JENNERSTOWN, Pa. – Bobby Santos kept his dreams of sweeping the David D. Mateer Tribute Race alive by leading the way in Hamilton Trucking Time Trials on Saturday afternoon at Jennerstown Speedway.
Santos, the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, earned his second fast time of the season with the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series by posting a time of 15.550 seconds (120.849 mph) in the No. 22a Mayhew Tools sprinter for veteran car owner Dick Fieler.
He earned $500 for his leading qualifying time, a bonus put up by American Racer Tires in honor of their late past president Mateer.
Saturday’s effort marked the sixth time in Santos’ Must See Racing career that he has topped qualifying, tying him for fifth all-time with Jason Blonde. He was less than a quarter of a second off the all-time sprint car track record of 15.320 seconds (122.663 mph) set by Jeff Bloom in 2005.
“We had a good car all the way through practice. I just spent most of the day trying to get comfortable around this place, seeing as how it’s my first time here,” said Santos. “This is a neat race track … really fast, and I’m really excited to race here tonight after hearing so much about it.
“It’s a nice, smooth race track. I’m honestly still learning it as we go, but I’m having a lot of fun,” Santos added. “We won at another half-mile (Madison Int’l Speedway) earlier this summer, so hopefully that bodes well for us later on tonight.
Second-fastest in qualifying was Berlin (Mich.) Raceway winner Charlie Schultz, who toured the flat, .522-mile oval in 15.611 seconds (120.377 mph) with the No. 9s Perfection Fabricators entry for John Reiser.
Schultz was followed by newly-crowned four-time series champion Jimmy McCune (15.634/120.200). The top three drivers were the only ones to break the 120 mph threshold in qualifying.
Jerry Caryer and Tom Jewell completed the Fast Five.
Sixth through 10th were Adam Biltz, Jeff Bloom, Johnny Petrozelle III, Rick Holley and Todd McQuillen.
Heat races for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series are slated to begin at approximately 7 p.m. The David D. Mateer Memorial Race will take the green flag shortly after 9 p.m.
QUALIFYING RESULTS: Must See Racing Sprint Car Series; Jennerstown Speedway; Sept. 15, 2018
- #22a – Bobby Santos III, 15.550
- #9s – Charlie Schultz, 15.611
- #88 – Jimmy McCune, 15.634
- #75c – Jerry Caryer, 15.923
- #7 – Tom Jewell, 16.185
- #8a – Adam Biltz, 16.442
- #26 – Jeff Bloom, 16.521
- #81 – Johnny Petrozelle III, 16.614
- #85 – Rick Holley, 17.947
- #32 – Todd McQuillen, 18.524
- #51s – Joshua Sexton, 18.592
- #15 – Tim Henthorne, 19.423
- #90 – Joe Speakman, 19.745
- #99 – James Rader, 19.905
- #4L – Anthony Linkenhoker, 20.686
- #8 – Anthony McCune, NT
