From Brian Liskai
MERCER, Pa. (August 19, 2017) – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Danny Holtgraver hasn’t raced a whole lot in 2017, but when he does, he makes it pay off. Holtgraver, competing in only his 13th event this season, took the lead with just eight laps remaining to score his third win in the past couple of weeks at Mercer Raceway Park Saturday. It was Holtgraver’s first ever All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST 410 Championship Series presented by Ohio Logistics win on JS Bova Excavating Night and was worth $3,000.
Early on it looked like pole-sitter Adam Kekich would take home the top prize but mechanical issues ended his run at the front after just eight laps. George Hobaugh inherited the lead and was quickly pressured by Jack Sodeman Jr. The pair tangled on the back stretch battling for the top spot with Sodeman going pit side with 13 laps scored. Hobaugh was able to drive away on the restart as Holtgraver took a few laps to get his rhythm. With 10 laps to go Holtgraver had closed on Hobaugh and blasted to the leaders outside on lap 22 to gain the lead just prior to the caution flying for FAST point leader DJ Foos who had a part failure.
With a clear track Holtgraver powered away for his second big paycheck in as many weeks – he won $3,000 at Sharon Speedway the previous Saturday – and the 13th win of his career at Mercer. Hobaugh, Broc Martin, Chris Andrews and Dan Kuriger rounded out the top five.
“This is working out pretty good. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good and that was the situation right there. A couple of guys dropping out there. I can’t thank my dad, Dave, Pup, Mark…everybody that works on this thing. They gave me a fast race car all night. The guys did a hell of a job with the race track again. This place gets better and better every time we come back. Once I got the wing back a little bit and found the cushion…it’s on the edge. Once I found it all the way up there and just started running the hell out of it I started to get momentum. I have to thank everyone who helps out on this car…Bonnell’s Rod Shop, DKW Transport, AIM, Alternative Power Sources, J&J Auto Racing, VRP Shocks, HP Engines…can’t thank everybody enough,” said Holtgraver.
In the JLH General Contractor FAST 305 Championship Series presented by Engine Pro, Cody Bova from nearby Struthers, Ohio, and current FAST point leader Paul Weaver, who has scored nine wins in 2017, put on a very entertaining show. Bova jumped into the early lead with Weaver hunting him down and taking the point late with Bova using heavy lapped traffic to regain the top spot to drive to the win. For Bova, who has raced a majority of the FAST events in 2017, it was his first ever series win and his 10th career victory at Mercer Raceway Park.
“This one is huge. To beat Paul Weaver…he passed me and I passed him back in lapped traffic…that’s just awesome. Paul’s a great driver…actually all these FAST drivers are top-notch drivers. To come out here and win at my home track and to win my first FAST race is just awesome. There were a lot of close calls in lapped traffic. Once Paul passed me…I wasn’t going to give this up that easy. I want to thank JS Bova Excavating, AIMI Imaging Services, Richardson Tree Service, Gressman Powersports, Kaptured Speed, Welding Tech, my dad, my mom, my girlfriend, Scott Priester, and all the friends and family that came out tonight,” Bova said.
With just three races left in the All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST 410 Championship Series and two remaining in the JLH General Contractor FAST 305 Championship Series, the point battles have tightened up.
Those who are seeking additional information regarding the 2017 All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST Series presented by Ohio Logistics, or the 2017 JLH General Contractors FAST ‘305’ Series presented by Engine Pro, can do so by logging on to the official online home of the FAST Series at www.fastondirt.com. Be sure to stay updated on everything FAST related and ‘Like’ FAST on Facebook at fb.com/fastondirt and follow FAST on Twitter at @FASTseries.
