FASTRAKPR
09-30-2012, 10:43 AM
JOE MARTIN DOMINATES AT ROARING KNOB’S “BIG KAHUNA” FOR SEASON’S 2ND $2,000 FASTRAK NE LATE MODEL TOUR WIN
By Mike Leone
September 28-29, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Markleysburg, PA)… The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series returned to the Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex this weekend for the third of four visits during the 2012 season. Race #22 was part of the “The Big Kahuna” for the Three State Flyer Super Late Models and featured group qualifying and heat races on Friday night followed by the remainder of the program on Saturday.
Joe Martin entered the 2012 season with two career Northeast Touring Series victories both coming in successive seasons (2010 & 2011) at his home track Dog Hollow Speedway. While 2012 has had its highs and lows for the fourth year racer, Martin has now been able to lay claim to two of the season’s bigger events.
On June 23, Martin won the $2,000 “Gary Knollinger Memorial” at Sharon Speedway five months after winning the “Golden Award” in memory of the late racer at the 2011 awards banquet, and then on Saturday night Martin dominated all 30 laps for another $2,000 victory. Martin also received the $100 Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Night” certificate in addition to the $100 K&N certificate.
“It’s another big win,” acknowledged the 27-year-old Mayport, Pa. racer. “We found the handling problem after the dash in the pits and fixed it, but I think about lap five or six it broke again. I thought ‘oh man’, but I was lucky the track transitioned a lot during that race. It slicked off and the problem was making me too tight, but it was slick enough that the car wasn’t as bad as it was in the dash. The momentum of this heading into the Nationals next weekend to race for big money is important, and to beat Max (Blair) and (Mike (Pegher) gives us a boost of confidence.”
After a pair of opening lap cautions, Martin took off in the lead with Kyle Thomas in tow. Josh Holtgraver was able to pass Andrew Wylie for third, and sixth starting Max Blair got by both Mike Pegher, Jr. and Wylie to take fourth after one lap. Following a caution for a spin by Jeff Compton with four laps scored, Blair slipped up in turns one and two allowing Pegher and Wylie back by for fourth and fifth respectively.
Martin had really begun to pull away as the event’s longest green flag stretch took place, while the battle was on for third with Holtgraver trying to hold off Pegher, Wylie, John Wyer, and Blair. On lap 12, Pegher made the pass of Holtgraver to take third. Wylie’s fine run ended when he spun with 12 laps completed.
When racing resumed, Pegher began to pressure Thomas for the second spot. The caution was displayed again when Ryan Montgomery slowed with 17 laps completed. It certainly wasn’t what Pegher wanted to see as he would slip high on the restart allowing Holtgraver back by then two laps later Troy Shields entered the mix getting by for fourth.
Martin and Thomas showed they were the class of the field as they distanced themselves from the pack with 10 laps to go. Nolan Dalton was the man on the move as he had the outside working. After starting 11th, Dalton cracked the top five on lap 24 passing Pegher. The event’s final caution for Ricky Meglaye with 26 laps completed was just what Dalton needed.
When green replaced yellow, Dalton went to the outside of Shields to grab fourth. Dalton ran down Holtgraver and was able to drive around him on the final lap to nab third, but up front Martin’s Allegheny Crane Rental/Neese Trucking/Martin Farms/Spartan Thru Tubing/Zero Wraps/JNJ Motorsports Media-sponsored, Wylie Race Car & Ingram Engines #55 was too much as captured his fourth career Tour win. The win moves Martin into a five-way tie for third place on the all-time win list.
Thomas made his first Tour since a fifth at Roaring Knob on April 20. His second place finish was worth $1,000 and matched his career best Tour finish from 2010 when he recorded a pair of runner-ups at his home track Tyler County Speedway. Dalton also matched his best career Tour finish of third as he had a pair of “show” position podium finishes earlier this season at Canada’s Humberstone Speedway and Ohio’s Raceway 7.
