Blair Wins Super Late Model Special At Raceway 7

Conneaut, OH (September 14, 2019): The ground-pounding Super Late Models made their annual appearance at Raceway 7 for an evening of time trials, heat racing, dashes, and a forty-lap feature. Sponsors for this special event included E-Mod sponsors Rick Pratschler’s HBR Trucks and Angie Brown’s HBB Graphics, both in McKean, PA. Marc Hoegerl Racing, Amsoil by Bonnie and Gary Neubauer, and Memories Made by Lakewood made the Super Late Model appearance possible. Max Blair collected the win, his fortieth of the season! Blair collected $5000 for the win. Specials were also run in the Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mods (winner Brent Rhebergen), the Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economods (winner Nate Young), and the Sunnyside Farm Transit Mini Stocks (winner Mark Lawrence).

The Super Late Models ran time trials to start their evening with Max Blair setting the overall fast time of 18.015 seconds, just 1/1000 second faster than Mike Maresca’s time. After the time trials had set the lineups for their heats, Blair, Dave Hess, and Boom Briggs won the heats then the two Dashes set the top twelve starting positions for the feature. David Scott wound up starting from the pole position with Blair to his right. Corey Conley won the second dash to start seventh in the main event.

David Scott led from the drop of the green flag with Mike Pegher, Max Blair, Boom Briggs, and Dave Hess following at the end of one lap when Chub Frank slowed to a stop on the front straight, slowing the race under yellow. When green reappeared Blair came to second at two laps and Hess to fourth after three. Bump Hedman spun in turns three and four with Brandon Groters and Rich Gardner also getting caught up in the incident with no place to go. After green again was on the race Briggs was up to third at lap five and Blair took over at the front on lap six by 0.061 second over Scott. By lap ten he had a 2.648 second lead and was starting to pull away. Blair’s lead evaporated at lap eleven when Hedman and Chris Hackett spun in turns three and four. Under the yellow Pegher pitted from the fifth spot and did not return. Briggs then took over second at lap twelve with Jared Miley coming into the top five. Corey Conley came into the top five at lap fourteen, then, at sixteen, Chad Wright spun in turn two. Hedman was sent to the rear for his part in the incident. At halfway it was Blair, Briggs, Hess, Scott, and Conley. Mike Maresca and Mike Knight wound up with the next caution at lap 22 with Maresca in the turn one wall and Knight spun into a light pole inside turn one. With five to go it was Blair leading Briggs, Hess, Scott, and Miley. Blair caught the rear of the field at lap 35 while enjoying a .840 second lead, increasing it in traffic to 1.145 with two laps remaining. The order remained Blair, Briggs, Hess, Scott, and Miley when the checkers flew with Blair collecting the $5,000 winner’s purse.

Steve Rex and Brent Rhebergen brought the Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mods to green for their $2,000 to win portion of the September Shootout. Rhebergen shot to the lead at the drop of the green and never looked back, leading Rex, 2019 champion Mike Kinney, Greg Johnson, and Casey Bowers through lap one. Kinney got to second at lap two with Dennis Lunger and Greg Johnson side by side for third at three laps. At eight laps it was Rhebergen, Rex, Kinney, Bowers, and Lunger at the front of the field. Josh Ferry slowed in turn two at eleven laps, bringing yellow over the field. After green Alan Atkinson spun in turn two, again slowing the race. Then Bowers spun in turn four with Daniel Cornman and Jesse Gould also getting involved. Kinney took second at lap twelve and Lunger got to third after green again was shown as Kinney was now challenging for the lead, closing to .127 on the leader. At fourteen laps Lunger was trying to wrest second from Kinney. The order at halfway, 15 laps, was Rhebergen, Kinney, Lunger, Rex, and Joel Watson. At eighteen laps Lunger slipped high in turns one and two, allowing Rex to get to third. With ten to go Lunger got back up to third. Rhebergen was beginning to pull away, lengthening his lead to .818 second at lap 22. Disaster nearly took out the leader on lap 24 when Ferry spun directly in form of him at turn four. With but two to go Brandon Grossman spun in turns one and two. At the green Kinney charged into the lead at turn two, then spun in turn three after apparent contact with Dennis Lunger, who was penalized to the rear for his part in the incident. Lunger then headed pitside. Dan Davies, Gary Eicher, Daniel Cornman, and Scott Stiffler also got involved. The last two laps ran smooth until the final trip through turn two when Ferry again spun, but as it was the rear of the field the race was allowed to complete. Rhebergen picked up the win over Johnson, Rex, Watson, and Percy McDonald. The winner later dedicated the win to the memory of Long-time sponsor Quent Bensink, owner of Ripley Machine and Tool, and his family. Bensink unfortunately passed from this life earlier in the week. Rhebergen allowed as to the fact that Bensink was like a second father to him. He will be sadly missed by all in the Clymer, NY racing community.

