Danny Holtgraver ended another Western Pennsylvania weekend in Mercer Raceway Park victory lane. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native and Fully Injected driver took home the ‘Auto Racers For Kids’ charity race pay day on Saturday night, June 16th, at Mercer Raceway Park worth $3,000. Holtgraver beat Rob Chaney off of turn four on the final lap to snag the victory. The All-Star ‘Ohio Region’ championship contender swept the evening at Mercer Raceway Park; winning his respective heat race and the 30 lap ‘410’ sprint car main event. 

Kittanning, Pennsylvania’s Rod George finished 7th last night, June 16th, at Mercer Raceway Park in Mercer, Pennsylvania during the annual $3,000-to-win ‘Auto Racers For Kids’ charity event! The Western Pennsylvania sprint car veteran is a former track champion at Mercer Raceway Park, and has one victory at the 3/8’s mile oval already in 2012. George failed to make the pill draw for the 30 lap main event, forcing the familiar CIII to start beyond row number six. 

Scott Priester, also shown above racing the familiar Dionise no. 15 with Fully Injected teammate, Rod George, would retire early from the ‘Auto Racers For Kids’ charity main event due to issues with the car. Priester would be scored 23rd. 

Wampum, Pennsylvania native and fourth generation driver, Brandon Matus, charged from deep within the ‘410’ sprint car main event lineup to finish 8th last night, June 16th, at Mercer Raceway Park in Mercer, Pennsylvania. Matus had to earn an A-main starting spot by way of the consolation B-main. The recent high school graduate would transfer and rally to a top 10 finish! The top 10 finish in the 30 lap, $3,000-to-win event was Matus’ lone top 10 of the weekend; as bad luck would strike Friday night at Lernerville Speedway due to mechanical failure. 

Hermitage, Pennsylvania native and Fully Injected sophomore ‘410’ sprint car pilot, Adam Kekich, finished 11th last night at Mercer Raceway Park in Mercer, Pennsylvania during the 30 lap, ‘Auto Racers For Kids’ sprint car main event. Kekich had to battle his way to a top 12 finish after starting near the back; as a tough heat race finish would force the familiar ‘5K’ to run the evening’s consolation B-main. The former limited sprint car graduate would transfer and work his way up through the A-main field to a respectable 11th place finish. 

Brandon Spithaler would endure two-flat front tires to hold on to a 15th place finish last night at Mercer Raceway Park in Mercer, Pennsylvania. The Evan City, Pennsylvania native would be forced to change a front tire during the 30 lap, ‘Auto Racers For Kids’ charity event A-main last night, only to have the replacement also go flat. Spithaler, a former winner in ‘410’ sprint car competition already this year at Mercer with a wing, and without a wing, would finish in the top 15 despite the bad luck. 

Ohio native and recent Fully Injected supporter, Jack Sodeman Jr., would have tire issues during the 30 lap – ‘Auto Racers For Kids’ charity sprint car main event last night at Mercer Raceway Park. The Glassmere Fuel Service ’23Jr’ would suffer from a flat tire, and fail to make it back to the racing surface to complete the rest of the A-main. Sodeman would be scored 2oth; only the second time in 2012 that the North Jackson native would finish outside of the top five. 

All Photos By Rick Rarer

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