Hawley and Blaney

Continue Winning Ways in Mercer Sprints and DIRT Mods

by Mike Leone

June 26, 1999

Mercer (PA)...Jimmy Hawley (Waste Management Sprint Cars) and Lou Blaney (MercerPros.com DIRT Modifieds) were the big winners on "Mudslinger" Mid-Season Championship Night Saturday evening at Mercer Raceway Park. Other winners were Lou Gentile (Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modifieds), Rick Hall (Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds), and Gary Robinson (Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stocks).

Jimmy Hawley completely destroyed his fellow competitors in the 20-lap Waste Management Sprint Car Feature lapping up to second place for his fifth win. The West Middlesex, Pa. driver was on Troy Preston at the end, but slowed up his torrid pace. "We didn’t want to push it," said Hawley. "We’re only as good as the team that’s behind me. You’ve got to give all the credit to Matt Draskovic and Ed Mihalcak. Those guys are the one’s that are making us fast. Doc and Debbie Crawford put together a real good team," said Hawley after his third straight Mercer win.

Hawley checked out when the green flag waved as he earned the pole for leading the points on Mid-Season Championship Night. Fourth-place starter, Jamie Smith, got around Arnie Kent, then passed Tommy Burns, Jr. coming off turn four on the first lap for second. But on lap five, the 1996 and 1997 track champion slowed and pitted with mechanical problems moving Burns and Kent back to second and third temporarily. Troy Preston was on the move again after starting eighth. Preston disposed of Kent for third on lap seven then caught Burns. On lap 13, Preston drove under Burns to make the pass in turn three. The following lap, Burns lost third to Kent.

While drivers were battling for positions, Hawley was in another zip code and crossed the checkers just a couple car lengths behind Preston as the race went non-stop in 5:09.68. "The track was great! You’ve got to give credit to Vicki Emig (promoter). It was a fast track and hopefully it will be like that the rest of the year, " said Hawley, who was utilizing a Kriner Engine in a Choice Chassis on Hoosier Tires. "We were on Hoosiers this week. It’s the first time we’ve really had them figured out. We worked with Stan Hover to do some testing," Hawley commented after his 10th overall win of the season.

Preston was second over Kent and Burns. Mike Kekich was fifth for his ninth top ten in nine races. Sixth through tenth were Gary Edwards, Joe McEwen, Terry Young, Dave Penezich, Jr., and Mike Marano II. Kekich and Hawley won the heats.

Lou Blaney was the 20-lap MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature winner for the third time in the past four weeks. Blaney’s ninth overall win came much easier after a flat tire by leader Guy Griffin. "It was a good race, but it took it away from Griffin. He was going real good. It’s a shame he had a flat tire. I don’t think I could have got by him," said Blaney. Blaney started sixth in the 23-car field and moved by Rick Hall for third on lap two. The Hartford, Ohio veteran took Griffin for second going to the outside of turn four on lap three. Following the restart for Troy Schaffer, both Blaney and Griffin drove by leader Steve Young as did Bill Dorman for third. After a spin by Bob Dorman with four laps completed, Griffin pulled ahead of Blaney on the restart. Jeff Hoffman was on the move after starting 12th. Hoffman raced by Dorman for the third on the backstretch during lap 11, while Griffin and Blaney pulled away. Blaney and Griffin were really going at it until Griffin’s flat tire on lap 16. Blaney was then able to lead the final five laps in the Colonial Metals/Carpenter’s Towing/Troy-Alan Chevrolet #10.

The win was worth an extra $100 to Blaney commemorating the 100th DIRT Modified Feature since Mercer reopened in 1994. Hoffman was a season-best second a half-straightaway behind Blaney. Young was third over Tommy Kristyak and Andy Priest, who started 20th. Sixth through tenth were Lonny Riggs, Hall, Jeff Schaffer, Jerry Bickel, and Bob Dorman. Heat winners were Young, Riggs, and Blaney.

Different last name, same scenario, was the story in the 20-lap Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modified Feature. Like Lou Blaney, Lou Gentile won his third race and was the benefactor of a flat tire. Carl Weatherby, Gentile, and Kenny Hardy distanced themselves from the field during green flag racing. But on lap 12, Weatherby suffered a flat tire giving the lead to Gentile. Gentile of Youngstown, Ohio was able to hold off Hardy for his second-straight win in the Emig #1. Hardy’s second-place finish was the sixth time the leading feature winner since ‘94 has been runner-up this year. Randy Ferguson’s third-place run moved him into the point lead and kept his string of nine for nine top tens alive. Harold Michaels and Jim Bickel were fourth and fifth. Heat victors were Ferguson and Hardy.

