Mercer, PA (September 23, 2012):

Despite two interruptions for rain, the staff at Mercer Raceway Park held tough and completed the 13th Annual Little Guy Nationals Sunday night. A record field of 213 cars were on hand through the weekend of racing.

Jimmy Holden used a late-race restart to overtake invader Shayne Peirce for the win in the Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds.

Then, Holden donated half of his $2,000 prize to the Cowboy Brian Steinman recovery fund.

Josh May, from Iowa, earned the STARS Modified Lite National points championship with his win in the race presented by Big Daddy’s Speed Center and Rock Concrete.

Jimmy Morris dominated the Ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warrior feature. Similarly, Chris Kennedy led wire to wire in the Micro Sprints.

The first of two Precise Racing Products Open Stock Car features went to Rusty Martz, while Rusty Moore took the nightcap.

The final Mini Stock race of the season belonged to Paul Koffler, Jr.

Jeremiah Shingledecker took the early lead in the Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds. However, Kevin Hoffman drove by in Ted Hull’s 41 on lap 5, just before the yellow was displayed. The field had trouble getting started again, but when the racing did resume, Peirce took the lead away.

Peirce showed no signs of unfamiliarity with the tricky oval, as he led through numerous cautions. Meanwhile, Hoffman ran in second and Shingeldecker in third. When Shingledecker got caught up in a yellow, he surrendered his position.

It looked as though the race may go green to the finish thereafter, but that was not to be. A number of cautions on lap 21 gave Hoffman a couple of shots at the leader. In fact, Hoffman did get a nose ahead of Peirce on one occasion, but a yellow nullified the pass. When the field finally did get another lap in the books, Hoffman lost second to a hard-charging Jimmy Holden.

Holden started to close in on Peirce, and the fans had to wonder if Holden had some more late-race theatrics to present. He came on strong on Friday night, only to come up short of the win by a couple of feet. The suspense ended when a caution was displayed on lap 23. That put Holden to the outside of Peirce for the restart.

The lane choice was Peirce’s undoing. Holden charged off turn four with the lead, and got down in front of Peirce as they raced through turn two.

September 22, 2012, BRIGHTON, ON –

Mario Clair became the second driver to capture two Applefest Shootout wins at Brighton Speedway and the first to do so in a DIRTcar 358 Modified Series event at the 1/3 mile facility. Clair started 19th in the 100 lap feature and got by Carey Terrance with five laps remaining to claim the victory exactly five years to the date of his first win.

The Benson Auto Parts Applefest Shootout Presented by Cool 100 got off to a rocky start as a multi-car pile up in corner three set up a complete restart. Take two wasn’t any better as outside pole sitter Matt Billings’ car failed to get up to speed causing a log jam in the exit of corner four. Defending race winner Tim O’Brien would suffer heavy damage ending his night.

Once the race got underway Chad Chevalier would move by pole sitter Erick Rudolph for the lead on lap two. Chevalier’s time out front would last just five laps as Carey Terrance worked by the Port Colborne, Ontario driver and lead the next 39 laps.

On lap 46, DIRTcar 358 Modified Series points leader, Dale Planck, passed his teammate and car owner for the top spot. Planck pulled away and looked untouchable until the right front shock broke on the #77x on a lap 87 restart. Repairs under caution allowed Planck to finish the race in 13th place and on the lead lap. Mario Clair drove by Planck for the lead, but was passed two laps later by Terrance. Clair would get back by Terrance though on lap 95 and cruise to the win. The Quebec native collected $4,000 for the win while Terrance finished second. Travis Braun drove from the 11th starting position to finish 3rd while Mat Williamson and Chad Chevalier completed the top five.

Get your New T-Shirts at Super Dirt Week! The tent in the infield will have the BRP swag... Check it out on Manufacturer's Row!

 Courtesy www.skylineracewayny.com/ - photo by Ted's Racing Photos

Skyline Raceway’s 25th anniversary celebration continued on Saturday night with Championship Night as the season long point races were decided.   In Sportsman action, Jim “Rocky” Rothwell clinched the 2012 Sportsman division championship with his sixth victory of the season.     J.J. Courcy earned his second win of the season in IMCA Modified action as Kevan Cook’s seventh place finish was enough to earn him the 2012 track championship.   Brenton Miller wrapped up the 2012 Street Stock championship with his eight win of the season.  Derrick Symonds won his first career Junkyard Dogs feature with Buck Mills Jr. having already clinched the 2012 championship.  Timothy VanDermark wan his third Junkyard Pups feature of the season while Phil Burns earned his second consecutive track championship with a runner-up finish.

The 25 lap Sportsman division feature saw Ken Hammond lead the opening circuits before Kevin Jordan charged from his seventh starting position to take over the race lead.   Jordan soon found himself under heavy pressure from Rothwell, who had charged from sixth to challenge for the lead.  The two veteran drivers put on a show for the Skyline fans as the locked up in a battle for the lead.  The battle raged for many laps as Jordan was able to hold off Rothwell.  Rothwell was finally able to make the winning pass on the 17th circuit.  Rothwell would lead the remainder of the distance to score the win.  Tom Collins Jr. also worked past Jordan late in the event to finish second.  The reason for Jordan’s slipping back in the field became apparent as Kevin was able to nurse his car home third with a rapidly deflating right rear tire.  Early leader Ken Hammond finished fourth with Jim LaRock completing the top five finishers.

