Submitted by Terry Whetstone
CLEARFIELD, PA – One of the fan favorites at Tim Bainey’s Central PA Speedway wasn’t a favorite at the end of the Let Freedom Ring 25, Prelude to the Yankee Doodle, on Friday night, as the fans threw lots of “Bronx Cheers” at Robbie Blair when he exited the car.
Mike Knight led the opening lap of the 25-lapper after a side-by-side first lap with Jared Miley who took the lead on lap two.
Miley looked like a sure winner as he held off first Knight then Matt Lux for 18 laps before Blair took second from Lux on lap 19. Blair was trying to get past Miley, but he had to catch him first.
Thanks to some late race cautions, Blair was able to restart right behind Miley on lap 20 then again on lap 22 following another yellow flag.
Blair then went into the first turn on the lap 22 restart and there was contact between him and Miley which sent Miley nearly clear off the track in the first and second turns. Miley recovered, but wasn’t near the front anymore as Blair went on to grab the $3,000 victory over D.J. Myers.
“I guess I kind of screwed up there on the last lap, I got up the track a little bit,” Blair said. “I don’t care you can boo, you can yell, whatever you want I screwed up. I admit it though. The biggest problem is these tires they have stuck out here, you can’t get in there straight anymore, you have to bend it, and when I bend it there the back of the car came up there, and there’s nothing else I can really say about. I’ve gotta apologize to those guys.”
When on-track announcer Tim Winters told the fans to give Blair a hand for admitting his error, the reaction was mixed, as there were some cheers and some more boos.
The top five were Blair, Myers, Lux, Tim Fedder and Boom Briggs. The heats were won by Knight, Myers, Miley and Lux.
Steve Buckwalter of Royersford made the long tow to Central PA Speedway a memorable one with a victory on Friday night.
Trevor Kobylarz made his first lap at the track a memorable one as he connected with the first turn bank and flipped off the track.
He fixed the car to return to heat and feature action and he led the opening four laps of the main event before PJ Gargiulo took the lead and for the next three laps before Buckwalter made his way into the lead from his 13th place starting spot.
Once he got the lead the race was for second and it was between Drew Heistand and Ryan Smith.
When Mike Frisco waved the checkered flags it was Buckwalter winning over Smith, Heistand, Heydenreich and Brett Arndt.
BEAR TRACK WEEKEND NOTES:SUMMARY
Heat races for the 26 Midgets went to, PJ Gargiulo, Dave Shirk and Ryan Smith.
1) 0 Steve Buckwalter, 2) 34 Ryan Smith, 3) 12 Drew Heistand, 4) 11 Eric Heydenreich, 5) 46 Brett Arndt, 6) 16 Dave Shirk, 7) 77 Alex Bright, 8) 2T Tracy Readinger, 9) 44 Frank Polimeda, 10) 61 Parker Evans, 11) 25 Chris Zrinski, 12) 28 Steve Drevicki, 13) 20 Carey Becker, 14) 6 Dusty Heistand, 15) 55 Steve Craig, 16) 9 Steve Lenig, 17) 31 Joe Butera, 18) 01 Steve Bull, 19) 17 Donnie Hoffman, 20) 49 Trevor Kobylarz, 21) 39 Justin Grosz, 22) 51 PJ Gargiulo, 23) 83 Bruce Buckwalter Jr. 24) 57 Jason Rice, 25) 26 Stephanie Stevens.Let Freedom Ring 25 Summary: 1. Robbie Blair, Hydetown, 2. D.J. Myers, 3. Matt Lux, 4. Tim Fedder, 5. Boom Briggs, 6. Greg Oaks, 7. John Garvin, 8. Tim Smith, 9. Todd Snook, 10. Mike Knight, 11. Jared Miley, 12. Chuck Kennedy, 13. Ricky Elliott, 14. Chris Farrell, 15. John Oaks, 16. Ryan Christoff, 17. Darren Peters, 18. John Britsky, 19. Greg Kent, 20. Chris Clark, 21. Shane McMeans, 22. Gregg Satterlee.
23 All-Star Late Models turned out Friday night and 27 Saturday night for the weekend action that saw two complete shows….Gary Beward broke in fast laps both nights and was unable to make time trials, heats or the feature…Friday night featured a free concert by the One Less Tear Band…Drivers came from Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Canada over the weekend to compete in the Late Model action…The World of Outlaw Late Models will make their first ever appearance at Tim Bainey’s Central PA Speedway on Tuesday night, July 27. More information is available at www.thebigtrack.com. Eye Candy Fireworks presented a beautiful fireworks display following the Yankee Doodle 50 on Saturday night…Gregg Satterlee blew the engine Friday night but had the car ready to go for Saturday.