Blaney wins $4,000 in B.R.P. Modified Tour 2000 opener at Mercer

by Mike Leone

May 20, 2000

Mercer (PA)...On Bill Emig Memorial Night, Mercer Raceway Park completed its fifth show of 2000 on Saturday evening. Standing in the Autobody Products Inc. victory lane were Lou Blaney-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Jim Frontz-E-Mods, and Brian Booher-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars. Ryan Boyd won the first Demo Derby of the season.

After pitting early on, Lou Blaney came from the tail of the field to win the $4,000 to-win 50-lap opener for the B.R.P. Big-Block Modified Tour 2000 by American Racer on Bill Emig Memorial Night. "This is a nice one to win. Bill Emig was a nice person," said the Hartford, Ohio legend. "After the early incident, I’m just glad to be here in one piece."

Last year’s Bill Emig Memorial winner, Tommy Kristyak, looked strong early on racing into the lead on the opening lap, while Kevin Bolland followed passing George Hobaugh. Bolland used the outside to pass Kristyak coming off turn four for the lead on lap five. But two laps later, Bolland pitted with a flat tire moving Kristyak back to the lead, Hobaugh to second, and Tim Doran third.

At this point, it appeared Doran had the fastest car. Doran raced by Hobaugh for second on lap nine and ran down Kristyak. Kristyak and Doran began to distance themselves from the field. Another driver on the move was Jeff Schaffer, who was making his season debut. Schaffer, who started sixth, passed Hobaugh for third on the 18th lap.

Blaney was making his way back through the field. He passed Hobaugh to crack the top five, then disposed of Carl Weatherby on lap 26 for fourth. Doran began to apply heavy pressure to Kristyak as the two raced side-by-side on numerous occasions. On lap 29, Doran made a bold move sticking his #12 on the outside in turns three and four only to loop his mount with a flat tire. This moved Schaffer to runner-up and Blaney to third.

Following the restart for the Doran spin, Schaffer took the lead from Kristyak on lap 29. Blaney drove around Kristyak for second coming off turn two on lap 40. Meanwhile, Schaffer had opened up a decent lead as it appeared he was on his way for an upset win. With smoke trailing from Schaffer’s car, Blaney began to really close the gap with less than five laps to go. Two separate cautions, one for a Kevin Hoffman spin and another for Dick Rankin and Jeremiah Shingledecker, slowed action with 47 laps completed. It was the first caution in 19 laps.

When action resumed, Blaney got by Schaffer coming off turn two on the outside. It was a heartbreaking defeat as Schaffer then dropped out with a flat tire. Blaney led the final three laps for his third straight win and fourth win in five Mercer races this season in the Troy-Alan Chevrolet/Carpenter’s Towing/Colonial Metal Products-sponsored #10.

Kristyak was second for the second straight week and kept his perfect streak of top fives alive. Bolland raced back through the field after a flat tire to take third. Rodney Beltz was fourth over Chris Schiffer. Sixth through tenth were Lonny Riggs, Bill Dorman, Kevin Hoffman, Brian Fink, and Rick Hall. Heat winners over the season-high 36-car field were Hobaugh, Les Myers, Doran, and Schaffer. Big-Block Modified rookies, Jeremiah Shingledecker and Carl Weatherby, qualified for the big show winning the B mains.

Jim Frontz of Cambridge Springs, Pa. won the first appearance of the E-Mods in the 20-lap feature. Frontz started eighth as Bob McCann started from the pole and took the early lead. On lap six, third-place Shawn Domhoff dropped from the event moving Frontz to third. Frontz then got around Bobby Powell for second on lap 16 and ran down McCann. On the last lap, Frontz caught McCann and when McCann got sideways coming off turn four, Frontz slipped under to win by less than a car-length. It was Frontz’s first career win in eight years of trying and was worth $500 for the Maloney Tool & Mold-sponsored, Scott Bidwell-owned #94.3. Frontz became the sixth different E-Mod winner in the seven races ever held at Mercer. Dale Fuller, who started 11th, passed Powell on lap 19 for third dropping Powell to fourth over 21st starter, Jeff Haefke. Scott Stiffler, Powell, and Russ Dunn won the heats over the 28-car field. Jeff Rudrick won the B main.

Brian Booher of Sandy Lake, Pa. won his second of the year in the $500 to-win 20-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature. Gary Robinson passed Jim Davis on lap three for the lead. Booher moved into second on lap nine taking the spot from Davis. Following the restart for Dwight Boice’s spin, Booher made the winning move taking the lead from Robinson. Booher held on for his fifth career win in his Stake Specialties #2B. Robinson and Leigh Wheeler made contact on lap 18 allowing Davis to get back to second at the finish in his Mercer season debut. Point leader Brian Miller raced from 15th to place third to keep his perfect streak of top threes alive. Robinson held on to fourth with a tire going down. Boice came back from the early spin to record a fifth in his season debut. Winning the heats over the 29-car field were Robinson, Willie Aley, and Rusty Moore. Terry Kroner won the B main.