For the second straight week, JJ Courcy drove to victory in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature.  Courcy drove past early leader Bumps Scutt on the third lap and led the rest of the way to score the win.  Scutt challenged Courcy all the way but could not find a way past and settled for a runner-up finish.  Mike Wilbur scored a season best third place finis ahead of Mike Smith and Chris Fleming.  Kevan Cook’s seventh place finish earned him the 2012 track championship by a narrow margin over Smith.

In Street Stock action, Brenton Miller capped off a championship season with his eighth feature win of the season.  In an emotional victory lane, Miller dedicated his championship  season to his late father, who passed away just prior to the start of the 2012 racing season.  Miller took the lead from Jake Fowlston just prior to the halfway point and led the rest of the event to score the win over Fowlston.  Rich Green finished third ahead of Lou Gordonier and Scott Smith.

Courtesy www.modifiedtourinc.com

Skip Moore has been waiting a long time to get to victory lane, a long 9 years if you can believe that as his last win was at Tri City Speedway on May 18, 2003.  “We had all those problems on Saturday night at Sharon and didn’t run time trials, or the heat race as we were having MSD electrical failure and also spark plug failure.  Besides that we had to replace the transmission three times and were having some engine problems.  Then Sunday night our troubles continued as we broke a transmission line before the heat race and had to replace it, but we went out and won the heat and the feature.  So it turned out to be a really great night.  I want to thank my sponsors Muscle Lubricants,R & R Construction, McCool’s Signs and Graphics; Slippery Rock Sportswear, Nichols-Hepp Racing Engines, GME Steering, #1 Speed Center and Moore’s Auto Body,”said Moore.  Moore was not going to be denied on Sunday evening as he led from green to checker to pick up his second win of his career and his first Modified Tour feature event.

The seventh leg of the Modified Tour racing series was held at Eriez Speedway on Sunday night of Labor Day weekend and leading the field to the drop of the green flag by virtue of the handicapped system used by the Modified Tour, Skip Moore and Shawn Fleeger started on the pole for the event.  At the drop of the green flag, Moore gained the advantage over Fleeger and led the group of cars through the first turn.  Coming down the back stretch, Chris Haines worked his way into second with Mike Turner running third.  The trio raced this way through lap four when Kevin Hoffman started getting into the mix and passed Turner for third.  Moore was using the high side of the speedway to his advantage while Haines was applying the pressure from the bottom of the speedway.

A caution on lap 14 for Shawn Fleeger who spun in turn three grouped the field back together.  On the ensuing restart, Haines got the jump on Moore but a caution for Brad Rapp who spun in the second turn brought the group back together with Moore still the leader.  On the next restart, Moore was not to be denied the lead and got the jump over Haines.  Moore continued his charge at the front, but a caution with two laps to go for a slowing Ricky Richner who had a flat tire brought the field together for the final two laps.

On the restart, Moore and Haines were side by side coming off the turn and made slight contact about the flag stand.  The contact was just enough for Haines to slide high in turn one allowing Jeremiah Shingledecker who started in the seventh position to get by for second.  Moore held on the final two laps to pick up the feature win over Shingledecker, Haines, Rex King, Jr and Brian Weaver.  Rounding out the top ten were Eric Gabany, Kevin Hoffman, Brad Rapp, Rex King, Sr and Mike Turner.  Heat races were won by Brad Rapp, Dave Murdick and Skip Moore.

By Mike Leone - Sharon Speedway, Hartford Ohio

September 1, 2012

(Hartford, OH)…Despite thunderstorms from mid-afternoon through the night not far from Sharon Speedway, somehow it remained dry over Hartford, Ohio all but a few sprinkles during the Modified feature and a brief shower during the Stock Car feature to allow the 27th annual Russ King Memorial presented by King Bros. to be completed.

Celebrating in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply victory lane were Steve Feder -Governor Insurance Agency BRP DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Tour, Andy Buckley-Summit Racing Equipment E-Mods, Tim Burns-Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, Larry Root-HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and Jamie Wrightsman-Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks.

Steve Feder has been so close to victory on multiple occasions at Lernerville Speedway, but just hasn’t been able to seal the deal. On Saturday night, Feder made just his third start of the season at Sharon, but made it count with an impressive performance passing Mike Turner then holding off a big charge by Rex King for his first career win. The 35-lap BRP Tour victory was worth $2,000 as he became the 14th different winner of the Russ King Memorial.

“I’m ecstatic,” expressed the 29-year-old Butler, Pa. racer. “This is just amazing- it’s been a long time coming. I couldn’t ask for anything more to be part of the group of guys that have won this race. I just wanted it to stay green because I didn’t think they could catch me and those restarts always scare me. I got a little nervous there that one time. That tire in turn two comes up on you quick. I knew he (King) was coming fast and was going to be the guy right there. I saw him on the board. I just had to keep on the bottom.”

