Blair Evens the Score at Mercer Raceway Park

May 3, 2009
Mercer, PA

Max Blair evened the score with Mike Pegher, Jr. at two at Mercer and three overall on the FASTRAK circuit as he claimed the 20-lap 4 Your Car Connection Late Model win. Blair’s fifth career Mercer win put him atop the track’s all-time win list and came over a stout 23-car field, which meant for a $600 payday.

“It’s going to be fun,” said the 19-year-old Centerville, Pa. driver. “I tied the score tonight. There’s nobody I’d rather race that hard with every week. He’s one of the cleanest guys out there. I owe my dad for everything. I grew up around him, watched him, took pointers, and taught me things. In my mind, I have the best teacher in the world. I just have to take advantage of it.”

Three-time Stock Car champion, Brian Booher, shot from his third starting spot into the lead at the start past Butch Lambert and Mike Anderson, Jr. Blair, who started seventh, raced his way to second getting under Anderson in turn four on lap three.

Booher was maintaining his lead over Blair, but got sideways in turn four on lap five allowing Blair, Anderson, and Ben Black to take over the top three spots by the time he got gathered up. Booher rebounded getting back by Black on lap 10 and Anderson for second with an inside move in turn four on lap 13.

Two late cautions gave Booher a shot at Blair, but Blair was too much in his Eagle Hoist & Winch/Specialty Products/Loney Timber/Moody Welding-sponsored #111. Anderson turned in his career best effort with his first ever top five in third. Butch Lambert edged West Virginia invader Kyle Thomas in his first ever appearance for fourth. Sixth through 10th were Pegher, Dan Angelicchio, Bud Watson, Steve Hollabaugh, and Gary Miller, Jr. Heat winners were Lambert, Pegher, and Booher.