Articles
Ferris' dominant run shorted by blown engine; Ervin overcomes snapped hub to win 2004 MOM season opener at Englishtown's Raceway Park Saturday night.
By Robin Ervin
Defending MOM champion, Ervin snapped a right rear hub in final practice but was able to repair his #99 microstock in time for the heat race and ultimately on to victory lane in the feature race later on that night. During the heat race, the K&K Industries dynamic duo of Tom Ervin in the #99 and Matt Vallincourt in the #16 vigorously pursued, but were unable to catch the swift Total clean sponsored, Carl Scheier prepared #12 microstock, driven by Scott Ferris. John Kazmierski, the owner of K&K Racing returned from his self-imposed retirement to drive his #90 microstock to a 4th place finish.
The Feature started with the #12 jumping to the early lead, hotly pursued by the rest of the field. By the third lap of the 20-lap feature, Ferris, Vallincourt and Ervin had opened up a five-car lead on the rest of the field. As the #16 and #99 fought for second place, Ferris in the #12 drew out to a commanding lead. As lap 5 began, Ervin had finally completed the pass on the #16 and focused on catching the leader. Later on in the same lap, Vallincourt's engine detonated on the backstretch ruining what might have been a strong finish. This moved John Poulsen, returning this year behind the wheel of his #3 microstock, into third place with John Kazmierski driving the #90 in fourth position.
By lap 7, Ferris in the #12 car had pulled away to a straightaway lead on the #99, who had a 1/2 lap lead on the rest of the field. The two soon proceeded to lap the entire field, but Ervin could not close the gap on Ferris. Rookie driver Jim Turner, driving in his first ever microstock race, was the next to retire with engine woes on lap 9. Suddenly, at the halfway point of the race, the engine in the #12 let go and as Ferris pulled off the track Ervin assumed the lead.
Ervin drove the #99 around the track as if his car was on a rail and spent the rest of the race lapping the rest of the field. In the final 2 laps of the feature, Ervin caught up to the #90, driven by his car owner and the two traded paint in a dramatic battle with neither driver giving an inch. As they flew by the flagman to take the checkered flag, Ervin in the #99 beat the #90 driven by Kazmierski by 1/2 a car to take his first win of the season.
The final order of finish was Tom Ervin- #99, John Kazmierski -#90, John Poulsen-#3, Jim Van Dine, (former crew on the Scheier #29 and #12, driving the #29 for the first time.) Finishing fifth was Scott Ferris-#12, Rookie K&K Industries driver Jim Turner-#93, and Matt Vallincourt- #16.
After the race defending MOM champion Ervin stated " I really had nothing for him (Ferris). I just got lucky today."
Articles:
2003 Archives:
Restoring Phyllis the Offy Car
John Blewett lll- read about this local modified star
Ernie Saxton Seminar- About Mr. Saxton's seminar during the Motorsports Expo
Lawn mower racing- Learn mow about this grass roots sport
2002 and Older Archives