Gary Murphy and Kyle Reinwald brought the Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economods to green for their 20-lap, $700 to win special. Murphy lead to field to the back straight where Reinwald took over, leading lap one over Murphy, Nate Young, Garrett Calvert, and Matt Alexander through lap one. Caution flew when Will Pinckney, Will Thomas, and Buzz Seitz spun in turn one. At the end of two laps Young was second. Reinwald led by a slim .109 second over Young at the end of three. Derek Connors spun in turn four at four complete. At five laps it was Garrett Calvert and 2019 champion Kyle Miller spinning in turns three and four. Miller headed pitside with damage, ending his race. The next caution was the next lap, when Tim Strongheart and Bobby Vogt spun in turn one. After the green it was three-wide among Nate Young, Kyle Reinwald, and Matt Alexander for the lead out of turn two with Alexander emerging with the spot at the line over Young, Reinwald, Will Thomas, and Judson Fell. J J Bametzrieder spun in turn one at seven laps. At nine laps Alexander had a .149 second lead over Young. The young got by at lap ten with a .190 second lead over Alexander. Mike Harmon and Will Pinckney spun at turns three and four at ten laps, the halfway point. Leaders were now Alexander Young, Thomas, Mitchell Wright, and Reinwald. The lead changed again at eleven with Young again in front by .122 second. At twelve it was .691 second. Wright moved into third at lap twelve when Connors and Seitz spun in four. At fourteen it was Young leading Wright, Alexander, Dustin Demattia, and Thomas when Strongheart spun again. Demattia got by Alexander as Young went on to his third win of the season. The final order of the top five was Young, Wright, Demattia, Alexander, and Calvert.

As the Sunnyside Farms Transit Mini Stocks came to green several cars got together, and although no one spun or stopped, debris wound up on the track to the start was negated. On the next green Jeremy Start spun on the front straight and was hit hard by Zoey Gill and Taylor Van Cise. The Trisha Jacklett spun at the flag stand and was hit very hard by Gill and Start. 2017 champion Joe Campbell led the field to the restart over Dalton Speer, 2019 champion Mark Lawrence, Corey Wick, and 2018 champion Dillon Speer. Lawrence was second at the end of two laps the at three laps opening night winner Pete Blaczak spun in turn two. At five laps Dalton Speer got wide in turns one and two but kept going with no yellow necessary. At halfway Lawrence was leading Campbell, Dillon Speer, Joe Romanko, and Jessica Harvey. At eleven laps Blaczak again spun, in turn one. The final yellow was at lap eighteen when Bill Fuchs stopped in turn two. The top five were Lawrence, Campbell, Dillon Speer, Harvey, and Romanko. The top three were the champions in 2019, 2017, and 2018 respectively.

The final racing events of the 2019 season will be October 4 for the Lucas Oil Great Lakes 50, paying $12,000 to win.

This week’s race report brought to you by Close Racing Supply:

Super Late Models:
Time Trials
Group 1: Max Blair 18.015, Mike Maresca 18.016, Chub Frank 18.321, Matt Lux 18.325, David Scott 18.331, Mike Wonderling 18.594, Bump Hedman 18.678, Matt Urban 18.826, Wendell Pinckney 19.175, Rich Gardner 19.829
Group 2: Corey Conley 18.350, Dave Hess 18.477, Chad Wright 18,581, John Lobb 18.666, Chris Hackett 18.677, Bob Dorman 18.818, Joel Watson 18.868, Darrell Bossard 18.898, Alex Anderson 19.594, Dan Tercho, 21.740
Group 3: Boom Briggs 18.149, Mike Pegher 18.539, Jake Finnerty 18.593, Kyle Knapp 18.606, Mike Knight 18.758, Jared Miley 18.886, Breyton Santee 19.014, Brandon Groters 19.300, Derek Stefanick 19.415, Garrett Mott 19.796
Heat 1: Max Blair, David Scott, Matt Lux, Chub Frank, Mike Wonderling, Mike Maresca, Matt Urban, Wendell Pinckney, Bump Hedman, Rich Gardner
Heat 2: Dave Hess, Chad Wright, Corey Conley, Joel Watson, John Lobb, Darrell Bossard, Chris Hackett, Bob Dorman, Alex Anderson, Dan Tercho
Heat 3: Boom Briggs, Mike Pegher, Jared Miley, Jake Finnerty, Mike Knight, Brandon Groters, Kyle Knapp, Derek Stefanick, Garrett Mott, Breyton Santee
Dash 1: David Scott, Max Blair, Mike Pegher, Boom Briggs, Chad Wright, Dave Hess (DNS)
Dash 2: Corey Conley, Matt Lux, Jake Finnerty, Jared Miley, Chub Frank, Joel Watson
B-Main: Bump Hedman, Rich Gardner, Breyton Santee, Bob Dorman, Wendell Pinckney, Derek Stefanick, Garrett Mott, Dan Tercho, Alex Anderson
Feature: Max Blair, Boom Briggs, Dave Hess, David Scott, Jared Miley, Corey Conley, Mike Wonderling, Joel Watson, Breyton Santee, Chris Hackett, Matt Lux, Jake Finnerty, John Lobb, Kyle Knapp, Bump Hedman, Darrell Bossard, Mike Maresca, Mike Knight, Brandon Groters, Chad Wright, Mike Pegher, Matt Urban, Rich Gardner, Chub Frank

