Blaneys 5th Mercer Modified win is worth $1,500

by Mike Leone

June 10, 2000

Mercer (PA)...The eighth event of the 2000 season was put in the record books on Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park. Carrying the checkered flag to the Autobody Products Inc. victory lane were Lou Blaney-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Lou Gentile-Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modifieds, Gary Smoker-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Brian Miller-Butterfields Pub Stock Cars.

Lou Blaney continued his incredible 2000 season by winning the 25-lap "Legacy" event for the Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds. "We work hard," said the veteran Hartford, Ohio driver. "Ive got a good crew. We put a lot of effort in it and it pays off."

Tommy Kristyak took the early advantage, while Blaney fell to second as a pill draw determined the first 12 starting spots. Rodney Beltz got around Blaney for second on lap two. Beltz though could only hold Blaney back until lap seven when Blaney got back around in lapped traffic.

Following a restart for Howard Duffs spin, Lonny Riggs and Tim Doran both went around Beltz for third and fourth. Then later that lap, Doran cleared Riggs for third. Two more cautions, one for Mike Sutton and the other for Dick Rankin, bunched the field back up again.

On lap 13, Blaney made the winning move going to the top side to get around Kristyak coming off turn four. At this point, it appeared 11th starting Doran had the fastest car. Doran finally disposed of Kristyak for second on lap 20 with a nice inside move coming off turn four. Doran ran down Blaney in the closing laps, but ran out of time as he had to settle for second. Blaney was able to win his fifth Mercer win of the season and 10th overall in the Troy-Alan Chevrolet/Carpenters Towing/Colonial Metal Products-sponsored #10. "I couldnt see nobody or here anybody," said Blaney in victory lane. "I had my line so it worked out. I wasnt going to move. It worked good on top."

Kristyak held on to third to keep his string of seven-for-seven in top fives intact. Beltz was fourth. Rookie big-block driver, Don McKnight, raced from 20th to finish fifth. His best finish of the year prior had been 11th. Sixth through tenth were Dean Pearson, J.R. McGinley, Rob Kristyak, Rick Hall, and Rob Curtis. Winning the heats over the 23-car field were Rob Kristyak, Blaney, and Kevin Bolland.

Like Lou Blaney, Lou Gentile also captured his fifth win taking the 15-lap Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modified Feature. The start of the race saw Jim Reagle come from third to take the lead from Mark McEwen on the opening lap. Reagle held the spot until fourth starter, Kenny Hardy, edged ahead to lead lap three. Randy Ferguson and Gentile dropped Reagle back two more spots on lap five.

Hardy then slowed on lap six giving the lead to 10th starting Ferguson with Gentile second and Reagle third. Frank Guidace, who started ninth, was on the move getting around Hardy and then passed Reagle for third on lap seven. The top three pulled away until a caution for Reagles spin with 10 laps completed. On the restart, Gentile had more horses on the outside and drove by Ferguson for the lead. The Youngstown, Ohio driver would lead the final five laps for the his 12th win in the last 16 features in the Emig Racing #1. Ferguson, Guidace, and Conny Allen were second through fourth for the third time this year. Bill Adams was fifth. Winning the heats over the season-high 15-car field were Hardy and Harold Michaels.

Gary Smoker of Mercer, Pa. put an end to tough 2000 season by winning his first 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature. John Buchanan took the lead at the start with Dave Scharder and fifth starting Smoker filling in behind on lap one. On the lap four restart for David Myers, Smoker got by both Scharder and Buchanan. One lap later, Scharder made the move past Buchanan for runner-up. Three more cautions gave Schrader enough chances, but Smoker had enough to hold on for his first win since August 28, 1999 in the Kristyak Service Plaza-sponsored #401. It was his leading 17th win of his career at Mercer. Scharder was second followed by Dean Pearson, Jason Longwells best finish of the season, and Rick Ryder. Heat victors over the 23-car field were Smoker, Chanda Reitz, and Buchanan.

Brian Miller of New Wilmington, Pa. was the benefactor of Jim Riffenberrick being disqualified for being too light at the scales to win his first of the season in the Butterfields Pub Stock Cars. Andy Buckley led the first four laps from the pole position until dropping from the event under caution giving the lead to Kevin Thompson. Thompson and eighth starting Riffenberrick battled side-by-side from laps six through eight.

Leigh Wheeler, who was running third, spun, and brought out the caution with nine laps completed. On the restart, Riffenberrick powered by on the outside coming off turn two for the lead. Then on lap 13, both Miller and John Reiser passed a slowing Thompson for second and third. Gary Miller, Jr. took third away from Reiser on lap 14. Riffenberrick appeared headed for an easy first win, but came up 48 pounds lights at the scales giving point leader, Brian Miller, the win in the Terry Hoover-owned, Fitzgerald Painting/NAPA of New Wilmington-sponsored #99M. Wednesdays winner, Gary Miller, Jr., was credited with second. Reiser, Willie Aley, and Rick Anthony all recorded their first top fives of the season. Scoring heat event wins over the 29-car field were Aley, Brian Booher, and Brian Miller. Jim Brunson won the B main.

Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature Finish: 1. LOU BLANEY 2. Tim Doran 3. Tommy Kristyak 4. Rodney Beltz 5. Don McKnight 6. Dean Pearson 7. J.R. McGinley 8. Rob Kristyak 9. Rick Hall 10. Rob Curtis 11. Bob Dorman 12. Jerry Bickel 13. Steve Barr 14. Lonny Riggs 15. Howard Duff 16. Carl Weatherby 17. Dick Rankin 18. Scott Ripper 19. Mike Sutton 20. Lee Miller 21. Jim Rombold, Jr. 22. Kevin Bolland 23. Carl Murdick-DNS.

Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish: 1. LOU GENTILE 2. Randy Ferguson 3. Frank Guidace 4. Conny Allen 5. Bill Adams 6. Jim Bickel 7. Mark Welsh 8. Mark McEwen 9. Joe Kane 10. Jim Reagle 11. Kenny Hardy 12. Harold Michaels 13. Dustin Kress 14. Rick Kress 15. Jerry Schaffer-DNS.

New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature Finish: 1. GARY SMOKER 2. Dave Scharder 3. Dean Pearson 4. Jason Longwell 5. Rick Ryder 6. Andy Paden 7. Gary Bollinger 8. Doug Updyke 9. Mike Mathieson 10. Buck Buchanan 11. Allen Ferry 12. J.R. Greer 13. Bill Thompson 14. Jeff Schaffer 15. Chanda Reitz 16. Kevin Thompson 17. John Buchanan 18. Darrell Combs 19. Barry Bulfone 20. Skinny Hall 21. David Myers 22. Leroy Johnson, Jr.-DNS 23. Randy Rodemoyer-DNS.

Butterfields Pub Stock Car Feature Finish: 1. BRIAN MILLER 2. Gary Miller, Jr. 3. John Reiser 4. Willie Aley 5. Rick Anthony 6. Jim Brunson 7. Gary Johns 8. Terry Kroner 9. Ed Hays 10. Brian Booher 11. Todd Titus 12. Mike Aley 13. Dave Ferringer 14. Leigh Wheeler 15. Ray Bailey, Jr. 16. Tim Zuschlag 17. Kevin Thompson 18. Adam Reseigh 19. Jim Davis 20. Rick Norco 21. Andy Buckley 22. Jeff Kravec 23. Albert Hays 24. Jim Riffenberrick-DSQ DNQ-Adam Aley, Dan Fedorchak, Vince Felicetty, Bill Banick, Jr., Gary Robinson.