May 16th, 2004 - Robbie Blair Wins Inaugural PONY Series Race on COORS Night
at Eriez Speedway
By Glenn Slocum

 Erie, Pa: Eriez Speedway held the inaugural event for the COORS sponsored P.O.Ny Series as Raceway 7 was rained out on Friday and Stateline on Saturday. Raceway 7 had yet to reschedule the event but Stateline will have its PONY makeup next Saturday May 21st.

     Thirty-seven Super Late Models were on hand to try for one of the twenty-six starting spots in the 35 Lap PONY main event. Seven cars were taken from each heat and five from the consolation event. John Lobb had a drive shaft come into the drivers compartment during warm-ups for the event and was transported to the hospital and Wendell Pinckney make hard contact with the back stretch guardrail during his warm up laps. Bill Cunningham won the consolation with Pinckney fighting back from his warm up incident to finish second, Mile Stitszinger was third

       Eleven Super Late Models reported to the speedway for the consolation event and there last try for the five remaining spots in feature event. Miles Stitszinger led the first lap with Wendell Pinckney second and Bill Cunningham third. Jason Morell sat in the fourth spot and Frank Ponitowski was in the last qualifying position. Andy Boozel brought out the yellow just after Dan Armbruster took the fifth spot from Ponitowski. Pinckney took the lead from Stitszinger on the restart. Boozel and Steve Halpainy tangled on lap nine for the second caution. Cunningham beat Pinckney to turn one on the restart and the win. Armbruster got the final transfer spot with Jason Morrell fourth and Stitszinger third.

            Dick Barton and Robbie Blair led out the twenty-six car starting field for the first PONY Series event. Rookie Paul Briggs was third with David Scott fourth followed by Ryan Markham and Scott Johnson. Blair beat Barton to turn one but veteran starter Spanky Hall did not like the start and the field was quickly realigned for another attempt. Wendell Pinckney had to be pushed into the pits after stalling before the restart. Blair was first across the line as Miles Stitszinger, Bill Cunningham and Jay Watson tangled on the backstretch. Stitszinger was up against the fence requiring a wreck to return to the pits while Cunningham who sat facing the wrong way also required a wrecker, as did Watson sitting in the infield. Twenty cars remained and not one lap had been completed as Dan Armbruster and Mark Ramsey also went to the pits. Hall spoke to Blair on the next attempted start as Blair fired before Barton who sat on the pole. The next start worked as Blair once more set the pace with Barton second and Scott third followed by a distant Briggs. Three laps were quickly put in the books when Merle Terry stopped on the back straight forcing the yellow.  The track was blocked on the restart after Scott Johnson was spun collecting eight cars including Alan Dellinger, Mike Isadore and Mickey Wright. Blair led lap four as Scott nearly pushed Barton across the line. Briggs was fourth followed by Markham and Rod Maloy. Blair started to build a lead as the race stayed under green with Barton and Scott a half a straight away behind by lap ten. Blair was into lap traffic by lap eleven. Blair maintained his lead of Barton for the next ten putting car after car down a lap. Wendell Pinckney did a quick spin on lap twenty-two and the yellow appeared allowing the field to close with Blair. Blair got a tremendous jump on the restart and Scott got by Barton in lap traffic for the number two spot. Alan Dellinger was fourth with Markham in the fifth spot. Maloy ruined his run with a spin into the infield on lap thirty-three and Blair once again lost his large lead. There were two lap cars between the first and second positions on the restart then the fifth place car of Markham, Maloy, Rich Gardner, Mike Wonderling and Mickey Wright were all involved in a incident in turn one. Blair led Scott by several car length w with one to go and cruised to the victory as a spinning Mike Isadore cause the remainder of the field to take evasive action to reach the finish line. Scott Johnson was scored fifth with Dellinger fourth, Barton third and Scott second.

            John Swabik from Sherman NY and Dennis Lunger from Corry were the Spectator feature winners and Nathan Short from Niobie NY survived several cautions to win the Outlaw Cadet event. Dan Osborne from Lake City was the Four Cylinder winner. Erie’s Kevin Decker beat last weeks winner Dale Applebee to win the E-Mod feature.

            Ken Jackson had a ten-car length lead by lap two of the first Spectator feature when the first caution of the event was caused by Wade Watson with a spin on the front straight. Bob Kinne was second with John Swabik third. The caution appeared once again when Terry Lavery spun in turn two. Swabik was second on the restart with Fred McClanahan in the third spot and Kinne fourth. Water on the front straight caused problems for Matt Lozowski for the third caution. Early leader Jackson lost the handle on the restart and Lozowski lost his right rear tire for yellow number four. Swabik was the leader with McClanahan second and Brian Wagner moving into the third spot. McClanahan lost a spot to Wagner on the restart and the yellow flew once more for a spinner in turn four. Swabik held on for his first win at Eriez with Wagner second and Jackson third.

            Nate Lester started the second Spectator feature then fell to fourth on lap one with Ken Lamp taking the top spot followed by Dennis Lunger and Chris Couchenour. The top four quickly moved away from the rest of the field led by Mark Thompson and Brian Crandall. The yellow appeared for Steve Keith stopped on the front straight with five laps complete. Lunger used the restart to take the number one spot with Lamp falling to second. Couchenour was pressing Lamp hard on lap eight then slipped up the speedway in turn two allowing Lester by. Couchenour fought back to gain the runner up spot on the last lap as Lunger notched his first Eriez win of the season.

