Michaels Mercer Raceway
Blair turns back Knight, Hess at Mercer
Rob Blair (11) grabbed a $3,000 victory at Mercer's Chiller Thrill. (Jason Shank)
MERCER, Pa. (April 6) — Pole-starting Rob Blair of Titusville, Pa., captured his series-leading 10th career victory on the NDRL’s ULMS Racing Series in Saturday’s season-opening Chiller Thrill at Mercer Raceway Park.
Blair fought off Mike Knight of Ripley, W.Va., and Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., to win by less than a car length. He earned $3,000 for the 30-lap victory delayed a week by bad weather. | Slideshow
"With a couple of laps to go there, I got into extra lapped cars and I didn't know whether to try to pass them or just follow them around," Blair said.
The winner watched for an opening, but when he got it, it was big enough to allow Knight and Hess to follow him through.
That set up a dramatic three-lap run to the checkers. Knight tried the inside coming off turn two on the final lap, and Hess worked the outside, but Blair had just enough steam to hold them both off. Keith Barbara of South Park, Pa., and Ron Davies of Warren, Pa., finished fourth and fifth.
Blair and John Garvin Jr. of Sarver, Pa., started on the front row with Blair surging ahead early over Garvin, Knight, Barbara and Hess. Action was slowed just four laps into the race, when Jared Miley, Boom Briggs and John Mollick came together in turn four.
Knight took second on the restart and chased Blair for six laps until the next caution on lap 10 for Garvin on the backstretch. Garvin then took matters into his own hands, colliding with Keith Barbara as the field circulated under the caution. Barbara was able to continue, but Garvin was sent off the track.
Blair led the rest of the way, but Knight and Hess made the final laps memorable for the fans.
"I heard him under me back there," the happy winner said.
The race was the first under the NDRL umbrella for the tour previously called the Kennedy Motorsports United Late Model Racing Series.
Notes: Blair’s Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Specialty Products and Moody & Son Welding. ... Blair’s 16.288-second lap in a heat race was a track record, breaking the 3-year-old mark of Garrett Krummert. ... David Scott won the Fastrak Northeast feature for Crate Late Models and a $2,000 check. .. Next up for ULMS competitors is an April 20 event at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio.
Chiller Thriller: (1) Rob Blair, (2) Mike Knight, (3) Dave Hess Jr., (4) Keith Barbara, (5) Ron Davies, (6) Chad Valone, (7) Sammy Stile, (8) Matt Lux, (9) Brett Rhebergen, (10) Russ King, (11) Matt Urban, (12) Andrew Gordon, (13) Doug Eck, (14) Jim Rasey, (15) Rod Phillips, (16) Garrett Krummert, (17) Greg Oakes, (18) John Mollick, (19) Tom Bateman, (20) Boom Briggs, (21) Jared Miley, Disqualified: John Garvin Jr. Scratched: Clate Copeman, Ken Schaltenbrand. Heat race winners (among 24 cars): Blair, Barbara, Knight.
