Mercer, PA (July 21, 2012): Adam Kekich scored his first career victory in the Sprint Slugout for Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars in a thrilling battle with Jack Sodeman, Jr. and Brandon Matus. Steve Drevicki held off a furious rush by Tim Buckwalter and Alex Bright in the final laps of the ARDC Midget main.
In a non-stop race for the Ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors, Jimmy Morris led wire to wire. The Precise Racing Products Open Stock winner was Bob McCann.
Kekich entered the night full of confidence. He was joking around with his best friend, Brandon Matus. Matus said that he was going to win, and Kekich siad, “not so, buddy, I think tonight’s going to be my night.” Little did they know that they would finish one-two.
At the drop of the green for the 30 lapper, Jack Sodeman, Jr. sped away from the rest of the Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars. However, he was not able to get too far ahead of two youthful rivals, Adam Kekich and Brandon Matus, becasue several early yellows slowed the pace. The final caution occurred on lap 5, for Francis Sesco, and the remainder of the race was run without interruption.
As Sodeman began to pick off lapped cars during the long green flag run, Kekich and Matus were locked in a heated battle for the second spot. Meanwhile, Scott Priester and Brandon Spithaler were contesting fourth position.
Kekich assumed control of second and began to close in on the leader. He made his move as the pair completed lap 25. He raced into turn one side by side with Sodeman, and exitted the corner with the lead.
Of his winning move, the third-generation racer said, “I snuck down off four and I rocketed off the corner, I showed the wheel to Jack, and then I did it again the next lap.”
In the next few laps, Kekich stretched his lead to several car lengths over Sodeman, much to the delight of the crowd. Sodeman surrendered second spot to Brandon Matus on lap 27.
Kekich swept under the checkers for his first win ever. Brandon Matus took second, and Sodeman held on for third. Scott
Priester finished fourth in Matha Dionise’s 15. Brandon Spithaler crossed in fifth.
Newcomer Andrew Palker was sixth and Mike Lutz finished seventh. Gale Ruth, Jr. was eighth in his first run of the season at the Park. Eric Williams and All Star regular Pete Miller, III completed the top ten.
Goodyear tire certificates were awarded to Kekich (winner), Palker (hard charger), Ralph Spithaler (last car lead lap), and Gale Ruth, Jr. and Todd Bauer (random).
There were three heats for 21 Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprints. The winners were Todd Bauer, Eric Williams, and Brandon Matus. Rod George was unable to start the feature after flipping his car in the second heat.
Parker Evans and Steve Drevicki led the ARDC Midget feature to the start. Evans grabbed the advantage and held the lead for the fist three laps. However, Bruce Buckwalter soon moved ahead from his fifth starting spot to challenge for the lead. He took the point with five down.
Bruce Buckwalter led until he retired on lap 15 with an apparent engine problem. That handed the lead over to Drevicki. However, Drevicki had his hands full with Tim Buckwalter and Alex Bright in the last five laps.
Drevicki, Buckwalter and Bright raced three wide through turns three and four on the final two laps. Each time around though, Drevicki was able to pull away. The last time was to get the coveted checkered flag.
Drevicki’s win was just his first of the season, and third overall. It could not have come at at better time. He had fallen out of seven of his first eleven races. He was even worried that he maight not make it to the finish. “I heard about every noise you could hear out of that car the last five laps,” he said.
Buckwalter was next, followed by Bright, Nick Wean and Trevor Kobylarz.
P.J. Gargiulo, Jimmy Glenn, Mark Gilmore, Brandon Matus, and Evans took sixth through tenth. It was Mauts’ first ride in a Midget.
The winners in ARDC Midget preliminaries were Tim Buckwalter and Trevor Kobylarz.
Jimmy Morris scored the victory in the non-stop 20 lapper for the Ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors. Skip
Daugherty raced home in second, with Rob Felix third. Justin Whitesell held off Joe McEwen for fourth. McEwen’s advance was hampered somewhat by a damaged top wing.
Chris Matthews led the next group to the checkers. Also among them were Michael Bauer, Mike Miller, C.J. Jones and Jeff Goodman.
The heat winners for the 18 Ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors were Chris Matthews and Rob Felix.
Bob McCann took the win in the Precise Racing Products Open Stocks after a spiritted duel with Chris Schneider over the the first half of the race. Then, when Schneider faded in the second half, he had to hold off Shawn Hooks and Rusty Moore. Moore gained the second spot with just three laps to go.
After McCann, Moore and Hooks came Schneider and Matt Wagner.
Bill Phillips ran sixth, just ahead of Andy Thompson and Darrin Hyde. Curtis J. Bish was ninth, despite running most of the race with a flat left front tire. Tenth belonged to Bobby Heim.
For the 22 Precise Racing Products Open Stock Cars, heat victories were scored by Rusty Moore, Andy Thompson, and Shawn Hooks.
Next weekend, will be another exciting Saturday Night Live program. It will also be Meet Your Heroes Night presented bY Herr’s.
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Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars: Adam Kekich, Brandon Matus, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Scott Priester, Brandon Spithaler, Andrew Palker, Mike Lutz, Gale Ruth, Jr., Eric Williams, Pete Miller, III, Dan Kuriger, Todd Bauer, Ralph Spithaler, Chris Best, Brent Matus, Gale Ruth, Sr., Dave Jones, John McCracken, Jr., Gary Edwards, Francis Sesco.
ARDC Midgets: Steve Drevicki, Tim Buckwalter, Alex Bright, Nick Wean, Trevor Kobylarz, P.J. Gargiulo, Jimmy Glenn, Mark Gilmore, Brandon Matus, Parker Evans, Steve Bull, Bruce Buckwalter, Brett Arndt, Joe Butera, Brenden Bright. DNS: Brett Wanner, Brett Guzik, Briaqn Gilmore, Shane Penny.
TI22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors: Jimmy Morris, Skip Daugherty, Rob Felix, Justin Whitesell, Joe McEwen, Chris Matthews, Michael Bauer, Mike Miller, C.J. Jones, Jeff Goodman, Dalton Daniels, Harold Braden, Jr., Bob McMillin, Jacob Lagastee, Joe Siembida, Dennis Wagner, Thomas Sanders. Justin Goodman (DNS).
Precise Racing Products Open Stock Cars: Bob McCann, Rusty Moore, Shawn Hooks, Chris Schneider, Matt Wagner, Bill Phillips, Andy Thompson, Darrin Hyde, Curtis J. Bish, Bobby Heim, A.J. Flick, Jamie Duncan, Matt Keith, Brett McDonald, Curtis Lee Bish, Raymond Reynolds, Terry Young, Brandon Johnston, Scott Bowman, Charlie McMillin, Derek Wissinger. Robert Barnett (DNS).