Veterans continue to show the way at Mercer as Preston & Doran capture firsts in Sprints & Modifieds
Sat, May 25, 2002 -- Saturday Night Live!
Written by: Mike Leone
The severe thunderstorms that were predicted all day held off until just after the final checkereds waved Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park as the two-day American Thunder Weekend presented by Hunter’s Truck Sales & Service kicked off. Scoring wins and celebrating in the Moore’s Auto Body victory lane were the veterans of Troy Preston-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Tim Doran-Big-Block Modifieds, Steve Young-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, Gary Norman-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars, and Bill Wheeling-Zoresco P.C.T.C. Senior Series. A total of 124 cars filled the pit area.
Troy Preston won his first 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature since July 10, 1999 after an exciting duel in the closing laps with previous winner Jamie Smith. “It just doesn’t get any better than that,” exclaimed the West Middlesex, Pa. driver from victory lane. “I felt I was going pretty good and started backing up out of it. I had trouble in turn three hitting the line. You don’t give a guy like Jamie (Smith) more than one chance or he’ll have you. He did, so I had to get him back.”
Gregg McCandless led the first two laps from the pole position, but slowed coming off turn four on lap three and eventually pulled off. This handed the lead to Dave Wagner with Rob Eyler and Kevin Andrusky trailing. Preston, who started seventh, moved by Andrusky and Eyler for second on lap four. On lap six, Preston took charge of the event when he drove around Wagner in turn two. Andrusky advanced past Eyler for third on lap nine, but looped his mount in turn one on lap 11 bringing out the final caution.
Smith, who started 11th, lined up fourth for the restart. On lap 15, Smith passed Eyler for third, then darted ahead of Wagner at the start-finish line for second after getting a good run off turn four. Smith ran down Preston and was on him for the three-lap shootout. Smith made the move for the lead as Preston got slowed by the lapped car of Pup Nystrom at the start-finish line on lap 18.
Smith continued to lead as the white flag waved with Preston still in tow. Heading into turn one, the lapped car of Chris Matthews slowed Smith just enough to allow Preston to blast by on the outside of turn two. Preston, who continues to lead the points, went on to capture his ninth career Mercer win in his Chevron East/McClung Auto Body/Preston America, Carlin Hine-powered #1P. “I didn’t want behind that car (Nystrom) where I was at coming down through here,” stated Preston. “He caught me big time. I had to make up five or six car lengths in that deal. Jamie went below the 52-car (Matthews) and I went above him, and that was all she wrote.”
Eyler trailed Preston and Smith for third. Jimmy Hawley came from ninth to place fourth. Wagner held on for fifth for his first career top five in a Sprint Car. Sixth through tenth were Brian Ellenberger, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Tom Quarterson, Arnie Kent, and Todd Bauer. Heat winners over the 24-car field were Sodeman, Preston, and Smith.
Kent received the $150 bonus money for being the highest finishing 360 Sprint Car in ninth. Also receiving bonus monies were Bauer, Nathan Hines, and Matthews. Bauer continues to lead the “Pegasus” 360 Sprint Car Series points.
After dominating action the second-half of 2001, Tim Doran returned to victory lane for the first time in 2002 in the 20-lap Big-Block Modified feature. “We’ve run good a couple times and have had some bad luck,” said the New Castle, Pa. racer. “We had some engine problems last week- nothing major. I want to thank Bill Bailey because he helped me figure out my problems tonight.”
Rodney Beltz led the first two laps from the pole position before Bob Dorman, who started sixth, got into him on lap three causing a six-car melee. Dorman was sent to the tail for rough driving giving Carl Murdick the lead for the restart. When green replaced yellow, Frank Guidace drove past Nick Ritchey and Murdick for the lead. Chetter Johnson, who started 16th, entered the picture moving into third when Jeff Schaffer exited the race, then took over second from Murdick all on the sixth lap.
Doran, who was involved in the six-car melee on lap three, charged through the pack and became a factor on lap 13 when he took over third from Les Myers. Doran edged ahead of Johnson at the start-finish line for second on lap 14. Guidace continued to set the pace until lap 16 when he got too high off turn four allowing Doran to slip under for the lead. Once in front, Doran went on for his 18th career Mercer big-block win in his Richard Smith Construction-sponsored #12. “This car really seems to like Mercer,” explained Doran. “I grew up here so it’s really one of my favorite places to come to.”
Dorman came all the back through the pack as well to get by Guidace and Johnson on lap 19 to finish second. Johnson edged Guidace for a career best Mercer finish in third. Jerry Bickel was fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Beltz, Steve Barr, Rick Hall, Ritchey, and Randy Chronister. Picking up heat wins over the 24-car field were Beltz and Guidace.
