved Doran up to second for the restart.
Doran was unable to make the pass as Kristyak took the checkered flag first, but came up six pounds light at the scales. Doran was handed his 24th career win in his Richard Smith Construction-sponsored #12. “I was getting beat and banged because I wasn’t going to good early on,” stated the winner. “A lot of tempers were out there. I couldn’t get going, then after the halfway the car started to get going and I got lucky with some break. We’ll take it anyway we can get it.”
When all was said and done, Pearson was back to second at the finish for his best finish since a win on May 19, 2001. Rick Hall was a season best third over point leader Lonny Riggs and Frank Guidace. Dave Murdick was sixth. Lee Miller was a career best seventh ahead of rookie Jeremy Paup. Young and Joe Crawford were ninth and tenth. Heat victors over the 24-car field were Crawford, Riggs, and Beltz.
It took four years for Andy Paden to win his first race, but just seven days to win his second. The University of Northwestern Ohio college student passed Chad Reitz on the final lap to win the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature.
“Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this,” described the happy Greenville, Pa. winner. “This is pretty sweet. Chad Reitz was tough to beat. He’s been that way all year long. He’s going to be a points champion here one day. He’s a good guy. I cut him off a little in turn two, but you got to do what you got to do. He raced me clean. It’s pretty exciting.”
Steve Toth led the first three laps before Jim Rombold, Jr. took charge with a pass in turn two on lap four. Toth then slowed with a flat tire bringing out the caution. Following the resumption of racing, Reitz, who started 19th, drove around Curt Matthews and Kevin Thompson for second on lap six. One lap later, Reitz drove past Rombold for the lead off turn two.
Paden, who started 11th, made his way through the pack to take third from Thompson on lap seven and then went around Rombold off turn two on lap 12 for second. A caution with 15 laps completed bunched up the pack and set up a five-lap shootout. Paden was all over the three-time winner on laps 17 through 19. Coming down for the white flag, Paden pulled nearly even, but Reitz led the lap by inches. Paden keep his momentum and got under and past Reitz through turns one and two on the final lap. Paden held off a sweeping outside attempt off turn four by Reitz to collect the win by a car-length. Paden’s victory came in the Hine Racing Equipment-powered, Kidd’s Jewelry-sponsored, Bill Paden-owned #24.
Matthews was a season-best third. Les Myers came from 14th to place fourth. Rombold dropped to fifth for his best career finish. Scoring heat race wins were Bill Adams, Rombold, and Jerry Schaffer over the 29-car field. Reitz won the B main.
Gary Norman scored his second win of the season in the 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature. Norman started the event in fourth and had second on the opening lap after he passed Terry Kroner and Clyde Roberts. Following a restart for Lynn Hostetler, Norman took charge of the event from Rick Norco on lap two. Once in front, Norman was never seriously challenged for his ninth career win in his Ken Neely Lumber/Triple-S Auto Sales-sponsored #9N.
Shaun Hooks had made his way from eighth up to second, but pulled off on lap eight. Rusty Moore passed Norco on lap nine to finish second and regained the point lead. Kroner then got by Norco on lap 10 to finish third. Norco fell to a season-best fourth over Brian Booher. The heat races were won by Bobby Whitling, John Reiser, and Norman over the 25-car field.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. MIKE SHEARER 2. Arnie Kent 3. Ralph Spithaler, Jr. 4. Pup Nystrom 5. Chris Shuttleworth 6. Chad Levingston 7. Butch Beasley 8. Tim Zimbardi 9. Jared Zimbardi 10. Jeff Banyas 11. Vaughn Nystrom 12. Paul Kish 13. Troy Preston 14. Rob Eyler 15. Gary Kriess, Jr. 16. Charlie Holben 17. Joe Sanger 18. Chris Matthews-DNS 19. Jeff Kasbee-DNS 20. Jamie Smith-DNS.
Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds: 1. TIM DORAN 2. Dean Pearson 3. Rick Hall 4. Lonny Riggs 5. Frank Guidace 6. Dave Murdick 7. Lee Miller 8. Jeremy Paup 9. Steve Young 10. Joe Crawford 11. Tom Shaffer 12. Ed Alcorn 13. Jeremiah Shingledecker 14. Rodney Beltz 15. Steve Barr 16. Andy Priest 17. Travis Shingledecker 18. Greg Unrue, Jr. 19. Brian Swartzlander 20. Carl Murdick 21. Tom Holden 22. Rick Kress 23. Bob Dorman 24. Tommy Kristyak-DSQ (light)
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. ANDY PADEN 2. Chad Reitz 3. Curt Matthews 4. Les Myers 5. Jim Rombold, Jr. 6. Rick Hall 7. Bill Adams 8. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 9. Kevin Thompson 10. Jerry Schaffer 11. Tommy Marshall, III 12. Rich Ferguson 13. Pud Welsh 14. Dave Cogswell 15. Don McKnight 16. Kevin Green 17. Morgan Sasse 18. Todd Daniels 19. Matt Reeher 20. Zack Moran 21. Jerry O’Rock, Jr. 22. Fred Sasse 23. Steve Toth 24. Gary Smoker DNQ-Mike Gibson, Rob Russell, Joe Gibson, Kristen Jordan, Matt Gibson.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. GARY NORMAN 2. Rusty Moore 3. Terry Kroner 4. Rick Norco 5. Brian Booher 6. Doug Iorio 7. John Reiser 8. Andy Thompson 9. Bobby Whitling 10. Andy Buckley 11. Terry Wheeler 12. Lynn Hostetler 13. Gary Miller, Jr. 14. Ron Iorio 15. Gary Sullivan 16. Tim Zuschlag 17. William Smiley 18. Shaun Hooks 19. Erick Cwynar 20. Bill Schall, Jr. 21. Duane Grinnell 22. Clyde Roberts 23. Mike Mathieson 24. Bill Lanigan 25. Anthony Lombardo-DNS.
Upcoming Events:
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.
7/12 Sprints, Big-Block Mods, Sportsman Mods, & Stocks. “SpongeBob SquarePants” Photo Splash presented by Ray’s Racing Collectibles & Armstrong Zoom Cable Internet Service. Kids bike races. Grove City Auto Mall “Meet Your Heroes”/Stocks.
Mercer Raceway Park is located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly April through October. The office in New Bedford, Pa. is open year-round after 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call the office at 724-964-9300 or the track on race day at 724-662-1310. Check out our website at www.mercerracewaypark.com for the latest.