Mercer Raceway Park 9-16-00 Results

Lynch wins $5,000 in Marsh Memorial for Sprints; Pearson wins second in

Mercer Modifieds

By Mike Leone

September 16, 2000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mercer (PA)...Mercer Raceway Park completed action on Saturday night for the

21st time in 2000. Picking up wins on the Grove City Paving 4th Annual Chuck

Marsh Memorial night were Ed Lynch, Jr.-Axa Advisors 410 Sprint Cars, Dean

Pearson-Bolland Machine Big-Block Modifieds, and Gary Robinson-Butterfield's

Pub Stock Cars.

Ed Lynch, Jr. of Apollo, Pa. survived the 40-lap Grove City Paving 4th

Annual Chuck Marsh Memorial for his second straight win in the event. "This

race means a lot to me," said Lynch following the $5,000 win. "Charlie

(Marsh) and I were friends and he was a mechanic for my dad when he drove

for Frank Crash. Charlie would have loved tonight. It was a physical track.

You had to attack the track and we did it."

Troy Preston took the initial lead from his pole position. Second and third

starters, Brian Ellenberger and Terry Young, began a battle for second that

lasted the first seven laps. Young took the spot from Ellenberger on lap

three until Ellenberger regained second two laps later. Lynch, who started

eighth, cracked the top five on lap five passing the number five of Jamie

Smith. On lap seven, Ellenberger slid off the backstretch allowing Young

back in second. Tom Quarterson and Lynch also got by to move into third and

fourth. Ellenberger later dropped from the event.

Scott Priester brought out the first caution with eight laps completed when

his mount came to a stop. When racing resumed, Quarterson was on the charge

racing by Young for second on lap 10 before Brad Ellenberger brought out the

second and final caution with 12 laps completed.

The last 28 laps went green-to-checker in a furious pace. Lynch moved into

third on lap 15 after getting by Young. Young then dropped from the event

giving fourth now to Smith and fifth to Mike Kekich. The focus shifted to

the front as Quarterson ran down Preston and got alongside him on lap 17.

The following lap saw Quarterson take charge of the event going to the

inside of Preston off turn two.

Lynch reeled in the front two and took runner-up from Preston on lap 21.

Smith followed in third on the same lap before Preston dropped from the

event. This moved 10th starter, Tommy Burns, Jr., into fourth and Kekich

still fifth.

Lynch closed in on Quarterson on lap 25 and began to set up the winning

move. On lap 28, Quarterson struggled to clear the lapped car of Jack

Sodeman, Jr. as Lynch drove by in the middle of turn two for the lead. Once

in front, Lynch dominated the last 12 laps and pulled away for the 1/2-lap

win over Quarterson. The win was Lynch's first of the season at Mercer and

became the 14th different winner in 19 races this season. Lynch's sixth

Mercer win since 1994 came aboard the Ed Lynch, Sr.-owned, Indy

Equipment/Howard Concrete/Chip Ganassi Racing-sponsored, Kistler-powered,

J&J, and Hoosier tire-shod #2L.

"The #00 car got sideways and got into me, we made contact with the #70 car

on the restart, and the car almost went up on its nose and came back down,"

said Lynch. "After all of those problems, I thought under yellow 'the luck

might be going my way. I better stand up in the seat.' It made a good race

for the fans. I hope they enjoyed it-that's what dirt track racing is all

about. It's not follow the leader-it's racing!"

Quarterson was subbing for Gary Edwards in the Dick Schuller-owned #61 and

earned $2,500 for second. Smith was a distant third over Burns, who was the

last car on the lead lap. Arnie Kent came from 15th to pass Kekich on lap 31

for fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Kekich, Rob Eyler, Jack Sodeman,

Jr., Todd Bauer, and New York's Craig Keel. Heat winners over the

season-high 36-car field were won by Smith, Young, Quarterson, and Lynch.

Brad Ellenberger won the B main.

Dean Pearson led all 25 laps of the Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified

Feature for his second win. "I've got to thank the good Lord for making this

all possible," said the Harrisville, Pa. winner. "The car was awesome. Jim

Courson is building me a terrific motor and I couldn't ask for anything

more."

Pearson took the top spot from Dave Murdick on the opening lap, while Dave

Schrader passed Skip Moore, Kevin Bolland, and Bill Dorman all on lap one

for third. Pearson opened up a decent lead despite four caution periods,

while Murdick and Schrader went at it the entire race for second.

Lou Blaney, who started ninth, made his typical late race charge. He cracked

the top five when Andy Priest dropped from the event on lap 14, then passed

Rob Curtis for fourth on lap 17. The final caution was for J.R. McGinley

with 24 laps completed. Pearson survived the last-lap restart and went to

the win for the $1,200 win in his #8J. Pearson's only two career Mercer wins

have come this year on both of the $1,200 to-win specials.

Murdick was a strong second in the Tim Temple #35 for his first Mercer top

five since April 10, 1999. Blaney got by Schrader on the final lap for

third. Rookie big-block driver, Don McKnight, came from 14th to finish

fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Curtis, Carl Weatherby, Kevin Hoffman,

Lou Gentile, and, Rodney Beltz. Heat victors over the 33-car field were

Hoffman, McGinley, and Frank Guidace. Beltz won the B main.