Pegher was also able to get around Holtgraver on the outside on the final lap to finish fourth. In what’s been a disappointing season for last year’s third place point man and two-time winner, Holtgraver dropped to fifth for the third time in the past five starts matching his best finish of 2012.
Shields finished sixth in just his fourth Tour start of 2012, which was his best finish since a fifth at Expo Speedway on June 30, 2010. Blair was a quiet seventh as he locked up his fourth Northeast Touring Series Championship in five years! Butch Lambert had a solid eighth for his 10th top 10 of 2012. Wyer made his second ever Tour start and qualified for his first feature with a ninth place finish. Wylie, who built the winning car and is a Series Major Contingency Sponsor, worked his way back to 10th at the finish.
Darin Henderson, who made the long tow up from Pasadena, Maryland, came from 22nd to finish 11th and earned the Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger. Henderson has made one Tour start in 2010, 2011, and now 2012 with his 11th place being his best career finish.
John Over finished 14th and received his season’s second Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night” award. After qualifying fourth fastest on Friday night, Over got spun from behind running near the front of his heat and had to qualify for the feature through the B main on Saturday. Over also got caught up in an accident during the feature.
John Cain made his first ever Tour start and finished 16th as the last car on the lead lap and received the Utsinger’s Towing free Hoosier Tire.
On Friday night, Blair lowered the one-lap track record with a lap of 16.897 breaking Pegher’s standard of 17.058 set back on March 31. Blair received $100 from Gaary’s Auto Sales. High Gear Speed Shop $25 heat winners on Friday were Blair, Pegher, and Thomas. Over won Saturday’s B main.
On Saturday, Martin won his season leading third K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash victory, which propelled him into the Dash Championship point lead by one over Pegher. Thomas received a $50 K&N certificate for finishing second. Wylie and Holtgraver received $25 cash for finishing third and fourth respectively.
Congratulations to Dave Mariani of Rural Ridge, Pa., who won the K&N Cold Air Induction fan giveaway valued at up to $500 on Saturday night. The sixth and final K&N Cold Air Induction fan giveaway will take place at the season ending event at Lernerville Speedway on October 27.
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #22 (30 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. JOE MARTIN (55) 2. Kyle Thomas (Grove 32) 3. Nolan Dalton (D2) 4. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 5. Josh Holtgraver (00) 6. Troy Shields (11) 7. Max Blair (111) 8. Butch Lambert (27) 9. John Wyer (16) 10. Andrew Wylie (84) 11. Darin Henderson (22) 12. Shane Weaver (Ruffner 325x) 13. Michael Lake (27) 14. John Over (K2) 15. Cody Dawson (36) 16. John Cain (06) 17. Ricky Meglaye (5) 18. Ron Parrish (Henry 7x) 19. Ryan Montgomery (12) 20. Ben Policz (14B) 21. Jeremy Shaffer (16) 22. Jeff Compton (65) 23. Gary May (44M) 24. Brad Kling (Powell 100).
B Main (8 laps, top 6 transfer): 1. John Over 2. Cody Dawson 3. Brad Kling 4. Darin Henderson 5. Jeremy Shaffer 6. John Cain DNQ: 7. W.L. Stile (2$) 8. Scott Chenowetch (58) 9. Mike Lewis (98)-DNS 10. Tom Sieger (99)-DNS 11. Mike Thorne (47)-DNS.
