Hawley and Priest victorious in Mercer headliners
by Mike Leone
April 29, 2000
Mercer (PA)...The second night of racing was completed Saturday evening at Mercer Raceway Park. Five new winners posed in the Autobody Products victory lane including Jimmy Hawley-Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Cars, Andy Priest-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, Kenny Hardy-Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modifieds, Rick Hall-New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Dave Ferringer-Butterfield’s Pub Stock Cars.
Jimmy Hawley put on a driving clinic coming from 15th to win his first 20-lap Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Car Feature of the season. "We’re finally back to where we were last year," said the 21-time 1999 sprint car winner. In the last three races, Hawley has a win at Lernerville, a sixth with the All Stars at Sharon, and a win at Mercer. "I’ve got to thank Matt Draskovich (crew member). He did a great job."
Arnie Kent jumped into the lead at the start leading the 25-car feature field. Cautions for Scott Bonnell and Bill Bailey, who was driving the Gary McCann #94, slowed action in the first three laps. Kevin Andrusky and Jarod Larson battled for second, while Hawley worked himself into fourth on lap nine taking the spot from Rob Eyler. A furious battle for second developed as Andrusky and Hawley passed Larson using the outside on lap 10.
Just prior to a caution for Randy Johnson with 14 laps completed, Hawley moved around Andrusky for second, while Ed Lynch, Jr. took Eyler for fourth. The restart would decide the race as Hawley drove under Kent for the lead going into turn one on the 15th lap. Once in front, Hawley drove off for the win in the Dr. John and Debi Crawford-owned #cIII. "I was getting a lot of good forward bite, and that was the key to victory," said the West Middlesex, Pa driver.
Kent brought his #18 home in second powered by a 360 c.i. engine after blowing the 410 on opening night. Lynch, who started ninth, passed Andrusky on lap 17 to finish third. Andrusky dropped to fourth in a solid run. Opening night winner, Mike Lutz, passed Larson on the 19th lap to finish fifth after starting 14th. Sixth through tenth were Larson, Jamie Smith, Eyler, Tommy Burns, Jr., and Andy McKisson. Kent, Eyler, and Troy Preston won heats over the 25-car field.
"I knew the 10 car (Lou Blaney) was coming, but this week I beat him," said a happy Andy Priest in victory lane following his 20-lap Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature win. It was Priest’s first Mercer big-block win since May 17, 1997.
Dean Pearson led the first two laps, before third starting Kevin Bolland took over on lap three. By lap four, Priest had moved into the fourth spot after passing Jim Reagle. On lap five, Steve Young, who started fifth, passed Pearson for runner-up just prior to a yellow for a Greg Davis spin. Following the restart, Priest made a move around both Pearson and Young for second.
Meanwhile, Lou Blaney was slowly picking off cars from his 10th starting spot. Blaney passed Pearson and Young to take over third on lap 11. Following a restart for a spin by Carl Murdick, Priest used the outside to get around Bolland on lap 12 for the winning move. Blaney grabbed second from Bolland on lap 14. As the laps ticked off, Priest had just enough to hold off the hard charging Blaney in his WAR-FAB-sponsored #21N. "This is a car I built and I’m real proud. The track was great," said the New Castle, Pa. driver.
Bolland followed Priest and Blaney to the checkers in third. Rodney Beltz came from 15th to place fourth over Tommy Kristyak, who came from the rear after an early spin. Completing the top 10 were Jeff Hoffman, Young, Lonny Riggs, Rick Hall, and Pearson. Heat wins went to Bob Dorman and Blaney over the 22-car field.
It took Kenny Hardy until the final race of 1999 to win his first feature of the season, but only two weeks in 2000 as the Wampum driver picked up the win in the 15-lap Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modified Feature. Hardy took the lead from Jim Bickel on lap one and never looked back for his 38th six-cylinder win since Mercer reopened in 1994 in the Hardy Trucking #85B. Lou Gentile came from sixth to finish second after passing Randy Ferguson on lap seven. Frank Guidace got around Ferguson for third on lap 12 dropping Ferguson to fourth ahead of Conny Allen at the finish. Hardy also won the heat race.
Rick Hall of Grove City, Pa. won the 20-lap New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature. Hall passed rookie J.R. Greer on the opening lap and led all the way in the Carhart-sponsored, Mopar-powered #B2 for his eighth career Mercer sportsman win. Opening night winner, Dave Schrader, who was involved in a seven-car melee on the first lap, came from the tail to finish second. Pearson was third after starting 11th. Chanda Reitz was fourth. Priest, who had a chance to win two features, spun while trying to pass Hall for the lead on lap 11, but did come back to finish fifth at the checkers. Double-duty big-block and sportsman racers, Pearson, Hall, and Priest, won the heats over the 29-car field.
