Hawley Wins Second in Sprints;

Hall Takes First in Mercer Mods

by Mike Leone

May 1, 1999

Mercer (PA)...Highlighting the third night of racing at Mercer Raceway Park

on Saturday evening were wins by Jimmy Hawley in Waste Management Sprints Cars and Rick Hall in MercerPros.com DIRT Modifieds. Other winners were Randy Ferguson in the Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modifieds, Gary Smoker in the Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds, and Brian Miller in the Pure Stocks.

Jimmy Hawley picked up win number two by taking the 20-lap Waste Management Sprint Car Feature. Hawley’s winning move came on lap 13 taking the lead from Gary Edwards. The win marked the West Middlesex, Pa. driver’s third overall win of the season and seventh since Mercer reopened in 1994.

Standing in victory lane with his son, Hawley commented on the difference from the last year to this year. "We’re not hurting for horsepower. The way we have the car set up this year compared to last year, there’s no comparison in the way the car feels." This could be trouble for the rest of the western Pa. considering Hawley had 16 wins in 1998.

Hawley’s run to the front began from the 11th position. Hawley worked his way into the top five taking both Ohio drivers, John Nervo and Eric Hysong, on lap seven. Seconds later, Nervo spun bringing out the caution. On the restart, six-starter Tommy Burns, Jr., drove by Arnie Kent for second and began to set his sights on pole-sitter Gary Edwards. One lap later, Hawley moved into third with a pass of Kent.

Tom Quarterson became the first Sprint flip victim of 1999. Quarterson toppled the John Sloss #00, while running in the top ten. He was okay, but through for the night. When racing resumed, Burns was pressuring Edwards for the lead when he slipped off the backstretch on lap 11 allowing Hawley to drive under for runner-up.

Hawley grabbed the lead coming of turn four on lap 13 performing a slide job. The rest was history as Hawley smoked them for the remaining laps in the Dr. John Crawford #cIII. Burns finally worked his way by Edwards on the backstretch on lap 16 for second. Bob Felmlee came from 10th to take third when he got Edwards on lap 19. Edwards held off Gary McCann, who recorded a career-best Mercer finish in fifth. Sixth through tenth were Jamie Smith, Hysong, Jason Jacoby, Mike Kekich, and Buddy Cochran. Heats went to Hawley and Felmlee.

Rick Hall won another wild and crazy 20-lap MercerPros.com DIRT Modified Feature holding off defending track champion Tommy Kristyak for the final 19 laps.

An eight-car melee occurred on lap two, then at another part on the race track, leader Dave Murdick and Steve Young tangled, sending both to the tail for the restart. This gave the lead to Bill Dorman, but as soon as action resumed, last week’s feature winner spun giving the lead to Hall and runner-up to Kristyak.

The two went at it for the remainder of the race at times running side-by-side, but Hall always had just enough power to fend off the challenges. Laps 16 and 17 saw Kristyak all over Hall. Two restarts with one-lap to go gave Kristyak every opportunity needed, but the night belonged to the Grove City, Pa driver who won his first of the year and sixth since 1994 in the Hall Safety Equipment #B4.

Point leader Carl Murdick had himself positioned for his third straight third place run, but broke on lap seven giving the spot to Lonny Riggs. Riggs stayed in the position right to the finish keeping Kristyak and Hall within striking distance for his best-career big-block finish in only his fifth start. Rob McClimans was fourth for the second-straight week, while Jeff Hoffman was fifth in a rare appearance. Sixth through tenth in the 25-car field were Young, Dorman, Jim Reagle, Dave Murdick, and Troy Schaffer. Hall and Randy Myers won the heats.

Randy Ferguson became the third different 20-lap Miller Lite/Amsoil Six-Cylinder Modified winner in as many nights. The Mercer, Pa. driver started fourth and gained the lead when Bill Adams, who led the race from laps two through ten and was looking for a career-first win, slowed on a lap 11 restart. Ferguson kept the 14 other competitors behind him and survived seven cautions for his second-career win in the #02. Kenny Hardy passed Harold Michaels for second on lap 19 dropping Michaels to third Lou Gentile was fourth as the Mercer Gardner’s Club was the recipient of this week’s money. Adams was fifth. Taking heats were Frank Guidace and Michaels.