Garry Auto Sales Qualifying ($100 for fast time) (Track record Mike Pegher, Jr. 17.058 3/31/12): 1. Max Blair 16.897 (NTR) 2. Mike Pegher, Jr. 16.960 3. Joe Martin 17.032 4. John Over 17.138 5. Josh Holtgraver 17.155 6. Kyle Thomas 17.176 7. Ryan Montgomery 17.196 8. Troy Shields 17.219 9. Ricky Meglaye 17.240 10. Andrew Wylie 17.278 11. Ron Parrish 17.293 12. Butch Lambert 17.343 13. John Wyer 17.410 14. Nolan Dalton 17.449 15. Shane Weaver 17.495 16. Ben Policz 17.551 17. Brad Kling 17.610 18. Michael Lake 17.628 19. Mike Lewis 17.634 20. Jeff Compton 17.663 21. Jeremy Shaffer 17.999 22. W.L. Stile 18.122 23. Darin Henderson 18.232 24. John Cain 18.379 25. Scott Chenowetch 18.517 26. Tom Sieger 19.028 27. Cody Dawson 19.555 28. Gary May 20.869 29. Mike Thorne NT.
High Gear Speed Shop Heat 1 (10 laps, $25 to-win, top 6 transfer): 1. Max Blair 2. Andrew Wylie 3. Ryan Montgomery 4. John Wyer 5. Ben Policz 6. Gary May 7. John Over 8. Mike Lewis 9. W.L. Stile 10. Scott Chenowetch-DSQ (no scales)
High Gear Speed Shop Heat 2 (10 laps, $25 to-win, top 6 transfer): 1. Mike Pegher, Jr. 2. Josh Holtgraver 3. Troy Shields 4. Nolan Dalton 5. Ron Parrish 6. Jeff Compton 7. Brad Kling 8. Darin Henderson 9. Tom Sieger 10. Mike Thorne-DNS.
High Gear Speed Shop Heat 3 (10 laps, $25 to-win, top 6 transfer): 1. Kyle Thomas 2. Joe Martin 3. Ricky Meglaye 4. Butch Lambert 5. Shane Weaver 6. Michael Lake 7. Cody Dawson 8. Jeremy Shaffer 9. John Cain.
K&N Cold Air Induction Dash (4 laps, $100 K&N certificate to-win): 1. Joe Martin 2. Kyle Thomas 3. Andrew Wylie 4. Josh Holtgraver.
Feature Lap Leaders: Martin (1-30)
Car Count: 29
Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Night”: Joe Martin
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Darin Henderson (+11)
Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway: John Cain
Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night”: John Over
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By Mike Leone
September 28-29, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Markleysburg, PA)… The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series returned to the Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex this weekend for the third of four visits during the 2012 season. Race #22 was part of the “The Big Kahuna” for the Three State Flyer Super Late Models and featured group qualifying and heat races on Friday night followed by the remainder of the program on Saturday.
Joe Martin entered the 2012 season with two career Northeast Touring Series victories both coming in successive seasons (2010 & 2011) at his home track Dog Hollow Speedway. While 2012 has had its highs and lows for the fourth year racer, Martin has now been able to lay claim to two of the season’s bigger events.
On June 23, Martin won the $2,000 “Gary Knollinger Memorial” at Sharon Speedway five months after winning the “Golden Award” in memory of the late racer at the 2011 awards banquet, and then on Saturday night Martin dominated all 30 laps for another $2,000 victory. Martin also received the $100 Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Night” certificate in addition to the $100 K&N certificate.
“It’s another big win,” acknowledged the 27-year-old Mayport, Pa. racer. “We found the handling problem after the dash in the pits and fixed it, but I think about lap five or six it broke again. I thought ‘oh man’, but I was lucky the track transitioned a lot during that race. It slicked off and the problem was making me too tight, but it was slick enough that the car wasn’t as bad as it was in the dash. The momentum of this heading into the Nationals next weekend to race for big money is important, and to beat Max (Blair) and (Mike (Pegher) gives us a boost of confidence.”
After a pair of opening lap cautions, Martin took off in the lead with Kyle Thomas in tow. Josh Holtgraver was able to pass Andrew Wylie for third, and sixth starting Max Blair got by both Mike Pegher, Jr. and Wylie to take fourth after one lap. Following a caution for a spin by Jeff Compton with four laps scored, Blair slipped up in turns one and two allowing Pegher and Wylie back by for fourth and fifth respectively.
