Smoker takes two & Dellinger one in Modified triple 25s; Woodring wins 360 Sprints at Mercer
Sat, May 18, 2002 -- Bill Emig Memorial Night
Written by: Mike Leone
Neither rain, hail, or temperatures that dipped low into the 30s Saturday night stopped Mercer Raceway Park from completing the annual Bill Emig Memorial Night- the richest non-sanctioned event in the history of the region. The event was sponsored once again by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply and drew 142 race cars. Celebrating in the Moore’s Auto Body victory lane were Ron Smoker twice and Alan Dellinger-Big-Block Modified “Legacy Series”, Mike Woodring-360 Sprint Cars, Steve Young-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Ron Iorio-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars. Andy Bordt of Sewickley, Pa. won the G&G Auto Outlet “Gladiator Series” Demolition Derby.
Last year’s “Legacy Series” for the Big-Block Modifieds saw western Pa. star Brian Swartzlander pass 36 cars in route to two wins and a second place in dominating fashion for his first ever wins at the 3/8-mile oval. This year, it was Ron Smoker of Hamburg, New York claiming his first two career Mercer wins and a third place after passing 35 cars in the features to be crowned the “Legacy Series” Champion. Smoker will be receiving an engraved Mercer Raceway Park “Legacy Series” Champion watch.
“Ironman” Alan Dellinger (a.k.a. Jim Dandy, Jr.) added another peg to his growing list of accomplishments. In just his second night behind the wheel of a Big-Block Modified, the Niles, Ohio driver captured the first 25-lap $1,500 to-win feature. “I’m ecstatic to beat Brian Swartzlander,” proclaimed the Niles, Ohio resident. “He’s the baddest thing to ever drive these things. Until tonight, I only had 12 laps under my belt in one of these cars and I figured we could get a lot of laps in tonight if I made the show.”
From the pole position, Swartzlander raced into the lead. Dellinger and Les Myers battled in the opening laps for second with Dellinger finally taking command of the position. With lapped traffic looming ahead on lap 10, Dellinger ran down Swartzlander. The two battled hard while racing through lapped traffic over the next 11 laps. On lap 20, the two were side-by-side for the lead. Dellinger made the winning move one lap later off the inside of turn two.
Once in front, Dellinger cruised to the win in the John Rebhan-owned, WAR FAB-sponsored #99. His last Mercer appearance saw him win one of his three career Mercer E-Mod wins and Dellinger is the all-time Mercer Stock Car winner with 30 victories. “I always wanted to be known as a guy that could drive anything with a steering wheel,” stated Dellinger, who also has Late Model wins to his credit at other speedways.
Swartzlander rode home second. Smoker, who started eighth, passed Myers for third on lap 12, in a race that had only one caution. Tommy Kristyak came from 14th to finish fourth after getting by Myers on the last lap. Completing the top 10 were Lonny Riggs, Rob Kristyak, Jeff Schaffer, Dave Murdick, and Bob Dorman.
With a total invert of the first feature, Smoker came from 21st to claim the second 25-lap $1,500 to-win feature. The first 11 laps saw Frank Guidace and Rodney Beltz in charge of the race. Smoker made his presence know getting by Josh Skarzenski on the 11th lap for third. On the restart with 11 laps completed, Guidace and Beltz got together just enough to allow Smoker to go underneath both cars for the lead on lap 12.
Smoker pulled away from the pack by lap 18 and survived the 10 cautions that slowed the event for his first Mercer win. “I’m honored to win for Vicki’s father,” said the driver of the Bob Burke and Jerry Fay-owned, Industrial Tire-sponsored #62R. “I appreciate everything that was done to get the show in. Everyone did a great job and it was an excellent track.”
Skarzenski held on for a career best Mercer finish in second. Murdick, Riggs, and Guidace were third through fifth. Rounding out the second five were Swartzlander, Dellinger, Kevin Hoffman, Jeremiah Shingledecker, and Beltz.
Smoker backed the win up by taking feature number three for another $1,500 payday. Smoker wasted little time charging from the 11th starting spot into contention. He ascended to third on lap three taking the spot away from Dellinger. Smoker ran down Skarzenski and drove around him off turn four for second on lap six. Less than a half-lap later in turn two, Smoker blasted by race-long leader Jeff Schaffer on the outside for the lead.
