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Conneaut, OH, (July 11, 2008): A bright, warm evening greeted fans and drivers to Raceway 7 Friday night. One would never know it was Christmas Time at Raceway 7 by the weather but Santa took his annual vacation from the North Pole to stop by the Ohio speedplant. In honor of Santa, and Lake View Ford, Bike races were held for the kids in several age groups with trophies for winners presented by the Winner’s Circle Trophy Shop. Meanwhile the racing of the 4-wheeled contestants was hot and heavy with all four classes registering first-time winners this season. Scoring those all-Important first wins of the season were Dennis Lunger, Jack young, Dave McLaughlin, and Joe Plesniak. For Lunger and Plesniak it was their first-ever at Raceway 7, for Young and McLaughlin it was their first win this season.
Dave Osterberg and Roger French were the front row for the Precision Weld Fab FASTRAK Late Model feature with Jones taking the lead at the drop of the green. At the end of one lap Dennis Lunger was up to second from sixth at the start. At lap seven, Lunger got by Jones in turn one, then was hit by Jones as Lunger moved up the track, causing Jones to spin out of the second spot. At a restart from lap eight, Barton came to second but Lunger was able tom open distance on his pursuer until lap eleven when Barton used the low side to come by for the lead at lap twelve. Lunger was able to get back by the following lap but Barton was again alongside at fourteen. Barton held the lead at lap sixteen with Lunger again coming by to lead seventeen. A yellow flag for the spinning car of Bert Blackson slowed the action at lap nineteen. Lunger, looking for his first win at Raceway 7, brought the field back to the green with Barton, looking for his third win of the season, and Bobby Powell, looking for his second win, sharing the second row. With one to go, Barton was again pulling alongside for the lead when Tom Kemp got into the wall in turn one, once again slowing the action. For the one-lap dash for the checkers, led the way with Barton making a gallant last-turn bid for the win, pulling even coming off the turn, but Lunger having the momentum to pull off the win, the first of his career at Raceway 7. Powell spun in turn one of the final lap, but kept going for a ninth place finish. Barton was second with Alex Anderson third, Roger French fourth, and John Lacki fifth.
Ron Roncaglione and Scott Stiffler led the nineteen Applebee Motorsports E-Mods to the green with Roncaglione getting the early lead. A four-car pile-up in turn three quickly brought out the yellow. By lap 4 Jack Young was second from his ninth starting spot. At halfway Young, running the low groove, was challenging for the lead but a caution for the spinning car of Todd Roncaglione in turn four again slowed the action. At green, Young gained the advantage with Gary Eicher also coming by Roncaglione for second. Roncaglione just nipped Eicher at the finish for the runner-up position. Young led the rest of the event, leading Roncaglione, Eicher, Rich Michael Jr, and Bill Taylor to the checkers.
By the end of lap one, outside pole-sitter Dave McLaughlin led the Joslin-Landis Street Stocks by a wide margin over Russ Byler. At lap three Art Gilchrist’s engine expired and he was unable to get back to the pits, bringing caution over the speedway. After restarting, Shaun Fawcett came to second and caught McLaughlin with three laps remaining, but was unable to get by. McLaughlin scored his first win of the season with Fawcett second, Ken Zimmer getting by Byler for third on the final lap, then points leader Dan Lewis in fifth.
Joe Plesniak led the Mini Stock feature from the first lap after starting in fourth. He then went on for his first win with Bud Sergeff second, Vince Simms third.
Precision Weld Fab FASTRAK Late Models:
Heat 1: John Lacki, Bob Dorman, Dick Barton, Tom Kemp, Dave Osterberg, Scott Jones, Mike Lesky, David Airgood
Heat 2: Jay Watson, Bobby Powell, Bert Blackson, Dennis Lunger, Bob Diver, Roger French, Alex Anderson
Feature: Dennis Lunger, Dick Barton, Alex Anderson, Roger French, John Lacki, Jay Watson, Bob Diver, Mike Lesky, Bobby Powell, Scott Jones, Bob Dorman, Tom Kemp, Bert Blackson, Dave Osterberg, David Airgood (DNS)
Applebee Motorsports E-Mods
Heat 1: Jack Young, Mike Potosky, Percy McDonald Jr, Rich Michaels Jr, Dan McDonald, Scott Stiffler, Gary Eicher, Dustin Fraley, Gerry Kielar, Chuck Steinle Jr
Heat 2: Todd Roncaglione, Hugo Litwiler, Joe Gabrielson, Andy Sweetland, Bill Taylor, Ron Roncaglione, Jay Watson, Rick Pratschler, Lee Patrick
Feature: Jack Young, Gary Eicher, Ron Roncaglione, Rich Michael Jr, Bill Taylor, Gerry Eicher, Percy McDonald Jr, Scott Stiffler, Dan McDonald, Joe Gabrielson, Hugo Litwiler, Chuck Steinle Jr, Rick Pratschler, Todd Roncaglione, Andy Sweetland, Dustin Fraley, Lee Patrick, Mike Potosky, Jay Watson
Joslin-Landis Insurance Agency Street Stocks
Heat 1: Dave McLaughlin, Ken Zimmer, Mike Harmon, Tony Bruno, Art Gilchrest, David Brown, Chuck Fultz, Ed Snyder, Charlie Beck
Heat 2: Shaun Fawcett, Dan Lewis, Chad Stevenson, Jason Stanke, Ed Bolyard, Russ Byler, Mike Cross, Jamie Brown, John Sousa
Feature: Dave McLaughlin, Shaun Fawcett, Ken Zimmer, Russ Byler, Dan Lewis, Chuck Fultz, Chad Stevenson, David Brown, Mike Harmon, John Sousa, Ed Snyder, Tony Bruno, Jason Stanke, Jamie Brown, Art Gilchrist, Mike Cross, Ed Bolyard (DNS), Charlie Beck (DNS)
Challenger Mini Stocks:
Heat 1: Bud Sergeff, Ed Huge, Kyle Dickenson, Vince Simms, Joe Plesniak, Chris Pildner, James Edison Jr
Heat 2: John Boyd, John Cross, Darren Hart, Ed Haylett, Rick Tackett, Chuck Simms Jr
Feature: Joe Plesniak, Bud Sergeff, Vince Simms, John Boyd, Darren Hart, John Cross, Chris Pildner, Ed Huge, Ed Haylett, Kyle Dickenson, James Edison Jr, Rick Tackett, Chuck Simms Jr (DNS)