McKean County Raceway
Satterlee edges Close in ULMS opener at McKean
By Chris Zuver
Northern Tier United Late Model SeriesEAST SMETHPORT, Pa. (April 25) — Regaining the lead in the final laps, polesitter Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., captured the season-opening Jim Duffy Memorial at McKean County Raceway for a Northern Tier United Late Model Series victory worth $2,000.
Satterlee led three of the first four laps before Bob Close of Eldred, Pa., took command on an early restart, then Satterlee chased Close for 24 laps at the 3/8-mile oval. The frontrunners ran the low groove most of the way, but Satterlee went to the high side on the 29th lap and won the drag race out of turn four to take the white flag. The 24-year-old Satterlee kept the former ULMS champion at bay the final lap to take his first-ever victory at McKean County.
Ninth-starting Boom Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., finished third followed by Mike Blose of Dayton, Pa., and Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., in the 30-lap feature honoring Duffy, who died 20 years earlier at the track. Jeff Hoffman of Franklin, Pa., who started outside the front row and led the first lap, faded to finish 10th.
Notes: Satterlee's Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Satterlee Petroleum Distributors, East American Motorsports, BSS Creative, Daugherty Motorsports, LAZ Fab, Joe Gibbs Racing Oil, VP Racing Fuel, Port City Racing, Integra Shocks and Springs and Lias Tire. ... The victory guarantees Satterlee a starting spot in he season-ending Priority Care RaceFAN 50, a $12,000-to-win ULMS event scheduled for Sept. 26 at McKean County. ... No serious cautions slowed the feature action. Third-starting Canadian Peter Mantha spun on the first lap, forcing fifth-starting Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., to spin, too. ... Al Brewer rolled to a stop in turn four on the 12th lap. ... A broken axle knocked out Bobby Stokes after a tangle with Chris Farrell on the lap-12 restart. ... Brent Rhebergen was running sixth when he pulled off on the 22nd lap with mechanical problems. ... Next up for ULMS competitors is a $2,000-to-win event at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pa.
Jim Duffy Memorial: (1) Gregg Satterlee, (2) Bob Close, (3) Boom Briggs, (4) Mike Blose, (5) Dave Hess Jr., (6) Ron Davies, (7) Jason Dupont, (8) Doug Ricotta, (9) Mike Knight, (10) Jeff Hoffman, (11) Greg Oakes, (12) Paul Grigsby, (13) Chris Farrell, (14) Peter Mantha, (15) Dave Norton, (16) Brent Rhebergen, (17) Bobby Stokes, (18) Al Brewer, (19) Nick Loffredo. Scratched: Wally Fox. Heat race winners (among 20 cars): Mantha, Briggs, Hess.