Martin had really begun to pull away as the event’s longest green flag stretch took place, while the battle was on for third with Holtgraver trying to hold off Pegher, Wylie, John Wyer, and Blair. On lap 12, Pegher made the pass of Holtgraver to take third. Wylie’s fine run ended when he spun with 12 laps completed.
When racing resumed, Pegher began to pressure Thomas for the second spot. The caution was displayed again when Ryan Montgomery slowed with 17 laps completed. It certainly wasn’t what Pegher wanted to see as he would slip high on the restart allowing Holtgraver back by then two laps later Troy Shields entered the mix getting by for fourth.
Martin and Thomas showed they were the class of the field as they distanced themselves from the pack with 10 laps to go. Nolan Dalton was the man on the move as he had the outside working. After starting 11th, Dalton cracked the top five on lap 24 passing Pegher. The event’s final caution for Ricky Meglaye with 26 laps completed was just what Dalton needed.
When green replaced yellow, Dalton went to the outside of Shields to grab fourth. Dalton ran down Holtgraver and was able to drive around him on the final lap to nab third, but up front Martin’s Allegheny Crane Rental/Neese Trucking/Martin Farms/Spartan Thru Tubing/Zero Wraps/JNJ Motorsports Media-sponsored, Wylie Race Car & Ingram Engines #55 was too much as captured his fourth career Tour win. The win moves Martin into a five-way tie for third place on the all-time win list.
Thomas made his first Tour since a fifth at Roaring Knob on April 20. His second place finish was worth $1,000 and matched his career best Tour finish from 2010 when he recorded a pair of runner-ups at his home track Tyler County Speedway. Dalton also matched his best career Tour finish of third as he had a pair of “show” position podium finishes earlier this season at Canada’s Humberstone Speedway and Ohio’s Raceway 7.
Pegher was also able to get around Holtgraver on the outside on the final lap to finish fourth. In what’s been a disappointing season for last year’s third place point man and two-time winner, Holtgraver dropped to fifth for the third time in the past five starts matching his best finish of 2012.
Shields finished sixth in just his fourth Tour start of 2012, which was his best finish since a fifth at Expo Speedway on June 30, 2010. Blair was a quiet seventh as he locked up his fourth Northeast Touring Series Championship in five years! Butch Lambert had a solid eighth for his 10th top 10 of 2012. Wyer made his second ever Tour start and qualified for his first feature with a ninth place finish. Wylie, who built the winning car and is a Series Major Contingency Sponsor, worked his way back to 10th at the finish.
Darin Henderson, who made the long tow up from Pasadena, Maryland, came from 22nd to finish 11th and earned the Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger. Henderson has made one Tour start in 2010, 2011, and now 2012 with his 11th place being his best career finish.
John Over finished 14th and received his season’s second Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night” award. After qualifying fourth fastest on Friday night, Over got spun from behind running near the front of his heat and had to qualify for the feature through the B main on Saturday. Over also got caught up in an accident during the feature.
John Cain made his first ever Tour start and finished 16th as the last car on the lead lap and received the Utsinger’s Towing free Hoosier Tire.
On Friday night, Blair lowered the one-lap track record with a lap of 16.897 breaking Pegher’s standard of 17.058 set back on March 31. Blair received $100 from Gaary’s Auto Sales. High Gear Speed Shop $25 heat winners on Friday were Blair, Pegher, and Thomas. Over won Saturday’s B main.
On Saturday, Martin won his season leading third K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash victory, which propelled him into the Dash Championship point lead by one over Pegher. Thomas received a $50 K&N certificate for finishing second. Wylie and Holtgraver received $25 cash for finishing third and fourth respectively.
Congratulations to Dave Mariani of Rural Ridge, Pa., who won the K&N Cold Air Induction fan giveaway valued at up to $500 on Saturday night. The sixth and final K&N Cold Air Induction fan giveaway will take place at the season ending event at Lernerville Speedway on October 27.
