Kielar visits Victory Lane for first-time ever at Raceway 7

By Jay Pees

Conneaut, OH, (August 26, 2011): Regular racing for all classes plus fireworks entertained the fans at Raceway 7 with Max Blair, Rusty Wheeler, and Carlos Aponte picking up repeat wins. Gerry Kielar got the first E-Mod win of his career in an exciting Zimmer’s Service Center E-Mod feature.

The Campbell’s Mini Storage Street Stocks were first on the track with John Phelps Jr and Art Edwards on the front row.  Phelps led till the fourth turn of the first lap when Paul Schreckengost got by from row two.  Shawn Fawcett spun into the mud in turn one on lap two, slowing the event for the first time.  Schreckengost led the field back to green but ninth starting Rusty Wheeler was right on his rear bumper by the end of one lap under green, and was leading at the end of three laps.  Only two more laps were complete before Ryan Blood slowed on the back straight, coming to a halt in turn four. Wheeler, a former track champion, led at the restart but was challenged all the way around the raceway by Tommy Fox for several laps before he was able to build a lead of five car-lengths by halfway. With five laps remaining Fox was again challenging for the front spot but Wheeler prevailed for his fourth win of the season.  Fox was second with Schreckengost third, Rush Firestone fourth, and Ed Bolyard fifth.

The Zimmer Service Center E-Mods were paced by Gerry Kielar and Brian Fardink at the head of the 19-car field. Kielar led lap one with Kyle Bedell coming to second at the end of the lap. Josh McDonald spun in turn two just past halfway for the first caution of the race. After green was again on the raceway Taylor got back by Bedell and was fighting for the lead every turn of every lap. With five to go the field was again slowed as Brian Fardink spun in turn two. Point’s leader Joel Watson was fourth at this point from his ninth place starting position. Blair came to third with two laps to go but spun from the spot in the final turn. Kielar drove to his first feature win at Raceway 7 with Bill Taylor, who started his career at Raceway 7 the year it opened, finishing second. Point’s leader Joel Watson was third at the finish with Bedell winding up fourth and 2010 champion Russ Dunn fifth.

Josh Double took the immediate lead in the Evergreen Lake Park Campground FASTRAK Late Model feature with Adam Sixt second and Max Blair coming to third at lap two. At the end of four laps Sixt spun from second place in turn four, slowing the event. For the restart it was Double at the front with 2011 champion Blair second and George Kowatic third. Last week’s winner Josh Holtgraver was fourth for the restart. After another caution at lap four, Double went wide in turn two, allowing both Blair and Holtgraver to get by for the top spots. Caution again flew at lap nine with Blair leading Holtgraver, George Kowatic, and Bill Cunningham Sr. A three car pileup In turn one at the restart again slowed the action at the restart. Bill Cunningham Sr came to third on lap twelve and pulled alongside Holtgraver for second as caution again flew. For the restart with seven to go Holtgraver and Cunningham were again side by side behind the leader. Cunningham moved to second at the green but Blair was on his way to his eighth win of the season. With two laps remaining Justin Kreider again spun in turn one, then Joe Long spun in turn four for the final cautions of the race. The veteran Cunningham wound up second. Holtgraver faltered in turn two with two to go, allowing Double to slip back by for third. After Holtgraver in fourth, Kyle Zimmerman was fifth.

John Boyd Sr was on the pole for the start of the Son Construction Mini Stock feature with Carlos Aponte next to him. Both drivers were looking for their second wins of the season. Point’s leader Jonny Boyd was ninth at the start with last week’s winner John Schenker starting twelfth. Aponte took off to the early lead over Boyd Sr but Boyd experience engine problems and rolled to a stop in turn one at lap four. At the green 2009 champion Ed Huge was second and Dale Haines third. At the restart, fourth running Jonny Boyd immediately moved to third, then took over second at lap six just as caution again flew for, this time for Joe Keney, stuck in mud after spinning in turn one. At this restart Zach Downs got by Boyd Jr as caution again flew, this time for Khole Wanzer, stalled in turn two. At halfway Huge and Aponte were battling for the lead with Downes and Boyd right behind. With three to go Boyd Jr regained third and then got second with one lap remaining. Aponte was able to maintain his lead, winning his second of the year over Boyd, Huge, Downes, and Dale Haines.

