Kriess charges from the back to redeem himself with first Sprint win; #5 for Doran in Mercer Modifieds
Sat, Aug 10, 2002 -- Saturday Night Live
Written by: Mike Leone
Mercer Raceway Park completed action on Saturday night with two new winners. Celebrating in the Moore’s Auto Body victory lane were Gary Kriess, Jr.-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Tim Doran-Big-Block Modifieds, Bill Adams-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Gary Miller, Jr.-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars.
The second annual E.M.S. Community Sireeen Rally took place presented by Life Force Ambulance. Approximately 60 different departments and organizations from nine different counties were represented on the grounds. A parade of nearly 40 vehicles with their sirens blaring was held at intermission, which included fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, rescue vehicles, brush trucks, and more. It was also Dean Dairy Products Company Corporate Night. Dean’s distributed their products free to the fans and had their mascot on the grounds.
Gary Kriess, Jr. made an unbelievable run through the field after an early race tangle to become the 10th different Sprint Car winner in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling feature. “Oh man- that was a long run,” exclaimed the relieved Butler, Pa. driver. “I didn’t know what was going to happen after I got into that guy on the opening lap. I was hoping there was nothing wrong with the car- obviously there wasn’t! We might just pull it in the trailer, wash it, and take it to Lernerville (Speedway) on Friday.”
Gary McCollum, Staple Nash, and Chris Matthews drove by pole-sitter Paul Kapuchuck on the first lap. In turn four, Kriess made contact with Kapuchuck and collected Todd Bauer and Dave Wagner. Andy Priest had already moved from tenth to fifth in the first lap, and when racing resumed he passed Brian Woodhall and Matthews to take over third. Priest quickly caught Nash and drove by the youngster on lap three for second.
By lap six, the top five cars of McCollum, Priest, Nash, Woodhall, and Rob Eyler were all in a pack. Priest would nose ahead of McCollum to lead the sixth circuit just as McCollum slowed and dropped from the event. On the seventh and eighth laps, Woodhall and Eyler both passed Nash in turn four to assume second and third.
At the halfway point, Woodhall and Eyler now began to close the gap on Priest as a three-car race for the lead developed. Kriess, who was making his way back up through the pack using the outside of the speedway, had just passed Nash for fourth when Eyler did a 360 spin on lap 14 to move up to third.
It was now Priest, Woodhall, and Kriess in a three-car race on lap 16. Kriess made a move on Woodhall to nip him at the line for second on lap 17. Kriess went after Priest and passed the leader in turn three on the inside of the track on lap 18 for the winning move. After losing three races this year at Mercer in lapped traffic, Kriess was not to be denied tonight as he led the closing laps for his second career Mercer win in the Gary Kriess, Sr.-owned, Ronald Kradel Financial Services/M&G Landscaping/Valvoline-sponsored #55J. “The car was running pretty good,” Kriess stated. “Last week, Jimmy (Hawley) got me here on the last lap (19th). Last night at Lernerville (Speedway), I got passed with a couple to go in lapped traffic. Tonight, I wasn’t taking any prisoners.”
Priest was denied his first career Sprint Car win, but recorded his best finish in second. Priest is a perfect five-for-five in top five finishes this year in his #21N. Woodhall was third ahead of Eyler and Nash. Sixth through tenth were point leader Troy Preston, “Indiana” Andy Hillenburg, who now calls North Carolina home, Charlie Holben, Matthews, and Bauer. Heat winners over the 23-car field were Hillenburg, Eyler, and Nash.
Nash of Newbury, Ohio was the highest finishing 360 Sprint Car and earned the $150 bonus for the second time this year. Matthews, point leader Bauer, and Pup Nystrom were second through fourth and also earned the bonus monies.
In nearly an identical scenario to last week’s race, Tim Doran took the lead from pole-sitter Nick Ritchey on the opening lap and held on to win the 20-lap Big-Block Modified feature for his fifth win. “That was tough there at the end with Rick Hall,” said the New Castle, Pa. winner. “You try to get a good take-off (on the outside of the speedway) and not pinch anyone going into the first turn. You want to at least give them a lane in case they’re out there.”
Doran, Chetter Johnson, and Les Myers rocketed by Ritchey on the opening lap for the top three spots. The top three remained in that running order until Bob Dorman spun with six laps completed. Jeff Baker and Myers were also involved. This moved Hall to third for the restart. When racing resumed, Hall took over runner-up by passing Johnson in turn four.
On lap nine, Tommy Kristyak, raced by Lonny Riggs and Johnson for third. One lap later, Kristyak moved ahead of Hall for second after starting 12th. Kristyak would slow in the ensuing laps before exiting the race on lap 13 putting Hall back to second. Doran and Hall pulled away from the field with Doran running the top and Hall the bottom. The two ran side-by-side the last two laps, but at the checkered Doran had just enough to edge Hall for his 23rd career Mercer big-block win in his Richard Smith Construction-sponsored #12. Doran and Hall went ahead of Dorman and are now tied for the point lead with just two points-paying races remaining.
