Hawley and Doran chalk up 6th wins in Mercer Sprints and Modifieds
By Mike Leone
August 25, 2001
Mercer (PA)...Mercer Raceway Park rounded out the month of August on Saturday night with the completion of race night number 17. Familiar faces returned to the Moore’s Auto Body victory lane including Jimmy Hawley-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Tim Doran-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Steve Young-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Brian Miller-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars.
Armstrong Cable sponsored the inaugural "Kidz Dayz". All kids 12 and under were admitted free and were eligible for around 500 children’s prizes worth more than $5,000 including toys, balls, electronics, bikes, and much more. Armstrong gave away a 13" color Zenith television to a lucky adult. Armstrong Cable provides basic cable, digital cable, and now the new Zoom internet service to residents throughout western Pa. and eastern Ohio.
Jimmy Hawley made it four in a row on a lightning-quick, tacky track in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature. "We had the car a little too tight," stated the West Middlesex, Pa. driver. "We knew we were in a little bit of trouble because of some good cars up front and with the track being heavy, but it worked out for us."
Gary Edwards jumped into the lead taking the spot away from Dave Wagner on the opening lap with Troy Preston in tow. A four-car tangle with one lap in brought action to a halt and ended the night for Mike Marano II and Arnie Kent. On the restart, Preston took second from Wagner. Todd Bauer moved into third on lap six dropping Wagner back another spot. Wagner would bring out the second and final caution when he spun in turn four.
When racing resumed, Hawley made a daring move driving around both Tom Quarterson and Bauer for third. Edwards was setting a nice pace until he caught heavy traffic on lap 13, which allowed Preston to close in and take the top spot away. Hawley disposed of Edwards for second on lap 14. Hawley’s winning move came on the 16th circuit when he went to the inside of Preston in turns one and two to make the pass stick.
Once in front, Hawley pulled away for his sixth Mercer win and fifteenth overall of the season. Hawley’s 27th career Mercer win came aboard the Dr. John and Debi Crawford-owned, Mihalcak Motorsports #cIII. Quarterson made a late charge to pass Edwards for third on lap 16 then got a run on Preston off turn four on the outside to nip him for second at the line. Edwards dropped to fourth over a career best Mercer finish of fifth for Bauer. Completing the top 10 were Goob Schuller, Gary McCollum, Brian Woodhall, Mike Kekich, and Wagner. Heat wins went to Kekich and Hawley.
After losing by less than a car-length last time, Tim Doran charged from the rear of the field and returned to victory lane in the 20-lap Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified feature for the sixth time in the past eight races. Doran earned an additional $400 for being the ERACERS "Cash Chaser" and has now earned over $9,600 in those eight weeks including an Australian Pursuit win as well.
"I got in that tangle early on," stated the New Castle, Pa. winner. "Someone spun out and I got into him. The guys did a heck of a job in the pits. The side rail was against the tire. They straightened it out good enough and said it wasn’t bent. We tried it and the car was quick again. I guess it was our night again!"
Carl Weatherby led the first three laps from the pole position. On lap four, Adam Siegel, Steve Barr, Lou Gentile, Carl Miller, and Tim Doran all collided. Only Miller and Doran would continue. On the restart, seventh starter Les Myers passed Dean Pearson for second then took the lead from Weatherby on the backstretch.
Lou Blaney was on the move from the 11th starting spot. Blaney passed Lonny Riggs for fourth on lap six and three laps later moved into third past Pearson. Pearson then dropped from the event moving Riggs to fourth and Doran to fifth. On lap 10, Rich Ferguson and Dana Gearhart tangled and collected Weatherby, who was in second.
When green replaced yellow, Doran made a nice move to get by both Riggs and Blaney for second. Myers was able to hold off Doran’s challenges as the two battled the last eight laps and appeared headed to victory. Then on the final lap, Carl Miller’s car caught fire bringing action to a halt with the leaders on the backstretch. The last restart was just what Doran needed as he blasted around Myers in turns one and two and went on for his 17th career Mercer win in his Richard Smith Construction/Mitchelltree Bros. Logging & Lumber-sponsored #12.
Blaney then edged Myers at the finish line for second. Riggs was fourth. Guy Griffin was fifth in Todd Schaffer’s 358 c.i. powered car for his best finish since a second on July 10, 1999. Rounding out the top 10 were Nick Ritchey, Rob Curtis, Rick Hall, Steve Young, and newcomer Ted Ryan. Heat victors over the 22-car field were Doran and Blaney.
