Mercer, PA… A big crowd turned out for “Pack the Track” Fan Appreciation Night on a stifling hot Saturday night at Mercer Raceway Park. The following drivers celebrated with wins in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic victory lane: Mark Murphy-RoadRunner & Lake Road Auto Sales Sprint Cars, Brad Rapp-American Racer/Lias Tire Modifieds, Terry Wheeler-Tire Express Ken Carbone Memorial Stock Cars, Paul Reiser-Maurer’s Trading Post Strictly Stocks, and Bill Clepper-School Buses. It was also “Meet Your Heroes” Autograph Night as for the first time all the cars were brought onto the speedway during intermission for a much-enjoyed meet and greet session. The entire night was presented by Grove City Auto Mall.

Making just his sixth start of the season, low-buck racer Mark Murphy and his family operation scored one for the little guys with an upset victory in the 20-lap RoadRunner & Lake Road Auto Sales Sprint Car feature. Not only was it Murphy’s first win of the season, but his best finish prior to Saturday night was a seventh.

“I’m getting too old for this,” quipped the 52-year-old Norton, Ohio veteran. “It was a long day. I got up at 4:30 this morning to pour concrete at 6. I didn’t think I was going to make it tonight. I left at 1 and my dad, brother, and nephew had everything ready to go and we came down. I don’t know how old this car. We built the frame. My dad is 75 and still builds the motor in the basement from the bore to block to doing the heads. We’re backyard racing!”

Leonard Ripper, Jr. jumped out into the early lead from the pole position. Murphy passed Gale Ruth on the opening lap for second, while fifth starter, Rob Eyler, got past both Tom Quarterson and Ruth for third. Todd Bauer looked strong advancing from his seventh starting position into fourth on the second lap after passing both Danny Holtgraver and Ruth.

Ripper was driving a great race and surprising many as he continued to lead the event. On lap seven, Ripper entered lapped traffic allowing Murphy and Eyler to close making it a three-car race for the lead. Murphy got a great run off the outside of turn two on lap eight to power into the lead down the backstretch. Murphy began to open up some ground, while Eyler hounded Ripper. Bauer was closing in fourth until he looped his mount in turn four and spun into the infield. By the time he recovered he was one lap down.

Ninth starter Rod George, who was using a borrowed motor from Arnie Kent, joined the battle for second on lap 13. Finally Eyler disposed of Ripper for second on lap 14 making a similar move that Murphy performed for the lead. Ripper slipped high in turn four on lap 15 allowing George and 11th starting Bob Felmlee to take third and fourth.

Eyler slowly began to cut into Murphy’s lead. With two laps to go, Murphy encountered lapped traffic. The leader did a great job and held off the fast closing Eyler at the checkered flag for his third career win in his #98M and became the seventh different winner of the season. It took Murphy 11 years to win his first race, five years to win his second, and less than one year to capture his third.

In the last seven races, Eyler now has three wins and two runner-ups. Felmlee was able to get around George on lap 19 to finish third and maintained his point lead. George was fourth ahead of Kent. Sixth through tenth were Ripper, Skip Dougherty, Holtgraver, Ruth, and Paul Kish. Topping the heat races were Murphy and Eyler over the 20-car field.

Brad Rapp may not have been the quickest car on this night, but he ran the preferred line and got the caution when he needed it to capture his fourth victory of the season in the 20-lap American Racer/Lias Tire Modified feature.

“I didn’t know how close he (Bill Adams) was until he got up alongside of me coming off turn two on the high side,” revealed the 18-year-old Shippenville, Pa. racer. “I felt my car was good on the bottom, but I went up high to take his line away and the car probably worked better up there.”

Rapp started the race in fifth and had the lead from Ron Eperthener, Jr. following a restart on lap two. Bill Adams, who started eighth, was stout working his way all the way to second past Eperthener on lap two. Ninth starting Kevin Hoffman advanced to third on lap four when he took the position away from Eperthener.

