Champ Troy Preston wins 2nd Sprint feature; Tommy Kristyak wins 2nd in a row in Mercer Modifieds
Sat, Aug 24, 2002 -- Saturday Night Live
Written by: Mike Leone
Despite rain throughout the area and drizzle off and on during the night, Mercer Raceway Park completed action Saturday night in the final points event of the season. Collecting wins and celebrating in the Moore’s Auto Body victory lane were champion Troy Preston-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Tommy Kristyak-Big-Block Modifieds, champion Steve Young-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Brian Miller-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars. Moore’s presented cash bonuses to drivers that finished in the 12th and 18th positions in all four features.
It was “Kidz Dayz 2” presented by Armstrong Cable. All kids 12 and under were admitted free and had the chance to win one of approximately 500 giveaways valued at over $5,000, which included bikes, electronics, games, toys, and much more. The Aut Mori Grotto Clowns made their annual visit to the speedway and entertained the kids all night long.
Troy Preston put an exclamation mark on his 2002 track championship by winning his second feature of the year in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature on the final point event. “I kinda wanted to make sure I won another feature,” said the West Middlesex, Pa. driver after crawling out of his machine. “I didn’t like the fact that the Sharon (Speedway) cars weren’t going to be here (this year) and Jimmy (Hawley) not here every week.”
Rob Eyler jumped out into the lead at the start with Preston and Staple Nash trailing. Eyler opened up some ground until lap four when Preston began to reel him in as traffic looming ahead. Lap five saw Eyler race in lapped traffic and it would be the lapped cars that would aid Preston’s winning move. On lap six, Eyler get bunched behind Paul Kish and Leonard Ripper, Jr. as Preston blasted by on the outside for the lead.
Gary Edwards was on the move racing by Nash for third on lap eight before the yellow was displayed for debris with nine laps completed. When racing resumed, Edwards slipped high off turn two and slid off the backstretch allowing Nash to re-claim third with Arnie Kent and John Ivy moving into fourth and fifth. Kent, who started ninth, moved up one more spot taking third from Nash on lap 12. By lap 15, Kent has closed in on Eyler before Gale Ruth, Jr. brought out the caution with 14 laps completed. When racing resumed, Ivy disposed of Nash for fourth on lap 15 and Gary Kriess, Jr. followed in fifth on lap 16 before the race was slowed for the final time when Mark Murphy got upside down. He was okay, but done from the event.
Preston was able to hold off the challengers the last four laps despite getting nearly sideways off turn four coming down for the checkered flag to claim his 10th career Mercer win in his Chevron East/McClung Auto Body/Flynn Tire Group/Barris Supply/Hine Racing Equipment/Lias-American Race Tires-sponsored #1P. “I was glad the race was over,” said the relieved winner. “The car was shaking so bad. I had something vibrating. I’m not sure if I packed the wheel with mud- something was wrong.”
Eyler held off Kent to finish second for the second time this year, which was good enough to hold on for a career best runner-up in points. Kriess, who started 10th, got by Ivy on lap 18 to finish fourth. Ivy, the 2001 Attica (OH) Raceway Park Champion and current Fremont (OH) Speedway point leader dropped to fifth in his first start since 1998. Sixth through tenth were Jason Jacoby, Nash, Andy Priest, Jimmy Hawley, and Scott Bonnell. Heat winners over the 22-car field were Kent and Preston.
Nash of Newbury, Ohio was the highest finishing 360 and earned the $150 bonus for the third time this year. Second through fourth and earning bonuses were Jason Dolick, Pup Nystrom, and Paul Kish. Todd Bauer continues to the lead the Gardner Competition Racing Engines points with two point events remaining.
Tommy Kristyak made it two in a row and four on the year by winning the 20-lap Big-Block Modified feature in a dominating fashion. “The car has really been working good,” stated the Stoneboro, Pa. winner. “This TEO chassis is excellent. I really like these cars and I hope to have a lot of fun with them next year. Everyone needs one of these if they’re going racing.”
Les Myers raced past Joe Crawford on the start of the event for the lead. Kristyak, who started sixth, passed both Gary Risch, Jr. and Bob Dorman for fourth on the first lap. Rodney Beltz and Kristyak both drove by Crawford for second and third on lap four. Myers’ body began to rub the right rear tire on lap five, which allowed Beltz to take the lead as Kristyak and Crawford moved up to second and third.
Kristyak’s winning move came on lap seven as Beltz had trouble getting past the lapped cars of Dana Gearhart and Rick Kress. Crawford dropped back two more spots when Dorman and Alan Dellinger blasted by on lap eight for third and fourth. Dorman then edged ahead of Beltz for second at the start-finish line of lap nine. The final caution was displayed for Guy Griffin with 17 laps completed. The last three laps saw Kristyak in his #26z pull away to win by a straightaway over Dorman for his 42nd career Mercer big-block win.
Dellinger and Beltz traded third place between laps 14-18 with Dellinger finally taking the position over for good on the 18th circuit. Beltz dropped to fourth. Tim Doran came from tenth to place fifth, which was good enough to earn his first ever Mercer championship. Rounding out the top 10 were Rick Hall from 20th, Crawford, Jeff Schaffer, Rob Kristyak, and Dean Pearson. Heat victors over the 31-car field were Myers, Doran, and Beltz. Rob Kristyak won the B main.