Dave Ferringer of Cochranton, Pa. came out on top of a wild, barn-burner 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature. Ferringer, who started sixth, battled with opening night winner, Leigh Wheeler, for the entire race. Kevin Thompson led the first five laps before getting sideways and yielding the lead to Wheeler and second to Ferringer. Wheeler and Ferringer preceded to put on quite a show for the packed grandstands. The two raced side-by-side on lap 11 as Ferringer nosed ahead to lead lap 12. A caution with one lap to go set up a wild finish. The two raced side-by-side on the final lap making slight contact, but at the checkers, Ferringer pulled out his first career Mercer win in the Lowry Auto Body-sponsored #02. Brian Miller came from the tail after an early spin and nearly passed Wheeler at the checkers as the top three could have been covered by a blanket. Gary Robinson came from 21st to finish fourth ahead of Brian Booher. Heat victors over the 29-car field were Todd Titus, Wheeler, and Thompson. Andy Buckley won the B main.
Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Car Feature Finish: 1. JIMMY HAWLEY 2. Arnie Kent 3. Ed Lynch, Jr. 4. Kevin Andrusky 5. Mike Lutz 6. Jarod Larson 7. Jamie Smith 8. Rob Eyler 9. Tommy Burns, Jr. 10. Andy McKisson 11. Jack Sodeman, Jr. 12. Brad Ellenberger 13. Gary Edwards 14. Gary McCollum 15. Jamie McKinney 16. Doug Kekich 17. Mike Marano II 18. Randy Johnson 19. Randy Kriegisch 20. Scott Bonnell 21. Jason Jacoby 22. Mike Woodring 23. Bill Bailey 24. Troy Preston 25. Larry Clay.
Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature Finish: 1. ANDY PRIEST 2. Lou Blaney 3. Kevin Bolland 4. Rodney Beltz 5. Tommy Kristyak 6. Jeff Hoffman 7. Steve Young 8. Lonny Riggs 9. Rick Hall 10. Dean Pearson 11. Carl Weatherby 12. Jerry Bickel 13. Randy Myers 14. Steve Barr 15. Greg Davis 16. Rob Kristyak 17. Randy Chronister 18. Jim Reagle 19. Carl Murdick 20. Bob Dorman 21. Don McKnight-DNS 22. Dick Rankin-DNS.
Miller Lite Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish: 1. KENNY HARDY 2. Lou Gentile 3. Frank Guidace 4. Randy Ferguson 5. Conny Allen 6. Jim Bickel 7. Rick Kress 8. Mont Mattocks 9. Harold Michaels-DNS 10. Mark McEwen-DNS.
New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modified Feature Finish: 1. RICK HALL 2. Dave Schrader 3. Dean Pearson 4. Chanda Reitz 5. Andy Priest 6. Randy Rodemoyer 7. Rick Ryder 8. Gary Bollinger 9. J.R. Greer 10. Zack Moran 11. Doug Updyke 12. Bill Baptiste 13. Darrell Combs 14. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 15. Andy Paden 16. Mike Kelley 17. Gary Smoker 18. John Buchanan 19. Tom Mattocks 20. Barry Bulfone 21. Rod Artman 22. Jim Thompson-DNS 23. Kevin Latshaw-DNS 24. Ricky Rabiroads-DNS 25. Bob Young-DNS 26. Scott Kay-DNS 27. Greg Unrue, Jr.-DNS 28. Buck Buchanan-DNS 29. Joe Gibson-DNS.
Butterfield’s Pub Stock Car Feature Finish: 1. DAVE FERRINGER 2. Leigh Wheeler 3. Brian Miller 4. Gary Robinson 5. Brian Booher 6. Gary Miller, Jr. 7. John Reiser 8. Kevin Thompson 9. Willie Aley 10. Terry Kroner 11. Ed Hays 12. Andy Thompson 13. Tommy Dembowski 14. Ray Bailey 15. Tim Zuschlag 16. Todd Titus 17. Jim Brunson 18. Albert Hays 19. Bill Schall, Jr. 20. Dan Fedorchak 21. Andy Buckley 22. Mike Aley 23. Dan Lewis 24. Jeff Kravec DNQ-Jesse Umstead, Kevin Bailey, Chuck Kerr, Byron Brannon, Jr., Rick Anthony.