Evergreen Lake Park FASTRAK Late Models:

Heat 1: Russ Dunn, Billy Cunningham Jr, Josh Holtgraver, Max Blair, Bill Cunningham, Will Thomas, Bryan Salisbury, Joe Long

Heat 2: Kyle Zimmerman, Jamie Brown, Justin Kreider, Matt Latta, Wendell Pinckney, Bob Pifer, Justin Smith, Joe DeFazio

Heat 3: Josh Double, George Kowatic, Adam Sixt, Bob Rohrer, John Volpe, Chad Wright, Bob Craig

Feature: Max Blair, Bill Cunningham Sr, Josh Double, Josh Holtgraver, Kyle Zimmerman, John Volpe, Russ Dunn, Jamie Brown, George Kowatic, Bob Craig, Bryan Salisbury, Chad Wright, Bob Rohrer, Wendell Pinchney, Bob Pifer, Will Thomas, Joe DeFazio, Justin Smith, Justin Kreider, Joe Long, Matt Latta, Billy Cunningham Jr, Adam Sixt.

Zimmer Service Center E-Mods:

Heat 1: Joel Watson, Bill Taylor, Kyle Bedell, Robbie Blair, Gary Eicher, Russ Dunn, Ken Zimmer, Wade Slaney, Mike Harmon, Ed Wilson

Heat 2: Percy McDonald, Chuck Steinle Jr, Brian Fardink, Gerry Kielar, Dave Lyon, Josh McDonald, Mike Kinney, Chuck Steinle Sr, Dan McDonald

Feature: Gerry Kielar, Bill Taylor, Joel Watson, Kyle Bedell, Russ Dunn, Robbie Blair, Percy McDonald, Gary Eicher, Mike Kinney, Ken Zimmer, Brian Fardink, Josh McDonald, Chuck Steinle, Wade Slaney, Chuck Steinle Jr, Dave Lyon, Ed Wilson, Mike Harmon, Dan McDonald (DNS)

Campbell Mini Storage Street Stocks:

Heat 1: Shawn Fawcett, Rusty Wheeler, Chris Withers, Ryan Blood, Brent Coleman, Joe Rohrer, Steve Horvath, Jason Black, Randy Wyant, Rush Firestone

Heat 2: Paul Schreckengost, Tommy Fox, Ed Bolyard, Art Edwards, John Phelps Jr, David Snyder, Art Gilchrist, Chris Dann, Alex Anderson

Feature: Rusty Wheeler, Tommy Fox, Paul Schreckengost, Rush Firestone, Ed Bolyard, Chris Withers, John Phelps Jr, Joe Rohrer, Shawn Fawcett, Steve Horvath, David Snyder, Alex Anderson, Mark Thompson, Art Gilchrist, Art Edwards, Chris Dann, Jason Black, Randy Wyant, Ryan Blood

Son Construction Mini Stocks:

Heat 1: Carlos Aponte, Jamie Wrightsman, Wes Stull, Dale Haines, Doug Smith, Ryan Brenner, Joe Longenecker, John Schenker, Joe Keney, Khole Wanzer

Heat 2: Jonny Boyd, Ed Huge, Zach Downes, Tim Gillette, Brad Cole, John Boyd Sr, Mitch Stokes, Jason Easler, Bud Sergeff

Feature: Carlos Aponte, Jonny Boyd, Ed Huge, Zach Downes, Dale Haines, Wes Stull, Jason Easler, Tim Gillette, Ryan Brenner, Brad Cole, Doug Smith, Mitch Stokes, Joe Keney, John Boyd Sr, Joe Longenecker, Khole Wanzer, Jamie Wrightsman, John Schenker, Bud Sergeff (DNS)