Notes...The 36-car big-block field were on American Racer MCMOD tires by Fred Woodward of Lias Tire...$10,000 went into the B.R.P. Modified Tour 2000 point fund thanks to American Racer with $4,000 going to the champion and $500 for 20th...New big blocks were George Hobaugh, Tim Engles, Steve Solari, Brian Fink, Kevin Hoffman, Jeff Schaffer, Mike Sutton, Jason Engles, and New York’s Rick Hoctor...Frank Guidace was credited with 17th in the feature after finishing second in the first B main with a six-cylinder. Guidace paced the field in a parade lap in memory of the late Bill Emig...Randy Myers and Kevin Hoffman received Tour provisionals...Rob Kristyak and Carl Murdick received Mercer provisionals as the top two point cars failing to make the feature. Murdick scratched allowing Jim Rasey to make the feature...$100 Half-way bonuses went to Tommy Kristyak, who led the lap, and Lonny Riggs, who was the last running car on the lead lap, compliments of Les Myers and Kromer Kraft...Les Myers was driving the Jeff Hoffman #00 back-up car as Hoffman was competing in the USNA opener in Syracuse...Also missing from the field were Tour regulars Andy Priest, Brian Swartzlander, and Jim Weller, who were also in Syracuse...Light drizzle and mist fell throughout the day and evening and temps were only in the low 50s, but the racing was completed nonetheless...The next B.R.P. Modified Tour 2000 event will be June 16 at the Lernerville Speedway...The 50-lap event was the highest paying big-block race in the history of Mercer Raceway Park and served as a tune-up for the 200-lap USNA event on July 16...The E-Mods will next appear on October 21 for the $1,000 to-win inaugural Little Guy Nationals on October 21.

B.R.P. Big-Block Modified Tour 2000 Feature Finish (money won in parentheses): 1. LOU BLANEY ($4,000) 2. Tommy Kristyak ($2,100) 3. Kevin Bolland ($1,000) 4. Rodney Beltz ($650) 5. Chris Schiffer ($500) 6. Lonny Riggs ($550) 7. Bill Dorman ($400) 8. Kevin Hoffman ($350) 9. Brian Fink ($300) 10. Rick Hall ($275) 11. Jerry Bickel ($250) 12. Jeremiah Shingledecker ($240) 13. Randy Myers ($230) 14. Jeff Schaffer ($225) 15. Dick Rankin ($225) 16. Rob Kristyak ($225) 17. Les Myers ($225) 18. Frank Guidace ($225) 19. Carl Weatherby ($225) 20. Jim Rasey ($225) 21. Tim Doran ($225) 22. George Hobaugh ($225) 23. Gary Risch, Jr. ($225) 24. Mike Sutton ($225) DNQ-Tim Engles ($100), Carl Murdick ($100), Jason Engles ($100), Steve Solari ($100), Greg Davis ($100), Lee Miller ($100), George Davis ($100), Steve Barr ($100), Rich Ferguson ($100), Rick Hoctor ($100), Scott Gurdak ($100), Cal Hull ($100).

E-Mod Feature Finish: 1. JIM FRONTZ 2. Bob McCann 3. Dale Fuller 4. Bobby Powell 5. Jeff Haefke 6. Scott Jones 7. Chuck Kennedy 8. Russ Dunn 9. Jeff Covelli 10. J.R. Mechling 11. Tim Henrich 12. Chuck Schell 13. Herm Myers 14. Chuck List, Sr. 15. Mike Anderson 16. Jim Abbott 17. Steve Haefke 18. Scott Stiffler 19. Arlan Coy 20. Scott Weaver 21. Jeff Sharp 22. Shawn Domhoff 23. Jeff Rudrick 24. Bill Hanna 25. David Strickler-DNS DNQ-Shawn Shingledecker, Bootie Petsko, Terry Yoder.

Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature Finish: 1. BRIAN BOOHER 2. Jim Davis 3. Brian Miller 4. Gary Robinson 5. Dwight Boice 6. Mike Aley 7. Willie Aley 8. Rick Anthony 9. Bill Banick, Jr. 10. Jeff Kravec 11. Dan Fedorchak 12. Gary Miller, Jr. 13. Leigh Wheeler 14. Andy Buckley 15. Glenn Pupino 16. Michael Turner 17. Terry Kroner 18. John Reiser 19. Kevin Thompson 20. Albert Hays 21. Rusty Moore 22. Matt Lux 23. Dave Ferringer 24. Ed Hays DNQ-Ray Bailey, Adam Aley, Bill Schall, Jr., Jim Miller, Todd Titus.