From Lou Long
The Luxaire Heating and Cooling 410 Sprint Car race was a marathon affair, as four red flags and numerous yellows slowed the action at Mercer Raceway Park. Bob Felmlee, the division’s point leader, survived to take his first win of the 2011 season.
Jimmy Light jumped into the early lead and looked like he would capture his first win. However, Felmlee took advantage of a mid-race restart to grab the lead as the cars rounded the first turn. Light fought back, but he could not overtake the veteran.
The next restart proved to be Light’s undoing. Felmlee went extremely low as he approached the cone in turn four and he caught the inside berm. He slid across Light’s, nose, shearing off the left front wheel in the process. Light limped into the first turn, with the rest of the field descending upon him. Third-place runner Brandon Spithaler had nowhere to go, and he clipped the tail of Light’s disabled racer. Spithaler flipped and a number of other cars piled in. Fortunately, no driver was hurt in the melee.
Felmlee got away cleanly on the restart and led the remainder of the race. Brandon Matus finished a career-best second. Rod George, Jason Dolick, and Chris Shuttleworth all came from deep in the pack to crack the top five.
Chris Best, Aaron Shaffer, Steve Collins, Brent Matus and John McCracken, Jr. completed the top ten.
Goodyear Tire certificates were awarded to Felmlee (winner), Shuttleworth (hard charger), Collins (last car lead lap), Lindsay Enscoe (random) and Shaffer (random).
In the ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors, Rob Felix led the first lap but gave way to Guy Griffin on lap two. Felix flipped in turn one three laps later. He was unhurt, but his car was heavily damaged. Griffin then cruised to the easy win over Dennis Wagner, Jimmy Morris, Jeff Taylor and harold Bradin. Justin Whitesell was credited with sixth and Felix seventh.
Luxaire Heating & Cooling 410 Sprint Cars: 1. Bob Felmlee (6); 2. Brandon Matus (13); 3. Rod George (4); 4. Jason Dolick (D12); 5. Chris Shuttleworth (11); 6. Chris Best (66); 7. Aaron Shaffer (97S); 8. Steve Collins (67); 9. Brent Matus (33); 10. John McCracken, Jr. (79); 11. Todd Bauer (45); 12. A.J. Albrecht (7x); 13. Gale Ruth, Jr. (1R); 14. Jimmy Light (23); 15. Brandon Spithaler (22S); 16. Lindsay Enscoe (96); 17. Scott Priester (15); 18. Jeff Taylor (17T); 19. Vern Wasson (5); 20. Shawn Minor (3M); 21. Adam Kekich (5K); 22. Eric Williams (7). DNS: Dan Kuriger, Adam Anderson, John McCracken and Francis Sesco.
ti22 Performance Outlaw Sprint Warriors: 1. Guy Griffin 911); 2. Dennis Wagner (38); 3. Jimmy Morris (16); 4. Jeff Taylor (17T); 5. Harold bradin (9); 6. Justin Whitesell (17); 8. Rob Felix (21).