Blair wins all green FASTRAK Northeast Touring event at Raceway 7!

By Jay Pees

Conneaut, OH, August 9, 2013: The FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series made its second visit to Raceway 7 in 2013 with nineteen cars taking time trials. Defending champion Max Blair set the fast time at 18.550 sec. Blair was in the first group to qualify. Second quick qualifier was Chad Wright, Raceway 7’s current point’s leader. Third fast was Dennis Lunger, the 2009 Raceway 7 FASTRAK Late Model track champion. In heat race action winners were Blair, Matt Latta, and Mike Mitchell. At the end of the non-stop 25 lap feature it was Blair collecting the $1500 winner’s purse over Latta Mike Mitchell. Two new winners registered triumphs in their first visits, Mark Ramsey in Street Stocks and Tim Callahan in Mini Stocks. Rich Michael with three E-Mod wins and Brian Hathaway, in a surprise Economod (fifth) win, continued their winning ways.

The Western Reserve Animal Clinic Street Stocks were first on the track for their feature with heat winner Mark Ramsey on the pole and Eric Reinwald outside leading the field to the green. Ramsey, in his first visit to Raceway 7 this season, was the early leader, establishing a straight-a-way lead by five laps into the race with eighth starting Chris Withers coming to second. Withers, winner of five features this season, began closing the gap with Shawn Fawcett third, over half a straight behind the runner-up at ten laps into the race. With one lap remaining Ramsey caught the rear of the field but it didn’t slow his progress, going on to his first win ever at Raceway 7 in a green to checkers non-interrupted run. Withers hung on for second with Fawcett third, Joe Rohrer fourth, and Jimmy Kennerknecht fifth.

The Bonnell Service Center E-Mods were next on the raceway with Ken Zimmer and Chuck Steinle on the front row. Zimmer established himself as the early leader with Steve Dixon coming to second from his fourth starting berth. By lap four last week’s winner Rich Michael was third and alongside Dixon the next time by the flag. Michael was second with six laps complete. Heading into turn one on lap eight, Michael got by Zimmer with Dixon then challenging Zimmer. Point’s leader and defending champion Joel Watson was fourth at the time. One lap past halfway Zimmer trailed smoke going into turn one and came to a halt in turn two, causing yellow to be shown. After green Michael again took off with the lead with Watson and Dixon side by side right behind until Watson lost the handle on his mount in turn four on the first lap of green, collecting Russ Dunn in the process. During the caution period the second and third place drivers, Steve Dixon and Chuck Steinle Jr, retired to the pit with mechanical problems. After green Michael began extending his lead immediately with Mike Potosky second until slipping high in turn two, allowing Dan McDonald to get by for the spot. Michael went on to his second win in as many weeks at Raceway 7 over Dan McDonald, Percy McDonald, Potosky, and Gary Eicher. After restarting from the tail, Joel Watson worked his way back to sixth.

Heat winners Max Blair and Matt Latta led the way for the Evergreen Lake Park Campground FASTRAK Late Models Northeast Touring Series Regional event. Third heat winner Mike Mitchell, who had won his first-ever feature last Sunday at Eriez Speedway, was third on the grid. After a four-wide salute to the fans, accompanied by fireworks, the twenty-five lap run began with Blair taking the immediate lead over Latta. At five laps complete Blair had a half straight lead over Latta. At lap ten Blair had caught the tail of the field and was putting the back markers down a lap. At halfway the running order was Blair, Latta, Mitchell, and Dennis Lunger with Dan Angelicchio and Josh Holtgraver fighting over fifth. With ten to go Holtgraver was firmly in the top five. At the finish it was Blair for his fifth FASTRAK Northeast Tour win of the season. A full quarter lap back was Latta with Mitchell third, Dennis Lunger was fourth and Josh Holtgraver fifth. The race ran green from start to finish.

Tim Callahan and Jason Easler brought the Western Reserve Animal Clinic Mini Stock field to the green flag for their feature with Callahan leading from the drop of the green with defending champion Bud Sergeff challenging for second at the end of one lap, then taking the lead at the end of two laps just as caution was shown for debris on the front straight, negating the pass. At green Callahan led until turn three when Easler got alongside but led again at the end of the lap. Sergeff was in second at the end of four laps with Easler and Brad Cole side by side for third. With five complete Dylan Goodman came to a stop after collecting an infield marking tire out of turn two. With four laps remaining Callahan was still leading but points leader Brad Cole was right behind with defending champion Bud Sergeff lurking in third. Pat Drennan lost the right rear wheel with two to go setting up a dash for the checkers. Although Cole got alongside Callahan at the start, Callahan was able to pull back out to the lead, winning his first ever feature at Raceway 7. Cole was second at the checkers with Sergeff third, Easler fourth, and Mitch Stokes fifth.

