Eriez Speedway
Hess edges Blair to win Litz Memorial
HAMMETT, Pa. (Aug. 19) — Dave Hess Jr. earned $2,900 on Sunday at Eriez Speedway by making a last-lap pass in the Dick Litz Memorial. Hess overtook Robbie Blair amid traffic for the 29-lap victory in the unsanctioned special event.
Rich Gardner and Bump Hedman started on the front row, but Randy Lobb’s frontstretch spin slowed the action early. On the restart, Gardner was out front with Bub McCool — the Vicksburg, Miss., driver in the region during a World of Outlaws Late Model Series swing — taking second from Hedman.
Lobb spun again on the fourth lap, and three laps after the restart, McCool went out front with Hess moving past Chub Frank into the second spot.
Hess continued his charge, taking the lead on the eighth lap while Blair reached second two laps later and Frank was third on lap 12.
One lap past halfway, former track champion Andy Kania erupted in a cloud of smoke and retired.
At lap eighteen, Blair drove by Hess, but heavy traffic plagued the frontrunners. On the final lap, Blair made contact with a lapped car, throwing him to the right and allowing Hess to get back by for the victory, his fourth of the season at Eriez. Blair recovered for second ahead of Frank, McCool and Gardner.
Notes: Hess drives a Rocket Chassis sponsored by Hess’s Garage & Salvage and Beacon Lubricants. ... Hess finished a close second in the E-mod feature. ... The Dick Litz Memorial honored the 16-time Late Model feature winner at Eriez who drove the No. 29 most of his career. ... Several drivers from the 1960s were on hand, sharing their experiences prior to the racing event, then signing autographs and posing for photos in front of the Champions Board near the first turn concession area. ... Leading Super Late Model winner Bobby Schnars, ’68 champion Jim Scott and the first-ever winner Tom Dill were among those on hand. ... Sammy LaMancuso brought his restored 1971 Dodge Charger No. 27L, a winner of the Eriez 150. ... Ryan Scott won the Limited Late Model feature. ... Max Blair won the night’s Fastrak Crate feature. ... Two events remain on the Eriez schedule ... The track hosts the Kennedy Motorsports United Late Model Series on for a $3,000-to-win event on Aug. 26. ... The season final is scheduled for Sept. 2 and includes a visit from the BRP Modified Tour and Patriot Sprint Tour.
Dick Litz Memorial: (1) Dave Hess Jr., (2) Robbie Blair, (3) Chub Frank, (4) Bub McCool, (5) Rich Gardner, (6) Boom Briggs, (7) Dave Lyon, (8) Chris Hackett, (9) Doug Eck, (10) Bump Hedman, (11) Scott Gurdak, (12) Darrell Bossard, (13) Greg Oakes, (14) Randy Lobb, (15) Andy Boozel, (16) Andy Kania, (17) Chuck Parker, (18) George LaBarbera, (19) Jason Morell. Heat race winners (among 19 cars): Blair, McCool, Lyon.
