Burns’ 2nd Sprint win worth $2,000; Pearson wins first-ever at Mercer in Modifieds

By Mike Leone

August 12, 2000

Mercer (PA)...Night #17 of the 2000 Mercer Raceway Park season was put in the record books on Saturday night. Scoring victories and celebrating in the Autobody Products Inc. victory lane were Tommy Burns, Jr.-Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Cars, Dean Pearson-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Lou Gentile-358 Modifieds, and Matt Lux-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars. Ryan Boyd was the winner of the third demo derby of the year.

Tommy Burns, Jr. won his second feature of the year in the 30-lap $2,000 to-win Axa Advisors Sprint Car special. "I owe it all to Jimmy Hawley and his crew because without them I wouldn’t be here," said the Cortland, Ohio driver. "I’ve also got to thank my crew for spending the long hours in the garage, everyone that’s helped me, and Mercer Speedway for the great track tonight."

Brad Ellenberger raced by pole-sitter Joe McEwen at the wave of the green flag. The first and only caution to slow action was for Goob Schuller, who slowed with three laps completed. The next 27 laps went green to checker keeping the fans on the edge of their seats.

When racing resumed, Ellenberger pulled away, while Burns got by Jamie Smith for third. Burns then ran down McEwen and made the pass for second on lap 11. Traffic didn’t become a factor until lap 13 as Burns began to close on Ellenberger. Meanwhile, Smith and seventh starter, Arnie Kent, disposed of McEwen for third and fourth on laps 15 and 17 respectively.

Burns erased any chance of a first-ever Mercer win for Ellenberger, when he passed the race-long leader coming off the inside of turn four on lap 18. Smith and Kent continued their way to the front by getting by Ellenberger for second and third on laps 20 and 21 respectively. Jimmy Hawley, who started 12th, was on the move. Hawley cracked the top five after passing McEwen on lap 19, then got Ellenberger for fourth a few laps later.

Burns set a strong pace, while a great three-car battle ensued for second with five laps to go. Hawley was able to get around Kent for third on lap 25, then took second away from Smith on the 26th lap. Hawley immediately ran down Burns and was all over him on lap 27. Going into turn one on lap 28, Burns brushed the wall with his right rear tire. Hawley went low trying to take the lead away, but did a 360 spin and kept going.

That was all Burns needed as he drove his #16 sponsored by Double Technology and Karl Brest to his 12th career Mercer win and became the first driver other than Hawley to repeat this season. "I didn’t know he (Hawley) was there, but I’m glad he spun" said Burns in victory lane.

Hawley’s spin allowed Smith, Kent, and Ralph Spithaler, Jr. to get by for positions two through four. Hawley rebounded for fifth. Mike Kekich came from 15th to place sixth over Craig Rankin, Rob Eyler, Ellenberger, and McEwen. Heat winners over the 33-car field were Rankin, Hawley, Jason Jacoby, and McEwen. Gary Edwards won the B main.

Dean Pearson scored an upset win topping the 25-lap $1,200 to-win Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified special. "I’ve got to thank the good Lord for making this all possible," said the Harrisville, Pa. driver in victory lane. "My crew does a great job and I couldn’t ask for a better car. The motor really ran."

Tim Doran jumped into the lead ahead of Kevin Bolland on the start. Pearson passed Rick Hall for third on lap two, then got ahead of Bolland racing off turn two on lap four for second. Doran set the pace for the first nine laps, but on lap 10, Pearson was able to get under Doran for the lead on the inside of turn four.

Pearson opened up some ground, while it appeared Rodney Beltz may have had the fastest car. Beltz started the event from seventh and moved by Hall for fourth on lap 17, then got around Carl Weatherby for third prior to the final caution for Tommy Kristyak with 21 laps completed. Another driver on the move was Lou Blaney, who started eighth. Blaney got around Hall for fifth before the caution, then took Weatherby for fourth on the restart.

With two laps to go it was a four-car race for the win with Pearson leading over Doran, Beltz, and Blaney. Beltz moved past Doran for second on lap 24, but didn’t have enough for Pearson, who went on for the win in his #8J. Doran edged Blaney for third. Hall was fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Weatherby, Don McKnight, J.R. McGinley, Jeremiah Shingledecker, and Bolland. Heat victors over the 25-car field were Doran, Blaney, and Hall.

