MAX BLAIR WINS PRESTIGIOUS DUNHAM MEMORIAL AT MCR
East Smethport, PA (July 4, 2014) The NDRL McKean County Raceway celebrated the 4th of July with the annual Corporal Jason Dunham Memorial for the RUSH Crate Late Models. Defending track champion, Max Blair picked up the $1000 prize on lap 19 of the 20 lap main event. Other winners were John Woodward Jr., Mitch Boylan, Jason Dobson and Rich Wotjowicz picked up his first ever career win at MCR in the Highway Auto Stock Cars.
The RUSH Crate Late Models rolled onto the facility for AMERICA’s 4-WIDE salute featuring all race teams displaying the American Flag in salute to USMC Corporal Jason Dunham. Once the green flag dropped, Smethport’s, Damien Bidwell shot into the lead on the outside of Doug Ricotta to lead lap one. Blair quickly moved into the third position by lap four as Concord, New York’s, Paul Grigsby moved into second. Ricotta moved Blair back to third on lap five only to see Blair sweep back by coming out of turn four on lap 8. Bidwell would be leading at the halfway point with Grigsby, Blair, Ricotta and Dave Shagla Jr rounding out the top five. Mr. Excitement, Jeremy Wonderling moved into fifth on lap eleven as Grigsby was feeling the pressure of Blair. Lap 15 would see the yellow lights flashing for Dustin Waters in turn four. The restart saw Bidwell lead into turn one, but Blair getting around Grigsby for second. Blair hounded Bidwell for the top spot and would take the lead as lap 18 was clicked off the board and the final yellow would be displayed for point leader, Chad Ruhlman who came to a stop in turn four setting up a one lap shoot out with Mr. Excitement now in second and looking to grab the win in memory of his childhood friend Dunham. On the restart Blair rocketed into turn one with Wonderling dive bombing into turn one with Bidwell right there as the top three duked it out in turns one and two. Blair would pull away down the back stretch as Bidwell got back by Wonderling for second with Ricotta and Grigsby rounding out the top five. Jeremy Wonderling awarded Blair in victory lane with the unique US Marine Trophy as Wonderling and the Dunham families were very close to each other.
The Highway Auto Stock Cars saw Steve Sklar and Joe Chamberlain on the front row with newcomer, Sklar beating Chamberlain into turn one. Sklar clipped the inside berm in turn one at the conclusion of lap one and shot up and off the track losing all positions and handing the lead over to Chamberlain with Victor Earle and Rich Wotjowicz now in third. Wojo and point leader Kurt Stebbins moved into second and third respectively on lap four as the trio were in a tight battle for the lead. Wojo would grab the lead with five to go from Chamberlain as Stebbins kept the pressure on Chamberlain. With two laps to go, Stebbins got by Chamberlain and applied heavy pressure on Wojo but the Limestone NY driver was able to hold off the division point leader to capture his first ever win at MCR in the Highway Auto Stock Cars. Following Wotjowciz was Stebbins, Chamberlain, Earle and Jeremy Perry rounded out the top five.
The Close Racing Supply Modifieds saw Tim Peterson and two time winner John Woodward Jr on the front row for the 20 lap main event. Woodward would lead lap one over Peterson and John Boardman and last weeks winner, Vic Vena in fourth. Boardman would grab second on lap two from Peterson. Woodward seemed to be in control till lap seven yellow for Peterson in turn three. The restart saw Woodward now being chased by Vena who got around Boardman on the restart and veteran Al Brewer and 14 year old Jacob Eucher in a torrid battle for fourth. At the halfway point it was Woodward, Vena, Boardman, Eucher and Brewer. Lap twelve the yellow lights flashed again for Peterson who came to a stop in turn one and two and Vena suddenly went to the pits relinquishing second. This put Boardman and Brewer on the rear bumper of Woodward on the restart, with Brewer using the high groove to get around the 79.2 of Boardman for second. Woodward opened up a comfortable lead only to see Brewer close in the final laps but would come up short as Woodward picked up his third win of the year over Brewer, who now has three finishes second or better in the last four events. Boardman came home third over Eucher and Carl McKinney of Mars, PA came home fifth after starting 15th on the grid.
Nick Snayzack took the early lead on the opening lap with Matt Bryant right in tow. Bryant would enter turn one extremely low and clip inside berm and sent his car in a series of end over end rolls finally coming to a stop on top of turn two. Bryant was unhurt but was done for the night. On the restart Snayzack refired the field now to see the challenges of Lyndsay Carlson Jr and Chris Parr. Parrr would get by Carlson on lap three. Point leader, Mitch Boylan took third from Carlson on lap five. The top three were running close quarters with contact between Parr and Snayzack a few times. Boylan would get by Parr with three to go and mount a challenge for Snayzak but would come up short at the line. Parr came home third behind Snayzak, Lyndsay Carlson and Codie Baker came home fifth. After post race inspection the win was awarded to Boylan putting Aaron Bartas into fifth.
Joe Layfield and Rod Winans brought the Pure Stock field onto the track with Layfield leading at the start and Jason Dobon following. Dobson would get around Layfield on the second lap with point leader, Roger Schweikart now in third and last weeks winner, Art Peterson in fourth. Layfield kept Dobson within distance till Peterson would move into third on with five laps to go and set his sights on Layfield. Peterson would make his move with two to go on Layfield for the runner up spot behind Dobson. Layfield came home third with Schweikart fourth and Dustin Raught coming home fifth.
RUSH CRATE LATE MODELS
JASON DUNHAM MEMORIAL
MAX BLAIR, Damien Bidwell, Jeremy Wonderling, Doug Ricotta, Paul Grigsby, Brady Wonderling (from 22nd), Ward Schell, Dave Shagla Jr., Brad Mesler, Garrett Mott, Steve Watson, Andy Michael, Justin Smith, Jon Lichy, Steve Fitch, TJ Downs, Craig Dean, Chad Ruhlman, Adam Sixt, Dustin Waters, Derek Frank, John Haggerty, Michael Wonderling Jr.
HIGHWAY AUTO STOCK CARS:
RICH WOTJOWICZ, Kurt Stebbins, Joe Chamberlain, Victor Earle, Jeremy Perry, Jason Dobson, Steve Sklar, Butch Talbot, Ted Mascho
CLOSE RACING SUPPLY MODIFIEDS
JOHN WOODWARD JR., Al Brewer, John Boardman, Jacob Eucher, Carl McKinney, Mike Smith, Carl Ballinger, Joe Boylan, Rob Middleton, Vic Vena, Tim Peterson, Darren Tarabori, Tim Walden, Dan Sasso, Steve Dixon
MINI STOCKS:
MITCH BOYLAN, Chris Parr, Lyndsay Carlson Codie Baker, Aaron Bartas, Dave Lowe, Holden Heinemann, Travis Babcock, Dave Lowe Sr., Shawn Kemp, Matt Burrell, Matt Putt, Richard Kline, Andy Proper, Jeremy Perry, Matt Bryant, Larry Mitchell Jr.
PURE STOCKS:
JASON DOBSON, Art Peterson, Joe Layfield, Roger Schweikart, Dustin Raught, Mike Parmenter, Dustin Michuck, Rod Winans, Dennis Cummings, Don Williams, Cliff Easton, Tim Burkett, Jeff Johnson Jr., Dan Ott
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