Blair Makes Last Lap Pass to Win UFO Inaguaral Event
Indiana, PA (April 27, 2008) – Rob Blair from Centerville was the winner of Unified Force Race Championship Tour event for Super Late Models presented by Comcast on Sunday night at the Challenger Raceway. His thrilling win by inches over Josh Richards in a classic battle over the last seven laps of the “Area 51-lap” championship feature was worth $5,000.
The top 12 redraw for starting positions in the “Area 51-lap” main event produced David Scott and Rob Blair as front row starters, with Scott leading from the start. Scott led through the first yellow on lap 5, as Blair took the lead on that double file restart. With Scott utilizing the extreme outside groove of the Challenger surface, Dave Hess, Jr. moved in to challenge Scott for second using the middle groove. Hess passed Scott on lap 10, with the next caution period coming at lap 11. On another restart a lap later, the battle was on for the lead as Hess passed Blair for the lead on lap 13. After a lap 16 restart, ninth starting Josh Richards joined the lead battle moving to third place. Richards was also using the extreme outside lane, and he moved past Blair for second on lap 18 to set up a war for the lead with Hess. Blair and Scott were waging their own battle for third, with Scott taking the spot on lap 21. Richards finally nosed by Hess on lap 23, as drivers raced high, low, and in between.
The race for the lead between Richards and Hess continued to thrill the crowd, as the fifth caution period on lap 31 slowed the torrid pace. With the field stacked again for a double file restart, the race took another turn as green flag racing returned. Blair now reentered the picture, as he took second from Hess on lap 32, and now was all over Richards for the lead. A lap later, it was Blair in command again as Richards and Hess resumed their battle, this time for second. Blair inched away in the lead, but the final caution at lap 44 set up a seven-lap race to the end, setting the stage for an exciting finish.
On the double file restart, Richards was still working the extreme outside lane as hard as he could, and he would be the leader at lap 45. Blair worked the low/middle lane, with Richards high, and their side-by-side war for the lead saw the lead change hands at every turn. Separated by inches at the scoring line, it was still Richards ahead as the two to go sign was given. Blair nosed ahead at the white, and Richards again pounded the high side through the final turns. At the checkered flag, it was Blair winning the race to the flag over Richards, ending their classic battle. Hess raced home third, with Scott fourth. Illinois resident Billy Drake, the winner of Challenger’s “The Ultimate” as a part of Fall Fest 13 last October, came home fifth. Filling the top ten were Alex Ferree, Alan Dellinger, Ron Davies, Wayne Chinn, and Steve Francis. Heat winners in the 43-car field were Hess, Richards, Dellinger, and Lynn Geisler. Davey Johnson and Bobby Stokes were B-Main winners.
UFo Super Late Models, car count – 43.
Lead Changes: 6
Scott 1-5
Blair 6-12
Hess 13-22
Richards 23-32
Blair 33-44
Richards 45-49
Blair 50-51
Feature – 1, Rob Blair, Centerville; 2, Josh Richards, Shinston, WV; 3, Dave Hess, Jr., Waterford; 4, David Scott, Garland; 5, Billy Drake, Bloomington, IL; 6, Alex Ferree, Saxonburg; 7, Alan Dellinger, Hermitage; 8, Ron Davies, Warren; 9, Wayne Chinn, Bradford, OH; 10, Steve Francis, Ashland, KY; 11, Bob Close, Eldred; 12, Matt Gaston, Rochester Mills; 13, Sam Stile, Charleroi; 14, John Mason, Millersburg, OH; 15, Shawn McGarvey, Coalport; 16, Ron Delano Jr. , Stoystown; 17, Keith Barbara, South Park; 18, Steve Baker, Fairmont, WV; 19, Jacob Hawkins, Fairmont, WV; 20, Lynn Geisler, Cranberry Twp.; 21, Davey Johnson, Latrobe; 22, Michael Altobelli, Jr., Saxton; 23, Mike Knight, Ripley, NY; 24, Bobby Stokes, Milton.
Heat winners – Dave Hess, Jr., Josh Richards, Alan Dellinger, Lynn Geisler.
B-Main winners – Davey Johnson, Bobby Stokes.
Did not qualify - Jared Miley, South Park; Tommy Shaffer, Punxsutawney; Mike Johnson, Imperial; Doug Eck, Corry; John Mollick, Toronto, OH; Herman Bertolini, Creighton; Shane Beegle, Bedford; Matt Lux, Franklin; Gregg Satterlee, Rochester Mills; Greg Oakes, Franklinville, NY; Clate Copeman, Greensburg; Dutch Davies, Warren; Matt Dobnak, West Mifflin; Chris Farrell, Clearfield; Gary Lyle, Hyde Park; Mel Minnick, Jr., Uniontown; Dave Satterlee, Rochester Mills; Darrin "D.J." Miller, Hookstown; Rodney Sweitzer, Stoystown.