After crashing hard shy of the checkers last week, Gary Robinson returned to

victory lane for only the second time this season in the 20-lap Butterfield'

s Pub Stock Car Feature. Gary Miller, Jr. took the early lead from Brian

Booher, while Robinson raced by Leigh Wheeler, Brian Miller, and Shaun Hooks

for third all on the opening lap. On lap three, Robinson moved into

runner-up past Booher for third. Robinson caught Miller and the two put on a

good race from laps seven on. It wasn't until lap 12 when Robinson made the

winning move on the backstretch. Once in front, Robinson went on for the

$500 win in the Cresswell's Auto Align/Speir Homes/Turnaround

Tavern-sponsored #44R. Miller was second. After winning his heat, Mike Aley

came from 11th to pass champion Brian Miller for third on lap 19 for a

career best finish. Miller fell to fourth over Booher. Heat winners over the

season-high 44-car field went to Rick Anthony, Brian Miller, Jim

Riffenberrick, and Aley. The two B mains were won by Tim Zuschlag and Bob

Sloss.

4th Annual Chuck Marsh Memorial 410 Sprint Car Feature Finish (40 laps): 1.

ED LYNCH, JR. ($5,000) 2. Tom Quarterson ($2,500) 3. Jamie Smith ($1,200) 4.

Tommy Burns, Jr. ($800) 5. Arnie Kent ($650) 6. Mike Kekich ($500) 7. Rob

Eyler ($475) 8. Jack Sodeman, Jr. ($450) 9. Todd Bauer ($425) 10. Craig Keel

($425) 11. Kevin Schaeffer ($350) 12. Roger Bennett ($325) 13. Tim Farr

($325) 14. Brent Matus ($315) 15. Troy Preston ($280) 16. Joe McEwen ($270)

17. Terry Young ($260) 18. Brad Ellenberger ($275) 19. Kenny Hardy ($235)

20. Mike McCool ($250) 21. Brian Ellenberger ($225) 22. Scott Priester

($225) 23. Jason Jacoby ($225) 24. Skip Dougherty ($225) DNQ-Bruce Robenalt

($100), Gary Rankin ($100), John Toth III ($100), Gary McCollum ($100),

Buddy Cochran ($100), Bill Kiley ($100), Sheila Rankin ($100), Chad Hill

($100), Mark Murphy ($100), Jim Kennedy ($100), Mike Marano II ($100), Jim

Chappel ($100).

Bolland Machine Big-Block Modified Feature Finish (25 laps): 1. DEAN PEARSON

($1,200) 2. Dave Murdick 3. Lou Blaney 4. Dave Schrader 5. Don McKnight 6.

Rob Curtis 7. Carl Weatherby 8. Kevin Hoffman 9. Lou Gentile 10. Rodney

Beltz 11. Skip Moore 12. Steve Barr 13. Rich Ferguson 14. J.R. McGinley 15.

Dave Reges 16. Mark Sevin 17. Gregg McCandless 18. Chris Schiffer 19. Andy

Priest 20. Bill Dorman 21. Steve Young 22. Jim Rasey 23. Kevin Bolland 24.

Frank Guidace DNQ-Jerry Bickel, Tom Mattocks, Carl Murdick, Jerry Bowser,

Ron Sasse, Ed Alcorn, Tommy Kristyak, George Davis, Harold Michaels.

Butterfield's Pub Stock Car Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. GARY ROBINSON

($500) 2. Gary Miller, Jr. 3. Mike Aley 4. Brian Miller 5. Brian Booher 6.

Jim Hooks 7. Bobby Whitling 8. Shaun Hooks 9. Rick Norco 10. Kevin Thompson

11. Jim Brunson 12. Gary Norman 13. Jeff Kravec 14. Rick Anthony 15. Tim

Deutsch 16. Leigh Wheeler 17. Joe Drusko 18. Bob Sloss 19. Willie Aley 20.

Jim Riffenberrick 21. Dan Fedorchak 22. Tim Zuschlag 23. Ray Bailey, Jr. 24.

Ed Cornell DNQ-Tommy Dembowski, Greg Beach, Mike Turner, Dave Wagner, Jr.,

Steve Keith, Mike Miller (#72), Dan Michaud, Ed Hays, Bill Haas, Bobby

Wagner, Andy Buckley, Tom Vincent, Dave Ferringer, Matt Lux, John Fox, Fred

McClenahan, Chris Schneider, Jim Davis, Kevin Miller, Mike Miller (#15).

Upcoming shows:

Oct 21 Inaugural Little Guy Nationals-358 Modifieds ($1,500 to-win), York

E-Mods ($1,000 to-win), & Stock Cars ($1,000 to-win) plus a Demo Derby.

(Rain date: Sunday, October 22)

Pits open at noon. Grandstands open at 2 p.m. Racing at 4 p.m.

Contact: Mike Leone, 53 East Glenora Drive, Grove City, PA 16127. Office

phone 724-964-9300 and fax to 724-964-0604. Home phone/fax: 724-748-3358.

E-mail: mleone@infonline.net.

Mercer Raceway Park is located 3 miles north of I-80, exit 2. The track is

0.5 miles north of SR 258 on US 19, then 0.2 miles east on Fairgrounds Road

in Findley Township. The office number is 724-964-9300. Fax to 724-964-0604.

The race track phone number is 724-662-1310. Our web site is

www.mercerracewaypark.com E-mail to webmaster@mercerracewaypark.com