By Mike Leone
July 5, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(East Smethport, PA)… The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series headed north to McKean County Raceway for leg #2 of the second annual five-night Original Pizza Logs “Cross the Borders” Speedweek. A McKean record 49 cars were on hand from five different states for race #10 of the 25 event slate and the second of five appearances at the East Smethport, Pa. oval in 2012. It was the second straight night that the track set their all-time FASTRAK high car count!

Max Blair’s accomplishments in his five-year FASTRAK career have been astounding with over 80 career victories, three National Weekly Series titles, three Northeast Touring Series championships, and numerous track championships. Earlier this season, Blair set a Touring Series record with four straight wins, and on Thursday night set a new single season win record with his sixth Tour victory of the year breaking Mike Pegher, Jr’s previous standard of five.

Blair raced from the fifth position taking the lead from Andrew Wylie and held off a late race charge from Dan Angelicchio for his all-time leading 18th career Tour win. The 25-lap victory came in the Cpl. Jason Dunham Memorial event (see below) and was worth $1,200 plus the beautiful Dunham Memorial trophy and the $100 Genesis Shocks certificate for the “Top Dog of the Night”.

“We haven’t gotten a whole lot of sleep the last few nights,” explained the 22-year-old Blair, who has suffered back-to-back blown motors at Eldora (Saturday) and Expo (Wednesday) Speedways. “We’ve literally slept five hours in the last week. When the motor blew at Eldora it put me in the fence. It’s been a long week and I’m really hoping I didn’t hurt another one tonight. We really needed this to keep us going through the rest of Speedweek. I love coming here to race. It’s one of my favorite race tracks in the country, but tonight it was just way too fast for these crate motors. You’re always worried on restarts especially with Damian Bidwell and John Lacki, who run so well here.”

Wylie used the outside to power past Damian Bidwell on the start for the early lead with Shane Weaver following. Blair passed Kyle Lukon on lap one for fourth then edged ahead of Weaver for third at the start-finish line before Lukon spun in turn one bringing out the first caution with two laps scored. When racing resumed, Weaver slipped high off the speedway allowing eighth starting and June 16 McKean Tour winner, Ryan Montgomery, to overtake fourth as John Lacki and Joe Martin were also able to get by for positions five and six.

On lap four, Blair made the pass of Bidwell for second. Blair quickly ran down Wylie and caught the leader on lap five. Blair ducked to the inside of Wylie on lap six as the two raced side-by-side for the lead. Wylie pushed high coming off turn four allowing Blair to blast into the lead.

Bidwell was able to catch back up to Wylie on lap nine as Montgomery and Lacki joined in making it a four-car race for second. Blair caught lapped traffic on lap 11 as action really heated up. As Wylie was battling traffic, Bidwell used the momentum off turn four to blast by into second on lap 13. On lap 14, Bidwell ducked to the inside of traffic, but with those cars also battling, contact was made. Wylie, Martin, and Lukon all spun to bring out the event’s second caution.

When action resumed, Lacki made a great move to pass both Montgomery and Bidwell as he quickly found himself in the runner-up spot. Montgomery was able to get around Bidwell for third. The man on the move was Dan Angelicchio, who started back in 14th. Angelicchio drove under and past Bidwell for fourth on lap 19. Bidwell then pitted as the third and final caution slowed action with 20 laps scored.

When green replaced yellow, Angelicchio advanced to second dropped Lacki back a spot. Angelicchio would get close to Blair, but not enough to apply pressure as Blair’s Specialty Products/Rohrer Trucking/Moody & Son Welding/Genesis Shocks-sponsored #111 crossed the finish line first to extend his Touring point lead in search of his fourth championship.

Angelicchio’s runner-up was his second of the season and third top five. Angelicchio will look for his first Tour win of the season as Speedweek continues on Friday night at Raceway 7. Angelicchio earned his first $100 Precise Racing Products certificate for being the “Pedal Down” hard charger advancing 12 positions.

