Michaels Mercer Raceway completes inaugural season with annual banquet. 4 new champions crowned
By Jim Balentine
in 2018 Mercer Raceway was dark except for a handful of specials and the question was will weekly racing ever return to Mercer and that question was answered this season.. as Ed Michaels whose family owned the track from 1994 until 1997, purchased the facility in the off-season and returned it to weekly competition.
The Michael’s name is well known in the Mercer area as Ed is a part of several different charities and is also a local business owner in the area and with a very short time frame he completed a very successful first season. With four of the five weekly divisions averaging at least 20 cars or more each night and many first time winners great victory Lane and four of the five track champions never won a title at Mercer before.
The season concluded with the banquet held Saturday night January 18 2020 at the Normandy banquet center in Hermitage Pennsylvania with over 180 people attending the affair. Track announcer Jim Balentine Jr emceed the event which was completed by 9:30, with dancing that followed . The nights 50/50 of over $500 went to a lucky attendee and the the other half to the Erie Pa. Shriners hospital. Over 180 door prizes were given away as well.
Celebrating their first ever Mercer track championships were Brian Schaffer- fastrak modifieds, jake Gamola -305 sprints, Joe Campbell- Mini stocks, and Vivian Jones-Mod lites who is the first ever female to win a track championship in the tracks rich history. The only repeat Champion was veteran Rex king sr who won his first big block modified title at the track since 1995.
Special award winners were most improved driver Rick Regalski #13 big block modified, And 4 rookie of the years- Gage Priester #71 Fastrak modified; Chase Metheney #31c 305 sprints; Ayden Cipriano #5c Mod lites; and Joe Romanko #85J Mini stock.
The evening concluded with track owner Edward Michaels thanking everybody for coming out and supporting the race track and discussed some plans for the new 2020 season with the big announcement of new clay already on the speedway with more clay to come soon. There will be more 410 sprint shows and also some late model shows both Super and Crate LM. The season will begin with the annual chiller thriller the last Saturday in March and the season will conclude with the 21st annual little guy nationals in October. The 2020 schedule will be released shortly.
For more information on Michaels Mercer Raceway please visit their Facebook page or go to www.michaelsmercerraceway.com
Photo: Mercer track owner Edward Michaels congratulates the 2019 track champions(L to R): Rex King Sr-BB Mods; Vivian Jones-Mod Lites; Jake Gamola-305 sprints; Brian Schaffer-Fastrak Modifieds; and Joe Campbell-Mini stocks ( Ken Potter Photo)