KENT & YOUNG REPEAT IN SPRINTS & MODIFIEDS; SCHAFFER WINS #3 IN SPORTSMAN; IORIO WINS FIRST IN STOCKS AT MERCER

Sat, Jun 28, 2003 -- Saturday Night Live

Written by: Mike Leone

Mercer Raceway Park completed the tenth event of the 2003 season on Saturday night. Familiar faces graced victory lane including Arnie Kent-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Steve Young-Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds, Jerry Schaffer-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Doug Iorio-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars.

It was American Patriot Night. Zambelli Internationale put on a spectacular fireworks display. All veterans and scouts were admitted free. Anderson Coach & Travel gave away a three-day trip for two to Washington D.C.

Covered in oil, Arnie Kent celebrated his birthday one day early by holding on to win the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature for the second time this season. “I was battling a leaky valve cover,” explained the New Castle, Pa. winner. “It was okay at the beginning of the race. At the end of the race, I couldn’t see. I had oil all over my gloves and helmet. I was missing the corners, but I just had to hang on.”

Jeff Banyas jumped out into the early lead from the pole position with Kent and fifth starter, Jamie Smith, trailing. Gary Kriess, Jr. got into the frontstretch wall and took a nasty end over end flip. Brian Ellenberger and Butch Beasley hit Kriess, while he was in the air. Newcomer Eric Smith was also involved. All of the drivers were okay, but were done for the night.

When racing resumed on lap two, Smith got under Kent off turn four on lap two to take over second. By lap four, it was a three-car race with Banyas holding off Smith and Kent. Smith tried to get under Banyas in turn four on lap five, but got sideways giving second back to Kent.

Cautions for spins by Chad Levingston and Chris Shuttleworth slowed action with six laps completed. Following the restart, Kent made the winning move driving by Banyas on the outside of turn four on lap seven. May 17 winner, Chad Blonde of Michigan, made his way through the field from his 11th starting spot taking fourth away from Charlie Holben on lap seven. Smith got past Banyas for runner-up on lap nine and Blonde followed two laps later dropping Banyas to fourth.

Kent caught lapped traffic on lap 17, but was able to maintain his straightaway lead to take the checkered flag for his seventh career win in his #18. “The car ran good,” described the happy winner. “Don Blackshear builds a great motor. I have to thank Agip Oil, my dad, and American Racer Tires. We tried a new 35 tonight and the tire still looks brand new.”

Smith held off Blonde for runner-up. Banyas was a career best fourth over Holben. Rounding out the top 10 were point leader Troy Preston, last week’s winner Mike Shearer, Chris Matthews, Pup Nystrom, and Shuttleworth. Heat victors were Ellenberger and Smith over the 17-car field.

Banyas of North Olmsted, Ohio was the highest finishing 360 for the first time ever and earned the $150 bonus. Also receiving bonus monies were Matthews, Nystrom, and Shuttleworth.

Opening night winner, Steve Young, returned to victory lane in the 20-lap Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modified feature after a spirited duel with Andy Priest. “We race great together,” stated the Grove City, Pa. winner when asked about the battle for the win with Priest. “We were thumbs up to each other after the race. It was great. I heard and seen him there- I just kept tight. I know he wanted to get around me real bad. I figured he’d go to the outside. I just kept it down on the bottom.”

Young passed Carl Murdick and rookie Jeremy Paup on the first lap for second, while rookie Travis Shingledecker held the point. Following a caution, Young took over the top spot from Shingledecker, while fifth starter, Rodney Beltz, followed in second.

By lap five, Young and Beltz pulled away from the field. Priest, who started eighth, worked his way past Tommy Kristyak on lap six then disposed of Murdick for third one lap later. On lap nine, Young got away from Beltz and Priest, who were racing for second. It was lap 11 when Priest edged ahead of Beltz at the start-finish line for second.

A caution for Tom Shaffer slowed the field with 12 laps completed and set up an exciting eight-lap shootout to the checkered. The last eight laps went non-stop with Priest all over Young. Laps 16 and 18 saw Priest get all the way under Young, but Young had just enough momentum to maintain the edge. Young crossed the line first for his fifth career big-block win in the J.R. Greer-owned, Montgomery Truss & Panel/Calcium Chloride Sales/Say’s Auto Electric-sponsored #11t. Young now has 25 career Mercer wins including 20 sportsman victories.

Beltz brought his #64 home for a season-best third and his first top five of the year. Tim Doran and Kristyak were fourth and fifth. Sixth through tenth were Frank Guidace, Rick Hall, Jeremiah Shingledecker, Dave Murdick, and Carl Murdick. Winning the heats were Hall and Young over the 19-car field.

Jerry Schaffer matched Chad Reitz as the speedway’s only three-time winners by claiming the win in the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. “I dedicate this win to my son in Iraq and all the troops over there,” acknowledged the Ellwood City, Pa. victor. “I have to be up front with a lot of people. The last few weeks I’ve been a little rough. Our driving style was a little bit aggressive and we tamed it down and used patience. That’s what got it for us tonight.”

