Hawley and Blaney score popular first Mercer wins

By Mike Leone

May 5, 2001

Mercer (PA)...The third night of the 2001 campaign was completed on Saturday

night at Mercer Raceway Park. The following drivers celebrated in the Moore'

s Auto Body victory lane: Jimmy Hawley-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint

Cars, Lou Blaney-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Andy Priest-New Castle

School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Bill Hanna-Butterfield's Pub Stock

Cars.

Jimmy Hawley made it two-for-two on the weekend by capturing his first

20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car Feature win of the season. "We'

re getting closer," stated the West Middlesex, Pa. driver. "We switched over

to Hoosier tires this weekend and they seem to really be working great. They

won last night and here tonight. Maybe this was our problem."

Sixteen-year-old Brian Woodhall jumped into the lead from the pole position

over Troy Preston and Rob Eyler. Eyler spun on lap two, which moved sixth

starter, Mike Kekich, into third. Woodhall continued to hold down the lead

running a smooth race until Preston put a slide job on the youngster in turn

two on the fifth circuit. Woodhall's fine run came to an end when he looped

his mount one lap later in turn four.

Just prior to the caution, Hawley, who started seventh, passed Kekich for

third. Woodhall's spin moved Hawley to runner-up for the restart. Hawley's

winning move came on lap eight, when he drove under his fellow West

Middlesex resident off turn four.

Twelfth starter, Ed Lynch, Jr., cracked the top five just prior to the

half-way point, then disposed of Andy Priest for fourth on lap 10. The final

caution was displayed when Kevin Andrusky stopped with 14 laps completed.

The last six laps went green to checker with Hawley going on for his 22nd

career Mercer win in the Dr. John and Deb Crawford-owned, Mihalchak

Motorsports #cIII. "I want to thank everyone for sticking with me,"

commented Hawley after his slow start to this season. "Hopefully we can keep

getting faster from here."

Lynch drove to the outside of Kekich for third on lap 17, then dove under

Preston in turn three on lap 19 to finish second. Preston was third for the

second straight week. Kekich and Priest were fourth and fifth. Completing

the top 10 were Tom Quarterson, Gary Kriess, Jr., Todd Bauer, Arnie Kent,

and Tommy Burns, Jr. Heat winners over the 25-car field were Lynch,

Woodhall, and Kriess.

Lou Blaney "survived" the 20-lap caution and accident-filed 20-lap Bolland

Machine Big-Block Modified feature for his first Mercer win of 2001. "We

needed some luck to miss those accidents," said the Hartford, Ohio winner.

"That's probably why I'm here."

Rob Curtis looked strong early on looking for his first career win as he led

the first six laps. However, following a restart for Tim Doran's spin,

Curtis got sideways on the restart and an eight-car pile-up ensued

collecting many of the top runners.

When racing resumed, the lead was handed to Bob Dorman with Joe Crawford now

second over Blaney. On lap nine, Blaney moved up to second passing Crawford

in turn four. Three more cautions occurred between laps nine and ten.

Following these restarts, Crawford overtook Blaney for second on lap 11. A

great three-car race developed between Dorman, Crawford, and Blaney.

Crawford momentarily took the lead on lap 12, but slipped too high allowing

Blaney to pass both Crawford and Dorman for the top spot.

Crawford and Dorman made contact on lap 14 with Crawford getting by for

second. After pitting early and restarting last, Tommy Kristyak was on the

move. Kristyak quickly entered the battle on lap 16 passing Gary Risch, Jr.

and Dorman for third. A six-car accident with 16 laps completed brought out

the seventh and final caution.

Blaney was able to hold on for the last four laps for his 32nd win since the

track reopened in 1994 in his Colonial Metal Products/Carpenter's

Towing-sponsored #10. "The car was pretty good," said Blaney from victory

lane. "Early on there was so much traffic, but once we got out going it was

good."

Kristyak, who may have had the fastest car, got around Crawford on the final

restart for second. Crawford had a solid third over Carl Murdick and Risch,

who started 16th. Rounding out the top 10 were Dean Pearson, Don McKnight,

Rodney Beltz, Rob Kristyak, and Modified rookie Chad Reitz. Heat victors

over the 26-car field were Frank Guidace, Carl Weatherby, and Crawford.

Andy Priest made it two in a row by capturing the 20-lap New Castle School

of Trades Sportsman Modified main. This time, the New Castle, Pa. driver had

to work for the win. Bill Adams took charge on lap two when he passed Chanda

Reitz. Priest came from the 11th starting spot and grabbed runner-up from

Reitz on lap 12. Priest hounded and challenged Adams and finally got by in

turn one on the final lap. Priest rode home first in the Ted Hull-owned, MPR

Lumber/Griffin-Bossard Chevrolet-sponsored #41 for his 21st career Mercer

Sportsman Modified win. Adams was a career best second. John Buchanan got by

Curt Matthews on lap 19 to finish third. Matthews was a career best fourth

over Gary Bollinger. Taking heat wins over the 27-car field were Tom

Mattocks, Randy Rodemoyer, and Steve Young.

