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Eriez Speedway

Lobb scores first STARS victory at Eriez

By Jay Pees

ERIEZ, PA (July 25, 1999) - Frewsburg, NY's John Lobb won his first feature of 1999 and his first ever STARS win at Eriez Speedway Sunday night. Lobb led all fifty laps after starting on the pole by virtue of winning the Dash for the fastest qualifiers. Lobb had set the fifth fastest time of the thirty Late Models in attendance. Mike Balzano of Parkersburg, WV had the fastest time followed by Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH, the previous night's victor at Stateline and the current points leader. Lobb scored a triple victory by also winning his heat race.

From the drop of the green flag Lobb raced out to a commanding lead only to lose it to a yellow at the completion of lap two when Steve Halpainy spun in turn three and was hit by several competitors including Dan Maxim, Rick Briggs, Moose Dunnewold and Doug Eck. All were able to continue.

At the restart, Lobb was again able to pull out to the lead from second running Greg Lucas and added to the lead until lap seven when caution was once again displayed for the spin of Ed Rogers and Steve Shaver.

Action was slowed a third time when sixth running Chub Frank made contact with points Moran in turn three and spun into the infield on lap twenty-nine. On lap thirty-one, the race was slowed for the final time to allow second running Lucas to replace a flat tire. With the final restart bunching Chad Ruhlman and Mike Balzano behind Lobb, the chase was on with Balzano getting by Ruhlman on lap thirty-four and beginning to close on the leader. When the two leaders got to lapped traffic, Lobb used his knowledge of the Eriez track to lap cars effectively enough to maintain his edge on the 1989 and '90 STARS Champion. Balzano was able to get right behind Lobb, but could not get by the winner. Ruhlman was able to hold off Moran for third with Rod Conley completing the top five. Former Eriez track champions Dick Barton and Bruce Hordusky were sixth and seventh with Brian Durig, Aaron Scott, and David Scott rounding out the top ten. Twenty-nine cars started the event

Besides Lobb, heat winners were Aaron Scott and Hordusky.

John "Snoop" Losey led the nineteen starters to Spanky Hall's green flag for the Limited Late Model feature and led the first two laps before fifth starting Pat McGuire passed for the lead and the dominated the event. Bobby Rohrer chased McGuire to the checkers followed by Ron Olson, Tom Schnars, and Chris Hackett. Last week's winner John Lacki was sixth. Schnars and Joe Weber won the heats.

Robert J. Nocero started the Sportsman feature from the outside front row and led all twelve laps enroute to his first-ever victory for the six-cylinder powered cars. Gary Foster and Don McGuire followed Nocero to the line in the event, which was uninterrupted by caution periods. Randy Parmenter and Cris Dahlgren won the preliminaries.

Ron Seeley led the first six laps of the first Cadet feature before surrendering the top spot to eventual winner Brian Emory. Seeley held on for second at the checkers followed by Jeff Campbell, Greg Fenno, and John Coughlin.

Greg Johnson wrestled the lead from Travis Garske on lap nine of the second Cadet feature. Garske had held the lead sine grabbing it from Tom Anderson on lap four. Garske held on for second with mike Zemcik finishing third followed by Jeff Gunnell and Herm Hilyer.

Jim Hilyer, Garske and Emory captured the heat wins with Greg Fenno prevailing in the "Run for the Money" for last week's winners.

Fred McClanahan, Larry Bowman, and Dave Hess, Jr scored Spectator feature wins while the heats were won by Brandon Tolan, Jim Kennerknecht, and Rick Thompson.

