Michaels Mercer Raceway
Pegher leads flag-to-flag, earns $2,000 at Mercer
By Mike Leone
Fastrak Northeast Series
Mike Pegher Jr. (1) battles Gary Knollinger (00) early at Mercer. (oyleractionphotos.com)
MERCER, Pa. (Oct. 3) — Mike Pegher Jr. of Wexford, Pa., fired the first shot in the three-race Fastrak Grand Nationals with a flag-to-flag victory Saturday in the Northeast Region opener at Mercer Raceway Park. Pegher's 30-lap victory worth $2,000 assures him of a tie for the points lead heading toward the $30,000 Fastrak crown decided in three weeks.
"This is a lot better than where we were last year," the 23-year-old Pegher said. "We got 19th here last year so hopefully we can pull it off this year. The track was a little rough tonight, but it wasn't too bad. I wouldn't want to go any more laps with those guys (Mike Blose and Max Blair) behind me. I kept watching the scoreboard."
The fourth-starting Blose, who restarted on the tail after an early scramble with Tom Snyder Jr., rallied back to finish second over the ninth-starting Blair at the finish. Polesitter Dennis Lunger Jr. was fourth and Fastrak Northeast champ David Scott rallied back to fifth after getting caught up in an early race accident that saw him pit and restart on the tail.
The Fastrak Grand Nationals continue with national events Oct. 21-24 at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., and Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va.
Grand Nationals: (1) Mike Pegher Jr., (2) Mike Blose, (3) Max Blair, (4) Dennis Lunger Jr., (5) David Scott, (6) Butch Lambert, (7) Bryan Force, (8) Chris Force, (9) Carl McKinney, (10) John Watson, (11) Steve Hollabaugh, (12) Troy Shields, (13) Joel Prosser, (14) Bud Watson, (15) Dan Angelicchio, (16) Brian Booher, (17) Gary Knollinger, (18) Jamie Brown, (19) Mike Laughard, (20) Tom Snyder Jr., (21) Bryan Salisbury, (22) Joe Martin. Fast qualifier (among 22 cars): Scott, 17.065 seconds. Heat race winners: Blair, Salisbury, Watson.