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #22 (30 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. JOE MARTIN (55) 2. Kyle Thomas (Grove 32) 3. Nolan Dalton (D2) 4. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 5. Josh Holtgraver (00) 6. Troy Shields (11) 7. Max Blair (111) 8. Butch Lambert (27) 9. John Wyer (16) 10. Andrew Wylie (84) 11. Darin Henderson (22) 12. Shane Weaver (Ruffner 325x) 13. Michael Lake (27) 14. John Over (K2) 15. Cody Dawson (36) 16. John Cain (06) 17. Ricky Meglaye (5) 18. Ron Parrish (Henry 7x) 19. Ryan Montgomery (12) 20. Ben Policz (14B) 21. Jeremy Shaffer (16) 22. Jeff Compton (65) 23. Gary May (44M) 24. Brad Kling (Powell 100).
B Main (8 laps, top 6 transfer): 1. John Over 2. Cody Dawson 3. Brad Kling 4. Darin Henderson 5. Jeremy Shaffer 6. John Cain DNQ: 7. W.L. Stile (2$) 8. Scott Chenowetch (58) 9. Mike Lewis (98)-DNS 10. Tom Sieger (99)-DNS 11. Mike Thorne (47)-DNS.
Garry Auto Sales Qualifying ($100 for fast time) (Track record Mike Pegher, Jr. 17.058 3/31/12): 1. Max Blair 16.897 (NTR) 2. Mike Pegher, Jr. 16.960 3. Joe Martin 17.032 4. John Over 17.138 5. Josh Holtgraver 17.155 6. Kyle Thomas 17.176 7. Ryan Montgomery 17.196 8. Troy Shields 17.219 9. Ricky Meglaye 17.240 10. Andrew Wylie 17.278 11. Ron Parrish 17.293 12. Butch Lambert 17.343 13. John Wyer 17.410 14. Nolan Dalton 17.449 15. Shane Weaver 17.495 16. Ben Policz 17.551 17. Brad Kling 17.610 18. Michael Lake 17.628 19. Mike Lewis 17.634 20. Jeff Compton 17.663 21. Jeremy Shaffer 17.999 22. W.L. Stile 18.122 23. Darin Henderson 18.232 24. John Cain 18.379 25. Scott Chenowetch 18.517 26. Tom Sieger 19.028 27. Cody Dawson 19.555 28. Gary May 20.869 29. Mike Thorne NT.
High Gear Speed Shop Heat 1 (10 laps, $25 to-win, top 6 transfer): 1. Max Blair 2. Andrew Wylie 3. Ryan Montgomery 4. John Wyer 5. Ben Policz 6. Gary May 7. John Over 8. Mike Lewis 9. W.L. Stile 10. Scott Chenowetch-DSQ (no scales)
High Gear Speed Shop Heat 2 (10 laps, $25 to-win, top 6 transfer): 1. Mike Pegher, Jr. 2. Josh Holtgraver 3. Troy Shields 4. Nolan Dalton 5. Ron Parrish 6. Jeff Compton 7. Brad Kling 8. Darin Henderson 9. Tom Sieger 10. Mike Thorne-DNS.
High Gear Speed Shop Heat 3 (10 laps, $25 to-win, top 6 transfer): 1. Kyle Thomas 2. Joe Martin 3. Ricky Meglaye 4. Butch Lambert 5. Shane Weaver 6. Michael Lake 7. Cody Dawson 8. Jeremy Shaffer 9. John Cain.
K&N Cold Air Induction Dash (4 laps, $100 K&N certificate to-win): 1. Joe Martin 2. Kyle Thomas 3. Andrew Wylie 4. Josh Holtgraver.
Feature Lap Leaders: Martin (1-30)
Car Count: 29
Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Night”: Joe Martin
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Darin Henderson (+11)
Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway: John Cain
Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night”: John Over
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