FAST On Dirt, Inc. would like to thank the following contributors to the 2017 FAST Series point fund: All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads, Ohio Logistics, JLH General Contractors, Engine Pro, Kistler Racing Products, Engler Machine & Tool, CP-Carillo Pistons, Design Graphics Group Inc., SCS Gearbox, Reebar Die Casting, Hoseheads.com, Level Performance, Young’s RV Centers, Gressman Powersports, Hoserville Ohio, Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating, Fremont Fence, Baumann Auto Group, Fricker’s, Goofy Golf, NAPA Auto Parts, Hoosier Tire, UNOH, Welty Financial Services, EZ Shop, US Army, Weld Racing Wheels, Joe and Fran Darmofal and the Pub 400 of Fremont
Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017
Mercer Raceway Park
Starting position [*]
FAST 410 Sprints – All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. 9z-Duane Zablocki [2]; 2. 16-Chris Andrews [4]; 3. 23jr.-Jack Sodeman [3]; 4. 46-Michael Bauer [1]; 5. 7-Shawn Valenti [5]; 6. G1-Mike Miller [6]; 7. 14h-Jeremy Hill [7]
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. 08-Dan Kuriger [2]; 2. 83m-Broc Martin [1]; 3. 40-George Hobaugh [3]; 4. 45L-Brian Lay [4]; 5. 27x-Vincent Dougherty [5]; 6. 126-Bryan Saulsbery [6]; 7. 58-Joe Lockhart [7]
Heat 3 (10 laps)
1. 4n-Jim Morris [1]; 2. D4-Danny Holtgraver [3]; 3. 5K-Adam Kekich [2]; 4. 55-Gary Kriess [4]; 5. 23-DJ Foos [5]; 6. 68G-Tyler Gunn [6]; 7. 4W-Eric L. Williams [7]
A-main (30 laps)
1. D4-Danny Holtgraver [4]; 2. 40-George Hobaugh [2]; 3. 83M-Broc Martin [5]; 4. 16-Chris Andrews [6]; 5. 08-Dan Kuriger [8]; 6. 45L-Brian Lay [11]; 7. 46-Michael Bauer [10]; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki 9]; 9. 68G-Tyler Gunn[18]; 10. 7-Shawn Valenti [13]; 11. 126-Bryan Saulsbery [17]; 12. G1-Mike Miller [16]; 13. 27x-Vincent Dougherty [14]; 14. 58-Joe Lockhart [20]; 15. 4W-Eric L. Williams [21]; 16. 23-DJ Foos [15]; 17. 55-Gary Kriess [12]; 18. 23jr-Jack Sodeman Jr. [3]; 19. 5k-Adam Kekich [1]; 20. 4N-Jim Morris [7]; 21. 14H-Jeremy Hill [19]; 22. 38-Dennis Wagner (DNS)
FAST 305 Sprints – JLH General Contractor
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. 36-Seth Schneider [3]; 2. 66D-Chase Dunham [2]; 3. 25-Jacon Keckler [6]; 4. 12c-Kyle Capodice [4]; 5. G1-Mike Miller [1]; 6. 12-Darin Gallagher [7]; 7. 5-Bob McMillin [5]
Heat 2 (10 lap)
1. 1-Nate Dussel [1]; 2. 19r-Steve Rando [2]; 3. 1W-Paul Weaver [6]; 4. 20B-Cody Bova [5]; 5. 7J-Greg McCandless [4]; 6. 4*-Tyler Street [3]; 7. 9R-Dustin Rall [7]
Heat 3 (10 laps)
1. 8-Bobby Clark [2]; 2. 41-Andy Priest [3]; 3. 2L-Landon LaLonde [5]; 4. 34M-Mike Marano III [6]; 5. 20i-Kelsey Ivy [7]; 6. 27K-Jeremy Kornbau [1]; 7. 11x-George Englert (DNS)
A-Main (25 laps)
1. 20B-Cody Bova [1]; 2. 1W-Paul Weaver [2]; 3. 1-Nate Dussel [3]; 4. 41-Andy Priest [5]; 5. 12c-Kyle Capodice [7]; 6. 19R-Steve Rando [4]; 7. 36-Seth Schneider [6]; 8. 2L-Landon LaLonde [11]; 9. 66D-Chase Dunham [12]; 10. 34M-Mike Marano III [9]; 11. 25-Jason Keckler [8]; 12. 20i-Kelsey Ivy [15]; 13. 9R-Dustin Rall [20]; 14. 8-Bobby Clark [10]; 15. 4*-Tyler Street [17]; 16. 12-Darin Gallagher [16]; 17. 7J-Greg McCandless [14]; 18. 5-Bob McMillin [19]; 19. 27k-Jeremy Kornbau [18]; 20. G1-Mike Miller [13]; 21. 11x-George Englert [DNS)