Swartzlander takes 2 of 3; Pearson wins other in Mercer Modified Triple 25s
By Mike Leone
May 19, 2001
Mercer (PA)...The annual Bill Emig Memorial Night was held Saturday night at
Mercer Raceway Park sponsored by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, Inc. Four new
winners celebrated in the Auto Body Products victory lane including Brian
Swartzlander twice and Dean Pearson-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds,
John Buchanan-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Bobby
Whitling-Butterfield's Pub Stock Cars. Justin Pakulniewicz won the second of
six "Gladiator Series" Demolition Derbies.
It's amazing what a little confidence can do. Western Pa. Big-Block Modified
star, Brian Swartzlander, came into the night shutout of victory lane in his
career at Mercer Raceway Park. At the end of night, Swartzlander passed 36
cars throughout the three features in route to two wins and a second place
worth $3,750- easily good enough to be crowned the "Legacy" Series Champion.
The first 25-lap feature saw the Leechburg, Pa. driver come from eighth to
capture his first career Mercer win. "I'm glad to break the ice here," said
a happy Swartzlander. "We've led a lot of big races here and something's
always happened. This is an exciting win for me. I'm really happy."
Gary Risch, Jr. took the early lead from Andy Priest on lap two, while
Bolland followed in second. Swartzlander powered into third on lap five
passing Priest. By lap seven, it was a three-car race between Risch,
Bolland, and Swartzlander. Swartzlander worked by Bolland for second on lap
11 and set his sights on his good friend Risch. On lap 12, Swartzlander went
to the outside and made the winning move.
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds Feature #1: 1. BRIAN SWARTZLANDER
($1,500) 2. Lou Blaney 3. Jeff Schaffer 4. Kevin Bolland 5. Tommy Kristyak
6. Gary Risch, Jr. 7. Frank Guidace 8. Bill Dorman 9. J.R. McGinley 10. Rick
Hall 11. Adam Siegel 12. Nick Ritchey 13. Rodney Beltz 14. Les Myers 15.
Jeremiah Shingledecker 16. Lou Gentile 17. Steve Young 18. Andy Priest 19.
Rob Curtis 20. Mike Sutton 21. Tim Doran 22. Joe Crawford 23. Dean Pearson
24. Lonny Riggs.
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds Feature #2: 1. DEAN PEARSON ($1,500) 2.
Brian Swartzlander 3. Tim Doran 4. Frank Guidace 5. Scott Gurdak 6. Kevin
Bolland 7. Lou Blaney 8. Lou Gentile 9. Jeff Schaffer 10. Rodney Beltz 11.
Dave Harbaugh 12. Adam Siegel 13. J.R. McGinley 14. Rick Hall 15. Gary
Risch, Jr. 16. Mike Sutton 17. Pete Simpson 18. Nick Ritchey 19. Tommy
Kristyak 20. Les Myers 21. Jeremiah Shingledecker 22. Andy Priest 23. Bill
Dorman 24. Joe Crawford 25. Lonny Riggs-DNS 26. Rob Curtis-DNS 27. Steve
Young-DNS.
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds Feature #3: 1. BRIAN SWARTZLANDER
($1,500) 2. Rodney Beltz 3. J.R. McGinley 4. Lou Blaney 5. Kevin Bolland 6.
Dean Pearson 7. Rick Hall 8. Chetter Johnson 9. Jeff Schaffer 10. Rob Curtis
11. Lou Gentile 12. Pete Simpson 13. Gary Risch, Jr. 14. Adam Siegel 15.
Mike Sutton 16. Frank Guidace 17. Andy Priest 18. Nick Ritchey 19. Tim Doran
20. Joe Crawford 21. Scott Gurdak 22. Dave Harbaugh 23. Jeremiah
Shingledecker 24. Bill Dorman 25. Tommy Kristyak-DNS 26. Les Myers-DNS 27.
Steve Young-DNS 28. Lonny Riggs-DNS
Did not qualify: Jim Weller, Mark Sevin, Randy Ferguson, Chris Schiffer,
Rich Ferguson, Phil Evans, Jr., Carl Weatherby, Ron Took, George Davis,
Randy Snider, John Boyer, Jr., Rick Kress, Carl Murdick, Lee Miller, Don
McKnight, Ed Alcorn.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds: 1. JOHN BUCHANAN ($500) 2.
Steve Young 3. Tom Mattocks 4. Chanda Reitz 5. Curt Matthews 6. Gary
Bollinger 7. Jerry Schaffer 8. Andy Paden 9. Ron Sasse 10. Dave Coggswell
11. Barry Bulfone 12. Bill Baptiste 13. Brad Watson 14. Ben Hamilton 15.
Morgan Sasse 16. Al Priester 17. Rick Hall 18. Randy Rodemoyer 19. Greg
Unrue 20. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 21. Allen Ferry 22. Andy Priest 23. Gary Smoker
24. Bill Adams-DSQ DNQ-Rick Ryder, John Jones, Mike Mathieson, Mark
Angerett, Jr., Jim Slater, Zack Moran, Les Myers.
Butterfield's Pub Stock Cars: 1. BOBBY WHITLING ($500) 2. Dave Ferringer 3.
Rick Norco 4. Mike Aley 5. Gary Robinson 6. Shaun Hooks 7. Willie Aley 8.
Bill Hanna 9. Rusty Moore 10. Gary Norman 11. Andy Buckley 12. Bob Sloss 13.
Kevin Thompson 14. Doug Iorio 15. Jeff Kravec 16. Ron Iorio 17. Danny Exley
18. Rick Anthony 19. Lynn Hostetler 20. Greg Beach 21. Brian Miller 22. Gary
Miller, Jr. 23. Dan Fedorchak 24. Jim Brunson-DSQ DNQ-Lonnie O'Brien, Keith
Nagy, Bob Hays, Andy Thompson, Ray Bailey, Jr., Mark Felicetty, Adam
Reseigh, Adam Aley, Bill Haas, Jim Miller, Don Greenlee, Erick Cwynar,
William George, Sr., Mark Covert, Robert Caszatt, Jr., Earl Snyder, Tim
Zuschlag.