Chad Valone won the 2nd Annual Ned Gleason Memorial last night at McKean County Raceway. Valone debuting a brand new Rocket Chassis picked up the $3000 prize money in a 3 wide photo finishing eeking out the win by a mere 2 inches of Matt Lux and 4 inches over ULMS point Leader Mike Knight in the Northern Tier Inc United Late Model Series event!

Mike Pegher Jr. of Cranberry Twp, PA won his second straight FASTRAK NE Regional Series event at MCR. Rich Michael Jr of Ischua, NY captured the Emod feature, while his brother Andy Michael won the street stocks and defending track champion, Brad Ullman won in the mini stock division.

“The Captain” Jason Dupont and Matt Lux paced the field to John Powell’s green flag for the 30 lap event. Dupont rocketed into the lead at the start in his Northern Tier Inc #No7 Rocket over Lux and Valone. The first yellow would come out after the opening lap for Denny Fenton. Dupont and Valone restarted the field and it was Dupont back to the front with eight place starting, Greg Oakes rocketing his way into fourth behind Lux. Oakes would grab third on lap four but Lux would come back on lap five to reclaim the third spot with WoO Rookie of Year candidate Ron Davies now in fifth. With ten laps in the books it was still Dupont leading the charge as Valone kept the pressure on.

The car on the move was point leader, Mike Knight who was pacing himself in the seventh and eighth positions the first ten laps started to make his charge to the front. He made his way to fifth on lap 12 and one lap later disposed of Oakes for fourth. The yellow would flash again at the halfway point. On the restart, Valone and Dupont simultaneously fired together but it was Lux that had the great start as he made it three wide down the front stretch into turn one. As the scramble cleared in turn two it was Valone your new leader and Mike Knight now in second with Lux and Dupont getting shuffled back to fourth and “Big Brother” Dan Stone now in fifth! Valone now was pacing Knight with Lux just hanging out in third. With Knight pressuring Valone for the lead the other battle was for fourth between Dupont, Stone and Dick Barton. The final few laps, saw Knight try to get under Valone each corner, but the 2v machine of Valone would pull a car length or two off the corner. As the white flag flew, Knight made another charge into turn one and two and had to back off as contact was avoided. Knight tried again in turn three and four as the duo exited turn four, Lux stuck his car under the duo to make it three wide out of turn four for the finish. As the trio crossed the line it was Valone by a mere two inches over Lux and Knight finishing third by a mere two or three inches to Lux in a photo finish that had the fans on their feet in excitement! Stone got by Dupont for fourth while Dick Barton, Gregg Satterlee, Greg Oakes, Dennis Lunger and Boom Briggs rounded out the top ten.


Less than two weeks ago Mike Pegher, Jr. drew the pole position and out-dueled hometown hero Steve Dixon for his first career McKean County win. Fast forward to Thursday night and in almost a similar manner, Pegher drew the pole position once again and this time fended off nemesis Max Blair in the 25-lap $1,200 to-win feature for his third FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series win of 2011.

Pegher was able to muscle his way to the lead over Blair, John Lacki, Robbie Marhefka, and Bob Kish on the opening lap. Andrew Wylie spun to bring out the first caution with two laps completed. When racing resumed, Marhefka raced past Lacki to steal third. Kish, who had a great run going slowed to bring out the second caution with four laps completed.

Things got interesting on the ensuing restart, Blair started the race and took the advantage, but Lacki tried to make it three-wide. Lacki got in a little too hard in turns three and four and spun to bring out the caution ruining another good run for him at McKean. Pegher was given the lead back and resumed it when racing restarted.

Seventh starting Dan Angelicchio was now up to third, while ninth starting Joe Martin and Bidwell really went at it for fifth racing hard side-by-side. As the longest green flag run of the race took place, Pegher caught lapped traffic for the first time on lap 13 allowing Blair to close in. It was now a three-car race for the lead as Angelicchio caught the duo.

