Felmlee and Blaney Snare

Thrilling Mercer Sprint and

Modified Wins

by Mike Leone

June 5, 1999

Mercer (PA)...Bob Felmlee (Waste Management Sprint Cars) and Lou Blaney (MercerPros.com DIRT Modified) were the big winners Saturday evening on the sixth night of racing at Mercer Raceway Park in 1999. Other winners were Carl Weatherby (Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modifieds), Don McKnight (Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds), and Brian Booher (Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stocks).

Mercer Crashes -- June 5, 1999

Bob Felmlee passed fellow Franklin, Pa. driver Jason Jacoby on the last lap to win a thrilling 20-lap Waste Management Sprint Car Feature for the second week in a row. "I feel real bad for Jason (Jacoby). He needs to win his first one. I drove it in a little hard and I guess he almost lost it. I’d like to see Jason win one soon," said the driver of the Car*Mate Trailers/World of Wheels/Lutz Auto Body #6 from victory lane.

Jacoby jumped out into the lead, while Felmlee began his journey to the front from the ninth spot. On lap five, Felmlee worked into the top five passing Terry Young. His next victim was Arnie Kent on lap nine for fourth. Two cautions with 12 and 13 laps completed erased Jacoby’s lead he progressively built up. Gary Edwards’ fine run came to an end when he received a bent axle moving Felmlee and Jimmy Hawley to third and fourth during the caution.

When racing resumed a good battled developed for second with Kekich, Felmlee, and Hawley eyeing Jacoby. Felmlee dove under Kekich to finally get by on lap 15 for runner-up. Hawley followed one lap later taking third. With four laps to go, Jacoby, Felmlee, and Hawley broke free from the pack. Felmlee was all over Jacoby, who was looking for a career first win, on the final lap. Entering turn three, Felmlee slid under Jacoby for the lead. Jacoby gave one last ditch effort as he tried to return the favor, but came up short for his second straight runner-up finish to Felmlee. It was Felmlee’s third Mercer win of the season and sixth overall in 1999. "We had the car too loose. James Wray does a good job for me. We had it too tight coming off the corners," said Felmlee. "This new Mercer Raceway-there’s no dust and it’s tacky. We’re not use to it. Vicki (Emig) and Frank (Benic) do a good job and we like coming here."

Hawley was third and holds a three-point lead over Felmlee in the points chase. Mike Kekich was a season-best fourth as Arnie Kent completed the top five. Sixth through tenth were Troy Preston, Young, Tommy Burns, Jr., Jamie Smith, and Mike Marano II. Preston and Hawley won the heats.

Lou Blaney scored a very popular first win in the 20-lap MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature receiving a loud ovation from the overflowing crowd. Blaney’s winning move came on lap 17 passing Guy Griffin for the win. "It’s good to win here again for these people," said the Hartford, Ohio legend referring to his first win at Mercer since August 15, 1998. "I love them (the Mercer fans). They love me. It’s great! Thank you. We’ve raced here a long time. It’s always been a good place and we appreciate it," said the driver of his son Dave’s Colonial Metal Products/Troy Alan Chevrolet #10.

Guy Griffin and Rodney Beltz battled for most of the race as Griffin maintained a slight advantage. Blaney, who started ninth, cracked the top three passing Bill Dorman on lap nine. Blaney ran down Beltz and Griffin as the three pulled away by the half-way mark. On lap 14, Beltz went high to move by the slower car of Don Blaney, while Lou slipped under both his nephew and Beltz for second. Three cautions stopped action with 14 laps completed, including a five-car melee which started when Andy Priest got tagged from behind and caught Scott Rodgers, Rob McClimans, Troy Schaffer, Howard Duff, and Randy Myers, with his car rolling over. All of the drivers were okay, but Rodgers, McClimans, and Myers’ car suffered heavy damage. When racing resumed, Blaney was all over Griffin. Coming off turn two during lap 17, Blaney took over and led the rest of the way for the win. Griffin was a season-best second. Beltz, Dorman, and Jerry Bickel were third through fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Rick Hall, Steve Young, Don Blaney, Mark Sevin, and Todd Schaffer. Heat winners were Hall and Tim Doran. Carl Murdick holds a one-point lead over Young in the points race.

Tommy Kristyak was the point leader coming into action, but was suspended for two weeks for two counts of unsportsman-like conduct in last week’s feature. Also, note that Kristyak was moved to last place in last week’s finish changing the official finish for spots 11-16.

West Penn Liimited Modifieds

Mercer West Penn Action with Boyd Johnson-4j,

Mike Kelley-10 and Rob Kristyak-00.

-- © Jim Balentine Photo

DIRT Modifieds

Three-wide Mercer modified action with

Rob McClimans -5m, Howard Duff-73

and Scott Rogers-26. -- © Jim Balentine Photo

Carl Weatherby won his third of the year in the 20-lap Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modified Feature. Weatherby started seventh and took over second from Steve Barr on lap four. Two laps later came Weatherby’s winning move as he drove his #919 by Jim Bickel for the second week in a row. Weatherby ran off for the half-lap win as the last 15 laps went non-stop. A great five-car battle took place for second with Bickel holding off Harold Michaels, Randy Ferguson, Kenny Hardy, and Frank Guidace. Taking heats were Weatherby and Lou Gentile.