Steve Young tied Andy Priest, Tim Doran, and Jimmy Hawley with his sixth win as the top winners at the track by winning the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified feature. John Buchanan came from fourth to lead the first lap over Zack Moran and Allen Ferry. Four cautions slowed action in the first four laps. By lap five, Young worked his way to third taking the spot from Ferry on the inside then one lap later moved into second by passing Moran on the bottom. Young made the winning move on lap eight grabbing the top spot away from Buchanan on the inside of the track.
Once in front, the Grove City, Pa. driver went on for his 14th career Mercer sportsman win and locked up his second championship in the J.R. Greer-owned, Montgomery Truss & Panel-sponsored #11t. Gary Smoker came from 13th to get second after passing Buchanan on lap 14. Buchanan fell to third over Randy Rodemoyer and Jerry Schaffer. Taking heat event wins were Young and Buchanan over the 23-car field.
Brian Miller of New Wilmington, Pa. held on to win the 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car feature to collect his third win of the season. Gary Robinson was strong as he came from his sixth starting spot to take third from Rick Anthony on lap two. Robinson moved into runner-up on lap four by getting around Mike Aley. The first and only caution of the event was for a spin by Rod Laskey with seven laps completed. Robinson battled with Miller over the next three laps. Robinson nosed ahead to lead lap nine in search of his first win, but Miller regained the lead one lap later and opened up some ground.
Meanwhile, 10th starter Shaun Hooks had worked his way into third after getting around Aley on lap eight. Hooks closed on the leaders and was able to get by Robinson for second on lap 13. Hooks caught Miller, but ran out of time as Miller recorded his eighth career Mercer win the Terry Hoover-owned, Rolling Hills Golf Course/Ed & Jerry’s Auto Service-sponsored #99m. Hooks’ second was his seventh straight top five finish. Robinson and Aley were third and fourth. Terry Kroner was a career best fifth. Winning the heats over the season-high 44-car field were Jeff Buccella, Dave Ferringer, Miller, and Bill Hanna. Gary Norman and Dave Lewis, Sr. won the two B mains.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. JIMMY HAWLEY 2. Tom Quarterson 3. Troy Preston 4. Gary Edwards 5. Todd Bauer 6. Goob Schuller 7. Gary McCollum 8. Brian Woodhall 9. Mike Kekich 10. Dave Wagner 11. Buddy Cochran 12. Jason Jacoby 13. Jeff Kasbee 14. Mary Anne Williams 15. Rob Eyler 16. Arnie Kent 17. Mike Marano II (Jack Sodeman, Jr.-did not compete).
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds: 1. TIM DORAN ($1,400) 2. Lou Blaney 3. Les Myers 4. Lonny Riggs 5. Guy Griffin 6. Nick Ritchey 7. Rob Curtis 8. Rick Hall 9. Steve Young 10. Ted Ryan 11. Rick Kress 12. Dean Pearson 13. Carl Miller 14. Dana Gearhart 15. John Boyer, Jr. 16. Carl Weatherby 17. Rich Ferguson 18. Lou Gentile 19. Adam Siegel 20. Steve Barr 21. Frank Guidace 22. Tom Armstrong-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. STEVE YOUNG 2. Gary Smoker 3. John Buchanan 4. Randy Rodemoyer 5. Jerry Schaffer 6. Rick Hall 7. Bill Adams 8. Al Priester 9. Rick Ryder 10. Chanda Reitz 11. Allen Ferry 12. Andy Paden 13. Jay Priest 14. Dave Cogswell 15. Bill Baptiste 16. Zack Moran 17. John Jones 18. Morgan Sasse 19. Greg Unrue 20. Andy Priest 21. Mark Sevin 22. Gary Bollinger 23. Les Myers-DNS.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. BRIAN MILLER 2. Shaun Hooks 3. Gary Robinson 4. Mike Aley 5. Terry Kroner 6. Jarrot Moore 7. Rick Anthony 8. Jim Miller 9. Greg Beach 10. Dave Ferringer 11. Gary Norman 12. Andy Buckley 13. Lynn Hostetler 14. Jim Brunson 15. Bill Hanna 16. Jeff Kravec 17. Dan Fedorchak 18. Tim Deutsch 19. Rod Laskey 20. Willie Aley 21. Dave Lewis, Sr. 22. Duane Grinnell 23. Jeff Buccella 24. Kevin Thompson DNQ-Tony Bruno, Bobby Whitling, Lonnie O’Brien, Rick Norco, Mark Covert, Ray Bailey, Jr., Bobby Wagner, William George, Sr., Keith Nagy, Phil Kaufman, Erick Cwynar, Tim Zuschlag, Ed Hays, Dean Sherbondy, Andy Thompson, Bob Hays, Don Greenlee, Chris Hake, Jim Green, Dave Wagner.