By Jay Pees
HAMMETT, Pa. - It was Auto Racers for Kids night at Eriez Speedway on Sunday with the local charity having several added attractions available in an effort to raise money for children's charities in the Erie area. Erie TV 12's sportscaster Mike Ruzzi threw the green flag for a Super Late Model heat. In on-track action Joel Watson, Chris McGuire and Max Blair each picked up their second wins of the year.
Joel Watson led from the pole position in the Plyler Overhead Door E-Mod feature with outside pole-sitter Bud Watson second. A caution at lap eight bunched the field allowing 2011 champion Mike Knight to be alongside Bud Watson for the restart, taking over the runner-up position at the drop of the green. At halfway, Rich Michael Jr. wrestled third away from the younger Watson. Russ Dunn lost the handle at lap 14 trying to break into the top five. After green again was shown, Knight ran alongside Joel Watson for nearly two laps, but Watson again regained the lead just as a four-car wreck on turn two again slowed the action. Knight was never able to mount a challenge over the remaining laps, with Watson winning by several car-lengths over Knight, Michael, Jack Young, and Dan Davies.
Shawn Fawcett and Mark Thompson led the 25 Bonnell Collision Center Street Stocks to Mark Matthews' green flags, but failed to complete a full lap before yellow was shown. Thompson's pristine '57 Chevy led the first lap after green, but the yellow struck three times before the race really got going. On lap three, Thompson slipped high in turn two, allowing both Ken Lamp and Pat McGuire to pass. Under caution at lap five, points leader Greg Fenno pitted, but returned before green was again shown. Before experiencing problems in his heat, Fenno had a perfect record on the year, winning every heat and feature he had entered. On lap seven Pat McGuire, the reigning points champion, took over at the front. As the cars came to the white flag Kyle Schreckengost and Gary Fisher both got into the back straight wall with Fisher rolling onto his roof, bringing out the red flag and stopping the event which had reached its time limit with one lap remaining. McGuire was awarded the win with Lamp second and Thompson, John Phelps, and Joe Rohrer filling out the top five.
John Volpe took off with the early lead over Bumpy Hedman in the Jay's Auto Wrecking Super Late Model feature with Mike Knight coming to second a lap later then Rob Blair coming to third. At 10 laps in, Knight was able to draw alongside the leader, but Volpe used the momentum of the high line to remain in front through lap 15 when Knight surged ahead just as Blair got into the retaining wall in the back straight after experiencing mechanical problems in the front straight, bringing yellow on the speedway and negating the pass. Knight, the current points leader, then shared the second row with Chris Hackett for the restart. Two more tries were required before the event was able to continue with Knight making the pass for the lead on the first lap back under green. Knight went on to the win over Volpe, Hackett, Dave Hess Jr. and Dave Lyon. It was Knight's first win of the season at Eriez and his second win of the weekend, as he also picked up the checkers at Little Valley on Friday.
Tim Card led the distance for the win in the Gannon University Sportsmen feature over Mike Murray and Jim Kibbe.
The Dan's Route 8 Boardwalk Bar and Grill FASTRAK Late Models had Damian Bidwell up front for the start and he led right from the drop of the green through halfway when third-running Matt Latta collected a lapped car on the back straight and spun. For the restart it was Damian Bidwell leading with Max Blair second and Bob Dorman third. On the first lap under green Blair got by Bidwell for the lead and Dorman pulled into the pits with mechanical problems. Caution then flew at the conclusion of the lap. Blair led the remaining distance with Bidwell second. Defending champion Kyle Zimmerman was third with current points leader Billy Henry fourth. Latta recovered after his spin to finish fifth. For the first time in his career Blair picked up three wins in three days, also scoring wins at Raceway 7 on Friday night and Stateline Speedway on Saturday.
The Conway and O'Malley Limited Late Models made one lap under green before caution. Chris McGuire and Steve Kania brought the field back to the green after each of the four remaining caution periods. McGuire went on to his second win of the season over Kania, points leader and defending champion Chris Ottaway, Dan Maxim, and Ryan Scott.
Wes Stull led the first two laps of the Kandy's Dinner Theater Challengers before making way for Casey Burch. Burch went on to his third win of the young season over Kasey Hammond and Stull.
Jay's Auto Wrecking Super Late Models:
Heat 1: Rob Blair, Dave Hess Jr, Mike Knight, Dave Lyon, Andy Boozel, Scott Johnson, Greg Oakes, Ryan Scott, Jordan Eck
Heat 2: John Volpe, Chris Hackett, Bump Hedman, Rich Gardner, Jason Morell, Andy Kania, Scott Gurdak, Greg Johnson, Doug Eck
Burger King of the Hill: Rich Gardner, Scott Gurdak
Feature: Mike Knight, John Volpe, Chris Hackett, Dave Hess Jr, David Lyon, Andy Boozel, Scott Johnson, Scott Gurdak, Doug Eck, Greg Oakes, Andy Kania, Jason Morell, Rich Gardner, Greg Johnson, Bump Hedman, Rob Blair, Jordan Eck, Ryan Scott.
