Sprinters Prepare for All Stars Invasion
Story By:LOU LONG / MERCER SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By:TOMMY HEIN / RACERSGUIDE.COM
Mercer, PA May 5, 2016- This Saturday, May 7, will be the final opportunity for the 4 Your Car Connection 410 Sprint Car drivers to get ready for the invasion of Tony Stewart’s Arctic Cat All Stars Circuit of Champions. Joining the fun at Mercer Raceway Park will be the the six other divisions which comprise the Saturday Night Live! racing program. Remember that the action will start at 5:30 with the three earlybird classes. The four star nightcap will begin at 7 p.m.
Brandon Matus and Brandon Spithaler have won the first two 4 Your Car Connection 410 Sprint contests held in 2016. Who will it be this time? Winless so far this season are talented drivers like former champions Jack Sodeman, Jr. and Eric Williams. Veteran Scott Priester and Outlaw Sprint Warrior graduate Michael Bauer have been in the thick of things, too. A.J. Flick, Dan Kuriger, Brent Matus, Davey Jones, Alex Paden, and Late Model convert John Garvin, Jr. are among the other pilots who will challenge for the win.
Jimmy Holden has scored a pair of wins to open his title defense in the Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds. Rival Kyle Fink has been second both times, so he could break Holden’s stranglehold on the division. Lonnie Riggs has a pair of top five finishes, and experienced pilots Tommy Kristyak, Frank Guidace, and J.R. McGinley can always be counted on for exciting performances.
In the Bonnell’s Rod Shop Outlaw Sprint Warriors, Andy Priest has one win and a crash on his resume for 2016. Will he regain his winning form? Young Jacob Gomola wants to build upon his recent success, but there are plenty of drivers who can thwart his plans. Exciting C.J. Jones, steady Darin Gallagher, and the region’s top driver George Hobaugh, Jr. will be in the field. But it is Ralph Engel, Jr. who has been the most consistent racer so far this season. Add in the younger drivers, such as Vincent Daugherty, Mike Marano, II, and Eric L. Williams, and you can see why the Sprint Warriors have become a fan favorite at the Park.
The Precise Racing Products Open Stock Cars have been dominated by orange cars in 2016. Brent Johnson, Leigh Wheeler, and William Hurrelbrink have carried that color into victory lane. Terry Wheeler and Curt Bish also drive orange racers, so one must wonder if they have what it takes to grab the checkers. But, don’t count out that green machine of defending champion Ryan Moyer.
Shane Pfeuffer and Shane Webb have scored wins in the Rock Concrete Supply Modified Lites. Last year’s kingpin, Mark Marcucci, is winless in 2016. Levi Spinneweber, Doug Jones, and Jacob Bova will also be part of that early bird group of racers who will go to the post in the late afternoon.
Todd Hanlon has three wins so far in the Mini Stocks, presented by Eperthener’s Auto Wrecking and Ray’s Racing Collectibles. Will he continue the hot streak for another week? But, Tyler Fulton, Isaac Paden, and Shane Shook have been consistent as well. Maybe they can upset Hanlon.
Young Chase Metheney scored his first win in the Elder Tractor Sales & Service Junior Sprints, but he had to chase down Ayden Cipriano to do it. Come out and cheer on these young racers as they gain valuable experience in the racing world.
Pit gates will open at 4 p.m., and grandstands at 4:30. The first green flag will fly at 5:30 for the Junior Sprints. They will be followed by the Mini Stocks and Modified Lites. Then, at 7 p.m., the action will switch to the Open Stocks, both Sprint Car classes, and the 358 Modifieds.
The adult admission price will be $13, seniors (60+) $11, and students (9-15) $5. Children will be admitted free. The Family Pass will be just $28, and that will be good for two adults and up to four minors of any age. The Pit Passes will be $30.
Keep May 14 and May 28 open on your racing calendars. The Arctic Cat All Stars Circuit of Champions will be on the docket on the 14th. The popular non-wing Sprinters of the Mo Vaughn Transit Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series will back ’em in on May 28.
You can get alerts regarding the cancellation of any racing event at Mercer Raceway Park sent directly to your smartphone or other electronic device. To register, please go to the track’s website, www.mercerracewaypark.com, click on the icon for RainedOut.com, and follow the easy steps.
Marketing partners of Mercer Raceway Park include Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, Mercer Hardware, Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants, Scheidemantle Motors, Greenhill Farms Equipment, Inc., the Normandy Banquet Center of Hickory VFW Post 6166, Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service, Pizza Joe’s, Sharon Auto Wrecking, Inc., AMSOIL, Noga Ambulance Service, Inc., Pyrotechnico, Watson’s, Inc., Big Dog Indoor Racing & Hobby, Ritenour Equipment Co., Herr’s Foods, the American Cancer Society, Sunburst Environmental, and Lias Tires.
About Mercer Raceway Park: Mercer Raceway Park is a 3/8-mile dirt track located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly from late March through late September. For more information, check out www.mercerracewaypark.com, www.twitter.com/mercerraceway, or www.facebook.com/mercerracewaypark.< /div>