RESULTS

STARS NATIONAL DIRTCAR RACING LEAGUE

SEAMEN'S AUTO WRECKING 50:

(showing finishing position, starting position in parenthesis, car number, driver, laps completed, money won and reason out, if any)
1. (1) #10 John Lobb 50 $5,100 Running
2. (4) #E1 Mike Balzano 50 $$2,550 Running
3. (2) #87R Chad Ruhlman 50 $1,580 Running
4. (6) #99 Donnie Moran 50 $1,035 Running
5. (9) #71C R.J. Conley 50 $900 Running
6. (12) #28B Dick Barton 50 $850 Running
7. (8) #3H Bruce Hordusky 50 $800 Running
8. (7) #33 Aaron Scott 50 $750 Running
9. (16) #3 David Scott 50 $700 Running
10. (11) #1U Matt Urban 50 $650 Running
11. (10) #5M Ryan Markham 50 $600 Running
12. (13) #1* Chub Frank 50 $550 Running
13. (19) #6 Dave Lundgren 50 $500 Running
14. (20) #28JR Randy Lobb 50 $450 Running
15. (23) #76 Andy Kania 50 $400 Running
16. (15) #00 Dan Maxim 49 $350 Running
17. (27) #03E Doug Eck 49 $300 Running
18. (17) #11 Rich Gardner 49 $300 Running
19. (18) #80 Bryan Durig 49 $300 Running
20. ((22) #W7 Thomas Ware 49 $300 Running
21. (29) #99B Rick Briggs 49 $300 Running
22. (24) #D2 Nolan Dalton 35 $300 Handling
23. (3) #32L Greg Lucas 31 $360 Ignition
24. (25) #8 Ed Rogers 31 $300 Tire
25. (5) #42 Todd Andrews 28 $340 Rear-End
26. (28) #03S Chevy Scott 25 $300 Handling
27. (14) #15 Steve Halpainy 7 $300 Handling
28. (23) #30 Steve Shaver 7 $300 Accident
29. (27) #30D Moose Dunnewold 3 $300 Handling

TIME OF RACE: 35 minutes
YELLOW FLAGS: Four - laps 2, 7, 29, 31
LAP LEADERS: One - J. Lobb, 1-50
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: A. Scott
OUTERWEARS CO. HARD CHARGER OF THE RACE: D. Scott
CAR COUNT: 33

QUALIFYING: 1)#E1 Mike Balzano 17.578; 2)#99 Donnie Moran 17.680; 3)#32L Greg Lucas 17.782; 4)#42 Todd Andrews 17.822; 5)#10 John Lobb 17.891; 6)#87R Chad Ruhlman 17.898; 7)#71C R.J. Conley 17.957; 8)#1U Matt Urban 18.050; 9)#30 Steve Shaver 18.060; 10)#33 Aaron Scott 18.172; 11)#5M Ryan Markham 18.182; 12)#3H Bruce Hordusky 18.200; 13)#1* Chub Frank 18.209; 14)#15 Steve Halpainy 18.220; 15)#28B Dick Barton 18.231; 16)#6 Dave Lundgren 18.280; 17)#76 Andy Kania 18.327; 18)#03E Doug Eck 18.409; 19)#3 David Scott 18.418; 20)#11 Rich Gardner 18.422; 21)#00 Dan Maxim 18. 454; 22)#W7 Thomas Ware 18.497; 23)#28JR Randy Lobb 18.512; 24)#99B Rick Briggs 18.512; 25)#D2 Nolan Dalton 18.540; 26)#38 Boyd Whitehead 18.560; 27)#14 John Watson 18.563; 28)#03S Chevy Scott 18.742; 29)#23R Don Loney 18.785; 30)#80 Bryan Durig 18.797; 31)#8 Ed Rogers 18.022; 32)#30D Moose Dunnewold 18.034; 33)#08 Howard Keener NT

BORLA EXHAUST HEAT #1: A. Scott, Conley, Andrews, Frank, Balzano, D. Scott, Lundgren, Ware, Dalton, Rogers, C. Scott. (top six6 advanced to the feature)

BORLA EXHAUST HEAT #2: J. Lobb, Markham, Urban, Moran, Halpainy, Gardner, R. Lobb, Kania, Whitehead, Dunnewold, Loney. (top six6 advanced to the feature)

BORLA EXHAUST/SCOTT PERFORMANCE WIRE HEAT #3: Hordusky, Ruhlman, Barton, Lucas, Maxim, Durig, Shaver, Watson, Keener, Eck, Briggs. (top six6 advanced to the feature)

ISKY RACING CAMS DASH: J. Lobb, Ruhlman, Lucas, Balzano, Andrews, Moran. (finish determined the first three rows of the feature)