Mike Knight tops the Chiller Thriller for UFO Race Championship!!!

Mercer PA (March 27) – Mike Knight of Ripley, NY was the winner of the Chiller Thriller 41 at Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday night, opening the season for the UFo Race Championship Super Late Model Series.  Knight charged to the front from 15th starting position, and took the lead on lap 27 in his winning effort worth $2500.

Three heat races were run for the 28 cars in attendance.  Dave Murdick was the winner of Heat 1, from second starting position.  Greg Oakes won Heat 2 from the pole, as John Flinner took Heat 3 also from the pole.  Jim Kutas won the B-Main to set the 24-car starting field.  Flinner and Murdick were the lucky ones in the redraw, drawing front row starting positions.

At the drop of the green flag for the 41-lap Chiller Thriller, Flinner and Murdick raced side-by-side under the green flag to turn one, but Murdick slipped high and made contact with the outside wall, bringing out the initial caution period of the event and a complete restart.  The resulting damaged forced his car to be towed off, ending his night in disappointment.  Denton Boyer moved outside of Flinner for the next try at a start, when Flinner powered ahead to take the lead.  With Flinner inside, John Mollick moved up to challenge to Flinner’s outside, and they crossed the line with Flinner inches ahead when lap 1 was scored.  Flinner again led lap 2 by a nose, but powered ahead entering turn one.  When Flinner’s car slid to the top of the track, Mollick cut hard to the inside and made the pass for the lead in turn two.  Mollick was the new leader on lap 3 over Flinner.  Boyer held third over eighth starting Gregg Satterlee, but tenth starting Dave Hess, Jr. swept by both to go to third on lap 5.  Flinner closed within inches of Mollick in lapped traffic on lap 10, but Mollick opened up a comfortable advantage through the traffic.

The run of green flag racing ended on lap 13, with the second caution period of the race.  Mollick chose inside of the double file restart, and nosed ahead when racing resumed.  The battle for second spot was now intense, as Hess, Satterlee, and 15th starting Mike Knight all got by Flinner at lap 14.  The next caution came with 16 complete, and Mollick still controlled the lead.  Knight was now second, with Hess hounding the leaders every move.  Satterlee was pressing the leaders in fourth, and the race for the lead was a war.  Knight pulled inside of Mollick across the line on lap 25, but Mollick got back ahead before the next yellow with 26 complete.

On this double file restart, Knight used the outside and powered ahead of Mollick for the lead, before yellow flashed again with 27 in.  Leader Knight chose the outside for this restart, and again led the way over Mollick, Satterlee, Hess, and 12th starting Chad Valone.  Valone passed Hess for fourth on lap 29, before the next caution with 30 in.  Knight chose outside again, and again set the pace as Valone got to second as he, Hess, and Mollick fought for second going three-wide at one point. 

The final caution period was with 33 laps in for Jared Miley, who was battling to get in the top five after starting 14th.  Knight raced home as the winner, from 15th starting spot in his Keypointe Realty, Jay’s Auto Wrecking, Ottaway’s Auto Body, Craiger powered Rocket, shod with American Racer tires.  Second went to Valone, from 12th at the start in his Valone Ford, Magnum Graphix, CFR Racing, Custom powered Rocket.  Hess was third from tenth starting position in his Hess Garage and Salvage, Beacon Lubricants, Plyler Overhead Door, Craiger powered Rocket.  Keith Barbara took fourth spot on lap 38, capping his run from 18th at the drop of the green aboard his Forbes Field Garage, Triangle Benefit Services, Ran Group Racing Tours, Domhoff powered Lazer.  Early leader Mollick came home fifth in his CC Performance powered, Accu Force Shock Dynos, Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic, Ford powered entry.  Satterlee was sixth, with Flinner, John Garvin, Chad McClellan, and Jim Kutas rounding out the top ten.