Steve Young became the only driver to defend his 2001 championship by winning the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. “All these limited drivers are tough this year,” said the happy Grove City, Pa. winner. “I have to thank Jerry Schaffer for giving us his motor. We blew up ours last week. I like his better!”
Gary Smoker took the lead from Dave Cogswell on the opening lap. Young made his way from sixth to fourth on the first lap and then passed Cogswell and Jim Rombold, Jr. for second on lap two. Young chased Smoker before making the winning move on lap five. Young survived eight cautions for his sixth win to become the track’s top winner in 2002. Young’s milestone 20th career Mercer sportsman win came in the J.R. Greer-owned, Montgomery Truss & Panel-sponsored #11t. Bill Adams, who started seventh, inherited second on lap 14 when Smoker dropped from the event. Rick Hall came from thirteenth to place third after passing Jeff Schaffer on lap 18. Schaffer was fourth over Guy Griffin. Heat winners over the 25-car field were Smoker and Young.
After a year that Brian Miller and crew would much like to forget, the New Wilmington, Pa. driver ended the regular season on a high note by winning his first 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature of the year. Dan Fedorchak led the first lap before Rusty Moore got by on the second circuit. Mike Aley and Miller dropped Fedorchak back to fourth on lap three. The following lap saw Miller move ahead of Aley for second. Miller then took the lead away from Moore on lap five.
Moore slowed on lap 11 allowing Gary Norman and Bobby Whitling to take second and third. The two were all over Miller in the final laps. Miller took the checkered flag by about a one-half car-length over Norman for his ninth career win in the Terry Hoover-owned, Rolling Hills Golf Course/Ed & Jerry’s NAPA-sponsored #99m. Whitling came all the way from seventeenth to place third just over a car-length behind, but came up two points shy of first-time point champion, Shaun Hooks, who finished eighth. Terry Kroner and Gary Robinson were fourth and fifth. Taking heat victories over the 40-car field were Moore, Robinson, Andy Buckley, and Mike Aley. Willie Aley and Gary Laurie won the two B mains.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. TROY PRESTON 2. Rob Eyler 3. Arnie Kent 4. Gary Kriess, Jr. 5. John Ivy 6. Jason Jacoby 7. Staple Nash 8. Andy Priest 9. Jimmy Hawley 10. Scott Bonnell 11. Kevin Andrusky 12. Jason Dolick 13. Pup Nystrom 14. Deana Barbara 15. Butch Beasley 16. Leonard Ripper, Jr. 17. Gary Edwards 18. Mark Murphy 19. Gale Ruth, Jr. 20. Paul Kish 21. Todd Bauer 22. Brent Matus.
Big-Block Modifieds: 1. TOMMY KRISTYAK 2. Bob Dorman 3. Alan Dellinger 4. Rodney Beltz 5. Tim Doran 6. Rick Hall 7. Joe Crawford 8. Jeff Schaffer 9. Rob Kristyak 10. Dean Pearson 11. Frank Guidace 12. Guy Griffin 13. Kenny Hardy 14. Carl Murdick 15. John Buchanan 16. Tom Mattocks 17. Matt Baker 18. Dana Gearhart 19. Rick Kress 20. Steve Barr 21. Les Myers 22. Gary Risch, Jr. 23. Dave Reges 24. Lee Miller 25. Allen Ferry-DNS DNQ-Jeff Baker, Justin Broerman, Brian May, Adam Siegel, Adam Kozar, Scott Kay.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. STEVE YOUNG 2. Bill Adams 3. Rick Hall 4. Jeff Schaffer 5. Guy Griffin 6. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 7. Dave Cogswell 8. Rick Ryder 9. Zack Moran 10. Morgan Sasse 11. Fred Maxwell 12. Jerry O’Rock 13. Buck Buchanan 14. Randy Rodemoyer 15. Fred Sasse 16. Willie Aley 17. Gary Smoker 18. Andy Paden 19. Matt Reeher 20. Mike Gibson 21. Jim Rombold, Jr. 22. Steve Toth 23. John Jones 24. Kevin Latshaw-DNS 25. Matt Gibson-DNS.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. BRIAN MILLER 2. Gary Norman 3. Bobby Whitling 4. Terry Kroner 5. Gary Robinson 6. Willie Aley 7. Russ Kapalin 8. Shaun Hooks 9. Rick Anthony 10. Bill Hanna 11. Mike Mathieson 12. Larry Root 13. Gary Laurie 14. Tony Bruno 15. Rusty Moore 16. Mike Aley 17. Dan Fedorchak 18. Doug Iorio II 19. Mark Sanders 20. Andy Buckley 21. Rick Norco 22. Kevin Thompson 23. Duane Grinnell 24. Keith Nagy 25. Bill Lanigan-DNS DNQ-Cody Snyder, Lynn Hostetler, Ron Iorio II, Skip Reseigh, Todd Canter, Ed Hays, Matthew Allen, Ed Cornell, Phil Kaufman, Stacy Neubecker, Scott Hooks, Clyde Roberts, Rich Chess, Sr., Tim Deutsch, Tim Zuschlag.