“That was a long race and it was rough out there coming from 14th,” expressed the Greensburg, Pa. racer. “It feels good. We were battling all night. I wasn’t happy with the car so we made some changes and I guess it worked out. It’s tough to pass so you had to choose your time right.”

Lacki made his first Tour start since August 18 of last season at McKean and turned in his best Tour finish in third since winning at McKean on September 25, 2009! “I appreciate him (Angelicchio) running me clean,” stated the Sinclairville, New York driver. “He did what he had to do and I would have done the exact same thing if I was in that situation. I was trying to get a jump on that start just enough so I didn’t get in trouble and was hoping to pull a slider on him down in turn two, but Max was able to power through and did a good job.”

It was another great night for 15-year-old Montgomery, who finished fourth for the third time this season. His fourth top five of the year propelled him from fourth in points into second unofficially. Chad Wright came from ninth to finish fifth matching his career best Tour finish from July 3 last season during Speedweek at Eriez.

Last year’s McKean Speedweek and Dunham Memorial winner, Mike Pegher, Jr., advanced from 11th to finish sixth. Will Thomas III finished seventh in his first ever McKean start and coupled with his Expo win continues to lead the Speedweek points. Matt Latta was eighth after starting 13th. Matt Cobb had a strong performance in his season’s first Tour start coming from 17th to finish ninth over 19th starting Chad Ruhlman.

Joe Martin finished 18th and was the last driver on the lead lap earning the Utsinger’s Towing free Hoosier Tire awarded by Close Racing Supply. Wylie was selected as The Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night” after getting caught up in the early race tangle running in third.

In 2010, Jason Genco captured two non-qualifier event wins. Genco took the 2011 season off and kicked off 2012 winning the $1,200 non-qualifier during the “Super Nationals I” at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex on April 1 for his biggest career win. And though the non-qualifier event wasn’t what Genco had hoped to run on Thursday night, he made the most of it leading all eight laps for his Tour record fourth career non-qualifier victory.

Genco was slated to start fourth, but front row starters Wayne Robertson and Adam Sixt scratched from the event moving him up to the front row alongside Dave Norton, Jr. Genco powered into the lead at the start and held off Craig Dean over the final four laps for the $125 win in his Jamestown Heating & Air/Kia of Jamestown/Kozy Corner Cleaners/Big Chief Carpetland-sponsored #29J.

It was a good run for Dean in his first Tour start of the season. Dean passed Norton for second on lap two and was right on Genco in the second-half of the event for a close runner-up finish. Jason Stetson took over third from Norton on lap three and made it a three-car race for the lead the final two laps, but had to settle for third. Justin Smith, Norton, W.L. Stile, and Scott Fitch completed the field.

Heat winners were Wright, Blair, Lacki, Martin, and Bidwell, while John Over and Josh Holtgraver copped the B mains. Pegher won his first K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash of the season for the $100 K&N certificate to earn the 11th starting spot. Pegher became the 10th different dash winner in 11 races and moved into third place in the K&N Dash Championship points, five behind Martin. Doug Ricotta’s first dash start saw him finish second and received a $50 K&N certificate. Latta, Angelicchio, and Lauren Longbrake all received $25 cash for third through fifth.

The 49-car field was the highest of the season topping the 47 that turned out for the season opener at Roaring Knob and set a Speedweek record. The 49-car total was second to only Tyler County’s 53 on April 17, 2010. It was a record car count for McKean in their sixth year under FASTRAK sanctioning.

Jason Lee Dunham (November 10, 1981 – April 22, 2004) formerly of Scio, New York was a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, who earned the Medal of Honor while serving with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines during the Iraq War. While on a patrol in Husaybah, his unit was attacked and he deliberately covered an enemy grenade to save nearby Marines. When it exploded Dunham was seriously injured and died eight days later.

