Vicki Emig’s, Mercer Raceway Park hosted the 2007 season opening event for the United Late Model Series. The $2000 to win “Chiller Thriller†kicked off the both the track and the ULMS season. Drivers from four states were on hand for the event and the fans went home seeing David Scott repeat his 2004 “Chiller Thriller†win and head back to Garland, PA $2000 richer!
The first event of the evening was the Bernheisel Race Cars Inc. and Magnum Graf-x qualifying heat and saw 2007 ULMS Rookie of the Year candidate, Mike Knight and new 2007 ULMS follower, Darrell Bossard on the front row. Knight immediately jumped into the front spot as Keith Barbara moved into second and Bossard fell to third as lap one was completed. Knight was looking real good, but the veteran and former Mercer late model winner, Barbara was closing in. Dave Hess moved pass Bossard for third and set sights on the top two drivers as Bossard and West Virginia invader, Kenny Johnson were battling for the last pill draw transfer spot. Hess would chase down the top two drivers as Barbara would scrape the front stretch wall and finally make his way past Knight as Hess would also get by Knight in turn two. At the finish of the eight lap qualifying heat event it was Barbara, Hess, Knight, Bossard heading to the JB Distributors – Coors Light redraw.
Next up was the Close Racing Supply and American Racer Tire by Lias Tire qualifying heat number two. The front row saw 2006 ULMS Hard Charger of the Year, Jason Dupont and cagey veteran, Rod Maloy pacing the field to the green. Maloy rocketed into the lead over Dupont as he quickly fell to fourth as Ryan Markham and Greg Satterlee quickly went to second and third. Jared Miley was nipping at the rear quarter panel of Dupont for fourth the entire distance as Maloy checked out while Markham was able to keep Satterlee a few car lengths back the entire event. At the finish it was the low budget racer of Rod Maloy over Markham, Satterlee and Dupont heading towards the JB Distributors – Coors Light feature redraw.
Hoosier Tire – Mid Atlantic and Cousins Designs, presented the third and final qualifying heat. The 2004 Chiller Thriller winner, David “SlowRide†Scott and Alex Ferree paced the field for a wild 8 laps of dirt late model racing. SlowRide rocketed to the lead with Ferree dropping in line behind the #361, with Wayne County Speedway driver, Doug Drown slipping in third and Chris Hackett fourth. On lap three Drown got into turn three real deep and got the car out of shape to avoid getting into the #4 of Ferree and was collected by Hackett. Drown would leave the track on the hook with left damage and broken radiator, Hackett would be able to restart the event. Scott and drove off and now the race was for second between Hackett and Ferree. Hackett would get by Ferree and try to chase down the “SlowRide†machine but would have to settle for a runner up position, with Ferree and Doug Ricotta heading to the JB Distributors – Coors Light ULMS redraw.
The 2006 edition of the “Chiller Thriller†was set to begin featuring the 2006 ULMS Rookie of the Year, Doug Ricotta and 2007 ULMS newcomer, Darrell Bossard on the front row. As the field was set to start the event, the #01 of Ricotta made contact with Bossard which allowed the 2007 ULMS Rookie of the Year candidate, Mike Knight to jump to lead over Chris Hackett. Hackett would stick to the back bumper of Knight till turn four of the fourth lap as he made an inside moved to by the 9K of Knight. As lap five clicked off the scoreboard it was Hackett, Knight, Barbara, Markham, Dupont, Hess and Scott rounding out the top seven positions. By the sixth lap, Hackett’s torrid pace already allowed him to catch the tail of the field cars of Chris Farrell and Jim Rozum.
As lap ten clicked off, Hackett was still the leading the very fast paced event, Knight was still in second with Barbara, Markham and David Scott now in fifth. The next four spots were Hess Dupont, Maloy and Ricotta. On lap twelve, a very tough break for fourth place running, Markham. As the field was rounding turns one and two, Markham got into the back of lap car, Jim Rozum and spun exiting turn two to bring out the first yellow. The top five at this point was Hackett, Knight who was having a very impressive run, Barbara, Scott and Hess.
