Andrusky wins first 410 Sprint Car race; Blaney reels off #7 in Mercer Modifieds
By Mike Leone
July 1, 2000
Mercer (PA)...Race #11 of the 2000 season was completed Saturday on "American Patriot Night" at Mercer Raceway Park. Holding the checkered flag in the Autobody Products, Inc. victory lane were Kevin Andrusky-Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Cars, Lou Blaney-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Lou Gentile, Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modifieds, Andy Priest-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Dave Ferringer-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars. All veterans of war were admitted free and a huge fireworks display was enjoyed. Sprint great Jack Hewitt gave three rides in his two-seater sprint car.
Kevin Andrusky scored a career first 410 Sprint Car win in the 20-lap Axa Advisors feature. "This feels really good," said the Hermitage, Pa. driver. "The first people I have to thank is my immediate family. There is no way I could do this by myself. This one’s for them."
The fast-paced, action-filled feature saw Randy Johnson take the lead from the pole position, while Andrusky got by Doug Kekich and Jason Jacoby for second on lap one. Johnson lost the lead when he got sideways and slid into the infield coming off turn four on lap two. This gave Andrusky the lead with Kekich and Jacoby trailing.
Tommy Burns, Jr. looked to have the fastest car early on. Burns started seventh and cracked the top five on lap two when he passed Terry Young. One lap later, Burns moved into fourth racing around Rob Eyler. Jamie Smith, who started 11th, followed Burns through the field. Smith got Eyler for fifth on the fifth lap. Burns moved up another spot when he got under Jacoby off turn four for third on lap six. Smith used the same pass on Jacoby three laps later for fourth.
On lap nine, Kekich closed in on Andrusky in lapped traffic as both drivers were searching for their first career 410 sprint wins. The race was halted when rookies Gary Stallard and Ed Etzel got together. Gary Edwards had no where to go and got upside down for the first time this year bringing out the red with nine laps completed. Edwards was okay, but done for the night.
When racing resumed, Burns and Smith continued their march to the front. Burns got under Kekich in turns one and two for second on lap 10. The following lap saw Smith make the pass on Kekich for third racing off turn four on the inside. Smith then got by Burns on lap 14 for runner-up using the same pass on the bottom coming out of turn four. The second and final caution was displayed when Randy Johnson came to a rest with 14 laps completed.
The last six laps went green-to-checker. Smith pressured Andrusky on the bottom, but Andrusky had enough on the top side to hold on for his first career Mercer win in the Coast to Coast Home Equity Corporation-sponsored #7. "I think the two cautions helped me," said the former micro sprint and 305 sprint winner. "The lapped cars were good enough to hold their line or go to the bottom. The top was the fastest for me."
Smith was second and continues to lead the points. An excellent race ensued for third the last five laps. Arnie Kent and Brian Ellenberger both passed Doug Kekich on lap 14 for fourth and fifth. The two then got by Burns on laps 17 and 18. Kent, who started 16th, was able to hold off Ellenberger for third. Burns dropped to fifth. Sixth through tenth were Terry Young, Kekich, Ralph Engel, Jr., Scott Bonnell, and Jim Chappel. Heat winners over the 24-car field were Smith, Eyler, and Ellenberger.
Another week, another win for Lou Blaney. The veteran driver recorded his seventh win in nine races in the 20-lap Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature. "It worked out good night," said the Hartford, Ohio legend. "The top was good; the bottom was good. They had a real good race track tonight."
For a while it appeared a new winner was in store. Carl Murdick grabbed the lead on lap one from Jerry Bickel, while fifth starter, Dean Pearson, passed Rick Hall and Steve Young for third. On lap two, Pearson and Young passed Bickel for second and third. By lap six, Pearson had run down Murdick and began to apply pressure. On lap eight, Pearson squeezed by Murdick for the lead going four-wide on the backstretch with the lapped cars of George Davis and Jim Rombold, Jr.
The only caution of the event may have denied Pearson of the win. Young was racing through lapped traffic when he got into Howard Duff necessitating the only caution of the event with 10 laps completed. This moved Carl Weatherby to third, Rodney Beltz to fourth, and Blaney up to fifth. Weatherby took runner-up from Murdick on the restart, while Blaney blasted around Beltz and Murdick for third.
Blaney overtook Weatherby for second coming off turn four on lap 13. Pearson kept his mount planted on the bottom, while Blaney used the top. Pearson did that for three laps holding off Blaney, but on lap 17, Pearson slipped high enough off turn four giving Blaney the opening for the lead.
Blaney then pulled away in the Carpenter’s Towing/Troy-Alan Chevrolet/Colonial Metal Products-sponsored #10 for his 27th win since Mercer reopened in 1994 moving him ahead of Tommy Kristyak for the most wins. "Dean ran good and deserved to win," said Blaney. "I got around him on the top side. It was either win or take second."
Pearson’s runner-up was his best finish of 2000. Weatherby’s third was his best finish in his rookie big-block season. Beltz was fourth for the fifth time this season. Murdick fell to fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Tim Doran, Bob Dorman, Don McKnight, Hall, and Bickel. Heat victors over the 21-car field were Murdick, Doran, and Young.