The last 23 laps went non-stop and Smoker showed his muscle as he pulled away to win by a half of a lap at the finish. Schaffer held off Dellinger for second. Skarzenski and Murdick recorded their second top fives of the night by finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Sixth through tenth were Myers, Beltz, Guidace, Rick Hall, and Shingledecker. Winning the heat events over the 43-car field were Rob Kristyak, Dorman, Smoker, and Swartzlander. Hoffman and Hall won the two B mains.
Mike Woodring topped the 25-lap 360 Sprint Car feature for his first career Mercer win. “It’s our first night here with a 360,” said the Eden, New York driver who had been running his 410 in the 410 shows. “I’m so happy to finally win here at Mercer. We’ve been second, third, fourth, and probably every other position here. It helped starting up front, but there sure were a lot of fast cars here tonight.”
Woodring, Scott Bonnell, and Tim Hunter passed Randy Years on the opening lap and pulled away from the field by lap four establishing themselves as the cars to beat. Action really heated up on lap seven as the three caught lapped traffic. Bonnell went to the outside of Woodring in turn four trying to squeeze by the lead, but instead slammed the wall and was done for the night.
When racing resumed, Woodring opened up some ground between himself and now second-running Hunter. Woodring entered lapped traffic again on lap 12 and Hunter was right on the seven-time Empire Super Sprint Champion. Two cautions, one on lap 16 and the other on 21, was just what Woodring needed as he prevailed on the clear track in his Western New York Door Distributors/Putnam County Speedway-sponsored #19 for the $1,500 win.
Ohio’s Hunter ran a strong second. Massachusetts’ Erin Crocker turned in another fine performance to finish third. The 21-year-old female racer came from the ninth starting spot to pass Pennsylvania’s Todd Bauer in turn four on the final lap. Ryan Coniam of Burlington, Ontario, Canada was fifth as five different states were represented in the top five. Pete Grove, Aaron Shaffer, Chris Matthews, Nathan Hines, and Jeff Banyas were sixth through tenth. Heat winners over the 27-car field in the first of three 360 shows of the year were Woodring, Bonnell, and Arnie Kent. The B main was won by Bill Bailey.
Steve Young of Grove City, Pa. made it two in a row by winning the 25-lap $600 to-win New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. Gary Smoker and Andy Paden swapped the lead for the first 13 laps, before Young entered the picture on lap 14 taking second away from Paden. Young made the winning move from Smoker racing off turn four on lap 18. Young went on for his 16th career Mercer sportsman win aboard the J.R. Greer-owned, Montgomery Truss & Panel-sponsored #11t. Jerry Schaffer passed Paden and Smoker in the closing laps for a career best sportsman finish of second. Paden was third over Chad Reitz and Rick Hall. Scoring heat race wins were Smoker and Young over the 23-car field.
Ron Iorio of Kennerdell, Pa. was credited with the 20-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature win after apparent winner Gary Miller, Jr. was disqualified in a post-race inspection. Jim Miller led the opening lap before Andy Buckley took over on lap two. Buckley held down the lead until lap 10 when sixth starting Gary Miller made the pass. In a race that was slowed only three times for cautions, Gary Miller went on for the win before later being disqualified.
Buckley was running second until lap 17 when he got high off turn two, which allowed Iorio to make what turned out to be the winning move. Iorio’s third career Mercer win was worth $600 in his Gabany’s Inc.-sponsored #55. Greg Beach was second for the second time in three races. Doug Iorio and Bobby Whitling also passed Buckley in the final laps for third and fourth. Buckley dropped to fifth. Picking up heat wins over the season high 49-car field were Buckley, Doug Iorio, Beach, and Ron Iorio. The two B mains went to Rusty Moore and Dave Ferringer.
Big-Block Modified Feature #1 (25 laps): 1. ALAN DELLINGER ($1,500) 2. Brian Swartzlander 3. Ron Smoker 4. Tommy Kristyak 5. Les Myers 6. Lonny Riggs 7. Rob Kristyak 8. Jeff Schaffer 9. Dave Murdick 10. Bob Dorman 11. Rick Hall 12. Guy Griffin 13. Jim Weller, Jr. 14. Dean Pearson 15. Kevin Hoffman 16. Josh Skarzenski 17. Kevin Bolland 18. Jeremiah Shingledecker 19. Lou Gentile 20. Gerry Bruce 21. Jimmy Weller III 22. Rodney Beltz 23. Frank Guidace 24. Tim Doran.
