MIKE PEGHER, JR. BECOMES 5TH DIFFERENT FASTRAK NE LATE MODEL TOURING SERIES WINNER IN 5 RACES AFTER SUNDAY’S WIN AT CENTRAL PA

By Mike Leone

June 20, 2010                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Clearfield, PA…The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series made their first ever visit to Central PA Speedway on a beautiful Sunday night.  It was the second event of the weekend following Saturday’s successful event at McKean County Raceway.  Twenty-one drivers turned out for the inaugural event in Central Pennsylvania, which received rave reviews from the large crowd and track management and officials.

 

When Saturday’s $5,000 McKean County winner, Robbie Blair, drew pill number two for a front row starting spot, most in attendance figured Blair would etch his name as the inaugural Central PA Speedway FASTRAK winner.  And though Blair would go on to win the Super Late Model race, Mike Pegher, Jr. had something to say about the FASTRAK portion of Sunday’s event.

 

Pegher charged from the seventh starting spot and drove by Blair on lap eight in route to his first Northeast Touring Series victory of the season.  The 25-lap win was worth $1,200.  “This is definitely a fun track,” described the 24-year-old Wexford, Pa. driver.  “I really like it a lot and hope we can come back.  We were much better in the feature than the heat race.”

 

Pole-sitter Bud Watson and Blair raced hard side-by-side around the “Big Bear” with Blair nosing ahead at the start finish line to lead the opening circuit.  Pegher had already advanced three positions after the initial lap and then slipped past Josh Holtgraver for third on lap two.

 

Pegher ran down Watson and was on the second-year FASTRAK driver on lap five.  Pegher got under Watson and the two ran side-by-side for second on laps five and six.  Watson was able to hold on until the event’s first caution was displayed when Touring Series newcomer Tim Snare, Jr. spun with seven laps completed.

 

When racing resumed, Blair, Watson, and Pegher went three-wide in turns one and two for the lead, but a spin by John Haggerty ended the battle.  Those two cautions were the only two of the event as the last 18 laps went green-to-checkered. 

 

On the ensuing restart, Pegher used the inside to get by Watson for second and then completed his run to the front less than a lap later when he surprised Blair driving under and past the veteran in turn four to lead lap eight.  Holtgraver, who started third, regained the position on lap 13 when he drove by Watson on the backstretch. 

 

Pegher caught the tail end of the pack on lap 14, but pulled away from Blair.  Pegher had a slight scare on lap 23 when he caught four cars racing hard for position in a pack.  Pegher was able to clear them and raced on to his fourth career Northeast Touring Series win in the Lynn Geisler-owned, #1 Cochran Automotive/Triple-S Auto/MonaVie-sponsored #1c putting him in a four-way tie for second on the all-time win list with Dick Barton, Bobby Powell, and John Lacki.

 

Blair ended a superb weekend in second that also included a runner-up in Weekly Series competition at Raceway 7 on Friday night, his $5,000 McKean Touring win on Saturday night, and his $2,000 Super Late Model nightcap win bringing his three-night winnings to over $8,000. 

 

Holtgraver, who won the May 29 Sharon Speedway Northeast Touring Series event, was third and is holding down second in points by just one ahead of Pegher.  Watson started the year off in the hole with a did not qualify at the opening event at Tyler County, but has steadily improved each night with a 13th at the second Tyler event, 12th at Sharon, 11th at McKean on Saturday, and now a solid fourth place on Sunday night.  Gary Knollinger came from 11th to finish fifth for his third top five in five races. 

 

Rance Garlock was impressive substituting for David Scott in the John & Janet Powell #100.  Garlock came from 13th to finish sixth beating Northeast Touring Series point leader Max Blair and McKean runner-up Dan Angelicchio.  Bryan Force was ninth for the second straight night and Joe Martin recorded his second top 10 in four starts.  Robbie Blair, Pegher, and Force won the heat races.

 

 

FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #5 (25 laps, $1,200 to-win): 1. MIKE PEGHER, JR. (Geisler 1c)  2. Robbie Blair (W11)  3. Josh Holtgraver (00)  4. Bud Watson (2)  5. Gary Knollinger (38K)  6. Rance Garlock (Powell 100)  7. Max Blair (111)  8. Dan Angelicchio (14)  9. Bryan Force (31)  10. Joe Martin (55)  11. Kyle Lukon (1)  12. Butch Lambert (27)  13. Ricky Meglaye (27)  14. Dwayne Pond (Bidwell B1D)  15. John Haggerty (49)  16. Shawn Weaver (325X)  17. Garrett Mott (43X)  18. Steve Dixon (50)  19. Tim Snare, Jr. (99)  20. Dan Karalagas (G1)  21. Andrew Satterlee (2).

 

Lap leaders: Robbie Blair (1-7), Pegher (8-25)

Heat winners: Robbie Blair, Pegher, Bryan Force

Car count: 21

 

 

The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will resume action this Saturday night at the Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, Pa. for a $1,200 to-win event followed by Wednesday, June 30 at Expo Speedway near Cortland, Ohio for a $2,000 to-win event.  There will be a Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series event this Friday night at Elkins Speedway in Kerens, West Virginia for $1,200 to-win.


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.

 

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