7/15/2005
JAY SOMMERS BAGS THIRD WIN IN FRONT OF RECORD CROWD AT LES
The record-breaking season continues at Lake Erie Speedway with the latest the single race attendance record becoming the most recent one to fall. The record of 9,209 set last year during Race of Champions night was smashed as 9,386 came through the gates for Kids Night at LES. The fans were treated to another quick and exciting show with all six divisions of racing being wrapped up in a little more than two hours.
In the Plyler Overhead Door Late Models, Jay Sommers picked up his third win of the season. Sommers started fifth for the 40-lap race, while Scott Nurmi and John Julicher led the field to green. Julicher was able to pull away for the first couple of laps while a pack of six cars behind him were fiercely battling side-by-side for position.
Once the pack was able to settle down, Tim Williams came charging up on Julicher and pulled alongside him. Williams took the lead on lap 12 and was followed into second by Todd Hoddick. Hoddick would only need two laps to get by Williams to take the lead. One lap later, Sommers would move up to the second spot, and he and Hoddick would pull away from the field to settle the race on their own.
Sommers would nibble at the back bumper of Hoddick for several laps, trying to get a fender under the No. 99 of Hoddick. By lap 28, he was able to get next to Hoddick on the bottom groove. After a handful of laps racing wheel to wheel, Sommers took control on lap 34. He would then pull away in the final six laps for his third win of the season.
The win allows Sommers to pull further away in the Plyler Overhead Door Late Model standings, but more importantly it gives him the chance to climb in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series Division III standings. Sommers began the day in third, two points out of second and 62 out of the lead.
Todd Hoddick, Vern Bliss, Glenn Gault Jr., and Dave Wollaber all picked up top five finishes for the third-straight week.
The “Southern Invaders” scored another win over the “Weekly Warriors” in the Pepsi Legends. Dan Russell of Albany, IN made his second start of the year at LES a successful one as he won the 25-lap feature. Russell passed by Dan Weaver on lap eight and would pull away from the field to take the win. Rodney Harrower gained ground on Chris Bailey in the standings with a second place finish. Eric Hammill, Tom Hall, and Larry Occhibone rounded out the top five.
Dana Nova picked up his first career win in the Dodge Trucks. Nova got by Chris Brockway on the race’s second lap, but would have to hold off Tim Card and Al Fisher. Card and Fisher were only separated by three points in the standings at the beginning of the race and battled tooth and nail behind Nova. In the end, neither driver could catch Nova while Fisher hung on to the second spot. With his runner-up finish, Fisher takes the unofficial lead in the standings.
Dave Krawczyk delivered himself a birthday present as he scored his tenth win of the year in the Advance Auto Parts Street Stocks. Krawczyk was able to get by Terry Akerly on lap six as he dominated the final 14 laps to improve his win total to double digits. Paul Thrasher, Dave Wilson, and Dennis Kszos rounded out the top five.
Grant Kirik picked up win number three in the Bandoleros. Bob Morgan captured his fifth checkered flag in the Jensen’s Target Collision Figure 8’s.
Next week is Summer Slam Weekend at Lake Erie Speedway. Friday night, July 22, is the “Summer Slam 100” for the Late Models with $2,000 on the line for the winner. Time trials for the Late Models will set the top ten starting spots for the feature. The Street Stocks and Trucks will also be in action. Time trials start at 7 PM with heat races to follow at 7:30 PM.
Saturday night, July 23, open-wheeled racing takes center stage as the Sunoco Race of Champions Modified Tour makes their first-ever appearance at the LES 3/8-mile. Feel the thunder from some of the fastest short-track cars in the world as they do battle for 75 laps with the top teams in the Northeast coming to town. The SST Sportsman Modified Series will also be racing for 75 laps along with the Casey’s TQ Midget Series and the Street Stocks from Lancaster Raceway Park. Racing starts at 6 PM on Saturday. Complete Summer Slam weekend details are available at www.lakeeriespeedway.com.
RESULTS
PLYLER OVERHEAD DOOR LATE MODELS
Heat Winners – Jay Sommers, Vern Bliss, Mike Reed
Feature - JAY SOMMERS, Todd Hoddick, Vern Bliss, Glenn Gault, Jr., Dave Wollaber, Tim Williams, Mike Reed, Michael Simko, Steve Watson, Mike Hennessey, Scott Bayle, Scott Nurmi, Greg Hoover, Bill Catania, Steve Hennessey, Nick Crassi, John Julicher, Jeremy Holbrook, Vince Sands, and Jeremy Maines.
DODGE TRUCKS
Heat Winners – Tim Card, Dana Nova
Feature – DANA NOVA, Alan Fisher, Tim Card, Bill Ellison, John Coughlin, Chris Brockway, Bryanne Downes, Tony Maratto, Shawn Wood, John Malone, Dale Peterman, and Jay Greene.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS STREET STOCKS
Heat Winners – Terry Akerly, Dave Krawczyk
Feature – DAVE KRAWCZYK, Terry Akerly, Paul Thrasher, Dave Wilson, Jr., Dennis Kszos, Jason Dieter, Kyle Sharpe, Charles Houser, Dan Cragle, Ken Moore, Dean Craig, Russ Conti, and Eric Hadley.
PEPSI LEGENDS
Heat Winners – Daniel Russell, Eric Hammill
Feature – DANIEL RUSSELL, Rodney Harrower, Eric Hammill, Tom Hall, Larry Occhibone, Chris Bailey Jr., Jake Francis, Phil Gill, Dan Weaver, Jeff Johnson, Tim Hoegel, Ken Jackson, Bob McQuiston, Ed Hoegel, Dennis Shilling, Jim Alexander, Bill Lyden, and Steve Sunday. DNS: Bryan Maloney.
BANDOLEROS
Heat Winner – Grant Kirik
Feature – GRANT KIRIK, J.P. Weisser, Eric Redmond, Justin Hines, Patrick Lyden, Bailey Daniels, Michaela Downes, Nate Carlson, Jesse Downes, and Nathan Rogers.
JENSENS TARGET COLLISION FIGURE 8’S
Feature – BOB MORGAN, Eric Hammill, Chris Ward, Mike Kernohan, Dan Prishack, Ricky Wright, Dan Cragle, Jim Cunningham, and Don Prischak.
Source: Dave Buchanan/Lake Erie PR
Posted: July 16, 2005