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KURIGER WINS AGAIN AS SPRINTS RUN NON STOP FOR 3RD STRAIGHT TIME AT MERCER; HOLDEN & KNEPPER WIN #3 IN MODS & MOD LITES; #4 FOR PEGHER IN FASTRAK; D’APOLITO GRABS 3rd WIN IN STOCKS; CAREER 1st FOR 14 Y.O. SMOKER IN MINIS By Mike Leone July 18, 2009 Mercer, PA…Another fall like day and night greeted fans and competitors to Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday night. Temps never got out of the 60s and after an hour mid-afternoon rain that delayed action for one hour, the skies cleared allowing another night of “Saturday Night Live” action to be completed. Scoring exciting wins and celebrating in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane were Dan Kuriger-Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Jimmy Holden-Approved Toilet Rentals Modifieds, Mike Pegher, Jr.-4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models, Steve D’Apolito-GM 602 Stock Cars, Alan Knepper-Big Daddy’s Speed Center Mod Lites, and Max Smoker-M&D Paving Mini Stocks. It was “Welcome Ohio Night” presented by Utsinger’s Towing along with corporate nights for Dean Dairy and Flynn’s Tire and Auto Service. They always say the first one is the hardest and Dan Kuriger can attest to that statement. After going six years without a win, Kuriger won for the second time in four races Saturday night in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Car feature. It was the third straight week that the feature went non-stop, this time timed in 5:16.99 minutes on another super fast, tacky track. A big field of 27 Sprints filled the pit area on the threatening night despite several regulars missing in action. “It was really hard to be patient in all that traffic,” described the New Brighton, Pa. driver. “If I was too aggressive I probably would have wrecked or spun out. The car was a little tight so I couldn’t run up where I wanted to so I had to keep the car off the cushion a bit.” Kuriger flew out to a big lead from the pole position, while Arnie Kent, Todd Bauer, Eric Williams, and Matt Reed all drove by Jeff Taylor on the opening lap. Kuriger’s big lead got erased in a hurry on lap four, when he slid off the track in turn four allowing Kent to close right in with lapped traffic looming ahead. Kuriger did a great job in traffic with cars littered all over the track maintaining his lead over Kent. Reed began to make his way forward getting by Williams for fourth on lap six and then took third from Bauer with an inside move on lap 12. Tenth starting Jack Sodeman, Jr. was following Reed forward as he passed Williams then grabbed fourth from Bauer on lap 13. Kuriger though was too much as he took the checkered flag first for his proud dad and car owner Don Kuriger in the Rock Concrete/J.B. Concrete Finishing-sponsored #08. The Australian Reed was able to get around Kent on the final lap in lapped traffic to finish second, which was his best since starting his United States tour one month ago that has included some 10 different speedways. It was the second straight appearance for Reed, who finished sixth last time. Reed won four events in Australia in March. Kent was third for his fourth straight top four finish and ninth of the season in 12 races, but is still searching for his season’s first win. Sodeman was fourth for his fourth consecutive top five Mercer finish. Scott Bonnell came from 12th to finish fifth despite rebounding after a doing a 360 spin on the frontstretch early on in the race. Sixth through 10th were Bauer, Carl Bowser, point leader and 20th starting Rod George, 19th starting Gale Ruth, Jr., and Williams. Heat winners were Matus, Bowser, and Sodeman. Ruth won the B main. Jimmy Holden entered the 2009 season was just two career wins, but Saturday night he more than doubled his career win total with his third 20-lap Approved Toilet Rentals Modified victory of the year. Holden also has three wins at Sportsman’s Speedway this season. “This is a lot to get excited for,” said the Tiona, Pa. youngster. “Two of our last three seasons were winless. That really makes you appreciate when you get a car like this and the people that put it there. It’s unbelievable.” By the luck of the draw, Eric Gabany earned his season’s fourth pole position of the year