Unfortunately for Blair and Angelicchio, the caution waved again as Lacki’s car brought action to a halt with 14 laps completed and then Dixon, who had fought his way from 23rd to seventh, lost a wheel in turn four ending another night for the hard charger.

When action resumed, Pegher, Blair, and Angelicchio quickly distanced themselves from the field. Martin was able to finally get by Bidwell for fifth on lap 18 then began to challenge Marhefka for fourth until the final caution of the race slowed action with 22 laps scored. On the ensuing restart, Marhefka tried to make a run at the top three cars, but slipped high off the banking in turn two allowing numerous competitors to fly by including Bidwell and Martin, who took over fourth and fifth.

Pegher was simply too strong in clear track as all 18 finishers were on the lead lap at the checkered flag. Pegher’s victory in the Lynn Geisler-owned, #1 Cochran Automotive/Triple-S Auto Sales/Zero Wraps-sponsored #1c. Blair was second for the second straight night and continues to lead Northeast Touring points. Angelicchio continued his solid streak of great runs as he turned in his fifth straight top five finish and sixth of the season in eight starts. Angelicchio has climbed to third in Touring points despite missing the Humberstone, Canada event and is tied with Pegher for second in Speedweek points.

“Futures Cup” point leader Damian Bidwell, who has recorded solid finishes in Weekly action including a win last season at Tri-City Speedway in his rookie season, finally was able to record his first career top five in Touring Series competition after 15 starts in two years. Bidwell crossed the line in fourth after starting eighth and has moved up to eighth in Touring points.
Nine of the 15 eligible racers took the green flag for the 10-lap “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series non-qualifier race with Justin Tatlow picking up his first ever victory. The Franklinville, New York driver started fourth and led all of the way for the $125 victory in the Lewy Kratts-owned, Ungermann Excavating/Performance Towing/Lewy’s Tire-sponsored #81. Three “Futures Cup” racers were second through fourth including Shane Weaver, Chad Wright, and Clay Ruffo in his first ever appearance to the track. Rookie Brian Haggerty was fifth.

Rich Michael Jr made his 2011 MCR debut in the Emod division and powered to the front at the start of the 20 lap Emod feature over Butch Southwell. Michael kept Southwell at bay for the opening laps of the event as Southwell had to fend off the challenges of Vic Vena till lap six when two made contact on the front stretch resulting in a right front flat for the #01 of Vena and ending his night. Michael was checking out to about a ten car length lead over Southwell with Mike Eschrich and Bob Close battling for third. At the half way point Michael was still in control with Close pressuring his teammate in Southwell for second and lap fifteen would see the two teammates make contact on the backstretch and nearly ending both of their nights but they kept motoring on. This allowed Michael to get away and let Eschrich get back into the battle for third. Eschrich’s new nemesis was Tim Peterson and Peterson began pressuring the 9E for fourth as the checkers flew it was Michael over Southwell, Close, Eschrich edging out Peterson for fourth.

Rich Wojtowicz and Levi Watson paced the eighteen car street stock field to the green with Wojtowicz jumping into the lead at the start with Andy Michael moving into second. Michael would make his charge to the lead on lap four as he edged Wojtowicz at the line. With five in the books it was Rich Hemphill now in third behind the two leaders with Josh Wilcox and Joe Chamberlain rounding out your top five. Michael was the car to beat as he opened up his lead and at the halfway point the top four was still the same with ninth place starting Steve Mowery now in fifth. Hemphill in the meantime was pressuring Wojtowicz for second and finally on lap fifteen he would take the spot over. Michael was on his way to the win as Hemphill finished second over Wojtowicz, Chamberlain and Mowery.

