Opening night honors to Lynch in Sprints; Dorman wins career first in Mercer Modifieds
Sat, Apr 20, 2002 -- "First Night" Season Opener
Written by: Mike Leone
Bob Dorman drove the race of his life to capture the 20-lap Big-Block Modified feature for a career first win. “The car was unreal, I could do no wrong,” said the Stockton, New York driver. “A lot of people always think it’s my dad Bill driving, but I’ve been doing better and better each week. I’d like to thank my mom and dad for giving me this opportunity.”
Dean Pearson jumped past Carl Murdick on the start of the race for the lead. Frank Guidace, who started fourth, worked his way by Murdick for second on lap six. After starting eighth, Dorman entered the picture on lap nine when he dropped back Murdick another spot to fourth. A three-car race ensued for the lead with Dorman going around both Guidace and Pearson for the lead on lap 12. The trio would battle for the next five laps until the caution waved with 17 laps completed as Guidace was now second.
Tim Doran made his typical late-race charge coming from seventh to pass Pearson for third on the restart then drove around Guidace on lap 19 from second. Doran was all over Dorman on the final lap. Rounding turn three, it appeared Doran would have enough to blast by Dorman, who was running the bottom, and steal the win, but Dorman moved up just in time to close the door off turn four to take the exciting win in his #19.
Guidace had a strong run in third over Pearson and Jeff Schaffer, who started eleventh. Completing the top 10 were Lou Gentile, Rob Kristyak, J.R. McGinley, Chanda Reitz, and Brian Fink. Schaffer and Pearson won the heats over the 23-car field.
Les Myers of Reno, Pa. won the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. Ron Eperthener, Jr. took command of the event at the wave of the green flag, while Myers got by Bill Thompson on the opening lap for second. Myers chased Eperthener until making the winning move on lap five and went on for his fourth career Mercer Sportsman Modified win in the Bob Fink-owned, McCarty Vinyl Graphics-sponsored #97.
After dropping back to fourth at one point, Eperthener got back up to second on lap 15 by passing Andy Paden. Eperthener appeared headed for his best finish since a second on May 9, 1998, but ran into the slowing Larry Turner in turn three on the final lap. This gave Paden, who started eleventh, second place at the finish. Bill Adams raced from twelfth to finish third ahead of Chad Reitz, who came all the way from the 18th starting spot in his Sportsman Modified debut. Jerry Schaffer was fifth. Heat victors over the 24-car field were Steve Young and Schaffer.
Gary Norman of New Castle, Pa. came out on top of an exciting, down to the wire 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature that featured five different leaders. Willie Aley led the first two laps before Andy Buckley took over on lap three. Greg Beach and Bobby Whitling charged to the front of the pack. Beach took the lead on lap six from Buckley, while Whitling advanced to second on lap seven. The two swapped the lead back and forth over the next few laps.
On lap 13, Norman, who started ninth, went to the inside of Whitling for second then disposed of Beach racing off turn two for the lead. Norman raced on for his fourth career Mercer win in his Triple-S Auto Sales/Ken Neely Lumber-sponsored #9N. It was Norman’s first Mercer win since almost three years to the day when he won on April 24, 1999. Beach held off Whitling for a career best Mercer finish in second. Ron Iorio was fourth over Brian Miller. Heat winners were Norman, Iorio, Whitling, and Beach over the 41-car field. Mark Felicetty and Duane Grinnell won the two B mains.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. ED LYNCH, JR. 2. Gary Edwards 3. Andy Priest 4. Troy Preston 5. Tom Quarterson 6. Jason Jacoby 7. Rob Eyler 8. Kevin Andrusky 9. Gary Kriess, Jr. 10. Gary McCollum 11. Dave Wagner 12. Nathan Hines 13. Gregg McCandless 14. Erin Crocker 15. Brian Hartzell 16. Butch Beasley 17. Eric Williams 18. Goob Schuller 19. Ryan Coniam 20. Scott Bonnell 21. Mike Woodring 22. Brian Ellenberger 23. Paul Kish 24. Arnie Kent-DNS 25. Chris Matthews-DNS.
Big-Block Modifieds: 1. BOB DORMAN 2. Tim Doran 3. Frank Guidace 4. Dean Pearson 5. Jeff Schaffer 6. Lou Gentile 7. Rob Kristyak 8. J.R. McGinley 9. Chanda Reitz 10. Brian Fink 11. Nick Ritchey 12. Rick Hall 13. Greg Unrue 14. John Boyer, Jr. 15. Rick Kress 16. Guy Griffin 17. Adam Siegel 18. Carl Murdick 19. Don McKnight 20. Lee Miller 21. Rodney Beltz 22. Jeff Baker 23. Lonny Riggs-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. LES MYERS 2. Andy Paden 3. Bill Adams 4. Willie Aley 5. Jerry Schaffer 6. Gary Smoker 7. Zack Moran 8. John Jones 9. Jim Schaffer 10. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 11. Mike Mathieson 12. Larry Turner 13. Steve Young 14. Randy Rodemoyer 15. Ray Ewing, Jr. 16. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 17. Curt Matthews 18. John Confer 19. Rick Hall 20. Al Priester 21. Kevin Latshaw 22. Steve Toth-DSQ 23. Bill
Thompson-DSQ 24. Barry Bulfone-DNS.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. GARY NORMAN 2. Greg Beach 3. Bobby Whitling 4. Ron Iorio 5. Brian Miller 6. Rick Anthony 7. Shaun Hooks 8. Willie Aley 9. Dave Ferringer 10. Bob Sloss 11. Mark Felicetty 12. Scott Peterson 13. Andy Buckley 14. Bill Wheeling 15. Bill Hanna 16. Mike Aley 17. Phil Kaufman 18. Duane Grinnell 19. Chuck Kerr 20. Terry Kroner 21. Rick Lanigan 22. Kevin Thompson 23. Mike Harmon 24. Ed Cornell DNQ-Russell Coyne, Dean Sherbondy, Joe Updegraff, Bob Caszatt, Jr., Bob Hays, William George, Sr., Burton Fingado, Scott Hooks, Dan Fedorchak, Ed Hays, Tim Zuschlag, Rusty Moore, Rich Chess, Sr., Don Greenlee, Jim Miller, Gary Miller, Jr., Rick Norco.