Mercer, PA (July 26, 2014): Rains cut the Saturday Night Live! racing program short at Mercer Raceway Park and the extended forecast promised more moisture, causing management to postpone the Sunday racing card. Before the storm front moved into the area, the heat races were completed for the two winged Sprint Car divisions.
The Bonnell’s Rod Shop Outlaw Sprint Warriors were the first class onto the speedway Saturday evening. Twenty-one cars signed in to compete. The victories went to C.J. Jones and Ken Rossey. Making his first start in several weeks was Michael Bauer. Bauer was the division’s point leader before he crashed his potent machine. After it was repaired, Bauer moved up to the 410 Sprint Cars. His new ride is the Lockhart number 58 formerly driven by third-generation driver Sye Lynch.
The 410 Sprint Cars also completed their preliminaries before the rains came. Winning drivers were Lee Jacobs and Carl Bowser. There were sixteen cars on hand. The class is presented by Luxaire Heating & Cooling and McCrudden Heating & Supply. Defending track champion, Jack Sodeman, Jr., was watching the program from his passenger car parked along the back stretch. Sodeman was wearing a cast on his fractured right leg, but his spirits were high. He will be sidelined indefinitely.
The Approved Toilet Rentals 358 Modifieds were on the speedway for their first heat race when the rain started falling hard enough to call a halt to the action. There were eighteen machines in attendance.
Waiting to take to the track were the Precise Racing Products Stock Cars, Rock Concrete Modified Lites, and the Eperthener’s Auto Wrecking/Ray’s Racing Collectibles Mini Stocks.
Fans will be allowed to use their rain checks and competitors can use their pit passes on August 2 or August 16.
The Sunday portion of the doubleheader weekend was postponed due to the rains continuing into Sunday. That event was to feature the second round of Smackdown!, the confrontation between the track’s nimble 358 Modifieds and the powerful Big Blocks of the BRP Modified Tour. Lonny Riggs scored the upset victory for the home team when round one was contested on July 12. He will now have to wait until Sunday, August 10, to see if he can outrun the touring series again.
Racing will resume at the Park on August 2, with a Saturday Night Live! program. In addition, there will be bike racing for the children. The bike races are presented courtesy of Approved Toilet Rentals and Ray’s Racing Collectibles. Remember, that all children must have helmets in order to participate.
Remember, too, that you can get alerts regarding any postponement of racing action at Mercer Raceway Park through Rainedout.com. You can sign up for this free service by clicking on the icon at the track’s website and following the simple steps.
About Mercer Raceway Park: Mercer Raceway Park is a 3/8-mile dirt track located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly from late March through late September. For more information, check out www. mercerracewaypark.com, www.twitter.com/mercerraceway, or www.facebook.com/mercerracewaypark.