Second-year driver, Don McKnight, is having a great sophomore season. The

Jamestown, Pa. driver won his second 20-lap Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modified Feature and took over the point lead from Gary Smoker. Rick Hall, Gary Bollinger, and McKnight moved by Steve Walsh on the start for positions one through three. McKnight and Scott Kay passed Bollinger for second and third on laps four and six respectively. The last 16 laps went non-stop with McKnight all over Hall. On lap 16, McKnight put his #67 by Hall for the winning move. McKnight survived a last corner move by Hall to win by two car lengths. Kay, Bollinger, and Shon Derr completed the top five. Scoring heat wins were Rob Kristyak, Jeremiah Shingledecker, and John Buchanan.

Brian Booher of Sandy Lake, Pa. returned to victory lane for the first time since August 31, 1996 in the 15-lap Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Feature. Leigh Wheeler passed Byron Brannon, Jr., Jim Riffenberrick, Willie Aley, and Mike Aley all on the first lap for the top spot. Booher worked his way from the eighth starting spot to take second from Brannon on lap three. Teammates Wheeler and Booher put on good battle like they did years ago. Booher’s winning move came on lap six passing Wheeler in his Stake Specialty/R&R Auto Sale #2B. Wheeler was second. Bill Hanna got around Riffenberrick on the final lap for third and took over the point lead from Gary Robinson. Lynn Hostetler was fifth. Robinson, John Reiser, and Albert Hays won the heats. Hostetler won the B main.

Pure Stocks

Jim Brunson leads a pack of pure stocks

around turn 4 at Mercer.

-- © Jim Balentine Photo

Waste Management Sprint Car Feature Finish:

1. BOB FELMLEE

2. Jason Jacoby 3. Jimmy Hawley 4. Mike Kekich 5. Arnie Kent 6. Troy Preston 7. Terry Young 8. Tommy Burns, Jr. 9. Jamie Smith 10. Mike Marano II 11. Dave Wagner 12. Jim Damon 13. Gary Edwards 14. Eric Hysong 15. Staple Nash 16. Jim Chappel 17. Mark Imler 18. Gary McCollum.

MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature Finish:

1. LOU BLANEY

2. Guy Griffin 3.Rodney Beltz 4. Bill Dorman 5. Jerry Bickel 6. Rick Hall 7. Steve Young 8.Don Blaney 9. Mark Sevin 10. Todd Schaffer 11. Troy Schaffer 12. Skip Moore 13. Lonny Riggs 14. Carl Murdick 15. Andy Priest 16. Tim Doran 17. Randy Myers 18. Scott Rodgers 19. Rob McClimans 20. Howard Duff 21. Jim Reagle-DNS.

Miller Lite/AMSOIL Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish:

1. CARL WEATHERBY

2. Jim Bickel 3. Harold Michaels 4. Randy Ferguson 5. Kenny Hardy 6. Frank Guidace 7. Gregg McCandless 8. Conny Allen 9. Mark Welsh 10. Rick Kress 11.Bill Adams 12. Jerry Schaffer 13. Dustin Kress 14. Steve Barr 15. Lou Gentile-DNS.

Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modified Feature Finish:

1. DON MCKNIGHT

2. Rick Hall 3. Scott Kay 4. Gary Bollinger 5. Shon Derr 6. Marty Kristyak 7. Tom Mattocks 8. John Buchanan 9. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 10. Joe Walsh, Jr. 11. Rick Ryder 12. Randy Rodemoyer 13. Bob Young 14. Steve Walsh 15. Mike Kelley 16. Boyd Johnston, Jr. 17. Ron Sasse 18. Gary Smoker 9.Buck Buchanan 20. Kevin Thompson 21. Jeremiah Shingledecker 22. Rob Kristyak 23. Skinny Hall 24. Mike Gardner 25. Bill Thompson-DNS.

Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Feature Finish:

1. BRIAN BOOHER

2. Leigh Wheeler 3. Bill Hanna 4. Jim Riffenberrick 5. Lynn Hostetler 6. Todd Titus 7. Jim Brunson 8. Lisa Whitehouse 9. Jeff Kravec 10. Pat Hile 11. Willie Aley 12. Ray Bailey 13. Gary Johns 14. Charlie Baptiste 15. Buck Sevin 16.Brian Miller 17. George Davis 18. Rick Anthony 19. Byron Brannon, Jr. 20. Bill Banick, Jr. 21. Mike Aley 22. Gary Robinson 23. Albert Hays 24. John Reiser DNQ-Dan Fedorchak, Mark Covert, Steve Reed, Tim Zushlag, Terry Kroner, Brian Mathieson, Tony Spaghetti, Andy Buckley, Chuck Kerr, Ed Hays.