and raced to the early lead. Lonny Riggs rocketed from his fifth starting spot to second on the opening lap. Riggs caught Gabany and the two raced side-by-side on lap three. Riggs tried to make a move on Gabany on lap four, but pushed high coming out of turn two allowing Guidace to duck under to grab second. Guidace overtook Gabany coming off turn four on lap five, but bad luck plagued Guidace once again as he spun with a flat tire in turn four on lap seven ruining another chance at his season’s first win. When racing resumed. Riggs made the move on Gabany to take the lead. Holden, who started seventh, drove under Gabany for second in turns one and two. Holden caught Riggs and the two ran side-by-side on lap 15. Holden was just about to make the winning move when Riggs broke ending any shot at his season’s first win as well. Holden went on unchallenged for his second straight win in the Dean Holden-owned, Holden Precision Machine/Holden Oil & Gas/Jet Water Hauling/DAH Oil-sponsored #28H. Gabany edged eighth starting Gary Smoker for third. Matt Reeher recorded his first top five of the season in fourth with rookie Modified driver Chris Myers fifth. Completing the top 10 were Jr. Baker, Riggs, Rick Kress, Jim Thompson, and Guidace. Riggs and Guidace won the heats. Mike Pegher, Jr. evened the score at four with nemesis Max Blair by winning the 20-lap 4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Model feature after coming from the tail after an early race accident. The victory also allowed Pegher to close the gap to just one point on Blair in the $10,000 National Weekly Series Championship. “People that say there is no passing don’t watch too close,” stated the Cranberry Twp., Pa. “Max (Blair) and I are pretty good competitors. We race everywhere together and I have a good time racing with him.” The race got off to a slow start as two cautions plagued action before a lap was even completed. The second one found Pegher caught up in. After racing got underway, the race went 20 laps non-stop. Making just his second start of the season, John Watson raced out to the early lead with youngsters Ben Black, Bud Watson, and Mike Anderson, Jr. in tow. It didn’t take Pegher long to make his way from the rear back into contention as he used the inside to pass Watson and Black on laps six and seven respectively for runner-up. When Pegher got to second, Watson had a straightaway advantage. Pegher began to close on lap 11 and was on the leader on lap 14. Pegher made his winning move driving under Watson in turn one on lap 15 using the lapped car of Leigh Wheeler to his advantage. Watson stayed right with Pegher, but it was Pegher’s who crossed the finish line first for his second straight win in the Lynn Geisler-owned, Cochran Automotive/Triple-S Auto Sales/MonaVie-sponsored #1c for his 14th career Mercer win overall. Watson was a Mercer career best second. Ben Black turned in a great run in third for his best career Late Model finish since his debut in the class on April 19, 2008. Point leader Blair, who started 11th, passed Bud Watson on lap 17 to finish fourth. Sixteen-year-old Bud Watson, last year’s Mod Lite champion, recorded his third top five in the past four races. Rounding out the top 10 were rookie Joe Martin, Anderson, Brian Booher, Andy Priest in his Late Model debut in the Barris #32B, and Bill Thomas. Heat winners were Priest and Pegher. Steve D’Apolito celebrated his season’s third win in the 12-lap GM 602 Stock Car feature winning for car owner Buzz Utsinger, who was the presenting sponsor of Saturday’s “Welcome Ohio Night”. The Boardman, Ohio ace passed Andy Buckley on the start and led all 12 laps of the non-stop race in the Utsinger’s Towing/Race 1-sponsored #84. Point leader Buckley was second over Russ Coyne. D’Apolito won the heat race. Alan Knepper has missed as a couple nights this season to compete in some big events throughout the tri-state region, but on Saturday night the 16-year-old was back and back in victory lane at that in the 15-lap Big Daddy’s Speed Center Mod Lite feature. “The track was great and I appreciate all the people coming out,” said the Somerset, Pa. racer. Like Holden, Knepper entered the 2009 campaign with just two career victories, but on Saturday night he more than doubled