The final feature of the evening was the McDonalds Meats Economods. Alan Atkinson, looking for his second Raceway 7 feature of the year, was on the pole for the start with Lee Patrick alongside. Four laps in yellow was shown when Patrick came to a halt and Kyle Fellows spun. Fellows spun again a lap after green. On the restart Atkinson was the leader with Jace Ferringer second, Bob Bland third, and four time winner Brian Hathaway up to fourth, from seventh at the start. Fellows spun for the third time at eight laps in, relegating him to the pits. Amazingly, after a near-perfect race Atkinson spun in turn one on the final lap, allowing Hathaway to motor on to his fifth win of the season. Jace Ferringer wound up second with Bob Bland, Chuck Steinle Sr, and Bobby Wright filling out the top five.

Evergreen Lake Park Campground FASTRAK Late Models:

Time Trials: Max Blair (18.550), Chad Wright (18.727), Dennis Lunger (19.021)

Heat 1: Max Blair, Dennis Lunger, Jamie Brown, Mark Tatalovic, Billy Henry, Dereck Frank

Heat 2: Matt Latta, Dan Angelicchio, Kyle Zimmerman, Chad Wright, Bobby Rohrer, Khole Wanzer

Heat 3: Mike Mitchell, Josh Holtgraver, Dave Airgood, Joel Watson, Breyton Santee, Jim Long, Joel Prosser (DNS)

Feature: Max Blair, Matt Latta, Mike Mitchell, Dennis Lunger, Josh Holtgraver, Dan Angelicchio, Chad Wright, Kyle Zimmerman, Dave Airgood, Bobby Rohrer, Breyton Santee, Jamie Brown, Joel Watson, Mark Tatalovic, Khole Wanzer, Billy Henry, Jim Long, Dereck Frank, Joel Prosser (DNS)

Bonnell Collision Center E-Mods:

Heat 1: Joel Watson, Steve Dixon, Mike Potosky, Chuck Steinle Jr, John Boyd, Gary Eicher, Jim Plance, Brian Fardink, Gary Murphy

Heat 2: Rich Michael, Ken Zimmer, Josh McDonald, Russ Dunn, Bill Taylor, Bud Watson, Dan McDonald, Percy McDonald

Feature: Rich Michael, Dan McDonald, Percy McDonald, Mike Potosky, Gary Eicher, Joel Watson, Jim Plance, Bill Taylor, Brian Fardink, Bud Watson, Ken Zimmer, Steve Dixon, Chuck Steinle Jr, Russ Dunn, Josh McDonald, John Boyd, Gary Murphy (DNS)

McDonald Meats Econo Mods:

Heat 1: Kyle Fellows, Alan Atkinson, Tony Hyde, Brian Hathaway, Josh Ferry, Russ Kapalin

Heat 2: Bob Bland, Lee Patrick, Jace Ferringer, Chuck Steinle Sr, Bobby Wright

Feature: Brian Hathaway, Jace Ferringer, Bob Bland, Chuck Steinle Sr, Bobby Wright, Alan Atkinson, Russ Kapalin, Kyle Fellows, Lee Patrick, Tony Hyde, Josh Ferry

Western Reserve Animal Clinic Street Stocks:

Heat 1: Chris Withers, Ed Bolyard, Joe Rohrer, Eric Reinwald, David Snyder, Art Gilchrist, John Bailey

Heat 2: Mark Ramsey, Jim Kennerknecht, Shawn Fawcett, Kenny Lamp, Jonny Boyd, Mike Harmon

Feature: Mark Ramsey, Chris Withers, Shawn Fawcett, Joe Rohrer, Jimmy Kennerknecht, Ed Bolyard, Ken Lamp, David Snyder, Mike Harmon, Jonny Boyd, Art Gilchrist, John Bailey, Eric Reinwald.

Specialty Products Mini-Stocks:

Heat 1: Bud Sergeff, Brad Cole, Jason Easler, Tim Callahan, Scott Gill, Pat Drennan, Alex Forbes, Logan Keney

Heat 2: Zach Downes, Dale Fraschetti, Mitch Stokes, Hoyt Mihalak, Cale Sousa, Joe Longenecker, Dylan Goodman

Feature: Tim Callahan, Brad Cole, Bud Sergeff, Jason Easler, Mitch Stokes, Dale Fraschetti, Scott Gill, Hoyt Mihalak, Logan Keney, Alex Forbes, Pat Drennan, Dylan Goodman, Zach Downes, Cale Sousa (DNS), Joe Longenecker (DNS)