8.19.17 FAST 410 Sprints Results
By Brian Liskai
MERCER, PA. (Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017) – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Danny Holtgraver hasn’t raced a whole lot in 2017, but when he does, he makes it pay off. Holtgraver, competing in only his 13th event this season, took the lead with just eight laps remaining to score his third win in the past couple of weeks at Mercer Raceway Park Saturday. It was Holtgraver’s first ever All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads FAST 410 Championship Series presented by Ohio Logistics win on JS Bova Excavating Night and was worth $3,000.
Early on it looked like pole-sitter Adam Kekich would take home the top prize but mechanical issues ended his run at the front after just eight laps. George Hobaugh inherited the lead and was quickly pressured by Jack Sodeman Jr. The pair tangled on the back stretch battling for the top spot with Sodeman going pit side with 13 laps scored. Hobaugh was able to drive away on the restart as Holtgraver took a few laps to get his rhythm. With 10 laps to go Holtgraver had closed on Hobaugh and blasted to the leaders outside on lap 22 to gain the lead just prior to the caution flying for FAST point leader DJ Foos who had a part failure.
With a clear track Holtgraver powered away for his second big paycheck in as many weeks – he won $3,000 at Sharon Speedway the previous Saturday – and the 13th win of his career at Mercer. Hobaugh, Broc Martin, Chris Andrews and Dan Kuriger rounded out the top five.
“This is working out pretty good. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good and that was the situation right there. A couple of guys dropping out there. I can’t thank my dad, Dave, Pup, Mark…everybody that works on this thing. They gave me a fast race car all night. The guys did a hell of a job with the race track again. This place gets better and better every time we come back. Once I got the wing back a little bit and found the cushion…it’s on the edge. Once I found it all the way up there and just started running the hell out of it I started to get momentum. I have to thank everyone who helps out on this car…Bonnell’s Rod Shop, DKW Transport, AIM, Alternative Power Sources, J&J Auto Racing, VRP Shocks, HP Engines…can’t thank everybody enough,” said Holtgraver.
Heat 1 (10 laps)
1. 9z-Duane Zablocki [2]; 2. 16-Chris Andrews [4]; 3. 23jr.-Jack Sodeman [3]; 4. 46-Michael Bauer [1]; 5. 7-Shawn Valenti [5]; 6. G1-Mike Miller [6]; 7. 14h-Jeremy Hill [7]
Heat 2 (10 laps)
1. 08-Dan Kuriger [2]; 2. 83m-Broc Martin [1]; 3. 40-George Hobaugh [3]; 4. 45L-Brian Lay [4]; 5. 27x-Vincent Dougherty [5]; 6. 126-Bryan Saulsbery [6]; 7. 58-Joe Lockhart [7]
Heat 3 (10 laps)
1. 4n-Jim Morris [1]; 2. D4-Danny Holtgraver [3]; 3. 5K-Adam Kekich [2]; 4. 55-Gary Kriess [4]; 5. 23-DJ Foos [5]; 6. 68G-Tyler Gunn [6]; 7. 4W-Eric L. Williams [7]
A-main (30 laps)
1. D4-Danny Holtgraver [4]; 2. 40-George Hobaugh [2]; 3. 83M-Broc Martin [5]; 4. 16-Chris Andrews [6]; 5. 08-Dan Kuriger [8]; 6. 45L-Brian Lay [11]; 7. 46-Michael Bauer [10]; 8. 9Z-Duane Zablocki 9]; 9. 68G-Tyler Gunn[18]; 10. 7-Shawn Valenti [13]; 11. 126-Bryan Saulsbery [17]; 12. G1-Mike Miller [16]; 13. 27x-Vincent Dougherty [14]; 14. 58-Joe Lockhart [20]; 15. 4W-Eric L. Williams [21]; 16. 23-DJ Foos [15]; 17. 55-Gary Kriess [12]; 18. 23jr-Jack Sodeman Jr. [3]; 19. 5k-Adam Kekich [1]; 20. 4N-Jim Morris [7]; 21. 14H-Jeremy Hill [19]; 22. 38-Dennis Wagner (DNS)