With Andy Priest moving up to the DIRT Modifieds in Ted Hull’s #41 this year, Gary Smoker has easily become the driver to beat in the Quaker Steak & Lube West-Penn Limited Modifieds. Smoker again proved it winning his second 15-lap feature at Mercer and third overall of the season. The Mercer, Pa. resident started 11th in the 24-car field and methodically raced to the front assuming the head spot on lap 11 passing race-long leader Jeremiah Shingledecker. Once in front, Smoker was not to be denied as the all-time Mercer Limited Modified winner cruised to his 14th career Mercer win driving the Kristyak’s Service Plaza #401. John Buchanan took second from Shingledecker on the next-to-last lap. On the final lap, Scott Kay and Skinny Hall both passed Shingledecker for third and fourth dropping

Shingledecker to fifth at the finish. Heat victors were Don McKnight and Hall.

After being out of the driver’s seat for a number of years, Brian Miller won his first Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Feature. Miller survived a wild 15-lap affair that featured five different leaders. Andy Buckley and Jim Davis battled for the lead in the first 10 laps. Bill Hanna, who started 10th, came up through and passed everyone including Davis for the lead on lap 12. Eleventh-starter, Gary Robinson, took second from Hanna, but on lap 14, Robinson and Davis tangled with both spinning and receiving flat tires. Hanna gained the lead back for the final restart, but again on lap 14 the leaders tangled; this time it was Hanna going around as Miller of New Wilmington came out on top for the win in the Terry Hoover #99B. Jim Brunson was a career-best second after starting 19th. Buckley was third ahead of Rick Anthony and Chuck Kerr. Dan Lewis, John Reiser, Buckley, and Leigh Wheeler were all victorious in the heats. Tim Mailliard and Brian Booher scored wins in the two B mains.

Results for May 1, 1999

Waste Management Sprint Car Feature Finish:

1. JIMMY HAWLEY

2. Tommy Burns, Jr. 3. Bob Felmlee 4. Gary Edwards 5. Gary McCann 6. Jamie Smith 7. Eric Hysong 8. Jason Jacoby 9. Mike Kekich 10. Buddy Cochran 11. Dave Penezich,Jr. 12. Rick Anderson 13. Arnie Kent 14. Troy Cochran 15. Brian Staph 16.Dan Leech 17. C.W. Harshman 18. John Nervo 19. Randy Kriegisch 20. Tom Quarterson 21. Gary McCollum.

Mercer Pros.com DIRT Modified Feature Finish:

1. RICK HALL

2. Tommy Kristyak 3. Lonny Riggs 4. Rob McClimans 5. Jeff Hoffman 6. Steve Young 7. Bill Dorman 8. Jim Reagle 9. Dave Murdick 10. Troy Schaffer 11. Jerry Bickel 12.Scott Rodgers 13. Don Whitney 14. Rich Ferguson 15. Todd Schaffer 16. Mark Sevin 17. Carl Murdick 18. Howard Duff 19. Bob Dorman 20. Randy Myers 21.Rodney Beltz 22. Lou Blaney 23. Tom Armstrong 24. Don Blaney-DNS 25. GuyGriffin-DNS.

Miller Lite/AMSOIL Six-Cylinder Modified Feature Finish:

1. RANDY FERGUSON

2. Kenny Hardy 3. Harold Michaels 4. Lou Gentile 5. Bill Adams 6. Mark Welsh 7. Conny Allen 8. Joe Kane 9. Dana Gearhart 10. Steve Barr 11. Frank Guidace 12. Carl Weatherby 13. Rick Kress 14. Jim Bickel 15. Gregg McCandless.

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

1. GARY SMOKER

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

Butterfield’s Pub Pure Stock Feature Finish:

1. BRIAN MILLER

2. Jim Brunson 3. Andy Buckley 4. Rick Anthony 5. Chuck Kerr 6. Leigh Wheeler 7. Buck Sevin 8. Todd Titus 9. John Reiser 10. Jim Davis 11. Ed Hays 12. Charlie Baptiste 13. Bill Hanna 14. Willie Aley 15. Gary Robinson 16. Lisa Whitehouse 17.Bill Banick, Jr. 18. Tim Mailliard 19. Ray Bailey 20. Brian Booher 21. Tony Hyde 22. Dan Lewis 23. Larry Boumans 24. Bill Wheeling DNQ-Jeff Kravec, George Kafantaris, Terry Kroner, Dan Fedorchak, Mike Aley, Jim Riffenberrick, Tim Zushlag, George Davis, Pat Hile, Ricky Rabiroads, Jim White, Jr., Mike Harmon, David Beatty, Steve Reed, Brian Mathieson.