Dan's Route 8 Boardwalk Bar and Grill FASTRAK Late Models:
Heat 1: Steve Dixon, Matt Latta, Billy Henry, Kyle Zimmerman, Bobby Rohrer, Eric Andrus
Heat 2: Bob Dorman, Max Blair, Damian Bidwell, Jamie Brown, Bruce Hordusky Jr, Dick Reinwald, Khole Wanzer
Feature: Max Blair, Damian Bidwell, Kyle Zimmerman, Billy Henry, Matt Latta, Steve Dixon, Bobby Rohrer, Jamie Brown, Khole Wanzer, Eric Andrus, Dick Reinwald, Bruce Hordusky Jr, Bob Dorman
Plyler Overhead Door E-Mods:
Heat 1: John Boardman, Bud Watson, Jack Young, Ron Seeley, Shane Crotty, Steve Sornberger, Chris Peterson, John Schenker
Heat 2: Rich Michael, Butch Southwell, Mike Knight, Scott Gurdak, Russ Dunn, Chad Carlson, Brandon Porter (DNS)
Heat 3: John Boyd, Dan Davies, Joel Watson, Mike McGee, Brian Fardink, Stu Rickard, Steve Simon
Feature: Joel Watson, Mike Knight, Rich Michael Jr, Jack Young Dan Davies, Bud Watson, Scott Gurdak, Mike McGee, Butch Southwell, Ron Seeley, John Boardman, Shane Crotty, Brian Fardink, Stu Rickard, John Schenker, Steve Simon, Russ Dunn, Chad Carlson John Boyd, Steve Sornberger, Brandon Porter
Conway & O'Malley Limited Late Models:
Heat 1: Dan Maxim, Chris McGuire, Dustin Eckman, Jake Finnerty, Mike Moon, Ken Wanzer, Tyler Green
Heat 2: Steve Kania, Ryan Scott, Bob Vogt Jr, Chad Schauers, Mike Lozowski, Chris Ottaway, Stan Davis
Feature: Chris McGuire, Steve Kania, Chris Ottaway, Dan Maxim, Ryan Scott, Stan Davis, Mike Lozowski, Tyler Green, Jake Finnerty, Mike Moon, Ken Wanzer, Bob Vogt Jr, Dustin Eckman, Chad Schauers
Gannon University Super Sportsman:
Heat: Clint Haskin, Wade Watson, Jake Eller, Brent Crandall, Don McGuire, Tim Card, Mike Murray, Jim Kibbe
Feature: Tim Card, Mike Murray, Jim Kibbe, Clint Haskins, Brent Crandall, Don McGuire, Wade Watson, Jake Eller
Bonnell's Collision Center Street Stocks:
Heat 1: Mark Thompson, John Phelps Jr, Mark Frontera, Jimmy Kennerknecht, Joe Rohrer, Tim Thompson, Greg Fenno, Eric Ester, Steve Keith Jr
Heat 2: Pat McGuire, Shawn Fawcett, Kevin Wetherall, Michael Brown, Tyler Lyngarkos, Jason Martin, Don Hebner, Michael Homan (DNS)
Heat 3: Jason Covey, Ken Lamp Jr, Kyle Schreckengost, Andy Faulhaber, Gary Fisher, Brandon Johnson, Ron Johnson, Josh Hebner
Feature: Pat McGuire, Ken Lamp Jr, Mark Thompson, John Phelps Jr, Joe Rohrer, Greg Fenno, Jimmy Kennerknecht, Ron Johnson, Tim Thompson, Brian Bush, Don Hebner, Brandon Johnson, Jason Martin, Kyle Schreckengost, Gary Fisher, Josh Hebner, Andy Faulhaber, Steve Keith Jr, Mark Frontera, Mike Brown, Shawn Fawcett, Kevin Wetherall, Eric Ester, Tyler Lyngarkos, Michael Homan
Kandy's Dinner Theater Super Challengers:
Heat 1: Casey Burch, Tim Fisher, Carl Hebner, Douglas Melter, Wesley Stull, Geoff Maloney, Dan Wasiela, Joe Cunningham, Mike Pohl, Kelsy Parker, Jeff Nunemaker
Heat 2: Kasey Hammond, Nick Steiner, Tom Copp, Jason Brightman, Joe Beach, Justin Boardman, Leslie Armstrong, Alan Zimmerman, Brandon Muscarella, Steve Morse, Bob Swanson
Feature: Casey Burch, Kasey Hammond, Wesley Stull, Douglas Melter, Bob Swanson, Jason Brightman, Mike Pohl, Carl Hebner, Tim Fisher, Tom Copp, Jeff Nunemaker, Geoff Maloney, Justin Boardman, Kelsy Parker, Joe Cunningham, Dan Wasiela, Nick Steiner, Joe Beach, Leslie Armstrong, Alan Zimmerman (DNS), Brandon Muscarella (DNS), Steve Morse (DNS)