Engel wins non-stop Sprint feature; Priest doubles again in Mercer Big-Block & Sportsman Mods
By Mike Leone
August 5, 2000
Mercer (PA)...Saturday night racing action was completed at Mercer Raceway Park for the 16th time in 2000. Scoring wins and celebrating in the Autobody Products Inc. victory lane were Ralph Engel, Jr.-Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Cars, Andy Priest-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Lou Gentile-358 Modifieds, Andy Priest-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Matt Lux-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars. Speedo the Speedway Clown made his first-ever stop at Mercer and entertained the fans throughout the night.
Ralph Engel, Jr. pulled off an upset to win his first career Mercer Raceway Park win in the non-stop 20-lap Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Car Feature defeating a persistent Rob Eyler. "That was the best race I have ever had with anyone in my life," said the jubilant Baden, Pa. driver. Rob (Eyler) did a super job-it was fun. I was tickled to death to beat him!"
Engel darted ahead of Eyler at the wave of the green flag. Mike Kekich drove by Brad Ellenberger and Scott Bonnell for third on the opening lap. Arnie Kent moved into fourth first passing Bonnell and Ellenberger, then Jamie Smith on lap three.
Engel had opened up some ground on Eyler, but the three-time Sportsman’s Speedway winner, closed right on Engel’s tail on lap six. The leaders caught traffic on the eighth circuit as green flag racing continued. Eyler was all over Engel as the two sliced and diced through traffic. Coming off turn two on lap nine saw Eyler take the lead with an inside move.
At the halfway point, the K’s of Kekich and Kent closed on the E’s of Engel and Eyler to make it a four-car race. Kent finally disposed of Kekich for third on lap 13. On lap 14, Engel got back by Eyler in traffic to nose ahead at the start-finish line. Eyler wasn’t about to give up as he was right back on Eyler on lap 18. The following lap saw Eyler make the same move that got him the lead on lap nine, but Engel kept on the hammer and reassumed the lead coming off turn four with the white flag waving.
Engel held off Eyler on the final lap for the non-stop win timed in 5:17.93 driving the Mark Kubick and Ralph Engel-owned #55. "We hadn’t been coming here in a couple years, but we’ve been coming this year ever since the wingless show when I don’t work," said the winner. "When we put the wing on, it was a lot better. We’ve been fast every time and I told the guys I think I can win here. Now I did and I’m just tickled to death."
In a near identical race to June 3 when Jason Jacoby won his first race in a non-stop event that saw Jacoby and Eyler swap the lead back and forth, Eyler had to settle for second again. Kent was third. Brad Ellenberger passed Kekich for fourth on lap 15. Andrusky also got by Kekich for fifth and took over the point lead from Jamie Smith by one point. Completing the top 10 were Tommy Burns, Jr., Kekich, Smith, Bonnell, and Gary Edwards. Winning the heats over the 21-car field were Kekich and Dave Penezich, Jr.
Andy Priest picked up his third 20-lap Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature win of the season. "I’d like to thank everyone that helps out," said the New Castle, Pa. winner. "Don Blackshear builds the engines for this car, and I can’t thank my mom and dad enough because without them I wouldn’t be here."
Carl Weatherby, John Braymer, and Priest all drove around Rob Curtis on lap one. Priest then got by Braymer, and made the pass for the lead on lap seven taking Weatherby racing off turn four. A series of cautions during the middle point of the race jumbled up the field. On the lap 14 restart, Weatherby got crossed up and a 12-car pile-up ensued with Rick Hall getting turned over. All drivers were okay.
When green flag racing resumed, Priest quickly opened up his lead on Braymer. Carl Murdick, who started ninth, assumed third and began to battle with Braymer. While the two went at it, Priest pulled away for the win in his WAR-FAB-sponsored #21N.
Braymer held off Murdick for his best Mercer finish in second. Dean Pearson came from 22nd to place fourth over 13th starter Steve Young. Rounding out the top 10 were Tommy Kristyak, Rodney Beltz, Weatherby, Jim Rombold, Jr., and a first career top 10 for rookie big-block driver George Davis. Heat event winners over the 23-car field were Beltz and Lonny Riggs.
In the 20-lap experimental open 358 Modified Feature, Lou Gentile of Youngstown, Ohio picked up the win in the Emig Racing #1 Ford-powered six-cylinder. Frank Guidace jumped into the lead at the start to lead his first laps of the season. Gentile started fifth and was up to third passing Jerry Bowser on lap two. Gentile made the pass for second on lap four taking the spot from Dave Dissinger. Following the restart for Jerry Schaffer’s spin, Gentile drove to the outside of Guidace and made the pass stick on lap five for the lead. Once in front, Gentile pulled away for the dominating $500 win, his 10th overall of 2000. Guidace was second. Hidden Valley Speedway regular, Mike Stine who started 10th, passed Dissinger for third on lap 10 in his first-ever Mercer start. Dissinger, a former Big Diamond Speedway Champion who hails from the eastern Pa. town of Mohrsville, finished fourth in his first-ever start. Schaffer came back to finish five. Gentile and Jim Bickel won the heats over the 24-car field.