Rodney Beltz, who started 21st, made a late-race charge to pass Jeff Schaffer and Johnson on lap 18 to finish third. Schaffer passed Johnson to finish fourth. Rounding out the top 10 were Dean Pearson, Dorman, Myers, Randy Ferguson, and Jerry Bickel. Heat victors over the 26-car field were Hall, Doran, and Kristyak.
After going 20 years since his first win, Bill Adams of Hermitage, Pa. has now won three of the last eight Sportsman Modified features in the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades event. Kevin Latshaw raced into the lead from his pole position, while Adams passed Ron Eperthener, Jr. and Fred Sasse on the opening lap for second. Adams would make the winning move on lap three taking the top spot away from Latshaw.
Jerry Schaffer passed Latshaw for second on lap six and held runner-up until lap 16 when Steve Young, who started 13th, charged by. The last four laps was a two-car race between Adams, who was running the top, and Young, who was running the bottom. Adams was able to hold off Young for the win in the Doug Updyke-owned, D&D Redline Racing/Marsh Farms/Ed & Jerry’s NAPA-sponsored #33. Curt Matthews came from eleventh to place third for the fourth time this year. Andy Paden was fourth over Chad Reitz. Winning the heat races were Adams, Reitz, and Les Myers over the 28-car field. Lou Gentile won the B main.
Making just his fifth appearance of the year, Gary Miller, Jr. went wire-to-wire to win his first 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature. Miller raced into the lead from the pole position, while Rod Laskey and Kevin Thompson moved ahead of Phil Kaufman for second and third. Thompson and seventh starting Buckley got around Laskey for second and third on lap two. Buckley continued his charge to the front taking away second from Thompson with Gary Norman following in third on lap five. Norman and Buckley would bring out the caution with five laps completed, which moved Thompson back to second and Bobby Whitling, who started 11th, to third.
Following a caution with seven laps completed, Whitling went ahead of Thompson on the restart for second. Whitling was right on Miller in the last seven laps, but Miller was able to hold on for his sixth career Mercer win in his Fulkerson Construction/K&K Dynamics-sponsored #1. Thompson and Rick Norco battled the last eight laps swapping spots, but Thompson was able to take third. Norco was fourth for his best finish of the year after starting 15th. Tony “Spaghetti” Bruno came from 17th to place fifth in his best Mercer finish. Taking the heats were Norman, Miller, and Buckley over the 30-car field. Bob McCann won the B main.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. GARY KRIESS, JR. 2. Andy Priest 3. Brian Woodhall 4. Rob Eyler 5. Staple Nash 6. Troy Preston 7. Andy Hillenburg 8. Charlie Holben 9. Chris Matthews 10. Todd Bauer 11. Pup Nystrom 12. Gale Ruth, Jr. 13. Brian Hartzell 14. Dave Wagner 15. Mary Anne Williams 16. Butch Beasley 17. Dan Shetler 18. Gary McCollum 19. George Frederick 20. Paul Kapuchuck 21. Don Kovac 22. Randy Kriegisch-DNS 23. Brian Ellenberger-DNS.
Big-Block Modifieds: 1. TIM DORAN 2. Rick Hall 3. Rodney Beltz 4. Jeff Schaffer 5. Chetter Johnson 6. Dean Pearson 7. Bob Dorman 8. Les Myers 9. Randy Ferguson 10. Jerry Bickel 11. Steve Barr 12. Tom Mattocks 13. Rick Kress 14. Lee Miller 15. Gerry Bruce 16. Carl Murdick 17. Adam Siegel 18. Frank Guidace 19. Nick Ritchey 20. Tommy Kristyak 21. Lonny Riggs 22. Jeff Baker 23. Scott Kay 24. Dave Shook-DNS 25. Doug Ehrenberg-DNS 26. Brian May-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. BILL ADAMS 2. Steve Young 3. Curt Matthews 4. Andy Paden 5. Chad Reitz 6. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 7. Rick Hall 8. Jim Schaffer 9. Lou Gentile 10. Fred Sasse 11. John Buchanan 12. Jerry Schaffer 13. Les Myers 14. Dave Cogswell 15. Randy Rodemoyer 16. Morgan Sasse 17. Jim Rombold, Jr. 18. John Jones 19. Kevin Latshaw 20. Mike Gibson 21. Zack Moran 22. Steve Toth 23. Gary Smoker 24. Fred Maxwell DNQ-Jim Thompson, Jerry O’Rock, Matt Reeher, Rick Ryder.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. GARY MILLER, JR. 2. Bobby Whitling 3. Kevin Thompson 4. Rick Norco 5. Tony Bruno 6. Terry Kroner 7. Rick Anthony 8. Brian Miller 9. Vince Felicetty 10. Rusty Moore 11. Bill Schall, Jr. 12. Shaun Hooks 13. Chuck Kerr 14. Andy Buckley 15. Tim Deutsch 16. Doug Iorio 17. Tim Zuschlag 18. Mike Aley 19. Rod Laskey 20. Willie Aley 21. Phil Kaufman 22. Gary Norman 23. Clyde Roberts 24. Jim Brunson 25. Bob McCann-DNS DNQ-William George, Sr., Ray Bailey, Jr., Duane Grinnell, Lester Bates, Rich Chess, Sr.