           Brian Zimmerly was out in front after one circuit of the Outlaw Cadet feature when Cliff Lamphere and Tom Hagberg had trouble in turn one for the first caution. Nathan Short took the lead from Zimmerly on the restart and Hagberg had more troubles for the third yellow. Short powered away from the field at the drop of the green and the yellow quickly appeared for Paul Norman who had slowed to a stop in turn one. Ron Seeley moved into the second spot on the lap next restart with Joe Weber third and Andy and Mike Knight fourth and fifth. Fiesler stopped in turn four with six laps completed for the fifth caution. Andy Knight took third from Weber on the restart then Matt Emmerling stopped in one for the sixth caution with just seven laps complete. John Cline moved by Weber for the fourth position on the restart. With five remaining Short was solidly the lead followed by Seeley being pressured by Andy Knight the several car lengths back was Cline.  Seeley fought off Knight for the second spot while Short took the checkers.

            Dan Osborne survived several cautions to win the Four Cylinder event. Tom Bean finished second with Randy Luzier third.

            Chad Carlson led the first eight laps of the Budweiser Super Sportsman event then lost the lead to veteran Pat McGuire in traffic.  Carlson challenged McGuire several times but could not find the way around. Don McGuire finished in the third spot.

            Dale Applebee was the early leader of the E-Mod feature with Kevin Decker second and Justin Carlson third. Justin Carlson lost his third spot when he was spun on lap five and was forced to join the rear of the field on the restart. Dave Hess Jr. took the spot vacated by Carlson. Mike Hess was fourth with Quincy Turner fifth. Decker stole the lead from Applebee on the restart then a quick yellow on lap seven slowed the event once more. Dave Hess got under Applebee on lap eleven for the second spot the slowed with a flat giving Applebee the spot back on lap twelve. Decker caught the end of the field on lap thirteen then an incident on the back stretch brought the yellow out with fourteen laps complete. Decker held on for his first Eriez win of the season.

            Tait Washburn came to Eriez for the first time and won the Super Challenger event beating veterans Wade Slaney and Jim Frank. 

Spectators:

Heat 1: Ken Jackson, John Swabik, Fred McClanahan

Heat 2: Nate Lester, Dennis Lunger, Dana Wellington

1^st Feature: John Swabik, Brian Wagner, Ken Jackson, Fred McClanahan, Terry Lavery, Larry Boumans, Rich Becker, Russ Cressley, Bob Kinne, Bob Johnson

2^nd Feature: Dennis Lunger, Chris Couchenour, Nate Lester, Dana Wellington, Kevin Brumett, Matt Lozowski, Jeremy English, Bill Van Volkenburg, Brian Crandall, Bill Baker Jr.

Outlaw Cadets:

Heat 1: Brian Zimmerly, Louis DeDionisio, Bill Dunn

Heat 2: Andy Knight, John Cline, Phil Knight

Feature: Nathan Short, Ron Seeley, Andy Knight, John Cline, Mike Knight, Joe Weber, Rick Loomis, Phil Knight, Scott Lewis, Chuck Porter

Four Cylinders:

Heat 1: Dan Osborne, Tom Bean,

Feature: Dan Osborne, Tom Bean, Randy Luzier, J.R. Cross, Brian Duryee, Doug Kirih, Stan Davis, Mike Weber, Scott Douglas

Budweiser Super Sportsman:

Heat 1: Bobby Rohrer, Don McGuire, Randy Parmenter
Heat 2: John Boardman, Pete Volpe, Brent Crandall

Feature: Pat McGuire, Chad Carlson, Don McGuire

E-Mods:

Heat 1: Dale Applebee, Joel Watson, Mike Hess

Heat 2: Justin Carlson, Dave Hess Jr., Joe Hemme

Heat 3: Kevin Decker, John Lacki, Bill Thomas,

Feature: Kevin Decker, Dale Applebee, Mike Hess, Quincy Turner, Holly Nelson, Robert Boyd, Bill Thomas, Joe Hemme, Justin Carlson, Tim Rater

Super Late Model:

Heat 1: Dick Barton, David Scott, Rich Gardner, Alan Dellinger, Mark Ramsey

Heat 2: Robbie Blair, Ryan Markham, Rick Isadore, Doug Eck, Bump Hedman

Heat 3: Paul Briggs, Scott Johnson, Mickey Wright, Chris Hackett, Mike Wonderling

Consolation: Bill Cunningham, Wendell Pinckney, Miles Stitszinger, Jason Morell, Dan Armbruster

Feature: Robbie Blair, David Scott, Dick Barton, Alan Dellinger, Scott Johnson, Rich Gardner, Rod Maloy, Paul Briggs, Moose Dunnewold, Jason Morell, Doug Eck, Ward Schell, Mike Wonderling, Rick Isadore, Wendell Pinckney, Ryan Markham, Mickey Wright, Chris Hackett, Miles Stitszinger, Merle Terry, Bump Hedman, Scott Gurdak, Mark Ramsey, Jay Watson, Bill Cunningham, Dan Armbruster

 Super Challenger:

Heat 1: Jim Frank, Ryan Scott, Scott Jordan

Heat 2: Bob Belson, Jason Genco, Derick Frank