Big-Block Modified Feature #2 (25 laps): 1. RON SMOKER ($1,500) 2. Josh Skarzenski 3. Dave Murdick 4. Lonny Riggs 5. Frank Guidace 6. Brian Swartzlander 7. Alan Dellinger 8. Kevin Hoffman 9. Jeremiah Shingledecker 10. Rodney Beltz 11. Skip Moore 12. Rob Kristyak 13. Les Myers 14. Rick Hall 15. Tommy Kristyak 16. Gerry Bruce 17. Jim Weller, Jr. 18. Lou Gentile 19. Dean Pearson 20. Jeff Schaffer 21. Jimmy Weller III 22. Kevin Bolland 23. Bob Dorman 24. Guy Griffin 25. Tim Doran-DNS.
Big-Block Modified Feature #3 (25 laps): 1. RON SMOKER ($1,500) 2. Jeff Schaffer 3. Alan Dellinger 4. Josh Skarzenski 5. Dave Murdick 6. Les Myers 7. Rodney Beltz 8. Frank Guidace 9. Rick Hall 10. Jeremiah Shingledecker 11. Don McKnight 12. J.R. McGinley 13. Rob Kristyak 14. Carl Murdick 15. Skip Moore 16. Lou Gentile 17. Brian Swartzlander 18. Dean Pearson 19. Lonny Riggs 20. Bob Dorman 21. Kevin Hoffman 22. Guy Griffin 23. Gerry Bruce 24. Tommy Kristyak-DNS 25. Jim Weller, Jr.-DNS 26. Kevin Bolland-DNS 27. Jimmy Weller III-DNS 28. Tim Doran-DNS.
Did not qualify for any features: Adam Siegel, Phil Evans, Jr., Chanda Reitz, Jeff Miller, Doug Fleeger, Randy Chronister, Dana Gearhart, Lee Miller, Jeff Baker, Gary Risch, Jr., Rick Kress, Nick Ritchey, Scott Ripper, Justin Broerman, Chetter Johnson.
360 Sprint Cars (25 laps): 1. MIKE WOODRING ($1,500) 2. Tim Hunter 3. Erin Crocker 4. Todd Bauer 5. Ryan Coniam 6. Pete Grove 7. Aaron Shaffer 8. Chris Matthews 9. Nathan Hines 10. Jeff Banyas 11. Jason Dolick 12. Troy Kingan 13. Brad Knab 14. Brian Hartzell 15. Todd McQuillen 16. Mike Linder 17. Bill Bailey 18. Randy Years 19. Staple Nash 20. Doug Stanley 21. Jerry McClure 22. Aaron Middaugh 23. Scott Bonnell 24. Arnie Kent DNQ-Tony Stebel, Jr., Maria Mayerchak, Paul Kish.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds (25 laps): 1. STEVE YOUNG ($600) 2. Jerry Schaffer 3. Andy Paden 4. Chad Reitz 5. Rick Hall 6. Bill Adams 7. Randy Rodemoyer 8. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 9. Les Myers 10. John Buchanan 11. Jim Schaffer 12. Kevin Latshaw 13. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 14. Steve Toth 15. Barry Bulfone 16. Dave Cogswell 17. Zack Moran 18. Brian Booher 19. John Jones 20. Mike Mathieson 21. Matt Reeher 22. Al Priester 23. Gary Smoker-DSQ.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars (20 laps): 1. RON IORIO ($600) 2. Greg Beach 3. Doug Iorio 4. Bobby Whitling 5. Andy Buckley 6. Shaun Hooks 7. Steve D’Apolito 8. Jim Miller 9. Bobby Powell 10. Bill Hanna 11. Dave Ferringer 12. Duane Grinnell 13. Ed Cornell 14. Kevin Thompson 15. Rick Anthony 16. Rusty Moore 17. Gary Norman 18. Phil Kaufman 19. Rick Lanigan 20. Willie Aley 21. Andy Thompson 22. Brian Miller 23. Bob Sloss 24. Gary Miller, Jr.-DSQ 25. Mike Aley-DNS DNQ-Jeff Walters, Bob McCann, Terry Kroner, Mark Sanders, Tim Deutsch, Tim Zuschlag, Dan Fedorchak, Burton Fingado, Jason Johns, Robert Caszatt, Jr., Rod Laskey, Scott Peterson, Ed Hays, Dean Sherbondy, William George, Sr., Rich Chess, Sr., Joe Updegraff, John Iorio, Russ Coyne, Chuck Kerr, Scott Hooks, Joe Lockhart, Lester Bates, Rick Norco.