Rick Hall won a wild 20-lap Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modified Feature. Hall started third and passed Don McKnight for second on lap three. Scott Kay had led the first four laps, but lost the lead to Hall following the lap five restart. Tom Mattocks came from 10th to steal second from Kay on lap six. Hall and Mattocks battled the remainder of the race with Mattocks getting by Hall on the backstretch of lap nine. Hall stuck right on Mattocks and made the winning move on lap 19 coming off turn four on the outside. The Grove City, Pa. driver held on for his second win in the Hall Safety Equipment #2. Mattocks was a season-best second over John Buchanan, Gary Bollinger, and Jeremiah Shingledecker. Buchanan, Mattocks, and Shon Derr won the heats.

Gary Robinson continues to be the man to beat in the Pure Stocks. The Greenville, Pa driver got by Bill Hanna on the start and led all 15 laps of the Butterfield’s Pub Feature for his fourth win in his Cresswell’s Auto Align/Speir Homes #44R. Bill Hanna and Leigh Wheeler stayed a close second and third for the duration. Albert Hays, who started 11th, was fourth for the second-straight week and Dan Lewis came from 19th to get fifth. Taking the heats were Brian Booher, Hanna, and Andy Buckley. Lewis won the B main.

Waste Management Sprint Car Feature Finish:

1. JIMMY HAWLEY

2. Troy Preston 3. Arnie Kent 4. Tommy Burns, Jr. 5. Mike Kekich 6. Gary Edwards 7. Joe McEwen 8. Terry Young 9. Dave Penezich, Jr. 10. Mike Marano II 11. Rick Anderson 12. Staple Nash 13. Troy Cochran 14. Jason Jacoby 15. Tom Quarterson 16. Dave Wagner 17. Jamie Smith..

MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature Finish:

1. LOU BLANEY

2. Jeff Hoffman 3. Steve Young 4. Tommy Kristyak 5. Andy Priest 6. Lonny Riggs 7. Rick Hall 8. Jeff Schaffer 9. Jerry Bickel 10. Bob Dorman 11. Mark Sevin 12. Skip Moore 13. Randy Myers 14. Tom Armstrong 15. Guy Griffin 16. Bill Dorman 17. Rich Ferguson 18. Scott Rodgers 19. Troy Schaffer 20. Jim Reagle 21. Carl Murdick-DNS 22. Greg Davis-DNS 23. Ron Eperthener, Jr.-DNS.

Miller Lite/AMSOIL Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish:

1. LOU GENTILE

2. Kenny Hardy 3. Randy Ferguson 4. Harold Michaels 5. Jim Bickel 6. Frank Guidace 7. Jerry Schaffer 8. Conny Allen 9. Bill Adams 10. Gregg McCandless 11. Mark McEwen 12. Carl Weatherby 13. Rick Kress.

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

1. RICK HALL

2. Tom Mattocks 3. John Buchanan 4. Gary Bollinger 5. Jeremiah Shingledecker 6. Don McKnight 7. Rick Ryder 8. Ron Eperthener, Jr. 9. Randy Rodemoyer 10. Rob Kristyak 11. Scott Kay 12. Jim Thompson 13. Skinny Hall 14. Fred Sasse 15. Jeff Miller 16. Boyd Johnston, Jr. 17. Andy Paden 18. Shon Derr 19. Marty Kristyak 20. Mike Kelley 21. Steve Walsh 22. Joe Walsh, Jr. 23. Buck Buchanan 24. Bob Young-DNS.

Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Feature Finish:

1. GARY ROBINSON

2. Bill Hanna 3. Leigh Wheeler 4. Albert Hays 5. Dan Lewis 6. Tim Mailliard 7. Todd Titus 8. Jeff Kravec 9. George Davis 10. Willie Aley 11. Steve Reed 12. Mike Aley 13. Dan Fedorchak 14. Tim Zushlag 15. Ray Bailey 16. Pat Hile 17. Chuck Kerr 18. Brian Booher 19. Brian Miller 20. Andy Buckley 21. John Reiser 22. Rick Anthony 23. Tony Bruno 24. Jim Brunson DNQ-Bill Banick, Jr., Charlie Baptiste, Byron Brannon, Sr., Randy Snider, Buck Sevin, Terry Kroner.