Lou Gentile just keeps on winning. The Youngstown, Ohio driver made it two-for-two in the 358 Modified division by winning the 20-lap $500 to-win event. Andy Paden led the first two laps from the pole position until seventh starter, Frank Guidace, made his way to the front to take the lead. Gentile had to come from the rear after being involved in an early spin. Following the restart with seven laps completed, Gentile passed Jerry Schaffer, Gary Smoker, and Paden for second. Gentile then preceded to run down Guidace. The two battled hard on lap 11 swapping the lead, but on lap 12, Gentile got by for good coming off the outside of turn four. Once in front, Gentile pulled away for his ninth Mercer win and 11th overall in the Emig Racing #1. Guidace was second for the second straight week. Third through fifth were Schaffer, Smoker, and Steve Barr. Heat wins over the 16-car field went to Gentile and Guidace.

Matt Lux of Franklin, Pa. made it two in a row and six on the year by winning the 15-lap $400 to-win Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car special. Rick Anthony passed Ed Hays on the start for the lead, while Lux got by Jeff Buccella, Jim Brunson, and Hays to take second on the opening lap. Anthony and Lux distanced themselves from the field until a caution with seven laps completed. Anthony was able to hold off Lux on the restart to lead lap eight in search of his first career win. But on lap nine, Lux powered by Anthony coming off turn two on the backstretch. Lux drove off to his 10th overall win of 2000 in his Dulaney’s Garage/Mike Jez Heating & Cooling-sponsored #21. The battle was on behind Lux. Buccella passed both Gary Robinson and Brunson for third on lap 12, then nipped Anthony at the line on lap 14 to finish a second. Jim Hooks, who started 20th, came out of nowhere to take third. Robinson and Brian Miller got by a slowing Anthony to finish fourth and fifth. Scoring heat wins were Buccella, Andy Buckley, Kevin Thompson, and Miller. Willie Aley won the B main.

Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Car Feature Finish: 1. TOMMY BURNS, JR. ($2,000) 2. Jamie Smith 3. Arnie Kent 4. Ralph Spithaler, Jr. 5. Jimmy Hawley 6. Mike Kekich 7. Craig Rankin 8. Rob Eyler 9. Brad Ellenberger 10. Joe McEwen 11. Gary McCollum 12. Gary Edwards 13. Todd Bauer 14. Jason Jacoby 15. Mike Marano II 16. Dave Penezich, Jr. 17. Kevin Andrusky 18. Ralph Engel, Jr. 19. Terry Young 20. Doug Kekich 21. Buddy Cochran 22. Jamie McKinney 23. Goob Schuller 24. Mark Murphy DNQ-Bill Moore, Nathan Hines, Mike Shearer, Larry Clay, John Toth III, Shon Barris, Gary Stallard, John Jones, Charlie Cornelius.

Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature Finish: 1. DEAN PEARSON ($1,200) 2. Rodney Beltz 3. Tim Doran 4. Lou Blaney 5. Rick Hall 6. Carl Weatherby 7. Don McKnight 8. J.R. McGinley 9. Jeremiah Shingledecker 10. Kevin Bolland 11. Carl Murdick 12. Dave Schrader 13. Dave Murdick 14. Jerry Bickel 15. Dean Ruth 16. Ron Sasse 17. Rich Ferguson 18. Tommy Kristyak 19. George Davis 20. Steve Solari 21. Steve Young 22. Rob McClimans 23. Ron Smoker 24. Scott Ripper-DSQ 25. Rob Kristyak-DNS.

358 Modified Feature Finish: 1. LOU GENTILE ($500) 2. Frank Guidace 3. Jerry Schaffer 4. Gary Smoker 5. Steve Barr 6. Andy Paden 7. Allen Ferry 8. J.R. Greer 9. Ed Alcorn 10. Rick Kress 11. John Baptiste 12. Greg Unrue 13. Randy Ferguson 14. Steve Young-DNS 15. Harold Michaels-DNS 16. Bill Adams-DNS.

Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature Finish: 1. MATT LUX ($400) 2. Jeff Buccella 3. Jim Hooks 4. Gary Robinson 5. Brian Miller 6. Rick Anthony 7. John Reiser 8. Mike Aley 9. Rick Norco 10. Todd Titus 11. Jim Brunson 12. Jim Riffenberrick 13. Jeff Kravec 14. Gary Miller, Jr. 15. Shaun Hooks 16. Willie Aley 17. Ed Hays 18. Kevin Thompson 19. Terry Wheeler 20. Dave Ferringer 21. Andy Buckley 22. Bobby Whitling 23. Brian Booher 24. Dan Fedorchak 25. Brian Felmlee-DNS DNQ-Ed Lombardo, Tim Zuschlag, Dave Wagner, Jr., Mike Turner, Ray Bailey, Jr., Bill Fox, Don Greenlee, Adam Aley, Robert Wagner, J.R. Ziegler, Jim Davis, Andy Thompson.