Steve Toth led the first two laps until fourth starter, Rick Hall, took over on lap three. Toth exited with a flat tire moving sixth starter, Ron Eperthener, Jr., to second and Schaffer up to third from seventh. Eperthener took charge of the event on lap four when he got around Hall off turn two. Hall remained close and was all over Eperthener, while Schaffer and Andy Paden were right in the mix between laps five through eight.

Four caution periods slowed action between laps 8-15 as there were no changes in the running order up front. Following the restart on lap 16, Schaffer moved into second and set his sights on Eperthener. Lap 17 saw Schaffer go to the inside of Eperthener in turns three and four and came out in the lead. Schaffer went on for his fourth career sportsman win in his Approved Toilet Rentals-sponsored #4.

Eperthener matched a season best finish in second. Hall was third. Paden’s two-race win streak was snapped as he finished fourth over Bill Adams. Taking heat race wins were Schaffer, Chad Reitz, and Adams over the 29-car field. Fred Sasse won the B main.

Doug Iorio became the eighth different winner in nine races by picking up his first win in the exciting 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature. “It was a good run,” stated the New Castle, Pa. winner. “I decided to go with different tires than everyone else. Most everyone went with mediums and I went ahead and took a gamble with the hards. It worked out good. The car hooked up good tonight.”

Duane Grinnell jumped out into the early lead from the pole position. Shaun Hooks moved ahead of Terry Kroner for second on lap two. Grinnell held on to the top spot until getting high in turn four on lap four allowing Hooks to move by for the lead. Sixth starter, Gary Norman, and Kroner also got by Grinnell for second and third.

Iorio, who started 10th, got around Kroner for third on lap nine and then Norman exited the event with mechanical woes putting Iorio in second. The only two cautions of the event were displayed with 10 laps completed. When green replaced yellow, Iorio battled with Hooks and would make the winning move on lap 12 when he went under his fellow New Castle resident in turns one and two.

Iorio went on for just his second career Mercer win, which was good enough to put up back on top of the championship point race, in his Pizza Joe’s/Dumplin Haus/Diamond Painting & Consulting-sponsored #48. Hooks held on for second. Bobby Whitling passed Kroner on lap 13 to place third. Andy Thompson slipped ahead of Kroner to finish fourth as Kroner dropped to fifth. Whitling, Brian Booher, and Hooks won the heats over the 28-car field. Rick Norco won the B main.

Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. ARNIE KENT 2. Jamie Smith 3. Chad Blonde 4. Jeff Banyas 5. Charlie Holben 6. Troy Preston 7. Mike Shearer 8. Chris Matthews 9. Pup Nystrom 10. Chris Shuttleworth 11. Chad Levingston 12. Vaughn Nystrom 13. Gary Kriess, Jr. 14. Brian Ellenberger 15. Eric Smith 16. Butch Beasley 17. Paul Kish-DNS.

Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Big-Block Modifieds: 1. STEVE YOUNG 2. Andy Priest 3. Rodney Beltz 4. Tim Doran 5. Tommy Kristyak 6. Frank Guidace 7. Rick Hall 8. Jeremiah Shingledecker 9. Dave Murdick 10. Carl Murdick 11. Dean Pearson 12. Travis Shingledecker 13. Randy Snider 14. Jeremy Paup 15. Lee Miller 16. Shawn Kozar 17. Tom Shaffer 18. Denny Mathieson 19. Rick Kress.

New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. JERRY SCHAFFER 2. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 3. Rick Hall 4. Andy Paden 5. Bill Adams 6. Rick Ryder 7. Gary Smoker 8. Matt Reeher 9. Dave Cogswell 10. Barry Bulfone 11. Fred Sasse 12. Mike Gibson 13. Morgan Sasse 14. Todd Daniels 15. Les Myers 16. Chad Reitz 17. Zack Moran 18. Steve Toth 19. Don McKnight 20. Kevin Thompson 21. Jim Rombold, Jr. 22. Kevin Green 23. Jerry O’Rock, Jr. 24. Rich Ferguson DNQ-Kristin Jordan, Joe Gibson, Jim Thompson, Rich Whitney, Branden Porter.

Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. DOUG IORIO 2. Shaun Hooks 3. Bobby Whitling 4. Andy Thompson 5. Terry Kroner 6. Brian Booher 7. Rick Norco 8. Andy Buckley 9. Terry Wheeler 10. Duane Grinnell 11. Ron Iorio 12. Rusty Moore 13. Bill Lanigan 14. Bill Schall, Jr. 15. Gary Sullivan 16. Russ Coyne 17. Ray Bailey, Jr. 18. Shaun McElhinny 19. Tim Zuschlag 20. Anthony Lombardo 21. Tim Deutsch 22. John Reiser 23. Gary Norman 24. William Smiley DNQ-Lester Bates, Don Greenlee, Mike Mathieson, Clyde Roberts.