Michaels Mercer Raceway
Satterlee tops All Stars, earns $4,000 at Mercer
MERCER, Pa. (July 10) — Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., led all the way in the Steel Valley 40 at Mercer Raceway Park for his first career victory on the O’Reilly All Star Series. Satterlee earned $4,000 for outdueling Boom Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., and topping the 17-car field.
"I was trying to find the line I wanted to run,” said the 25-year-old Rochester Mills, Pa. driver. "My car wasn't working low like his (Briggs) was so I tried moving out. My car seemed to work a lot better in (turns) three and four and I felt like I could roll around there better. Once the tires got fired up, it stayed good the rest of the race. The lapped cars moved out of the way just as I caught them so I didn't get stuck behind anyone.”
Briggs drew the pole position, but it was Satterlee taking command with series points leader Robbie Blair of Titusville, Pa., and Jared Miley of South Park, Pa., in tow. Lux moved to fourth ahead of Miley on lap six before Miley would suffer a flat tire with nine laps scored. Four cautions slowed action between laps 9-11, but the last 29 laps would go green-to-checkered.
When racing resumed, Briggs challenged Satterlee and was all over the leader on lap 12 and 13. Briggs then pulled alongside Satterlee on laps 14 and 15. At times Briggs would have the advantage, but Satterlee carried too much momentum off the topside to maintain the lead each lap. Eighth-starting Jason Dupont moved into contention taking fourth from Lux on lap 15.
Back up front, Satterlee began to distance himself from Briggs on lap 19. With Satterlee pulling away, Blair caught up to Briggs on lap 22 and they raced hard side-by-side on laps 23 and 24. Dupont and Lux ran down Briggs and Blair making it a four-car race for second, while Satterlee stretched his lead to a straightaway.
Satterlee drove a perfect race through lapped traffic to collect his fourth overall victory of 2010. Briggs and Blair continued their battle right up to the finish as the duo raced side-by-side again on laps 37 and 38, but Briggs had just enough to hold on for second in his first-ever Mercer appearance. Blair settled for third ahead of Dupont and Lux, a 12-time Mercer stock car winner who made his first Mercer Late Model start since ’04.
Notes: Satterlee’s Custom-powered Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Satterlee Petroleum Distributors, East American Motorsports, Integra Shocks & Springs, VP Fuels and Daugherty Motorsports. ... Former Mercer modified champion Garrett Krummert’s 16.478-second lap lowered the track record for Late Models; the previous record was David Scott’s 17.065-second lap in a Fastrak Crate Late Model. ... Ben Porter’s qualifying time was removed when he was light at the scales. ... Next up for the O’Reilly All Stars is a $5,000-to-win event July 25 at Big Diamond Raceway in Minersville, Pa.
Steel Valley 40: (1) Gregg Satterlee, (2) Boom Briggs, (3) Robbie Blair, (4) Jason Dupont, (5) Matt Lux, (6) John Garvin Jr., (7) Jared Miley, (8) Greg Oakes, (9) Garrett Krummert, (10) Brent Rhebergen, (11) Dan Swartzlander, (12) Jason Morrell, (13) Rusty Cade, (14) Ben Porter, (15) Alex Ferree, (16) Jared Hawkins, (17) Jacob Hawkins. Fast qualifier (among 17 cars): Krummert, 16.478 seconds. Heat race winners: Briggs, Blair.
