Lake Erie Speedway-Saturday, May 26th Unofficial Quick Results:
INEX Bandoleros:
Jensens Target Collision Compacts:
NASCAR Street Stocks:
INEX Legends:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Opening Night 2012
Lake Erie Speedway 2012 Season Fueled By Kwik Fill Underway
Saturday, May 26, 2012, North East, PA – Lake Erie Speedway proudly kicked off the 2012 Season Fueled By Kwik Fill with 5,894 fans in attendance. The night was scheduled to showcase the six weekly race divisions including a special Plyler Overhead Door Late Model 100 featuring the TBRA series, but mother nature brought in rain that shortened the race night. The Bandoleros, Street Stocks, Jensens Target Collision Compacts, and about half the field of Legends were able to get their races in before the rain cancelled the remainder of the night.
At the start of the INEX Bandolero divison race, car #32 driven by Wesley McCray began the race strong, closely followed by car #97, Darrin Waldron, and car #9, Donald Buell. The first lap of the night was shortly postponed due to a caution, with car #24, Matt Mead, and #29, Daniel Buell, involved. The caution ended with car #24 and car #29 spending the rest of the race in the infield. Once the green flag dropped again, car #32 was once again leading the pack. Halfway through lap 7, car #9 spun out bringing out the second caution of the race. At the start of lap 8, Car #32 and #97 raced neck and neck until car #97 was black flagged for being above the first set of white lines, an illegal action for Bandolero drivers. Car #9 was declared the feature winner, with Wesley McCray in car #32 in second place, and in third place was car #97, Darrin Waldron who still finished ahead of the other competitors based on completed laps.
The Jensens Target Collision Compacts division took to the track for the second race of the night. Car #19 driven by Brian Carlson and car #1, Steph Akerly, crossed the starting line neck and neck. With the second lap underway car #1 was in the lead, followed by Garret Rammelt in car #25, car #19, and Jim Tobin in car #14 close behind. Car #88, Dan Bittenger, pulled into third place on lap 6. Rammelt took the lead on lap 7 and pulled to an even stronger lead throughout laps 8-11. Lap 9 brought car #1 into third place and car #88 into second place. A caution on lap 11 due to a loose tire on car #8, Robert Collins, resulted in the car being taken off the track. A single file restart to get the 11th lap back under way allowed car #25 to continue in first place. Bittenger in car #88 was close behind car Rammelt at the start of lap 13 but was not able to pass Rammelt, who was crowned the winner of the Jensens Target Collision Compact division feature race. In second place was #88, Dan Bittenger, and third place went to #1, Steph Akerly.
8:15 pm kicked off the start of the NASCAR Street Stocks race. With the green flag waved car #19 driven by Kaity Kicinski came out of the gates strong with driver John Denny in car #20, Leslie Bohrer in car #01, and David Krawczyk in car #11k close behind. The 11k passed car #20 and #19 in lap 4 and held a strong lead throughout the remainder of the race. There was one caution for debris on the track in lap 16, but the #11k continued his domination. The #11k of David Krawczyk finished in first place, followed by the #71, Rich Miller, in second place, and car #20, John Denny in third place.
Lake Erie Speedway had 36 Legends competitors show up for Saturdays race, which allowed speedway officials to designate the competitors into two separate INEX designated divisions, which are young lions/semi-pros and pro/masters. Lake Erie Speedway fan, Anthony Ramy, was given the chance of a lifetime at Saturdays race by being inside the pace car to help start the INEX young lions/semi-pro legends feature race. Car #9 driven by Carl Vilardo IV came out of the gate in first place but was quickly stopped due to a caution on the first lap. At the end of the caution, Vilardo IV and car #19 driven by Kyle Hardwick were quickly passed by car #8, Bryce Norton. Norton and Vilardo IV were closely following one another going into lap 7 with car #5, Matt Hutchinson in a close third. Norton was later passed by Hutchinson and car #1, Brandon DeBrakeleer, but it was clearly Vilardo IV’s race to win. Car #33x, Dustin Fox, spun out while taking the first turn of lap 15 but was able to regain control and continue on in the race and allow the race to take the checkered flag. The race ended with Carl Vilardo IV in first place, Matt Hutchinson in second place and Brandon DeBrakeleer in third place.
Prior to the start of the pro/masters Legends feature, the rain fell and delayed the start of the race. Speedway officials were successful at drying the track after a short delay, and the pro/masters Legends division was called back to the track to attempt to start their race. However, heavy rainfall came prior to the green flag and created unsafe driving conditions that could not quickly be remedied. The rain saturated the track and weather conditions in the surrounding area forced speedway officials to cancel the remainder of the night’s racing program. The special 100 lap Plyler Overhead Door Late Model event featuring the TBRA series is rescheduled for next week on Saturday, June 2nd for “Race to Read Night”.
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Branden J. Kaczay
Executive Vice President-Business Operations
Lake Erie Speedway
(814) 725-6610 (Direct Line)
"It's not just racing...It's Racing Entertainment!”