ROB BLAIR CAPTURES ULMS PRIORITY CARE RACEFAN 50 AT MCR
Day two of the MCR Fall Classic took place on Saturday and after 66 ULMS late models being present the night before, 59 cars returned on Saturday for the $12,000 to win Priority CareRaceFAN 50. Rob Blair of Centerville, PA captured the biggest event in series and track history.
Finally after two days of racing, the FALL CLASSIC grand finale was all set. The 50 lap $12,000 to win Priority Care RaceFAN 50 for the United Late Model Series rolled on to the track and treated the fans with a four-wide salute. Rob Blair and Boom Briggs sat on the front row, due to their dash wins.
Blair hit the loud pedal first and beat Briggs into turn one by a car length as the other twenty-three cars roared after them. The first five laps the top five were Blair, Briggs, Doug Eck, Rodney Phillips and Dave Hess. Dan Stone would find fifth position.
Blair was setting a torrid pace and by lap twelve had caught the back of the field. This allowed Briggs and Eck to close back in on Blair. Dutch Davies would be the first car to go down a lap on lap sixteen.
As Briggs and Eck stayed with Blair in lap traffic, the battle for sixth was intense between Jared Miley, Bob Close, Hess and Chad Ruhlman. Close would move into sixth on lap nineteen. Blair started pull away again from Briggs as Eck, Phillips and Stone battled for third. With twenty laps to go, Blair was still the leader with Briggs, Eck, Phillips and Stone still battling it out for third. On Lap thirty-four the first yellow of the event was thrown for the cars of Bump Hedman and Chris Hackett. This put Briggs on the back bumper of Blair with Phillips, Eck and Stone still in fifth.
Two laps later the second and final yellow was out for Stone who made contact with Eck resulting with Stone suffering right front suspension problem ending a good finish for the Thompson, PA driver. Blair refired on the restart and Briggs tried again to stay with the Titusville Terror but Blair again distanced himself.
Close was hounding Eck for fourth. On lap forty four, Close would move into the fourth position, as Eck would slide back to fifth. Blair would get the lap cars of Jason Dupont and Chris Hackett a lap down and that was enough distance he needed to capture the 2nd Annual ULMS Priority Care RaceFAN 50 and go home $12,000 richer.
Briggs came home second and a career high payday as well. Rodney Phillips came home third besting his fifth place finish from last year’s event. Close came home fourth and Eck was fifth.
Heat winners for the 59 late models were Close, Halpainy, Chris Farrell, Jared Miley, Eck and Blair.
Consolation winners were Friday night winner, Chub Frank, Chad Valone and Dutch Davies.
FALL CLASSIC Priority Care RaceFAN 50 Results:
Bernheisel Race Cars Inc. and Magnum Graf-x HEAT #1
Bob Close, Boom Briggs, Chris Hackett, Jim Yoder, Chub Frank, Max Blair, Rick Isadore, Doug Ricotta, Greg Oakes, John Oakes
Close Racing Supply and GRT Race Cars HEAT #2
Steve Halpainy, Sam Stile, Bump Hedman, John Lobb, Luke Hoffner, Jason Dupont, Kirk Bradley, Bob McMillen, Scott Johnson, Jeff Damon
Hoosier Tire – Mid Atlantic and Cousin Designs HEAT #3
Chris Farrell, Chad Ruhlman, Ron Davies, Chad Valone, Rich Gardner, Mike Blose, Dave Wirt, Peter Mantha, Adam Ferri, Chad Hollenbeck
Lias Tires and American Racer Tire HEAT #4
Jared Miley, Rodney Phillips, Dick Barton, Alan Sagi, Bobby Stokes, Ed Connor, Greg Satterlee, Darrel Bossard, Jerry Redden, George Lebarbara
R&M Home and Auto – AMSOIL and Big Shot Performance Heat #5
Doug Eck, Dave Hess, David Scott, Todd Andrews, Paul Briggs, Dutch Davies, Brent Rhebergan, John Lobb, Ward Schell, Mike Balzano
Ed Carley Motorsports Heat #6
Rob Blair, Dan Stone, Doug Horton, Matt Lux, Doug Drown, Mike Knight, Dennis Lunger, Scott Lebarron, Shawn McGarvey
BillDIRTLateModels.com and Oyler Action Photos B-Main #1 (Top 2 Q)
Chub Frank, Jason Dupont, Luke Hoffner, Max Blair, Greg Oakes, Jon Oakes, Jeff Damon, Rick Isadore, Randy Lobb, Kirk Bradley, Scott Johnson, Doug Ricotta, Jim Yoder, Bob McMillen
Raceway Magazine and WZKZ Radio B-Main #2 (Top 2 Q)
Chad Valone, Rich Gardner, Alan Sagi, Mike Blose, Bobby Stokes, Ed Connor, Peeter Mantha, Greg Satterlee, Adam Ferri, George Lebarbara, Jerry Redden, Chad Hollenbeck, Dave Wirt
Jerge’s Scrap Metal B-Main #3 (Top 2 Q)
Dutch Davies, Matt Lux, Mike Knight, Doug Drown, Todd Andrews, Paul Briggs, Brent Rhebergan, Shawn McGarvey, Dennis Lunger, Ward Schell, John Lobb, Scott Lebarron, Mike Balzano (DNS)
JB DISTRIBUTORS Coors Light Dash #1
Rob Blair, Doug Eck, Dave Hess, Jared Miley Bob Close, Steve Halpainy
JB DISTRIBUTORS Coors Light Dash #2
Boom Briggs, Rodney Phillips, Chad Ruhlman, Dan Stone, Chris Farrell, Sam Stile
ULMS Priority Care RaceFAN 50 $12,000 to Win:
ROB BLAIR, Boom Briggs, Rodney Phillips, Bob Close, Doug Eck, Jared Miley, David Scott, Chad Ruhlman, Doug Horton, Steve Halpainy, Ron Davies, Chub Frank, Chad Valone, Sam Stile, Rich Gardner, Dan Stone, Bump Hedman, Chris Farrell, Chris Hackett, Jason Dupont, Dave Hess, Matt Lux, John Lobb, Dick Barton, Dutch Davies
Hard Charger of Race: David Scott (10 spots)
Hoosier Tire Contingency: Rob Blair
American Racer Tire Contingency: Boom Briggs
2007 ULMS POINT CHAMPION: BOB CLOSE
2007 ED CARLEY MOTORSPORTS / JERGE’S HARD CHARGER OF THE YEAR: JOHN LOBB
R&M HOME and AUTO – AMSOIL JEFF HOFFMAN
BRC RACE CARS INC. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: MIKE KNIGHT