Quarterson wins second straight in Sprints; Riggs wins #2 in Mercer Modifieds
By Mike Leone
June 9, 2001
Mercer (PA)...Mercer Raceway Park returned to action Saturday night. Recording wins and celebrating in the Moore’s Auto Body victory lane were Tom Quarterson-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Lonny Riggs-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Steve Young-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Andy Buckley-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars.
It was Mahoning Valley Scrappers Night as 100 free tickets were distributed to their baseball facility and their mascot "Scrappy" made an appearance. Rawlings gave out 300 free baseballs, and all Little Leaguers were admitted free. It was CD 93.3 night as the rock station did a live remote from the speedway and gave out prizes throughout the night.
Tom Quarterson made it two in a row in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature with a last lap pass of Troy Preston. "Troy went the wrong line on the last lap," said the excited West Middlesex, Pa. driver. "I took a chance around the line of the slower car and hoped I’d get in front of him and I did!"
Rob Eyler blasted into the lead at the start over Gary McCollum and Tommy Burns, Jr. in third. Gary Kriess, Jr., who started sixth, used the outside to make it all the way to third on lap two passing Burns for the position. Eyler’s shot at his first career Mercer win was erased when John Toth III spun on lap six. Eyler and McCollum had nowhere to go with both getting into Toth and flipping. All three drivers were okay, but done for the night.
The accident moved Kriess to the lead ahead of Burns and Preston. When racing resumed, Preston passed Burns at the flag stand for second on lap six. Quarterson, who started 10th, got by Jason Jacoby for fourth on lap nine then inherited third one lap later when Burns stopped bringing out the caution. On lap 13, Gregg McCandless slowed on the front-stretch and Mike Shearer flipped violently in turn one trying to avoid him. Shearer was okay.
Lap 13 saw Preston take charge passing Kriess off the inside of turn four. Kriess dropped to third when Quarterson slipped underneath the April 28 winner in turn two for second on lap 15. Quarterson ran down Preston and was all over the fellow West Middlesex driver on lap 17. On the last lap, Preston went low trying to lap McCandless, while Quarterson went high and had enough momentum to carry him past Preston for the lead and the win.
Quarterson drove the R&R Engine Rebuilders #27 to his 12th career Mercer win and has now won the last four features he has competed in. "The Powells give me a good car night after night," said Quarterson. "They want me to do my job and I can do it!"
Preston held on for second over Kriess. New York’s Mike Woodring came from eighth to place fourth over Jacoby. Sixth through tenth were Jack Sodeman, Jr., Brad Ellenberger, Mike Kekich in Dick Schuller’s #61, rookie Brian Woodhall, and Arnie Kent. Heat winners over the 28-car field were Woodring, Ellenberger, and Jacoby.
After getting passed for the win at the checkers the night prior at Lernerville Speedway, Lonny Riggs returned to victory lane for the second time this season in the 20-lap Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified feature. "It’s hard to let one go like that last night," said the Volant, Pa. winner. "We’re glad to be back here tonight."
Steve Young took the initial lead over Don McKnight at the start, while Riggs came from sixth to third on the opening lap. Riggs moved into second on lap four when he passed McKnight. Rob Curtis’ spin brought out the first caution with 11 laps completed. On lap 13, Riggs would make the winning move getting under Young at the start-finish line.
Three cautions slowed action between laps 18 and 19. Riggs went on for his ninth career Mercer win, which also includes five Sportsman Modified wins and two Stock Car wins in the Merle Black-owned, Winners Circle Automotive Machine/Suhrie Industrial Supply Tool Rental-sponsored #58.
Rookie big-block driver, Frank Guidace, who started seventh, recorded his best finish in second after passing Dean Pearson and Young on the final lap. Point leader Pearson was third over Young and Lou Blaney, who started 10th. Completing the top 10 were McKnight, 17th starter Rodney Beltz, Adam Siegel, Les Myers, and 22nd starter Scott Gurdak. Heat victors over the 24-car field were Myers, Pearson, and Riggs.
Steve Young of Grove City, Pa. won his second 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature. Young started 11th and moved up to second on lap nine when an accident took out Randy Rodemoyer, Curt Matthews, and Rick Ryder, who were running second through fourth. Andy Priest set the pace for the first nine laps, but Young was able to drive by for the lead on lap 10 and never looked back. Young’s 10th career Sportsman Modified win came aboard the J.R. Greer-owned, Montgomery Truss & Panel-sponsored #11t. Priest and 10th starter, Bill Adams, battled the entire second-half of the event with Priest edging Adams at the finish for second. Rick Hall and Al Priester recorded their first top fives in fourth and fifth respectively. John Buchanan, Young, and Priest won the heats over the 27-car field.