With the BRP Tour’s handicap lineup system, Turner took off in the early lead with Chris Haines following. Feder started fourth and passed Eric Gabany for third on the opening lap then raced by Haines for second on lap three. Feder had the bottom working for him as he pulled alongside of Turner on lap six, but Turner had the momentum off the top to keep leading.

Meanwhile behind the battle for the lead, Joe Kubiniec was on the move. The New Yorker started sixth and passed Gabany for fourth on lap four and then drove under and by Haines for third on lap seven. Ninth and 10th starting Brad Rapp and Jeremiah Shingledecker moved into the top five on laps 9 and 10 respectively with passes of Haines.

Back up front, Feder continued to pressure Turner and finally made the winning pass stick off turn four on lap 11. As the race continued caution-free, Feder caught lapped traffic on lap 13 and then pulled away from the field. By lap 14, the battle was on for second. Rapp got by Kubiniec and then disposed of Turner for second on the 16th circuit. Kubiniec followed one lap later to reclaim third.

Swedesboro, NJ (August 31, 2012) –

On Pair of Poker Series Night at Bridgeport Speeway, Billy Pauch, Sr. won the fourth hand of the Big Block Modified Poker Series in exciting fashion. In the 30-lap Poker Series event for the Crate Sportsmen, Travis Hill took the checkered flag. Jeff Dirkes topped the competition in the Outlaw Stock Car ranks.

At the start of the 40-lap Big Block Modified race, Ron Roberts motored to the front with Matt Harrell and Brian Kressley in tow. Just as action was heating up, Stan Frankenfield and Ryan Watt got into tangle on the third circuit to bring out the yellow flag. When racing resumed, Roberts maintained his lead with Harrell and Kressley battling for second. Kressley took over the runner-up spot on lap 5 and began to reel in Roberts. Roberts fought off the challenges of Kressley on tours nine and ten to maintain his front running position. As the top two were in a tussle, the collection of Harrell, Duane Howard, Jimmy Horton, Rick Laubach, Billy Pauch, Sr. and Wade Hendrickson inched closer and formed an eight-car breakaway on lap 14. By the fifteenth circuit, Roberts was still on top in lap traffic with Kressley still in second and Howard moving by Harrell for third place.

By lap 19, Howard was trying to wrestle away the runner-up position from Kressley. After several circuits of battling for second place, Howard was finally able to secure the spot with eighteen laps to go. On laps 23 and 24, Roberts fended off the challenges of Howard to keep his lead while Harrell slipped by Kressley to gain third. With fifteen tours to go, the top seven of Roberts, Howard, Harrell, Kressley, Horton, Laubach and Pauch, Sr. were still close to one another during this long period of green flag activity. On the lap 28, Horton edged by Kressley to gain fourth place.

During the next revolution, Howard tried again to maneuver by Roberts for the lead but was denied. With ten tours remaining, Harrell slipped by Howard to move into the runner-up position. On lap 32 after a long period of green flag racing, the second caution of the contest happened when Dave Witte stopped near the outside wall in turn four. During the yellow flag period, Kressley dropped out of the event with a mechanical issue. When the green lights illuminated, Horton rocketed from fourth to first with Roberts, Pauch, Sr., Laubach, and Harrell in pursuit.

On lap 34, Pauch, Sr., Laubach and Harrell had just drove past Roberts when Roberts slowed down on the track to bring out the third and final caution of the race. When action got back underway, Horton held off Pauch, Sr. and Laubach to keep his lead with the top three in tight quarters. After trying to use the outer lane on lap 37 to gain the lead from Horton, Pauch, Sr. switched to the lower groove on the next circuit and was along the side of Horton as they entered turn one. Coming out of the second corner, Pauch, Sr. was now on top of the field with two laps to go. When the checkered flag waved, it was Pauch, Sr. in front with Horton holding off Laubach for second. Harrell’s strong run garnered him fourth. Howard drove Craig Pondish’s Modified to a fifth place finish. Stan Frankenfield, Jr., Duane Howard, and Billy Pauch, Sr. were the winners in the Big Block Modified heat races. The Consolation event went to Jesse Hill.

Big Diamond Raceway - Pottsville,PA - September 4,2012 - photo by Rich Kepner

 2010 Big Diamond Track Champion, Doug Manmiller completed the 2012 Coalcracker weekend with his win in the Coalcracker '72, commemorating the 40th year of competition at the Big Diamond Speedway. The three Coalcracker events were won by drivers making their first stops in Big Diamond's Victory Lane this season as Ray Woodall, Jr. won the Coalcracker 50 for the USS Achey Sportsman, Kyle Killian won the first race of his career in the Coalcracker 25 for Wooden Keg Tavern Roadrunners and Doug Manmiller piloted the Josh Biever owned #46 for the win in the Coalcracker '72.