For the second time in three weeks, Andy Priest doubled up winning both the Big-Block and Sportsman Modified Features. Rick Ryder, who started seventh, came up through the pack to take the lead from Allen Ferry on lap three. Priest, who spun out on lap two, came from the rear of the field and entered the battle on lap 11 passing both Dean Pearson and Tom Mattocks for second. Ryder’s chance at his first career win were erased when he lost a wheel on lap 13 handing the lead to Priest. Once in front, there was no denying Priest of his fifth sportsman win and eighth Mercer win of the season in the Ted Hull-owned, MPR Lumber/Griffin-sponsored #41. Gary Smoker, driving the Gary Bollinger #84, came from 21st up to second only to slow in the closing laps allowing Mattocks, Pearson, and Chanda Reitz to get by for second through fourth respectively. Smoker held on to fifth. Mattocks, Priest, and John Buchanan scored heat wins over the 25-car field.
Matt Lux of Franklin, Pa. just keeps on rolling as he racked up his fifth 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature win in just 11 visits. Kevin Thompson took the lead from his pole position. John Reiser, who started fifth, entered the mix taking second from Mike Aley on lap seven. Following a restart, Jeff Buccella passed both Aley and Reiser for second on lap 12. Lux, who started 13th, passed Reiser for third on the lap 13 restart, then charged by Buccella later that lap for second. Lux’s made the winning pass coming off turn four on the outside with the white flag waving. Lux went on for his ninth overall win of 2000 in his Dulaney’s Garage/Mike Jez Heating and Cooling-sponsored #21. Thompson held off Buccella for second. Reiser was fourth over Dave Ferringer. Heat victors over the 33-car field were Brian Miller, Andy Buckley, and Buccella. Leigh Wheeler won the B main.
Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Car Feature Finish: 1. RALPH ENGEL, JR. 2. Rob Eyler 3. Arnie Kent 4. Brad Ellenberger 5. Kevin Andrusky 6. Tommy Burns, Jr. 7. Mike Kekich 8. Jamie Smith 9. Scott Bonnell 10. Gary Edwards 11. Mark Murphy 12. Dave Penezich, Jr. 13. Joe McEwen 14. Goob Schuller 15. Gary McCollum 16. Terry Young 17. Jason Jacoby 18. John Jones 19. Ralph Spithaler, Jr. 20. Shon Barris 21. Gary Stallard-DNS.
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature Finish: 1. ANDY PRIEST 2. John Braymer 3. Carl Murdick 4. Dean Pearson 5. Steve Young 6. Tommy Kristyak 7. Rodney Beltz 8. Carl Weatherby 9. Jim Rombold, Jr. 10. George Davis 11. Rich Ferguson 12. Don McKnight 13. J.R. McGinley 14. Rick Hall 15. Brian Swartzlander 16. Rob McClimans 17. Jeremiah Shingledecker 18. Tim Doran 19. Dave Murdick 20. Rob Curtis 21. Lonny Riggs 22. Lou Blaney 23. Tommy Mason, Jr.-DNS.
358 Modified Feature Finish: 1. LOU GENTILE 2. Frank Guidace 3. Mike Stine 4. Dave Dissinger 5. Jerry Schaffer 6. Randy Ferguson 7. Steve Barr 8. Jeff Schaffer 9. Conny Allen 10. Rick Kress 11. Joe Kane 12. Harold Michaels 13. Jim Reagle 14. Ed Alcorn 15. Jerry Bowser 16. Gerry Bruce 17. Jim Bickel 18. Steve Young-DSQ 19. Mark McEwen-DNS 20. Kenny Hardy-DNS 21. Howard Duff-DNS 22. Gary Smoker-DNS 23. Bill Adams-DNS 24. Marvin Williams-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature Finish: 1. ANDY PRIEST 2. Tom Mattocks 3. Dean Pearson 4. Chanda Reitz 5. Gary Smoker 6. Andy Paden 7. Fred Sasse 8. Greg Unrue 9. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 10. Allen Ferry 11. J.R. Greer 12. Mike Mathieson 13. Rick Hall 14. Dave Coggswell 15. Bill Thompson 16. John Buchanan 17. Brad Watson 18. Buck Buchanan 19. Doug Updyke 20. Rick Ryder 21. Randy Rodemoyer 22. Bob Young 23. Leroy Johnson, Jr.-DNS 24. Zack Moran-DNS 25. Darrell Combs-DNS.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature Finish: 1. MATT LUX 2. Kevin Thompson 3. Jeff Buccella 4. John Reiser 5. Dave Ferringer 6. Brian Miller 7. Todd Titus 8. Gary Miller, Jr. 9. Mike Aley 10. Willie Aley 11. Ed Hays 12. Dan Fedorchak 13. Tim Zuschlag 14. Ray Bailey, Jr. 15. Pat Wilcox 16. Leigh Wheeler 17. Tony Bruno 18. Jim Brunson 19. Andy Thompson 20. Gary Robinson 21. Dave Phillips 22. Brian Booher 23. Jim Riffenberrick 24. Andy Buckley DNQ-Adam Aley, J.R. Ziegler, Randy Riffe, Rick Anthony, Ray Yuran, Bob Sloss, Brian Carothers, Rick Norco, Jeff Kravec.