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14.Y.O. RYAN MONTGOMERY COMES FROM 13TH TO PASS
FELLOW FUTURES CUP RACER DAMIAN BIDWELL IN TURN 4 OF FINAL LAP AT SHARON TO WIN HIS 1ST CAREER FASTRAK LM TOURING SERIES RACE By Mike Leone September 17, 2011 (Hartford, OH)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series returned to Sharon Speedway for the fourth and final time of the season on Saturday night. Race #17 on the 2011 slate was part of the two-day “Apple Festival Nationals” as FASTRAK ran a Weekly Series event on Friday night won by Mike Pegher, Jr. Both nights attracted 36 cars as a total of 43 different cars participated over the weekend! Sharon’s four Touring Series events averaged 40 cars per night! The season long drawing for the Golf Cars 4 All golf car was held last night. Troy Holtgraver of Pittsburgh, Pa. was the winner. All proceeds from the drawing went to the American Cancer Society as over $2,000 was raised. Mike Pegher, Jr. really found a setup to his liking to Sharon Speedway. After his Friday night win, Pegher looked like he was primed for his fourth consecutive Sharon victory, but on lap 14 he had nowhere to go to avoid an accident. The complexity of the race really took a turn as “Futures Cup” racers Damian Bidwell, Matt Latta, and Ryan Montgomery really went at it for their first career win. Bidwell took command, but on the last two laps his car started to get away from him as Montgomery ran him and down and made the winning pass in turn four on the final lap to score a thrilling first career Northeast Touring Series victory in the 25-lap, $1,200 to-win feature! The 14-year-old racer became the youngest FASTRAK Touring Series winner in the history of the Series, and what was even just as impressive was the fact that Montgomery started in 13th! “I knew he (Bidwell) was going to get nervous the last couple laps,” explained the Fairmont, West Virginia driver. “I was hoping he’d push up the race track. If he wouldn’t have pushed up it was his. I thought it was his going into turn three. I’ve tore up some cars this year, but this is just awesome!” Pegher powered into the lead off the bottom, which is normally a disadvantage at Sharon, over Latta, Bidwell, Andrew Wylie, and Wayne Robertson. Following a caution for Kevin Decker, who got into the fence with five laps completed, Sharon champion Josh Double was on the move from the 11th starting spot cracking the top five as he passed Robertson. By lap eight, Pegher began to pull away as he broke the track record with a lap of 16.218. Double was all over Wylie and finally made the pass driving under him in turn four on lap nine for fourth. At the halfway point as Pegher approached lapped traffic, he had opened up a straightaway lead, while the battle began to heat up for second. Just as Pegher was beginning to lap cars, Eric Wilson spun in turn three and collected Ben Black. Pegher was just entering turn three and had nowhere to go. Pegher’s shot at his sixth win and opportunity of really gaining points ended. When racing resumed, Latta inherited the lead with Bidwell alongside. Latta led lap 14, while Robertson passed Double for third. Just one more lap was completed before another caution waved for an accident involving newcomer Nolan Dalton, Brian Lessley, and Black. This time when racing restarted, Bidwell powered into the lead on the outside; meanwhile, Montgomery got a great restart as he moved from sixth past Touring point leader Max Blair, Double and Robertson for third! Montgomery caught Latta and made the pass for second in turn four on lap 17. Blair brought out the caution with 19 laps completed, which resulted in his first DNF of the season. On the ensuing restart, Robertson took third from Latta as one more lap was completed before the event’s final caution when West Virginia racer Derek Rogers hit the fence with 20 laps scored. Bidwell again took off in the lead, while Latta and 21st starting George Kowatic both moved by Robertson for third and four respectively. Kowatic, who won the last Touring Series race at Sharon last month, continued his progression forward taking third from Latta on lap 22. Bidwell continued to tick off the laps, but on lap 24 got a little high coming off turn two allowing Montgomery to close. Montgomery stayed within striking distance of Bidwell as it appeared Bidwell was primed for his first career Touring Series win and first ever victory at the track; however, on the final lap entering turn three, Bidwell caught a bump, which unsettled his car. Then as Bidwell approached turn four, his car got away from him as he got up into the marbles and Montgomery sped by to win by 0.398 seconds in the Jeff Montgomery-owned, TJ Contracting/Custom Homes-sponsored #12. Ironically, Montgomery had just taken over the “Futures Cup” point lead last weekend from Bidwell, who settled for a disappointing second- his best ever in a Touring Series race. Montgomery, who does have two FASTRAK Weekly Series wins this season at Roaring Knob, becomes the ninth different Northeast Touring Series winner of the season and 29th different all-time in 71 races. Montgomery’s prior best Touring Series finish came at Dog Hollow Speedway on July 26 when he finished seventh, and prior to that was only a 16th! Kowatic’s impressive third came over a great run by Latta, who made just his fourth career Touring Series start and easily bettered his prior best finish of 21st. Robertson, who made the four and half hour tow from Corning, New York, had a solid fifth as he’s now finished in the top 10 of all five of his Touring Series starts this season. Joe Martin came from 14th to