Riley Ellison and defending track champion, Brad Ullman brought the 20 car mini stock field to the green with Ullman showing the field why he was the track champion in 2010 with quick jump into the lead over Ellison. Ellison would lead the second lap but it was Ullman back to the lead on lap three with Rick Bump now in second as the top three were car lengths of each other. Ellison would grab second back on lap six as Kyle Babcock now. Ullman would pace the field the rest of the distance to win over Babcock as he would get by Ellison with two to go. Ellison was third followed by Bump and Jeff Buhl rounding out the top five.

MCR will be back in action on Thursday, July 14 with the Northern Tier Inc ULMS Late Models returning for the Jim Duffy Memorial that will be a qualifier for the Priority Care Race FAN 50 in September.


RESULTS:

ULMS Ned Gleason Memorial:

CHAD VALONE, Matt Lux, Mike Knight, Dan Stone, Jason Dupont, Dick Barton, Gregg Satterlee, Greg Oakes, Dennis Lunger, Boom Briggs, Dutch Davies, Ron Davies, Luke Hoffner, Paul Grigsby, Chris Hackett, Dereck Frank, Doug Ricotta, Brent Rhebergen, Bud Phillips, David Scott, Darrell Bossard, Bump Hedman, Denny Fenton


Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #9: 1. MIKE PEGHER, JR. (Geisler 1c) 2. Max Blair (111) 3. Dan Angelicchio (14) 4. Damian Bidwell (17) 5. Joe Martin (55) 6. Josh Holtgraver (00) 7. John Haggerty (49) 8. Robbie Marhefka (99FM) 9. Chris Steele (Holtgraver 00X) 10. Andrew Wylie (84) 11. Butch Lambert (27) 12. George Kowatic (5) 13. John Volpe (Bidwell B1D) 14. Adam Sixt (6T) 15. Jamie Brown (135) 16. Tommy Kronenwetter, Jr. (4K) 17. Brad Mesler (24B) 18. Lauren Longbrake (27) 19. Steve Dixon (50) 20. Ike Fanton (41) 21. John Lacki (7) 22. David Scott (Craig/Andrus 62) 23. Kyle Zimmerman (z17) 24. Bob Kish (5).

Non-Qualifier Bonus Event (10 laps, $125 to-win): 1. Justin Tatlow (Kratts 81) 2. Shane Weaver (Ruffner 325x) 3. Chad Wright (6) 4. Clay Ruffo (14R) 5. Brian Haggerty (91) 6. Justin Smith (21) 7. Patrick Willar (39) 8. T.J. Downs (03) 9. Chad Silleman (47) 10. Michael Mitchell (19)-DNS 11. Junior Peters (00)-DNS 12. Richard Clew (F5)-DNS 13. Matt Cobb (75)-DNS 14. Todd Sweet (17)-DNS 15. Kyle Scott (Law 14)-DNS.

EMODS:
RICH MICHEEL, Butch Southwell, Bob Close, Mike Eschrich, Tim Peterson, Brent Rhebergen, Darren Tarabori, Craig Bedell, Nathan Hill, Travis Asel, Mike Asel, Leonard Enos, Alex Froman, Jaben Hill, Karl Born, John Boardman, John Woodward, Kyle Bedell, Vic Vena, Tim Walden

STREET STOCKS:
ANDY MICHAEL, Rich Hemphill, Rich Wojtowicz, Joe Chamberlain, Steve Mowery, Chris Autsin, Dan Giboo, John Woodward, Craig Rex, Levi Watson, Ted Mascho, Kevin Dzuroff, Hiram Clayson, Steve Evingham, Steve Sklar, Josh Wilcox, Mark Schweikart, Ron Budinger

MINI STOCKS
BRAD ULMAN, Kyle Babock, Riley Ellison, Rick Bump, Jeff Buhl, CJ Irons, Nick Snayzak, 18x, Aaron Bartas, Taylor Jacobs, Joe Boylan Mitch Boylan, Shawn Byerly, William Bailey, Duane Powers, Paula Mason, Kurt Babcock, Larry Mitchell, Jr. Oakes, Dave Lowe Jr.