Hackett refired the field for the restart as Barbara moved into second as Knight fell to third and a lap later, David Scott was starting to flex his muscles and moved Knight back to fourth. At the halfway point it was Hackett still up front with Barbara and Scott all over the Roberts Trucking #33 of Hackett. As the trio took lap sixteen they were running three wide down the front stretch and the very next lap, the #361 of Scott moved into second and lap 18 would see the third lead change of the event as the 2006 Little Valley Speedway champion, David Scott moved to the front over Hackett, Barbara, Knight and Hess. Lap nineteen would see the next yellow of the event a lap car of Chris Farrell would spin in turn two and Lernerville Speedway’s opening night winner, Alex Ferree would go pit side with a undisclosed problem.
On the restart as the cars entered turn one, cars in the middle of the pack got together resulting in six cars sitting in turn one. The cars of Greg Satterlee, Bob McMillen, Greg Oakes, Greg Gellner, Kenny Johnson and Jared Miley all being involved. Satterlee would go pit side with a left rear flat. The cars of Oakes, Johnson, and Miley would not return. Also, third place running Barbara would be pushed off the track under the caution as well as his machine lost oil pressure.
The restart now showed Scott, Hackett, Knight, Hess and Doug Drown in fifth. As the field restarted and got lap 20 into the books, Doug Ricotta and Jason Dupont made contact on the backstretch resulting in the #7 of Dupont getting turned around. Greg Satterlee returned to the track one lap down. As lap 21 got into the books Doug Drown had got himself into third but slight contact by Knight resulted in the #12 getting turned around and being collected by Dupont and McMillen, who had no where to go. Greg Gellner returned to the event from his lap nineteen incident and was two laps down. Scott again took off on the restart of Hackett and Hess, but lap 24, Jason Dupont slowed on the backstretch to bring out one more yellow. As the field took the green again and got the five to go signal, the #01 of Ricotta spun in turn 4 and great defensive driving by Drown and Knight kept them from collecting Ricotta.
The final five laps were completed without incident and David “SlowRide†Scott would ease his away from Dave Hess Jr. and Hackett to pick up his fourth ULMS win of his career putting him one win behind all-time ULMS winners, Ron Davies and Bob Close. Scott also won the last “Chiller Thriller†event in 2004 as the past two years events had been cancelled due to inclement weather. At the finish it was Scott, Hess, Hackett, Drown, Knight, Ricotta, McMillen, Satterlee, Farrell and Rozum rounding out the top ten.
NOTES:
David Scott drives the #361 Lubrication Specialists, Hoosier Tire, Integra Shocks, Cornett Racing Engines, MastersBilt Chassis. Scott’s win was his first ULMS win since the 2004 “Chiller Thriller†at Mercer and his win puts in solely into second place on the all-time ULMS wins list. Scott will also receive a new Hoosier tire courtesy of Hoosier Tire – Mid Atlantic.
Dave Hess Jr, second place finish was his third second place finish in his last four ULMS starts dating back to last July.
Chris Hackett lead for fourteen laps, his first laps ever lead in a ULMS event as he came home a impressive third. Hackett will receive a $50 gift certificate towards a new American Racer tire courtesy of Lias Tire.
Doug Drown, made the trip from Wooster, OH and got himself into trouble in his qualifying heat resulting into his crew making left front suspension damage and replacing the front bumper, nosepiece and radiator and joining the field at as they entered the track for the main event. Drown charged eighteenth to fourth passing fourteen cars and earning the Jerge’s / Ed Carley Motorsports Hard Charger of the Event.
Mike Knight of Ripley, NY became the first driver to declare himself eligible for BRC Race Cars Rookie of the Year. Knight impressed many at Mercer finishing third in his heat and running in the top five all night long in the “Chiller Thrillerâ€. Mike will also receive a $50 gift certificate towards a new American Racer tire courtesy of Lias Tire.