Sixty-one year-old Lou Gentile added win #6 in the 15-lap Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modified Feature. Kenny Hardy took the early lead, as Conny Allen and Bill Adams took second and third on lap one. Randy Ferguson and Gentile took third and fourth from Adams on lap four. Gentile got under Ferguson for third on the next lap. With five laps to go, Gentile raced around Allen for runner-up. By this time, Hardy had over a straightaway lead and appeared headed for his third win, but Jim Bickel brought out the only caution with 13 laps completed. When racing resumed, Gentile drove by Hardy on the backstretch of lap 14, while Hardy slid into the infield ending his night. The Youngstown, Ohio driver went on for his 33rd win since 1994 tying Carl Weatherby for second. Ferguson was second for the third time this year. Frank Guidace and Allen were third and fourth for the fourth time this season. Harold Michaels was fifth. Allen and Guidace won the heats.
Andy Priest of New Castle, Pa. won his third 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature. Priest started 11th in the caution-filled event. On lap six, Priest made a nice move driving around Tom Mattocks and Ron Eperthener, Jr. on the outside for second. Priest’s winning move came one lap later following a restart, when he passed Rick Ryder. Priest went on for the win in the Ted Hull-owned, MPR Lumber/Griffin-sponsored #41. Gary Smoker came from ninth to place second. Dean Pearson, who started 14th, completed a good night with a third place following a runner-up in the big blocks. Ryder, who led laps four through six, fell fourth over Mattocks. Taking heat event wins over the 27-car field were J.R. Greer, Mattocks, and Smoker. Fred Sasse won the B main.
Dave Ferringer of Cochranton, Pa. edged out Jim Brunson for his third 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature win. Ferringer started fourth and passed Jim Riffenberrick, Brunson, and Albert Hays on lap one for the lead. Hays slowed on lap three giving second to Brunson. Brunson chased Ferringer until the first caution was displayed for Jeff Kravec and Willie Aley with nine laps completed. When racing resumed, Brunson got by Ferringer coming off turn two on lap 10 for the lead. Brunson and Ferringer raced side-by-side the last four laps. Brunson was denied of his first career win again when Ferringer got a good run off turn four to nip him by a wheel-length at the checkers in his Maloney Tool & Die-sponsored #02. Andy Buckley passed Gary Miller, Jr. for third on lap 13 to record his first top five of the season. Miller was fourth over Brian Miller. Gary Miller, Jr., Ferringer, and Brian Miller scored heat wins over the 29-car field. Kevin Thompson won the B main.
Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Car Feature Finish: 1. KEVIN ANDRUSKY 2. Jamie Smith 3. Arnie Kent 4. Brian Ellenberger 5. Tommy Burns, Jr. 6. Terry Young 7. Doug Kekich 8. Ralph Engel, Jr. 9. Scott Bonnell 10. Jim Chappel 11. Jason Jacoby 12. Dan Shetler 13. Skip Dougherty 14. Randy Johnson 15. Ed Etzel 16. Nathan Hines 17. Larry Lamey 18. Jim Kennedy 19. Rob Eyler 20. Ralph Spithaler, Jr. 21. Gary Edwards 22. Kevin Schaeffer 23. Gary Stallard 24. Bob Cain-DNS.
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature Finish: 1. LOU BLANEY 2. Dean Pearson 3. Carl Weatherby 4. Rodney Beltz 5. Carl Murdick 6. Tim Doran 7. Bob Dorman 8. Don McKnight 9. Rick Hall 10. Jerry Bickel 11. Steve Young 12. Steve Barr 13. Tommy Mason, Jr. 14. Jimmy Faas 15. Howard Duff 16. George Davis 17. Jim Rombold, Jr. 18. Tommy Kristyak 19. J.R. McGinley 20. Rob Kristyak 21. Rob Curtis-DNS.
Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish: 1. LOU GENTILE 2. Randy Ferguson 3. Frank Guidace 4. Conny Allen 5. Harold Michaels 6. Jim Bickel 7. Mark McEwen 8. Joe Kane 9. Rick Kress 10. Kenny Hardy 11. Dustin Kress 12. Bill Adams 13. Jim Reagle-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature Finish: 1. ANDY PRIEST 2. Gary Smoker 3. Dean Pearson 4. Rick Ryder 5. Tom Mattocks 6. Rod Artman 7. Doug Updyke 8. Andy Paden 9. Fred Sasse 10. Greg Unrue 11. Chanda Reitz 12. Darrell Combs 13. Jim Thompson 14. Zack Moran 15. Mike Mathieson 16. J.R. Greer 17. Bill Thompson 18. Rick Hall 19. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 20. Gary Bollinger 21. Buck Buchanan 22. John Buchanan 23. Leroy Johnson, Jr. 24. Randy Rodemoyer DNQ-Brad Watson, Allen Ferry, Jason Longwell.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature Finish: 1. DAVE FERRINGER 2. Jim Brunson 3. Andy Buckley 4. Gary Miller, Jr. 5. Brian Miller 6. Rick Norco 7. Brian Booher 8. Leigh Wheeler 9. Kevin Thompson 10. Rick Anthony 11. John Reiser 12. Jim Davis 13. Ed Hays 14. Jeff Kravec 15. Willie Aley 16. Mike Aley 17. Todd Titus 18. Ray Bailey, Jr. 19. Dan Fedorchak 20. Kevin Bailey 21. Tim Zuschlag 22. Gary Robinson 23. Jim Riffenberrick 24. Albert Hays 25. Rusty Moore-DNS DNQ-Bill Fox, Brian Carothers, Adam Aley, Don Greenlee.