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6/5 - Don McGuire Wins Budweiser Super Sportsman Championship Race and Scott
Johnson Wins Super Late Model Feature at Eriez Speedway
By Glenn Slocum
Erie, Pa: Budweiser and Erie Beer sponsored the racing at Eriez Speedway
featuring the Budweiser Super Sportsman Championship Race. Lester Shoff passed
Rick Thompson with two to go to win his second Spectator feature event of the
season. Don McGuire passed Aaron Robinson on lap twelve to win the Budweiser and
Erie Beer Super Sportsman Championship Race. Nathan Short cruised to his third
victory in the Outlaw Cadet division. Justin Carlson drove the perfect E-Mod
race surviving several cautions for his first win of the season. Scott Johnson
won the Super Late Model feature surviving two delays and several cautions for
his fist win in a Super Late Model at Eriez Speedway. Leslie Armstrong continued
to dominate the Lady Challenger division winning her fourth feature event. Bob
Belson easily won the Super Challenger feature his first of the year.
Bruce Hordusky and Chris Hackett were the front row for the twenty-five lap
Super Late Model feature. Hordusky was first around as Hackett slipped to fourth
with Scott Johnson second and Bump Hedman third. Dave Hess Jr. slipped into
fourth on lap three putting Hackett in fifth. Hedman slowed in middle of turn
one giving the bottom to Hess then the yellow flew for Paul Briggs who had
stopped against the fence in turn four. A blown fuse during the caution darkened
turns one and two delaying the race for few minutes. Hordusky led Johnson by
three car lengths with Hess two behind Johnson and Hedman on the bumper of Hess.
Mike Coyle spun to stop in turn three with ten laps down. Hordusky led Johnson
by three car lengths at the half way point and Scott Gurdak passed Doug Eck for
the fifth spot. Hordusky spun going into turn one on lap sixteen collecting
Gurdak, Eck and Hackett giving the lead to Johnson as the yellow flew. Hordusky
pulled into the pits and Gurdak and Hackett needed help from the wreckers while
Eck joined the rear of the field. Johnson, Hess, Hedman, Rich Gardner and Steve
Halpainy were the top five for the restart. George LaBarbera, Briggs and Coyle
brought out the yellow with seventeen complete. Briggs and Merle Terry hooked
then spun on the front stretch during the restart bringing the yellow out right
after the green. The race was delayed again for several minutes while the
wrecker crews separated the two cars. Johnson was able to quickly gain a five
car length advantage over Hess and Hedman. Johnson handily won the race for his
first visit to Eriez victory lane in 2005.
Jake Eller and Dan Francis were on the front row for the Budweiser and Erie
Beer Super Sportsman Championship Race, but Aaron Robinson was first to the line
to lead lap one. John Volpe brought out the caution on lap six. Robinson, Dan
Francis, Chris Kuschel and John Boardman were the leaders for the restart. Don
McGuire passed Boardman on the restart lap for the fourth spot. Don McGuire
moved into second two laps later just before Francis spun in front of the
flagman for the second caution. The leaders were Robinson, Don McGuire and Chris
Kuschel. Don McGuire powered by Robinson on lap twelve to take the lead for the
first time. Robinson slowed with a flat one lap later then Scott Kuschel spun to
a stop coming out of turn four and Bobby Rohrer had no where to go making hard
contact with Kuschel. Both cars suffered heavy damage. Joe Buccola Sr. slowed
with a flat on lap fifteen for caution four then two laps later Eller slowed to
a stop on the back stretch for the fifth caution. Pat McGuire moved into fourth
on the restart as Don McGuire led. Don McGuire completed the final laps
unchallenged for his second win of the season.
Mike Kozar and Tim Thompson brought out the Spectator division for their
feature event. Kozar lost the handle coming out of four on the first lap
collecting Ken Lamp Jr. and bringing out the yellow. Lamp left the speedway on
the hook and Wade Watson and Jason Heslop were on the first row for the lap two
restart. Lester Shoff and Ken Jackson were in row two followed by Rick Thompson
and Tom Norland. Watson tangled with Heslop in turn three on the restart and
they both spun in front of the field for the second yellow. Heslop went to the
pits and Watson started in the rear as Jackson and Rick Thompson were in the
front row with Norland third and Nate Lester fourth. Rick Thompson won the dash
to turn one on the restart with Jackson second and Norland third. Jackson nearly
spun on lap four collecting Norland and Wade Slaney but the green stayed out.
Carl Marcy stopped high in turn two and the caution flew with six laps
completed. Rick Thompson, Lester Shoff, Lester and Brad Pease were the top four
for the lap seven restart. Rodney Thoms tagged Shoff on lap nine, Shoff
continued but Thoms nosed into the fence for the fourth yellow. Rick Thompson
went high in turn four on the restart allowing Shoff to take the lead. Tim
Thompson spun off the speedway on lap thirteen for yellow number five. Shoff
managed to get a jump on Rick Thompson on the restart but Rick Thompson fought
back taking the lead briefly on the white flag lap then went high returning the
lead to Shoff. Lester also passed Rick Thompson for the second spot. It was the
second win for Shoff.