Steve Young of Grove City, Pa. made it three in a row by capturing the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. Rick Hall took over the lead on lap two from Gary Smoker. Young, who started 10th, passed Jerry Schaffer for third on lap three, then disposed of Smoker for second on lap eight. Just past the halfway point, Young was all over Hall. For five laps, Young tried getting under Hall, who was running a higher line. Then on lap 16, Young went to the outside of Hall in turns one and two and had just enough momentum to take the lead down the backstretch. Young survived four more cautions to pick up his 17th career Mercer sportsman win and took over the point lead in the J.R. Greer-owned, Montgomery Truss & Panel-sponsored #11t. Hall held on for second. Paden passed Schaffer for third on lap 19 as Paden has now finished in the top three all four nights. Schaffer was fourth over Al Priester’s best finish of the year in fifth. Taking heat victories over the season-high 26-car field were Hall, Young, and Schaffer.
Gary Norman of New Castle, Pa. won another down to the wire 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature win. Norman, who started sixth, was already up to second on lap four as he trailed pole-sitter Rusty Moore. Ron Iorio came from tenth to grab third from Terry Kroner on lap six. By lap 10, a three-car race developed for the lead between Moore, Norman, and Iorio. On lap 13, Norman made the winning move getting past Moore just before Joe Yakich spun bringing out the final caution. Norman went on to lead the final two laps for his second win of the year and fifth of his career at Mercer in his Ken Neely Lumber/Triple-S Auto Sales-sponsored #9N. Ron and brother Doug Iorio both passed Moore on the 14th lap for second and third respectively. Moore dropped to fourth ahead of Shaun Hooks, who recorded his 17th straight top 10 finish. Bobby Whitling, Brian Miller, Hooks, and Moore won the heats over the 39-car field. Bill Hanna and Yakich won the two B mains.
“Ageless” Bill Wheeling added yet another win to his career totals by winning the 15-lap Zoresco Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Senior Series feature. The Franklin, Pa. resident passed Don Gamble on lap three and was never challenged the rest of the way. Wheeling’s second Mercer Senior Series win came aboard the Bill Peterson-owned #005. Second through fifth were Tom Knight, Sr., Tim Lowry, Gamble, and Ed Bashaar. Pat Wilcox won the heat over the 11-car field.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. TROY PRESTON 2. Jamie Smith 3. Rob Eyler 4. Jimmy Hawley 5. Dave Wagner 6. Brian Ellenberger 7. Jack Sodeman, Jr. 8. Tom Quarterson 9. Arnie Kent 10. Todd Bauer 11. Kevin Andrusky 12. Gary McCollum 13. Nathan Hines 14. Chris Matthews 15. Ben Moore 16. Pup Nystrom 17. Brian Hartzell 18. Butch Beasley 19. Leonard Ripper, Jr. 20. Paul Kish 21. Gregg McCandless 22. Charlie Holben 23. Brian Woodhall 24. Gary Kriess, Jr.-DNS.
Big-Block Modifieds: 1. TIM DORAN 2. Bob Dorman 3. Chetter Johnson 4. Frank Guidace 5. Jerry Bickel 6. Rodney Beltz 7. Steve Barr 8. Rick Hall 9. Nick Ritchey 10. Randy Chronister 11. Justin Broerman 12. J.R. McGinley 13. Les Myers 14. Chanda Reitz 15. Lonny Riggs 16. Lee Miller 17. Rick Kress 18. Carl Murdick 19. Tommy Kristyak 20. Jeff Baker 21. Jeff Schaffer 22. Dean Pearson 23. Scott Kay-DNS 24. Greg Unrue-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. STEVE YOUNG 2. Rick Hall 3. Andy Paden 4. Jerry Schaffer 5. Al Priester 6. Bill Adams 7. Randy Rodemoyer 8. Brian Booher 9. Dave Cogswell 10. Jim Thompson 11. John Confer 12. Morgan Sasse 13. Steve Toth 14. Kevin Latshaw 15. Fred Maxwell 16. John Buchanan 17. Gary Smoker 18. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 19. Jim Schaffer 20. Chad Reitz 21. Barry Bulfone 22. Zack Moran 23. Mike Mathieson 24. Fred Sasse-DNS 25. Mike Gibson-DNS 26. Matt Reeher-DNS.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. GARY NORMAN 2. Ron Iorio 3. Doug Iorio 4. Rusty Moore 5. Shaun Hooks 6. Terry Kroner 7. Bobby Whitling 8. Kevin Thompson 9. Andy Buckley 10. Brian Miller 11. Bill Hanna 12. Bobby Heim 13. Greg Beach 14. Rick Lanigan 15. Phil Kaufman 16. Bob McCann 17. Rick Anthony 18. Joe Yakich 19. Scott Peterson 20. Duane Grinnell 21. Jim Miller 22. John Iorio 23. Mike Aley 24. Rick Norco DNQ-Jim Brunson, Rod Laskey, Dick Pascorell, Rich Chess, Sr., Mark Sanders, Tim Zuschlag, Ed Hays, Lester Bates, Willie Aley, Russ Coyne, Mike Harmon, Ray Bailey, Jr., Chuck Kerr, Andy Thompson, Joe Updegraff.
Zoresco P.C.T.C. Senior Series: 1. BILL WHEELING 2. Tom Knight, Sr. 3. Tim Lowry 4. Don Gamble 5. Ed Bashaar 6. Sid Haas 7. Terry Wheeler 8. Bud Holben 9. Bob McWilliams 10. Pat Wilcox 11. Duane Mohney.