Dunham is the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in the War on Terror, and the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. Dunham’s Family received the honor presented by President George W. Bush on January 11, 2007.
On March 20, 2007, the Navy reported that a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer guided missile destroyer would be named the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), in his honor. In a formal ceremony in Scio on March 23, 2007, Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter officially announced the naming of DDG-109 after Dunham. The keel was laid at a ceremony on April 11, 2008, at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship was christened on August 1, 2009, with Dunham's mother Debra acting as the ship's sponsor. [Information from Wikipedia]


Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #10 Cpl. Jason Dunham Memorial (25 laps, $1,200 to-win): 1. MAX BLAIR (111) 2. Dan Angelicchio (14) 3. John Lacki (7) 4. Ryan Montgomery (12) 5. Chad Wright (6) 6. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 7. Will Thomas III (9) 8. Matt Latta (Bidwell B1D) 9. Matt Cobb (75) 10. Chad Ruhlman (Suppa 4s) 11. Josh Holtgraver (00) 12. Doug Ricotta (01) 13. Matt Long (25) 14. Jamie Brown (135) 15. John Over (K2) 16. Lauren Longbrake (27) 17. Butch Lambert (27) 18. Joe Martin (55) 19. Damian Bidwell (17) 20. Bryce Davis (94) 21. Bobby Rohrer (11) 22. Andrew Wylie (84) 23. Jim Frank (16) 24. Shane Weaver (Ruffner 325x) 25. Kyle Lukon (1). Note: Butch Lambert took a Series provisional.

Non-Qualifier (8 laps, $125 to-win): 1. Jason Genco (29J) 2. Craig Dean (21) 3. Jason Stetson (69s) 4. Justin Smith (22) 5. Dave Norton, Jr. (24x) 6. W.L. Stile (2$) 7. Scott Fitch (28F) 8. Wayne Robertson (20)-DNS 9. Adam Sixty (6T)-DNS 10. John Haggerty (49)-DNS 11. Clay Ruffo (14R)-DNS 12. Zack Carley (8)-DNS 13. Brad Mesler (24B)-DNS 14. Junior Peters (00)-DNS 15. Brian Haggerty (91)-DNS 16. Tim Schram (1s)-DNS 17. Pat Willar (39)-DNS 18. Justin Tatlow (Kratts 81)-DNS 19. Steve Dixon (50)-DNS 20. Eric Wilson (27W)-DNS 21. Jason Knowles (4)-DNS 22. Jon Lichy (35)-DNS 23. Garrett Mott (43x)-DNS 24. Brad Kling (Powell 100)-DNS.

Heat Winners: Wright, Blair, Lacki, Martin & Bidwell
B Main Winners: Over & Holtgraver
K&N Cold Air Induction Dash: 1. Mike Pegher, Jr. 2. Doug Ricotta 3. Matt Latta 4. Dan Angelicchio 5. Lauren Longbrake
Feature Lap Leaders: Wylie (1-5), Blair (6-25)
Car Count: 49

Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Night”: Max Blair
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Dan Angelicchio
Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway: Joe Martin (Close Racing Supply)
Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night”: Andrew Wylie

2012 Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Results
Date/Track/State/Winner/# of Wins/To-Win Amount/Car Count
April 1 Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex (PA)/Max Blair (1)/$3,000/47
April 20 Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex (PA)/Mike Pegher, Jr. (1)/$1,200/42
May 13 Eriez Speedway (PA)/Max Blair (2)/$1,200/32
May 20 Humberstone Speedway (ON)/Max Blair (3)/$2,000/26
May 26 Sharon Speedway (OH)/Max Blair (4)/$1,500/34
May 27 Sharon Speedway (OH)/Feature to be made up 8/18/12/$1,500/31
June 8 Dog Hollow Speedway (PA) /Max Blair (5)/$1,200/32 (41 between the 2 nights)
June 16 McKean County Raceway (PA)/Ryan Montgomery (1)/$1,200/24
June 23 Sharon Speedway (OH)/Joe Martin (1)/$2,000/35
July 4 Expo Speedway (OH)/Will Thomas (1)/$2,000/30
July 5 McKean County Raceway (PA)/Max Blair (6)/$1,200/49