finish a respectable sixth. Double dropped back to seventh. Butch Lambert was eighth after starting 15th. Josh Holtgraver and Doug Horton completed the top 10. Pegher worked his way back up to 11th at the finish ahead of Blair for the seventh straight Touring Series race and eighth of the last nine. Pegher still trails Blair by 18 points. Chad Wright, who is third in the “Futures Cup” points, finished 15th and was the recipient of the free Hoosier Tire for being the last car on the lead lap. The program is presented by Utsinger’s Towing and the tire was given away on Saturday by Big Daddy’s Speed Center. Latta and John Volpe received the $1,000 Contingency Connection packages presented by Original Pizza Logs for their finishes of fourth and 21st. Making his first ever Touring Series start, Wendell Pinckney ended the night by winning the eight-lap Non-Qualifier event. Pinckney started on the pole and led all of the way of the non-stop event for the $125 victory in his self-owned, unsponsored #11. “I like FASTRAK,” stated the Albion, Pa. racer. “We’re going to try it again next year. It’s different without all of the motor.” Pinckney became the 13th different winner in the 15 races held all-time. Shane Weaver finished second for the third time this season and continues to lead the “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series. Brian Booher, Jamie Brown, and Tony Tatgenhorst completed the top five. Picking up heat race wins were Pegher, Wright, Latta, and Dalton, while the B mains were won by Kowatic and Lessley. A first ever Australian Pursuit was run for the “Futures Cup” racers. Cody Rogers drove his brother Derek’s #23 to victory leading all eight laps for the $125 victory. Eric Wilson passed Joe Petyak to finish second and earned $75. Montgomery was third after starting sixth and added $50. Bidwell was fourth for an extra $25. Petyak and Weaver were fifth and sixth. Clay Ruffo, Latta, and Wright did not start the race. Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #17 (25 laps, $1,200 to-win): 1. RYAN MONTGOMERY (12) 2. Damian Bidwell (17) 3. George Kowatic (5) 4. Matt Latta (21) 5. Wayne Robertson (20) 6. Joe Martin (55) 7. Josh Double (38) 8. Butch Lambert (27) 9. Josh Holtgraver (00) 10. Doug Horton (15c) 11. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 12. Will Thomas III (9) 13. Rod Laskey (1R) 14. Ben Black (27B) 15. Chad Wright (6) 16. Derek Rogers (23) 17. Max Blair (111) 18. Brian Lessley (Powell 100) 19. Kevin Decker (07) 20. Andrew Wylie (84) 21. John Volpe (Bidwell B1D) 22. Noland Dalton (Henry R7) 23. Eric Wilson (27) 24. Bill Cunningham (59). Non-Qualifier Bonus Event (8 laps, $125 to-win): 1. Wendell Pinckney (11) 2. Shane Weaver (Ruffner 325x) 3. Brian Booher (Hoover 00H) 4. Jamie Brown (135) 5. Tony Tatgenhorst (63) 6. Jason Stanke (44) 7. Justin Kreider (29) 8. Stan Woomer (2)-DNS 9. Clay Ruffo (14R)-DNS 10. Rusty Cade (47)-DNS 11. Joe Petyak (44)-DNS 12. Marv Wilkinson (Cole 9T)-DNS. Heat winners: Pegher, Wright, Latta, Dalton B main winners: Kowatic & Lessley Australian Pursuit winner: Cody Rogers Lap leaders: Pegher (1-13), Latta (14), Bidwell (15-24), Montgomery (25) Car count: 36 Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway (Big Daddy’s Speed Center): Chad Wright Original Pizza Logs $1,000 Contingency Connection Winners: Matt Latta, John Volpe 2011 Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Results Date/Track/State/Winner/# of Wins/To-Win Amount/Car Count April 30 Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex (PA) Mike Pegher, Jr. (1) $1,200 (37 cars) May 22 Humberstone Speedway (ON) Max Blair (1) $2,000 (16 cars) May 28 Sharon Speedway (OH) Josh Holtgraver (1) $1,500 (41 cars) May 30 Lernerville Speedway (PA) Max Blair (2) $1,500 (46 cars) June 11 Tyler County Speedway (WV) Dan Angelicchio (1) $1,500 (31 cars) June 18 McKean County Raceway (PA) Mike Pegher, Jr. (2) $1,200 (24 cars) June 25 Sharon Speedway (OH) Max Blair (3) $2,825 (35 cars) June 29 Expo Speedway (OH) Russell King (1) $2,000 (29 cars) June 30 McKean County Raceway (PA) Mike Pegher, Jr. (3) $1,200 (39 cars) July 1 Raceway 7 (OH) Steve Dixon (1) $1,200 (34 cars) July 2 Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway (PA) Dan Angelicchio (2) $1,200 (33 cars) July 3 Eriez Speedway (PA) Mike Pegher, Jr. (4) $2,000 (29 cars) July 26 Dog Hollow Speedway (PA) Joe Martin (1) $1,500 (30 cars) Aug. 13 Sharon Speedway (OH) George Kowatic (1) $2,000 (48 cars) Aug. 18 McKean County Raceway (PA) Josh Holtgraver (2) $1,200 (29 cars) Sept. 2 Tyler County Speedway (WV) Mike Pegher, Jr. (5) $3,000 (37 cars) Sept. 17 Sharon Speedway (OH) Ryan Montgomery (1) $1,200 (36 cars) The next event for the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series will be this Friday, September 23 at McKean County Raceway. Friday night will be a $1,200 to-win event followed up by a Weekly Series event for $1,250 to-win on Saturday. Saturday and Sunday will be rain dates for the Touring Series event. FASTRAK Northeast’s 2011 marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Original Pizza Logs, Bully Dog, Contingency Connection, Utsinger’s Towing, and Hoosier Tire. You can reach co-directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone at the FASTRAK Northeast office at 724-964-9300. E-mail to info@fastraknortheast.com and snail mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143. The office is open daily late mornings and after 1:30 p.m. For more information, check out the FASTRAK Northeast website at www.fastraknortheast.com. Become our fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fastraknortheast. |