By lap five Adams was all over Rapp looking for a way around. Adams continued to hound Rapp and finally on lap 12 got a good run on the outside of turn two. The two ran side-by-side down the backstretch into turn three. Adams was better in turn four and appeared to have the advantage as he nosed ahead coming off turn four, but a caution for a spin by Rich Whitney negated the pass.

The last nine laps went green-to-checkered with Adams all over Rapp trying every move possible, but Rapp had just enough and Adams’ preferred inside groove to score his fifth career victory in the Butch Rapp-owned Auto & Truck Specialties/Riverhill Battery House/JW Steel-sponsored #11R. Adams, who is still searching for his first 358 win, was second for the sixth time over the past two seasons. Frank Guidace and Gary Smoker passed Hoffman for third and fourth on laps 12 and 13 respectively. Hoffman dropped to fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Steve Young, Jimmy Holden, Eperthener, Chris Dye, and Rick Hall. Heat winners over the 28-car field were Stine, Rapp, and Guidace. Dye won the B main. Hoffman and Young are now tied for the point lead as just 10 points separates the top four drivers.

Terry Wheeler came out on top of the 15-lap fourth annual Ken Carbone Memorial for his biggest career win taking the $650 payoff after three of the top six finishers were disqualified following the Tire Express Stock Car event. “I have to thank my wife, family, everyone that helps me, and all my sponsors,” stated the Stoneboro, Pa. veteran driver.

Ryan Moyer took the lead from his pole starting position. Fifth and seventh starters Terry and Rusty Wheeler both passed Bill Vance, Jr. for second and third respectively on lap three. It was three-wide on lap four as Terry Wheeler grabbed the lead with Rusty Wheeler taking second. The two unrelated Wheelers unbelievably ran side-by-side lap after lap without any contact, while Andy Buckley, Brian Booher, and Andy Thompson battled hard for third all putting on a great show for the fans.

On lap 13, Rusty finally got under Terry and made the pass stick for the lead in turn four. A caution for Moyer and Vance set up a one-lap dash to the checkered. Rusty held off Terry’s last effort for the apparent victory, but was disqualified in post race tech handing Terry his fifth career win in the Jimmy Wheeler-owned, Greenhill Farms/Pap’s Place/Lakeview Fertilizer/Shingledecker Welding-sponsored #2W. Buckley, point leader Booher, and Bill Lanigan moved up to second, third, and fourth finishing positions. Thompson finished fifth, but came up light at the scales. Dave Ferringer was next in line, but he refused tech and was disqualified as well. Mark Sanders, who initially finished eight, was then credited with fifth. Terry Wheeler and Buckley won the heat races over the 22-car field.

Paul Reiser held off all the challenges to capture his second 12-lap Maurer’s Trading Post Strictly Stock feature win. The Stoneboro, Pa. driver passed Jon Mabry on the opening lap, survived two cautions, and held off a last ditch effort by Josh Seippel for the victory in his Mopar #293. Seippel, who is still searching for his first win, was second for the third time in the last four races. Point leader Bryan Wagner was third after starting 11th and Mabry completed the top five. Heat victors over the season-high 14-car field were Seippel and Reiser.

The School Buses made their third ever appearance and it was Bill Clepper of Freeport, Pa. making an exciting last lap pass of Ben Clepper in the final turn for the 15-lap win. Ben passed Harold Girardat on the initial lap, while Bill took third from Frank Spithaler. Bill moved into second past Girardat on the second go-round. Bill chased Ben for the duration of the event slowing cutting into his lead, but it didn’t appear he’d have enough until Girardat came to rest on the final lap necessitating the event’s only caution. Bill and Ben raced side-by-side on the final lap and it was Bill nosing ahead at the finish for his second career win in his #99. Mike McNeish, Spithaler, Egli, Ken Hurst, and Girardat completed the field. Ben Clepper and Girardat won the heats.