Stan Miskin, car owner for Darren Kish of Port Corbourne, Ontario, Canada have registered to be the second entry for the 2006 ULMS BRC Rookie of the Year. Kish missed the Mercer event and already finds himself in a deficit to Knight. Kish was second in the 2006 Canadian Dirt Late Model Series points (formerly Ontario Dirt Late Model Series).
St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania driver, Bob McMillen had a fine seventh place finish and notified ULMS officials he plans on running the entire 2007 ULMS tour.
RESULTS:
Bernheisel Race Cars Inc., Magnum Graf-x Heat #1:
1) Keith Barbara #17
2) Dave Hess #44
3) Mike Knight #9K
4) Darrell Bossard #22B
5) Kenny Johnson #62
6) Greg Gellner #21G
7) Jim Rozum #91
Close Racing Supply – Lias Tire HEAT #2:
1) Rod Maloy #78
2) Ryan Markham #5M
3) Greg Satterlee #22G
4) Jason Dupont #No7
5) Jared Miley #H1
6) Greg Oakes #22
7) Chris Farrell #53
Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic – Cousin Designs HEAT #3:
1) David Scott #361
2) Chris Hackett #33
3) Alex Ferree #4
4) Doug Ricotta #01
5) Bob McMillen #50
6) Doug Drown #12
“CHILLER THRILLER†$2000 TO WIN — 30 Laps
1) David Scott #361 (Garland, PA)
2) Dave Hess #44 (Waterford, PA)
3) Chris Hackett #33 (Erie, PA)
4) Doug Drown #12 (Wooster, OH)
5) Mike Knight #9K (Ripley, NY)
6) Doug Ricotta #01 (Warsaw, NY)
7) Bob McMillen #50 (St. Mary’s PA)
8) Greg Satterlee #22G (Rochester Mills, NY)
9) Chris Farrell #53 (Clearfield, PA)
10) Jim Rozum #91 (Kennerdell, Pa)
11) Jason Dupont #No7 (Rew, PA)
12) Rod Maloy #78 (Panama, NY)
13) Greg Gellner #21G (Wheeling, WV)
14. Keith Barbara #17 (South Park, PA)
15. Alex Ferree #4F (Saxonburg, PA)
16. Jared Miley #H1 (South Park, PA)
17. Greg Oakes #22 (Franklinville, NY)
18. Ryan Markham #5M (Ashland, OH)
19. Darrell Bossard #22B (Centerville, PA)
20. Kenny Johnson #62 (Parkersburg, WV)
POINTS: (unofficial)
1) #361 David Scott (Garland, PA) 35
2) #44 Dave Hess (Waterford, PA) 32
3) #33 Chris Hackett (Erie, PA) 31
4) #9K Mike Knight (Ripley, NY) 28
5) #12 Doug Drown (Wooster, OH) 26
6) #01 Doug Ricotta (Warsaw, NY) 26
7) #22G Greg Satterlee (Rochester Mills, NY) 25
8) #50 Bob McMillen (St. Mary’s PA) 24
9) #78 Rod Maloy (Panama, NY) 23
10) #53 Chris Farrell (Clearfield, PA) 21
11) #No7 Jason Dupont (Rew, PA) 21
12) #17 Keith Barbara (South Park, PA) 21
13) #91 Jim Rozum (Kennerdell, Pa) 20
14. #4F Alex Ferree (Saxonburg, PA) 18
15. #21G Greg Gellner (Wheeling, WV) 17
16. #5M Ryan Markham (Ashland, OH) 16
17. #H1 Jared Miley (South Park, PA) 15
18. #22 Greg Oakes (Franklinville, NY) 13
19. #22B Darrell Bossard (Centerville, PA) 13
20. #62 Kenny Johnson (Parkersburg, WV) 11
JERGE’S / Ed Carley Motorsports Hard Charger of Year:
Doug Drown (14)
Chris Farrell (11)
Jim Rozum (9)
Bob McMillen (8)
Dave Hess (7)
David Scott (3)
Greg Gellner (3)
Chris Hackett (2)
Bernheisel Race Cars Rookie of the Year:
Mike Knight 28
Darren Kish (0)