Dave Tolon led the first lap of the Outlaw Cadet feature with Nathan Short
second and Paul Norman third. Short passed Tolon at the end of lap four and one
lap later John Cline spun in turn three bringing out the yellow. Short led after
the restart but the battle for third was fast and furious with Norman losing the
spot to Louis DeDionisio after contact in turn two spun Norman. Bowman turned
around in turn two on the restart for the third yellow. Short had a ten car
length lead at the halfway point with Tolon second. DeDionisio passed Tolon one
lap later then Tolon lost third to Tackett on lap eleven. Short cruised to his
third win of the season with DeDionisio second and Tackett third.
Mike Hess and Justin Carlson were door handle to door handle for the first
two laps of the E-Mod feature until Carlson managed a two car length lead over
Hess on lap three. Eugene Stetson and Jeff Fellows brought out the caution with
four laps completed. Carlson, Mike Hess, Dave Hess, Joel Watson and Mike Boyd
were the top five for the restart. Watson got the jump on both Carlson and Mike
Hess to lead into turn one then spun coming out of four collecting Dave Hess,
Mike Boyd, Tommy Fox and Ed Simmer. Fox was the only one that could not
continue. Carlson led after the restart until Fellow, Shawn McArdle and Tom Bean
brought out the yellow with six laps complete. Dave Hess Jr. after starting in
the rear was in tenth for the lap seven restart. Mike Hess still trailed Carlson
after the restart with Bret Porter third. Bill Thomas, Ryan Scott and Simmer
brought out the next caution with nine laps complete. Dave Hess Jr. moved into
fourth after the restart. Scott stopped up by the pit gate for the fifth yellow.
Mark Matthews did not like the first restart of lap thirteen but accepted the
second. Jeff Walters spun for the sixth yellow on lap fourteen setting up a
green-white-checkers dash for the win. Dave Hess Jr. passed Porter for third as
the white flag was given to Carlson. Carlson finished the perfect run with car
length lead over Mike Hess.
The yellow appeared on lap four of the Super Challenger feature with Bob
Belson leading, Ben Burgess second and Chris Withers third. The yellow flew once
more at the half way point. Belson, Withers and Burgess were the top three for
the restart. Lee Matczak used the restart to pass Burgess for third. Belson
easily won the race with Withers and Matczak a distant second and third.
Spectators:
Heat 1: Nate Lester, Rick Thompson, Wade Slaney
Feature: Lester Shoff, Nate Lester, Rick Thompson, Brad Pease, Brian Graham,
Mort John, Tim Thompson, Wade Watson, Rodney Thoms, Mike Kozar
Outlaw Cadets:
Heat 1: Phil Knight, Paul Norman Jr., Louis DeDionisio
Feature: Nathan Short, Louis DeDionisio, Dave Tackett, Dave Tolon, Andy
Knight, John Cline, Paul Norman Jr., Brian Zimmerly, Ron Seeley, Chris Bowman
Budweiser Super Sportsman:
Heat 1: John Volpe, Brent Crandall, Mike Murray
Heat 2: Aaron Robinson, Pat McGuire, Chris Kuschel
Feature: Don McGuire, Chris Kuschel, John Boardman, Dan Francis, John Volpe,
Brent Crandall, Aaron Robinson, Richard Digirolamo Jr., Pat McGuire, Joe Buccola
Sr.
E-Mod:
Heat 1: Mike Hess, Mike Boyd, Ed Simmer
Heat 2: Justin Carlson, Dave Hess Jr., Tommy Fox
Heat 3: Joel Watson, Brian Fardink, Mike Moon
Feature: Justin Carlson, Mike Hess, Dave Hess Jr., Bret Porter, Joel Watson,
Dave Will, Herm Hilyer, Mike Boyd, Dustin Eckman, Ed Simmer
Super Late Model:
Heat 1: Bruce Hordusky, Bump Hedman, Doug Eck, Andy Boozel, Andy Kania
Heat 2: Chris Hackett, Scott Johnson, Dave Hess Jr., George LaBarbera, Scott
Gurdak
Feature: Scott Johnson, Dave Hess Jr., Bump Hedman, Rich Gardner, Andy
Boozel, Steve Halpainy, Andy Kania, Dave Lyon, Doug Eck, George LaBarbera, Mike
Knight, Matt Lanphere, Merle Terry, Mike Coyle, Paul Briggs, Bruce Hordusky,
Scott Gurdak, Chris Hackett, Percy McDonald
Super Challenger:
Heat 1: Bob Belson, Aron Dascomb, Chris Withers
Heat 2: Lee Matczak, Ben Burgess, Gary Fisher
Feature: Bob Belson, Chris Withers, Lee Matczak, Aron Dascomb, Ben Burgess,
Tim Dulmus, Gary Fisher, Dan MacGarvie, Monty Seekings, Shawn Seekings
Lady Challenger:
Heat 1: Leslie Armstrong, Amber Belson, Kari Moore
Feature: Leslie Armstrong, Kayla Riefstahl, Kari Moore, Amber Belson, Mary
Lou Keith
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