By Jim Balentine –FASTRAK NE PR
Sarver, PA
April 14,2013

Centerville, Pa’s Max Blair in a borrowed car from Pat Wellar put on a driving clinic starting fourteenth and after taking the lead would dominate the makeup FASTRAK NORTHEAST Touring show held at Lernerville (Pa) Speedway Sunday April 14th.

It was the second time in two FASTRAK NORTHEAST touring events that a backup car has won as Dave Scott won in Billy Henry’s backup car last week at Mercer.

After the B Main was run and won by John Garvin 24 cars took Todd Beichner’s green flag with Chad Ruhlman and Kyle Zimmerman bringing the field down to green. Zimmerman took the lead at the start as Ryan Montgomery from his fourth starting spot would battle Ruhlman for second.

It would take 6 cautions in the first seven laps to settle the field down as a multi-car pile up on lap four out of turn two collected third starting Rocky Kugel, fifth starting Rich Meglaye, Randy Wyant, Jason Reagle, and Bobby Rohrer. Meglaye was the only one to continue as Rohrer broke on the restart.

Two laps later the caution flew again for Mike Laughard as his motor went up in smoke going into turn one and defending Stampede champion Joe Martin had motor issues on lap seven.

Once racing resumed fourteenth starting Max Blair in the borrowed #39 renumbered 111 and thirteenth starting Mike Pegher in the 1C began moving up though the field lap after lap.

Meantime up front Kyle Zimmerman was driving the race of his life holding off Ruhlman, Montgomery, Chad Wright and Dennis Lunger. Lunger attempted a slide job in turn three on Ryan Montgomery with Lunger getting into Montgomery resulting in Montgomery spinning out bringing out the yellow. Lunger was called for rough driving and sent him and Montgomery to the rear.

Meantime Blair, Pegher and nineteenth starting Colton Flinner were now into the top five after moving past Chad Wright and Chad Ruhlman who was fading back.

One last caution bunched up the field and put Blair next to leader Zimmerman and on the restart Blair powered ahead getting faster every lap and pulled away to a half a straightaway win over Zimmerman, Pegher, and Butch Lambert who started sixteenth and Ruhlman who was fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Flinner from nineteenth, Matt Latta from twenty-third, Will Thomas from ninth, Wright, and Lunger.

“Hey I want this car” proclaimed an excited Blair in victory lane, “Pat (Wellar) may have to trade me (on cars) it was on a rail…absolutely gorgeous race track…me and Mike (Pegher) finished first and third and there isn’t too many race tracks you can do that at in a 30 lap race... I never really drove anyone else’s stuff…I’m glad we go to do this for him (Pat) I hope he’s happy. Without everybody we couldn’t do this ..We’ve had a pretty good start to this season I hope we can keep it up”

SWEENEY CHEVROLET FASTRAK LATE MODEL “STEEL CITY STAMPEDE” FINISH-30 laps 1. 111-Max Blair 2. Z17-Kyle Zimmerman 3. 1C-Mike Pegher Jr. 4. 27-Butch Lambert 5. 4S-Chad Ruhlman 6. 75-Colton Flinner 7. B1D-Matt Latta 8. 9-Will Thomas 9. 6-Chad Wright 10. 71L-Dennis Lunger 11. 81-Justin Tatlow 12. K2-John Over 13.J4-John Garvin 14. 5M-Rich Meglaye 15. 12-Ryan Montgomery 16. 84C-Kyle Lukon 17. 2M-Chuck Medved 18. 325X-Shane Weaver 19. 55-Joe Martin 20. 38L-Mike Laughard 21. 21KRT-Rocky Kugel 22. 11R-Bobby Rohrer 23. 888-Jason Reagle 24. 11T-Randy Wyant: 72-Mike Anderson Sr.-DNS, 39-Mike Hite-DNS, 45-Tim Shaffer-DNS.

SWEENEY CHEVROLET FASTRAK LATE MODEL “STEEL CITY STAMPEDE” B MAIN FINISH: 10 laps 1. J4-Jon Garvin 2. 75-Colton Flinner 3. 888-Jason Reagle 4. 81-Justin Tatlow 5. 84C-Kyle Lukon 6. B1D-Matt Latta 7. 11T-Randy Wyant 8. 39-Mike Hite 9. 72-Mike Anderson Sr. 10. Tim Shaffer-DNS