ARDC Erie County results 97-08-16

For more information: Linda Mansfield, lindamansfield@CompuServe.com 908-281-7542 (My E-mail isn't working this weekend)

Dietz Wins ARDC CARQUEST Midget Feature At Erie County Fairgrounds Saturday Night

HAMBURG, N.Y., Aug. 16 -- Tim Dietz of Hanover, Pa., recorded his first American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) CARQUEST Midget Series feature victory since 1995 when he put his Shack Automotive Avenger Dietz into victory lane Saturday night at the Erie County Fairgrounds before a large and enthusiastic crowd. Dietz dedicated the victory to his father, Dick, for all his hard work to assist the family’s racing endeavors.

Mark Freeland of Ickesburg, Pa., was second in Roger McKeehan’s Exportise Stealth Scat V4, which was about a half-straightaway behind Dietz at the checkered. Walt Stearly of Trappe, Pa., was third. Point leader Ed Stimely Jr. of McVeytown, Pa., was fourth and defending ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series champion Phil DiMario of Piermont, N.Y., finished fifth.

Bryan Kobylarz of Birdsboro, Pa.; Ron Lauer of Millersville, Md.; Gary Mondschein of Stewartsville, N.J.; Tom Martocci of Brodheadsville, Pa.; and Shannon Mausteller of Bloomsburg, Pa., rounded out the top 10.

Ray Bull of New Oxford, Pa., led the first eight laps before Dietz, who had started eighth, got under him coming out of turn four. Bull then spun and hit the hay bales in turn two and retired. Dietz led the rest of the way and took the checkered handily on lap 20.

Mike Roselli Jr. of Brodheadsville, Pa., brought out the first yellow when he hit the turn one fence on lap two.

Mike Lapp of Slatington, Pa., suffered a possible dislocated shoulder when he hit the wall in turn three near the half-way point. Shannon Mausteller spun a few milli-seconds later, but he was able to restart and ended up with a top-10 finish.

Don Trent II of Honeybrook, Pa., was running fourth late in the race when his right front tire went flat and he spun in turn two.

Duane Mausteller of Bloomsburg, Pa., won the first eight-lap heat, while Bull just nipped Dietz in the second heat. The twin five-lap cash dashes went to Stearly and Borger.

The ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series currently has only two more point races on the schedule. Both are at Lincoln Speedway in New Oxford, Pa., on Aug. 23 and Sept. 13.

A special non-point "First Feature" for non-ARDC feature winners will be held at Flemington (N.J.) Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 31. Several ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series teams are also expected to compete in an invitational non-point race at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 30.

The summary:

First Heat (8 laps) -- 1. Duane Mausteller, 2. Doug Borger, 3. Shannon Mausteller, 4. Walt Stearly, 5. Tom Martocci, 6. Bryan Kobylarz, 7. Mike Lapp, 8. Scott Jackson, 9. Brian Suchy.

Second Heat (8 laps) -- 1. Ray Bull, 2. Tim Dietz, 3. Don Trent II, 4. Randy Mausteller, 5. Mark Freeland, 6. Ed Stimely Jr., 7. Phil DiMario, 8. Ron Lauer, 9. Gary Mondschein.

First Cash Dash (5 laps) -- 1. Walt Stearly, 2. Tom Martocci, 3. Ed Stimely Jr., 4. Mike Lapp, 5. Duane Mausteller.

Second Cash Dash (5 laps) -- 1. Doug Borger, 2. Ray Bull, 3. Bryan Kobylarz, 4. Scott Jackson, 5. Michael Roselli Jr.

Feature (20 laps) -- 1. Tim Dietz, 2. Mark Freeland, 3. Walt Stearly, 4. Ed Stimely Jr., 5. Phil DiMario, 6. Bryan Kobylarz, 7. Ron Lauer, 8. Gary Mondschein, 9. Tom Martocci, 10. Shannon Mausteller, 11. Doug Borger, 12. Scott Jackson, 13. Randy Mausteller, 14. Don Trent II, 15. Duane Mausteller, 16. Mike Lapp, 17. Ray Bull, 18. Michael Roselli Jr., 19. Brian Suchy. No time.

Feature Lap Leaders -- Laps 1-8, Ray Bull; laps 9-20, Tim Dietz.