Bill Hanna of Jamestown, Pa. returned to the Butterfield's Pub Stock Car

division in 2001 and picked up the win in just his second night out. The

best race of the night featured a four-car race for the win and had only one

caution over the 15-lap duration. Mike Aley came from third to the lead on

the opening lap, while Brian Miller charged from seventh to second by lap

two. Hanna raced by Dave Ferringer and Miller for second on lap nine from

his 11th starting spot.

While, Aley continued to lead in search of his career first victory, the

next three were switching spots lap after lap. On lap 14, Hanna and Aley

made contact with Hanna taking the lead. Hanna went on for his 14th career

Mercer win in his Gordon's Auto Sales/Chevron East-sponsored #*21. By the

time Aley got straightened up on the final lap he dropped all the way back

to sixth as Ferringer, Miller, Gary Robinson, and brother Willie Aley all

got by for spots second through fifth. Winning heats over the 38-car field

were Rusty Moore, Robinson, Miller, and Gary Miller, Jr. The two B mains

fell to Bobby Whitling and Andy Buckley.

Terry Wheeler won the 15-lap Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Zoresco Equipment

Senior Series feature. The Stoneboro, Pa. driver started eighth and took the

lead from Ed Bashaar on lap two. Once in front, Wheeler was never challenged

as the event went non-stop in 5:13.78. Bill Wheeling, who started seventh,

passed Pat Wilcox for runner-up on lap 13. Wilcox and Bashaar dropped to

third and fourth ahead of Don Gamble. Wheeler also won the heat over the

12-car field.

Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: 1. JIMMY HAWLEY 2. Ed Lynch, Jr. 3.

Troy Preston 4. Mike Kekich 5. Andy Priest 6. Tom Quarterson 7. Gary Kriess,

Jr. 8. Todd Bauer 9. Arnie Kent 10. Tommy Burns, Jr. 11. Jason Jacoby 12.

Gregg McCandless 13. Gary McCollum 14. Brian Woodhall 15. Kevin Andrusky 16.

John Toth III 17. Buddy Cochran 18. Mike Kaminski 19. Dave Wagner 20. Scott

Bonnell 21. Nathan Hines 22. Rob Eyler 23. Doug Kekich-DNS 24. Brian

Staph-DNS 25. Mike Shearer-DNS.

Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds: 1. LOU BLANEY 2. Tommy Kristyak 3. Joe

Crawford 4. Carl Murdick 5. Gary Risch, Jr. 6. Dean Pearson 7. Don McKnight

8. Rodney Beltz 9. Rob Kristyak 10. Chad Reitz 11. Rick Kress 12. George

Davis 13. Bob Dorman 14. Lou Gentile 15. Phil Evans 16. Rick Hall 17. Mark

Sevin 18. Tim Doran 19. Rob Curtis 20. Kevin Bolland 21. Carl Weatherby 22.

Frank Guidace 23. Les Myers 24. Steve Young-DSQ 25. J.R. McGinley-DNS 26.

John Boyer, Jr.-DNS.

New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. ANDY PRIEST 2. Bill

Adams 3. John Buchanan 4. Curt Matthews 5. Gary Bollinger 6. Chanda Reitz 7.

Rick Hall 8. Allen Ferry 9. Tom Mattocks 10. Al Priester 11. D.J. Schrader

12. Steve Young 13. Zack Moran 14. Fred Sasse 15. Dave Coggswell 16. Bill

Baptiste 17. Andy Paden 18. Brad Watson 19. John Jones 20. Mark Angerett,

Jr. 21. Tommy Marshall III 22. Morgan Sasse 23. Jerry Schaffer 24. Randy

Rodemoyer 25. Leroy Johnson-DNS 26. Mike Mathieson-DNS 27. Gary Smoker-DNS.

Butterfield's Pub Stock Cars: 1. BILL HANNA 2. Dave Ferringer 3. Brian

Miller 4. Gray Robinson 5. Willie Aley 6. Mike Aley 7. Greg Beach 8. Rusty

Moore 9. Rick Norco 10. Shaun Hooks 11. Andy Thompson 12. Bobby Whitling 13.

Kevin Thompson 14. Bob Sloss 15. Rick Anthony 16. Gary Norman 17. Bob Hays

18. Dan Fedorchak 19. Andy Buckley 20. Ron Iorio 21. Ed Hays 22. Tim

Zuschlag 23. Russ Kapalin 24. Gary Miller, Jr. DNQ-Ray Bailey, Jr., Matt

Rubright, William George, Sr., Don Greenlee, Earl Snyder, Erick Cwynar, Ray

Gregory, Paul Upshire, Lonnie O'Brien, Adam Aley, Mark Covert, Jeff Kravec,

Ed Lombardo, Mark Felicetty.

P.C.T.C. Senior Series: 1. TERRY WHEELER 2. Bill Wheeling 3. Pat Wilcox 4.

Ed Bashaar 5. Don Gamble 6. John Shetler 7. Sid Haas 8. Don Bauer 9. Dave

Nicholas 10. Don Luffy 11. John Cokor-DSQ 12. Bud Holben-DNS.