his total with his third victory of the year. Knepper started in eighth, but was all the way up to second after the completion of lap one. Knepper wasted little time snatching the lead away from Terry Young on lap two. All that slowed Knepper’s efforts to the checkered flag in the Lynn Knepper-owned, Knepper’s ATV/Bill’s Auto-sponsored #10 were three cautions. Tenth starting Mark Marcucci raced his way through the field to finish second after getting by Young on lap four. Young edged Lynn Knepper for third after running side-by-side with him over the final five laps. Shane Pfeuffer was fifth. Heat winners were Alan Knepper and Pfeuffer. His grandfather Mike Kristyak and his dad Gary Smoker were both Mercer winners and champions over their successful careers. Now it’s Mackenzie “Max” Smoker’s turn. In just his eighth career race, the 14-year-old is now a Mercer winner after coming out victorious in the 12-lap M&D Paving Mini Stock feature. Smoker took the lead from Dan McEwen at the start. Sixth starting Wally Stearns, Jr. and Josh Verrill both passed McEwen for second and third on lap two. Stearns was going for the lead on lap three when Verrill drove too hard into turns three and four spinning Stearns and ensuing a five-car accident on the frontstretch. The score sheets may show that that Smoker led all 12 laps in his #409, but it was a dogfight that had cars literally all over the youngster in a pack. On lap 10, it was three-wide for the lead with Smoker maintaining his advantage over McEwen and ninth starting Mike McConnell. McConnell edged ahead to grab second, but would lose that spot on the last lap to 12th starting Lee Lehnerd. McConnell was third. McEwen dropped to fourth ahead of his teammate and rookie Steve Walker, who recorded his best career finish. McConnell and Lehnerd won the heats over the 20-car field.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars (20 laps): 1. DAN KURIGER (08) 2. Matt Reed (Fitzpatrick 92V) 3. Arnie Kent (18) 4. Jack Sodeman, Jr. (23Jr) 5. Scott Bonnell (3B) 6. Todd Bauer (45) 7. Carl Bowser (10) 8. Rod George (43) 9. Gale Ruth, Jr. (5x) 10. Eric Williams (7) 11. Jeff Taylor (17T) 12. Gary Edwards (Rudzik 57) 13. Danny Holtgraver (D4) 14. Chris Shuttleworth (11) 15. Russ Sansosti (23s) 16. Johnny Beaber (Taylor 7B) 17. Chris Best (66) 18. Kevin Lee (Deel 3J)[24] 19. Brent Matus (33) 20. Jack Helget (Taylor 71c) 21. Jeremy Cook (5L) 22. Lindsay Enscoe (96) 23. Aaron Shaffer (97s) 24. Tony Beaber (3T) DNQ: Gale Ruth, Sr. (1R), Jim Nicely (72), Brandon Matus (3J). Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds (20 laps): 1. JIMMY HOLDEN (28H) 2. Eric Gabany (3E) 3. Gary Smoker (516) 4. Matt Reeher (711) 5. Chris Myers (c1) 6. Jr. Baker (359) 7. Lonny Riggs (Black 58) 8. Rick Kress (222) 9. Jim Thompson (21) 10. Frank Guidace (1G). 4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models (20 laps): 1. MIKE PEGHER, JR. (Geisler 1c) 2. John Watson (Horton 48) 3. Ben Black (27B) 4. Max Blair (111) 5. Bud Watson (2) 6. Joe Martin (55) 7. Mike Anderson, Jr. (72) 8. Brian Booher (Hoover 00H) 9. Andy Priest (Barris 32B) 10. Bill Thomas (22) 11. Steve Hollabaugh (3H) 12. Leigh Wheeler (Smith 717) 13. Sean Puz (66) 14. Rusty Cade (47) 15. Tom Copeland (98) 16. Gary Miller, Jr. (1M). GM 602 Stock Cars (12 laps): 1. STEVE D’APOLITO (Utsinger 84) 2. Andy Buckley (965) 3. Russ Coyne (8c). Big Daddy’s Speed Center Mod Lites (15 laps): 1. ALAN KNEPPER (10) 2. Mark Marcucci (8M) 3. Terry Young (98) 4. Lynn Knepper (567) 5. Shane Pfeuffer (Lawson 70x7) 6. Rick Ament (27) 7. David Innes (18) 8. Bill Stivason (116) 9. Andy Feil (08) 10. Kevin Savacko (76) 11. Chad Yeager (7) 12. Richard Lawson (88) 13. Kotie Kirkbride (97N). M&D Paving Mini Stocks (12 laps): 1. MAX SMOKER (409) 2. Lee Lehnerd (71) 3. Mike McConnell (31) 4. Dan McEwen (44) 5. Steve Walker (McEwen 4M) 6. Dave Heberling (1H) 7. John Shannon (14) 8. Michael Thompson (82T) 9. Rudolph Troples III (28) 10. Ed Haylett (8-ball) 11. Jason Bell (Winger 75) 12. Jordan Ehrenberg (JD57) 13. Jerry Batcher (Blazczak 7) 14. Pete Blazczak (77) 15. Jamey Lee (44J) 16. Bill Fuchs (10) 17. Wally Stearns, Jr. (33) 18. E.J. Rarer (3J) 19. Josh Verrill (13) 20. Tim Callahan (54)-DNS.
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