JIM FRANK INHERITS CAREER 1^ST FASTRAK NE LATE MODEL TOURING SERIES WIN AFTER DQ OF BLOSE SUNDAY AT TRI-CITY; RECORD 43 CARS

By Mike Leone

September 6, 2009

Franklin, PA…The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series headed back to Tri-City Speedway for the second and final appearance of the 2009 season.  It was the second straight year FASTRAK was part of the Oil Region Labor Day Classic Weekend with the World of Outlaw Late Model as heat races were contested on Saturday night with last chance B mains and the feature on Sunday night.  Event #12 of 17 on the 2009 slate brought out an all-time FASTRAK Northeast Region record 43 cars for competition.

It probably wasn’t the way Jim Frank wanted to collect his career first FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series win, but the Jamestown, New York driver will take the $2,000 nonetheless.  After running his best ever Touring Series race in second and passing post-race tech inspection, Frank learned from his trailer that he was awarded the 30-lap victory after Mike Blose failed to pass tech.

For the second straight year, the 30-lap feature went non-stop (10:59.183) without a caution and produced a new winner, but this year’s race proved to be one of the most exciting in recent memory as nearly eight cars were in a blanket on the final lap with a shot at the victory.  No one would guess the series of events both right before the checkered flag and after the event.

Blose drew the pole position and raced out to the early lead over Frank, Max Blair, Bud Watson, and David Scott.  Blair ducked under Frank racing off turn four to grab second at the start-finish line on lap two, but Frank fought back and wasn’t about to give up to the defending National Weekly Series and Touring Series champion as he took back second on lap three.

By lap four, Blose began pulling away from the field, while eighth starter Mike Pegher, Jr. became a force when he stole fourth from Scott.  The next seven laps ticked off without much change until lap 12 when Blair got under Frank and the two raced side-by-side, all while Pegher and Scott closed in making it a four-car race for second on lap 15. 

With the halfway signal displayed, Blose had himself a straightaway advantage still with clear track ahead.  On lap 22, Frank began to reel in Blose and on the 24^th lap had caught the leader with the lapped traffic of Garrett Mott and Jason Fosnaught in sight as still the entire field was still running on the lead lap.

While Frank was challenging Blose, Pegher advanced to third on lap 25 nipping Blair for the spot.  It was a five-car race for the lead on lap 26 with Blose trying to hold off Frank, Pegher, Blair, and Scott. 

Blose opened up a little breathing room on lap 27 as Frank got in a little hard in turns three and allowing Pegher to close in.  Frank and Pegher ran side-by-side for the final three laps for second, while Watson, Bryan Salisbury, and Joe Martin drew near on the final lap making it an amazing eight-car race for the win!

Blose was able to hold on, while Pegher tried getting under Frank off turn four.  Pegher made contact, but Frank, Blair, and Carl McKinney were able to drive home to the finish.  Pegher meanwhile collected Scott with Scott’s car going airborne down the frontstretch limping across the finish line in fifth, while Pegher’s car sat backwards on the apron of turn four. 

Shortly after, Blose was then disqualified from his first career Touring Series victory in post-race tech inspection due to non-GM parts in the valve train, specifically the valve locks.  Frank’s victory came in the Chub Frank Racing/West End Auto Parts/Tom’s Auto Repair/Slavic Signs-sponsored #14*.    

Frank does have two other career FASTRAK-sanctioned wins both coming in weekly-sanctioned competition at the McKean County Raceway, one in 2007 and one this season.  Frank also won a non-sanctioned race this season at Lernerville Speedway.  Frank became the eighth different Touring Series winner in 12 races this season and more amazingly the 16^th different winner all-time in the 31-race history!   

After the melee and disqualification were sorted out, behind Frank was Blair in second.  Last year’s winner Carl McKinney, who started 10^th and was running seventh on the final lap, used the outside to move forward and then benefited from Blose, Pegher, and Scott’s misfortunate’s to finish a season best third.  Despite going off on the flatbed, Scott miraculously was credited with fourth to maintain his Touring Series point lead as he’s still finished in the top seven of all but one of the 12 events this season.  Sixteen year-old Late Model rookie, Bud Watson, was credited with fifth for his third top five in Touring Series competition this year.

Track regular Bryan Salisbury was sixth.  Rookie Joe Martin, who recently won his career first race at Mercer in Weekly Series competition, continues to impress as he used the high side to his liking coming from the 16^th starting spot to finish seventh- a Touring Series best.  Butch Lambert was eighth.  Dan Karalagas was ninth for his best Touring Series finish, while Bobby Powell completed the top 10. 

Saturday’s $100 heat winners were McKinney, Blair, Pegher, Lambert, and Scott.  Sunday’s B main winners were Jason Fosnaught and Bobby Whitling.  Making the 2009 Northeast Touring Series debuts were Kirk Bradley, Mike Anderson, Sr., Justin Kreider, Jackson Humanic, Bryant Hank, and John Haggerty bringing the total of competitors to 125 on the Touring Series alone. 

FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Race #12 (30 laps $2,000 to-win): 1. JIM FRANK (14*)  2. Max Blair (111)  3. Carl McKinney (6M)  4. David Scott (Powell 100)  5. Bud Watson (2)  6. Bryan Salisbury (26)  7. Joe Martin (55)  8. Butch Lambert (27)  9. Dan Karalagas (1R)  10. Bobby Powell (Bidwell B1D)  11. Chris Force (68)  12. Bryan Force (69)  13. Andrew Satterlee (2)  14. Bobby Whitling (7W)  15. Dan Angelicchio (14)  16. Les Lyon (45)  17. John Watson (Horton 48)  18. Jamie Brown (135)  19. Jason Fosnaught (J19)  20. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1C)  21. Garrett Mott (43x)  22. Steve Hollabaugh (3H)  23. Josh Holtgraver (00)  24. Mike Blose (5)-DSQ (non-GM valve locks)  DNQ: Bryant Hank (28), Quintin Wyandt (119), John Haggerty (49), Gary Miller, Jr, (1M), Bob Kish (5), Tyler Barris (32B), Dereck Frank (16*), Shane Bambarger (68B), Brian Booher (Hoover 00H), Josh Double (38), Tom Copeland (98), Bill Thomas (Layton 99*), Kirk Bradley (77B), Justin Kreider (29), Jackson Humanic (Iorio 28), Mike Anderson, Sr. (1), Andrew Wylie (84).  DSQ for unsportsmanlike conduct: Kyle Zimmerman (z17), Mike Anderson, Jr. (72).

Lap leaders: Jim Frank (1, 3-30), Max Blair (2)

Time of race: 10:59.183

Heat winners: Carl McKinney ($100), Max Blair ($100), Mike Pegher, Jr. ($100), Butch Lambert ($100), David Scott ($100).

B main winners: Jason Fosnaught, Bobby Whitling

Car count: 43

 

The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will return to Mercer Raceway Park this Saturday night, September 12 for their second appearance of the season as part of a big event with the Western PA Sprint Championship along with Big-Block Modifieds.  The 25-lap feature will pay $1,200 to-win, $150 to-start.