Andy Buckley of Stoneboro, Pa. became the seventh different winner in seven races by scoring the win in the 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car main. Qualifying for his first feature of the season, Jim Miller set the pace for the first six laps. Fifth starter, Gary Norman, and eighth starter, Ron Iorio, took over the first and second spots on lap seven. Gary Robinson dropped Miller back another spot on lap nine taking third.
On lap 10, Buckley, who started 10th, passed Robinson for third then raced three-wide for the lead with Norman and Iorio. Buckley nosed ahead to lead the 10th circuit with Iorio, Norman, and Robinson a close second through fourth. Buckley would survive four restarts to hold off Iorio for his first win since back-to-back wins on July 24 and August 7, 1999. Buckley’s third career Mercer win came in his #965. Robinson passed Norman on lap 12 to finish third and kept his string of seven top fives in seven races intact. Mike Aley was fifth after starting 17th. Picking heat wins over the 39-car field were Norman, Bill Hanna, Buckley, and Terry Kroner. Aley and Gary Miller, Jr. won the two B mains.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. TOM QUARTERSON 2. Troy Preston 3. Gary Kriess, Jr. 4. Mike Woodring 5. Jason Jacoby 6. Jack Sodeman, Jr. 7. Brad Ellenberger 8. Mike Kekich 9. Brian Woodhall 10. Arnie Kent 11. Brad Hastings 12. Nathan Hines 13. Dave Wagner 14. Mark Imler 15. Jody Keegan 16. Gregg McCandless 17. Aaron Shaffer 18. Tony Stebel, Jr. 19. Tim Hunter 20. Butch Beasley 21. Mike Shearer 22. Tommy Burns, Jr. 23. Ricky Ferkel 24. Rob Eyler 25. Gary McCollum 26. John Toth III 27. Randy Kriegisch-DNS 28. Marshall Whitsel, Jr.-DNS.
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds: 1. LONNY RIGGS 2. Frank Guidace 3. Dean Pearson 4. Steve Young 5. Lou Blaney 6. Don McKnight 7. Rodney Beltz 8. Adam Siegel 9. Les Myers 10. Scott Gurdak 11. Rick Hall 12. Rob Curtis 13. Dave Schrader 14. Carl Murdick 15. Mark Sevin 16. Rick Kress 17. Joe Crawford 18. Bob Dorman 19. Nick Ritchey 20. Randy Ferguson 21. Chetter Johnson, Jr. 22. Rich Ferguson 23. Lee Miller 24. Tim Doran-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. STEVE YOUNG 2. Andy Priest 3. Bill Adams 4. Rick Hall 5. Al Priester 6. John Buchanan 7. Gary Bollinger 8. Andy Paden 9. Greg Unrue 10. Fred Sasse 11. Curt Matthews 12. D.J. Schrader 13. Barry Bulfone 14. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 15. Dave Cogswell 16. Bill Baptiste 17. Jay Priest 18. Morgan Sasse 19. Jerry Schaffer 20. John Jones 21. Chanda Reitz 22. Brad Watson 23. Rick Ryder 24. Randy Rodemoyer 25. Buck Buchanan 26. Les Myers-DNS 27. Allen Ferry-DNS.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars: 1. ANDY BUCKLEY 2. Ron Iorio 3. Gary Robinson 4. Gary Norman 5. Mike Aley 6. Shaun Hooks 7. Willie Aley 8. Greg Beach 9. Andy Thompson 10. Dave Ferringer 11. Todd Titus 12. Bill Hanna 13. Rick Anthony 14. Terry Kroner 15. Duane Grinnell 16. Dan Fedorchak 17. Gary Miller, Jr. 18. Lonnie O’Brien 19. Ed Hays 20. Rick Norco 21. Kevin Thompson 22. Keith Nagy 23. Jeff Kravec 24. Jim Miller DNQ-Mark Felicetty, Mike Turner, Erick Cwynar, Ray Bailey, Jr., Adam Aley, Don Greenlee, Phil Kaufman, Jim Green, Brian Miller, Tony Bruno, Lynn Hostetler, Rusty Moore, Bob Hays, Mark Showers, William George, Sr.