Bonnell’s Collision Center E-Mods:
Heat 1: Ken Zimmer, Joel Watson, Eric Reinwald, Al Brewer, Dan McDonald, Alan Atkinson, Rick Pratschler, Mark Titus
Heat 2: Mike Kinney, Casey Bowers, Brent Rhebergen, Nolan Dalton, Josh Ferry, Percy McDonald, Jeff Johnson, Mike Potosky
Heat 3: Dennis Lunger, Steve Rex, Tim Rockwell, Rich Michael Jr, Scott Stiffler, Casey Harmon, Dan Davies
Heat 4: John Boyd, Gary Eicher, Greg Johnson, Brandon Grossman, Jesse Gould, Daniel Cornman, Deven Dudenhoeffer
B-Main: Dan Davies, Percy McDonald, Alan Atkinson, Mike Potosky, Jeff Johnson, Mark Titus, Casey Harmon, Deven Dudenhoeffer, Daniel Cornman, Rick Pratschler
Feature: Brent Rhebergen, Greg Johnson, Steve Rex, Joel Watson, Percy McDonald, Casey Bowers, Eric Reinwald, Ken Zimmer, John Boyd, Nolan Dalton, Alan Atkinson, Brandon Grossman, Jesse Gould, Daniel Cornman, Tim Rockwell, Scott Stiffler, Josh Ferry, Mike Kinney, Dennis Lunger, Dan Davies, Gary Eicher, Mike Potosky, Rich Michael Jr, Dan McDonald, Al Brewer

Bonnell’s Auto Sales Economods:
Heat 1: Matt Alexander, Kyle Reinwald, Mitchell Wright, Kyle Layton, Will Pinckney, Derek Connors, Jarrit Young, Mike Boyd
Heat 2: Nate Young, Garrett Calvert, Gary Murphy, J J Bametzrieder, Tim Strongheart, Kyle Adkins, Mike Harmon
Heat 3: Kyle Miller, Jarrit Young, Will Thomas, Dustin Demattia, Hayden Loomis, Buzz Seitz, Bobby Vogt
Feature: Nate Young, Mitchell Wright, Dustin Demattia, Matt Alexander, Garrett Calvert, Jarrit Young, Kyle Layton, Bobby Vogt, Kyle Adkins, Gary Murphy, Judson Fell, Mike Harmon, Kyle Reinwald, Will Thomas, J J Bumetzrieder, Derek Connors, Buzz Seitz, Tim Strongheart, Will Pinckney, Kyle Miller, Hayden Loomis, Mike Boyd (DNS)

Sunnyside Farm Transit Mini Stocks:
Heat 1: Mark Lawrence, Dalton Speer, Jessica Harvey, Bill Fuchs, Kevin Watson, Bondy Stoyer! Mitchell Rex, Justin Bailey, Tristen Start
Heat 2: Corey Wick, Chris Bugielski, Jeremy Start, Taylor Van Cise, Scott Sedler, Cory Mason, Jason Easler, Nick Randolph, 27RX
Heat 3: Pete Blaczak, Jim Haefke, Mike Barr, Trisha Jacklett, Nick Eck, Alan Sousa, Jacob Wheeler, Joe Dewoody
Heat 4: Joe Campbell, Dillon Speer, Joe Romanko, Zoey Gill, Logan Kenny, Ana Vassen, Brayden Lisk, Leroy King
B-Main: Bondy Stoyer, Jacob Wheeler, Joe Dewoody, Mitchell Rex, Justin Bailey, Cory Mason, Tristen Start, Alan Sousa, Kevin Watson, Brayden Lisk, Leroy King, 27RX (DNS)
Feature: Mark Lawrence, Joe Campbell, Dillon Speer, Jessica Harvey, Joe Romanko, Kevin Watson, Chris Bugielski, Mitch Rex, Joe Dewoody, Nick Eck, Zoey Gill, Logan Kenny, Jim Haefke, Corey Wick, Bill Fuchs, Dalton Speer, Pete Blaczak, Mike Barr, Bondy Stoyer, Scott Sedler, Nick Randolph, Tricia Jacklett, Jeremy Start, Taylor Van Cise